Sri Lanka Environmental Journalists Forum(SLEJF)

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APFEJ CONSTITUTION
STATUTE OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC FORUM OF ENVIRONMENT JOURNALISTS (APFEJ)

APFEJ's new constitution was ratified at the 11th Asia-Pacific Congress held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in September 1999.

Article 01: Name and Headquarters
The Organization shall be known as the Asia-Pacific Forum of Environment Journalists (APFEJ). APFEJ headquarters is located at PO Box 26, 434/4 Sri Jayawardenapura, Sri Lanka. This office may be transferred to all other countries decided by the General Body.

Article 02: Emblem
The emblem and/or motto of the APFEJ shall be such as may be decided by the General Body. The General Body shall prescribe the manner of which, and by whom, the emblem and/ or motto will be used.

Article 03: Aims and Objectives
* To create and promote a greater awareness of environmental issues among public and journalists in the Asia
* Pacific region;
* To organize dialogues with decision-makers in the media with a view to giving greater emphasis to environmental issues;
* To encourage greater exchange of ideas and information on environmental issues in the region among journalists.
* To create a network of journalists in the Asia Pacific region through whom to stimulate public concern for the state of the environment.
* To promote the activities of its members;
* To organize international, regional workshops, seminars and study tours for journalists on environmental matters;
* To encourage institution of a system of awards for excellence in the promotion of environmental awareness;
* To undertake any other activity that the APFEJ may consider appropriate.
* To make APFEJ a financially stable, effective, efficient networking organization.
* To co-operate with other GOs, NGOs, and UN agencies to improve the cause of protection of environment.
* To provide public and journalists with information/resources in order to encourage them to promote international corporation between professionals of media, by developing contacts between members and by informing them in various ways ( e-mail list servers , web sites, international bulletins, trips) about events or problems they are aware of.

Article 04: Membership
(a) The APFEJ has three member categories.
(i) Full Membership: open to the national fora of environmental journalists or any Similar Bodies.
(ii) Associate Membership: can be offered to legally constituted international, regional, sub regional and national NGOs or journalists associations and bodies whose interests are similar to those of APFEJ.
(iii) Individual Membership: shall be open to working/freelance journalists or writers in Asia Pacific countries. Anyone outside of the Asia-Pacific region who wants to become an individual member can do so, but does not retain voting rights and must accept the terms and references under APFEF exco approval.
(b) Membership of APFEJ: Membership of APFEJ shall be approved by the Executive Committee on behalf of the General Body; every application for membership shall be submitted to the secretariat, which shall obtain the decision of the Executive Committee on the same by means of a circular letter or other forms of communication. If the Executive Committee approves the membership, the secretariat shall communicate the approval to the member within 45 days of the decision. If, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, the application for membership is not acceptable it will submit the name for the decision of the General assembly at its next congress meeting.
(c) Every applicant whose application has been approved as aforesaid shall be admitted as a member of the APFEJ and shall be entitled to all the privilege of membership as under Articles 5.
(d) Nominees: Every member can send as many nominees as it deems fit to participate in the activities of the Forum. Full members, Associate Members and individual members have right to one vote.
(e) Annual membership dues: Members pay annual membership dues, before the annual congress meeting. The amount of the Full membership and Associate membership fee is USD 100 and the enrolment fee is USD 50. Individual membership fee is USD 50 and the enrollment fee is USD 10. The host country of the annual congress or a meeting of the general body will not have to the pay the membership fee.
(f) Dismissal: The dismissal decision of membership will be decided by the Executive Committee. However in non-payment of membership dues for two calendar years without prior notice and without proper reason will eventually be dismissed.
(g) Resignation: Any member who wishes to resign from the Forum shall give three months notice in writing to the Secretary general and shall pay up all outstanding dues, but the membership fee shall not be refunded.

Article 5: Rights and Privileges of Membership
(a) Members (Full , associate and individually) shall have
(i) The right to participate in the activities of the Forum and to make use of the facilities provided;
(ii) The right to speak and vote at all meetings of the Forum;
(iii) The right to stand for elections, to hold office, to vote, propose and nominate or second candidates for elections;
(iv) Any other privileges as the executive committee may, from time to time, prescribe.
(v) Individual members from outside the Asia-Pacific region cannot stand for office bearer positions at elections and do not retain the right to vote.