ICSSI Internal Regulations

1.ICSSI ASSEMBLY OF MEMBERS (AoM)

1. DEFINITION AND MAIN FUNCTIONS

The Assembly of Members is the ICSSI guiding body. It is responsible for:

1. Supervising the ICSSI Strategy Implementation, and eventual changes that may be required to it due to context transformations.
2. Supervising the ICSSI Coordinating NGO, the Secretariat, the coordinators’ work, the activities and the partnerships’ coherence to its values and principles as defined in the Mission Statement.
3. Developing the ICSSI political positions on the Iraqi events and on the means of international solidarity, giving political guidelines to the ICSSI Secretariat.
4. Deciding on key ICSSI internal issues, related to its Mission Statement and Internal Regulations. Each of its members can request the review of the forementioned key documents, which must be agreed and defined in ICSSI Internal Strategy Meetings.
5. Ensuring the gathering of the ICSSI General Assembly and Conference, coordinating with the ICSSI Secretariat for their convening, preparation, and implementation.
6. The AoM can propose to the ICSSI Secretariat to undertake specific initiatives and activities in the general interest of Iraqi Civil Society, always taking into account ICSSI Secretariat perspectives and effective operational capacity.
7. COMPOSITION, MEMBERS’ INVOLVEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The AoM is a flexible body composed by International and Iraqi Civil Society representatives.

1. Members’ involvement process: Each year the partners of the ICSSI, both Iraqi and Internationals, receive an invitation from the ICSSI Secretariat to become official Members of the ICSSI part of the AoM. The invitation explains their responsibility undertaking the role and their membership is subject to their explicit agreement.

b.2. Definition of ICSSI Partners: every civil society organization or movement sharing ICSSI values and principles, as defined by ICSSI Mission Statement, and which have been committed with the ICSSI on one or more initiatives.

b.3 ICSSI Members are partners who decide to undertake an additional commitment to, and to have a voice on, the common work within the ICSSI platform. They acquire the responsibility to actively participate in the ICSSI processes, paying attention to the information coming from the ICSSI Secretariat, expressing truly their opinions, included critical perspectives, and taking part to the decision-making following the principles of the nonviolent communication within the framework of the ICSSI Consensus Chapter.

3. AoM FOCAL POINT

The ICSSI Assembly of Members nominates its focal point between its members.

1. AoM Focal Point has the responsibility to ensure communication between the Secretariat and the AoM and to ensure the AoM meetings when requested by its members or the Secretariat.

2. The AoM coordinator receives reports from the coordinators on a regular basis and shares them among the BoM. If needed, the coordinator provides the coordinators with feedbacks in accordance with the BoM.

3. The AoM can review its decision if the nominated focal point results unable to provide the abovementioned function in a proficient way.
4. If the AoM focal point renounces to the role, the AoM meets to nominate a new focal point among its members.
5. AoM MEETINGS
   1. The AoM will gather every three months i.e., four times a year, and at least once in two years if due to exceptional circumstances, in the ICSSI General Assembly.

d.2. Each Member or ICSSI partner can ask for the AoM to convey to discuss issues related to the ICSSI generalinterest.

3. The AoM meets whenever requested by the ICSSI Secretariat.

4. The AoM has always to be acquainted of and can participate in the ICSSI general meetings organized by the Secretariat.
5. ICSSI SECRETARIAT
   1. DEFINITION

The ICSSI Secretariat is the body responsible for the implementation of the ICSSI Strategy and activity.

2. EXTERNAL FUNCTIONS
   1. Develop and organize the activity of the ICSSI in relation to the ICSSI Strategy.
   2. Provide support to the initiatives and the campaigns of Iraqi Civil Society, with a special focus on the social forums.

b.3. Provide strategic thinking, exchanges of practices and all requested spaces for interaction and solidarity, in- depth analysis and sharing capacity between Iraqi and International Civil Society.

4. Provide International relations and concrete links of solidarity between Iraqi Civil Society and International Civil Society and Institutions.
5. Ensuring ICSSI inclusiveness by informing ICSSI partners about the ICSSI activity, and by monitoring Iraqi Civil Society initiatives and needs.
6. Establish new partnerships with Iraqi and International Civil Society organizations, informing the AoM and under its supervision.
7. INTERNAL FUNCTIONS
   1. Implementing yearly the Members Involvement Process in the AoM in an inclusive manner (see art.1.b).
   2. Report to the AoM and its focal point the Secretariat’s activity, at least once every two months.
   3. Requesting AoM meetings whenever a political guideline on the ICSSI position regarding Iraqi or International issues is needed.
   4. Implementing AoM proposals for ICSSI Initiatives when appropriate to its operational capacity.
   5. Ensuring the gathering of the ICSSI General Assembly and Conference, and coordinating with the ICSSI AoM for its conveying, preparation, and implementation.
   6. Managing ICSSI internal and external communication, included the editing for the ICSSI website and social media.

c.7. Managing the ICSSI Funds and supervising the performance of the ICSSI Coordinating NGO, consulting the AoM when issues are detected.

8. Requesting and implementing the ICSSI Mission Statement and Internal Regulations Review, in coordination with the ICSSI AoM, though ICSSI Internal Strategic Meetings.
9. Select and coordinate the ICSSI Staff and select the ICSSI Volunteers, supervising and guiding their activity, ensuring their capacity-building, and providing all necessary support for their personal security.

4. COMPOSITION

The ICSSI Secretariat is an open body. It involves ICSSI paid staff, the volunteers and can include ICSSI partners and members, with special regard to the social forums.

5. ICSSI SECRETARIAT COORDINATORS

The ICSSI Secretariat is coordinated by the ICSSI National and International Coordinators. Both are nominated by the Secretariat itself under the AoM supervision. The ICSSI General Assembly is responsible of confirming or requesting a review of their nomination.

The National and International Coordinators have the same weight and are responsible for facilitating the general coordination of the ICSSI Secretariat activity, following all ICSSI its initiatives and fields of work. The International Coordinator has the special responsibility for the ICSSI International partnerships and networking. The National Coordinator has the special responsibility for ICSSI Iraqi partnerships and networking.

3. ICSSI GENERAL MEETINGS
   1. Internal Strategic Meetings

Are organized to elaborate collectively on internal structural issues and to provide a draft review of the ICSSI Mission Statement and Internal Regulations. They involve AoM, the Secretariat and can include ICSSI Partners.

2. Thematic Strategic Meetings

Are organized to elaborate collectively on relevant thematic issues for Iraqi civil society and plan initiatives together with its members and partners.

3. Exchanges of Practices

Are organized to share experiences between the Iraqi and International civil society expertise.

4. 1-by-1 Meetings

Are organized by the ICSSI Secretariat with singular civil society actors and projects to assess their needs and potentials for support.

4. ICSSI GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The ICSSI General Assembly is the general gathering of the ICSSI AoM. With the Secretariat and partner’s participation, it is responsible for reviewing the ICSSI internal mechanisms of the work, such as the Secretariat activity, the nominated coordinators, the ICSSI structure, and approving eventual changes to the current Internal Regulations and Mission Statement.

1. The ICSSI General Assembly is convened in agreement between the ICSSI Secretariat and the ICSSI Assembly of Members and its convening can be proposed by each of these bodies. The ICSSI Secretariat and the ICSSI AoM are both responsible for its preparation.
2. The ICSSI General Assembly must take place once every year. It can occur at least once in two years due to exceptional circumstances related to the ICSSI capacity and/or Iraqi context conditions constituting an obstacle to its realization.

4.1 Mission Statement and Internal Regulations Review

The Mission Statement and Internal Regulations review can be requested by each member of the ICSSI AoM or by the Secretariat. The request for review must be approved and defined through Internal Strategic Meetings between the ICSSI Secretariat and AoM. The review is implemented by the ICSSI Secretariat in coordination with the AoM, and finally approved by the ICSSI General Assembly.

5. ICSSI CONFERENCE

The ICSSI Conference is the general gathering of the ICSSI together with its partners, members. It can also involve decision-makers, authorities and every civil society actor interested to take part to a collective analysis of the current struggles and the issues of the Iraqi and International context. It is responsible for developing the ICSSI Strategy for international solidarity.

1. The ICSSI Conference is convened in agreement between the ICSSI Secretariat and the ICSSI Assembly of Members and can be proposed by each of these bodies. The ICSSI Secretariat and the AoM are both responsible for its preparation.
2. The ICSSI Conference must take place in presence once every year. It can occur at most once in two years due to exceptional circumstances related to the ICSSI capacity and/or Iraqi context conditions constituting an obstacle to its realization.

5.1 ICSSI Strategy

The ICSSI Strategy is developed periodically through the ICSSI Conference. It identifies objectives, means of action and keys of improvement of the ICSSI work. It must be context-related and a product of the collective contribution of Iraqi Civil Society, in combination with International civil society.

a. ICSSI Strategy Review

During the period between the former Conference and the new one, the AoM can develop and approve modifications to the ICSSI Strategy, if justified by changes in the Iraqi context or in the ICSSI operational capacity. The Secretariat can require a modification of the Strategy and will be responsible of informing about major changes all the ICSSI partners.

6. ICSSI BODIES’ DECISION-MAKING SYSTEM

All the ICSSI bodies and meetings, included the General Assembly and the Conference, undertake their decision- making processes applying the consensus methodology and the principles of nonviolent communication and inclusiveness, as defined by the ICSSI Consensus Chapter. The consensus will be collected between the participants to the decision-making, as each member and partner has the responsibility to participate to the ICSSI meetings and as the inclusiveness should be guaranteed thanks to the meetings’ facilitation and, previously, through the ICSSI organizational capacity.

8. ICSSI STAFF

The Secretariat is responsible of selecting the ICSSI staff, under special responsibility of the Coordinators and the AoM supervision.

The staff employed with the ICSSI must respect ICSSI Values and Principles throughout its work and is individually and collectively responsible of the sustainability and effectiveness of ICSSI activity. It has the right to pretend appropriate working conditions, negotiating it with the ICSSI Secretariat and the Coordinating NGO reporting eventual issues to the ICSSI AoM.

7. ICSSI VOLUNTEERS

The Secretariat is responsible of selecting the ICSSI volunteers, under special responsibility of the Coordinators and the AoM supervision.

The ICSSI volunteers contribute to the ICSSI Secretariat activity. They have the right to explicitly agree on their tasks before their assignment, to receive support from the ICSSI staff and coordinators, to express their time- availability, and to receive a certification, if proper, of their positive contribution to the ICSSI work specifying their period of activity, tasks, acquired competencies and skills.

ICSSI volunteers have the responsibility to respect ICSSI Values and Principle, their Volunteer Agreement, ICSSI Secretariat and AoM guidelines and requirements.

ICSSI Secretariat is responsible of ensuring the volunteer’s awareness about the conditions for personal security in working with the ICSSI, and to provide them all necessary means for this purpose.

6. ROLE OF THE ICSSI IN CIVIL SOCIETY CAMPAIGNS
   1. On each of its Thematic Issues enlisted in the Mission Statement, the ICSSI participates and supports Iraqi and International Civil Society campaigns.
   2. The ICSSI encourages in Iraqi Civil Society the definition of structured campaigns, in which values, challenges, objectives and timeframes are clearly identified. It does by providing international support on capacity-building and strategy development with a special focus on the long-term perspective.

3. The ICSSI can propose a campaign by its initiative based on detected needs in Iraqi Civil Society but should ensure the bottom-up, participatory approach and the ownership principle through the campaign building process.
4. The ICSSI Secretariat is responsible for supporting the Iraqi Civil Society Campaigns and devoting its staff and volunteers for this purpose.
5. ICSSI support the visibility of the Iraqi civil society campaigns and activities though its website and socials
6. ICSSI PARTNERSHIPS

The ICSSI Secretariat has the responsibility to evaluate and establish relations with new Iraqi and International civil society actors, under AoM supervision.

The safety of ICSSI’s partners is the absolute priority for ICSSI Secretariat and AoM. Every decision directly involving partners is taken by consensus. Partners can refer to ICSSI AoM or coordinators to report potential threats. AoM and coordinators share information among themselves, guaranteeing confidentiality.

8. ICSSI COORDINATING NGO
   1. DEFINITION

The ICSSI Coordinating NGO is a member of the ICSSI who provides legal and financial coverage, administrative and technical support to the ICSSI activity.

2. SELECTION PROCESS
   1. Each member or partner of the ICSSI can propose itself for the role of Coordinating NGO.
   2. The ICSSI Secretariat or AoM can propose an organization for the role of Coordinating NGO.
   3. The proposal is analyzed and eventually approved by the ICSSI Secretariat and the AoM.

d. RESPONSIBILITIES

The ICSSI Coordinating NGO is responsible of managing the ICSSI funds with transparency, applying truly ICSSI Values and Principles as defined in the Mission Statement.

c. ENDING MANDATE

The role of ICSSI Coordinating NGO can be revoked from the initiative of the ICSSI Secretariat and AoM, if possible, first an alternative provided. It can be revoked also from the initiative of the Coordinating NGO itself which in this case acquire the duty to keep the role, for the maximum period of one year, until the ICSSI has found an alternative Coordinating NGO.

9. ICSSI FUNDS

The ICSSI and its Coordinating NGO apply only for funds which are not related to donors implied, both directly and indirectly, in human rights violations. The selected donors and their conditions must be coherent with the ICSSI Values and Principles as defined by the Mission Statement and are subject to the AoM approval.

The ICSSI Funds are managed by the ICSSI Secretariat and Coordinating NGO, with the supervision of the AoM. Approved by the ICSSI General Assembly, Sulaymaniyah, 15th March 2022