Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d'Ivoire/Statutes

STATUTES

TITLE I : INCORPORATION - NAME - DURATION - HEADQUARTERS - PURPOSES

Article 1 : Incorporation

It is formed between those who join these statutes, an association for advancement of free knowledge, governed by the law No. 60-315 of September 21, 1960 regulating associations.

Article 2 : Name

The association referred to in Article 1 shall be called Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire, and abbreviated “WCUG-CI”.

Article 3 : Duration

Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire is established for an indefinite period.

Article 4 : Headquarter

The Headquarters of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire is in Abidjan - 14 BP 171 Abidjan 14. The General Assembly may decide to transfer it to any other place.

Article 5 : Purposes

The purposes of the Association:

1. Support the creation, collection and distribution of Open Content in a not-for-profit way in order to support education and the equal opportunity of access to knowledge. In terms of the Association, Open Content refers to all work that has been placed by its author under a license, which allows everybody to modify and distribute these works. In addition, the awareness of the related social and philosophical issues will be enhanced.
2. For collection and distribution of Open Content, Wikis should be used predominantly, yet not exclusively. Wikis are software systems accessible via the Internet which let their users both access and modify content, thus enabling the joint creation of such content. The most prominent example of this principle is the free encyclopedia "Wikipedia" initiated by Larry Sanger and Jimmy D. Wales which is operated by the Wikimedia Foundation.
3. Share the objectives of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit organisation based in Florida, USA. The Wikimedia Foundation coordinates activities along the lines of the Association's purpose within the international sector, and manages the name Wikimedia as well as the names of the various international Wikimedia projects.
4. Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire pursues its goals through:
   • The operation and the funding of operation of online systems for creation, collection and distribution of Free Content;
   • The distribution and the support of distribution of Free Content by other means, eg. in digital or printed form, with focus on the contents of the international Wikimedia projects;
   • The acquisition, provision and distribution of information and public relations work relating to Free Content, Wikis and the various Wikimedia projects through events or printed media;
   • Resolving scientific, social, cultural and legal issues relating to Free Content and Wikis, eg. through expert opinions, surveys, studies, and the awarding of scholarships;
   • The support of the interchange and cooperation of the Wikimedia-projects in various languages, especially Kiswahili, English, French and local languages of Côte d'Ivoire.

TITLE II : ACQUISITION AND LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP

Article 6 : Membership

Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire consists of active, honorary members and sponsors.

1. May be admitted as active members , natural or legal persons:
   • having acceded to these Statutes ;
   • who wants to work actively in Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire, or on one of the projects supported by Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire;
   • who have paid their membership fees .
2. May be admitted as honorary members , people who have rendered or are apt to render great services to Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire. A vote of the general assembly is necessary to elect honorary members.
3. Every individual or legal entity who does not want to actively participate but rather promote and support the aims of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire can become a sponsor.
4. Degrees and Awards may be attributed to members in their commitment and longevity in activities Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire. These distinctions shall be subject to specific regulations.

Article 7 : Loss of membership

Membership can be lost through:

• resignation ;
• exclusion;
• death;
• dissolution of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire.

TITLE III: ORGANIZATION OF WIKIMEDIA COMMUNITY USER GROUP CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Article 8 : Bodies

The bodies of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire are the General Assembly, the Executive Committee and the statutory auditors.

CHAPTER I: THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Article 9 : Composition of the General Assembly

The General Assembly is the decision-making body of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire. It includes all the members .

Article 10 : Powers of the General Assembly

The General Assembly defines the general vision of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire. It elects the members of the Executive Committee and the statutory auditors. The General Assembly :

• approves the reports of the Executive Committee , the statutory auditors ;
• approves the balance sheets and financial statements for the years ended ;
• sets the rate of membership dues ;
• approves the exclusion of members or notes their resignation ;
• sets any allowance to allocate to the executive and supervisory bodies;
• gives power to the Executive Committee for all management tasks ;
• approves the statutes and any changes thereto;
• decides the relocation of the registered office in another place , the name change of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire and all permanent modifications and extensions of the powers of the Executive Committee ;
• announces the dissolution of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire and defines the terms of asset allocation.

Article 11 : Frequency of meetings of the General Assembly

The General Assembly shall meet every year in ordinary session convened by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee or his deputy if he is prevented. The Assembly shall meet in extraordinary session convened by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee or by request of one third of its members to deliberate on a precise agenda.

Article 12 : Quorum for meetings of the General Assembly

Every general assembly called in accordance with the statutes has quorum. The General Assembly adopts motions by the majority of the members present or represented. A tied vote is considered a denial of the motion.

Article 13 : Chairpersonship of meetings of the General Assembly

The sessions of the General Assembly, convened usually or extraordinarily shall be presided by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire or by a president designated from among the participating members.

CHAPTER II: THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Article 14 : Composition of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall be the executive body of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire. It shall made up of a maximum of ten members, elected by the General Assembly. They may be re-elected.

Article 15 : Terms

The term of office for members of bodies is two years and is renewable once. The internal rules define the mechanisms of their election and the renewal of their mandates in its articles 11 to 16.

The term of the former Executive Committee comes to an end 60 days after the election of a new Committee. To ensure the transition during the election of a new Executive Committee, the former Committee must allow the new Executive Committee members an access to the accounts and current affairs before the end of their mandate.

Article 16 : Powers of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is invested with the most extensive powers to act in all circumstances in the name of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire. The Executive Office:

• deliberates on all routine matters;
• provides a activity report to submit to be presented to the General Assembly and makes proposals;
• adopts the annual inventory, balance sheets and accounts and establishes any document which could be submitted to the General Assembly;
• convenes the General Assembly and adopts the draft of its agenda;
• implements the decisions of the General Assembly.

The Executive Committee's powers listed above are enunciative and not exhaustive.

Article 17 : Frequency of Executive Committee meetings The Executive Committee shall meet once a month from the date of its establishment and as many times as necessary, at the request of its chairperson or two thirds of its members on a specific agenda.

CHAPTER III: AUDITING

Article 18 : Object of Auditing

The Auditing Committee is the oversight body of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire.

Article 19 : Designation, composition and terms of the Auditing Committee

The General Assembly appoints under the same conditions as for the Executive Committee, two auditors for a period of 2 years. They may be reappointed.

Article 20 : Responsibilities of Auditors

The auditors examine the financial statements and draw up a special report to the General Assembly with their comments and suggestions. To this end, the books, accounts and generally all entries must be communicated to all their requisitions. The auditors may access the financial books at any time.

TITLE IV: FINANCIAL AND BUDGETARY RESOURCES

Article 21: Resources

Resources of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire consist mainly of:

• membership fees;
• donations;
• products activities Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire;
• subsidies.

Article 22: Financial Year

The financial year of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire runs from January 1, to December 31, of each year.

Article 23: Deposit of funds

Funds of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire are placed in a bank or a financial institution approved by the Executive Committee and in an account opened for this purpose.

Article 24: Cash Flow

The opening of accounts and withdrawals of funds must have two signatures namely: the President or, in his absence or incapacity, that of the Vice President; and the General Treasurer or, in his absence or incapacity, that of the assistant treasurer.

TITLE V: FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 25 : Non-remunerative function

The duties performed in the different bodies of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire are non-remunerative. However, the General Assembly shall establish repayment rates for travel, missions or internships completed by members of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire as part of their duties.

Article 26: Amendments to the Statutes and dissolution of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire

Amendments to the statutes and the dissolution of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire under Article 10 are suggested to the General Assembly by the Executive Committee - or - 2/3 of the active members of Wikimedia Côte d' Ivoire. They occur in the conditions laid down in Article 12 of these statutes.

Article 27: Clearance

If the Association is wound up, the General Assembly must appoint a liquidator to take charge of the assets of Wikimedia Community User Group Côte d’Ivoire. The remaining capital is to be donated to a tax-exempt entity with equal or similar aims. The distribution amongst members is prohibited.

Article 28: Rules

Rules will regulate modalities for the implementation of these statutes.

Done and adopted in General Assembly, on