World Organization for Early Childhood Education

web presentation: https://www.worldomep.org

OMEP is an international, non-governmental and non-profit organisation concerned with all aspects of early childhood education and care (ECEC).

OMEP defends and promotes the rights of the child to education and care worldwide and supports activities which improve accessibility to high quality education and care.

OMEP is currently established in over 60 countries and is represented at meetings of UNESCO, UNICEF, and other international organisations with similar aims.

WHAT IS OMEP?

The World Organisation for Early Childhood Education was founded in Prague in 1948, in connection with an UNESCO Seminar. Its acronym, OMEP, comes from the French title of the organisation, l´Organisation Mondiale pour l´Education Préscolaire.

OMEP is an international interdisciplinary organisation. It aims to gather together people who work with or for young children, who do research on the subject of early childhood, or who, in other capacities, are involved or influential in issues concerning the care and education of children from birth to eight years of age. OMEP provides a meeting ground for representatives of different professions and different national groups from all over the world. OMEP seeks to promote research and disseminate knowledge in the field of early childhood care and education. OMEP also acts as an advocate for children, their rights and their best interests.

As a Non-Government Organisation, OMEP has a cooperative relationship with UNESCO, UNICEF, ECOSOC and other international organisations. It has standing representatives in these international organisations, who attend meetings in New York and Paris. OMEP is also represented at the regional meetings of these organisations. Representatives from these organisations may be invited to attend OMEP World Assembly meetings.

All work in OMEP is done on a voluntary basis, including that of the holders of office.

 

I. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING OF OMEP

 

 

World Executive Commissions and Working Groups World Assembly National Committees

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1. ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS

 

OMEP is divided into five regions, each under the leadership of a Regional Vice President. Regions are established in accordance with the constitution. At present, these regions are:

. Africa;

. Asia and the Pacific;

. Latin America;

. Europe;

. North America and the Caribbean.

The constitution does not define the regions, allowing countries to exercise the right to choose their region or to change region, if conditions dictate. The number of regions may be modified by a decision of the World Assembly. The internal organisation of each region is left to the discretion of the National Committees of that region.

2. WORKING LANGUAGES

 

OMEP uses three official languages, English, French and Spanish. Simultaneous translation is provided at World Assembly meetings. All official documents and proceedings are published in these languages.

3. MEMBERS OF OMEP

 

• National Committees

• Preparatory Committees

• Individual Members

• Honorary Members

 

Types of membership (see Constitution, Article 3).

Responsibilities of National Committees (see Constitution, Article 4).

Establishment of a (Preparatory) National Committee (see Appendix 3 "How to become an OMEP Member”).

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Role and Responsibilities

The National President is responsible for:

• organising the work of OMEP in his/her country in accordance with the world and national constitution and by laws;

 

• representing the views of the National Committee at regional and world level meetings;

 

• reporting on international OMEP meetings to his/her national membership;

 

• promoting the aims of OMEP at home and abroad;

 

• ensuring that activities to implement OMEP objectives and resolutions are carried out at a national level;

 

• submitting names of professionals to take part in international conferences and projects;

 

• working to encourage governments, regional and local politicians and administrators to implement UN Convention on the Rights of the Child;

 

• working to strengthen the organisation through increased membership and involvement of key personnel in the field, as well as interested individuals who share the aims of the organization.

 

Financial Obligations of National Committees

The National Committee must pay annual fees to OMEP, which are allocated to the operations of the organisation and the activities approved by the World Assembly.

National Committees experiencing a crisis due to a situation in their country or any other serious reason, may, for a short time, be allowed to contribute at a reduced level. An application for reduction and a plan for re-organising their activities should be submitted to the World Executive.

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4. COMPOSITION OF OMEP

• World Assembly

 

• Word Executive

 

• Commissions and Working Groups

 

4.1 WORLD ASSEMBLY

The World Assembly is held once every year. It is the highest authority of OMEP, making decisions on OMEP's constitution and policy. Each National Committee is assigned one vote for use at the World Assembly, but all members of the organisation may attend.

Minutes shall be taken of the procedures. These minutes must be sent to the National Committees three months after the World Assembly. Any objections to the minutes must be sent in writing to the World President four months before the next World Assembly. The minutes are accepted at the following World Assembly.

4.2 WORLD EXECUTIVE

The World Executive consists of the elected officers of OMEP, which includes:

• the World President;

• the World Treasurer;

• the Regional Vice Presidents;

• the immediate Past President as ex-officio, for one year following his or her mandate.

 

Other people may be invited to a meeting of the World Executive by the World President with the agreement of the World Executive members.

The World Executive handles business for OMEP between World Assembly meetings. Major issues are submitted to the World Assembly for consideration and adoption.

Meetings

The World Executive meets at least once a year immediately preceding the World Assembly.

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The World President sends out the agenda of the meeting at least one month before the meeting. The quorum is 50% of the World Executive members present. Votes are taken by a simple majority; the World President has the casting vote.

The World President appoints the minute taker. Dates and place of the next meeting are decided at the preceding one.

Business and Finances

Right of signature is regulated in the description of the different offices.

The members of the World Executive may be reimbursed for certain expenses, such as:

• flight or train ticket to the World Executive meetings;

• hotel accommodation during World Executive meetings, World Assembly (These costs are part of contracts with hosting National Committees, see Appendix 5).

 

The World President’s expenses are subject to separate regulation (see World President).

Nominations for Officers

Nominations and elections

Nomination forms (see Appendix 4) will be sent out to Presidents of National Committees by the World President at least six months before the date of the opening of the next World Assembly. These forms should be completed and returned to the World President not later than two months before the opening of the World Assembly.

Each National Committee may nominate only one candidate for the position in question.

The World President checks the candidate's acceptance of the nomination. He /she prepares the nomination papers and sends this information to all National Committees at least one month before the World Assembly.

Elections will take place during the second day of the World Assembly and will be held by secret ballot.

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II. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. WORLD PRESIDENT

The World President is the official head of the organisation and is elected by the World Assembly.

Role and Responsibilities

The World President is responsible for:

• upholding the aims and objectives of the organisation;

• acting as an advocate for young children;

• acting as a spokesperson for OMEP on issues of global importance and bring such matters back to the National Committees;

• convening and chairing the World Assembly;

• convening and chairing the World Executive meetings;

• preparing and distributing the documents for the World Assembly;

• disseminating material and information to National Committees;

• maintaining links with UNESCO, UNICEF and other international agencies;

• publicising OMEP world wide and trying to encourage membership of non-member countries;

• supporting Regional Vice Presidents;

• maintaining links with the editor of the International Journal of Early Childhood;

• supporting new National and Preparatory Committees in conjunction with the Regional Vice Presidents;

• maintaining regular links with National Committees through visits, newsletters and other means of communication;

• carrying out any specific tasks or duties as requested by the members of the World Assembly;

• establishing a Secretariat to maintain the administration of the organisation;

• encouraging National Committees to implement the decisions of the World Assembly;

• organising the distribution and collection of nomination forms for the World Assembly;

• managing his/her budget.

 

The World President must sign any communication or correspondence that binds OMEP in any way, or commits it to any undertaking. A copy shall be preserved in the archives of OMEP.

Finances

The World President is given certain funds (World President's budget) to run his/her office and pay that part of his/her expenses not covered by special arrangements. The World Assembly decides this amount within the OMEP annual budget.

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At the end of a business period the World President prepares audited accounts for the World Treasurer. This report shall be added to the World Treasurer's annual report.

Tenure

The World Assembly elects the World President for a period of three years, with the possibility of re-election for an additional three years.

2. IMMEDIATE PAST WORLD PRESIDENT

The World President continues as a member of the World Executive for one year after standing down from office.

Role and Responsibilities

The immediate Past World President is responsible for:

• supporting the incoming World President as required;

• completing all the documentation of the previous three years;

• attending World Assembly and World Executive meetings held during that year;

• sending archival material to the Archives in Prague.

 

3. REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS

Role and Responsibilities

OMEP Vice Presidents are officers of the organisation, nominated by the members of their region and elected by the World Assembly.

Their responsibilities are as follows:

• to represent their region in the World Executive;

• to represent the World President when necessary;

• to work closely with the National Committees of all member countries in their region to encourage membership of non-member countries and submit the files to the World Assembly for those groups wishing to become Preparatory or full National Committees;

• to organise regional meetings;

• to initiate a Newsletter to be distributed to all member countries in the region, with copies to be sent to the OMEP Secretariat;

• to establish ways of encouraging or developing co-operation and contacts between the National Committees in their region;

• to send news items on meetings activities to the International Journal of Early Childhood, and seek contributions for journal articles from people in research, in universities or in other fields;

• to send to the OMEP Secretariat copies of communications, reports of special

 

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activities and changes of officers and addresses in the region, so that OMEP records and files are up to date at all times, and

• to encourage National Committees to implement the decisions of the World Assembly.

 

Regional Vice Presidents see that all documents and proceedings are available to members in those OMEP working languages spoken in their region.

Right to sign

Regional Vice Presidents have the right to sign their own correspondence. Contracts or other documents containing financial or other obligations have to be countersigned by the World President.

Tenure

The World Assembly elects regional Vice Presidents for a period of three years, with the possibility of re-election for an additional three years.

4. WORLD TREASURER

All financial decisions are based on the annual budget established by the World Assembly.

Responsibilities of the World Treasurer

The World Treasurer is responsible for all financial transactions on the world level:

• collects annual fees and keeps records of members payments;

• manages project funds;

• makes payments in accordance with the OMEP budget;

• is the responsible for the book-keeping;

• has the accounts audited on a regular basis at the end of a business year;

• presents an annual financial report to the World Assembly;

• prepares a proposal of the next budget to be presented to the World Assembly.

 

Right to sign

The World Treasurer has the right to sign all necessary documents needed for the day to day running of the business. Any contracts or special financial transactions must be counter signed by the World President.

Tenure

The World Assembly elects the World Treasurer for a period of three years, with the possibility of re-election for an additional three years.

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OMEP Finances

The budget accounts for various activities are listed below:

1. Official OMEP Budget. This budget must contain all the income of OMEP (e.g. annual membership fees, donations, subscriptions from international conferences, profits of the International Bazaar and bank interests) as well as all expenditures (e.g. World President's budget, expenses of the World Executive members, free copies of the International Journal as part of the annual membership fee).

 

2. Children of the World Fund. This budget contains money donated by National Committees or individuals and is used in accordance with decisions of the World Assembly.

 

3. Any other project money (e.g. UNESCO, UNICEF).

 

5. COMMISSIONS

Definition

A commission is an international ad hoc group set up by the World Assembly to work on a specific task. Commissions have no regulatory power and have an advisory status only.

Composition

Each commission is headed by a Co-ordinator, proposed by the World President or another member of the World Executive appointed by the World Assembly. A Co-ordinator shall serve initially for three years. A member of the World Executive will act as a link between the Commission and the World Executive.

6. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EARL Y CHILDHOOD

The International Journal of Early Childhood (IJEC) is published at least twice a year. Its purpose is to disseminate information and stimulate discussion of research and practices in early childhood education and care as well as the living conditions of young children around the world. The Journal is open to contributions of all members and contains news from the OMEP regions. The Journal relies on National Committees for contributions and committees should encourage members to submit articles. No payment is made for contributions. The editor and the editorial board, at their discretion, accept articles for publication.

The Journal contains articles in the three official languages. Articles from the Journal may be translated and reprinted in national newsletters or other local publications. The author and the source (IJEC) should be acknowledged.

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The World Assembly appoints the editor for a period of three years with the possibility of reappointment. The position is voluntary.

The Journal has an editorial board chosen by the editor for its expertise. The National Committee of the country where the Journal is published should assist the editor. When necessary, this National Committee serves as a link between the World Assembly and the editor.

The subscription fee is proposed by the editor and approved by the World Assembly. Each National Committee receives a free copy of the Journal and should appoint a representative who will promote the Journal in his or her own country and encourage contributions from members and non-members.

7. REPRESENTATIVES ON INTERNATIONAL BODIES

OMEP appoints representatives to any international organization. Names should be suggested to the World President, who will select candidates, taking into account their qualifications, availability and location.

These persons must agree to:

• attend meetings regularly;

• speak for young children;

• keep the World President informed of developments;

• submit a report at least four months before each World Assembly meeting.

 

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