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Membership Criteria

Non-governmental and non-profit organisations are welcome and invited to join the INGO Accountability Charter. The membership criteria were revised in April 2012 to ensure that membership was open to a larger segment of the NGO sector. The complete Charter membership structure can be downloaded here.

Membership Criteria

Membership is available for NGOs which:

  • Undertake operational and/or advocacy activities in the public interest on issues that benefit the environment, society as a whole or a group in particular, as well as foundations contributing to the funding of such activities..
  • Have a mission and mandate that require the organisation to work predominantly internationally with people, issues and institutions in various countries and communities beyond the country of registration, origin or location, or to work on international issues.
  • Have activities and management practices which are consistent with and supportive of the vision, purpose and objectives of the Charter.
  • Will embrace, comply with and promote the Charter (as amended from time to time) in its entirety.
  • Have been in existence with due diligence (valid legal registration, published Annual Reports and annual externally audited account) for at least three years.
  • Have a Complaints Handling Mechanism for internal and external complaints in place or give written consent that it will be fully implemented by the time the first accountability report is submitted.
  • Apply for Charter Membership in the form required by the Directors.
  • Are approved by a majority of the Directors.
  • Fulfil all Membership obligations (see below).

Full Members and Affiliate members

Organisations that are approved by the Charter Board have the status of “Affiliate members” until their first accountability report has been vetted and approved by the Independent Review Panel.

Membership Rights and Obligations

Full Members and Affiliate members are:

  • Entitled to attend Annual General Meetings;
  • Entitled to attend workshops, trainings and peer-review sessions organised by the Charter Company.
  • Entitled to participate in Charter expert networks as organised by the Charter Company.
  • Entitled to be listed on the Charter website as Full Members or Affiliate members.
  • Required to pay membership fees as set by the Board.
  • Required to report annually against the Charter in line with the reporting requirements set by the Board at the same level of quality for the entire organisation/s they subscribed for.
  • Entitled and required to have their reports vetted by the Independent Review Panel and the feedback to be published on the Charter website.

Only Full Members are:

  • Entitled to lodge proposals and have a vote at Annual General Meetings. The voting right of national chapters shall be exercised through the international secretariat/ headquarter unless the latter is itself not a member. The voting right is limited to one vote for one international organisation.
  • Entitled to nominate persons to stand for election to the Board.
  • Entitled to use the Charter logo for the organisation or part of organisation which has become a Full Member.

All organisations meeting the requirements are invited to apply for membership by filling-out the Charter membership application form and send the signed form to the Charter Secretariat.