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Topic/Committee: Disease Control in Humanitarian Emergencies – World Health Organization (WHO)
Explanation: Following major conflicts or natural disasters, hundreds and occasionally millions of people are displaced and relocated to temporary locations with a high population density, such as refugee camps. The World Health Organization has established that those affected by mass relocation are at a significantly higher risk for disease due to inadequate food and shelter, unsafe water, and poor sanitation and hygiene. This is of particular concern in the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic and requires more attention now than ever. Delegates must work together to ensure the health and well-being of those impacted by humanitarian emergencies. The committee must address their ideas for how to provide operational support during crises, strengthen partnerships with local organizations, provide technical support, and improve training workshops/education. Importantly, there should be a focus on the specific impact of COVID-19 in delegates’ own countries, as well as in countries with a high concentration of refugees etc. (in some cases, delegates will have been assigned countries that are specifically affected by this issue).
Preparation for Week 2:
- Research your assigned country and become familiar with it on a basic level – the CIA world factbook is a helpful resource, and you should fill out the BestDelegate ‘country profile’ worksheet and add it to your binder
- Read some background reading for next week’s topic as well as independently researching your country’s stance on the issue Week 2 (first week of moderated caucus)
- https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/disasters-and-emergencies/world/coronavirus-in-refugee-camps
- https://www.rescue-uk.org/coronavirus?utm_source=www.rescue.org&utm_medium=georedirect
- https://sciencenorway.no/covid19-disease-refugees/professor-about-the-coronavirus-i-fear-many-children-will-die-in-refugee-camps/1656886
- https://time.com/5893135/covid-19-refugee-camps/
- https://emergency.unhcr.org/entry/39929/wash-in-camps
- https://www.npr.org/2020/04/05/827582516/in-worlds-overcrowded-refugee-camps-proper-hygiene-isolation-are-impossible?t=1603893383282
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Apologies for the delay everyone – there seems to be a technological issue on my end, which has resulted in my posts occasionally being deleted. This was originally uploaded yesterday, but it has been brought to my attention that it had disappeared. Hopefully, this will be solved soon.
Topic/Committee:
Improving Literacy Rates Among Indigenous Peoples – United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Explanation:
Closing the gap between indigenous communities and the rest of modern society has been at the forefront of UNESCO’s work since its inception in 1945. Now, over seventy years later, improving education in indigenous communities is still at the center of UNESCO’s mission. In this committee delegates will be tasked with improving literacy rates among indigenous people. This is an extremely difficult task due to the fact that are over 4,000 vastly different indigenous languages in the world. In Cambodia, for example, the literacy rate for those who do not speak Khmer is over 30% lower than the national literacy rate. Therefore, delegates must discuss how to increase literacy rates while still preserving the culture and languages of indigenous groups. Importantly, there should be a focus on the specific plight of indigenous peoples in delegates’ own countries, as well as in other countries with a high concentration of indigenous peoples etc.
Preparation for Week 3:
Conduct some general background research on this week’s topic, as well as independently researching your own country’s stance on the issue
- https://en.unesco.org/themes/literacy
- https://en.unesco.org/news/open-source-software-can-revitalize-indigenous-languages-0
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jul/30/literacy-just-doesnt-gel-for-some-indigenous-students-but-we-have-found-solutions
- https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/mandated-areas1/education.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_on_the_Rights_of_Indigenous_Peoples
- https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-111/improving-literacy-levels-in-remote-indigenous-communities/
- https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000145958
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02660830.2019.1641906
- https://news.un.org/en/story/2011/09/385982-literacy-vital-beating-poverty-and-disease-and-reinforcing-stability-un
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Topic/Committee:
Reducing the Illicit Arms Trade in Africa – Disarmament and International Security Committee(DISEC)
Explanation:
The illegal trade of small arms in Africa is a growing issue that places millions of people in danger. Many of the weapons circulating through the illegal arms trade are seized or stolen from government forces, looted from armories, purchased from corrupt soldiers, or stolen from private owners. In January 2000, for example, over 550 assault rifles, machine guns, grenades, and over two tons of ammunition were seized from peacekeepers in an ambush by Sierra Leonean rebels. These weapons are often used in armed conflicts by child soldiers or rebel groups and place many civilian lives at risk. Thus, delegates must advance existing programs and develop new solutions in order to ensure peace across the African continent. Importantly, there should be a focus on the specific impact of the African arms trade in delegates’ own countries, or their countries participation in the African arms trade. Note, in some cases, delegates will have been assigned countries that are specifically affected on the negative side of this issue. In other words, they profit from the arms trade in Africa, despite its illegal nature. Delegates should be conscious of this, and attempting to avoid making other countries aware of this, when discussing their stances on the issue…For those delegates who are uninvolved, your priority should be calling out the hypocrisy of countries who are involved.
Preparation for Week 4:
Conduct some general background research on this week’s topic, as well as independently researching your own country’s stance on the issue
- https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-46979165
- https://fas.org/asmp/library/articles/SchroederLamb.pdf
- https://www.unodc.org/documents/toc/Reports/TOCTAWestAfrica/West_Africa_TOC_FIREARMS.pdf
- https://www.dw.com/en/stemming-the-flow-of-illicit-arms-in-africa/a-49761552
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_trafficking
- https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2018/global-arms-industry-us-companies-dominate-top-100-russian-arms-industry-moves-second-place
- https://www.cato.org/blog/explaining-us-arms-sales
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MUN Week 6
Topic/Committee:
Eliminating Child Labour – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Explanation:
Recent data from UNICEF and the World Bank suggests that over 168 million children ages 5 to 17 are caught in the chains of the child labour system, deprived of their childhood, education, and health. The worst forms of child labour include slavery, forced labour, child soldiering, sexual exploitation, and drug trafficking. Despite steady declines, though, over 100 million children are expected to remain caught in the system in 2021. That being said, the work of this committee to tackle child labour is more important than ever. UNICEF believes that in order to prevent child labour, children must be placed at the center of programs designed to protect their rights. Delegates in this committee will discuss the most effective ways to end child labour, including helping communities to change their cultural acceptance of child labor, and providing income, education, and protective services to families. Importantly, there should be a focus on the specific impact of child labour in delegates’ own countries Note, in some cases, delegates will have been assigned countries that are specifically affected on the negative side of this issue. In other words, they profit from child labour. Delegates should be conscious of this, and attempting to avoid making other countries aware of this, when discussing their stances on the issue…For those delegates who are uninvolved, your priority should be calling out the hypocrisy of countries who are involved, and holding them to account.
Preparation for Week 6:
Conduct some general background research on this week’s topic, as well as independently researching your own country’s stance on the issue
- https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-labour/
- https://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/lang–en/index.htm
- https://www.modernghana.com/news/1047373/the-child-labour-manifesto-beyond-elections.html
- https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/child-labour-must-end-in-dried-fish-industry
- https://labs.theguardian.com/unicef-child-labour/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_labour
- https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/world/2020-12-02-in-the-car-diamonds-dont-make-friends-they-make-child-labour-and-poverty/
- https://uk.reuters.com/article/mali-children-trafficking/un-warns-child-labour-trafficking-on-the-rise-in-troubled-mali-idUKL8N2IH56K
- https://menafn.com/1101226511/Pakistan-Child-labour-on-rise-in-Peshawar-amidst-Covid19&source=28
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/gdpr-consent/?next_url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.washingtonpost.com%2fbusiness%2f2020%2f12%2f01%2fcocoa-supreme-court-child-labor%2f
- https://www.worldvision.org.uk/our-work/child-labour/quick-facts/
- https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/world-all-news/143256/multinationals-must-prevent-child-labour-in-cocoa-sector-report-says-oxfam-2020-barometer-ivory-coast-ghana-chocolate-deforestation-poverty/
- https://news.trust.org/item/20201203090436-evjw0/?utm_campaign=inDepth&utm_medium=inDepthWebWidget&utm_source=tfkVerticalPage&utm_content=link1&utm_itemId=20201203090436-evjw0
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MUN Week 7
Topic/Committee:
Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance – Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural
Committee (SOCHUM)Explanation:
In recent years there has been a noticeable rise in violent attacks and hate crimes on minority groups. One example of intolerance that has been on the rise is Islamophobia, which has mainly stemmed from the incorrect belief that all Muslim individuals support terror groups. Xenophobic discrimination and racism also exist around the world to an unfortunate degree, and more general discrimination targets countless groups such as the LGBTQ+ community and indigenous peoples. The delegates of this committee must ensure that each and every citizen of this world receives the liberties and freedoms guaranteed to them by the Declaration of Human Rights.
Preparation:
Conduct some general background research on this week’s topic, as well as independently researching your own country’s stance on the issue
- https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combatting-discrimination/racism-and-xenophobia/combating-racism-and-xenophobia_en
- https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/5-ways-fight-racism-and-xenophobia/34567
- https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/case-studies/
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/26/nick-cave-hate-homophobia-response-newsletter
- https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combatting-discrimination/racism-and-xenophobia/combating-anti-muslim-hatred_en
- https://www.osce.org/odihr/countering-racism-xenophobia-and-discrimination
- https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/05/14/inclusive-teaching-needed-help-combat-xenophobia-racism-and-discrimination-brought’
- https://www.un.org/en/letsfightracism/
- https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/refugees-racism-and-xenophobia-what-works-to-reduce-discrimination
- https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/how-to-tackle-islamophobia-the-best-strategies-from-around-europe-119022300204_1.html
- https://www.redpepper.org.uk/ten-things-you-can-do-to-combat-racism-and-xenophobia/
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MUN Week 8
Topic/Committee:
Promoting Sustainable Mining Practices – United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
Explanation:
Small-scale, illegal miners place both the environment and human lives in danger by using harmful chemicals such as mercury to extract precious metals. According to data from the UNEP, 20% of the world’s gold comes from illegal miners, employing over 15 million people (including over 600,000 children) to work with toxic chemicals. Contaminated soil and water also place neighboring communities at an increased risk for chemical poisoning. Delegates in this community will be working to advance previous solutions, such as the Minamata Convention, and develop their own lasting solutions to the issue in both their countries and others. This is a multifaceted topic, concerning not only the impact of unethical mining practices on the environment but also with regards to labour protections (eg. prohibition on child labour, safe working environments, organized crime, adequate pay, slavery, etc.).
Preparation:
Conduct some general background research on this week’s topic, as well as independently researching your own country’s stance on the issue
- https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2013/the-missing-ethics-of-mining-full-text/
- https://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2016/finalwebsite/problems/mining.html
- https://www.ilo.org/ipec/areas/Miningandquarrying/MoreaboutCLinmining/lang–en/index.htm
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/business/batteries/congo-cobalt-mining-for-lithium-ion-battery/
- https://www.man.com/maninstitute/mining-ever-ethical
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10653-019-00367-7
- https://stopchildlabor.org/?p=3853#:~:text=Mining%20is%20considered%20a%20form,lives%20while%20mining%20every%20year.
- https://en.hesperian.org/hhg/A_Community_Guide_to_Environmental_Health:Chemicals_Used_in_Mining#:~:text=Toxic%20chemicals%20used%20in%20mining,ANFO%E2%80%9D)%20used%20in%20blasting%20tunnels
- https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/how-can-metal-mining-impact-environment
- https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/jun/16/are-crystals-the-new-blood-diamonds-the-truth-about-muky-business-of-healing-stones
- https://niwa.co.nz/our-science/freshwater/tools/kaitiaki_tools/impacts/chemical-contaminates/causes-of-chemical-contamination/chemical-contaminates-and-mining
- https://wman-info.org/resource/environmental-impacts-of-mining/
- https://www.safewater.org/fact-sheets-1/2017/1/23/miningandwaterpollution
- https://www.environmentalleader.com/2018/06/unethically-mined-cobalt/
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MUN Week 9
Topic/Committee:
Broadening the Scope of Women’s Citizenship, Leadership, and Political Participation in Transition Countries – Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
Explanation:
One key focus of the CSW is to ensure that transitions are fully inclusive and democratic, meaning that they respond to the needs and priorities of women and girls. Delegates will have to ensure that inclusive national dialogue is being fostered and that transition countries adopt gender-responsive policies. They also must address the need for governments to make national budgets supportive and committed to gender equality, and strengthen partnerships between both governments and NGOs.
Preparation:
Conduct some general background research on this week’s topic, as well as independently researching your own country’s stance on the issue.
- https://carnegieendowment.org/2020/03/24/breaking-cycle-of-gender-exclusion-in-political-party-development-pub-81345
- https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation
- https://www.cfr.org/article/womens-power-index
- https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment/addressing-gender-programming/strengthening-womens
- https://womendeliver.org/2018/why-women-in-politics/
- https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/focus-areas/governance/political-participation-of-women
- https://www.taketheleadwomen.com/blog/leading-voices-chime-womens-leadership-important
- https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_government
- https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/eql-men/index.html
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MUN Week 10 (Last class!! :'( )
Topic/Committee:
Space Security and Militarization – United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Explanation:
Thankfully, the world community has not yet taken steps to militarize outer space. However, the reification of militarization still exists and is a grave issue. It is encouraging to note that there exist treaties that prevent the militarization of space to some extent including treaties such as but not limited to, the Outer Space Treaty which reinforces that all states under international law are free to explore and make use of outer space for peaceful purposes. Furthermore, the Outer Space Treaty also explicitly prohibits the placement of Weapons of Mass Destruction in outer space (WMD). However, there are still areas in which the Outer Space Treaty lacks effectiveness, and many think it will become obsolete in the near future due to rapid advances in technology. Delegates in this committee will all have VERY different agendas…so remember to stay true to the policy of your country (do more individual research this week than you would normally do) whilst searching for a workable compromise.
Preparation:
Conduct some general background research on this week’s topic, as well as independently researching your own country’s stance on the issue.
- https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/29076/why-cooperation-is-still-possible-in-a-more-militarized-space
- https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/79555773.pdf
- http://www.esa.int/About_Us/ECSL__European_Centre_for_Space_Law/Peaceful_uses_disarmament_militarisation_of_space
- https://scholar.smu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1327&context=jalc
- https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/gadis3609.doc.htm
- https://www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/259/181/76_kowal.pdf
- https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/05/nato-in-space-putin-is-worried-about-the-militarization-of-space.html
- https://www.spf.org/iina/en/articles/nagashima_02.html
- https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/23/more-evidence-of-increasing-militarization-of-space-as-u-s-claims-russia-satellite-weapon-test/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHNYaTOLvCat8KzY7iyHvcqvGUVYQdNXeVvJBes448bif5-BsYDpUBzKMyVsMJVkPnDmHAMAQzduItZO1kcqrHmSfkkqwx5K76xNRqFpWQpRvIJcDqiI2K0O2r_emu9dzRLuEF7FWl_YNBRFUoo_3n53AO34xCvYk5K36Rdm7ddj
- https://armscontrolcenter.org/space-wars-do-we-really-need-to-be-militarizing-space/
- https://www.quora.com/What-would-be-the-pros-and-cons-of-having-a-military-base-in-space
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militarisation_of_space#:~:text=The%20militarisation%20of%20space%20involves,military%20technology%20in%20outer%20space.&text=Outer%20space%20has%20since%20been,outer%20space%20during%20their%20flight.
- https://www.globalissues.org/article/69/militarization-and-weaponization-of-outer-space
- https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_11/Book_review
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