About Us
Article 1. The name 1.1 This association shall be known as ‘Afghanistan Researchers Association (hereinafter called the
ARA or ‘Association’) 1.2 The Association’s logo shall be a picture of pen on paper in an oblique position. Article 2. Aims and Activities 2.1 The ARA is founded as a scholarly forum which seeks to bring together those involved or interested in research, tutoring research students, developing guidelines (based on best research evidence available) and other academic writers in/or about Afghanistan. The ARA aims to encourage studies on sociology, history, politics, culture, cognition and behaviour, and public opinion in Afghanistan. The ARA may provide support and advice to individuals or organisations in these regards. It is the ARA’s objectives to provide for the interchange of information about research related to Afghanistan. 2.2 To achieve these objectives the ARA will carry out the following activities: i) Connecting researchers, scholars and academic writers via conferences, workshops, publications and forums. ii) Encourage and facilitate research on specific topics by members of the ARA. iii) Publishing and disseminating research findings of its members. iv) Promote evidence based guidance in societal affairs or government administrations. v) To encourage Afghanistan refugees to carry out and take part in future research, academic activities and writing. vi) To encourage communication and scholarly dialogue between Afghanistan’s multiethnic societies, thus promoting awareness of different ethnic, historical and cultural background in order to reduce prejudice and promote social integration, trusting relationship in order to sustain peace and harmony. vii) To link academics and research organizations/universities with special interest in Afghanistan, in order to increase communication and cooperation between them. viii) To carry out polls and surveys in order to gain an insight to public opinions on important social, political and historical issues in Afghanistan. ix) Organising continuous education for scholars and researchers who are studying social, cultural, historical and academic phenomena’s in Afghanistan. x) To preserve cultural heritages amongst Afghans by celebrating traditional occasions. xi) To encourage a culture of book reading by holding book exhibitions, and increasing the amount of local and mobile libraries in areas that have no access to such facilities. xii) To provide evidence based consultations to various organisations and institutions involved the rehabilitation of Afghanistan. xiii) To provide consultation, mentoring and support to research students in various colleges and universities in and outside Afghanistan. xiv) To protect the copy right and author’s royalty of researchers, writers, editors and historians inside and outside of Afghanistan. xv) To promote freedom of speech. xvi) To give recognition to distinguished researchers, writers, poets and historians related to Afghanistan by a prize in the form of a certificate or a medal. The prize may be awarded to the person who in the opinion of the Executive Committee has given the best paper or presentation to the ARA conference. xvii) Increase efforts to locate academic scholarships abroad for suitable candidates, in particular, students from disadvantaged families in Afghanistan. xviii) Publication of broad spectrum of research and other academic articles in the ‘The Journal of Afghanistan Researchers Association’ (JARA) either on paper, on the ARA website or both. xix) The achievement of some of the above activities depend on the objective needs of our society, the situation, the collaboration of researchers, human resources and the financial situation of the ARA. The ARA has the sole right to withdraw or postpone some of the above activities for the best interest of the ARA. Article 3. Membership 3.1 The Founders of the ARA are the one hundred people who gathered in the city of Hamburg, Germany, on the 25th April 2009. The Founders are members and Friends of ARA after this. 3.2 The membership of the ARA is open to all researchers and academics, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, language, gender and political interest, who are willing to join the ARA and accept its constitution and code of conducts and abide by them. 3.3 Friends of ARA constitute as individuals or groups who give spiritual or financial support to the ARA, to achieve its objectives. Their position in the ARA, responsibilities and rights shall be defined in a separate code of conduct. 3.4 Any universities, colleges, social or charity organisations and NGOs engaged in teaching, training or research related to Afghanistan may apply for membership of ARA and be admitted at the discretion of the Executive Committee. 3.5 Members of ARA have equal rights to vote. Group members of organisations shall introduce their representatives to the ARA and will have right to one vote. 3.6 Acceptance or refusal of application for membership is the responsibility of the Executive committee by its majority vote. 3.7 Membership shall be revoked if a member or members commit one of the followings: i) Fails to abide by the Code of Conduct of the ARA ii) Take deliberate action to damage the ARA’s reputation, structure, economy or unity iii) Exploits his/her position in the ARA for personal benefit. Article 4. Structure A) The General Assembly (hereinafter called the AGM) B) Executive Committee C) Board of Trustees Article 5. Annual General Meeting (AGM) i) There shall be an AGM held every year at which: a) The Executive Committee will report on current work and work achieved. b) The treasurer will present a statement of accounts. c) Electing the new Executive Committee members for the upcoming year. ii) Alterations to the constitution may only be considered at the AGM or a Special General Meeting called for this purpose. iii) Alterations to constitution shall be reported to the organisations that the ARA is registered with. iv) The AGM shall be invited by the Executive Committee at least a month in advance. The agenda of the AGM will be sent to members for their own information and possible suggestions. v) Quorum: The AGM can make decisions only if the majority of voting members, i.e. 50% plus one, are present. vi) Voting is either in person or by a representative. A larger group can select and send a representative to the AGM. The Code of Conduct for representation shall be devised separately. Voting and taking part in the AGM may take place by video conference, email, or voting by proxy by filling the voting card. Abstaining from voting is no vote in the AGM. vii) Minutes of the AGM shall be signed by the secretary and be available to members after three months if requested. viii) The chair at the request of one third of members or two third of Executive Committee members, at his/her discretion, can call a Special General Meeting (SGM) if necessary. Article 6. Executive Committee 6.1 The Executive Committee shall consist of …… people elected for the first time by the Founding Members and subsequently from among the existing members at the AGM. 6.2 The Executive Committee shall elect a President, Vice-president, secretaries, Board of Trustees, and Treasurer from among its membership. The President shall be the Chair of the Board of Trustees as well. 6.3 Members of the Executive Committee shall serve for a term of office no longer than two consecutive years. Re-election is permitted for one more term of office. 6.3 The Executive Committee shall appoint an Academic Director and an Administrative Director on such terms and conditions as it thinks is appropriate. The Academic Director shall be responsible to the Executive Committee for the development of scholarly activities of the ARA. The Administrative Director shall be responsible to the Executive Committee for the ARA activities such as administration and publication. 6.4 The Executive Committee may co-opt, by the agreement of two third of its members, further new or honorary members who have suitable skills or experience onto the Committee. The number of the new or honorary members shall not exceed one third of the Executive Committee members elected at the AGM. 6.5 The awarding and disqualification of membership of ARA, is within the power of Executive Committee, after a majority vote. 6.6 The Executive Committee shall compile a Code of Conduct to provide guidelines for the activities, accountability, clarity and openness of ARA and to make sure that the members abide by the ARA’s Code of Conduct, rules and resolutions. 6.7 The Executive Committee at the request of the Board of Trustees will make decisions on the establishment of the ARA’s national offices in different cities and countries in the world. 6.8 The Executive Committee in collaboration with the Board of Trustees shall manage the affairs of ARA and seek advice from the Board of Trustees on its decisions. 6.9 The Executive Committee will meet at least twice in a year in one of the European countries for the time being and may expand its meetings to Afghanistan or other parts of the world. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the Board of trustees. 6.10 The minutes of the Executive Committee meetings shall be kept for record at its office. Article 7. The Board of Trustees 7.1 The Board of Trustees will comprise of eleven members who are elected from the members of ARA for an office term of no more than two years. Existing members of the Board shall be eligible for re-election once at the expiry of their period at the office. 7.2 The duties of the Board shall be defined in a separate guideline. Article 8. Group membership and activities 8.1 Admission of membership of ARA to institutions and organisations is at the discretion of Executive Committee. 8.2 Co-operation and merging with other organisations with similar objectives and activities to ARA, is at the discretion of the Executive Committee, after signing a memorandum of common understanding. Article 9. National Sections of ARA 9.1 The ARA is founded as an international organisation to gather and facilitate the exchange of research related to Afghanistan from different parts of the world. Its central office is based in London, UK. 9.2 After consultation with the Executive Committee, a national ARA office may be opened in other cities or countries in particular Afghanistan, and European countries (Germany, Holland, France and Scandinavian countries). The national office will work independently but must be in keeping with the national regulations, laws of individual countries and their own local needs. 9.3 National offices in their country of residence shall elect their own Executive Committee members from within their members. 9.4 The Executive Committee in each country shall mange the affairs of the ARA on the basis of this constitution but adapted to their local needs and laws of the country. 9.5 National offices may hold their own local events and educational activities. Article 10. Assets of the ARA 10.1 The ARA may accept funding and financial supports from voluntary donation from its members, other social, charitable and governmental organisations, to further its cause. 10.2 A) The ARA’s income and assets shall be devoted: i) To promote the aims of ARA ii) Expenditure necessary for the running of ARA. B) In no circumstances shall the assets of the ARA be paid, transferred or distributed amongst its members or Friends. 10.3 The ARA’s central office and its branches may recruit paid employees when needed. Paid employees may attend the Executive Committee meetings to report their activities but shall have no right to vote. 10.4 The ARA is a non-profitable academic organisation and in the case of its disbandment, the members shall have no financial responsibilities. 10.5 Dissolution i) The ARA may only dissolve at an AGM or SGM called for that purpose and if agreed by two thirds of members present. ii) The Board of Trustees must collect in all the assets of the ARA and must pay or make provision for all the debts of the ARA. iii) The Trustees must give any remaining assets (financial or otherwise) to an academic, social or charitable organisation; approved by the Executive Committee or the AGM at its last meeting; with similar aims and objectives to the ARA. Article 11. Final Points 11.1. No member of ARA will be discriminated against on any ground by any other member of the ARA. 11.2 The Association will draw and review its short and long term Plan of Action every six months to two years in the Executive Committee meetings and AGM. The Plan of action shall be agreed by the Board of Trustees. 11.3 This Constitution consisted of eleven articles, adopted at the Founding Assembly on the 25th of April 2009 in the city of Hamburg, Germany and shall come into effect from that date. 11.4 The signed copy of this Constitution shall be kept in the ARA’s central office in London. Signed……………………………………………………President ……………………………………………………Secretary