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FRIENDS OF MSF SOCIETY GUIDELINES OR

CONSTITUTION

In the event of your university requiring a constitution, you will be able to

use the set of guidelines below.

Code of Practice

FoMSF societies exist to support the work and campaigns of MSF and although

they are the official student support/partner organisation, it is important to

note that they are not part of MSF UK itself. Care should be taken for this to be

clear when hosting or partaking in any events. The guidelines below are there

to help you in this matter, so please read through them carefully.

Should a FoMSF society fail to abide by the FoMSF guidelines and/or the ethics

of MSF, MSF UK can ask the misbehaving FoMSF society to change their

practice. If this does not help, MSF UK has the authority to cease the

collaboration with the society or group, which is thereafter disallowed to use

the name and/or logo of FoMSF.

Friends of MSF (FoMSF) societies are independent entities whose aims are to:

a. Raise money for MSF, their work in the field and specific

campaigns.

b. Raise awareness and knowledge about humanitarian issues and

MSF’s work in the field.

c. Encourage students of the UK & Ireland to consider working with

non-governmental organisations such as MSF as a possible career

post-graduation.

To establish and function as a FoMSF entity a group must:

1. Be approved by MSF UK; approval is granted through the confirmed

receipt from MSF UK of a signed Memorandum of Understanding (see

under forms and documents, page 26).

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2. Be in regular and direct communication with the national committee.

3. Work in concordance with the set guidelines for FoMSF in UK.

General Rules

1. FoMSF work in concordance with MSF UK’s vision, mission, core values

and action plans.

2. When introducing the group, the full name “Friends of MSF” (or “Friends

of Médecins Sans Frontières”) should be used, to make it clear that this

is a group supporting MSF rather than MSF itself.

3. When applying for sponsorships it is important to make the potential

sponsor aware of the role and aims of FoMSF, as well as to maintain the

good name of MSF through good tone. The FoMSF sponsors or groups

associated to an event should also be checked against MSF’s fundraising

ethics. Details of the policy guarding these ethics are available on the

MSF UK website under the heading ‘Corporate gift policy’.

4. MSF UK has the complete and final authority to cancel or terminate any

event/FoMSF society if they deem it in conflict with the FoMSF

guidelines and/or the ethics of MSF.

5. A year will be counted from Summer to Summer so as to follow the

academic year which most FoMSF societies will be following.

Organisation of the FoMSF

1. A FoMSF society or group must consist of a minimum of 4 members.

2. A society or group is only officially FoMSF once it:

a. Has been approved by MSF UK.

b. Is registered with the National Friends of MSF Committee.

c. Has made itself familiar with the rules and guidelines and has

agreed to follow them.

3. A FoMSF committee consists of at least a president and a treasurer. The

president is responsible for the coordination of the society or group and

the overall contact with MSF UK.

4. FoMSF make decisions by a simple majority.

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5. Suspension of FoMSF’s practice is made with a 2/3 majority for.

Furthermore, MSF UK can ask the society or group to suspend the

practice as FoMSF if it is not in concordance with the FoMSF guidelines

or the ethics of MSF.

6. Each FoMSF has an annual meeting with an agenda containing at least

the following items:

a. Summary of the past year from the president & report from the

treasurer.

b. Election of new president and treasurer (and further committee

posts).

c. Decision of membership fee for the coming year.

d. Ideas and setting of events for the coming year.

7. Ideally each FoMSF will partake in the AGM for FoMSF in UK & Ireland

with at least one representative. If attendance is difficult (for example

due to high travel costs or exams) the FoMSF society should get in touch

with the National Committee.

Knowledge Sharing

1. The FoMSF AGM is called by the FoMSF National Committee, who will

set the agenda and chair the meeting.

2. The purpose of the AGM is to:

a. Share and discuss experiences of “good practice” (i.e. successful

events) within the work of FoMSF in one or several areas.

b. Discuss ideas for major coordinated events by FoMSF in the

coming year.

3. To support the work and collaboration of the FoMSF in UK, MSF UK has

made a site available for the individual societies or groups to add their

outlines (www.uk.msf.org/friends).

4. All FoMSF shall use the internet portal and keep it updated about their

individual group activities.

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Financing

1. FoMSF will finance its work through membership fees and money

available through the university.

2. Any surplus profits from sponsorships, events, etc. will go to MSF UK.

3. The AGM will be financed by FoMSF through paid attendance of each

participating member.

4. The FoMSF internet sites will be financed by MSF UK. The content will be

subject to approval by MSF UK before being published online.