Saturday, September 25, 2010

Current Governing Council:

President: Ms Fathimath Afiya Care Society
Vice President: Mr Imad Mohamed Hoadedhoo Association for Development (HAD)
General Secretary Mr Ahmed Zalif Gemanafushi United Island Development
Society
Treasurer: Mr Ahmed Nijah Fuvahmulah Youth Society

Council Member: Ms Shidhatha Shareef Care Society
Council Member: Mr Mohamed Naseem Tymes, G Dh. Thinadhoo
Council Member: Ms Aishtah Sheeza Seek, B. Kendhoo
Council Member: Mr. Hassan Najeeb NWDS, GA. Villingili

Categories of Membership

The Federation shall progressively categorize the membership into National Member Associations (hereinafter referred to as NMAs), Regional Member Associations (hereinafter referred to as RMAs), and Affiliate Members.

Associations (hereinafter referred to as AMAs), and Transitional Member Associations (hereinafter referred to as TMAs). In addition, RMAs within a specific Atoll or contiguous group of Atolls may form Branches of the Federation
(Hereinafter referred to as Branches), to collectively represent themselves as an separately distinct RMA.

Membership

Eligibility, rights and duties

 Any association registered under the NGO Act of Maldives (Law No. 1/2003) and is committed to honour the principles and the terms of this Constitution, is eligible for membership (referred as MAs) of the Federation on submission of the approved application form.

 MAs shall have such other rights, duties and privileges as the Governing Council may decide from time to time, as prescribed by any regulation, unless otherwise stated in this constitution.

 MAs shall retain their rights as a member of the Federation until they are legally dissolved, default in paying subscription, removed or suspended by a decree of the Governing Council.

 Any regular Member of an MA of the Federation shall also become an individual member of the Federation by virtue of him/her becoming a member of the association participating in the Federation.

AIMS AND OBJECTS

The Federation believing that providing space for seeking opinions from various levels and segments of the society is essential to create a conducive and an enabling environment for equitable distribution of resources and development benefits has the following objectives:
(a) To promote and support social development at island, atoll and national levels;
(b) To support and guide progressive development of the NGO sector, the third sector, in Maldives;
(c) To train the personnel of NGOs, CBOs and other developmental institutions in the techniques of community mobilization for development programmes;
(d) To identify pressing and emerging issues that needs to be incorporated in national policy directives and development strategies;
(e) To undertake advocacy activities to incorporate issues that represents the perspective of the community and the NGO sector;
(f) To exercise influence on policy formulation to address issues identified by the NGO sector;
(g) To support and assist local initiatives by NGOs & CBOs, contributing to strengthen the existing activities and establishing new activities which will improve self-help abilities of all communities;
(h) To promote community participation in efforts to achieve appropriate changes in the community;
(i) To improve the grassroots level community organizations in order to increase their ability to mobilize and utilize human and environmental resources;
(j) To promote community empowerment by increasing awareness among the communities so that they become more development oriented, ready and able to participate actively in development;
(k) To pool together all those human and material resources that individuals and groups are willing to share of their own free will to uplift the quality of life and resources of the lesser advantaged segments of the communities;
(l) To conduct research and studies on potential advancement of island communities as well as formulate and implement development programs;
(m) To develop and maintain relations with other national and international organizations having similar interest or undertakings.

Guiding Principles of Maldives NGO Federation

The membership of the Federation shall commit to adhere and to adopt the following principles in policy formulation, strategic planning and programme implementations.
(a) Neutral with respect to affiliation with political parties, factions and representatives,
(b) Non-discriminatory in recruiting members on the ground of their location of their registered main office,
(c) Charitable (not-for-profit) in service delivery and programme implementation,
(d) Restrict individual members of Member Association (hereafter referred to as MAs) deriving personal material gains or profiting in any way by virtue of that status either during the existence of the Federation or after its dissolution,
(e) Restrict direct or indirect transfer of Federation’s income, commodities and property, as loans, dividends, bonus or profit to any individual member or staff of a MA, or to any employee of the Federation.

Strategic Five Year Plan of Maldives NGO Federation

At the Annual General Meeting of Maldives NGO Federation was held at Holiday Inn, 18th -20th March, 2010, a strategic five year 2010-2014 was formulated. In the strategic plan, the following focus eight areas were identified by the member NGOs:
Strategic focus areas:

1. Increase membership
Target: Almost all the registered NGOs in the Maldives become members of Federation
2. When designing national policy, strengthen planning
Target: to achieve the intent, be a model institution
3. Strengthen the capacity of Federation and member NGOs
Target: Federation and member NGOs are acquired with knowledge and skills
4. Establish networks with regional and international NGOs, forums and movements with similar objectives
Target: Several similar interest NGOs, Federations and movements interested to build relationship with Maldives NGO Federation
5. Undertake research in emerging serious social issues and share with NGO members and stakeholders
Target:The research conducted by Federation or any member NGO would verify and validate the information collected
6. Advocate for NGO members , Government and other development partners when they design and implement programmes to incorporate the voice of community
Target: Any progamme focused on development of community needs to include the voice fo the community to make it sustainable
7. Focus on gender equality
Target: To promote gender equality and encourage political participation of women
8. To advocate voice of Federation at national level policy planning
Target: Federation is seen as a partner institution and invited for national planning forums

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Maldives NGO Federation (MNF)

Maldives NGO Federation (MNF) was registered in 2006.

Vision

Maldives NGOs, recognising the feelings and situation of the Maldivian society, will actively create an enabling environment to attain the societal rights and needs accountably and will be adept institutions

Mission

Prioritising to attain the societal rights and needs to ensure social justice in the Maldivian Society, advocate to design and devise national policy, and systems to distribute the resources in the Maldives in an equitable an equal manner. To advocate for these rights, create opportunities for the Maldivian NGOs.