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The United Nations Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee 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
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