Role of Governing Board in ACT Alliance
The Governing Board has the overall responsibility for the governance of the ACT Alliance between General Assemblies by ensuring that the ACT Alliance meets its overall objectives. The members of the Governing Board are elected by the General Assembly and are accountable to the ACT Alliance membership through the General Assembly.
Role of the Membership and Nominations Committee of ACT Alliance
The Membership and Nominations Committee advises on membership issues to the Governing Board and the Executive Committee. The members of the Membership and Nominations Committee are elected by the General Assembly.
Role of the Moderator of ACT Alliance
The Moderator of the ACT Alliance has the overall responsibility for leading the Governing Board of the alliance and for moderating Governing Board and Executive Committee meetings. The Moderator is one of the three Officers of the Governing Board and acts in the capacity of moderator on both the Governing Board and the Executive Committee. The Moderator, together with the ACT Alliance General Secretary, represents ACT Alliance externally as requested and is a signatory of ACT Alliance.
Role of the Treasurer of ACT Alliance
The Treasurer is one of the three Officers of the Governing Board and is a member of both the Governing Board and the Executive Committee.
The Treasurer is the Chair of the ACT Alliance Finance Committee.
The Treasurer oversees sound management of ACT Alliance finances.
Role of the Vice-Moderator of ACT Alliance
The Vice-Moderator of the ACT Alliance supports and deputises for the ACT Moderator in their responsibility for leading the Governing Board of the alliance and for moderating Governing Board and Executive Committee meetings. The Vice-Moderator is one of the three Officers of the Governing Board and acts in the capacity of vice-moderator on both the Governing Board and the Executive Committee. The Vice-Moderator, together with the ACT Alliance General Secretary, can represent ACT Alliance externally as required and is a signatory of ACT Alliance.
The fully filled nominations form, including a current curriculum vitae (C.V.) of the candidate, is to
be sent by the relevant ACT Alliance member nominating an individual to the ACT Secretariat by
February 28, 2018.
ACT Alliance will be holding its third face-to-face General Assembly October 28- November 1, 2018 in Uppsala, Sweden where a new Governing Board and Membership and Nominations Committee (MNC) will be elected for the next governance cycle.
The process agreed by the Governing Board, and outlined in detail below, enables the ACT membership to participate in different levels throughout the process of preparing the final slate. This includes putting forward nominees, participating in the ACT Alliance national forums (or sub-regional and regional forums or global forum where relevant) where endorsement of candidates take place, by sending any formal objections to any of the candidates on the list to the MNC and finally, on the first day of the assembly by putting forward alternative candidates in case of withdrawals. Ultimately, the ACT membership at the General Assembly then elects the members of the Governing Board and MNC on the basis of a slate of candidates presented by the MNC, taking into account a balance based on gender, church/specialised ministry, geography, continuity and professional competencies.
Formerly known as the breadbasket of Africa, Zimbabwe, and its people have withstood deteriorating social, economic and political conditions for many years under the rule of former President Robert Mugabe, who ruled the country since its independence in 1980.
A military intervention in November 2017 followed by the sudden resignation of the former President after 37 years in power, had the potential to ignite conflict across the country. The chain of events took civil society organizations, residents and others by surprise. There had been no conceivable strategy, or plan in place to engage with a new government.
In response, civil society organizations including ACT Alliance united to develop a strategy, and to advocate for a peaceful transition. The ACT Zimbabwe Forum (consisting of Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Lutheran Development Service Zimbabwe, Christian Care, Methodist Development and Relief Agency, and the Ecumenical Church Leaders’ Forum) mobilised to respond to the situation. With a wide local network, the Forum was able to rapidly organise and collaborate with organisations from various sectors to establish a National Envisioning Platform. The Platform aimed to facilitate inclusive dialogue across all sectors and peoples of Zimbabwe towards ‘A future we want’.
On November 24 2017, the day of the inauguration of Zimbabwe’s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a National People’s Convention brought together over 2500 residents, labour unions as well as members of churches and civil society organizations, including the ACT Zimbabwe Forum. Together, they developed a single document that outlined the common priority issues across various sectors and made recommendations to the new administration for a democratic transition of Zimbabwe. The document, which garnered attention from local authorities at the Provincial level was synthesised and presented to President Mnangagwa for his consideration.
Two weeks later, President Mnangagwa delivered his State of the Nation Address, which outlined his priorities for his first 100 days as President. His agenda incorporated many of the civil society priorities identified in the National Envisioning Platform and the National People’s Convention.
As ACT Forums are by nature rooted within the communities they serve, the ACT Zimbabwe Forum was well positioned to step up as a credible and proactive voice during this process and was instrumental in facilitating the organisation and mobilisation of Zimbabwean civil society. The forum will continue to work with local civil society organizations to monitor the delivery of the identified priorities.
The ACT Alliance Zimbabwe Forum raises high the light of hope that Zimbabwe will rise as a banner of justice, good governance and once again, be the breadbasket of Africa. The Zimbabwe Forum will continue to put hope into action and will continue to work to ensure a life of dignity for all in Zimbabwe.
In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees are living in houses made of plastic sheets. Much of their food comes from aid agencies. The health needs are immense. How can we respond to this type of crisis, focusing on the dignity of the vulnerable people? Ram Kishan, from ACT member Christian Aid, says “I am proud to be part of ACT Alliance because as an Alliance we are making a bigger difference. We are making changes in the lives of people who have suffered atrocities”.
