Statute National Center for Dialogue and Progress

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL ARTICLES 

ARTICLE 1

Based on article 35 of Afghanistan’s constitution, the purpose of this bylaw is to facilitate organization and smooth functioning of the National Center for Dialogue and Progress hereinafter is called NCDP.

ARTICLE 2

NCDP aims at educating and raising awareness of the political, social and economic situation particularly to the younger generation of citizens by providing social, cultural, and academic and civil services. It was also aimed to facilitate an open and honest dialogue and reconciliation process by promoting the idea of co-operation and common actions as an efficient tool to solve problems and achieve common goals among people from different regions, backgrounds around all over Afghanistan. 

ARTICLE 3

The list of founding members of NCDP is an attachment to this document. 

ARTICLE 4

NCDP activities are within the framework of Afghanistan’s Constitutions.

ARTICLE 5

NCDP has a specific sign and symbol.

ARTICLE 6

NCDP’s academic activities (i.e., research, translation, design, publications and other related services in social, cultural, economic, and defense areas are conducted in accordance with the country’s laws.

ARTICLE 7

Activities that disturb public order (in contradictions with laws) are not allowed in this organization.

ARTICLE 8

NCDP is a registered organization with the Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

ARTICLE 9

Main goals of NCDP as under: 
1. Improvement of academic capacities. 
2. Provision of common goods and services. 
3. Facilitation of opportunities for exchange of awareness and experience with other educational, cultural, social, national and international civil society organizations. 
4. Provision of services in social, cultural, academic, economic, support services, peace, and supporting democratic processes. 
5. Coordination among the country’s educated and young professional generation within the organization’s scope. 
6. Conducting dialogue on critical national issues of Afghanistan. 

ARTICLE 10

The mission of NCDP is as follows: 
1. Conducting educational programs, service, public awareness according to accepted measures and principles, provision of consultation within the academic and professional capacity of the organization, demand of the society and the country’s legal frameworks. 
2. Facilitating the proper environment for research, service and educational affairs in several areas. 
3. Endeavoring for attracting bilateral and multilateral academic and professional cooperation with interested national and international organizations. 
4. Organizing research projects, conferences, seminars, workshops, symposiums, as per the society’s demand and financial capacity of the organization. 

CHAPTER TWO

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 

ARTICLE 11

The organizational structure of NCDP has the following organs: 
1. Steering board with a chairman, deputy, and 9 members 
2. Executive secretariat with relevant sections 
3. Technical units/committees      
4. A Board of Advisors

ARTICLE 12

Steering board is the highest decision-making branch of NCDP. 
1. Charmin of the steering board is assigned/elected from the board members initially for a period of two years and then the term of chairmanship is one year. 
2. Chairman selects his deputy and nominates him for votes approval of the board members 
3. Chairman of the board is president of NCDP and VC of steering board remains as members of the board 
4. Founders and heads of technical units are members of the board 
5. The decision of the board is final with 50%+1 votes of members 
6. The steering board meetings are held every six months or with the presence of at least 2/3 of members as per the need arise. On matter of routine, the executive team can decide and inform the steering accordingly.

ARTICLE 13

Functions of the steering board are as below: 
1. Approval of the organization’s policies in research, social, cultural, and administrative affairs 
2. Study and oversight of short and long term development programs of NCDP and making necessary decisions about them 
3. Approval of budget and funding sources 
4. Approval of amending and completing NCDP’s bylaw, rules, and regulations 
5. Making decisions on establishment, creation, merger or winding up of NCDS, its sections, and their submission to the Ministry of Economy 
6. Evaluating and issuing resolutions about plans and proposals for signing, extending, or terminating agreements with other partners national and international organizations 
7. Evaluating performance reports of the executive secretariat and making a decision about them 
8. The endeavoring attraction of financial support 
9. Making a decision about issues of NCDP’s activity issues in all areas of social, cultural, academic, economic, and other services 
10. Approving annual plans of NCDP 
11. Resolutions of steering board meetings are imposed after approval of NCDP’s chairman. 

ARTICLE 14

Chairman of the board is the president of NCDP and supreme authority of the organization 

  1. President of the organization is assigned by members of the organization first for two years duration and then one year term 
  2. President of NCDP cannot nominate him/herself in two consecutive period 
  3. Nomination criteria for chairman of NCDP is as below: 
  • Postgraduate degree, minimum of master’s degree 
  • Considerable academic and management experience 
  • Should be convicted of any kinds of crime 
  • Minimum of 35 years age and skillful user of an international language 
  • Should have Afghanistan’s citizenship 
ARTICLE 15

Duties and responsibilities of the NCDP is as follows: 

  1. Chairmanship of steering board meetings 
  2. Monitoring and control for implementation of NCDP bylaw, rules and regulations and resolutions of the board 
  3. Approving of operational and development budget of the organization 
  4. Attracting research and educational projects 
ARTICLE 16

NCDP has one vice president under the following criteria: 

  1. Minimum education at Bachelor level and relevant experience
  • The vice president is nominated by the president of NCDP for votes of confidence by steering board members 
  • Terms of service of vice president of the organization is two years 
  • The vice president can be nominated in another consecutive period 

2. Duties and responsibilities of the vice president of NCDP: 

  • Office in charge in absence of NCDP’s president and acting on his behalf 
  • Submission of performance reports to the board and president of the organization 
  • Assistance to the president of NCDP in various all areas 
ARTICLE 17

Executive section: 

  1. This section is responsible for managing daily affairs of the organization and consists of an executive director and heads of different units 
  2. The executive director has recruited through merit-based competition and needs votes of confidence by the board members 
  3. The executive director is a permanent member with no right of vote in the steering board 
  4. The executive director has the same status as the president and vice president of the organization 
  5. Employees of the executive section are recruited through competition and merit-based processes 
  6. Duties and responsibilities of the executive director: 

  • The external representation of NCDP 
  • Monitoring and directing financial and administrative affairs of the organization 
  • Preparation of operational and strategic plans and programs for the organization 
  • Developing and maintaining academic and working relationships with national and international organizations 
  • Attracting research and educational projects 
  • Submission of performance reports to the steering board and the Ministry of Economy 
  • Appointment and dismissal in this organization is the authority of executive director 
    Heads of technical units are assigned from among the board members under the following conditions: 

Every technical unit is led with a head and the heads of professional/technical units should meet the following criteria: 

1. Minimum education of master degree level in the specialized area of specific unit 
2. Can be from among members of the board – 
3. Has the capacity and experience and skills of the relevant areas of expertise 
4. Reports to the director 
5. Draft of plans for management of affairs in effective way 
6. Implementation of relevant resolutions of the board 
7. Providing reports of the unit 
8. Other jobs as per the instruction 

ARTICLE 18

Appointment of heads and employees of the center and other offices with the preparation of terms of references to every one of them are made according to a separate regulation that is approved by the board. 

CHAPTER THREE

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS  

ARTICLE 19

Funding sources of NCDP are: 

  1. Financial and technical assistance by legal entities 
  2. Income from the conduct of research programs, provision of educational services, translation, and consultancy 
  3. Income from the sale of publications, research papers and similar outputs of NCDP 
ARTICLE 20

A bank account is opened in NCDP’s name and the organization’s incomes are transferred to the account for implementing both operation and development budgets. NCDP Steering board approves a specific policy and related procedures for withdrawal and expenditure from the organization capital and bank account.

ARTICLE 21

NCDP annual budget that includes operating and development expenditures are prepared by the finance unit and after study of the executive director is submitted to the board for approval. Once the budget is approved the executive section is responsible for its implementation throughout the budget year.

ARTICLE 22

Salary scale of NCDP staff is defined and determined in a regulation that is approved by steering board. 

ARTICLE 24

NCDP declares its financial and accounting affairs to the ministry of economy and other relevant authorities of Afghanistan annually and aligns the affairs with legal requirements of the ministry of economy.