The Initiative Against Homophobia Association

 

1. Association name, center and branch offices

a)      An association has been founded under the name of “The Initiative Against Homophobia Association”

b)      The Association center is in Lefkoşa. The address is Şair Nedim Sok. No. 1, Çağlayan, Lefkoşa.

c)      The association has no district offices. If there will be an establishment of a branch office, its formation, operation, representation and authorization and relevant legal provisions will be added to the charter.

d)     The association does not have a clubhouse. With the decision of the management committee, a clubhouse can be established. In the case of this establishment, non-members of the association can not use or make use of the sources of the association, unless they are invited for an event and-or have a permission from the management committee to attend.

 

2. Aims of the Association

The fight against sexual orientation discrimination, elimination of homophobia, protection of the fundamental universal rights and freedom of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and engaging in peaceful activities to raise awareness towards these issues.

 

3. Association Activities

To reach the association goals with peaceful activities without violence;

a)      Organising, attending and contribute to activities on following and or related to the following issues; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights, Sexual Orientation, Human Rights and Freedom, socio-politic, education, sex, health, family, science, art, culture, history, sports, cinema, theatre.

b)      Scientifically investigating, researching, generating results and writing on issues and-or concepts of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights, Sexual Orientation, Homophobia, Human Rights and Freedom, socio-politic, education, sex, closely related to communal interst.

c)      Arranging exhibitions, concerts, conferences and workshops with the broadest meaning and artistic activities regarding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights, Sexual Orientation, Homophobia, Human Rights and Freedom, socio-politic, education, sex, closely related to communal interst.

d)     Carrying out lobby works, litigation and applying for any legal procedures found suitable by the associating for improving and protecting the human rights and freedom as described by the international or multi lateral and explained by leagues, both within the country and abroad.

e)      Collaborating with similar associations in different field, arranging collaborated events, developing projects and strengthening relationships at international and-or national arenas.

f)       Arranging and organising social events for the members to build communication and solidarity between the members. Arranging and attending sports and cultural activities, arranging trainings, attending to leauges and tournaments, organizing tournaments

g)      For these intentions;

(i)     Collecting the materials such as books, magazines etc in hand as archives and-or bookcase/bookshelf.

(ii)   Publishing and-or distributing and-or preparing, distributing and-or hand out and-or selling all kinds of papers, tape and web-page on the electronic field, CD, tape, book, brochure, bulletin, radio and-or TV programme, film, magazine and newspapers.

(iii) In order to  reach these goals, in case of need, purchasing and-or renting and-or selling of movable property and-or immovable property; and-or forming collaboration with similar associations to rent and-or buy and-or sell movable and-or immovable; and-or carrying out the necessary work due form of law on renting and-or buying and-or selling in collaboration with similar associations.

(iv) In case of need to improve the quality of service, employing professional personnel and-or purchasing the necesssary service.

 

4. Membership for the Association and membership rights and responsibilities;

a)      Any person who is a TRNC citizen and is over the age of 18 can apply for membership.

b)      Membership applications are made to the executive committe. Comes into force with the executive committe’s permission. The executive committe may decline any membership application without giving any reasons.

c)      The members are recorded in the member registration books and the something else has been meant on here

d)     Each member can apply the executive committee for the dissmissal of their membership.

e)      The members are,

(i)     To support the aims, goals and application of the association,

(ii)   To comply with association charter and decisions,

(iii) To pay membership fees,

(iv) Have the rights and duties/responsibilities to be informed on the association decsisions, works and events and the responsibility of making suggestions or objections to these.

f)       Those who have not paid for their membership fees until the general assembly do not have the right to vote or become a candidate.

 

5. Quitting and being expelled from membership:

a)      The member who would like to quit from membership writes a letter of resignation to the management committe. With the executive committe written notice, the dismissal is completed.

b)      A member who has recieved written warnings but still does not pay for the membership fee for 2 years in a row is expelled from membership by the executive committee

c)      The relationship of those who are given a final expelling from the board of discipline, will be terminated.

d)     A member can be expelled from the association with the decision of management committee, in the case of contradicting behaviour of the member against aims of the association.

e)      Each member who has been expelled from membership has the right to make a written application to the management committee for an appeal at the first General Assembly following the decision to be expelled. At such a case, the member who wants to appeal for the decision should hand in the written application to the management committee, minimum 7 days before the General Assembly.

 

6. Income of the Association

The association is established for acting towards its own goals only, according to the law 6/61 and its 1st article “apart from an aim of profit sharing” and make money only through the following;

a)      Membership dues: The membership due is 2% of the minimum legal wage and annual membership fee is 12 % of the minimum legal wage. If the executive committee finds it necessary, the membership due and membership fee can be re-determined. The dues are collected according to the formality, by the member assigned for the financial duties, by the management committee.

b)      Donations and aids: any foundation, establishment, union, association, person or a member can donate or help the association.

c)      Other income sources are:

(i). Through any kind of paper, tape and web page on the electronic field, CD, band, book, brochures, bulletins, radio and-or TV programme, film, magazine and newspaper preparation and-or distribution and-or publishing.

(ii). Through lottery ticket and similar promotional sales,

(iii). Through social and cultural events organised by the executive commitee.

d)     Due payments, donations and other incomes are made in return of a reciept or a written document stating that the donation is taken. In both this document or receipt, the payer or donators and the receievers full name and signiture are present. The money will be deposited in a bank account at a bank found suitable by the management committee, which will be opened by signatures of both the chairman and a memebr of the management committee.

e)      The incomes can only be used for the association events and reasons stated in the regulation, income sharing among members is strictly prohibited.

 

7. Association Organs

a)      General Assmeble has used above

b)      Executive Committee

c)      Supervision Committee

d)     Diciplinary Committee

 

8. General Assembly

a)      Plenary Committee consists of the attendance of all qualified members. It is the highest decision body. Directs the management committee by decision making, clarifies the financial reports of the previous period prepared by the executive committee, elects the management, inspection and discipline committees and with the application of two thirds of the number of members, can renew the elections of its organs before the due date,

b)      Regularly gets together once every 3 years, assigns the agenda, assigns the meeting procedure to allow all the members’ views and votes to be listened, assigns the council -a chairman and two secetaries- to take necessary precautions,

c)      In the case of the executive committee’s call, gather together to discuss the agenda determined by the management committee, but does not assign new issues in that case,

d)     If it is demanded to arrange a preternatural meeting with an agenda set by the members, the number of appliers to the management committee for the call should not be less than the one fifth of the total number of association members.

e)      In the case of preternatural meetings, the procedures of the usual meetings are applied and a new council is not formed if it is already present, if there is a missing number of people, a new election is done for that missing member.

f)       At usual and preternatural assemblies, the quorum is one more than half of the qualified number of all members, a decision’s quorum is the majority of the number of members in attendance. If the quorum is not reached until the time of the meeting, the meeting is postponed for thirty minutes. If the quorum is still not reached at the end of this duration, the meeting is postponed for a week. On that coming day, the attending qualified memers’ number is accepted as the quorum and the meeting is opened; but, the number of attending qualifiled members can not be less than the total number of the management committee of Administration, Discipline and Inspection.

g)      The executive committee should inform the related local governments and other related people and associations about the decisisons reached, the memebers elected for the management, discipline and inspection committees at the full assembly within ten (10) days, by a written notice.

h)      For the decisions on selling the real estate belonging to the association and changes in the charter, the decision quorum is at least one more than the number of qualified members and two thirds of the ones ready at the general assembly.

i)        Changes in the charter,

(i)                 Amendments in the charter is suggested by the management committee

(ii)               A copy of the suggested amendements in the regulations will be distributed to the members at least 1 week before the date of the full assembly meeting.

(iii)             Amendments in the charter, can be made only by the votes of at least one more than the half of the number of qualified members at the full assembly and two thirds of the ones present at the full assembly.

 

9. Management Committee

Management committee is responsible for making decisions regarding the plenary committee decisions, and, the application and practising of the issues stated in charter. It is formed by a Chairman, Genral Secretary and four memberes. Management committee makes the assignments of the duties among these four members. Once these members’ assignments on financial, memberships and other issues are determined, they will be given clear job descriptions.

Management committee organizes its own sets up its own agenda, prepares the financial and work reports, in a form that will be used by the,, that will be brought to the plenary committee and presents them to the committee`s approval. 

Financial report’s outline is prepared and reported to the management committee by the management committe member who is responsible for the financial matters. The chairman prepares the labour report. The management committee member who is responsible for the membership issues, keeps the membership book up to date and presents it to the management committee to be reported to the plenary committee. A member is assigned to prepare the report of the inspections made by the inspection board.

If the Management committee’s number of members drops to 3 or less than 3 including the chairman- the remaining members are called to decide on the date and place of the next voting by the plenary committee. If the chairman resigns, the representative is decided by the remaining memebers until the next voting.

The management committee prepares the assembly agenda and is to inform the members on the meeting place, time and agenda of the meeting at least 7 days before the meeting through a local newspaper. In case of necessity, the management committee calls assembly preternaturally. This assembly’s date is published in a daily newspaper at least 3 days before the meeting, for the members information.

The meeting quorum is one more than half of the management committees number, decision quorum is the majority of the attending members.

 

10. Inspection Committee

a)      Formation and duties of the Inspection Committee: Inspection committee consists of 2 core members and 1 backup member chosen by the plenary committee, and inspects all the financial businesses, mechanisms and operations and activities in the association regulations perspective. According to the facts stated at band b of this article, committee does its duties no less than once a year and reports the results to the management committee and if any applications in contrast with the regulations are detected, suggests precautions to be taken to overcome those issues.

b)      Inspection and annual auditing of the accounts: All the information regarding incomes, expenditure and all kinds of financial matters of the association are presented to the inspection committee’s information and approval at least once every budget year. In cases where the management committee finds it necessary, a registered accountant can be consulted for financial matters. Te inspection committee prepares a report on the end of the year inspections and presents it to the management committee  and to the information and examination of the plenary committee.

c)      The budget year of the association begins on the 1st of January and ends on the 31st of December.

 

11. Discipline Committee

Discipline committee consists of 3 core and 1 backup member, voted by the plenary committee. If a place is emptied regarding the core members, the backup members are called.

a)      The working method of the discipline committee: The discipline committee elects a chairman and inform the executive council. The discipline committee asks for a self-defense  within maximum 15 (fifteen) days of the executive committees consignment of the member to the dscipline committee with a reason. The call for self-defense is made by a written statement. In this statement, the faults resulting in the prosecution are clearly stated. Within 15 (fifteen) days of the notification for self defense, the written self defense should be handed in to the executive council. If otherwise, the member is respected as having given up on his/her right to defend him/herself. Under these circumstances, the discipline committee discusses the issue and the decision made is to be stated to the executive council and the member within 5 (five) days.

The discipline committee is responsible to decided the discipline cases reported to them within at least 3 (three) months of the reporting date. At the time of research about the discipline fault, the executive council and the discipline committee add any information concerning the case and the related people, adding opinions about the resolution also.

The decision reached by the Discipline committee is reported to the executive council. Executive council is responsible for the application of this decision.

The decision of the discipline committee can be transferred to the plenary committee by the related member or the executive council. The discipline committee and the executive council are not authorised to make a verdict or discuss the issues that have been discussed and reached to the decision by the plenary committee. The decisions reached by the plenary committee can only be altered by the plenary committee.

The discipline files which have not been decided by the discipline committee for 3 (three) months, if wanted, can be transferred to the plenary committee by the executive council. The board members who have negligence regarding this issue and the member who is believed to have committed a discipline fault’s positions will be decided by the plenary committee.

The discipline committee’s work on the investigations and resaarch are kept private and the committee is obliged to keep an investigation report. Those who expose the investigation and the work before the stated date are reported to the plenary committee with the discipline fault.

Discipline committee can make the decision through open or closed voting among the committee. In the case of an equality, the chairman has the right to vote for a second time. 

b)      Discipline penalty

(i)     Warning; the member who has not complied with the association regulations and goals, and strikes an attitude are given a warning penalty. This is a written or spoken warning to catch the attention of the member. This penalty is given to those who have performed a discipline penalty for the first time.

(ii)   Condemnation; the member who has caused a financial or moral harm or took a role in causing or has not done the job assigned by the regulation or assembly verdict without giving any reason will be condemned. Also, those who continue thier negative behaviours who were given a warning previously are given a condemnation penalty.

(iii) Temporary detachment; the member who harms the association solidarity and performs acts which may harm the association prestige and cause financial losses are given temporary detachment penalty. This can be upto 1 (one) year the most.

(iv) Permanent detachment; members who mess with the other members’ identities unfairly are given permanent detachment penalty. This can also be given to the members who insist on sustaining an undisciplined attitude and behaviour patterns after being given a temporary detachment penalty previously. Permanent detachment penalty permanently drops the membership of the person.

 

12. Accounts and books;

The association holds the following books:

a)      Member registration book: The identities, the date of their membership, professions, paid dues monthly and annually and membership fees of the members are kept in this book

b)      Casebook: The decisions of the plenary and the management committee’s are listed according to the dates in this book, and the chairman and the management committees other members’ votes are stated as “accepted”, “rejected”, “abstaining” in a clearly distinguishable fashion.

c)      Coming and Going Documents book: Documents who come in and out are kept in the order of dates are recorded and the original copies of the coming documents and copies of the going documents are filed.

d)      Income and expenditure books: an open and ordered book of all the incomes and expenditures of the association, who they are from or to whom they are paid to are recorded in this book.

e)      Registered movable property: every real estate and movable property is recorded in this book.

f)        The visitors book: those who are not members but are visitors sign this book with clearly stated name and address information.

 

13. The Shut-Down of The Association:

The shutting down decision is reached by the preternatural meeting of the plenary committee with only the agenda of shuting down of the associaton and changes in the regulations verdicts to be reached. Changes in the verdict is reached by the vote of at least one more than the half of the number of authorised members and two thirds of those who are present at the plenary committee. In the case of shutting down, the assets are donated to the charities stated in the decisisons.

 

14. Election Procedure

All the elections are done by private voting and open counting. But, the assembly chairmanship is appointed by open voting. Unless there are regulations not stated in this document, at the meeting of the all of the associations organs, with at least one more than the  half of the number of organ members presence, the quorum is reached and the decision quorum is the majority of the attendind members.