2014 Delegate Study Guide

MINNESOTA YMCA MODEL UNITED NATIONS

2014 DELEGATE STUDY GUIDE

Minnesota YMCA Model United Nations is a program of YMCA Youth in Government with support from the International Committee of the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities

1801 University Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55414 (612) 823-1381 www.mnyig.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MEMBER STATES AND ORGAN MEMBERSHIP……………………………………………. iv PHILOSOPHY OF MINNESOTA YMCA MODEL UN………………………………………. 1 STRUCTURE OF THE UNITED NATIONS…………………………………………………….. 2

GUIDE TO DELEGATE PREPARATION………………………………………………………… 3 - Writing Status Reports/Position Papers……………………………………….. 4 - Sample Position Paper…………………………………………………………………. 5 - Writing Resolutions…………………………………………………………………….. 6 - Resolution Format Guide……………………………………………………………… 7 - Initiating Phrases for a Resolution……………………………………………….. 8 - Sample Resolution……………………………………………………………………….. 9 - Writing ICJ Memorials………………………………………………………………….. 10 - Sample ICJ Memorial……………………………………………………………………. 11

THE CONFERENCE…………………………………………………………………………………... 12 - Role of the Delegate……………………………………………………………………. 12 - Caucusing……………………………………………………………………………………. 13 - Role Playing………………………………………………………………………………… 14 - Special Agencies………………………………………………………………………….. 15 - Crisis Situations………………………………………………………………………….. 16

TIPS FOR DELEGATE PREPARATION…………………………………………………………. 17

SECURITY COUNCIL………………………………………………………………………………… 18

HISTORIC SECURITY COUNCIL…………………………………………………………………. 34

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE……………………………………………………….. 35

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL…………………………………………………………... 38

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL……………………………………………………………………….. 42

MONDALE GENERAL ASSEMBLY……………………………………………….……………… 53 ANDERSON GENERAL ASSEMBLY…………………………………………………………….. 53 - Political & Security Committee……………………………………………………. 54 - Economic & Financial Committee…………………………………………………. 60 - Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Committee………………………………….. 66 - Legal Committee…………………………………………………………………………. 71 - Special Political Committee…………………………………………………………. 76 - Administrative Committee…………………………………………………………… 83

RESEARCHING FOR MODEL UN……………………………………………………………….. 84

Honorable Delegate:

Welcome to the Twenty-eighth Annual Minnesota YMCA Youth in Government Model United Nations! The Model United Nations Conference is an incredible opportunity to learn more about the world, the United Nations, controversial political issues and international problems. It is a chance to improve your public speaking, negotiation, and writing skills, as well as a time to have fun and make new friends.

What you get out of this conference is related to the effort you put in. But have no fear; we have put together this study guide to make the preparation for the conference as easy as possible. Under every committee and council in this booklet, there are resources and explanations of every topic that will be discussed at the conference. Please pay special attention to the “Issues to be addressed” section of the topic papers. Those issues will guide the conversation at the conference, and should guide your research in considering how your country’s government feels on the topic.

As you prepare for the conference, please read through and consider the information in this study guide. A successful conference relies on everyone doing their part to prepare and learn about their nation beforehand and become informed on the topics to be discussed.

Some governments do not have explicit positions on every topic in this guide. If this is the case, consider what you have learned about your country, and the positions of countries similar to your nation. What kind of position would the government of your nation likely hold when confronted with the topic? The answer to that question should guide the writing of your position papers.

Congratulations on choosing to be a part of this experience. I look forward to meeting you in March!

Sincerely,

Sam Hughes Secretary General

iii

MINNESOTA YMCA MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2014 MEMBER STATES STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADES 7 – 8 ONLY!

NATIONS THAT REQUIRE 4 DELEGATES

Argentina France Nigeria Australia Jordan Russian Federation Chad Korea, S Rwanda Chile Lithuania United Kingdom China Luxembourg

NATIONS THAT REQUIRE 1 – 3 DELEGATES

Afghanistan Ghana Oman Albania Greece Pakistan Algeria Guatemala Panama Angola Haiti Peru Armenia Hondouras Philippines Austria Hungary Poland Azerbaijan India Portugal Barbados Indonesia Qatar Bangladesh Iran Romania Belarus Iraq Samoa Belgium Ireland Saudi Arabia Bhutan Israel Senegal Bolivia Italy Singapore Bosnia & Herzegovina Italy Somalia Botswana Jamaica South Africa Brazil Japan Spain Cambodia Kazakhstan Sri Lanka Cameroon Kenya Sudan Canada Korea, People’s Rep (North) Sweden Cape Verde Kuwait Switzerland Central African Republic Laos Syria Colombia Lebanon Thailand Costa Rica Liberia Togo Cuba Libya Tunisia Cyprus Madagascar Turkey Czech Republic Malaysia Uganda Denmark Mexico Ukraine Dominican Republic Morocco United Arab Emirates Ecuador Mongolia Uruguay Egypt Mozambique Uzbekistan El Salvador Myanmar Venezuela Ethiopia Namibia Viet Nam Fiji Netherlands Yemen Finland New Zealand Zambia Gabon Nicaragua Zimbabwe Georgia Nigeria Germany Norway

MINNESOTA YMCA MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2014 MEMBER STATES STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADES 9 – 12 ONLY!

NATIONS THAT REQUIRE 7 DELEGATES China France Russian Federation United Kingdom United States NATIONS THAT REQUIRE 6 DELEGATES Brazil India Japan Mexico NATIONS THAT REQUIRE 5 DELEGATES Argentina Austria Benin Burkina Faso Chile Cuba Gabon Ireland Italy Korea, South Kuwait Morocco New Zealand Nigeria Pakistan South Africa NATIONS THAT REQUIRE 2 – 4 DELEGATES Albania Algeria Australia Belarus Bolivia Botswana Bulgaria Cameroon Canada Chad Colombia Congo, Dem Republic of** Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominican Republic Ecuador Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Germany Haiti Indonesia Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lesotho Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malawi Maldives Mauritius Montenegro Namibia Nepal Netherlands Nicaragua Peru Philippines Qatar Romania Rwanda San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Sierra Leone Slovakia Somalia Spain Sudan Sweden Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda United Arab Emirates Venezuela Viet Nam NATIONS THAT REQUIRE 1 – 3 DELEGATES Afghanistan Andorra Angola Antigua & Barbuda Armenia Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Bhutan Bosnia & Herzegovina Brunei Darussalam Burundi Cambodia Cape Verde Central African Republic Comoros Congo** Cyprus Dominica Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Fiji Finland Gambia Georgia Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea Bissau Guyana Honduras Hungary Iceland Iran Iraq Israel Jamaica Kiribati Korea, North Laos Lebanon Liberia Liechtenstein Madagascar Malaysia Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Mozambique Myanmar Nauru Niger Norway Oman Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Poland Portugal Samoa Sao Tome & Principe Serbia Seychelles Singapore Slovenia Solomon Islands South Sudan Sri Lanka St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent & Grenadines Suriname Swaziland Switzerland Syria Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Tuvalu Ukraine Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

** Yes, there really are two Congos – slightly different names, but different nations.

MINNESOTA YMCA MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2014 COUNTRY ASSIGNMENTS STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS FOR GRADES 9 – 12 ONLY!

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Albania Gabon New Zealand Austria Haiti Nicaragua Belarus India Nigeria Benin Indonesia Pakistan Bolivia Ireland Qatar Bulgaria Japan Russian Federation Burkina Faso Korea, Republic of (South) San Marino Cameroon Kuwait Senegal Canada Kyrgyzstan South Africa China Latvia Spain Colombia Lesotho Sudan Croatia Libya Switzerland Cuba Malawi Tunisia Denmark Malta Turkey Dominican Republic Mauritius Turkmenistan Ecuador Mexico Ukraine El Salvador Nepal United Kingdom Ethiopia Netherlands United States France

SECURITY COUNCIL

Azerbaijan Guatemala Russian Federation China India South Africa Colombia Morocco Togo France Pakistan United Kingdom Germany Portugal United States

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

Brazil Japan Slovakia China Mexico Somalia France Morocco United Kingdom India New Zealand United States Italy Russian Federation Uganda

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Angola Guatemala Norway Austria Hungary Peru Bangladesh India Philippines Belgium Indonesia Poland Benin Italy Qatar Botswana Jordan Romania Burkina Faso Kuwait Russian Federation Cameroon Kyrgyzstan Saudi Arabia Chile Libya Senegal China Malaysia Spain Congo, Democratic Republic of Maldives Switzerland Costa Rica Mauritania Thailand Cuba Mauritius Uganda Czech Republic Mexico United States Djibouti Moldova Uruguay Ecuador Nigeria

PHILOSOPHY

Structure

The Minnesota YMCA Model United Nations is a simulation of the United Nations assembly. You will find a diagram of the structure of the real United Nations on the following page. For logistical and educational reasons, the YMCA Model United Nations only simulates certain parts of the actual United Nations. Emphasis is placed on simulating the United Nations for the maximum benefit of the delegates. There are a number of committees and topics in the real United Nations which are not being dealt with at this conference due to time and logistical constraints.

The United Nations’ Role

When discussing issues and resolutions at the Model United Nations conference, it is important that the delegates realize what the United Nations is. The United Nations is not a world government. It is an international forum, where a group of sovereign nations meet to discuss international issues. The United Nations can offer solutions to international problems, but it is not in a position to force its member countries to accept any decisions. The reason the United Nations exists is to foster greater communications between countries. In order for the United Nations to produce solutions to problems, there must be a great deal of negotiation. This is one of the skills which will be key to success at this Model United Nations.

International diplomacy has been most successful when nations have found the room to compromise between their national policy and national interests. National policy is a country's original stance on an issue. National interests are a country's response to current events. International diplomacy is the search for common ground between national policy and national interests.

The product of the approach that will be taken at this conference will be resolutions which have the support of the key nations involved in each issue. A passed resolution which is strongly contested by a key nation is not a successful resolution. Only one resolution per topic area will emerge from each committee. This is because international diplomacy is a series of near-consensus compromises by nations with competing views. Therefore, to be effective, a good resolution must be approved by all major players. Resolutions among nations are possible, but they require compromise.

GUIDE TO DELEGATE PREPARATION

Status Reports help delegates develop a better understanding of their country’s economic, political, and social history. The Status Reports are completed by your country group as a whole and should be a group effort. THE STATUS REPORT SHOULD BE COMPLETED FIRST – BEFORE THE POSITION PAPERS FOR YOUR COUNTRY.

Position Papers help prepare delegates for intellectual debate and creative problem solving in committees. Position Papers are the basis of General Assembly, ECOSOC and Security Council resolutions and should be completed by General Assembly, ECOSOC and Security Council delegates, with input and assistance from other members of the country group.

Memorials help ensure an exciting experience for ICJ members, who will be able to choose the most well researched and pertinent cases for hearing. Delegates of the General Assembly, ECOSOC, and Security Council will gain the opportunity to explore their role in the United Nations as a whole.

All these projects require ample research. One of the most rewarding experiences of Model United Nations comes through this process of researching and working with fellow delegates in preparing for the conference. The following pages will provide you with information on how to prepare your status reports, position papers, and memorials.

Writing Status Reports

A Status Report in the Model United Nations program is a form designed to guide your research about the country that you are representing. It is intended not only to prepare you, but it will be available to other delegates at the conference wishing to have quick access to information about your country. It is important, therefore, to prepare well- written, in depth answers to the questions asked.

These questions will include areas such as History, Culture, Politics, Religion and Economy. It is important to understand your country's situation in these areas because they are the main factors in the formulation of policy. Because these forms are meant to be a source of facts for both you and others, they should be answered in a non-biased manner. Please use at least three separate sources in your paper and list them at the end.

Only one report per country is required. This report should be researched, organized and written by all the members representing your country, working as a group. A group project will help you discuss and understand the important issues which your country is facing.

Report forms are available from your Delegation Director or the State Office. Remember, these forms are designed to guide your research. They will not cover everything you may need to know and you are encouraged to include any other information that you feel is important.

Writing Position Papers

A Position Paper is your country's official opinion on a topic being addressed by the Model United Nations during its session. (Be sure to check and see if your country is already assigned to one or more committees). Your country must submit a position paper for each topic in each committee you are represented in. Delegates of the ECOSOC and Security Council will prepare papers on all three topics in their organ.

The Position papers must be typed on the official form available from your Delegation Director or the State Office. One page is all that is required. Keep the Position Paper short, concise and thoughtful. Be accurate in your presentation. You should be presenting the official opinion of the country you are representing, not your personal opinion or an opinion that may be unrealistic or unduly controversial. You have some freedom to state the position of your country as you wish. It could be helpful to include statistics and give possible solutions to problems. Position Papers will be used as a lead-in to resolutions in committee, in ECOSOC and Security Council. Make sure that it focuses on the topic at hand.

During the session, copies of the position papers will be available to all the delegates in the committee. These papers will aid in finding out who your allies or enemies are and what compromises might be reached with them.

MINNESOTA YMCA MODEL UNITED NATIONS SAMPLE POSITION PAPER

Author(s): Aron Moses Committee: Economic and Social Council

Country: People’s Republic of China Topic: Immunization Programs

The People’s Republic of China believes that immunization programs should be administered in every country no matter the cost. China’s immunization program has seen great success since the introduction of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1978. In 1982 the EACIP was founded to coordinate the immunization programs in China. The China EACIP carries out its role to provide technical advice relevant to immunization under the leadership of the MOH. The Department of National Immunization programs (NIP) of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) is responsible for the routine secretarial work of the EACIP. At that time, all children in China were offered vaccines against six diseases. They are now offering vaccines against a total of twelve diseases, free of charge, while three other vaccines are offered to high-risk groups. In 2000, China, along with the rest of the Western Pacific Region, was declared polio-free. Despite polio circulating on man of its borders, China has been able to maintain polio-free status. China has also seen a dramatic fall in hepatitis B infection among children aged less than five years, thanks to an aggressive vaccination program. Finally, China has recently seek a marked decrease in measles cases, and is working hard to achieve measles elimination by 2012. Nonetheless, China’s EPI continues to face challenges. These include reaching hard-to-reach populations such as migrant children and those in remote locations, ensuring that eligible adults have access to vaccines (as was done during the H1N1 pandemic), and avoiding complacency in the face of a highly successful program which has led to great reductions in death and disability from vaccine- preventable diseases. The EACIP has played and will continue to play an increasingly important role in the progress and development of immunization in China. Based on EACIP recommendations to enhance immunization activities, Chinas has witnessed remarkable improvements in health outcomes. It is envisaged that the China EACIP will continue to evolve with its members contributing through their expertise, diligence and commitment to the health of the population.

Resolutions

Resolutions are the basic, formal statements which the United Nations produces to express its collective opinion, suggest a course of action, or commit one or more of its various organs to a specific activity.

When a consensus is reached on a topic of debate within a committee of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, or within the Security Council, the body expresses its decision in the form of a Resolution.

While most resolutions state policy, some may include an entire treaty, declaration or convention. Resolutions may either be general statements or directions for specific organizations, bodies, or states. They may condemn actions of a state, call for collective action, or, as in the case of the Security Council, require economic or military sanctions.

When writing resolutions, it is important to keep in mind the specific capabilities of the organ you are simulating. For example, the General Assembly cannot impose mandatory sanctions.

There will be a limit of one resolution per topic area, which can pass through each committee. Thus, a great deal of negotiation needs to take place in committee to get a resolution that most countries (at least seventy percent) can agree to. In addition, there will be no individual authors to any resolution. The committee itself is considered the author.

The process of writing a resolution begins in the Introductory Stage. During this stage, each country that wants to see certain items in a passed resolution states their position. These stances can come directly from the position papers which all delegates will be writing.

At this point, the Negotiation Stage begins. Invariably, certain delegations will find fault with a number of the clauses in each working paper. These delegations need to negotiate with other countries in order to find a compromise position which at least a majority of countries can agree to. These negotiations will take place during caucus time.

After the negotiation stage has run its course, the Resolution Stage begins. At this point, if there are still delegations who disagree with the resolution, they can offer amendments to the draft resolution. Amendments to resolutions include additions, deletions, or changes in draft resolutions.

After all of the amendments have been handled, and there is no more debate (or debate has been closed), the Voting Stage begins. If there are still delegations which disagree with certain parts of the resolution, they can move to divide the question into a number of parts. Otherwise voting proceeds as usual. If a majority votes in favor, the resolution passes and goes to the General Assembly or ECOSOC Plenary.

RESOLUTION FORMAT GUIDE

HEADING When presented to an organ or committee, all draft, plenary and other resolutions must be written on the proper forms as provided by the Secretariat. Information on the form must include the organ, Committee and Topic Area.

BODY The resolution is written in the format of a long sentence. There are format rules for resolutions, just as there are grammatical rules for sentences.

1. The resolution begins with the General Assembly for all General Assembly committees and with the Economic and Social Council for all ECOSOC resolutions. The Specialized Agencies use their own names as the introductory line. The rest of the resolution consists of clauses with the initiating phrases of each clause underlined.

2. The next section, consisting of Perambulatory Clauses, describes the problem being addressed, recalls past actions taken, explains the purpose of the resolution and offers support for the operative clauses that follow. Each clause and the preamble begin with an underlined word and ends with a comma.

3. Operative Clauses are numbered and state the action to be taken by the body. These clauses all begin with present tense, action verbs, which are generally stronger words than those used in the Preamble. Each operative clause is followed by a semi-colon except the last, which ends with a period.

CONTEXT A well-written resolution demonstrates:

1. Familiarity with the problem. Relevant background information and previous United Nations actions are included.

2. Recognition of the issues. Arguments on the topic are specified early.

3. Conciseness. Every clause and phrase should have a purpose.

4. Good form. An otherwise sound resolution will suffer from clumsy grammar and sloppy form.

INITIATING PHRASES FOR A RESOLUTION

PREAMBULATORY CLAUSES Acknowledging Endorsing Mindful Affirming Expressing… Noting… Anxious -appreciation -further Appreciating -deep appreciation -with approval Aware Expecting -with deep concern Bearing in mind Fulfilling -with regret Being convinced fully… -with satisfaction Cognizant -aware Observing Concerned -bearing in mind Realizing Confident Grieved Recalling Conscious Guided by Recognizing Considering Having Referring Contemplating -adopted Regretting Convinced -approved Reiterating Declaring -considered Seeking Deeply disturbed -decided Stressing Desiring -examined further taking… Deploring -received -into account Determined -regard for -note Emphasizing -reviewed Welcoming Encouraged Keeping in mind viewing with… -apprehension OPERATIVE CLAUSES Accepts Directs Instructs Adopts Emphasizes Notes… Affirms Encourages -with appreciation Appeals Endorses -with approval Appreciates Expresses… -with interest Approves -its appreciation -with satisfaction Authorizes -its conviction Reaffirms Calls upon -its regret Recognizes Commends -its sympathy Recommends Concurs -its thanks Regrets Condemns -the belief Reiterates Confirms -the hope renews its appeal Congratulates Further… Repeats Considers -invites Suggests Decides -proclaims Supports Declares -reminds Takes note of Deplores -recommends Transmits Designates -resolves Urges

MINNESOTA YMCA MODEL UNITED NATIONS SAMPLE RESOLUTION

The General Assembly,

Acknowledging the fact that cultural opinions sometimes do not allow women to receive a formal education, Keeping in Mind it is illegal in some countries to educate women and girls, Adapting to this knowledge, Appreciating the cultures and religions of women and their families, it is not expected that they receive an education if it is to interfere with their beliefs, Recognizing the danger women are in while traveling to school,

1. Suggests that women under the age of eighteen (18) are accompanied by a guardian or another respected adult to an from school, circumstances permitting, 2. Encourages that women who choose not to receive an education on account of

religious beliefs are still taught the basic skills of reading, writing, and simple mathematics, so that they can be economically viable citizens for both themselves and their family, 3. Expects that women have an equal opportunity to be hired for a job and that their pay is equal to that of men in the same rank. 4. Encourages all countries to legalize the education of women 5. Endorses the fact that donations can be made and taxes can be paid to provide funding for the needs of schools to be made up for the new female students.

Writing ICJ Memorials

To present or respond to a case to the Model International Court of Justice, a party must prepare and present a Memorial. A Memorial must contain three basic elements:

1) Claims of Fact 2) Assertations of Law 3) Prayers for Relief

The names of both the party (and parties) bring the case to the ICJ, the Applicant(s), and the party responding to the Memorial, the Respondent(s), must be included in the Memorial. Memorials must be typed and will vary in length from 1 - 3 pages. If a nation is sued in the ICJ, it will be required to submit a counter-memorial, due before the first day of the Model United Nations. Countries being sued will be notified by the Secretary-General and will be supplied with a copy of the memorial brought against them.

CLAIMS OF FACT Applicants and Respondents must briefly outline the issues and facts relevant to the case to be decided by the ICJ. Claims of Fact detail the events that lead to the dispute pending before the court. Historical, legal and political research will be helpful in finding and stating the relevant facts. While facts must be truthfully stated, they may be written in the best light of the party preparing the Memorial.

ASSERTATIONS OF LAW This section is the most important part of the Memorial. It contains the relevant principles and sources of law such as international treaties, international conventions, customary law, previous ICJ decisions, United Nations Resolutions and the works of noted international law writers and jurists.

PRAYERS FOR RELIEF In this section, each party requests that the court rule and act in their favor. Applicants will generally ask the court to direct the Respondent to correct the wrong or injustice committed or applicants will seek sanctions or a simple declaration of the rights and duties that exist between the disputing parties. Respondents generally request a dismissal of the case or seek counter-relief against the Applicant(s).

To find ideas for Memorials, watch your daily newspaper and magazines for current world events. There is a lot of tension in the world today and many cases are brought before the ICJ for peaceful settlement. In addition, the University of Minnesota Law School Library, located on the West Bank of the Minneapolis campus, contains information on ICJ decisions, cases and other relevant source laws. There is no official memorial form; memorials are simply typed on a word processor by following the sample on the next page. All nations sitting on the ICJ are required to author at least one memorial. Nations not sitting on the ICJ are strongly encouraged to write and submit a memorial.

MINNESOTA YMCA MODEL UNITED NATIONS SAMPLE ICJ MEMORIAL

THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

The Scientists and the People of Japan: Applicants

The United States of America: Respondents The International Whaling Community

Claim: that the United States of America and the IWC (hereinafter known as the Respondents) have not given Japanese Scientists the opportunity to study the Southern Hemisphere Mince Whales because of claims of killing too many whales in the process,

That the Japanese government has issued permits to the Japanese nationals who give them the right to kill the Southern Hemisphere whales for scientific studies, that the Japanese Scientists are bringing its whaling activities into conformance with the regulations of the IWC, that Japan is conducting these scientific experiments for the improvement of all countries' knowledge of the Minke Whale,

Assert: that such regulations are not in accord with the accepted norms of decisions and regulations made within the United States, that such a regulation is infringing on the rights of the Japanese Scientists to make new discoveries that could seriously change the world in which we live in, that such conduct will put a large damper on further studies and practices on the Southern Hemisphere Minke Whale,

Prayers: that the court can find that such regulations are unjustifiable; that the court orders the Respondents to rectify their regulations on Japan's Scientists so they can kill a minimum number of Minke Whales to continue their complex study.

THE CONFERENCE

The Role of the Delegate

Each delegation to the Minnesota YMCA Model United Nations conference faces an exciting, challenging task in preparing to represent a United Nations Member. You must do some intensive research on a variety of topics and be prepared to clearly state the position actually held by your country. Moreover, you must be prepared to make impromptu speeches explaining your country's position on a developing crisis.

An important element of the conference is the depth of responsibility which is placed on the individual delegate to adequately prepare for the Model UN so as to ensure that constructive and informed discussion of the issues will take place.

DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITIES

1) Attend all Delegation meetings and participate in practice simulations of United Nations organs.

2) Research your country as a whole and prepare a Status Report, Position Paper and Memorial for the Assembly.

3) Review the purposes, structure and major activities of the United Nations. Every Delegate should study carefully the Rules of Procedure for the organ in which they are involved.

4) Be prepared to participate in caucusing sessions during the conference with them wherein you will agree on common goals and courses of action to meet those goals.

5) Attend all scheduled functions during the Conference.

Caucusing

The bulk of United Nations negotiations occurs in caucus groups. In these sessions delegates meet informally, without public scrutiny, to formulate positions and to negotiate with other nations. Amendments to resolutions can be discussed and differences of opinion worked out so that the committee can take some action.

Productive caucusing is not confined solely to your bloc. Agreement on a proposal is only possible if nations of varying political and geographic areas can meet to discuss their differences. As the number of nations that support a view increases, there is a much greater chance for concrete action to take place. This increases the importance of constructive caucusing, rather than confrontation. Delegates to the Model United Nations are encouraged to contact other Delegates before the conference (the Summit is a good opportunity) to discuss common objectives and strategies for realizing those objectives.

Caucus groups may be thought of in terms of voting blocs; that is, Member States which tend to vote together on particular issues in the United Nations. For the purposes of our Model United Nations, we shall consider Caucus Groups as informally organized and structured groups of nations who tend to vote together.

The purpose of the Member States forming Caucus groups is to use the United Nations as a forum for expressing official opinions and as an instrument for protecting their own national interests. Since neither of these goals could be accomplished with all nations pulling in the opposite directions of individual national interests, it has become necessary to combine the common interests of individual nations in an effort to exert a greater amount of political influence within the United Nations.

Caucusing will take place primarily during the periodic recesses of the General Assembly committees and ECOSOC. Countries are encouraged to set up their own bloc meetings with the help of officers or Secretariat members throughout the conference. Countries are also encouraged to apply to host informal gatherings at the conference. Countries may sign up for receptions by the first night of Model UN. Snacks and beverages will be provided for these meetings. For these gatherings, host countries must indicate which other countries they want to invite. See the Special Agencies section, for more information.

Role Playing

The YMCA Youth in Government Model United Nations program is a simulation of the actual United Nations, where the countries of the world send delegates to act as representatives of the governments of those countries. Your role as a participant in the Model United Nations is to ACT as a representative of the country you are representing for the conference. Your primary goal is to give your government’s views on all the issues in front of your organ, whether you are a member of the General Assembly, ECOSOC or the Security Council. The key here is that you must get into character and play the role of the delegate like you would a character in a play almost. The most important things to remember are:

• You won’t be able to know everything about your country, but the most important tool you have is RESEARCH. The more you know about your country, the government and the people who live there, the better you will be able to make EDUCATED GUESSES about how they would feel about issues. • Pay special attention to your country’s ECONOMIC, RELIGIOUS and EDUCATIONAL status. Understanding how your country’s trade and overall economic status, primary (or official) religion and overall rate of literacy and education will be key to understanding how your country will be able to respond to many UN issues-not all will be able to support certain resolutions because of religious attitudes, etc… • The closer you stay to character, the more FUN you will have. Part of this conference’s appeal is that you will spend three days acting like someone who most likely has had a very different life than yours, and will therefore have very different views than yours. • Remember that you are representing your country’s views, and NEVER YOUR OWN VIEWS. While it is tempting to respond as you personally feel, you must remember that this conference is not about speaking how we feel, but as world leaders feel. • When in doubt about how your country might feel about something, look first to the views of delegates representing countries which might have similar views. In order to do this, you need to understand what countries have many things in common with yours. The only real way to know which countries are like yours is, again, RESEARCH. In addition, this will help you build coalitions and “blocs”.

Special Agencies

CONFERENCE RESOURCE CENTER The Conference Resource Center serves as a great resource for delegates throughout the conference. If you have any questions or simply want to update or supplement your research, you may be able to find what you need at the Conference Resource Center. The Conference Resource Center will be the center of crisis, informal caucus, and communication/reference coordination. The Conference Resource Center will be open throughout the conference as a place where delegates may find guidance and information.

The Conference Resource Center will have files of status reports, position papers, and memorials for your disposal. The Conference Resource Center will also have supplementary resources about United Nations Member States acquired from embassies, and other reference materials. Topic information collected by the Secretariat will also be available at the Conference Resource Center.

INFORMAL RECEPTIONS A Secretariat member will help organize informal caucus meetings. Apply for these meeting times by returning an application to the State Office by March 1, 2009. Delegates may also coordinate with the Secretariat members during the conference if they want to host other caucus meetings.

MODEL UNITED NATIONS NEWSPAPER Student editorial staff will write, publish and distribute a daily newspaper to inform participants of conference events. This newspaper will also outline various opinions on specific issues and provide insight on activities of special interest to delegates and advisors, as well as provide the official text of any resolutions coming before any organ of the Model United Nations.

Crisis Situations

At various times over the course of the conference, the Crisis Coordinators will be introducing crisis situations. Crises will involve a conflict between a number of nations, and will reflect the current events of the international world. All nations affected by any crisis will be informed of the situation in the form of a communiqué, either from the Secretariat directly or from their "Home Government". Each country should be prepared to deal with any crisis relevant to them. Should a crisis develop, the Security Council shall be the organ which will coordinate any discussion and/or resolution of the crisis. There will be two types of crises that will take place during the conference:

1) Crises of Peace and Security will be discussed and voted upon by the Security Council. Only resolutions that have passed through the Security Council on these matters and have been sent to other organs for consideration will be discussed in the General Assembly or ECOSOC. Any delegation that would like to submit a proposal or draft resolution to the Security Council on these matters may do so, as per rule 29 of the Security Council Rules of Procedure. The Council may invite any Member to participate, without vote, in the discussion of any matter which the Council considers to be of vital interest to said United Nations Member, as per rule 28.

2) Crises of Economic, Social, Cultural, or Humanitarian Nature may be discussed in the General Assembly or ECOSOC, if a draft resolution has been prepared and is submitted to the proper officers. (See rules 5-9 for General Assembly, rule 7 for ECOSOC).

If you are informed of a crisis involving the vested interests of the United Nations Member which you represent:

1) Communicate with your Home Government as directed by the Secretariat in your area.

2) Meet with your country members to work out a strategy.

3) Meet with other nations, friendly or unfriendly, who are also involved in the crisis.

4) Draft a resolution or proposal for the appropriate organ suggesting a response to a crisis which it is discussing.

5) If the organ has not already invited you, send a petition to the Secretariat asking to be allowed to participate in the discussion.

TIPS FOR DELEGATE PREPARATION

One of the most important ingredients to a positive Model United Nations experience is adequate delegate preparation. Delegates must research their countries before they arrive at the conference. This is absolutely essential to the success of the conference. While they need not be experts on international affairs, it is important that delegates look toward the proper sources for information. In addition to research at a local library, here are a few other ideas:

1. Compete the required Status Report. These documents serve as a great starting place for a country delegation’s research. To participate in Model United Nations, each country must turn in a completed Status Report before the conference. Since a completed Status Report makes a good resource, it is highly recommended that each country make multiple copies of this document and bring them along to the conference. Culture Grams, the most complete country resource, is now available to students online at www.mnyig.org. The user name and password are posted there.

2. Keep informed of current affairs. Since global affairs can change quickly, the Internet and newspapers are often your best source of information. Delegates should start a file that relates to the current state of their nation and its relationship to the rest of the world.

3. Contact embassies of UN missions. Embassies can be an extremely valuable source of current, hard to find information. The UN website has very helpful links to most missions and can be found on the YIG website, www.mnyig.org. There are several useful research links on the site!

4. When in doubt, ask a lot of questions. School or community librarians will be able to suggest other resources. Also, as always, don’t hesitate to call the State Office. The State Staff will be happy to answer questions!

SECURITY COUNCIL

2014 TOPICS

Senior Security Council (Grades 9-12): Biological Weapons Secession Harboring of Terrorism

Junior Security Council (Grades 7-8): Chemical Weapons Syria Countering the Appeal of Terrorism

THE SECURITY COUNCIL

Background

The organ which has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security is the Security Council. The Council is composed of five permanent members-- China, France, The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the United States, and 10 non- permanent members, elected by the General Assembly for two year terms and not eligible for immediate re-election. The number of non-permanent members was increased from six to ten by an amendment of the Charter which came into force in 1965.

Functions and Powers

While other organs of the United Nations may make recommendations to governments, the Council alone has the power to make decisions which all member States are obligated under the Charter to accept and carry out.

The Council may investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction and may recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement. Disputes and situations likely to endanger international peace and security may be brought to the attention of the Council by any Member State, by a Non-Member State which accepts in advance the obligations of pacific settlement contained in the Charter, by the General Assembly, or by the Secretary-General.

The Council may determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression. It may make recommendations or decide to take enforcement measures to maintain or restore international peace and security. Enforcement actions may include a call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures short of the use of armed force. Should it consider such measures inadequate, the Council may take military action against an aggressor? Under the Charter, all Members undertake to make available to the Council on its call, in accordance with special agreements to be negotiated on the Council's initiative, the armed forces, assistance and facilities necessary for maintaining international peace and security. The Council is also responsible for formulating plans to regulate armaments. In addition, the Security Council exercises the Trusteeship functions of the United Nations in areas designated as strategic. The Security Council makes annual and special reports to the General Assembly.

The Security Council and the General Assembly, voting independently, elect the judges of the International Court of Justice. On the Security Council's recommendation, the General Assembly appoints the Secretary-General.

Voting and Procedure

Each member of the Council has one vote. Decisions on matters of procedure are taken by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the 15 Members. Decisions on substantive matters also require nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent Members. This is the rule of "great power unanimity," often referred to as the "veto." All five permanent Members have exercised the right of veto at one time or another. If a permanent member does not support a decision but has no desire to block it through a veto, it may abstain; an abstention is not regarded as a veto.

A State which is a member of the United Nations, but not of the Security Council, may participate, without vote, in its discussions when the Council considers that the country's interests are specially affected. Both Members of the United Nations and Non-Members, if they are parties to a dispute being considered by the Council, are invited to take part, without vote, in the discussions. However, the Council lays down the conditions for participation by a Non-Member State.

The presidency of the Council is held monthly in turn by members in English alphabetical order. The Council decides its own rules of procedure and may establish subsidiary organs.

There are two standing committees--the Committee of Experts, which studies and advises the Council on rules of procedure and other technical matters, and the Committee on Admission of New Members; each is composed of representatives of all Council Members. Over the years, the Council has also established many ad hoc bodies.

The Military Staff committee, composed of the Chiefs of Staff of the five permanent members of their representatives, was established under the Charter to advise and assist the Security Council on such questions as the Council's military requirements for the maintenance of peace, the strategic direction of armed forces placed at its disposal, the regulation of armaments and possible disarmament.

Uniting for Peace

The General Assembly in November 1950, adopted a three part resolution entitled "United for Peace." Under that resolution, if the Security Council, because of the lack of unanimity of its permanent Members, failed to exercise its primary responsibility in the maintenance of peace, in a case where there appeared to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression, the Assembly would consider the matter immediately with a view to making recommendations to Members of collective measures, including the use of armed force when necessary, to maintain international peace and security. If not in session, the Assembly would meet in emergency special session within 24 hours of a request for such a session by seven members of the Security Council (now amended to nine) or by a majority of General Assembly members.

Decisions of the Security Council

Resolutions of the Security Council: The resolution has been the major vehicle of Security Council action. There are two distinct types of resolutions: 1) consensus resolutions and 2) resolutions adopted by vote. The consensus resolution is a creation of the post 1966 Council. The consensus form is ideal for the council for several reasons. It places the emphasis on an image of unanimity when, in some cases, the members would feel obliged to vote against or abstain on a resolution that was formally voted on.

The resolution adopted by vote is the more traditional approach. Resolutions are adopted by vote when, in spite of consultations, the Council members have failed to reach a consensus; any member may object to an attempt to adopt a resolution by consensus, and thereby force such a vote.

Presidential Statements of Consensus: Often the Council finds that its consensus does not fit conveniently into a resolution form. In this case the Council will resort to a Presidential Statement of consensus. The President may, if he perceives a consensus and sees no resolution, wish to consult with Members concerning the substance of a formal statement. The President then reads that statement in a formal session, and the statement is made an official decision of the Council.

Communications of the President of the Consensus of the Body: This is the most subtle of forms available to the Council. This form is like the Presidential Statement of Consensus except that it is less public. This technique is used when the Council wishes to minimize damaging debate.

To learn more about resolutions see Writing Resolutions in this Study Guide (pg. 6).

Additional Information about the Security Council

Under the Charter, the functions and powers of the Security Council are: • to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations; • to investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction; • to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement; • to formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments; • to determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what action should be taken; • to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop aggression; • to take military action against an aggressor; • to recommend the admission of new Members; • to exercise the trusteeship functions of the United Nations in "strategic areas"; • to recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General and, together with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.

The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is so organized as to be able to function continuously, and a representative of each of its members must be present at all times at United Nations Headquarters. On 31 January 1992, the first ever Summit Meeting of the Council was convened at Headquarters, attended by Heads of State and Government of 13 of its 15 members and by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the remaining two. The Council may meet elsewhere than at Headquarters; in 1972, it held a session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the following year in Panama City, Panama.

When a complaint concerning a threat to peace is brought before it, the Council's first action is usually to recommend to the parties to try to reach agreement by peaceful means. In some cases, the Council itself undertakes investigation and mediation. It may appoint special representatives or request the Secretary-General to do so or to use his good offices. It may set forth principles for a peaceful settlement.

When a dispute leads to fighting, the Council's first concern is to bring it to an end as soon as possible. On many occasions, the Council has issued cease-fire directives which have been instrumental in preventing wider hostilities. It also sends United Nations peacekeeping forces to help reduce tensions in troubled areas keep opposing forces apart and create conditions of calm in which peaceful settlements may be sought. The Council may decide on enforcement measures, economic sanctions (such as trade embargoes) or collective military action.

A Member State against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. A Member State which has persistently violated the principles of the Charter may be expelled from the United Nations by the Assembly on the Council's recommendation.

A State which is a Member of the United Nations but not of the Security Council may participate, without a vote, in its discussions when the Council considers that that country's interests are affected. Both Members of the United Nations and non-members, if they are parties to a dispute being considered by the Council, are invited to take part, without a vote, in the Council's discussions; the Council sets the conditions for participation by a non-member State.

Biological Weapons Topic Summary: Biological Weapons are a way to deliver viruses and bacteria to deliberately harm humans, animals, and/or the environment In addition to killing people, biological weapons can also do major harm crops and livestock. Because of the indiscriminant nature of biological weapons, and the potential for widespread death and destruction if mishandled, the use of bioweapons was banned in the Geneva Protocol of 1925. Although bioweapons are considered weapons of mass destruction, the effects of a biological attack are not always immediately recognizable, and can last long after the virus has been released. This can sometimes make attributing the source of the attack difficult to pinpoint. Bioweapons have been used for several years, as far back as World War II. A common example of bioweapons is Anthrax, a lethal toxin that was spread through postage systems.

The Biological Weapons Convention (officially called the Convention on the prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons Convention) is a treaty signed by 179 nations since 1975 which bans the production, use, retention, and transfer of biological weapons of any signatory state. Further, the treaty demands the destruction of all bioweapons currently held by states. Compliance with the treaty has thus far been mixed. Some states have maintained bioweapons in secret, others have refused to sign the treaty, and other states still have been urging the UN to create a system for verifying whether or not states have nuclear weapons. The most recently proposed verification system was proposed in 2001, but was vetoed by the United States, citing national sovereignty concerns. Every 5 years, a review conference convenes to work on improving the treaty.

Background Information: 1925- Geneva Protocol bans the use of bioweapons in warfare 1975- Biological Weapons Convention bans bioweapons 1995- Internationally Binding Verification Protocol negotiations begin 2001- United States, under the Bush Administration decides vetoes protocol 2005- Codes of Conduct of biomedical scientists discussed by Fifth Review Conference 2006- 6th Review Conference Convenes 2011- 7th Review Conference Convenes 2016- 8th Review Conference will Convene

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1. Can the Security Council come up with a verification system which won’t be vetoed by one of the 5 veto powers? 2. What more can be done to encourage states who have failed to sign the Biological Weapons Treaty to sign? 3. If a state who retains bioweapons becomes destabilized, what ought to be done to prevent the harm of stolen bioweapons? 4. Some peaceful biomedical research can accidentally yield results which are useful in the development of novel bioweapons. What can be done to ensure that biomedical research remains available to publics, while not disseminating information which could proliferate the production of bioweapons? 5. What topics do you recommend to be discussed at the 8th Biological Weapons Convention Review Conference in 2016?

Bibliography: http://www.fas.org/programs/bio/bwintro.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1326439/ http://www.un.org/disarmament/education/wmdcommission/files/no14.pdf

http://www.bwpp.org/reports.html http://thebulletin.org/syria-and-bioweapons-need-transparency http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/as-syria-deteriorates-neighbors- fear-bioweapons-threat/2013/09/04/ed5b47e0-10ad-11e3-85b6- d27422650fd5_story.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1326447/

Secession Topic Summary “Secession” refers to a process in which a portion of a country breaks apart from the country in order to form a new country. About half of the nations represented at the United Nations originated in a secession attempt. Many nations who were colonized had land borders drawn by other states, without much regard to the ethnic groups living in the area. This has caused a significant number of secession movements on ethnic grounds. While sometimes religious or ethnic differences form the primary motivation for a portion of a country to secede from the rest of its nation, at other times, political and economic differences provide the rationale for a nation to try to separate. Many nations throughout the world have experienced successful or attempted successions in the past, some peaceful, others bloody. With the recent peaceful succession of South Sudan from Sudan, and calls for secession in Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia, Canada, The United States, India, Ethiopia, Egypt, Syria, and the UK in either current politics or recent history, this topic is current and involves interests for states all over the world.

Background Information: 1640-1668: Portugal Secedes from Spain 1776: The United States secedes from the United Kingdom 1804: Haiti Secedes from France in a violent revolution 1912: Taiwan establishes republic separate from People’s Republic of China 1950-1975: Most African states gain independence from European States 1991: Dozens of states declare independence from the Soviet Union 1993: Eritrea declares independence from Ethiopia 2002: East Timor becomes a sovereign state, separate from Indonesia 2008: Kosovo declares independence from Serbia 2011: South Sudan peacefully Secedes from Sudan

Issues to be addressed in a Resolution: 1) Develop a standard for which a region is justified in seceding from its nation, such that the international community should recognize the new nation. 2) Establish guidelines for the drafting of new constitutions (Who should draft new constitutions, what ought to be included in the constitutions of seceding states, deadlines for constitutions to be sent for ratification by the people, etc.?) 3) Establish guidelines for drawing new territorial boundaries between the new nation and the old nation. 4) Develop strategies for reducing violence during secession attempts.

Bibliography: These two are especially useful for an overview of your country’s historical and current experience with secession movements: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_autonomist_and_secessionist_movements http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_autonomist_and_secessionist_movements http://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10161/3209/DmainD6-29- 09.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1 http://mises.org/journals/jls/11_1/11_1_2.pdf http://allafrica.com/stories/201307080555.html http://muse.jhu.edu/books/9780820337371/ http://www.eurasiareview.com/09072013-egypt-and-hamas-part-company-oped/ http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2013/07/07/sri-lanka-has-every-right-to-go- ahead-with-constitutional-reforms-on-the-basis-of-its-relevance-to-national-security- alone/ http://www.abugidainfo.com/index.php/21437/ http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/south-sudan-two-years-2013-07-09

http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1551761&Itemid= 1 http://www.dailynews.lk/2013/06/18/fea01.asp http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Bunyoro-king-warns-Bagungu-against- secession/-/688334/1878922/-/v8vmod/-/index.html http://somalilandsun.com/index.php/in-depth/3163-somaliland-terrorism-a-case- secession-from-somalia-dr-omar http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Quebec+secession+will+never+happen/8572524/story .html http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/06/21/uk-serbia-kosovo-idUKBRE95K0SP20130621 http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/Opinion+What+Supreme+Court+really+said+about +secession/8621867/story.html http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/07/thousands-demand-secession-for-south- yemen/

Harboring of Terrorism Topic Summary: Violent non-state actors (typically terrorists, but sometimes members of organized crime, or ex-militaries of entities which are no longer states), are sometimes harbored in nations which are ideologically supportive of the violent non-state actor’s behavior. In other cases, states have so little control over their territory, that violent non-state actors are able to find refuge within those states. This harboring typically occurs against the wishes of anywhere from one to nearly every nation in the world. Iran, Russia, Venezuela, The Gambia, Pakistan, The United States, The United Kingdom, Turkey, Afghanistan, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Cuba, Iran and even the UN itself have all been accused of harboring terrorists in some form or another.

Despite these concerns, the United Nations currently lacks an international definition for “violent non-state actor” because of ideological differences and the differing interests of states. Further, when the United Nations can agree to impose sanctions on nations for harboring terrorists, the sanctions often require a great deal of time to take effect.

Background Information: 1992: UN imposes an arms embargo on Somalia 1992: UN sanctions Libya for harboring perpetrators of 1989 Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing 1993: UN bans sale of petroleum equipment to Libya 1999-2000: UN Sanctions Taliban controlled areas of Afghanistan, following the lead of the United States 2000: Report concludes Libyan terrorism sharply reduced as a result of UN sanctions 2005: United Nations establishes the Sudan Sanctions Committee to oversee Sanctions against the Sudan for sponsoring and harboring terrorists.

Issues to be addressed in a resolution: 1) Define “violent non-state actor” 2) Determine if “violent non-state actors” should be classified into different subcategories. 3) Attempt to establish at least some international standards regarding sanctions for harboring violent non-state actors 4) Determine what should be done about specific nations currently harboring violent non- state actors. 5) Discuss how to best achieve these goals while minimizing violence and promoting an international peaceful order.

Bibliography http://www.petitiononline.com/iic613u/petition.html http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message2210781/pg1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/06/03/iran-harboring-terrorists_n_2085.html http://www.freedomnewspaper.com/Homepage/tabid/36/newsid367/8868/Editorial-The- Difference-Between-Jammeh-And-President-Jawara-America-Treats-Jawara-At- Independence-Dinner-/Default.aspx http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/news/2007/01/18/2557/harboring- terrorists/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2010/07/29/AR2010072905211.html http://www.ibtimes.com/why-would-pakistan-harbor-terrorists-285241 http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=92521 http://www.nber.org/papers/w15465 http://www.globalresearch.ca/nato-member-turkey-harboring-terrorist-army/31672 http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/353977 http://www.islamicpostonline.com/article/harboring_terrorists_england-483

Syria Topic Summary: Syria is a nation currently in crisis. A civil war, ethnic conflict, chemical and biological weapons all pose major threats to the stability of both the nation and the region as a whole. The UN has labeled the refugees leaving the nation the most serious situation since Rwanda. Veto nations in the Security Council differ substantially in their foreign policy towards Syria, meaning that the need for compromise at the UN is greater than ever before.

The Syrian regime, led by President Bashar al-Assad, launched a violent crackdown last year on activists demanding more economic prosperity, political freedom and civil liberties. This sparked a nationwide uprising and eventually a civil war with armed rebels, many of whom came from the military. As of July, the conflict had claimed an estimated 17,000 lives, mostly civilians, according to the United Nations. And more than 170,000 people have fled the Middle East nation to seek refuge in neighboring countries such as Iraq, Jordan and Turkey.

Throughout the uprising, the Syrian government has referred to the opposition as terrorists trying to destabilize the country. Opposition leaders say that's just the regime's way of justifying attacks.

Background Information: 2011: Facebook page named “Syrian Revolution 2011” calls for protest “Day of Rage” 2011: Country closes only casino to try to gain favor from religious conservatives. 2011: “The Great Friday” protest, tens of thousands of Christians took the streets for a peaceful protest, with yet over 100 people killed, making it one of the bloodiest days in the uprising. 2011: US impose sanctions on President Bashar al- Assad for human rights abuses. 2011: “Friday of the Children” protests, the largest protest outside of Daraa takes place in Hama with about 50,000 protestors. The Syrian government reduces Syria’s online activities by nearly two-thirds. 2011: Rami Makhlouf who is Assad’s powerful cousin leaves the business to do more “charity work” 2011: Leaders in US, France, Germany, and Britain call for Assad to resign. 2011: The Europeans Union bans imports of Syrian oil. 2011: US, Canada, Japan, and UK support the protest movement. 2011: China and Russia use their veto power at the UN to block potential sanctions on Syria. 2011: Arab League announces sanctions on Syria 2011: Russia and China veto UN Security Council resolution in backing an Arab league peace plan. 2012: Kofi Annan quits his role as the UN Special Envoy to Syria.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution; How can the UN help to keep the refugees safe? How can the UN come to an agreement regarding how to deal with Syria, without leading Russia and/or China to veto it? Beyond sanctions, should the UN do more to pressure the regime to change its policies? How will this resolution interact with your other resolution regarding chemical weapons?

Bibliography

• http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/24/world/meast/syria-101/ • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23395145 • http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/world/middleeast/worries-mount-as-syria- lures-wests-muslims.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 • http://beta.syriadeeply.org/conflict-timeline/#.UqkQXfRDv88 • http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/our-work/crimes-against-humanity/syria-in-crisis/

Chemical Weapons Topic Summary: The term chemical weapon is applied to any toxic chemical or its precursor that can cause death, injury, temporary incapacitation or sensory irritation through its chemical action. Munitions or other delivery devices designed to deliver chemical weapons, whether filled or unfilled, are also considered weapons themselves.

The toxic chemicals that have been used as chemical weapons, or have been developed for use as chemical weapons, can be categorized as choking, blister, blood, or nerve agents. The most well-known agents are as follows: choking agents—chlorine and phosgene, blister agents (or vesicants)—mustard and lewisite, blood agents—hydrogen cyanide, nerve agents—sarin, soman, VX.

According to the chemical Weapons Convention, the production and use of Chemical weapons is outlawed for all nations who have signed the treaty. By April of 2007, all chemical weapons in all signatory nations were to be destroyed. This goal was not met in a single nation. This topic asks delegates to consider how to achieve the final steps of this treaty, and encourage nations to follow through on their commitments to destroy their chemical weapons. The topic also asks delegates to consider how to convince non- signatory nations to join with the treaty, and how to prevent nations from rebuilding chemical weapons.

Background Information: 1915: WW1 Germany was first to attack on large scale of chemical warfare against the French. 1925: Signed as result of public outrage, the Geneva Protocol, which prohibited the use of chemical weapons in warfare. 1980: Iran-Iraq war, Iraq used nerve gas against “human waves” of Iranian ground forces, killing up to 5,000 people. 1995: Sarin attacks in Japan, Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult in Japan started two attacks with nerve gas in Marsumoto Japan and the other in Tokyo subway. Killing a total of 20 people and injuring thousands. This refocused the world’s attention on the potential use of chemical arms by terrorists. 1997: Treaty banning chemical weapons, Congress has ordered the military to destroy all its munitions by the end of 2017. 2003: November India had destroyed 45% of its declared category 1 stockpile. 2009: India became the 3rd country to completely and honestly destroy all of its chemical weapons and associated facilities. 2013: Syrian Civil War in August the Syrian government was suspected of using chemical weapons against its civilians. U.S Secretary of State John Kerry said it was undeniable that chemical weapons had been used in the country and Syria had committed a moral obscenity against their own people. • The US has gone to many dangerous lengths to help destroy other countries chemical weapons. • By the middle of 2014 OPCW needs to have completed their mission of destroying these weapons. • Berlin exported more than 100 tons of potential ingredients for the deadly gas between 2002 and 2006. • Germany has backed US resolution urging strong sanctions against the Syrian regime for the August attack in Damascus suburb. Syrian regime denies responsibility for the attack.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution:

1) How is the UN going to honestly make sure these countries are destroying all the weapons? 2) What happens if there is an attack and we have no weapons? 3) Should any countries be able to keep any weapons? 4) Are we giving countries enough time to destroy all the weapons? 5) Can all the countries afford to destroy all the weapons? 6) Should we be risking US lives or peacekeepers life to help destroy these weapons? 7) How are they destroying these weapons?

Bibliography:

• http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/chemical-weapons-timeline/ • http://rt.com/news/germany-sarin-gas-syria-040/ • http://www.nti.org/country-profiles/india/chemical/ • http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/27/world/chemical-weapons-ban-may-suffer- for-lack-of-dues-from-treaty-s-parties.html • http://www.kyivpost.com/content/world/chemical-weapons-inspectors-to-return- to-libya-116732.html • http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-11-02-chemweapons- usat_x.htm • http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/chronicle/home/archive/issues2013/security/c hallengestobiosecurityfromadvancesinthelifesciences

Countering the Appeal of Terrorism Topic Summary: The roots of many international security issues can be found in the political and religious radicalization of individual citizens. Frequently poor, unemployed, and frustrated people consider joining extremist and often violent organizations as a way to change the circumstances that have left their lives in shambles. Sometimes, radicalization is the best way to feed a family. Others still come from more comfortable backgrounds, and are swayed to joining radical movements because they believe it is what is right. Sometimes radicalization takes the form of formal education, while other times, it takes the form of informal social learning.

This topic asks the Security Council to consider the circumstances which lead people to become threats to global security. The United Nations currently has two working groups tasked with reducing radicalization: The Working Group on Countering the Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes and the UNICRI Center on Policies to Counter the Appeal of Terrorism. Both programs have suffered from the lack of a clear definition of radicalization, and without significant financial resources, have made very little progress, focusing primarily on producing public reports and hosting conferences and roundtables on the issues.

Background Information: 2009: CTITF Working Group report discusses role of the internet in radicalizing terrorists. 2011: CTITF Working Group hosts conference in Riyadh to discuss the role the internet can play in spreading anti-terrorist messages. 2012: 11,000 radicalized foreign fighters join in fighting Syrian government 2013: The Hague issues comprehensive report on radicalization and de-radicalization.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1) How should the international community define “Radicalization” for the purposes of Your resolution? Are peaceful groups with extreme beliefs “radical”? What about violent groups that comprise the majority of citizens? 2) What kinds of radicalization are a threat to international peace and security, and which are not? 3) What are your recommendations for governments to support the deradicalization of ex- terrorists? 4) What are your recommendations for governments to prevent the radicalization of people in the first place? 5) What recommendations do you have regarding the Working Group on Countering the Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes and the UNICRI Center on Policies to Counter the Appeal of Terrorism?

Bibliography: http://www.informationng.com/2011/09/guest-post-are-bomb-attacks-here-to-stay-in- nigeria.html http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/prosecutors-seek-to-prove-hasans-growing- radicaliz/nZCfN/ http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/world/middleeast/worries-mount-as-syria-lures- wests-muslims.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 http://www.salon.com/2011/03/12/radicalization_explained/ http://www.brennancenter.org/publication/rethinking-radicalization http://www.arabnews.com/news/461849 https://www.un.org/en/terrorism/ctitf/proj_counteringappeal.shtml 32

http://www.un.org/en/terrorism/ctitf/wg_counteringinternet.shtml http://www.un.org/en/terrorism/ctitf/pdfs/ctitf_internet_wg_2009_report.pdf http://www.un.org/en/terrorism/ctitf/pdfs/ctitf_riyadh_conference_summary_recommendatio ns.pdf http://www.osce.org/odihr/39513 http://www.icct.nl/download/file/ICCT-Schmid-Radicalisation-De-Radicalisation-Counter- Radicalisation-March-2013.pdf http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1540895/Young-British-Muslims-getting-more- radical.html http://www.nbcnews.com/id/13733782/ns/world_news-islam_in_europe/#.UthFsrS_jbw

HISTORIC SECURITY COUNCIL

2014 TOPICS

The State Office will be in contact with members of the Historic Security Council with research materials and action steps.

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

2014 TOPICS

Agenda Determined by Cases Submitted

THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

Background

In 1920, the League of Nations approved the Statute of the Permanent World Court. Neither the United States nor the Soviet Union became parties to the statute, but the court did play a role in world affairs throughout its life (1920 - 1940). In 1945, the Permanent Court was reconstructed as the International Court of Justice by a statute annexed to the United Nations Charter. Thus, all United Nations members are parties to the statute.

Representation

Fifteen justices sit on the court. Ten positions are rotated, while five are always held by "The Big Five" (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States). When disputes involve parties not already represented on the Court, and "ad hoc" justice may be appointed by the unrepresented country to act as a full, voting member for that case.

Technically, the justices are to act as neutral arbitrators in all matters presented to them... All but the President, however, do represent a flag and thus, are concerned with serving their nation's best interests. In preparing for the conference, familiarize yourself with your country's stance on a wide range of international issues. Members of the Court are expected to strike a balance between serving their country and serving the international community. The more you know, the better justice you will be.

Functions and Powers

The basic function of the International Court is to decide in accordance with international law, such disputes as are submitted to it. Its jurisdiction comprises all cases on a truly international level that parties submit to it and all matters specifically provided for in the Charter of the United Nations. In resolving issues, the court is not limited to the suggestions made by the submitting parties. They can render any decision which they deem the best solution to the problem. The Court's power in enforcing its decisions is, however, limited. The strongest move the Court can make is recommending that the Security Council or the General Assembly take action against a nation.

Submitting Cases

To present a case to the ICJ, a party must prepare a memorial. The Memorials must contain (1) the submitting party's (applicant's) name and signature, (2) the responding party's name(s), (3) Claims of Fact, (4) Assertions of Law and (5) Prayers for Relief. All Memorials must be typed. An example is included in this booklet, in the "Guide to Delegate Preparation".

CLAIMS OF FACT This is a brief outline of issues and facts relevant to the case. The facts detail the events leading up to the dispute. Historical, legal and political research will aid the finding and stating of relevant facts. The facts must be truthful but may be stated in a manner favorable to the applicant

ASSERTIONS OF LAW These are the pertinent principles and laws in question. Examples of valid sources of law are international treaties, international conventions, customary law, previous ICJ decisions, United Nations resolutions and the works of noted international law writers and jurists.

PRAYERS FOR RELIEF This is the section where the submitting party asks the court to act in its favor and states its recommended action. Applicants generally request that the Court direct the Respondent to correct the wrong, recommend sanctions against the Respondent or declare what rights and duties exist between the disputing parties. Respondents generally request dismissal or seek counter-relief against Applicants.

Presentation of Cases

Each party has a designated amount of time to present its case. Judges may ask questions of the presenters at any time throughout the presentation. The basic format for presentation is 10 minutes for Applicant presentation, 10 minutes for Respondent presentation and 5 minutes for rebuttals per side. The format can be altered by the current Model Court.

Deliberation

Judges deliberate for as long as they deem necessary. No justices may leave during presentations of deliberations if they plan to vote on the case at hand. They may, however, participate in deliberations even if they have forfeited their vote.

Decisions of the Court

Voting is done in closed chambers by roll call. Official opinions must then be written for the majority opinion and for each dissenting opinion. The President will make the assignments. All opinions will be collected and announced in the General Assembly.

ECONOMIC & SOCIAL COUNCIL

2014 TOPICS

Human Waste Management Preparing for the AIDS Cure Literacy

ECOSOC Budget Exercise 2015-2016

Human Waste Management Topic Summary: The human population produces a significant amount of human waste every year. Solid waste (feces) liquid waste (urine) and medical waste (blood, used health care supplies) are all produced in nations throughout the world on a daily basis. Disposing of the waste is often done unsafely, with some solid waste disposed of in drinking water, and medical waste left in landfills. Each year, waterborne illnesses, caused in part by improper disposal of solid waste, is the single greatest cause of death in the world. In most years, more people are dying of infections and diseases caused by unsafe water than armed conflict. Despite this fact, discussion of sanitation practices as a focus of public conversations is rare in most places in the world. Either the topic is taboo and uncomfortable (discussing it requires talking about feces), or people are ignorant of the need for sanitation practices to improve public health.

While relatively safe human waste management guidelines have been developed by the international community, many nations have not made steps to improve public sanitation. In large part, this is due to lack of infrastructure and resources. The guidelines can’t be implemented successfully with a lack of equipment, lack of awareness, and lack of a mindful effort to safely dispose of waste.

Further, medical waste, like syringes and used bandages, sometimes show up in general landfills. Often in least developed countries, children are tasked with picking through landfills for food or metals (which can be sold). One wrong step or move, and these impoverished children can be stuck with needles and contract fatal diseases.

Finally, human waste can potentially be used as a good source of fertilizer for improving crop yields. In some nations, the practice of using solid waste as fertilizer has existed for centuries, while in others, the practice has never gained much ground. Sometimes cultural taboos prevent the practice. While the practice holds promise for helping to feed the world, mishandling of the waste may carry health risks.

Background Information: 2006: The World Health Organization publishes guidelines for safe disposal of human waste, and its use in food production 2009: WHO reports waterborne illnesses as the single greatest cause of world deaths 2011: World Health Organization publishes fact sheet regarding health-care waste management 2014: UN issues report on failing solid waste management system in India

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1. How can governments that lack resources and infrastructure provide sanitary and cost- effective methods of human waste disposal? 2. How can nations coordinate regarding international rivers, to preserve their potability? 3. How can the UN improve public awareness of safe human waste disposal methods? 4. How can healthcare waste (syringes, bandages, medical devices, blood, etc) be disposed of in nations which lack resources? 5. Should the UN encourage or discourage the practice of fertilizing fields with human waste?

Bibliography: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/wastewater/research_audience_fs.pdf?ua=1 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X13000032 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X12004205 http://www.rti.org/page.cfm/Waste_Management

http://www.unep.org/ietc/ourwork/wastemanagement/globalpartnershiponwastemanageme nt/tabid/56257/default.aspx http://www.unep.org/ietc/informationresources/solidwastemanagementpublication/tabid/7 9356/default.aspx http://www.irinnews.org/fr/report/99601/eco-friendly-medical-waste-disposal-in-nepal http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Solid-waste-management-system-a- failure-in-Varanasi-says-report/articleshow/29980955.cms http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/dsd_aofw_ni/ni_pdfs/NationalReports/korea/WasteManagement. pdf http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs281/en/

Preparing for the AIDS Cure

Topic Summary: Many advances towards a cure for HIV, and potentially AIDS are expected to come out in the near future. However, millions upon millions of people will need the cure immediately, and there will not be enough cure manufactured immediately to go around. This topic asks delegates to make exceedingly difficult ethical and logistic decisions when it comes to UN and UN partner organizations delivering the AIDs cure to nations in need. A lot of pressures could be exerted politically upon nations if threats to not receive the cure were place on them with conditions, one of the few ways the UN could actually create pressure for change, but many nations might disagree on the morality of such a plan.

Background Information: First of all be aware of terminology of the disease: HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. Unlike some other viruses, the human body cannot get rid of HIV. That means that once you have HIV, you have it for life. (5)

• 1981: First reported cases of AIDs. On June 5, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publish Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), describing cases of a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), in five young, previously healthy, gay men in Los Angeles. The report described GRID (Gay-related immune deficiency) and later be known as AIDS. • 1987: A new treatment emerges that is hailed as the first significant step in responding to HIV. • 1990s: Many countries all over the world launched campaigns warned against being afraid of AIDs and advocated education. • 1991: British actor Jeremy Irons wore a small red ribbon to the Tony Awards; the red ribbon became the international symbol for AIDs. • 1993: The First World AIDs Day. • 1996: At the XI International AIDS Conference in Vancouver, Canada, researchers announce new developments in HIV treatment. However, a year later scientists find that HIV ‘hides’ in reservoirs in the body, making the virus impossible to totally eliminate with current therapies, highlighting that AIDS would remain a chronic disease, at best. • 1997: UNAIDS launches the HIV Drug Access Initiative in Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire, representing the first introduction of antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa. The first people receive treatment in Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire in early 1998 and in Chile later this year. • 2000: In January, the UN Security Council discussed the health issue for the first time. Six months later, the Council passes Resolution 1308, emphasizing the threat to security posed by AIDS and drew attention to the need for treatment, especially in the case of military personnel “where appropriate.” • March: UNAIDS and WHO announce a joint agreement with five pharmaceutical companies to reduce the prices of antiretroviral drugs. • May: UNAIDS launches the Accelerating Access Initiative, stimulating the development of treatment plans in 39 countries. • 2001: UN Commission on Human Rights resolves the access to treatment is essential to the full realization of the right to health. • June: the first UN General Assembly Special Session on AIDS takes place. The Declaration of Commitment is the first internationally agreed, time-bound set of goals which is based on indicators of progress. • 2002:WHO publishes the first edition of its guidelines for HIV treatment in resource-limited settings.

• 2003: WHO Director-General Lee Jong-wook officially launches the “3 by 5” Initiative. • 2010: UNAIDS set targets, called UNAIDS Strategy 2011-2015, for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and to halt and reverse the spread of HIV and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development goals by 2015.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1) Are some nations deserving of not receiving aids cures? 2) Should the UN spend a great deal more money to save people immediately, or wait until the cost of the cure is reduced before purchasing aids cures, even if it means more people will die in the immediate future. 3) Should some people be prioritized for reducing an aids cure over others (which people are at the greatest risk: the young, the raped, the people who get it from to a blood transfusion, those who have the money to pay for it?) 4) What nations should be prioritized? 5) Should nations where it is easier to administrate (stable, richer nations) be prioritized over nations where is it harder to administer (poorer, unstable nations) or vice versa? 6) Should nations with human rights violations be kept from keeping the aids cure? 7) Should certain regions be prioritized within nations (urban vs. rural, places UN is already operating vs. newer places for example)

Bibliography http://www.who.int/hiv/aboutdept/strategy_consultation/en/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/04/health/timeline-hiv-aids-moments/ http://www.unaids.org/en/ http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/aids.shtml http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/index.html http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/unaidspublication/2011 /20110607_JC2069_30Outlook_en.pdf http://americablog.com/2013/07/hiv-aids-cure-bone-marrow-transplant.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/aids-cure http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/26/how-a-trade-fight- with-india-could-keep-the-next-aids-cure-out-of-reach/ http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/08/10/does-a-malawian-herb-cure-hiv-africa-check- knows-the-answer/ http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/807518 http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/499445/20130816/hiv-cure-new-drug-targets-immune- system.htm#.UhY94z-k8YJ http://www.medicaldaily.com/brazilian-scientists-test-new-aids-vaccine-hoping-hivbr18- ends-global-pandemic-249353

Literacy Topic Summary: Traditionally, literacy is defined as the ability to read and write. The exact definition of literacy varies from country to country. As does the exact specified age determined that a person must be literate. It is an important foundation of a developed country, as literacy rates tend to be higher in developed societies. Literacy is an extremely essential component to further develop the advancement of a society. Literacy is used as a means to empower and improve an individual's’ connection and contribution to society. And thus helping improve the overall quality of the society and nation. Literacy is crucial to advancing economically for countries. And literacy helps improve an individual’s ability to communicate with the world around him/her.

Background Information: • 1946: UNESCO establishes an Education Committee focusing on the promotion of ‘Fundamental Education’ which is later developed into an action program. The idea of fundamental introduces a broader concept of education, which recognizes that while not everyone can access formal schooling, each person should have the right to knowledge and skills as essential conditions for living better lives. • 1957: UNESCO issues the ‘World Illiteracy at Mid-Century’ report, the first attempt to present statistical evidence on the extent of illiteracy in every country and territory of the world. • 1958: UNESCO publishes an issue of the UNESCO Courier on literacy, featuring selected writings from well-known experts of the time who expose the scale of the problem and the challenges the world faces. • 1965: On the recommendation of the World Conference of Ministers on the Eradication of Illiteracy, the concept of functional literacy is introduced. This approach is integrated into several UNESCO programs, notably the Experimental World Literacy Program (1967-1973), jointly led with UNDP. • 1975: UNESCO conducts the International Symposium for Literacy and adopts the Persepolis Declaration. Literacy is proclaimed to be not just “the process of learning the skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, but a contribution to the liberation of man and to his full development”. • 1990: Proclaimed International Literacy Year by the UN General Assembly based on a decision adopted in December 1987, this year gives impetus to UNESCO to highlight the critical role of literacy in the World Declaration on Education for All and the Framework for Action to Meet Basic Learning Needs adopted by the World Conference on Education for All (Jomtien, Thailand). • 2000: The international community adopts the Dakar Framework for Action at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal, convened by UNESCO. The Organization is mandated to coordinate global efforts in meeting six goals which recognize the fundamental role of literacy. The two principal goals are meeting the basic learning needs of youth and adults through the functional literacy approach and reducing adult illiteracy rates by 50%. • 2003: UNESCO takes the lead of the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-2012) which envisions Literacy for All. Throughout the decade, UNESCO takes actions to increase the numbers of those who are literate. The Literacy Initiative for Empowerment is the main instrument for reaching this objective.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: • What more can the UN do to improve global literacy? • How can education programs in nations which lack financial resources be funded? • How can the UN incorporate new technology into their Literacy Goals?

Bibliography • For International Literacy Day, UN flags key role of reading and writing in global peace. UN Global Education First Initiative “United Nations Secretary General's Global Initiative on Education “International Literacy Day. Retrieved December 26, 2013, from http://www.globaleducationfirst.org/165.htm

• Literacy Milestones | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Literacy Milestones | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved December 25, 2013, from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/education-building- blocks/literacy/literacy-milestones/

• Literacy | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Literacy | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved December 25, 2013, from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/education-building- blocks/literacy/

• UN Literacy Decade | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UN Literacy Decade | Education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved December 26, 2013, from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/education-building- blocks/literacy/un-literacy-decade/

• United Nations Literacy Decade: Education for All (2003-2012). Public Libraries of New Zealand. Retrieved December 26, 2013, from http://www.publiclibrariesofnewzealand.org.nz/article/united-nations-literacy- decade-education-all-2003-2012

• United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics. United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics. Retrieved December 25, 2013, from http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/socind/illiteracy.htm

ECOSOC Budget Exercise 2015-2016 Topic Summary: Each year, ECOSOC must pass the United Nations Operating Budget for the following year. It is passed on the last day of the conference. The budget details 14 categories of spending to which the UN allocates funding, including a number of special projects to consider funding (some of which are asked for by resolutions passed on other committees at the conference. The 14 budget Categories include:

1) International Labour Organization (ILO) 2) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 3) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 4) Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 5) World Food Programme (WFP) 6) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 7) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) 8) United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) 9) United Nations High Commission on Refugees 10) United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees 11) World Health Organization (WHO) 12) Other Agencies (including IDA, IFC, MIGA, ICAO, UPU, ITU, WMO, IMO, WIPO, IFAD, IAEA, GATT, and, UNIDO) 13) Discretionary Funds 14) Special Projects

This year, thanks to efforts by last year’s ECOSOC, the budget has grown slightly, and delegates must consider how to best spend the additional funds.

Background Information: 2011: United Nations passes leaner 2012-2013 budget 2012: United States ceases paying UN dues for UNESCO, citing the UN decision to make Palestine a member of UNESCO, creating a large budget shortfall 2012: ECOSOC significantly cuts all programs 2013: ECOSOC partially funds program to combat persecution of children as witches 2013: ECOSOC allocates 24 million dollars of budget to eliminating administrative redundancies, slightly increasing budget size for 2014. 2013: ECOSOC makes cuts to all programs, resulting from a 1 percent decline in revenue from UN Dues.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1) Delegates must appropriate a sum of money for each of the 14 categories. 2) Each organization is requesting more money than they received last year. 3) The total sum of money appropriated may not exceed the 2015-2016 projected budget. 4) The budget must include recommendations for spending to consider discontinuing by next year’s ECOSOC.

Bibliography: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/25/us-un-budget-idUSTRE7BO01A20111225 http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/08/us-loses-unesco- vote/3473381/

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

2014 TOPICS Media Censorship Freedom of Worship Death Penalty for Criminal Youth Special Procedures

Media Censorship

Topic Summary: Media censorship refers to any content of any form of media or information sharing to the masses that is censored, completely or partially, by those with governmental authority where said media source is. In 2010, the United Nations claimed media censorship as a human right, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference subsequently was given the right to impose censorship to further promote Muslim religious tolerance. Similar ideas exist in China, where the media is often censored depending on its allegiance towards the current government. There are also instances in which foreign reporters, journalists, and media delegates being denied entry into certain nations or areas because of the imposed media censorship. Although media censorship is a declared human right, it can also be argued that not only is it a human right for people to be informed but also it is justifiable for journalists and reporters to be assured their safety.

Background Information: · 6/18/2010: The United Nations declares the censorship of media to be a human right with its decision that the Organization of the Islamic Conference has the right to censor media to further promote Muslim tolerance. ·5/2/2012: The Committee to Protect Journalists ranks North Korea as the second most censored country, behind Eritrea, because of its continued secrecy and nationalization of all domestic news sources.

Issues to be Addressed in Resolution: 1) To which end can nations censor the media without interfering with the expression of citizens’ personal beliefs? 2) What can be done to maintain a truthful media, while still considering the reasons why media is often censored? 3) While recognizing the jurisdiction of individual nations over their media, how can an effective agreement be reached over shared media and information?

Bibliography http://www.cfr.org/china/media-censorship-china/p11515 http://www.dallasblog.com/201006181006696/dallas-blog/un-calls-censorship-a-human- right.html http://www.cpj.org/reports/2012/05/10-most-censored-countries.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship http://media.about.com/od/mediaethics/a/How-Media-Censorship-Affects-The-News.htm

Freedom of Worship

Topic Summary: Freedom of worship is a consistently recognized human right by the international community that remains in jeopardy in many nations in the world. Either through nations which enforce a particular state religion on their citizenry, or nations that ban certain specific religions out of concern over those religion’s tendency to incite political revolution, many people throughout the world are either prohibited from practicing their religions, or forced to practice in secret.

In other cases, small minority religions are ignored by mainstream legislation, inadvertently criminalizing religious practices. In other cases still, the practice of minority religions is legally permitted, but strongly discouraged by the population of a nation itself. From time to time violence is used by mobs to punish those practicing unpopular religions

Background Information: 1948: Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” 2010-2011: The Arab Spring causes many Arab nations to tighten restrictions on religious expression. 2014: Pew Research issues report finding that global religious hostilities are at a 6 year high

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1) Should nations still be condemned for violating freedom to worship? 2) If so, which nations will you condemn in your resolution? 3) Are there legitimate reasons to prohibit freedom of worship for some religions? 4) What should be done to encourage nations who violate freedom of worship to change their policies?

Bibliography: • http://www.pewforum.org/category/publications/restrictions-on-religion/ • http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/religion/ • http://iiss.berkeley.edu/files/2011/06/Brice-Dickson-The-United-Nations-and- Freedom-of-Religion-1.pdf • http://iiss.berkeley.edu/files/2011/06/Freedom-of-Religion-UN-and-European- Human-Rights-Law-and-Practice.pdf • http://iiss.berkeley.edu/files/2011/06/Freedom-of-Religion-UN-and-European- Human-Rights-Law-and-Practice.pdf • http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/World.php?id=5754 • http://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/02/28/un-releases-report-on-freedom-of- religion-in-cyprus/ • http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2329451&language=en • http://www.citifmonline.com/index.php?id=1.287154.1.359921 • http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

Death Penalty for Criminal Youth

Topic Summary: Though there are guidelines for how to treat juvenile delinquencies in the United Nations, it would help to look further to see whether or not capital punishment would be applicable to youth. The UN condemned the use of capital punishment for juvenile criminals, though it seems that more action must be taken to directly solve the issue.

Background Information: • 1989: United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child • 1999: Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, made a statement during a press conference expressing desire to universally abolish capital punishment • 2007 & 2012: General Assembly passed a resolution eliminating capital punishment for felons under the age of 18 and for women who were pregnant

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1) Should capital punishment apply to criminal youth? 2) Which crimes would apply, or what are alternatives to capital punishment? 3) What happens if nations do not follow this guideline? 4) What separates the human right for youth to live, but not adults in the case of capital punishment?

Bibliography: • http://www.unodc.org/pdf/criminal_justice/Compendium_UN_Standards_and_Norms_C P_and_CJ_English.pdf • http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=43980&#.UflKbY3VCSo • http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/united-nations • http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44217&Cr=death+penalty&Cr1=#. UwJDrvldXTo • http://www.globalgovernancewatch.org/human_rights/the-united-nations- convention-on-the-rights-of-the-child • http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/death-penalty/international-death- penalty/death-penalty-and-human-rights-standards

Special Procedures Topic Summary: In addition to passing resolutions on Human Rights topics, the United Nations Human Rights Council employs a variety of people whom anyone with a human rights grievance may contact. When contacted, the special rapporteur or expert can choose to do a fact- finding mission to determine if there are human rights violations present. After the mission, special rapporteurs generate reports for the UN Security Council. Employing special rapporteurs is expensive, requiring offices all over the world, security, travel, and wages. Currently, the UN has 34 special Rapporteurs and experts, whose job it is to do fact- finding missions for human rights abuses either in specific countries, or around specific themes. The current list is as follows:

Countries and territories • Burundi - Fatsah Ouguergouz, Independent Expert on Human Rights (2010– ) • Cambodia - Surya Prasad Subedi, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Human Rights (2009– ) • Eritrea - Sheila B. Keetharuth (Special Rapporteur on human rights 2013- ) • Haiti - Michel Forst, Independent Expert on human rights (2008– ) • Myanmar - Tomas Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on human rights (2010– ) • North Korea - Marzuki Darusman, Special Rapporteur on human rights (2010– ) • Palestinian Territories - Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on human rights (1993– xxxx),[citation needed] (March 26, 2008– )[4] • Somalia - Shamsul Bari, Independent Expert on human rights (2008– ) • Sudan - Mohamed Chande Othman, Special Rapporteur on human rights (2005– ) • Iran - Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights (2011- )[5][6]

Themes • Adequate Housing - Raquel Rolnik (2008– ) • Contemporary Forms of Slavery Gulnara Shahinian (2007– ) • Cultural Rights Farida Shaheed (2009-) • Democratic and Equitable International Order - Alfred-Maurice de Zayas (2012-)[7] • Education - Kishore Singh (2008– ) • Effects of Economic Reform Policies and Foreign Debt on Human Rights - Cephas Lumina (2008– ) • Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary executions - Christof Heyns (2008– ) • Extreme Poverty and Human Rights - Magdalena Sepúlveda (2011 -) [8][9] • Right to Food - Olivier De Schutter (2008– ) • Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and of Association - Maina Kiai (2011– ) • Freedom of Opinion and Expression - Frank William La Rue (2008– ) • Freedom of Religion or Belief - Heiner Bielefeldt (2010– ) • Human Rights Defenders - Margaret Sekaggya (2008– ) • Independence of Judges and Lawyers - Gabriela Carina Knaul de Albuquerque e Silva (2008– ) • Minority Issues - Rita Izsak (2011– ) • Physical and Mental Health - Anand Grover (2007– ) • Promotion of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Guarantees of Non-Recurrence - Pablo de Greiff (2012- ) • Protecting Human Rights while Countering Terrorism - Martin Scheinin (2005–2011) Ben Emmerson (2011-) • Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance - Githu Muigai (2008– ) • Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography - Najat M’jid Maala (2008– ) • Torture - Juan E. Méndez (2008– ) 50

• Trafficking in Persons - Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (2008– ) • Violence against Women - Rashida Manjoo (2009– ) • Human Rights and Access to Safe Drinking water and Sanitation - Catarina de Albuquerque (2008- ) • Human Rights and International Solidarity - Rudi Muhammad Rizki (2005– ) • Human Rights and the Illicit Movement of Toxic Waste - Calin Georgescu (2008– ) • Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises - John Ruggie (2005– ) • Human Rights of Indigenous People - James Anaya (2008– ) • Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons - Chaloka Beyani (2010– ) • Human Rights of Migrants - François Crépeau (2011– ) • Human Rights and the Environment - to be determined (2012- )

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution 1) First, due to budget cuts made by ECOSOC last year, only 31 positions can currently be funded. As a result the HRC needs to cut at least 3 special Rapporteurs and Experts. This means going through a process of prioritizing human rights issues, and countries. 2) Second, delegates will have to consider adding newly proposed special rapporteur positions from the following 2 lists:

Proposed Countries: Nigeria China DRC Yemen Iraq Afghanistan Pakistan

Proposed Themes: Human rights and sexual minorities Human rights and privacy Human rights and refugees Human right to internet access Human right to participation in government Huamn rights and the disabled

Any new positions will require delegates to make additional cuts from the existing list. There can only be 31 Special Rapporteurs and Experts total.

MONDALE GENERAL ASSEMBLY (Grades 9 – 12)

MONDALE GA COMMITTEES

Political & Security Economic & Financial Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Legal Special Political Administrative

ANDERSON GENERAL ASSEMBLY (Grades 7 - 8)

ANDERSON GA COMMITTEES

Political & Security Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Special Political

POLITICAL & SECURITY COMMITTEE

2014 TOPICS

Electoral Security Drone Surveillance Security of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Electoral Security Topic Summary: Electoral security refers to figuring out the best possible practice that demonstrates measurable results in achieving conflict prevention, management, or mediation in democratic elections. One particular challenge to nations that are recently democratized face is maintaining this security during their elections. Individuals supporting a non- democratic faction or simply other criminal organizations can seek to destabilize or sway either the rule of law for elections or pose fatal threats to those voting at election stations. While most election topics at the UN focus on preventing voter fraud, ballot box stuffing, or overseeing elections for legitimacy, this topic will focus on the explicit safety of nations that have elections that may be under a physical threat.

Background Information: · 10/10/1990: The recently empowered Provisional Government of Haiti formally requested the UN to observe its upcoming electoral process that would take place that December. The UN sent both electoral experts and security observers to provide a presence at all voting stations during the elections. Haiti saw the first round of elections go without incident and, for the first time in their history, the Haitian people were able to freely participate in their own country’s elections.

· 6/24/2005: Afghanistan experienced widespread corruption and threats during their latest election in which many members of the Taliban or various regional drug trafficking organizations either threatened other candidates to not accept their nominations or would run themselves in order to gain impunity from parliamentary immunity. The UN Security Council addressed this situation by calling for an increase in illicit drug control efforts.

· 8/20/2013: The people of Mali experienced a successful presidential election season without incident, thanks to the UN Mission in Mali, which provided both a logistical and technical presence at all voting stations.

· 6/4/2007: Timor-Leste received several units of troops from the UN sanctioned International Stabilization Force after two separate shootings were reported near voting stations. The rest of the election process and all candidates involved were left unharmed and without further incident after the UN stepped in.

Issues to be addressed in a Resolution: · What guidelines should the Security Council use while selecting which nations need electoral security assistance from the UN? · What can be done to improve electoral security, other than just sending peacekeeping troops? · When should the UN determine a nation is no longer in need of electoral security assistance from the UN? · When in conflict, due to the event of a lack of funding, should the UN prioritize electoral security or legitimacy? If only one can be achieved.

Bibliography: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/sc8428.doc.htm http://www.un.org/rights/micivih/rapports/crisis.htm http://www.unmultimedia.org/s/photo/detail/975/0097589.html http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2496/Electoral_Security_Best_Practice s_USAID.pdf http://africacenter.org/security/topic/electoral-security/

Drone Surveillance Topic Summary: Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles typically used for security and surveillance purposes. Someone on the ground controls the vehicle remotely, while the drone gathers photos and other surveillance information. They are preferred by some militaries because they do not put pilots in immediate danger and are also usually cheaper than man-flown aircraft. Surveillance over sovereign nations without the permission of the nation-state being surveyed constitutes an act of espionage, which was recently declared as acceptable by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Further, the United Nations itself has begun using drones for surveillance over central, to monitor activities in the DRC. Drone surveillance has even been used to effectively fight poaching and preserve endangered species. On the other hand, not all countries are comfortable with using drones, fearing a loss of national sovereignty as foreign governments invade their airspace to spy. Attacks by drones, almost exclusively from the United States, have caused thousands of accidental civilian deaths, especially in Yemen and Pakistan. Further, the use of drones for military strikes on targets has been declared illegal by every nation in the United Nations General Assembly, with the sole exception of the United States. Others are concerned that the use of drones emotionally disengages the military from combat, leading to more unjustified violence and warrantless death.

Background Information: 1973: First unmanned battlefield vehicle developed by Israel 2004: United States begins Drone strikes in Pakistan 2013: UN calls for drone strikes to comply with international law 2013: UN launches first ever drone to monitor the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2014: European Union declares intent to use drones to monitor Central African Republic

Issues to be addressed in a Resolution: 1. Should drones be allowed to be used for surveillance purposes? If so, when? If not, what can be done to discourage nations from using drones for surveillance? 2. What should be done about the UN’s use of drones for surveillance? 3. Should the use of drones for military strikes be allowed? If so, when? If not, what can be done to discourage nations from using drones?

Bibliography: http://www.voanews.com/content/drones-un-congo/1690092.html http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25056-elephants-and-rhinos-benefit-from-drone- surveillance.html#.UwFm1IX8gVA http://rt.com/news/un-chief-drones-surveillance-439/ http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1003225 http://blog.oup.com/2013/11/drone-technology-international-humanitarian-human-rights- law/ http://www.nation.com.pk/national/19-Dec-2013/un-general-assembly-adopts- unanimous-resolution-against-drones-strikes http://tribune.com.pk/story/647672/un-passes-resolution-against-drone-strikes- unanimously/ http://www.dawn.com/news/1075064/un-calls-for-drone-strikes-to-comply-with- international-law http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=46650&Cr=democratic&Cr1=congo#.UwF vuoX8gVC http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-eu-force-to-create-safe-haven-in-central-african- republic/1851004.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/10632262/EU-spent-320-million- on-surveillance-drone-development.html 56

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/23/obama-drone-program- anniversary_n_4654825.html

Security of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Topic Summary: Weapons of mass destruction pose a threat to millions of lives in most nations throughout the world. In its mission to promote global peace, the UN consistently seeks the reduction and elimination of weapons of mass destruction. However, for many nations, weapons of mass destruction continue to be held, and securing them becomes a matter of concern. The threat of a terrorist infiltration of a facility housing weapons of mass destruction, and the threat of those weapons being used against a major civilian population is one of the most terrifying circumstances imagined by the international community. Most nations have fairly good security for their weapons, but some nations which hold weapons of mass destruction, most notably Pakistan, have been labeled as security threats by the international community. For example, in 2012, terrorists stormed a Pakistani Air Base in which nuclear weapons were stored. While no weapons were taken, the fear over the potential for other attacks against other targets has been at the forefront of international security concerns.

Background Information: 1942: Manhattan Project begins creation of nuclear weapons 1945: Roughly 200,000 people killed in the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1968: Non-Proliferation Treaty created by the UN to discourage the production of Nuclear weapons 2012: Pakistani Air Base housing nuclear weapons attacked by terrorist organization 2013: US Congressional Research Service publishes report expressing concern over security of Pakistani stockpiles 2013: UN encourages governments to cooperate in preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction 2013: Pakistan Expresses confidence that its nuclear stockpiles are safe.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1) What should be done to improve the security of nations which currently have weapons of mass destruction? 2) Should any nations exempt from these improvements? 3) Should the UN assist the WMD security of nations currently pursuing WMDs, even if the acquisition of nuclear weapons by those nations runs counter to the goals of the UN? 4) How can security be improved for nations which refuse to allow UN personal into their weapons facilities? 5) Does providing support and guidelines for protecting weapons of mass destruction encourage more nations to acquire these weapons?

Bibliography: This one shows a number of nations’ and organizations’ explicit replies to the measures supported by the UN to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/68/164 http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/lugar-expresses-optimism-concern-future-wmd-security/ http://www.cnas.org/node/23 http://nnsa.energy.gov/aboutus/ourprograms/nonproliferation/controllingwmdmaterialsexp ertise http://www.un.org/disarmament/WMD/SGReport_Terrorism/ http://legalworkshop.org/2010/09/24/combating-terrorism-and-wmd-proliferation-not- at-the-u-n-security-council http://www.nonproliferation.eu/documents/nonproliferationpapers/brunotertrais5010305e 17790.pdf 58

http://www.rferl.org/content/how-safe-is-pakistans-nuclear-arsenal/24681549.html http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/amid-us-concern-pakistan-confident-nukes- secure/story?id=20168392 http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RL34248.pdf

ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL COMMITTEE

2014 TOPICS

Youth Unemployment Mass Bribery of Public Employees Unions in Developing Countries

Youth Unemployment

Topic Summary: Many youth worldwide are struggling with finding formal employment opportunities, or are paid very low wages when they are working. In both developing and developed countries, there are gaps between formal education and employment. Youth in this case are usually between 15-24 years of age. According to the International Labor Organization, “young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and almost 73 million youth worldwide are looking for work”. The ILO has cautioned and warned of a damaged generation of young workers facing a dangerous mix of high unemployment, increased inactivity and hazardous work in developed countries, as well as persistently high working poverty in the developing world. This could potentially lead to an economic crisis with a generation with little work experience, or opportunities to actually live a prosperous and developed life. Youth unemployment has many long-term penalties for the individual and for their country. Some individual consequences involve finding employment in unrelated or unfulfilling tracks. For some countries, high youth unemployment causes youth to leave the country in search of employment. High youth unemployment has also led to social unrest and political revolutions.

Background Information: • 2000: UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, first proposes the Youth Employment Network. Following the Secretary-General’s initiative, Heads of State and Government, meeting at the Millennium Summit resolve to "develop and implement strategies that give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work." The Youth Employment Network becomes a vehicle for mobilizing action around the Millennium Commitment on decent and productive work for young people. The ILO agrees to host the secretariat of the YEN. • 2001: Kofi Annan appoints a High-Level Panel of twelve experts and practitioners on youth employment to advise on youth employment policy and mobilize support for youth employment worldwide. The High Level Panel produces a set of policy recommendations focusing on four global priorities for youth employment: Employability, Equal opportunities, Entrepreneurship, and Employment creation; youth participation; the promotion of Lead countries, and the preparation of national action plans on youth employment. The UN General Assembly adopts a resolution on promoting youth employment which translates the strategic vision of the High-Level Panel into a strong and focused intergovernmental mandate. This resolution encourages all UN Member States to prepare national action plans on youth employment and invites the YEN to prepare a global analysis and evaluation of these action plans. • 2002: YEN secretariat is established, hosted by the ILO (Geneva). The Swedish International Development Agency provides funding to support the work of the secretariat. Three countries volunteer to become YEN Lead Countries: Indonesia, Namibia and Sri Lanka. • 2003: First YEN Newsletter produced. The number of Lead countries increases to seven: Azerbaijan, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Namibia, Senegal and Sri Lanka. • 2004: The YCG is launched to act as an advisory body to the YEN. It comprises 13 representatives of international and regional youth organizations and is working to represent the concerns of young people on the function, direction and priorities of the YEN. It interacts with the HLP and provides input into decision making processes. 1st YEN Lead Country Meeting is held in Lubbock, Germany. Iran, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda join the YEN. YEN receives support from German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to coordinate NAP development

in two Lead countries – Senegal and Sri Lanka and conduct a global inventory of good practices on youth employment. • 2005: A High-Level Dialogue with Partners of the YEN on "Bringing Youth Employment into the International Development Agenda" is held in Geneva, with funding from the World Bank. 2nd YEN Lead Country Meeting, hosted by Jamaica, is held in New York during the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The focus of the meeting is to discuss progress in formulating and implementing National Action Plans, identifying political, technical, and financial keys to overcome youth employment challenges. The YEN increases to 17 Lead Countries. D R Congo, Ecuador, Jamaica, Syria, Uganda and UK join. • 2006: Swedish International Development Agency renews its support to the work of the secretariat for a further three years. The YEN secretariat expands, opening an office to address youth employment issues in West Africa (YEN-WA). The office is hosted by United Nations Office for West Africa in Dakar, Senegal and is supported by UK funding. YEN’s High Level Panel fulfils its mandate. Two more countries join the YEN: Georgia, Turkey. • 2007: YENs Youth Consultative Group (YCG) launches “Joining Forces with Young People: A Practical Guide to Collaboration for Youth Employment”, a tool to facilitate young peoples’ participation in youth employment policy-making, at the UN General Assembly. • 2008: 3rd Lead Country Meeting is held in Geneva on “Establishing Benchmarks for successful Youth Employment Policies/Programs”, supported by the UK government. Participants include representatives of the Ministries of Labor and technicians playing a key role in designing and implementing National Action Plans (NAPs) and employment and evaluation specialists from the World Bank and International Labor Organization (ILO). The UK government renews it financial support to YEN-WA for a third year. The Report of the status of NAPs in YEN Lead Countries is updated; 7 countries are in the development stage; 1 has drafted the NAP, 6 are at the implementation phase and 1 country is in the process of evaluating their NAP. • 2009: YEN and ILO sign a $23 million agreement with the Danish Lead Africa Commission to deliver support to young entrepreneurs in East Africa (Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya). 4th Lead County meeting is held in Lusaka, Zambia on "Benchmarking and Best Practices in Youth Employment". The event is sponsored by the Commonwealth Youth Program, the ILO and the UK Department for Work and Pensions. 17 countries renew their commitment.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: • How can job skills and training be improved for young people? • Why aren’t there enough jobs for young people? • How can youth unemployment be reduced while not crowding out older people who currently have jobs or lack jobs? • How can security be maintained for disaffected, unemployed younger people?

Bibliography:

• "ANC Youth League." ANC Youth League. http://www.ancyl.org.za/show.php?id=5525 (accessed January 8, 2014).

• "Informal, poorly paid and unemployed: The reality of work for most youth in developing countries." Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013: http://ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_212917/lang-- en/index.htm (accessed January 8, 2014).

• "Spotlight on US Youth." Spotlight on US Youth. http://www.ilo.org/washington/ilo- and-the-united-states/spot-light-on-the-us-labor-market/spot-light-on-us- youth/lang--en/index.htm (accessed January 7, 2014). 62

• "Youth Employment Network Timeline." Youth Employment Network Timeline. http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/yen/about/timeline.htm (accessed January 8, 2014).

• "Youth employment." Youth employment. http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/youth- employment/lang--en/index.htm (accessed January 8, 2014).

• "Youth unemployment crisis needs urgent attention." United Nations Multimedia, Radio, Photo and Television. http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/2013/06/youth-unemployment-crisis- needs-urgent-attention/ (accessed January 8, 2014).

Mass Bribery of Public Employees

Topic Summary: Grafting, or political corruption and bribery, enforces illegal economic and social actions. It is highly condemned in the United Nations, though there are many nations which do not enforce much action against grafting. As a result, money earmarked for humanitarian aid or development is illegally spent elsewhere. Political corruption is defined as “the use of power by government officials for illegitimate private gain.” This includes bribery of public officials. Countries with relatively unstable governments are more prone to corruption.

Background Information: • 4 December 2000: The General Assembly recognized an effective international laws against corruption, were desirable and decided to establish a committee for the negotiation of such laws in Vienna at the headquarters of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. • 31 October 2003: the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Convention entered into force in December 2005. • 31 October 2003: The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti- Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1) How can the UN help lower the use of bribery, especially among public employees who are being put in danger through illegal actions? 2) How can the UN encourage countries to actually implement rules against grafting and bribery? 3) What actions need to be taken to enforce/punish graft and bribery? 4) How can nations which lack resources police bribery among its public employees

Bibliography: http://www.antigraft.org/pages/un-treaties-and-resolutions http://nigeriannewspapers.disnaija.com/guardian-nigeria/un-body-wants-nigeria-to- implement-rules-against-graft/ http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/785909.shtml#.UflMsI3VCSo http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-corrupt-countries-in-the-world-2013-12 http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/

Unions in Developing Countries Topic Summary: Developing countries face a much different battle over the existence of unions than the United States and other western powers. Some researchers and politicians believe that unions in developing countries have adverse effects. For example, differences between union and non-union labor wages are large and create a disparity in how much workers are making. This effect is debatable with some arguing unions will naturally protect workers in developing countries. Unionism has also been argued to create a higher share of compensation with higher productivity. However, it would unrealistic to think that developing countries could replicate unions like those in the United States or other more economically developed nations.

Background Information: Labor unions arose as a way for workers to organize around the mid 1800’s. In the U.S. labor unions have been both strengthened and at times dismantled by various policies. Economists have been split over whether labor unions have a substantial effect on worker protection or if simply result in fewer jobs at higher wages. The International Labor Organization was formed in 1919 in the League of Nations and eventually became a part of the UN. In the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights articles 23 and 24 deal with workers rights including a clause stating every worker has the right to form trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Issues to be addressed in a Resolution: 1. Are unions beneficiary to developing nations? 2. If so, how can the UN help support the creation of successful labor unions in developing nations? 3. If not, how can the UN help discourage the formation of unions in developing nations without causing political unrest? 3. Is it possible to create labor unions that are still culturally and ethically acceptable to the nations developing them?

Bibliography: http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/71508/george-c-lodge/labors-role-in-newly- developing-countries http://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/book/10.1596/1813-9450-1469 http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-landmark-victory-domestic- workers http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-chen/ban-ki-moon-accused-of- un_b_3943475.html http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/20029387?uid=18709&uid=3739736&uid=2&uid =3&uid=18708&uid=5911192&uid=67&uid=62&uid=3739256&sid=21103462899803 http://www.nber.org/papers/w14789.pdf http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/71508/george-c-lodge/labors-role-in-newly- developing-countries http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2010/dec/09/trade- union-workers-rights-development

SOCIAL, HUMANITARIAN & CULTURAL COMMITTEE

2014 TOPICS

Restrictions on Adoptions Honor Killings Dying Languages

Restrictions on Adoption Topic Summary: Each nation has a different policy or restriction regarding adoption. Many of these restrictions are related to age, marital status, and religion of the parent(s) who are trying to adopt a child. There is often a lack of shared data, which creates limitations in thoroughly assessing prospective parents. Further, some nations explicitly ban international adoptions from some or all foreign countries. Recently, the Russian Federation banned the adoption of any children by parents living in the United States. Adoption is important for ensuring that children can grow up in homes that give them good opportunities and compassion, but many nations worry about foreign adoption as a threat to the size and stability of their populations. Further, domestic adoption policies can make it extremely difficult for couples to adopt within their own country, while the policy for foreign adoptions can be far too easy in comparison, especially in India.

Background Information: 1986: UN Declaration Relating to the Welfare of Children affirms the right of a child to grow up securely, wherever possible, with parents. 1989: UN Convention on the Rights of the Child requires that states ensure that adoptions are authorized only by competent authorities, and not be used for financial gain 1993: The Hague Adoption Convention requires states to authorized adoptions through their own central adoption agencies, rather than through private adoption agencies, which were notorious for fraud. 2012: Irish couples and Mexican women discovered in illegal child smuggling adoption scheme 2013: US-based international adoption organization VFAS discovered misrepresenting children’s adoptive status to speed up their adoption into the United States

Issues to be addressed in a Resolution: 1. When, if ever, is it permissible for a state to ban a foreign nation from adopting children who live in that state? 2. How can international adoptions be more sensitive to the cultural differences involved in adopting children who have had some time growing up in their home country, prior to their adoption? 3. If a child is in danger and needs to be brought to a better environment, should they remain in the same country with a different family, be returned to their original country, or some other policy? 4. What can be done to reduce fraud in adoption systems? 5. Most internationally adoptive parents prefer to adopt girls. Should policies be established to encourage or require the adoption of children regardless of gender? If so, what kind of policies? If not, why?

Bibliography: http://international.adoption.com/foreign/restrictions-requirements-in-international- adoption.html http://unstats.un.org/unsd/vitalstatkb/Attachment482.aspx http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/adoption2010/child_adoption.pdf http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2554843/Lawyers-blast-massive- adoption-racket-Foreigners-easily-buying-babies-Indian-couples-languish-waiting- list.html http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/articles/2013/04/24/kathryn-joyce-s-the-child- catchers-inside-the-shadowy-world-of-adoption-trafficking.html http://www.nbcnews.com/id/46020446/ns/world_news-americas/t/women-held-mexico-to- ireland-adoption-racket/#.UwEcd4X8gVB http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=1315 67

Honor Killings Topic Summary: Honor killings, or honor-based violence, is the killing of a family member or a citizen within a society who has done what is considered by the community as a shameful act. Most commonly, the victim of an honor killing is killed because they were the victim of a rape. However, a variety of reasons, such as refusing an arranged marriage, being a homosexual, or dressing inappropriately have all been cited as reasons for honor killings. Every year roughly 5000 honor killings, mostly of women occur throughout the world, most commonly in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Yemen, Turkey, Palestine, Pakistan and India. However, the prevalence of honor killings varies widely, even within certain countries. For example, one city in Pakistan may have many more instances of honor killings than another city. Further, some observers have noted that the victims of honor killings are often also the victims of domestic abuse. Discouragingly, some honor killings are concealed through the power and status of members of rich and powerful families in some nations. Most of the UN action on this topic has revolved around condemning honor killings, with no further concrete steps.

Background Information: 2000: United Nations Condemns Honor Killings for the first time. 2004: United Nations passes resolution calls upon states to use the human rights instruments that already exist to prosecute honor killings 2008: United Nations Secretary General’s Campaign to End Violence Against Women (UNiTE) launched 2012: Reuters Reports that Honor Killings in India are often socially accepted, with policy not treating the murders as crimes. 2013: UN Condemns Honor Killings in a Resolution

Issues to be addressed: 1. How can honor-based violence practices be reduced while also remaining sensitive and respectful of culture, religion, and national sovereignty? 2. How should states with police forces who actively ignore honor killings proceed? 3. What can the UN do to help surviving victims of Honor based violence?

Bibliography: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33971#.UfXNTo3VCSo http://hbv-awareness.com/today/ http://hbv-awareness.com/history/ http://theahafoundation.org/issues/honor-violence/ http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/11/honour-killings-india-crying-shame- 20131127105910392176.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/11/us-palestinians-women-killing- idUSBRE9BA06420131211 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5010892.stm http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp/story.asp?NewsID=33971&Cr=violence+against+w omen&Cr1=#.UwEiY4X8gVA http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/04/02/india-women-honour-killing- idINDEE8310GP20120402 http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/12/opinion/honor-killings.html http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp/story.asp?NewsID=33971&Cr=violence+against+w omen&Cr1=#.UwEiY4X8gVA http://endviolence.un.org/

Dying Languages Topic Summary: The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that, without intervention, half of the 6000 plus languages spoken today will disappear by the end of this century. The cultural wealth and ancestral knowledge of indigenous languages is scientifically and historically extremely valuable. The extinction of a language is comparable to the extinction of a species. The UNESCO recognizes this and works towards language preservation through the UNESCO Endangered Languages Program. This program works toward maintaining and revitalizing indigenous languages in order to instruct younger generations on how to use them. The UNESCO also supports outside organizations which aim towards the same goal. Communities, experts, and governments surrounding a dying language are all involved in efforts to record language data, assist in the teaching of the language, and advocate for the preservation of dying languages. In order to further these efforts the UNESCO must continue to receive funding towards documentation, revitalization, and maintenance of dying languages. Background Information: 1946: UNESCO founded and ratified into effect 1992: UNESCO supervises International Congress of Linguists convention and formation of Endangered Languages Committee 1993: UNESCO begins and published Red Book of Endangered Languages which is continuously expanded 2003: UNESCO Expert Meeting on Safeguarding Endangered Languages convenes 2009: UNESCO launches online Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger which is continuously updated Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1. To what extent should preserving dying languages still be a priority for the United Nations? Why is it important, or why should it be deprioritized? 2. A number of programs already exist to preserve dying languages, including the Atlas of the World’s Languages, the Rosetta Stone Endangered Languages Program, and the Foundation for Endangered Languages. Some of these are for-profit companies, some are non-profit organizations, and some are part of the UN System. Are these programs redundant? 3. What kinds of organizations should be taking the brunt of the work to preserve dying languages: Governments, for-profit companies, non-profit organizations, the UN? 4. Should efforts be made to increase the number of speakers of dying languages through the public education system? Bibliography: http://www.unesco.org/culture/languages-atlas/ http://www.rosettastone.com/endangered http://www.ogmios.org/ http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsid=29950&cr=unesco&cr1=#.Uw3Ws4X8gVA

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-Issues/2010/0427/World-s-18-most- endangered-spoken-languages http://melbourne2013.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/SOCHUMStory1.pdf http://lingsib.iea.ras.ru/en/articles/smeets.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-11935464 http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/

LEGAL COMMITTEE

2014 TOPICS

Land Rights in Antarctica International Student Visas Aid for Asylum-Seekers

Land Rights in Antarctica Topic Summary: The Antarctic Treaty was established in June of 1961 between Australia, Argentina, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, United Kingdom, United States, Soviet Union, Japan, South Africa, and Belgium. It was a method of lifting tensions regarding desired claim to land in Antarctica. The Treaty stated Antarctica was to be used for “peaceful purposes only”, such as scientific investigation, forbidding mineral resource exploration and military bases from being established there. Tension remains over how much land nations can own, and who has rights to space in Antarctica.

Background Information: · Pre 1958: Several countries possessed overlapping claims to Antarctic territory. · May 3, 1958: the United States proposed to other nations participating in Antarctica- based scientific research that a conference be held, based on points of agreement. · October 15 - December 1, 1959: Delegates of twelve countries met in Washington DC, United States, to negotiate terms of Antarctic land use. · December 1, 1959: Treaty signed by all twelve nations. · June 23, 1961: Antarctic Treaty official entered into force. · September, 2004: Antarctic Treaty Secretariat established to improve the communication between signatories of the treaty, as well as recompilation, storage and distribution of information.

Issues to be addressed: 1) Who gets Antarctica? How? 2) For what purposes should Antarctica be used? 3) How can the UN help preserve the natural state of Antarctica despite the need for scientific research? 4) How can the UN help maintain peace among conflicting nations?

Bibliography: http://theconversation.com/explainer-keeping-conflict-on-ice-with-the-antarctic-treaty- 2197 http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/antarctica.htm http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/about_antarctica/geopolitical/treaty/ http://www.state.gov/t/avc/trty/193967.htm http://www.ctbto.org/specials/famous-anniversaries/23-june-1961-antarctic-treaty/ http://www.unep.org/dewa/Assessments/Ecosystems/Antarctica/tabid/6958/Default.aspx

Aid for Asylum-Seekers Topic Summary: An asylum-seeker is an individual who moves across international borders in search of protection and refugee status. International law defines a refugee as someone who seeks refuge in a foreign country due to fear of persecution, war, or violence. The national asylum system that exists in a host country decides whether an asylum-seeker qualifies for international protection and refugee status. Asylum-seekers who do not qualify may be detained or sent back to their home countries. The problem lies in the treatment of asylum-seekers who are being increasingly detained in host countries or otherwise are treated unfairly. Sometimes these people are detained for long periods of time, in poor living conditions, or in prisons alongside criminals. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has released a statement clarifying that individuals who seek refugee status are in no way committing a criminal act by doing so. The UNHCR urges host countries to release asylum-seekers into community-based supervision arrangements where research has shown that 90% of asylum-seekers comply with conditions of release from detention. These supervision methods are more cost effective and more humane than detention and the UNHCR urges that detention should be a last resort for host countries. Recently Australia has been warned by the UNHCR that their treatment of Indonesian asylum-seekers arriving to Australia by boat could violate human rights laws. Australia is in the process of deflecting arriving asylum-seekers to detention centers in Papua New Guinea. The UNHCR has cited lack of national capacity, lack of expertise in processing and poor physical conditions as reasons why Papua New Guinea would not make a suitable host country for refugees. Situations such as this demonstrate the need for clearer, more concise international laws specifically regarding aid for asylum-seekers. There is currently no single policy regarding when refugees ought to be granted asylum. As a result, their treatment and potential for protection has been up to the whims of national policies. This topic asks delegates to try to standardize an international policy for asylum- seeker to which nearly all nations could agree Background Information: ·1947: International Refugee Organization founded ·1950: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees established ·1951: UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees was adopted ·1954: UNHCR wins Nobel Peace Prize for assisting European refugees ·1967: 1951 Convention is modified into Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees which countries must separately sign ·1981: UNHCR wins Nobel Peace Prize a second time for continuing to aid refugees ·2001: World Refugee Day is established on June 20th Issues to be Addressed: 1) How should Asylum-seekers be treated before they have been granted asylum? 2) When should a refugee be granted asylum? 3) Should refugees wanted for crimes in other nations ever be granted asylum? If so, when? 4) Should the families of refugees also be given asylum automatically? 5) Can the UN assist nations who don’t have standardized asylum policies or the resources to protect asylum-seeking refugees? 6) Are caps on the number of asylum-seeking refugees which may enter a country acceptable? 73

7) On what grounds can states discriminate regarding which asylum-seeking refugees to protect? For example, can a state choose to only protect refugees who are part of a persecuted ethnic group? Bibliography: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c137.html http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/asylum-seekers-refugees-and-human-rights- snapshot-report http://www.unhcr.org/505c33199.html http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cbc.html http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-26/unhcr-australia-png-refugees-asylum/4845628 http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/international- migration/glossary/asylum-seeker/

International Student Visas Topic Summary: The exchange of students to study at the Universities of foreign countries has existed for over a century. Yet, these exchanges are always organized bilaterally, meaning one country sets the policy for exchanging students with another country directly. This has led to mass confusion, frustration, financial difficulties, and tensions, as students who expect visas to study abroad are surprisingly rejected, delayed, or mishandled. Further, a lack of standardized policies has led some nations to impose tight restrictions on the experiences students going abroad, to maintain political stability when they return, while other nations ban students from certain countries from even applying. The task of the legal committee is to establish a single international standard for the exchange of universities students between nations to which nearly all nations of the world would agree. Further, recent allegations of massive fraud in some student visa systems have called into question the ability of nations to accurately select the students they want.

Background Information: 2012: Australia revokes over 10,000 student visas for failing to meet course requirements 2013: Australia simplifies its visa system to compete as a destination for international students to study. 2014: Massive Fraud is revealed in the UK as 200,000 students are granted visas based on misrepresenting themselves. 2014: Iranian students flock to Malaysia for international study 2014: Northern Cyprus becomes a burgeoning international destination for students

Issues to be addressed: 1. Recommend a standard policy for obtaining an international student visa (Who can apply? What reasons could a student be rejected for? Who should they contact?) 2. How should students who violate censorship laws in their host countries be treated, particularly when they are espousing censored religious or political beliefs? 3. How can the safety, security, and development of exchange students be ensured, while simultaneously respecting national sovereignty (the right of each nation to govern itself). 4. Is it acceptable to set quota systems on the number of students who can enter from certain countries? 5. What kinds of language requirements ought there be? 6. How can fraud be avoided?

Bibliography: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html http://www.immi.gov.au/students/ http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t84243.htm http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/education/student-visas-to- australia-surge-on-simpler-norms/article5696145.ece http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2555459/Theresa-Mays-grave-fears-student- visas-Huge-fraud-revealed-lets-200-000.html http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20140131102318847 http://www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com/articles/chinese-students-flock-to-us- colleges_13714.aspx#.UwEV7oX8gVA http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/world/europe/students-flock-to-universities-in- northern-cyprus.html?_r=0 http://www.smh.com.au/national/immigration-crackdown-over-10000-student-visas- revoked-20121005-274wj.html

SPECIAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE

2014 TOPICS

Preserving Marine Biodiversity Overcrowding/ Overpopulation The Moon Treaty

Preserving Marine Biodiversity Topic Summary: “Oceans are integral to the health of the planet and also form an important part of the heritage and culture of many people. Traditional and indigenous knowledge is an important asset in managing the ocean resources, which play a major role for the livelihood of the concerned communities.” 1

There are 45 World Heritage marine sites are listed for their special value and monitored and evaluated yearly on their management effectiveness under the international protection mechanisms of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Coastal and marine ecosystems support most of our planet's functioning yet only 5% of the sites on the World Heritage List are nominated for coastal-marine heritage values as of now. Recently, there have been strong indications that marine biodiversity has been deteriorating. Background Information: •1972: Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage developed from the merging of two separate movements: the first focusing on the preservation of cultural sites, and the other dealing with the conservation of nature. • 1982: UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is a framework for the use, management and governance of the oceans, the sea floor and their resources. • 2004: The General Assembly established the Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction (the Working Group). • 2002: Nitin Desai, Secretary General of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which took place in Johannesburg quoted: “The depletion of fisheries poses a major threat to the food supply of millions of people.” The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation called for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). • 1980- 2005: 35,000 square kilometers of mangroves were removed globally.12 • 2010: MDGS report noted that the world has missed the 2010 target for biodiversity conservation, with potentially grave consequences.8 • 2011: At ICP many countries stressed the importance of an ecosystem based approach to the management of human activities affecting the marine environment as a means to ensure the sustainable use of marine good and services.6

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1. What kind of environmental impact assessments and monitoring of the marine environment should be implemented? How and where should they be implemented? 2. How to identify, design, and manage a global network of high seas marine protected areas, including in particular no-take reserves. 3. What kind of preventive measure can and should be implemented? 4. Should principle 15 (the precautionary principle) be changed? How so? 5. Is the current marine ecosystem classification system working well enough? Should it be changed-how so? 6. Should research on the issue be supported financially?

Bibliography: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/culture-and-development/the-future-we- want-the-role-of-culture/oceans/ http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-13-2.pdf http://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/ http://www.un.org/depts/los/reference_files/oceansday10_sarne.pdf http://www.cbd.int/ http://www.un.org/depts/los/biodiversityworkinggroup/documents/Marine%20Biodiversity %20Conservation_Pew.pdf 77

http://www.un.org/documents/ga/conf151/aconf15126-1annex1.htm http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/mdg%20report%202010%20en%20r15%20- low%20res%2020100615%20-.pdf https://www.un.org/depts/los/biodiversityworkinggroup/biodiversityworkinggroup.htm http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/06/story.asp?storyID=800 http://www.un.org/depts/los/biodiversityworkinggroup/webpage_legal%20and%20policy.pd f http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/ioc-oceans/priority-areas/rio-20- ocean/blueprint-for-the-future-we-want/marine-biodiversity/facts-and-figures-on- marine-biodiversity/

Overpopulation/Overcrowding Topic Summary: Global population continues to rise at a rate of roughly 78 million people per year. Most of the growth is taking place in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South and Western Asia— areas least able to afford more people. Not coincidentally, the same places are plagued by deforestation and other unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. Nearly three- fifths of the 4.8 billion people in developing countries lack basic sanitation, almost a third have no access to clean water, a quarter lack adequate housing, and a fifth lack access to modern health services.

This rapid increase population worsens existing problems, such as transnational crime, economic interdependency, climate change, the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and various other pandemics, and such social issues as gender equality, reproductive health, safe motherhood, human rights, emergency situations, and so much more. It is also an issue that lies in human rights, gender equality and population dynamics. Lack of access to reproductive health and rights, including the ability to freely choose the number and spacing of births, places a disproportionate burden on two groups in particular: women and young people, especially those who are marginalized by poverty or other circumstances.

Background Information: • 1973: UN Population Fund (UNFPA) was established to assume a leading role within the UN system in promoting population programmes. • 1994: Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo 1994) lays out a far-sighted 20-year plan for advancing human well- being. It emphasizes the crucial role of sexual and reproductive health and addresses almost every aspect of population and development, from the importance of primary education and health care to the impact of urbanization, migration, ageing and climate change. • 2011: The United Nations humanitarian agency reported today that the numbers of new arrivals of Horn of Africa drought victims at an already overcrowded refugee camp in north-eastern Kenya is growing “at alarming rates.”1 • 2011: The global population reached 7 billion. A global movement "7 Billion Actions" was launched to mark this milestone. • 2012: A United Nations human rights official called on Latin American countries to tackle the problem of prison overcrowding in the wake of an overnight fire at a jail in Honduras that killed hundreds of inmates.2

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1. How should population be monitored? 2. What's the most effective and ethical way overpopulation can be monitored and combated? 3. Should the UN focus on forms of population control other than birth control? 4. Should access to birth control be more common? How can access be increased? 5. How can adolescent pregnancies be prevented? 6. Should migration be encouraged in hopes that the population is distributed more evenly? 7. How can universal access to primary education and closing the "gender gap" in education be supported? 8. How can significant reductions in infant, child and maternal mortality, and broad-based measures to ensure gender equity and equality and the empowerment of women be implemented and monitored on the global scale? 9. Should there be a rating scale of countries based on their overcrowding?

Bibliography:

1. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp/story.aspNewsID=38904&Cr=horn+of+africa&C r1=#.UuGIshDnbIU 2. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41255&Cr=honduras&Cr1=#.UuGItBD nbIU 3. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/7-billion 4. http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/population/ 5. http://www.unfpa.org/public/ 6. http://www.unfpa.org/pds/ 7. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/commission/index.shtml 8. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/popfacts/popfacts__2012-1.pdf 9. http://icpdbeyond2014.org/rights-development

The Moon Treaty Topic Summary: The Moon Treaty (formally called the Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and other Celestial Bodies) is a failed international treating attempting to pass regulations on states regarding the moon. As of 2014, only 15 countries have signed it, and no nation which engages in spaceflight has agreed to the treaty. The goal of the treaty is to deweaponize space (ensuring that militaries don’t colonize space or turn it into a weapon) make all of space international property (banning any state from claiming territory in space) making all research findings in space available as public information, and banning resource extraction by corporations or states.

As private companies, such as SpaceX, begin exploring space, the need for international policies regarding the moon to which nations can agree becomes more crucial. Further, recent discoveries have concluded that the moon can potentially be mined for a rare isotope of helium called “Helium-3” which can potentially be used in nuclear fusion, and has the potential to eliminate the world’s need for fossil fuels, halting global climate change, smog, and health problems caused by burning fossil fuels, while simultaneously not creating nuclear waste.

Thus, the moon holds a lot of promise, however, without international policies, the scramble to mine helium-3 might lead to claiming territory on the moon, war, and the weaponization of space, goals the UN explicitly seeks to avoid.

Background Information: 1957: Soviet Union is first nation to launch a satellite into orbit 1969: United States is first nation to send humans to the moon 1970: Japan launches unscrewed spacecraft into orbit 1980: India launches unscrewed spacecraft into orbit 1985: Helium-3 discovered in moon soil 1989: United States NASA report concludes that the Moon is a crucial source of energy 2006: NASA announces plan for moon base 2007: Theoretical physicist Frank Close argues that Helium-3 will not produce the energy is promises. 2009: Iran launches unmanned spacecraft into orbit 2011: United States ceases sending crewed missions to space 2012: North Korea launches unscrewed spacecraft for the first time 2013: European Space Agency decides to wait and learn more before pursuing helium-3 mining on the moon 2013: China lands moon rover on the moon for the first time. 2013: South Korea launches unmanned spacecraft for the first time

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1. The Moon Treaty has largely been a failure. Is a new treaty needed, or does the UN need to make stronger efforts to support the moon treaty? 2. If a new treaty is needed, what policies would the treaty support? 3. If stronger efforts need to be made to support the Moon Treaty, how can nations which refuse to sign the moon treaty be encouraged to sign it? 4. How can the UN help avert war over valuable resources on the moon? 5. What role should private corporations play regarding the moon?

Bibliography: http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/humanexplore/exploration/exlibrary/docs/isru/06energy.htm http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/Helium- 3_mining_on_the_lunar_surface 81

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/moon-mars/1283056 http://www.wired.com/science/space/news/2006/12/72276?currentPage=all http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2013/12/chinas-1st-moon-rover-begins-its- exploration-and-search-for-rare-resources.html http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/SpaceLaw/moon.html

ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE

2014 TOPICS

ICJ Reform Female Representation in the UN System Faith-based Organizations and the UN Charter

ICJ Reform

Topic Summary: Chapter 14 of the UN Charter covers the basic outline for the International Court of Justice. This topic asks students in the Administrative Council to pass a resolution in committee, then in GA, to be sent to the Security Council to amend the UN charter. This resolution will be considered in the Senior Security Council at the conference as a final order of business. In recent years, the docket of the ICJ has grown significantly, and consequently an important number of disputes on different subject-matters have been settled by peaceful means. Although there is a positive trend to increasingly submit cases to the ICJ, it remains an under-used tool for the peaceful settlement of disputes and particularly its advisory jurisdiction should be utilized more.

The text of the charter discussing the ICJ: The International Court of Justice shall be the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It shall function in accordance with the annexed Statute, which is based upon the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice and forms an integral part of the present Charter.

Article 93 1. All Members of the United Nations are facto parties to the Statute of the International Court of Justice.

2. A state which is not a Member of the United Nations may become a party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice on to be determined in each case by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

Article 94 1. Each Member of the United Nations undertakes to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice in any case to which it is a party.

2. If any party to a case fails to perform the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgment rendered by the Court, the other party may have recourse to the Security Council, which may, if it deems necessary, make recommendations or decide upon measures to be taken to give to the judgment.

Article 95 Nothing in the present Charter shall prevent Members of the United Nations from entrusting the solution of their differences to other tribunals by virtue of agreements already in existence or which may be concluded in the future.

Article 96 1. The General Assembly or the Security Council may request the International Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on any legal question.

2. Other organs of the United Nations and specialized agencies, which may at any time be so authorized by the General Assembly, may also request advisory opinions of the Court on legal questions arising within the scope of their activities.

Background Information:

1929: The Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ) was amended once by the Protocol , while no amendments have ever been made to the ICJ part of the charter. 1956/57: A proposal was made by several States to enlarge the membership of the Court so that it would correspond, on the basis of equitable representation, to the UN membership at large. 1998: The General Assembly requested the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization “To continue to consider ... practical ways and means of strengthening the Court, while respecting its authority and independence, on the understanding that whatever action may be taken as a result of the consideration will have no implications for any changes in the Charter of the United Nations or in the Statute of the International Court of Justice”. 1969: The Court itself proposed in that the seat of the Court may be removed to another location. 2004: 191 States were party to the ICJ Statute, the same number as there are members of the UN. However, becoming a party to the ICJ Statute is entirely different from accepting the Court’s jurisdiction. 2005: “World Summit Outcome Document” merely calls upon States to honor their obligations to peaceful settlement of disputes and to promote wider acceptance of the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ or the Court), without mentioning any other concrete reform measures regarding the Court.

Issues to be Addressed in a Resolution: Pass a resolution to be presented as an amendment to the Charter to the Senior Security Council. Categories of reform that could be addressed are as follows (although other ideas are also possible): composition of the Court; jurisdiction: contentious and advisory; applicable law—Article 38 of the Statute; procedure and working methods; working conditions of the Court; the role of the Court and its current workload and type of cases in hand and measures to be taken at the UNGA.

1. Should membership be based on the representation of States? 2. Should re-election and tenure of the Justices be limited, or possibly expanded? 3. Should the ICJ have a 'quota' for female representatives (there has only been one female Justice has been elected)? 4. Should there be an age limit or requirement for the ICJ? 5. Should the jurisdiction of the court be increased (as of now only States are subject to the Court's rulings)? 6. How should the ICJ handle non-compliance with judgments and orders?

Bibliography: 1. http://www.icj-cij.org/documents/index.php?p1=4&p2=1&p3=0#Chapter14 2. http://chinesejil.oxfordjournals.org/content/5/1/39.full 3. http://www.peacepalacelibrary.nl/ebooks/files/SSRN-id1971008.pdf 4. http://www.un.int/mexico/2005/RoleofICJ.pdf 5. http://chinesejil.oxfordjournals.org/content/8/1/181.full

Female Representation in the UN System Topic Summary: Despite its presence as a relatively new issue, many resolutions have been passed affirming the importance of female representation among delegates to the United Nations, as well as female UN staff. The fundamental basis for gender equality is also recognized in the UN Charter, and the International Declaration of Human rights. Further, a variety of targets for 50/50 parity have been made in order to increase the percentage of women working at the United Nations, to moderate success. However, beyond simple parity in staffing, many women who have been hired into the UN system serve primarily supportive and administrative roles, rather than roles in leadership. And despite the numerous goals for equal representation, the reality has not yet met the targets in many areas. Particularly, a number of nations adamantly refuse to allow women to participate as UN delegates (or hold any other political office) on religious grounds, and other nations still have not made significant efforts to achieve this goal. One special situation to be wary of: If you, as a delegate, personally identify as a woman, but are representing a country which does not allow women to participate as a delegate in the UN system (there are very few of these), we ask that you imagine yourself theoretically as a man for the purpose of debating this topic, in order to represent the perspective of a country which does not allow delegates to be female. Please do not be theatrical about it; please do not vary your clothing, voice, hair, etc. from how you would normally present yourself.

Background Information: 1976: United Nations Development Fund for Women established 1997: Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women established 2001: Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women outlines first Comprehensive policy for gender mainstreaming in the United Nations System 2010: United Nations creates the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women 2012: Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality releases strategy for gender mainstreaming in the UN system

Questions to be Addressed in a Resolution: 1) Are these female representation parity goals still a worthwhile pursuit to be affirmed? If so, what more ought to be done to improve? 2) Has enough progress been made on this issue to justify deprioritizing female representation in the UN System? 3) Are there any UN bodies or organizations for which these targets should not be achieved (female advocacy groups, etc.)? 4) Should nations who refuse to make progress towards the targets on religious grounds be exempted, pressured, or encouraged to change their policy? 5) Should nations with extremely small numbers of employees still be held to 50/50 parity targets?

Bibliography: (Very Useful) This chart shows your country’s UN representation of women statistics: https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/Nationalities2010/NationalityTotals_Summary_ 2008-20091.pdf http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/fplegbasis.htm http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2012/4/un-women-welcomes-a-landmark- action-plan-to-measure-gender-equality-across-the-un-system/ https://www.unjiu.org/en/reports- notes/JIU%20Products/JIU_NOTE_%202012%20_3_English.pdf 86

http://www.mrfcj.org/news/2013/un-women-and-mrfcj-launch-gender-balance-report.html http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/report.pdf

Faith-Based Organizations and the UN Charter Topic Summary: The UN charter, Declaration of Human Rights, and countless resolutions have all affirmed and reaffirmed a commitment to fight against religious discrimination and intolerance. Simultaneously, the UN system, officially, is a secular one. No religious viewpoints are given special treatment. There is no prayer to a particular religious group which begins UN sessions, and no religious litmus test is required for state membership in the UN. On the other hand, the UN consistently relies on partnering with faith-based organizations in order to provide social services to people in developing nations, and to help combat HIV/AIDS. Many of these organizations represent one or two different major religions. A set of guidelines was passed in 2009 (See Bibliography), providing a model for this topic. This year, the Administrative Committee is tasked with amending the old guidelines, or creating a new system of guidelines to employ when trying to straddle the gap between partnering with religious organizations and maintaining its secular, multicultural viewpoint. Different nations hold a wide variety of viewpoints on this topic. The Netherlands, Sweden, and France might be fine with significantly limiting UN-partnered faith-based organizations’ freedom to preach, while the United States would likely oppose limitations on faith-based organizations. Many Arab Nations would oppose the UN’s reliance on primarily Christian organizations for aid, and other nations who are in desperate need of social services will focus primarily on making sure the aid is not reduced. Background Information: 1942: UN Declaration defends religious freedom. 1945: UN Charter includes clause “promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to… religion” 1948: Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes clause “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.” 1950: Convention and Protocol relation to the status of refugees includes clauses “The Contracting States shall apply the provisions of this Convention to refugees without discrimination as to race, religion or country of origin….The Contracting States shall accord to refugees within their territories treatment at least as favorable as that accorded to their nationals with respect to freedom to practice their religion and freedom as regards the religious education of their children.” 2002: UNFPA launches its initiative to systematically mainstream culturally sensitive approaches into programming efforts. 2006: World Health Organization study finds that 43% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa receives assistance from Faith-based organizations. 2007: African Health Sciences study finds some faith-based organizations fostering discrimination and stigma of people with HIV/AIDS. 2008: The Interfaith Network on Population and Development established. 2008: UNFPA Global Forum on Faith-Based Organizations on Population and Development. 2009: United Nations Population Fund passes a set of guidelines for partnering with Faith- based organizations. Issues to be addressed in a resolution: 1) Should the UN ever partner with Faith-based organizations? 88

2) If so, what guidelines should the UN system use for analyzing bids from various faith based organization? 3) Should the UN put any restrictions on preaching activity for faith-based organizations partnering with the UN? 4) How can the UN maintain a policy of religious diversity when most faith-based organizations are coming from 1 or 2 religions? Bibliography: 2009 Guidelines: http://www.unfpa.org/culture/docs/fbo_engagement.pdf http://www.upf.org/united-nations/interreligious-council/1957 http://www.religioustolerance.org/un_dec.htm http://data.unaids.org/Pub/basedocument/2009/jc1786partnershipwithfaithbasedorganiza tions_en.pdf http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sgsm12567.doc.htm http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=21511&Cr=hiv&Cr1=aids#.UhYunj-k8YI http://web.unfpa.org/culture/fbo.html http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/PARTNERS/EXTDEVDIALOGUE/ 0,,contentMDK:21955855~menuPK:5554941~pagePK:64192523~piPK:64192458~theSiteP K:537298,00.html http://people.opposingviews.com/un-charter-religious-freedom-2694.html http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/36/a36r055.htm http://www.unfpa.org/public/News/pid/1320 http://www.ikrk.org/eng/assets/files/other/irrc_858_ferris.pdf http://www.who.int/medicines/areas/access/EN_EPNstudy.pdf?bcsi_scan_A8AA4F79F19141 A2=0&bcsi_scan_filename=EN_EPNstudy.pdf http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2366130/

RESEARCHING FOR THE MODEL UN SESSION

One of the best ways to get the most recent information on the country that will be represented at the Model United Nations is by researching your topics through the UN website. The United Nations maintains a host of links to member nations as well as many other sources of helpful information. www.un.org

There are also resources on the YIG website. Find “Model UN Resources and Links” under the “Prep Materials” sidebar on the left side of the homepage.