The United Nations Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee

Committee: The United Nations Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM) Topic B: Promoting social cohesion in multi-ethnic societies Written by: Luis Eduardo Gaitán, Fernanda Arreola, Paula Cano and Ana Cristina Murrieta

I. Committee Background

The Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM) is a committee of the United Nations (UN). It is also sometimes referred to as the Third Committee. The committee was established concurrently with the General Assembly in 1948. Its headquarters are located in New York City and the current leader of the committee is Einar Gunnarsson of Iceland. This committee has many purposes and mandates. Some of them include: the promotion of human rights, the protection of children, the consideration of issues regarding indigenous people and the prevention and control of crimes, drugs and justice. Currently, SOCHUM is focused on aiding civilians and promoting human rights in war torn nations such as Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Afghanistan. It is also dedicated to promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a list of goals created by the UN in order to address issues involving education, equality and poverty (Third Committee, UN, 2018).

II. Topic information

A) History of Topic

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a multi-ethnic society is one that consists of many different ethnicities or races (Cambridge English Dictionary, 2018). In addition, social cohesion means a society that is inclusive, equal and

trustworthy. Programs encouraging social cohesion are sometimes implemented in a multiethnic society; that is, a society that has diverse ethnicities. Since the beginning of human civilization social cohesion in multi-ethnic societies has not always been possible. This has sometimes been due to social inequalities based on gender, race, sexuality, religion or language (Whitehead, Quora, 2017). For example, in the 17th and 18th centuries in the United States (US), African Americans were bought and sold as slaves. Black people were not officially liberated until 1863, but slavery still persisted long after. As a result, the US (along with other nations) still has issues with social cohesion. This is because some people believe that their ‘race’ or ethnicity is superior to others; therefore, they mock, discriminate against or cause harm to other people for characteristics they have or do not have. Some examples of multi-ethnic societies are Canada, the US, the United Kingdom (UK), South Africa, Kosovo and France (Selfa, Socialist Worker, 2010).

The main causes of the issue are racism, discrimination and inequality. According to the American Psychological Association, racism and ethnic hatred are not inherent. Instead, they are “transmitted across generations and is manifested in individual behaviours, institutional norms and practices, and cultural values and patterns.” Moreover, they are used “to rationalize the hierarchical domination of one racial or ethnic group over other group(s), and maintain psychological, social and material advantages for the dominant group” (American Psychological Association, 2017). This is important to note because it goes against what many hate groups promote. Many hate groups believe that their racist points of view are correct because they can be “proven” by scientific racism. This is the pseudoscientific belief that empirical evidence exists to justify racism. However, this view has been widely dismissed by many respected scientific and psychological studies conducted by doctors and academics around the world (Hemmer, Vox, 2017). Racism and hatred are not a trait that we humans are born with, instead, it is taught. This is a good thing for people living in

multi-ethnic societies because through social inclusion, education and social action, changes can be made to encourage and foster social cohesion among ethnicities.

Governments, international organizations and individuals are using various methods to promote social cohesion in multi-ethnic societies. Social inclusion, the act of making all ethnicities feel valued and part of the decision making process, is key to promoting cohesion. According to the UN, this can be done by promoting “inclusive policies that reduce economic inequality and poverty, and promote sustainable and equitable development.” People of all ethnicities should be able to practice their beliefs freely, vocalize their opinions without fear of repercussions, and have equal access to government, law enforcement and legal institutions. Basically, in order for social cohesion to work in multi-ethnic societies, all ethnicities must feel safe, equal and valued (Amparo Cruz-Saco, UN, 2008). If social inclusion is not achieved, minorities often fall behind in areas of employment and education, resulting in poverty which can then lead to mental and physical health issues. Once the cycle of poverty begins, it is often difficult to escape (UN, 2016).

Education has been cited by psychological associations around the world as the most successful way to combat racism and hate. Since racism and hatred are taught, psychologist believe it can be untaught through an understanding of other races, exposure to their beliefs, customs and traditions and multiple points of view. Often times, racist views are formed based on misinformation and second-hand accounts. Moreover, in schools, education should become inclusive, this is, it should feature multiple points of views. For instance, the history of a nation should not just focus on the dominant ethnicity’s viewpoint, but also include that of minorities. Education should also teach children about human rights and empathy. According to the Science Publishing Group, education no longer just includes what is taught to children in the classroom. It is now an ongoing and continuous process that should include adults as

well. Therefore, governments and news outlets need to ensure that they are writing about or covering multiple points of view, fact checking information and working in a non-biased manner. What they publish is a form of education that can impact how different ethnicities view each other. This could have a significant effect on social cohesion (Khan, Science Publishing Group, 2016).

Social action is also another way governments, international organizations and individuals are promoting social cohesion in multi-ethnic societies. Campaigns such as Let’s Fight Racism! by the UN have been created to combat racism, xenophobia and intolerance worldwide. The majority of campaigns now target the youth populations of countries and involve the use of posts, video and hashtags on social media (Let’s Fight Racism!, UN, 2018). Rallies, protests and mass demonstrations have also been used in the past and present to fight against intolerance and to promote social inclusion. An example of a famous demonstration for social cohesion and inclusion was the 1963 March on Washington in the US. During this rally, around 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C. to highlight challenges and inequalities faced by African Americans. It also featured Martin Luther King Jr.’s well known “I Have A Dream” speech, in which the civil rights leader called for racial equality and social cohesion for all people (History, 208).

B) Current Issues

India: According to the Global Wealth Report compiled by Credit Suisse Research Institute, India is the second most unequal country in the world. Poor people receive only 4.1% of its national wealth, whereas wealthy people get up to 68% of it. This disparity has created widespread poverty (Hindustan Times, 2016). Many of the poor people are also discriminated against due to long standing social hierarchies which are often defined by caste, gender and religion. Women, members of the Dalit caste and aboriginals are commonly excluded from decision-making at both regional and national

levels of government. They also find it hard to obtain an education or employment. This has resulted in significant issues involving social cohesion. Protests for Dalit rights have been ongoing and brutally put down by the country’s police forces (University of St. Andrews, 2018).

Turkey: The main minority ethnic group in Turkey are the Kurds. This group has been brutally oppressed by the Turkish government due to its struggle for self- determination, which at times has involved deadly terrorist attacks on Turkish government buildings. In the 1930s, hundreds of Kurds were massacred during the Dersim Rebellion and in the Zilan Valley. In addition, throughout the 1930s-1990s, people who spoke or wrote Kurdish language songs, essays or novels were arrested and beaten. Also, the Kurdish language cannot be taught in public or private schools. This oppression has fostered hatred on both sides and it has been difficult for the Kurds and the Turkish government to meet and discuss ways to address their differences. Recent peace negotiations have failed, resulting in extreme violence (Council on Foreign Relations, 2018).

Russia: Russia is struggling with social cohesion due to a negative attitude toward immigrants and a rise in xenophobia. The Russian government would like to create a united multi-ethnic society and has vocalized its support for one multiple times. The country’s leader, Vladimir Putin, has proposed programs that would help immigrants integrate into the country and further protections for religious minorities. However, research conducted by University College London has found that ethnic Russians have very negative views of immigrants, believing that they purposely do not learn the language, customs or culture of the nation because they are lazy. For many Russians, immigrants should adapt to the local society or not be included at all. Therefore, the embracing of differences and multiculturalism has a long way to go within the nation (Zamanskaya, Sputnik News, 2012).

Iraq: Iraq has a long history of persecution against ethnic minorities. Like in Turkey, Iraq has a large Kurdish minority with its own language, customs and traditions. The Kurds of Iraq would also like their own nation, and this has led to conflict with Iraq’s government. During the 1980s, the government implemented a variety of anti-Kurdish policies based on language and traditions in order to suppress the minority group. This culminated in the 1987 genocide of the Kurdish people by government military forces. An estimated 50,000–182,000 people were killed following a series of bombing and gas attacks. Others were held in concentration camps where they were tortured, starved and then executed. The bodies of the victims were buried in large mass graves. This event has made it almost impossible for the two groups to work together. Currently, Kurdish leaders are seeking independence from Iraq and there are fears of a possible armed conflict between them in the near future (BBC News, 2017).

Pakistan: Pakistan’s population is made up of a variety of ethnicities. The largest groups include: Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Siddis, Saraikis, Muhajirs, Baloch, Hindkowans, Chitralis and Gujarati. These groups all speak different languages or variations of similar languages. There are also many cultural and traditions differences among them. Moreover, there are around 1.7 million long-term refugees residing in Pakistan. The main religion shared between the majority of these ethnic groups is Islam. A report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom stated that “The government of Pakistan continues to engage in and tolerate systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief.” Religious minorities such as Christians and Buddhists are regularly discriminated against. Pakistan has several blasphemy laws which have made it illegal to speak negatively about any government recognized religion. However, they are often used to target members of religious minority communities. This in turn has made it very difficult for the country to come together as one social multi-ethnic unit (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, 2018).

Canada: Canada has one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world. It is also well known for having a reputation of being open to and respectful of diversity. Ethnic groups are protected in the country by the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and the Official Languages Act. These two acts ensure that ethnic minorities are provided with opportunities to carry on their unique languages, customs and cultures while residing in Canada. In addition, under the country’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, all ethnic groups are guaranteed the right to education, employment, and political inclusion free of intimidation and discrimination. Currently, the government of Canada is revising these acts and drafting further ones to ensure that all Canadians, no matter their ethnic background, are provided with equal opportunities to thrive (Government of Canada, 2017).

C) UN Action

The United Nations recognizes the extreme importance of this topic. The organization has stressed the importance of it by calling social cohesion among multiple ethnicities “the glue that holds society together.” As a result it has hosted several forums and special discussions about social cohesion. These forums have featured speeches and workshops hosted by government officials, representatives of UN agencies and civil rights activists (UN, 2012). Moreover, the UN has also dedicated itself to ending one of the main causes of social discord, racism. The Let’s Fight Racism! campaign was launched in 2017 and is dedicated to educating people about racism, xenophobia and intolerance (Let’s Fight Racism!, UN, 2018). In relation, the organization’s World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance has helped open up a worldwide dialogue among nations about the importance of social cohesion and its benefits (UN, 2001). Basically, through campaigns and providing nations and individuals with a platform to share their points

of view, the UN hopes to eventually eliminate the issue of racism and discrimination in order to promote social cohesion in multi-ethnic societies.

III. Conclusion

More and more countries around the world are becoming multi-ethnic societies. Diverse groups of people with different religions, customs, and cultures are now residing together. This has sometimes resulted in conflict and discrimination due to racism, hatred and prejudice. Therefore, countries around the world need to do more to promote social cohesion. This can be done through various methods; however, the most common are education, social inclusion and social action. If actions are not taken to try to create understanding, peace and tolerance among various ethnicities, inequalities and violence will continue to impact the lives of millions of people.

IV. Essential Questions

1. What are multi-ethnic societies?

2. What is social cohesion?

3. What are the main causes of problems in multi-ethnic societies?

4. Is your delegation a multi-ethnic society?

5. What is the UN doing to address this issue? Has it been successful? Why or why not?

6. What is your country doing to promote social cohesion?

7. What international organizations are focusing on this issue? Is your nation working with any of them? If so, which ones?

8. Does your country have any laws that protect the rights of ethnic minorities? If so, which ones?

V. Resources

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“Diversity, Identity and the Social Cohesion Advantage.” Government of Canada. Government of Canada, 2017. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .

Hemmer, Nicole. ““Scientific racism” is on the rise on the right. But it’s been lurking there for years.” Vox. Vox Media, 28 Mar. 2017. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .

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“Inequality and Poverty in India.” University of St. Andrews. University of St. Andrews, 2018. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .

“India second most unequal country in the world: Wealth Report.” Hindustan Times. H T M e d i a L i m i t e d , 2 4 N o v. 2 0 1 6 . We b . 1 7 F e b . 2 0 1 8 . < h t t p s : / / www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-second-unequal-country-in-the-world- wealth-report/story-MGIa7MbWAdzhKFvwhtiIeI.html>.

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“Perspectives on social cohesion – the glue that holds society together.” United Nations (UN). United Nations, 30 Jan. 2012. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .

“Psychological Causes and Consequences of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances.” American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association, 2017. Web. 18 Feb. 2018. .

Selfa, Lance. “The roots of racism.” Socialist Worker. International Socialist Organization, 21 Oct. 2010. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .

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“Tier 1 Countries of Particular Concern.” United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, 2018. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .

Whitehead, Steven. “What is social cohesion in sociology?” Quora. Quora, 10 Sept. 2017. Web. 17 Feb. 2018.

“Who are the Kurds?” BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation, 31 Oct. 2017. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .

“World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.” United Nations (UN). United Nations, 2001. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .

Zamanskaya, Yulia. “The dreams of social cohesion or how to make Russian multiculturalism work.” Sputnik News. The Voice of Russia, 08 Nov. 2012. Web. 17 Feb. 2018. .