Launch of Electoral Process for the Africa Representative at the HIC Board for 2016 -2020

The term of HIC AFRICA
Representative, Mrs. Affoué Pauline Yao (Femme Cote d’Ivoire Expérience) at
the Board has expired. The next four-year term will run from October 2016
through September 2020.

Mr. Yves Joël Zoffoun of the HIC Reference Centre for Africa ONG
BETHESDA, will guide and support the whole process together with Marie, staff of the HIC
General Secretariat.

According to HIC’s Constitution and Bylaw, the Members
should be in good standing[i]
with the Coalition in order to participate to this Electoral process and
the procedures for the
election in Africa Region must respect the following guidelines:

How to be a member in good standing?
Membership activation or renewal

– Members make contributions to support the Coalition and, by doing
so, get the right to vote and to propose their Members and collaborators for
elected positions. “Contributions” are actions which allow the
strengthening of HIC and the implementation of HIC’s strategy. These contributions
are divided into 5 groups (a) research and documentation, (b) training,
(c) networking, (d) fundraising, funds management and other services
(logistics, administration and legal), and (e) dues calculated according to
the annual budget of the member organisation. You will find attached a comprehensive
list of Contributions.

– A Membership Form has been sent attached to Members in Africa,
requesting them to update data, to download the form click . This form should be
filled at your earliest convenience and sent back to Marie at HIC-GS.

– In case a Member is active with grassroots presence on the ground
but lack the capacity to pay dues, we encourage Members to present their cases
supporting the request with relevant documentation (starting from the filled
Membership form) and other documents that are stated in the attached list of
contributions. The Member’s contributions must be sent to Mr. Alvaro Puertas, HIC
General Secretary, with a copy sent to Yves Joël Zoffoun at ONG Bethesda, HIC Reference Centre for
Africa. The list must be received no less than two weeks prior to the cut off
date for the purposes of voting. The Member’s contributions assessment falls
back on the Secretariat, in coordination with the Board members and the
Reference Centres of Habitat International Coalition.

Who can run for the election and be Candidate?
Profile and Eligibility
for Board Representatives[ii]

– A man or a woman, HIC Member in good standing from the African
Region, (a) working in the field of Rights to Habitat including Human,
housing and land rights, (b) promoting social justice, gender equality, and
environmental sustainability; (c) interested to combine local, national and
regional contexts with the global approach; (d) interested to represent
housing social processes from a global perspective in international forums.

– All the Candidates should speak English or French

– Eligible candidates to the HIC Board shall belong to organizations which
have been based in the corresponding region for at least one (1) year at the
time of their nomination and Members of HIC for at least one (1) year at the
time of their nomination.

– Candidates running for election shall be nominated by at least two
(2) organizational Members of the Coalition from the same region and other
than the one to which s/he belongs (no self-nomination).

What is the elected HIC Board Members supposed to assume?
Responsibilities and
tasks

– Conducts and
follow up HIC’s policy according to the needs and aspirations of the Members of
the region that they represent.

– Being informed and proactive when defining HIC´s values and
position.

– Attend and actively participate in HIC Board meetings (both online
and face to face) and in regional or thematic meetings of HIC members of the
region that they represent, as well as support fundraising processes.

– Attend events and campaigns of HIC allies.

– Participate and follow up decisions, commissions and Working Groups
promoted by the HIC Board.

– Provide with open letters regularly to the Members that they
represent.

– Once the annual General Assembly meeting is set, hold a consultation
among the Members they represent and bring the results to the General
Assembly’s discussions.

– According to the consultation outcomes, participates in the General
Assembly with the proxy of the Members of the region he / she represents,
supporting the region’s interests.

– Represent HIC on a solidarity basis, with no retribution (this is a
non-paid position).

– Participate to HIC Board Meetings and HIC global events with network
financial support for travel and accommodations (seven (7) days once a year).

How long does the mandate last?
Duration of the mandate

– Board representatives are
appointed for a four (4) year term. they cannot serve more than two (2) consecutive
terms

How to nominate Candidates?
Procedure for nomination[iii]

– If you are an organizational
Members of the Coalition in good standing in the Africa region, you should
write an email to the Electoral Committee stating the name of your nominee
and his/her organization.

– Candidates running for any election shall be nominated by at least
two (2) from the same region and other than the one to which s/he belongs

How does the Nominee validate his/her nomination?
Confirmation of eligibility

– He/she must send a personal written acceptance of his/her nomination
and a the written acceptance of his/her nomination by his/her organizations

– He/she must send a bio with motivations for the purpose of the
electoral campaign. Two (2) documents are required:

• one from the candidate’s organization
  supporting the candidacy and including a brief statement indicating name and
  general activities;
• another from the candidate, including a
  short bio or CV and a cover letter.

Who can vote?
Roster of Voters

A list of Africa Members with right to vote (in good standing) will be
issued. Only the Members shown on the Roster will be allowed to vote.

The Roster of voters will
be shut a week before the call to vote is sent.

Note: Each voter has the
right to ONE (1) vote.

How to vote?
Means of elections

The votes will be casted by email to the EC.

The name of one (1) of the validated candidate(s) and his/her organization
must be stated on the vote.
The votes can be issued in French or English.