1. INTRODUCTION

Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) is a multi-stakeholder network of member organisations with a common Vision and Mission as recorded in the relevant GKP Strategy.

The GKP Governance Document and the separate and more detailed Governance Implementation Documents shall provide the guiding principles for the governance of GKP. The Secretariat will maintain an inventory of all Governance Implementation Documents.

2. STRUCTURE

The GKP consists of:

a) The members;
b) The Executive Committee;
c) The Executive Director;
d) Working Committees;
e) The Membership Committee;
f) The GKP Secretariat; and
g) Regional Networks.

3. MEMBERSHIP

3.1. General

a. Membership is open to all organisations whose objectives and activities are consistent with the Vision and Mission of the GKP, and who fulfil the membership criteria in section 3.2 below.
b. All members are ordinary members. No other categories of members shall exist.
c. Only members on the register of members maintained by the Secretariat shall be recognised as having rights of membership.
d. An entity belonging to one member organisation can only be a member of GKP if that entity also pays a separate membership cash contribution.
e. Membership ends or is revoked when the membership criteria and/or the members’ financial responsibility are no longer met. Membership may be suspended and/or revoked if a member acts against the best interest of the Network.
f. GKP membership at large is responsible for:

i. Electing the Executive Committee
ii. Approving the overall strategic and policy framework of GKP
iii. Approving the Governance Document
iv. Endorsing the annual activity report from the Executive Committee

3.2. Membership Criteria

a. An organisation seeking membership in the GKP must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Membership Committee that it:

i. Endorses the general principles and goals of GKP as captured by the vision and mission statements;
ii. Is active and experienced in the area of Knowledge and ICT for Development (K4D, ICT4D) as tools for equitable sustainable development and is committed to sharing its knowledge;
iii. Is institutionally well established, with some level of stability in terms of funding and organisational long-term viability;
iv. Has the necessary resources (including ICT access) to participate effectively in GKP activities and act as an active GKP member;
v. Will complement GKP as a global multi-stakeholder network and enhance GKP by contributing its own network of contacts and experience;
vi. Subscribes to the GKP partnership principles as defined in the GKP Strategy as well as to the principles of good governance and democratic means of advocacy;
vii. Is ready to fulfil the members’ responsibilities and commitments as described below.

3.3. Members’ Financial Responsibility:

i. Supporting GKP activities by making an annual cash contribution. The modalities and amounts are defined in a separate document titled Membership Cash Contribution Policy.

3.4. Members’ Commitments:

i. GOVERNANCE: By actively participating in GKP elections and discussions on GKP Network matters during Annual Members' Meeting;
ii. ACTIVE COLLABORATION: By actively initiating and participating in collaborative activities with other members;
iii. ACTIVE SHARING: By actively sharing and contributing knowledge and information to GKP Programmes and activities;
iv. STRATEGY: By participating in and supporting the implementation of the current GKP Strategy and by engaging in GKP Programmes and activities;
v. PROMOTION: By ensuring GKP visibility, facilitating recruitment of new members and by agreeing to the use of their name and logo for the general promotion of GKP and for specific activities in which the respective member participates.

3.5. Decision Process in Membership Questions:

a. Decisions regarding membership issues, including the membership status of an organisation, are taken by the Membership Committee, based on proposals prepared by the GKP Secretariat. The concerned member may appeal to the Executive Committee.
b. Membership is conditional on the member continuing to meet the membership criteria, and fulfilling the financial responsibilities and membership obligations.
c. The GKP Secretariat may recommend to the Membership Committee that the membership of a member be revoked or suspended if any one or more of the following occurs:

i. The member fails to meet the membership criteria;
ii. The member fails to fulfil the membership financial responsibilities or membership obligations; or
iii. The member acts in a manner which is inconsistent with the mission and vision of GKP or acts in a manner which brings disrepute to GKP.

d. Prior to making a decision, the Membership Committee shall give the member at least 14 days' notice of the recommendation, and an opportunity to give reasons why the membership should not be suspended or revoked. All notices will be sent to the address of the member in the register of members. Having taken into consideration the reasons of the member, the Membership Committee will make a decision on whether or not the membership should be revoked or suspended.
e. An entity which is aggrieved by the decision of the Membership Committee may appeal to the Executive Committee.

4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

4.1. Responsibilities: The Executive Committee is responsible for:

a. Proposing the overall strategy and policy framework to the GKP members for approval;
b. Approving GKP Programmes and activities on the basis of the approved overall strategy and policy framework and overseeing their implementation;
c. Proposing the Governance Document to the GKP Membership for approval and overseeing its implementation and endorse the more detailed Governance Implementation Documents;
d. Appointing the GKP Executive Director;
e. Overseeing / guiding the Secretariat's operations, including the review and approval of the Annual Report and Financial Statements;
f. Deciding on Fund-raising policy for GKP activities;
g. Electing the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee;
h. Appointing advisors for GKP;
i. Establishing and dissolving Working Committees, appointing the members and overseeing their work;
j. Deciding on appeals against decisions of the Membership Committee;
k. Reporting to the GKP members about GKP activities and finances.

4.2. Composition, Election, Term: The Executive Committee comprises ten (10) members as follows:

a. Nine (9) members of the Executive Committee will be elected by the membership by simple majority of all voting members for a two (2) year term. Members are encouraged to take into account regional and multi-stakeholder balance.
b. The Executive Director is an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.
c. Each elected member institution will designate one official representative and one alternate but both must be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the institution that they represent. Institutions are encouraged to strive for gender balance.
d. An elected member institution may change its designated representative or alternate at any time.
e. An elected member institution may resign from the Executive Committee at any time.

4.3. Re-Election: To ensure continuity, one-half of the Executive Committee will remain in office and an election will be conducted to elect the rest of the Executive Committee. Re-election of one-half of the Executive Committee will occur every year based on the Principle of Rotation.

4.4. Election, Term of the Chair: The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee are elected by the members of the Executive Committee by a simple majority for a term of two (2) years.

4.5. Responsibilities of the Chair: The Chair is responsible for:

a. Leading and guiding the work in the Executive Committee;
b. Representing the Executive Committee in-between meetings;
c. Overseeing the GKP Secretariat;
d. Facilitating consensus in the Executive Committee.

4.6. Conflict of Interest: Executive Committee members may participate in any GKP related activity or project, or develop, with other GKP members, opportunities for joint activities, networking or partnering. However, in order to avoid conflicts of interest, during tenure of the Executive Committee, members must abide by the following:

a. Members of the Executive Committee will represent the interests of the community they serve, as well as the membership as a whole, on all issues related to GKP policy, strategic priorities, membership, financing and fundraising, and overall GKP directions.
b. Members of the Executive Committee will exercise objectivity, independence, due care and diligence on all matters brought to the Executive Committee.
c. No member will submit to the GKP Executive Committee for consideration, approval or funding, any proposals which may benefit, either directly or indirectly the member institution he/she represents.

5. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

5.1 The Executive Director heads and manages the GKP Secretariat.

a. Appointment: The Executive Director is appointed by the Executive Committee for a specified period of time, which may be extended at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
b. The Executive Director represents GKP at all meetings and negotiations involving GKP.
c. The Executive Director is accountable to the Executive Committee for the efficient management of the GKP Secretariat.
d. The Executive Director recruits staff of the GKP Secretariat subject to provisions approved by the Executive Committee.
e. The Executive Director is an ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

6. WORKING COMMITTEES

6.1 Composition, Appointment, Term: The Executive Committee may create Working Committees to undertake specific tasks.

a. Each Working Committee may have a minimum of five (5) members and a maximum of ten (10) members.
b. Working Committee members are appointed based on the following process:

i. The Secretariat shall provide a list of member institutions;
ii. The Executive Committee, based on criteria such as regional balance, multi-stakeholder and gender balance, shall appoint the Working Committee.

c. Working Committee members are appointed for a period defined on a case by case basis by the Executive Committee. Working Committee members may resign at any time.

7. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

7.1. The Membership Committee is a permanent GKP Working Committee.

7.2 Composition, Appointment, Term:

a. The Membership Committee is composed of a maximum of ten (10) members as follows:

• A maximum of eight (8) elected Regional Coordinators;
• One (1) Executive Committee member who servers as Chair of the Membership Committee;
• One (1) Executive Committee member who serves as Chair of the Membership Committee;
• One (1) representative from the GKP Secretariat.

b. Regional Coordinators serve onthe Membership Committee for the duration of their respective election term as Regional Coordinators. All other rules as per election procedure for Regional Coordinators apply.
c. The Executive Committee appoints one of its members as Chair of the Membership Committee based on suggestions from the Secretariat, taking into account regional, multi-stakeholder and gender balance. There are no limits to the number of subsequent terms. Appointed Membership Committee members may resign at any time.

7.3. Responsibilities: In close collaboration with the GKP Secretariat, the Membership Committee is responsible for:

a. Deciding on membership questions in accordance with the Governance Document;
b. Advising the Executive Committee on membership matters and proposing respective GKP activities;
c. Leading the recruitment of interested and like-minded organisations to participate in the work of the GKP within the framework of the Governance Document and instructions reached with the Executive Committee;
d. Reporting to the Executive Committee on its work.

8. GKP SECRETARIAT

8.1. Responsibilities and Reporting: The GKP Secretariat, represented by the Executive Director, reports to the Executive Committee, represented by the Chair, and is responsible for carrying out the following broad sets of organisational core services:

a. Coordination and implementation of the relevant GKP Strategy;
b. Programme and analytical support to the GKP, its Committees and to the broader partnership;
c. Management, administrative, informational and communications, financial and fund raising services on behalf of the GKP; and
d. Increasing public awareness and nurturing partnerships and managing relations, both within and outside of the GKP, in support of its goals and mandate.

9. GKP REGIONAL NETWORKS

9.1. GKP aims to complement its global activities with a regional dimension.

9.2 GKP Regional Networks can be established for the following eight (8) regions: Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, Oceania and South Asia provided that each Regional Network successfully elects a Regional Coordinator as per the prevailing election rules.

9.3. Membership in a Regional Network is limited to GKP members. Regional Networks should encourage non-members to participate in Regional Network activities and to become partners in the implementation of the Regional Workplan.

9.4. The guidelines for GKP Regional Networks and Regional Coordinators are fixed in Governance Implementation Documents.


10. ANNUAL MEMBERS' MEETING

10.1. Members meet once a year either virtually or physically at the Annual Members’ Meeting to discuss GKP Network matters.

10.2 The Annual Members’ Meeting is coordinated by the GKP Secretariat, under the guidance of the Executive Committee and in collaboration with the Membership Committee.

10.3 The physical Annual Members' Meeting takes place in conjunction with at least one GKP programmatic event or other significant event.


11. GKP BRANDING

11.1. The Executive Committee shall approve minimal guidelines and principles regulating the ways in which activities by members and non-members that are outside the GKP Programme framework may become official GKP branded activities.


12. DECISION TAKING PROCESSES

12.1. GKP decisions are generally reached through an open consensus-building process.

12.2 However, in the event that the Executive Committee comes to the conclusion that the said process does not result in a decision and a vote is to be carried out, the following shall apply:

a. Votes can be carried out at meetings or virtually;
b. The simple majority of all votes cast will be relevant;
c. All members have equal status at the meetings and each member has one vote;
d. The Secretariat will summarise and disseminate all decisions taken.

13. LEGAL STATUS OF GKP GOVERNANCE FORMULATION

13.1. The GKP Governance Document and the separate and more detailed Governance Implementation Documents are not intended to be legally enforceable in any manner.