Our By-Laws
The Youth Forum adopts a work dynamic that is not pyramid- like, cooperative not competitive, and which reflects young people’s spontaneity and their way of thinking. This dynamic ensures that decision making inside the Forum is done by its member organizations.
Below are the Terms of Reference for each of the entities inside the Youth Forum. These are legally binding for the Youth Forum member organizations, after being endorsed by the General Assembly.
Below are the Terms of Reference for each of the entities inside the Youth Forum. These are legally binding for the Youth Forum member organizations, after being endorsed by the General Assembly.
1- General Assembly
Definition
It is formed of youth NGOs and youth wings in political parties who are members in the Youth Forum.
Tasks
- Endorse and review the vision of the Youth Forum;
- Lobby for the endorsement of the youth policy document
- Advocate the implementation of the NYP document and monitor this with relevant decision makers;
- Endorse the by-laws of the Youth Forum, and amending them when needed;
- Review the organigram when need be;
- Approve on any funding that comes for the Youth Forum activities;
- Decide on the suspension of member organizations in the Youth Forum;
- Approve on the membership of new applicant organizations;
- Establish new committees or task forces when need be;
- Elect the Secretariat and the follow up committee for the Forum every 2 years.
Meeting frequency
The General Assembly meets quarterly, and when needed.
2- Follow-up Committee
Definition
The follow-up Committee is composed of nine member organizations, including the Secretariat, and is elected every 2 years by the General Assembly. The Committee is concerned with media and advertisement matters for the work of the Youth Forum, as well as follow-up on other technical matters that do not need to be returned to the General Assembly.
Tasks
- Review and approve on the printing of publications related to the Youth Forum work;
- Decide on the subject of media participation for the Youth forum;
- Agree to publish advertising and promotional materials for the work of the Youth Forum;
- Agree on the agenda of the Youth Forum General Assembly meetings;
- Work on fundraising for the activities of the Youth Forum;
- Select participants from the Youth Forum to represent it in conferences outside Lebanon, noting that the participation in such events is rotational among member organizations, and in line with criteria set by the inviting organizations;
- The Committee shall take decisions unanimously, and, in the event that agreement cannot be reached within the Committee, the General Assembly shall be called to an emergency meeting.
Meeting Frequency
The Follow-up Committee shall meet once a month and when an emergency is made, i.e. when necessary, for a swift decision to be taken. The Quorum for the follow up committee is the actual number of attendees.
3- Secretariat
Definition
It consists of one member organizations in the Youth Forum, and is elected every 2 years by the General Assembly.
Tasks
- Coordinate the work of the Youth Forum holistically;
- Ensure open channels of communication among all stakeholders, within the Forum (member organizations and committees), and outside the Forum (decision makers, civil society organizations, media…) in line with the General Assembly decisions;
- Open new channels with relevant and key stakeholders to better serve the interests of the Youth Forum, and in line with General Assembly decisions;
- Document minutes of General Assembly meetings, and share it with member organizations;
- Document the activities of the Youth Forum and promote it on media;
- Promote the Youth Forum through the circulation of resources (brochures, newsletters, material on website in Arabic and English…) in coordination with the follow up committee;
- Prepare for the General Assembly meetings together with the follow up committee;
- Prepare annual reports on the Youth Forum work and share it with member organizations;
- Fundraise and write proposals for the Youth Forum work, in coordination with the follow up committee, and based on the approval of the General Assembly;
- Present narrative reports and financial reports to the General Assembly on annual basis.
Meeting Frequency
The Secretariat’s work is ongoing.
4- Quorum and voting mechanism
General Assembly meetings are considered legal based on the attendance of supreme majority i.e. half the number of active member organizations plus one. As for voting, it is binding when 2/3 of the quorum vote in favor of a decision. If the quorum is incomplete, the voting session is postponed for one time only. In the second voting session, decisions pass if the quorum is half plus one.