TITLE I
DENOMINATION, HOME, SCOPE AND DURATION

Article 1º. - According to the dispositions in Law 1 / 2.002, the international association denominated WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, intends to:

1. Constitute and to make effectively possible for each child of the world under six years of age, to exercise his right to an education that allows him to fully develop his abilities, his personal criteria, moral and social responsibility according to the article 7 of the Declaration of the Organization of the United Nations on Child Rights.
2. Exchange experiences, to foster contacts and collaborations, among all the Early Childhood Educators of the world.
3. Make a collection of data of initiatives and their results, of pedagogic experiences in the field of Early Childhood Education, for the use of its members.

The scope of the Association is world wide. The Association is constituted for an indefinite period of time.

Article 2º. - The WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS establishes its headquarters in 3, Averroes Street of Madrid, Spain.
The Governing Board will be able to decide on the opening of offices of the Association in those countries or cities that it considers opportune, to fulfill its associative goals.

Article 3º. - The participation of the Association is open to early childhood educators from all over the world.

Article 4º. - The operation of the Association will be adjusted at all times to democratic principles, with full to pluralism.

Article 5º. - The WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS doesn't pursue lucrative neither speculative aims of any kind.

TITLE II
GOALS

Article 6º. – The goals of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS are:

-To foster and coordinate activities of pedagogic renovation of Early Childhood Education.
-To elaborate studies and investigations to help early childhood educators in their daily work.
-To organize conferences, seminars, courses and meetings for the on-going formation of early childhood educators.
-To promote pedagogical investigation.
-To carry out all type of studies on the status and relevance of Early Childhood Education.
-To carry out all type of activities aimed at the acquisition of values by the children and their families, as well as to foster the learning of reading from early childhood.
-To foster the union and collaboration among early childhood educators collaboration in areas of common interest.
-To develop and foster exchanges of experiences among early childhood educators around the world.

TITLE III
MEMBERS

Article 7º. Any individual or legal entity will be able to join the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS as long as he agrees with its goals.
Written membership applications should be submitted to the General Secretary. Membership application to the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS implies the expressed acceptance, on the part of the applicants, of these By-laws and of all decisions or administrative measures adopted by the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

Once received the membership application, the Association will inform the interested party on its decision. In the case of a negative resolution the applicant will be able to appeal the negative decision, within thirty working days, and the resolution will be left pending until the next meeting of the General Assembly, when the application will be included as an item of the Agenda. To this General Assembly, he/she will make an appointment to the applicant so that he/she alleges what considers opportune before this Assembly. The applicant will be invited to attend the General Assembly to present his allegations. The mentioned term starts on the date of notification of the decision to the applicant.

The WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS will keep its own Register of Members.

Article 8º. – The status of member of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS can be lost, for any of the following causes:

a) Of voluntary nature. – Cancellation, notified in writing to the Governing Board a month in advance to the date it is to become effective, and after having fulfilled all membership obligations to that date.

b) Of punitive nature:

1. By agreement of the General Assembly at the proposal of the Governing Board, taking into account the allegations formulated by the interested party, and based on the serious unfulfillment of the norms contained in these By-laws and other applicable rules.

2. For the delay in the payment of the established membership fees during five consecutive months. This lack of payment will suspend all rights of the interested party.

3. For not paying any extraordinary fees established by the General Assembly. The suspension of rights of the interested party will be for the period decided by the General Assembly.

The loss of membership status implies the loss of all rights, without exception, and no refund of fees of any kind can be claimed.

Any member, who leaves voluntarily the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, can re-join later on, but in such a case, he will have to cover an additional membership fee set by the Governing Board for his readmission.

TITLE IV
RIGHTS AND DUTIES

Article 9º. – The following are rights of the members:

To elect and to be elected for positions in the governing and representing boards and to exercise the duties pertinent to such position.

To inform and to be informed of all the activities of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

To examine in the manner set by the Internal Regulations, the records and books of the Association to learn about the work of the Association.

To attend, with voice and vote, the meetings of the General Assembly and of those other Organs of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS to which members are entitled.

To use the services created specially for the members.

To participate in the activities of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS and, in general, in the accomplishment of its goals.

To be heard before the adoption of disciplinary measures against him and to be informed of the reasons for such measures.

To refute the agreements of the organs of government of the Association that it estimates contrary to the Law or to the By-Laws of the Association.

Article 10º. - The following are duties of the members:

1. To participate in the election of representatives for the different Government Bodies of the Government of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

2. To adjust their actions to the norms of these By-Laws.

3. To fulfill the agreements validly adopted, legal and statutorily.

4. To respect the free manifestation of Opinions of all members. Not to hinder in any way the activities of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

6. To maintain the necessary discipline and collaboration for the accomplishment of the goals of the Association.

To pay the set fees for the sustenance of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

TITLE V
GOVERNMENT BODIES

Article 11º. – The government bodies of the Association are as follows:

The General Assembly.
The Governing Board.
The Presidency.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Article 12º. - The General Assembly is the sovereign organ of government and decision of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

It will be integrated by the entirety of the members at the time it is called, with a single vote for each one of them.

Article 13º. – The General Assembly has as duties:

1. To approve and reform the present By-Laws.

2. To elect the components of the Governing Board.

3. To know the general programs of action, accounts and annual report of activities.

4. To approve the budget, as well as to set the membership fees.

5. To authorize the sale of the properties of the Association.

6. To know who has joined and who has left the Association.

7. To agree on the closure of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, according to what is established in these By-Laws.

8. Those matters that, due to their key significance, are submitted to its consideration by the Governing Board or the President.

Article 14º. - The General Assembly can hold ordinary or extraordinary meetings.

It will meet regularly, in an ordinary session, once a year, after being called in writing at least fifteen days of advance to this effect, with an Agenda prepared by the Secretary and with the approval of the President.

It will meet in extraordinary sessions whenever the President of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS decides so, in agreement with the Governing Board, or at the requests of at least ten percent of the members.

The General Assembly, in either ordinary or extraordinary session, will be constituted validly, when there are, present or represented, a third of the members. Once constituted it will proceed to the appointment of the members that must act as president and secretary of the Assembly.

In both cases, the attendance of the President of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS and of the Secretary or of their legal substitutes will be necessary.

The representation in the General Assembly is personal and can only be delegated on another member of the Association, by means of written authorization that states so.

The President of the Assembly will direct the debates and will grant or remove the use of the word, when he considers that a topic has been sufficiently debated, when the matter is not part of the Agenda, or when he considers that whoever is speaking is doing so in offensive, illegal terms or incorrect, giving previous warning.

As a general norm, the agreements will always be adopted by the majority of votes of the members, present or represented, except in the cases of dissolution of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, modification of the By-Laws, disposition or sale of goods and remuneration of the members of the Governing Board for which the affirmative votes will be required of a qualified majority.

Once approved, the agreements are compulsory for all, even absentees or dissident members, except in the cases that the agreements are appealed and annulled - or suspended - legally.

The Secretary will keep Records of each meeting, reflecting the debated topics and the main opinions expressed, when there is no unanimity of views, or the interested parties so request, avoiding useless repetitions. All the Records will be signed by the President and the Secretary, or their legal substitutes, and once they are approved, they will be transcribed in the Book of Records.

The Records will be approved in any of the following ways:

1. After being read in the corresponding session.
2. After being read in the following meeting.
3. By a draft written by the Secretary and verified by an Inspector of Records appointed for this duty at the beginning of the Assembly.

Any member has the right to request and to obtain, certified copies of any Records or of the agreements that interest him.

THE GOVERNING BOARD

Article 15º. - The Governing Board is the direction and administration organ of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, concerned with the accomplishment and execution of the norms contained in the present By-Laws, Internal Regulations, standing legal dispositions and agreements of the General Assembly.

The Governing Board will be made up of a President, a Vice-president, a Secretary, and five board members.

In the case of vacancies in the Governing Board an election will be held in the following meeting of the General Assembly. In case this vacancy is that of the President, it will proceed to the total renovation of the Board in an Extraordinary Assembly called to this effect.

The Governing Board will be elected by the General Assembly, by means of equal, free and secrete vote for a 5 year period.

The members of the Governing Board will be able to receive payment for holding their positions, with previous approval from the General Assembly.

The following are functions of the Governing Board:

1. To collectively direct the activities of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

2. To look after the accomplishment of the agreements of the General Assembly.

3. To present to the General Assembly the ordinary and extraordinary budgets, as well as the proposals of fees to be paid by the members.

4. To inspect the accounts, approve the expenses, to collect, distribute and administer the funds of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

5. To prepare the meetings of the General Assembly.

6. To inspect and review the administrative operation and services of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

7. To adopt agreements regarding the appeals and legal actions to be presented before the competent authorities.

8. To agree on whatever actions are considered necessary for the best operation of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, subjecting them, in their case, to the later ratification of the competent organ.

The Governing Board will meet in ordinary sessions, at least once every four months and in extraordinary sessions every time that the President calls it due to the importance of the matters that have arisen. It will meet at the request of at least three of its components.

The ordinary sessions of the Board will be called by the Secretary with the approval of the President. It won't be necessary to set an Agenda for the meetings.

The agreements will be taken by simple majority, In the case of a tie; the President’s vote will break it.

For its operation, deliberations, constitution, drafting and approval of records, the Board will follow the dispositions included in these By-Laws for the General Assembly.

THE PRESIDENT

Article 16º. - The President of WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS will hold the legal representation of the Association.

In the cases of absence, illness or vacancy, he will be substituted by the Vice-president, with equals functions and abilities.

The following are functions of the President:
1. To guide the debates and order of the meetings and to order to execute their agreements.
2. To preside over the meetings of the Governing Board deciding with his vote in the event of a tie.
3. To legally represent the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS in whatever acts and relationships of any order and jurisdiction is required. In this sense, he will be able to delegate on others.
4. To open or to close -savings, checking and investment accounts and to carry out any type of bank operations in Banks and Savings Banks, including the Bank of Spain, Financial Institutions, and other entities of credit. To apply for credits to financial entities.
5. To authorize and approve the calls for meetings of the General Assembly and Governing Board, their Agenda, and the certifications issued by the Secretary.
6. To follow and to make follow the statutory norms and the Internal Regulations.
7. To adopt steps for the accomplishment of the agreements of the Governing Bodies.
8. To put into practice as many initiatives and actions are considered convenient on behalf of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, even if they correspond to another organ of government, informing him/her of his actions.

The President will present a yearly report of his work before the General Assembly.

The following are functions of the Vice-President:

Article 17. - The Governing Board will have a Vice-President among its members, who will participate in the collective Organs of Government and assist to and substitute in its case, the President. In the event the Presidency becoming vacant, he will take over the role of the President and call, as soon as possible, for an extraordinary General Assembly for the total renovation of the Governing Board.

The following are functions of the General Secretary:

Article 18º. - The General Secretary has the following functions:

To summon, by order of the President, the meetings of the Governing Bodies, keep records of the meetings that take place and certify their agreements with the Approval of the President.

To advise of the possible cases of illegality or unfulfillment of the statutory norms in the actions and agreements that are to be adopted, by means of a note in the file or verbally, during the meeting.

To expressly inform the President, the General Assembly and the Governing Board, if there is enough attendance of members to constitute it.

To adopt steps for the execution of the agreements of the Governing Bodies.

To set up working groups for the study of concrete topics with the composition and duration set for each case.

To carry out and to order whatever actions are required and are not done directly by the President or Vice-president, before all kinds of Organizations, entities, authorities and physical or legal entities, for the best accomplishment of the agreements of the Governing Bodies of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

To receive, decide on, and inform on the applications for new memberships.

Whatever actions are required by his position, or are assigned to him.

In the cases of absence, vacancy, illness or any other impediment, the General Secretary will be substituted by a board member designated by the President.

To keep the books of Records, documents and files of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

He is authorized to delegate the execution of all or part of his functions on the designated technical personnel, as well as to appoint vice secretaries for concrete matters, conferring such a delegation in writing.

TITLE VI
ADMINISTRATIVE, ACCOUNTING AND DOCUMENTATION REGULATIONS

Article 19º. - The economic-administrative regulations of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS will be adjusted, regarding accounting norms, to whatever standard accounting regulations are applicable. They will faithfully reflect its resources and funds, that will be inventoried, and the results and financial situation of the association.

The members will be able to access the records of the Association, through the Governing Board, in the terms foreseen in the Organic Law 15/99 of December 13, of protection of personal data.

The resources of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, to be applied towards the accomplishment of its ends, will be constituted of:
Admission fees.
Ordinary and extraordinary member fees.
Other financing means to which it can gain access.

The WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, does not have a foundation fund, setting down the limit of its yearly budget in 600.000 Euros.

TITLE VII
MODIFICATION OF BY-LAWS AND DISOLUTION OF THE WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

Article 20º. - To modify the Laws, it will be necessary to have the agreement adopted in an extraordinary General Assembly attended by a simple majority of its members, present or represented, with the favorable vote of seventy five percent of those present.

DISOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

Article 21. - They following are causes for the dissolution of the Association:

1. The agreement adopted by the General Assembly.

2. Legal disposition, taken by a competent authority that can not be appealed. In the event of dissolution, fulfillment of all pending obligations and those that are not of immediate execution will be secured.

When the dissolution is to be decided by the Assembly, the proposal should be introduced to the Governing Board three months before the session of the General Assembly. In all instances, the assembly should be summoned fifteen days in advance and the call should contain the text of the proposal of dissolution.

To be able to discuss the dissolution of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, the General Assembly should have a minimum attendance of three quarters of its components. If this quorum is not obtained, there will be a second call, at least seven days after the first one, on the dissolution of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, by a majority of three quarters of the votes in the first meeting, with whatever attendance there has been.

In the event of voluntary dissolution of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS by decision of the Assembly, the members will only be forced to fulfill the obligations they had acquired as members of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

The General Assembly, when approving the dissolution of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, or when it has taken place for other causes, will agree by a majority of votes of at least two thirds of those in attendance, the destination to be given to the goods, rights, obligations and services of the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, after having fulfilled all pending obligations.

If the General Assembly has been unable to appoint liquidators, the members of the Governing Board will act as such.

TITLE IIX
OF THE PEDAGOGIC COMMITTEE

Article 22º. - The Governing Board will constitute a Pedagogical Committee whose purpose will be to advise it on those topics that they are consulted on or those proposed by the Committee. The appointment and dismissal of its members will be the duty of the General Secretary. It will meet as many times as it is necessary

FINAL DISPOSITIONS

All points for which there isn’t anything foreseen in an expressed way in the present By-Laws can be, at the proposal of the Governing Board, established by the General Assembly in the Internal Regulations. The Internal Regulations cannot contain any stipulation that is in contradiction with the present By-Laws. The modification of the Internal Regulations can be agreed by the Assembly General at the proposal of the Governing Board.

To verify that the present By-Laws have been approved in the General Assembly held on March 27, 2004 in the Imperial Hall of the Amadeus Hotel of Valladolid, Spain to adapt them to the regulations of the Organic Law 1/2002 of March 22.

I issue the present document in Madrid on March 29, 2004

The General Secretary
Marisol Justo de la Rosa

Approved,

The President
Juan Sánchez Mulieterno