ZERO DISCRIMINATION ASSOCIATION CHARTER

ARTICLE 1- ORGANISATION:

An association called “Zero Discrimination Association” was established. Its short name is “Sıfıray-Der”.
The headquarters of the association is in Istanbul.
The Association may open branches and representative offices in provinces and districts.

ARTICLE 2- PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES OF THE ASSOCIATION:

A) PURPOSE OF THE ASSOCIATION

The aim of the association is to carry out social, economic, social and cultural development of economically, socially and culturally risky and disadvantaged communities and to integrate the society against prejudice and discrimination against these communities within the framework of dialogue and solidarity and to carry out social, economic, cultural, sports activities, humanitarian aid and social solidarity activities. In addition, while working to create, develop and protect the conditions for a multicultural life on the basis of the principle of everyone is different, everyone is equal, it establishes, develops, protects and advances the material and moral solidarity relations of these communities within themselves and with the whole society.

B) PRINCIPLES OF THE ASSOCIATION

Zero Discrimination Association,

It is a non-governmental, voluntary non-governmental organisation independent of states and associations of states and political parties.
It defends the universality of human rights by putting the human being first.
It recognises that the solidarity of disadvantaged communities at risk is of decisive importance for the understanding of social life based on solidarity.
It fights against all forms of discrimination based on race, language, religion, colour, sex, political opinion and similar reasons.
It promotes awareness of prejudices against different cultures in all circumstances.
It opposes discrimination everywhere and under all circumstances,
It defends the right to a fair trial and defence for everyone, everywhere and under all circumstances.

ARTICLE 3- WORKS TO BE PERFORMED BY THE ASSOCIATION

To carry out activities in social, economic, cultural, legal, educational, scientific and sportive fields, to carry out studies that will contribute to the social, cultural, sportive, professional and scientific lives of its members, to ensure solidarity among its members and to cooperate and solidarity with other national and international associations and foundations operating in similar fields.
To carry out joint activities with other persons and organisations carrying out activities related to the aims and subjects of the Association and to carry out activities to eliminate prejudices against economically and culturally disadvantaged communities in the public opinion, to protect and increase their recognition, prestige and dignity.
To hold open sessions, conferences, seminars, seminars, panels, symposiums, all kinds of meetings and performances, to organise concerts, to open exhibitions, to organise competitions, to establish and give awards in accordance with the purpose of the Association.
To carry out activities to strengthen the feelings of friendship and cooperation among people regardless of race, colour, language, religion and political views.
To establish Foundations in accordance with the purpose of the Association.
To establish economic enterprises in order to realise the purpose stated in Article 2 of the Charter of the Association.
To establish a fund in order to meet its members’ needs for essential necessities such as food, clothing and other goods and services and short-term credit needs, provided that it does not distribute the profits to its members and does not transfer the income to its members under interest or other names.
To ensure that members participate in cultural and social activities and work for the public benefit in accordance with the purpose of the establishment of the association.
To cooperate with national and international organisations with the same purpose, to open branches abroad by completing the decision of the general assembly and other legal conditions when necessary.
To provide the necessary training, expert support and equipment to ensure the self-sufficiency of each individual in social participation and to organise participation in these activities at local, regional, national and international level by creating projects for support.
To open and operate lodges and guesthouses.
To develop development programmes for economically and culturally disadvantaged communities and to provide training and all kinds of technical facilities and support for these communities.
To carry out research, examination and studies through working groups, committees or specialised persons to be formed within the Association; to determine and announce suggestions and needs.
To encourage the elimination of inadequacies in all kinds of public issues such as health, education, environment, etc., to reveal and unite public opportunities that will ensure social assistance and solidarity by creating participatory models.
To carry out general development programmes, to develop opportunities to ensure the accessibility of small producers, to establish preventive health programmes, to carry out educational and informative activities, to organise panels and interviews on these issues.
To spread the spirit of solidarity and solidarity among its members and all layers of society; to provide all kinds of aid in kind and in cash to those in need in the areas of urgent need such as education, food, clothing, health, rent, fuel, etc.
To provide material and moral aid to the regions and people in need in all kinds of natural and social disasters such as earthquakes, floods, fires, landslides and wars occurring at home and abroad, to prepare teams to be assigned in case of disasters for this purpose and to carry out storage activities to keep the necessary supplies ready, to make publications about announcing disasters and collecting aid, to collect aid, to raise awareness of our people on the issues of solidarity, to cooperate with other humanitarian aid organisations, to work in all areas permitted by law on aid collection.
Supporting orphans, elderly, widows, widowers, orphans, street children, separated from their homes, refugees and those in poverty with in-kind and cash assistance.
To carry out informative, awareness-raising and sensitivity-raising activities in order to ensure that the problems faced by refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, people seeking temporary asylum and people who may enter the subsidiary protection procedure are understood by national and international organisations and society.
Carrying out activities to ensure that refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, people seeking temporary asylum and people who may enter the subsidiary protection procedure benefit from basic human rights and meet their basic humanitarian needs; organising educational activities such as seminars, conferences and panels for this purpose.
To carry out activities to meet the basic humanitarian needs of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, persons seeking temporary asylum and persons who may enter the subsidiary protection procedure, in areas such as nutrition, shelter, health, education and work. Organising aid and support activities, establishing and operating facilities such as soup kitchens, social markets, social service units, education and health support units, rehabilitation centres. To carry out activities to meet social, economic and cultural needs and to cooperate with organisations operating in this field.
To give scholarships to students.
To provide educational assistance to people who cannot meet their educational needs at all or sufficiently due to personal, social or geographical impossibilities.
Within the scope of Food Banking; to supply all kinds of donated products and all kinds of food, cleaning, clothing, personal care, accommodation and heating products such as food, cleaning, clothing, personal care, accommodation and heating products that are suitable for health and not expired due to production surplus, packaging or coding errors, to store them under suitable conditions and to deliver these products directly or through various aid organisations to those in need and those affected by natural disasters.
To carry out studies to increase employment in order to reduce the need for basic needs supply of individuals benefiting from Food Banking, to cooperate with public, non-governmental and private sector organisations for this purpose, to provide basic needs requirements in disaster situations, to carry out studies in disaster areas.

Field of Activity of the Association

The Association carries out activities in the fields of social, health, education, aid and shelter in Turkey and abroad.

MEMBERSHIP, ENTRY, EXIT, EXPULSION AND CANCELLATION OF MEMBERSHIP:

ARTICLE 4- ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP:

Anyone who meets the conditions stipulated in the Law on Associations, who has adopted the aims and principles of the association and who has accepted to work in this direction can become a member of the association.

ARTICLE 5- JOINING THE ASSOCIATION:

Those who wish to become a member shall apply to the branch in places where there is a branch, or to the nearest branch in places where there is no branch, and fill in the membership application form. Branch boards of directors shall decide on the applications within thirty days and notify the applicant in writing. The membership application may be rejected by showing the reasons. Rejection decisions can be appealed to the General Board of Directors within 15 days from the date of notification. The General Board of Directors shall examine the objection at its first meeting and make a decision. There is the right to appeal against the decision of the General Board of Directors in writing to the first general assembly and the decision of this board is final.

ARTICLE 6- RIGHTS and OBLIGATIONS OF THE MEMBER:

Participation in activities, principle of equality:

Members of the Association have equal rights. The Association may not discriminate between its members on the basis of language, race, colour, sex, religion, sect, family, caste or class, and may not engage in practices that violate equality or privilege some members on these grounds. Each member has the right to participate in the activities and management of the association and to supervise it financially and administratively. A member who leaves or is expelled from the association cannot claim any rights in the assets of the association.

Right to vote

Each member has one vote in the general assembly of the branch in which he/she is registered; the member must cast his/her vote in person. Members shall also vote in the general assembly.

Member's Obligations:

Each member is obliged to act in accordance with the purpose of the association and the principles set out in the statute, especially to avoid behaviour contrary to the principles of the association.
The membership fee is 50 TL per year. A member who leaves or is expelled from the association is obliged to pay the membership fee for the period of membership.

ARTICLE 7- LEAVING THE ASSOCIATION:

Any member may leave the association provided that he/she notifies the branch to which he/she is affiliated in writing of his/her wish to leave.

ARTICLE 8 EXPULSION FROM MEMBERSHIP:

In the event that any member of the Association engages in behaviour contrary to the aims and principles of the Association, the Board of Directors of the relevant branch shall, upon complaint or spontaneously, conduct an investigation against the member concerned and report the result to the General Board of Directors within 1 month together with its own opinion. The General Board of Directors submits the investigation files to the Supervisory Board within 1 month. The General Board of Directors may also spontaneously apply to the Supervisory Board to penalise any member.
The Board of Auditors shall give the member a period of not less than 15 days to submit his/her written defence. If the member concerned declares that he/she wishes to make an oral defence within the defence period, the date and time for the oral defence shall be determined and notified to the member in writing. In the event that the member fails to submit a written defence in due time or fails to be present for the defence on the day set for the oral defence, he/she shall be deemed to have given up his/her defence and the Supervisory Board shall decide on the file.
The Board of Auditors shall impose temporary or definite expulsion from membership for acts contrary to Article 9 of the Bylaws.
The relevant member may appeal against the penalty decisions of the Board of Auditors before the General Assembly of the Association. The appeal shall be decided at the first General Assembly and the decision of the General Assembly shall be final.

ARTICLE 9- REASONS FOR EXCLUSION FROM MEMBERSHIP:

A member shall be dismissed from membership if he/she utters words and acts contrary to the purpose and principles of the Association.

ARTICLE 10- VOLUNTARY TERMINATION OF ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP:

In the following cases, the membership of the Association shall automatically terminate:

Death of a member
The emergence of legal obstacles to membership or the loss of legal conditions for membership
Failure to pay the membership fee within 30 days despite written notice.

The status of those whose membership expires automatically shall be notified to the General Headquarters by the Branch Boards of Directors within 1 month at the latest.

ARTICLE 11- ORGANS OF THE ASSOCIATION:

The organs of the Association are as follows.

General Assembly
General Management Board
Supervisory Board

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

ARTICLE 12- ORGANISATION:

The General Assembly is the most authorised body of the association. The General Assembly consists of all centre and branch members.

ARTICLE 13- DUTIES AND AUTHORISATIONS:

General Assembly:

To elect the organs of the Association (General Board of Directors, Board of Auditors),
Changing the statutes of the association.
To examine the reports of the organs elected by the General Assembly of the Association, to acquit, amend, accept or authorise a lawsuit against these boards.
To discuss the budget to be prepared by the General Board of Directors and to adopt it as is or with amendments,
To determine the new working topics of the next period,
To authorise the General Board of Directors to purchase, sell, mortgage or unmortgage, donate or transfer immovable and movable properties necessary for the Association.
To decide that the Association may engage in international activities, join or leave associations or organisations abroad as a member, and that foreign associations may join the Association.
To decide on the establishment of national and international federations, joining or leaving established federations, opening branches and representative offices abroad, establishing associations or supreme organisations abroad or joining associations or organisations established abroad,
To examine and decide on the appeals of the members who are expelled from the Association,
To decide on the dissolution of the Association,
To fulfil the duties specified by the General Assembly in the Law on Associations and other relevant legislation.

I) To decide to open branches and representative offices in provinces and districts and to close the branches and representative offices already opened.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETINGS

ARTICLE 14- ORDINARY MEETING:

Ordinary meetings of the General Assembly of the Association are held every 2 years in October. The date of the ordinary meeting of the General Assembly is determined by the General Board of Directors. The organs of the Association are elected for 2 years.

ARTICLE 15- EXTRAORDINARY MEETING:

The General Assembly shall be called for an extraordinary meeting by the General Board of Directors in cases deemed necessary by the Board of Directors or the Supervisory Board or upon the written application of one fifth of the members of the Association.
If the General Board of Directors fails to convene the General Assembly within one month despite the written request of the Supervisory Board and one fifth of the members of the association: Upon the application of one of the members, the judge of the peace shall appoint three members to convene the General Assembly

ARTICLE 16- CALL FOR MEETING:

The General Board of Directors, the members who will attend the General Assembly shall be called to a meeting at least fifteen days in advance by notifying the date, time, place and agenda. If the meeting is not held due to the lack of majority in this call, the time to be left between the second meeting day and the second meeting day cannot be less than one week. The General Assembly meeting cannot be postponed more than once.

ARTICLE 17- MEETING PLACE:

General Assembly meetings may not be held in a place other than the place where the headquarters of the Association is located and the General Management place.

ARTICLE 18- MEETING QUORUM:

The General Assembly convenes with the participation of one more than half of the members who have the right to participate in the General Assembly according to the bylaws of the Association. If the quorum is not met in the first meeting, the majority is not required in the second meeting. However, the number of members attending this second meeting cannot be less than twice the total number of members of the Board of Directors and the Board of Auditors of the Association.

ARTICLE 19- CONDUCT OF THE MEETING:

The General Assembly meetings of the Association shall be held on the day, time and place notified.
The members who will attend the General Assembly shall enter the meeting place by putting their signatures against their names in the list organised by the General Board of Directors
If the quorum specified in Article 18 is met, the situation is determined by a minute and the meeting is opened by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or one of the members of the Board of Directors to be appointed by him. After the opening, a chairman, a sufficient number of deputy chairmen and clerks shall be elected to manage the meeting.
The management of the meeting belongs to the Chairman of the General Assembly. The clerks shall prepare the minutes of the meeting and sign them together with the chairman. At the end of the meeting, all minutes and documents shall be submitted to the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE 20- MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING:

The items on the written agenda are discussed at the General Assembly meeting. However, the items requested to be discussed by one tenth of the members present at the meeting must be included in the agenda.

ARTICLE 21- VOTING AND DECISION MAKING PROCEDURE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

All members of the headquarters and branches may attend and vote in the General Assembly. Decisions other than charter amendment and dissolution are taken with the absolute majority of the members attending the meeting. Decisions on amendment of the statutes and dissolution of the association can only be taken by a two-thirds majority of the members attending the meeting.

No member of the Association may vote in decisions that need to be taken on a legal transaction or dispute between the Association and himself/herself, his/her spouse, superior and inferior.

The election of the organs of the Association shall be held by secret ballot and open classification.

GENERAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ARTICLE 22- ORGANISATION:

The General Board of Directors consists of 7 original members elected by the General Assembly for a period of two years. As many substitute members as the number of full members are elected.

ARTICLE 23- DUTIES AND AUTHORISATIONS:

General Management Board:

To carry out the activities required by the purpose of the Association, to take decisions and to implement them,
To implement the budget of the Association, to design the new budget and to manage the records,
To call the General Assembly of the Association for ordinary and extraordinary meetings,
To prepare the agenda of the General Assembly meetings,
In case the General Assembly of the Association decides to open a branch, to authorise the founders of the branch and to open a representative office,
To execute the decisions taken at the General Assembly regarding the work of the Association,
To establish and abolish commissions, boards, committees, secretariats in the subjects and fields it deems necessary, to assign and authorise one or more of the members of the association to carry out the affairs of the association,
To prepare and put into effect internal regulations regarding the internal functioning of the Association and especially the functioning of the commissions, boards and committees to be established,
To carry out all other activities arising from the law, bylaws, internal regulations to be prepared and General Assembly resolutions.

ARTICLE 24-GENERAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS:

At its first meeting, the General Board of Directors elects a General Chairman, a General Secretary and a General Treasurer from among its members.

ARTICLE 25- PRESIDENT GENERAL:

President General The General Secretary performs the duties and exercises the powers of the General President in the absence of the General President.

ARTICLE 26- GENERAL SECRETARY:

The Secretary General carries out the administrative and editorial affairs of the Association. In the absence of the General President, he/she performs the duties and exercises the powers of the General President.

ARTICLE 27- GENERAL TREASURER:

The General Treasurer shall manage the financial affairs of the association and keep its accounts.

SUPERVISORY BOARD

ARTICLE 28-ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES:

The Supervisory Board consists of three full and three substitute members. The members of the Board of Auditors are elected by the General Assembly. Of the members who are proposed or nominated for the membership of the Board of Auditors, the first three shall be full and three substitute members according to the number of votes they receive. It examines the accounts of the Association and the related books and warns the Board of Directors for the deficiencies observed. It submits its reports showing the results of the audit to the General Assembly.

ARTICLE 29- DISCIPLINARY PENALTIES:

The supervisory board may impose the following disciplinary penalties:

Warning,
Condemnation,
Expulsion from membership,

ARTICLE 30- Internal Audit of the Association

The association may be audited internally by the general assembly, the board of directors or the supervisory board, or by independent audit institutions. The fact that an audit has been carried out by the general assembly, the board of directors or independent audit institutions does not remove the obligation of the supervisory board.
The board of auditors shall audit the association at least once a year. The general assembly or the board of directors may conduct audits or have independent audit institutions conduct audits when deemed necessary.

Article 31- Borrowing Procedures of the Association

In order to realise its purpose and carry out its activities, the Association may borrow money with the decision of the Board of Directors if necessary. This borrowing can be made in the purchase of goods and services on credit or in cash. However, this borrowing cannot be made in amounts that cannot be covered by the income sources of the association and cannot be of a nature that will put the association into insolvency.

ARTICLE 32- BRANCHES and REPRESENTATIVES

ESTABLISHMENT OF BRANCHES AND REPRESENTATIVE OFFICES:
The Association may open branches and representative offices wherever deemed necessary upon the decision of the General Board of Directors. Upon the decision, the board of founders consisting of at least three persons authorised by the General Board of Directors of the Association shall submit the branch establishment notification to the highest local authority of the place where the branch is to be opened. 2 copies of the statute of the association and the necessary documents. The address of the representative office shall be notified in writing to the local administrative authority by the person or persons appointed as representative by the decision of the board of directors.

ARTICLE 33- ORGANS OF BRANCHES:

Branch organs consist of Branch General Assembly, Branch Board of Directors, Branch Audit Board.

ARTICLE 34- DUTIES AND AUTHORISATIONS:

Branches are internal organisations of the association which do not have a legal personality, which are authorised to carry out autonomous activities in line with the aims and services of the association, and for which the association is responsible for its receivables and debts arising from all its transactions.

ARTICLE 35- Bodies of Branches and Provisions Applicable to Branches

The organs of the branch are the general assembly, the board of directors and the supervisory board. The general assembly consists of the registered members of the branch. Five original and five substitute members of the board of directors and three original and three substitute members of the supervisory board are elected to the general assembly of the branch.

The duties and powers of these organs and other provisions related to the association in this statute are also applied in the branch within the framework stipulated by the legislation.

ARTICLE 36- Meeting Time of General Assemblies of Branches and How to be Represented at the General Assembly of the Headquarters

Branches are obliged to finish their ordinary general assembly meetings at least two months before the general assembly meeting of the headquarters. The ordinary general assembly of the branches shall convene every two years in July, on the day, place and time to be determined by the branch board of directors.
Branches are obliged to notify a copy of the results of the general assembly to the local administrative authority and the headquarters within thirty days following the date of the meeting.
Branches are represented in the general assembly of the headquarters by elective and natural delegates. The chairmen of the board of directors and supervisory board of the branches as natural delegates, one (1) delegate for every twenty (20) members registered in the branch, and if the number of remaining members is more than 10 or the total number of members is less than 20, the delegates to be elected among these members as elective delegates have the right to participate in the general assembly of the headquarters representing the branch.
Delegates elected at the last branch general assembly shall attend the general assembly of the headquarters. Members of the board of directors and supervisory board of the headquarters participate in the general assembly of the headquarters, but cannot vote unless they are elected as delegates on behalf of the branch.
Members of the executive or supervisory board of the branches shall resign from their positions in the branch when they are elected to the executive or supervisory board of the headquarters.

ARTICLE 37- REPRESENTATION AT THE CENTRAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

Branches are represented at the General Assembly of the Centre with all their members.

ARTICLE 38- VOTING:

Unless otherwise provided in these bylaws, all organs of the association shall convene by absolute majority and decisions shall be taken by absolute majority of the participants.

ARTICLE 39- BOOKS AND RECORDS:

The Board of Directors shall keep the following books:

Decision Book: The decisions of the board of directors are written in this book in order of date and number and the decisions are signed by the members attending the meeting.
Member Registration Book: The identity information of those who enter the association as a member, their entry and exit dates are recorded in this book. The amount of entrance and annual dues paid by the members can be recorded in this book.
Document Record Book: Incoming and outgoing documents are recorded in this book with date and sequence number. Originals of incoming documents and copies of outgoing documents are filed. Documents received or sent via electronic mail are kept by printing them out.
Inventory Book: The date and manner of acquisition of the fixtures belonging to the Association, the places where they are used or given and the deregistration of those who have expired are recorded in this book.
Business Account Ledger: Revenues received and expenses incurred on behalf of the Association are clearly and regularly recorded in this book.
Receipt Certificate Record Book (Annex 10): The serial and sequence numbers of the receipt documents, the names, surnames and signatures of those who return these documents, and the dates of receipt and return are recorded in this book.

FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

ARTICLE 40- REVENUES AND GOODS:

The income of the Association consists of contributions, donations and other income. The Association may acquire movable and immovable property in order to realise its purpose and carry out its activities.

ARTICLE 41- TRANSACTIONS IMPOSING OBLIGATIONS:

The signatures of the President of the Association or the Secretary General and the Treasurer must be present in all transactions that impose a debt on the Association and in all expenditures exceeding 100.- TL. Expenditures not exceeding 100.- TL can be made with the signature of the President of the Association, the Secretary General and the Treasurer alone.

ARTICLE 42- RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE DOCUMENTS:

The income and expenses of the Association shall be documented with receipts and other legal documents. Payments are collected by the branches. 20% of the collected dues are sent to the Head Office by the 20th of the month at the latest.

ARTICLE 43- AMENDING THE BYLAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION:

The by-laws of the Association may be amended upon the written proposal of the Board of Directors or one fifth of the members, with a 2/3 acceptance vote of the members attending the General Assembly.

ARTICLE 44- DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION:

The General Assembly of the Association shall decide on the dissolution of the Association. In the first meeting, at least two thirds of the members who have the right to participate in the General Assembly according to the statute must attend the meeting. If the majority cannot be obtained in this way, a call is made for a second meeting. The members to convene upon this call may discuss the issue of dissolution regardless of their number. Decisions on dissolution shall be taken by a two-thirds majority of the members present.

ARTICLE 45- LIQUIDATION OF PROPERTY UPON TERMINATION:

The General Assembly deciding on the dissolution of the Association shall elect a board of three persons for the liquidation of the Association’s assets. This board determines the assets, receivables and debts of the association, receives the receivables and pays the debts. Deciding on dissolution
The General Assembly shall also decide to which organisation the property shall be transferred.

ARTICLE 46- UNSPECIFIED MATTERS:

In matters not specified in these bylaws, the Law on Associations and other relevant legislation shall apply.

ARTICLE 47- The Association may borrow in all kinds of ways with the decision of the Board of Directors.

Lack of Provision

Article 48 – The provisions of the Law on Associations, the Turkish Civil Code and the Regulation on Associations issued by reference to these laws and the provisions of other relevant legislation on associations shall apply to matters not specified in this statute.