Adopted by the General Assembly on 09 November 1987 in Bangkok, Thailand and amended on 09 November 1993 in Luxor, Egypt and 1 February 1999 in Jaipur, India.

Article 1.

The name of this Association shall be "International Society of Tropical Pediatrics" (ISTP). This Society shall be affiliated with the International Pediatric Association (IPA).

Article 2

The objectives of the Society are the same as those of the IPA, with particular reference to pediatricians committed to the promotion of child health throughout the world and with special focus for those in tropical and subtropical countries.

Article 3

Membership shall be composed of pediatricians from tropical countries, those from other countries with special interest in child health in the tropics and those who have contributed to pediatrics in the tropics through visits, lectures and other means.

Applications for membership shall be sent to the Executive Director.

Membership shall be for a term of five years renewable every five years.

In countries where pediatricians interested in tropical child health have banded together to form societies, such groups will be acknowledged as chapters.

Article 4

The Secretariat of the International Society of Tropical Pediatrics shall initially be located in the City of Manila, Philippines.*

The assembly in Ankara moved the secretariat to Giessen,Germany effective from January 2003.

Article 5

A. The General Assembly

The General Assembly is constituted by bonafide members of the Society in good standing (updated dues), as attested by the Treasurer.

The functions of the General Assembly are:

• to receive and consider the reports of the President, Executive Director and the financial statement prepared by the Treasurer;
  
• to determine the location of the next ISTP Congress;
  
• to elect fifteen members of the Standing Committee from nominations;
  
• to revise the Constitution and By-Laws of the ISTP, in accordance with Article 7.
  
  

A simple majority vote of those present can be considered valid for business purposes.

B. Standing Committee

Members of the Standing Committee shall be elected by the General Assembly. Preferably, the Standing Committee shall represent as many countries from members committed to the International Society of Tropical Pediatrics. The term of office shall be from the end of one congress to the end of the next.

The power to form the policies of the International Society of Tropical Pediatrics shall be vested in the Standing Committee. Each member may speak during the discussions and shall have the right to vote. The President of the International Society of Tropical Pediatrics shall preside.

Members of the Advisory Board shall also attend the Standing Committee meetings and may participate in the discussions but may not vote.

The Standing Committee shall meet at the site and time of each ISTP Congresses and possibly during International Congresses of Pediatrics.

The functions of the Standing Committee are:

• to elect the President, the President-elect (Vice President), the Executive Director, the Treasurer, the President of the next Congress and Advisers who shall constitute the Advisory Board;
  
• to rule on applications for membership and affiliation and termination of membership;
  
• to plan the basic program for the next period of the ISTP; and
  
• to deal with any matter which may properly be brought before the Standing Committee by a member.
  
  

The presence of a simple majority of the members of the Standing Committee shal comprise a quorum.

C. Executive Committee

The shall be an Executive Committee, consisting of the following officers of the Society: a President, the Presidentelect (Vice-President), the Immediate Past President, an Executiver Director (who shall be the Executiver Officer of the Society, and to whom the Executive Committee may delegate its functions to the extent necessary for the smooth running of the Society; a Treasurer (who shall be responsible for the finances of the Society, shall work in close cooperation with the Executive Director, and shall submit a triennial financial statement to the Standing Committee) and to other members who may include the president of the forthcoming Congress. Members of the Executive Committee are also members of the Standing Committee. The term of office shall be from the end of one congress to the end of the next.

The functions of the Executive Committee shall be:

• to carry the policies of the ISTP;
  
• to assist the President of the forthcoming international congress with its preparation;
  
• to control the monetary funds of the ITP; and
  
• to exercise such authority as may be delegated by Standing Committee.
  
  
  
  

D. Advisory Board

There shall be an Advisory Board consisting of Advisers.

The term of office shall be from the end of one congress to the end of the next.

The membership will include individuals who have contributed immensely to the cause of tropical pediatrics. They shall be nominated by the Standing Committee.

The functions of the Advisory Board shall be:

• to advise the Standing Committee and Executive Committee rgarding matters relevant to the well being of the society;
  
• to advise the Executive Committee on the policies of the Society and the general planning for future congresses.
  
  
  

E. Working Committees

Committees shall be created to take care of the following activities:

• Journal
  
• Awards
  
• Membership
  
• Ways and Means (Finance and Resource Generation)
  
• Additional committees may be created as needed.
  
  
  

Article 6

The Congresses of the ISTP shall be held every three years, and shall consist of the following activities:

• activities in the field of science
  
• a General Assembly Meeting
  
• a Standing Committee Meeting
  
• an Executive Committee Meeting, as necessary
  
  

The Congress shall be managed by a local Organizing Committee which shall assume full responsibility for its organization and financing and for such arrangements as are necessary with the government of the host country. The President of the Congress shall had the Organizing Committee and determine the date of the Congress after consultation with the Executive Committee. The president of each Congress shall have the authority to appoint such committees as are necessary for the conduct of the Congress and shall be responsible for the program and publications of the Congress.

Hosting of congresses shall not necessarily be confined to national pediatric societies but may be entrusted to legitimate groups of Pediatricians interested in Child Health.

To support the secretariat for the next three years, ten thousand dollars at the least shall be remitted by the President of the congress Organizing Committee from proceeds of the Congress to Treasurer as soon as feasible but not more than three months from the holding of the Congress.

Article 7.

A simple majority vote of a Meeting of the General Assembly is required.

Article 8.

• The decision of dissolution shall be taken only on majority vote of the Members present at a General Assembly.
  
  
• In case of dissolution the General Assembly shall decide on the disposition of the assets of the Society, and shall elect the persons to be charged with carrying out of the liquidation.
  
  

Dues for Members shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by the General Assembly. They shall consist of a fixed sum for each Member.

Dues shall be payable in advance, at the latest on the 1st of January of each year.

Non-payment of dues for one year after the lapse of the last payment will automatically suspend membership.

Societies committed to tropical pediatrics shall be encouraged to participate in the activities of the International Society of Tropical Pediatrics and to contribute generously to its continuing viability.

Finance

The Executive Committee shall control the monetary funds of the Society determined for its needs and for its program of activities. These funds will consist of annual dues of its members, subsidies, gifts, legacies, and any support given to the Society, whether by its own members or by persons or institutions outside of the Society.

Congress hosts must pledge to contribute in large measure to the maintenance of the secretariat for the next three years until the following Congress.

Termination of Membership

Non-payment of dues by a Member for one year after the period covered by the last payment of dues shall automatically suspend membership until this is updated.

Congress Attendance

Attendance at the Congress shall be open any interested individual on payment of the registration fee.

Meetings

The General Assembly shall meet during the International Congress of Tropical Petiatrics.

Special meetings of the Governing Bodies of the International Society of Tropical Pediatrics may be called at the discretion of the President of ISTP.

The President of the ISTP shall preside at meeting. A report will be presented by the President and by the Executive Director, and a financial statement by the Treasurer.

The Standing Committee shall meet immediately thereafter to accomplish its business.

International Society of Tropical Pediatrics: Invitations for the next congress with a governmental endorsement, must be in the hands of the Executive Director at least three months before the coming Congress. These will be considered carefully by the Standing Committee.

Languages

The official language of the Society shall be English.