At its 42nd meeting, the WIOMSA Board approved the process of amending the WIOMSA Constitution. Article 17 of the WIOMSA constitution allows the Association’s members to submit amendments to the constitution.
The latest substantial constitutional revision was in 2013 and was adopted in Maputo, Mozambique, at the 5th WIOMSA General Assembly. Since then, many things have changed, necessitating a review and update of the WIOMSA constitution to bring it up to date, address any insufficient provisions, and evolve to meet the Association’s and members’ changing needs for example:
- Increased use of modern technology to engage members, such as online registration and membership payments. As shown during the Covid-19 pandemic, electronic ballots may replace the traditional mail ballots. An Online General Assembly of members may be required in the current changing conditions.
- WIOMSA currently has affiliate networks that promote members’ interests and participation in the Association’s activities, including the Marine Science Network (WiMS), the Western Indian Ocean Early Career Scientists Network (WIO-ECSN), and the Western Indian Ocean Marine Protected Area Management Network (WIOMPAN).
- The Association has grown in membership and the diversity of its members. We may need to rethink the Associations’ supportive roles, such as Country Coordinators to improve governance and increase inclusivity.
Process for proposing amendments
The amendment process will be conducted online, through a survey monkey link. WIOMSA members are now invited to make recommendations to amend the WIOMSA Constitution by reading through the articles of the constitution to: 1. Give a list of existing articles to be amended- together with alternative texts and a brief rationale for each proposed revision. 2. Propose new articles together with text and a brief reason (if not already covered in the constitution). All amendments should be made by 15 March 2022 .
The suggested amendments will be evaluated and approved by the Board before being ratified by members at the 7th WIOMSA General Assembly on 12th October 2022. For any queries on the process, please contact secretary@wiomsa.org.
- Download the WIOMSA Constitution.
- Access the survey and propose constitutional amendments here .
