1. Name and the registered office of the association
The name of the association is Äidit irti synnytysmasennuksesta Äimä ry and its registered office is in Helsinki, Finland.

2. Purpose and nature of operations
The purpose of the Association is to support mothers suffering from postpartum depression and mothers who have experienced postpartum psychosis, and their relatives, and to share information and promote research and health care in the field.

To achieve its purpose, the association

• encourages the establishment of peer groups.
• creates a network of contacts all over Finland.
• actively provides and creates information.
• arranges regular meetings and recreational activities.
• advises, guides, and educates.
• organises presentations and awareness-raising events.
• creates initiatives for different authorities.
• organises peer support activities.

To support its activities, the Association may engage in economic activities in accordance with section 5 of the Associations Act (yhdistyslain 5 §). The association may accept donations for its activities, as well as apply for grants and carry out fundraisers and lotteries after obtaining the appropriate permission.

3. Members
A person who accepts the purpose of the Association can be accepted as a member of the association.

A person living in the same household with the actual member or immediate family of the actual member may be accepted as a family member. The membership fee of a family member is lower than that of a full member.

A private person or a legal entity that wants to support the purpose and activities of the Association can be accepted as an endorsement member.

Full members and endorsement members are approved on application by the Board of the Association.

At the meeting of the Association, a person who has significantly promoted and supported the activities of the Association may be invited to be an honorary chairperson or honorary member at a meeting of the Association.

4. Resignation or resigning of a member
A member has a right to resign from the Association by notifying the Board or

the Chairperson in writing, or by talking about their wish to terminate their membership at the meeting of the association.

The Board may dismiss a member from the association if the member has failed to pay their membership fee or otherwise failed to fulfil the obligations to which they have committed by joining the association or has significantly harmed the association by their conduct inside or outside the association, done significant harm to the Association, or no longer fulfils the criteria for membership set out in law or in the rules of the association.

5. Registration and membership fee
The amount of the membership fee upon joining for basic members, family members, and endorsement members and the amount of the annual membership fee for each member group is decided separately at the annual meeting. The honorary chairperson and the honorary members do not pay membership fees.

6. The Board
The affairs of the association are managed by the board, which includes the chairperson and 3-6 other members elected at the annual meeting, as well as 0-3 deputies. A person who is not a member of the association may also be elected to the Board with the approval of the Annual General Meeting.

The Board’s term of office is the time between annual meetings. The term of office of the Chairperson is two years, starting from the annual meeting.

The Board elects a deputy chairperson amongst its members and employs a secretary, treasurer, and other necessary staff from among its members or externally.

The Board convenes at the invitation of the chairperson or, in their absence, the deputy chairperson, when they deem it necessary or when at least half of the members of the Board request it.

A quorum is reached when two of the Board members and, in addition, either the chairperson or the Deputy Chairperson is present. Votes shall be decided by an absolute majority.

In the event of a tie, the Chairperson shall have the deciding vote, but in the election the draw shall be by lot.

A meeting of the Board may also be convened by electronic means of communication and it can also be attended remotely by using electronic means.

7. Entitlement to sign for the Association
The chairperson of the board, the deputy chairperson, the secretary, the treasurer, or the executive director can sign for the association, but any agreement must be signed by any two of these parties.

8. Financial period and audit
The financial period of the association is the calendar year.

The financial statements with the necessary documents and the annual report of the Board must be submitted to the auditor no later than three weeks before the Annual General Meeting. The auditors must give their written statement to the Board no later than two weeks before the Annual General Meeting.

9. Official meetings of Äimä ry
The annual meeting of the association is held on a date determined by the board between January and May.

An additional meeting is held when the Association so decides or when the Board deems it necessary or when at least one tenth (1/10) of the voting members of the association so request in writing from the board for a specifically informed matter.

The meeting shall be held within thirty days of the request.

At the meetings of the Association, each full member, family member, honorary chairperson and honorary member has one vote. Endorsement members have the right to attend and speak at the meeting.

The decision of the meeting of the association shall be the opinion supported by more than half of the votes cast. In the event of a tie, the chairperson of the meeting shall have the deciding to vote, but the election shall be by lot.

10. Convening meetings of the Association
The Board shall convene the Association at least seven days before the meeting by registered mail or electronic mail or in a newspaper published in the Association’s domicile.

11. Annual meeting
The annual meeting of the Association deals with the following issues:

1. Opening the meeting
2. The chairman, secretary, two examiners and, if necessary, two tellers shall be elected.
3. Establishing the legality and quorum of the meeting
4. The agenda for the meeting is accepted.
5. Presenting the financial statements, the annual report, and the opinion of the auditors
6. Deciding on the approval of the financial statements, and the discharge of the Board and other accountable persons
7. Accepting the action plan, the statement of revenue and expenditure, and the costs of the joining and membership fees
8. Electing the Chairperson of the Board and other members
9. Electing one or two auditors and deputy auditors for them
10. Dealing with other matters mentioned in the invitation to the meeting.

If a member of the Association wants to get something discussed at the annual meeting of the Association, they shall inform the Board in writing in good time so the matter may be included in the invitation to the meeting.

The annual meeting can also be attended remotely using electronic means of communication.

12. Modification of the rules or dissolution of the association
The decision to change the rules or dissolve the association must be made in the Association meeting by having at least three-quarters (3/4) of the votes cast at the meeting. The invitation to the meeting must mention the modification of the rules or the dissolution of the association.

Upon the dissolution of the association, the funds of the association shall be used to further the purpose of the association in the manner determined by the meeting deciding on the dissolution. When the Association is dissolved, the funds will be used for the same purposes.