Médecins du Monde is an international humanitarian association which relies on the voluntary commitment of its members (healthcare professionals) to bring relief to the most vulnerable populations, in France and throughout the world.
The association has chosen to remain medium-sized in order to be truly flexible. It is made up of an association and a permanent body.
Each year the annual general meeting of about 1,500 members replaces one third of the 15 members of the Board of Directors. The role of the Board of Directors is to define the policy of the association and ensure coherence between the strategic choices and the missions.
It appoints the Director General who is responsible for the permanent body, and elects the committee from among its members (president, vice-presidents, secretary-general, assistant secretary-general, treasurer and assistant treasurer).
The Executive Committee (members of the committee and directors) makes decisions concerning the choice, launch and monitoring of missions. It manages Médecins du Monde’s international relations, communications, and the association’s activities.
The Management Committee analyses and advises the association on all matters relating to management of its finances. It is responsible for administrative and organisational monitoring, management of financial resources, and also the development and management of human resources.
These missions are entrusted to continental or thematic groups.
These groups are made up of volunteers, mission leaders, experts, or any other person able to provide analysis and/or personal experience regarding a geographical area or a specific issue. Their contribution makes it possible to adapt mission choices and strategies to developments in the world, and to enhance existing expertise through a multidisciplinary approach so that the requirements for action in the field continue to be met.
16 regional delegations ensure the presence of Médecins du Monde throughout France. Delegations have their own methods of operation (welcome of volunteers returning from the field, organising events, monitoring of missions etc), while following the political objectives defined by the Board of Directors.
The National Advisory Committee is composed of members of the Board of Directors, honorary presidents, a member from each continental group, and two representatives from each regional delegation.
This council is a place for debates and proposals. It gives its advice before decisions are taken to create or close delegations.
It is consulted on all major decisions that concern the life of the association.
To achieve these two aims, the association promotes the creation of international delegations: Spain (1989), United States and Greece (1990), Switzerland and Italy (1993), Sweden (1994), Cyprus (1995), Argentina (1998), Canada, Belgium and Portugal (1999)
and offices representing the association: Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Since December 1996, the international network of Médecins du Monde has been recognised as a non-governmental organisation with general consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
Logistics, recruiting volunteers, financial management, communications, development and monitoring of Médecins du Monde missions are carried out by 248 paid employees, half of whom work in the Paris head office and the other half in regional delegations and the “Mission France” programmes. This team unites all of the skills that are essential for the implementation of the missions, and works in a spirit of continuous dialogue with the teams of voluntary workers. It is placed under the authority of the Director General.