Steering Committee
The Steering Committee is responsible for providing strategic leadership to SDCC.
Composition of the Steering Committee
The Steering Committee will have 7 members with at least 2 members with lived experience of statelessness; and a minimum of one member from each of the five sub-regions (Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific).
Term of the Steering Committee
The term of the Steering Committee will be 2 years from the official date of formation of the Steering Committee.
Responsibilities of the Steering Committee
- Provide strategic leadership and oversight to SDCC
- Draft and adopt SDCC’s Constitution and other organizational policies with the support of the Advisory Committee and the Secretariat
- Approve the new members of SDCC
- Prepare and adopt the Strategic Plan of SDCC
- Review and approve the annual budget of SDCC prepared by the Secretariat
- Monitor and evaluate the work of the Secretariat, Advisory Committee, and Working Groups
- Appoint members of the Working Group
- Represent the Steering Committee in one of the working groups (each Working Group needs to have at least one member of the Steering Committee and must be Chaired by the Steering Committee member)
Secretariat
The Secretariat is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of SDCC. This includes coordinating and communicating with the different components of SDCC and implementing the policies, plans, and activities of SDCC.
Term of the Secretariat
The term of the Secretariat organization is two (2) years.
Eligibility
The Secretariat organization must be a registered national or regional organization based in the Asia Pacific region that has the legal authority to store and transfer funds all over the region, and has adequate resources to fulfil the following responsibilities:
Responsibilities of the Steering Committee
- Undertake and oversee the day-to-day administration of SDCC which includes implementation of the organization’s plans, policies, and activities and management of SDCC’s finances.
- Organize the meetings of the Steering Committee, Advisory Committee, and the Working Groups, and take notes of all the meetings, and disseminate with the members.
- Maintain the records of all the activities and undertakings of SDCC
- Prepare concept paper and proposals to apply for funds for SDCC
- Prepare the annual budget of SDCC to be approved by the Steering Committee
- Draft SDCC’s internal and external organizational policies to be approved by the Steering Committee
- Ensure the legal and tax compliance of SDCC
- Prepare and submit narrative and financial reports to the donors and partner organizations.
Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee’s main role is to provide necessary advice and suggestions to the Steering Committee when needed. This will comprise persons with relevant expertise on the issue of statelessness and nationality rights.
Composition of the Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee shall have five (5) members with diverse expertise on the issue of statelessness and nationality rights. The members of the Advisory Committee may not be based in the Asia Pacific region.
Term of the Advisory Committee
The term of the Advisory Committee shall be two (2) years from the official date of the formation of the Advisory Committee. After the completion of the term of the Advisory Committee, the Steering Committee may decide on either extending the term or ending the term of the Advisory Committee. The Steering Committee can also decide to replace some or all members of the Advisory Committee.
Eligibility
The Advisory Committee members must also be members of SDCC. They can either be institutional members or individual members.
Responsibilities
Represent the Advisory Committee in the Working Groups (Each Working Group will have at least one representative from the Advisory Committee who will act as the Deputy Chair of the Working Group)
Provide independent and expert advice on the strategy, policies, and membership-related issues to the Steering Committee.
Offer insights on emerging trends and challenges to the Steering Committee.
Provide mentorship and guidance to any Steering Committee member if requested.
Working Groups
SDCC will have four Working Groups – three thematic Working Groups and one Operational Working Group. The timeline and tenure of the Working Groups will be determined by the Steering Committee.
Composition
Each Working Group will have 3 – 5 members with at least one person with lived experience of statelessness or affected by statelessness. Each Working Group will have at least one representative from the Steering Committee and the Advisory Committee. The Steering Committee representative shall be the Chair of the Working Group while the Advisory Committee representative shall be the Deputy Chair of the Working Group. Each Working Group shall have at least two sub-regions represented in them. Each member cannot be part of more than one Working Group.
Term
Each Working Group and the Working Group member will have terms of 2 years.
Responsibilities
a. Research Working group
- Identify issues, topics, and subjects to conduct studies and research related to statelessness and nationality rights.
- Prepare and review research proposals and submit them to relevant academic institutions/funders.
- Build relationships with research institutions working on statelessness and nationality rights.
- Collaborate with the Advocacy Working Group and the Secretariat in preparing human rights submissions on nationality rights and statelessness to treaty bodies, Human Rights Council, and Special Rapporteurs.
- Support the Secretariat to prepare the annual budget of the Research Working Group.
b. Capacity Building Working Group
- Assess and evaluate the capacity needs of the members of SDCCAssess and evaluate the capacity needs of the members of SDCC
- Identify appropriate capacity-building activities to support the SDCC members
- Collaborate with the Secretariat to organize in-person or virtual training, workshops, and seminars for the members of SDCC
- Prepare and review project proposals that aim to strengthen the capacity of SDCC members
- Collaborate with the Secretariat to develop toolkits and training materials
- Support the Secretariat to prepare the budget of the Capacity Building Working Group
c. Advocacy Working Group
- Discuss, draft, and develop the advocacy strategy of SDCC
- Coordinate with national, regional, and global human rights organizations to increase the visibility of the advocacy initiatives of the Asia Pacific region
- Collaborate with the Research Working Group and the Secretariat in preparing human rights submissions on nationality rights and statelessness to treaty bodies, Human Rights Council, and Special Rapporteurs
- Participate in events related to advocacy on statelessness and nationality rights
- Prepare sub-regional advocacy strategies for SDCC
- Prepare joint statements to support the advocacy of SDCC members
d. Communication Working Group
- Design and update SDCC’s website, monthly newsletter, and social media pages
- Prepare informational and communication materials for SDCC (including flyers of events, brochures of SDCC, business cards for Steering Committee members, etc.)
- Prepare media releases and statements in coordination with the Steering Committee and the Secretariat.
- Build relationships with media organizations.
Impacted Persons Advisory Group
In October 2024, the SDCC-AP Steering Committee acknowledged the need to enhance its efforts to meaningfully include impacted individuals in its work. To align with SDCC-AP’s mission of empowering individuals affected by statelessness and ensuring their meaningful, dignified, and direct participation in decision-making processes, the Steering Committee determined that previously used methods of hosting ad-hoc activities involving impacted persons were insufficient. After a thorough discussion, the Steering Committee reached a consensus that true accountability to the community requires a more intentional and structured approach. This led to the decision to establish a separate Impacted Persons Advisory Group (IPAG) within SDCC-AP. The purpose of this group is to ensure that impacted persons are not only consulted but are directly involved in advising and shaping all activities and policies undertaken by SDCC-AP. This structure enables their perspectives to inform every decision, fostering a leadership model that genuinely reflects the voices and experiences of those most affected by statelessness. As a regional coalition working on statelessness, SDCC-AP recognizes that meaningful and transformative change can only be achieved when those directly impacted by the issue have a platform to lead the conversation and drive solutions. The establishment of the IPAG underscores SDCC-AP’s commitment to inclusivity, accountability, and the pursuit of equitable outcomes for all.
Term
1 June 2025 to 31 December 2025
Composition
The IPAG consists of four members, each representing a different sub-regions.
Required hours
Each member dedicates 5 hours per month in this role.
Responsibilities
- To provide expert input and strategic advice to the Steering Committee and the Secretariat and;
- Support the implementation of activities in consultation with the Steering Committee, Secretariat, and the Advisory Committee.
Detailed activities
- Provide advice on the implementation of activities, the strategic planning process, fundraising actions, and other operational activities identified by the Steering Committee
- Familiarize with all the institutional policies and actively participate in meetings called upon by the Steering Committee or the Secretariat, including the monitoring and evaluation assessment
- Advise on joint statements, UPR submissions, funding proposals, and any other documents as required by the Steering Committee or the Secretariat
- Identify potential risks, both internal and external, that may accrue through the implementation of activities and other policies and advise on the relevant mitigation measures.
- Ensure that due process is being followed and that the values and principles of the coalition are in alignment with the policies and activities undertaken by the members.
- Participate in the sub-groups and working groups and ensure that the methodologies and activities that are being implemented are in line with SDCC-AP’s mission and benefit the impacted community at large.
- Accountability:
- Members must adhere to the principles and values of SDCC-AP, ensuring integrity, transparency, and a commitment to the impacted community.
- Payments will be contingent upon the submission of monthly invoices documenting hours worked and tasks completed.
