MEMBERSHIP CHARTER
INTRODUCTION
The Share-Net International Charter articulates the position of unity for the members of our platform and stipulates our approach to working together and conducting ourselves. The purpose of this charter is to highlight the stance of Share-Net International and the conduct that members are expected to adhere to.
ABOUT SHARE-NET INTERNATIONAL
Share-Net Bangladesh (SNBD) is a membership network made up of a unique and powerful combination of NGOs and private sector parties, researchers and students, policy makers and practitioners, media outlets and advocates. Established in 2001 as the Dutch network on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Share-Net has evolved into the international knowledge platform for SRHR. Share-Net plays an important role internationally, with country hubs in four countries (Bangladesh, Burundi, Jordan and The Netherlands). Through its unique set-up, Share-Net has been able to foster constructive dialogues, to gather evidence and to inform policies and programmes in all of its country hubs. Share-Net International and its hubs work through Communities of Practice composed by SNI members that contribute to, discuss, share, use, and have access to evidence and knowledge-products that are most relevant to their specific areas of work for improved SRHR policies and practices.
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS
Sexual and reproductive health is a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing in relation to all aspects of sexuality and reproduction, not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity. Therefore, a positive approach to sexuality and reproduction should recognise the part played by pleasurable sexual relationships, trust, and communication in the promotion of self-esteem and overall wellbeing.
All individuals have a right to make decisions governing their bodies and to access services that support that right. Achievement of sexual and reproductive health relies on the realisation of sexual and reproductive rights, based on the human rights of all individuals to:
- Have their bodily integrity, privacy, and personal autonomy respected
- Freely define their own sexuality, including sexual orientation and gender identity and expression
- Decide whether and when to be sexually active
- Choose their sexual partners
- Have safe and pleasurable sexual experiences
- Decide whether, when, and whom to marry
- Decide whether, when, and by what means to have a child or children, and how many children to have
- Have access over their lifetimes to the information, resources, services, and support necessary to achieve all the above, free from discrimination, coercion, exploitation, and violence.
OUR VISION
All people have the freedom of choice, are able to make informed decisions, can take action on their sexual and reproductive health and have access to quality care to meet their sexual and reproductive health needs and rights. OUR MISSION To strengthen linkages between research, policy and practice through sharing, generating, translating and promoting the use of knowledge for the development of better policies and practices in
SRHR OUR LONG TERM GOALS
- National, sustainable, and empowered Communities of Practice on SRHR are established and operational. This means that we act as a match-maker among key SRHR actors, promote interactions among them and encourage them to share knowledge to facilitate learning, and ultimately, use knowledge to improve policy and practice.
- Knowledge is applied to evidence-informed SRHR programmes, policies and practices. This means that we facilitate the ability of key SRHR actors to strengthen knowledge and its application in order to improve SRHR programmes, policies and practices.
OUR CORE VALUES
These core values apply to the way we work as a knowledge platform on SRHR, but also to the way we approach discussions:
- A rights-based approach: We believe in the power of people as rights-holders and encourage them to claim their rights. We also commit to developing the capacity of duty-bearers to meet their obligations in the attainment of these rights.
- Transparency: We commit to acting in such a way that others can easily see our actions and identify our motivations. We believe that this is an important basis for trust and accountability.
- Diversity: We appreciate and respect differences between people and cultures, and believe that these differences make us stronger as a network. We commit to fostering an environment where people of different identities and backgrounds are treated with equal dignity.
- Collaboration: We believe participatory collaboration and communication are core to our work. We commit to actively supporting respectful collaboration based on equitable partnerships, and to challenging power dynamics which hinder this.
- Integrity: We are guided by our values. We are honest, respectful, fair and trustworthy in everything we do. We consistently strive to do the right thing.
- Safety: We commit to the do-no-harm principle as a minimum standard in all that we do, and to actively understanding and mitigating any potential risks of our activities on individuals, societies, and the environment.
- Courage: We demonstrate boldness in what we stand for and do. We challenge the status quo and remain steadfast in our beliefs and mission regardless of controversial or challenging circumstances.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITMENT IN RELATION TO USING A HUMAN-RIGHTS BASED APPROACH
We are dedicated to using a human-rights based approach in all aspects of our work. This means that our work is based on international human rights standrads and directed to protecting and promoting human rights. 3 Furthermore, we are especially dedicated to those who are most marginalised, exluded, or discriminated against.
IN RELATION TO TRANSPARENCY
- We expect transparency from each other in relation to our work as members and on our efforts to advance SRHR.
- We inform each other of our respective situations in relation to advancing SRHR and we support each other to be as effective as possible, which includes honestly discussing lessons learned and best practices.
IN RELATION TO DIVERSITY
We value the contributions of others. Therefore, we invest in learning from each other and in networking, in particular to exchange knowledge and information on SRHR related issues. We conduct ourselves in a respectful manner, treat all members with respect and reject any kind of (sexual, verbal, or physical) intimidation, bullying, aggression and discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, age or religion in any situation or circumstance.
IN RELATION TO COLLABORATION
We commit to collaborating and investing our time, energy and other resources to contribute to shared Share-Net activities to advance the goals of Share-Net International, which in turns advances the goals of its members. We do this to demonstrate our engagement and to promote alignment within our shared cause.
IN RELATION TO PARTICIPATION
We put effort into providing equal opportunities for participation and giving equal consideration, visibility and voice to each other to ensure balance in views and action that support our understanding of sexual and reproductive health and rights across the platform, including across the country hubs.
IN RELATION TO INTEGRITY
- We expect each other to take on our membership role conscientiously, honestly, and with the best interests of Share-Net International in mind, and we commit not to use our positions for private or personal advantage. We communicate any possible conflict of interest to the Secretariat.
- We do everything to prevent fraud, and in cases of fraud we take relevant measures.
IN RELATION TO A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT
- We agree to not place each other at risk in contexts where support for SRHR can be dangerous.
- Members agree to work together to maintain a safe working environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment.4 All members are expected and required to abide by this policy.
IN RELATION TO HAVING A COMMON VOICE
- When we represent Share-Net International to external audiences we are cautious to follow agreedto policies and messaging. We focus on supporting Share-Net International to maintain a positive reputation.
- We work together to support each other to develop strategies to address our needs in contexts where it is difficult to promote SRHR.
- We understand that in some of the countries where our hubs operate, the language that we use with respect to rights cannot always be used in formal documents. We respect the wording of vision and mission as laid down in annex 2 of our Strategic plan 2018-2022.
The signed member/member organisation agrees to adhere to Share-Net International’s approaches of working together and the codes of conduct as stipulated in the above membership charter. Share-Net International reserves the right to cancel membership should the above commitments be violated.
