United Nations General Assembly Third Committee SOCHUM

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "United Nations General Assembly Third Committee SOCHUM"

Alisha McGee
5 years ago
Views:

Eighth Annual Session of the Gaucho Model United Nations Conference February 18 19, 2017 United Nations General Assembly Third Committee SOCHUM Topic 1: Protecting and Improving the Rights

1 Eighth Annual Session of the Gaucho Model United Nations Conference February 18 19, 2017 United Nations General Assembly Third Committee SOCHUM Topic 1: Protecting and Improving the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Topic 2: Improving Coordination of Humanitarian Response to Natural Disasters and other Emergencies Chair: Catt Phan Co-Chairs: Vivian Velez and Eimy Fernandez-Espejo

2 Chair s Letter Dear Delegates, Let me be the first to welcome you to the eighth annual GauchoMUN Conference! My name is Catt Phan and I have the pleasure of being your head chair for General Assembly Third Committee. I m a third-year Global Studies major and this is my third year in Model United Nations. I ve been fortunate enough to attend a good number of conferences in Sacramento, Los Angeles, New York City, and Oxford in the United Kingdom. I just got back from studying abroad in Paris for four months which was expensive (and a little basic), but so magical. You ll probably hear me talk about it a lot because I m nostalgic and emotional. The topics that our committee will discuss are Development and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Improving Coordination in Humanitarian Response to Natural Disasters and Other Emergencies. Whether you are a rookie or veteran to the MUN world, I strongly urge all of you to push yourselves to create innovative and effective solutions to the matters at hand. It is completely possible that the solutions in passed resolutions can be integrated into the real world and I hope you are all are willing to put the effort into making this weekend one full of passionate and stimulating discussion. If you have any questions, concerns, or if you need someone to validate your existence, go ahead and me! So many people have put long hours into making GauchoMUN a fantastic experience and it is my sincere hope you will enjoy it as much as I have. Now, let s go try and save the world. Best wishes, Catt Phan Chair, UN General Assembly 3 rd Committee: SOCHUM sochum@sbmun.org 2

3 Co-Chair s Letter Delegates, Hello and welcome to GauchoMUN 2017! My name is Vivian Velez and I am extremely honored to be your co-chair for General Assembly Third Committee. I'm a third-year History and Political Science major and this is my second year being involved in MUN at UCSB. Last year I had the pleasure of chairing GauchoMUN 2016 as well as SBIMUN 2015, while also traveling to several conferences that allowed me to meet some truly incredible people and discuss issues that deeply impact our world today. I hope that you will find this weekend provides you with those same experiences I was fortunate enough to have. Our topics in this committee are poignant issues that the international community is constantly trying to resolve, making this an exciting opportunity for you to innovate and think critically about the topics at hand. I encourage you to be pragmatic in your approach, but never hesitate to introduce a crazy idea or forget to have fun! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to contact me. Catt, Eimy, and I are all here to help you succeed and we hope you have an incredible experience at GauchoMUN 2017! Best, Vivian Velez Co-Chair, UN General Assembly 3 rd Committee: SOCHUM sochum@sbmun.org 3

4 Co-Chair s Letter Dear Delegates, It is an honor to be working with you in this year s eighth annual GauchoMUN Conference. My name is Eimy Fernandez, and I will be your Co-Chair for the General Assembly Third Committee. I am a first-year Pre-Biology major, and this is my first year involved in Model United Nations. I have had the pleasure of attending an amazing conference in Sacramento just this past month for AggieMUN 2017, and hope that you all have just as much if not more fun this weekend This is my first conference as a Co-Chair, so I look forward to working with and seeing all of you in action. This year s topics are imperative issues requiring not just our attention, but our best focus in creating solutions as well. I encourage you to not only look towards and build upon previous resolutions, but to be ingenious and unafraid to present new ideas. Remember that our overall goal this weekend is not only to come up with solutions, but to also have fun. Whether you are an amateur like me, or have more experience under your belt, keep in mind that your hard work is what keeps these conferences going. If you have any questions or simply need some positivity and validation, feel free to contact me. I speak for all of us in saying that we are here to help you all in making sure this weekend is not only fun and successful, but also a memorable experience for you all. Best, Eimy Fernandez Espejo Co-Chair, UN General Assembly 3 rd Committee: SOCHUM sochum@sbmun.org 4

5 Introduction to the UN General Assembly 3 rd Committee: SOCHUM The General Assembly Third Committee is one of the six main committees of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. Following the Second World War, the UN was formed to act as a deliberative and co-operational forum for Member States to better prevent the outbreak of future hostilities. The General Assembly, one of the six principal organs of the UN created under the Charter of the United Nations (1945), was created to act as the wholly representative and decision making arm of the organization. The broadness of its mandate led the General Assembly to allocate its work among six committees that would allow each to focus on a specific theme. The stated mandate of the Third Committee, also referred to as SOCHUM, is the discussion of all matters related to social, humanitarian, and cultural affairs. Since its foundation, this mandate has changed to also be the primary forum for issues around human rights and has become the world s largest and most prominent conference to create international rules. Structure and Flow of Debate The structure and flow of the General Assembly Third committee at this year s Gaucho Model United Nations Conference will be unique and highly dynamic. We expect delegates to have done extensive research not only on the two topics presented but also on their country/bloc s policies and voting history regarding these topics, as well as related current events. While the dais may at times run the committee per certain circumstances, we will operate the committee on a traditional set of rules and procedures, per the rules of the National Model United Nations Conference in New York. In addition, we expect delegates to conduct themselves in a diplomatic and formal manner during the conference, with an emphasis on cooperation and mutual benefit of all parties concerned. 5

6 Topic 1: Development and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Background of the Topic Approximately 370 million indigenous people live in the world today, scattered across 90 countries. They are divided into 5,000 different groups, and 70 percent of them live on the Asian continent. Their contribution to sustainable development is evident and diverse as they have ancestral knowledge of alternative health treatments, possess strategies for mitigating the risks associated with natural disasters and climate change, and contribute a vast cultural richness of approximately 4,000 languages. Still, indigenous communities represent about 15 percent of the world s poor and one-third of the rural poor. Their culture is threatened and their rights are challenged, especially those concerning access to land and resources due to factors like urbanization or large-scale farming. Until the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007, several UN legal documents included provisions concerning the rights of indigenous peoples, but there was not one specific document focusing entirely on them. United Nations and International Involvement For decades, indigenous communities have pushed for increased participation in the decision-making processes to promote, defend, and gain respect for their rights. The Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP), in charge of analyzing developments and generating expert discussions on indigenous issues, began drafting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 1985, which remained under review for the next ten years. These developments occurred against the backdrop of a lack of coordination and exchange of information between Member States, indigenous peoples, and the United Nations regarding indigenous issues. After a process of over 20 years of negotiations, the General Assembly adopted the UNDRIP in The definition of indigenous peoples represented a challenge for many governments during the establishment of the Declaration. However, an initial definition was provided by the Convention on the Rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, No. 169, adopted in 1989 by the International Labor Organization (ILO). In 1997, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) emphasized that the provisions of the 1965 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial 6

7 Discrimination also apply to indigenous peoples, and it has since called on Member States to provide indigenous peoples with conditions allowing for a sustainable economic and social development compatible with their cultural characteristics. Further requests to Member States have been made by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which have raised awareness on societal factors that can influence and differentiate the health status of women and men, emphasizing the need to pay special attention to indigenous women. To guarantee the rights of the indigenous child, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (1989) calls upon Member States to help build a society that guarantees children the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, and to speak their own language. At the time of the adoption of the CRC, remaining challenges facing indigenous rights were numerous as well as varied, and the realization of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA) in 1993 triggered global momentum for the defense of human rights. Furthermore, the VDPA welcomed the realization of milestones for the empowerment of indigenous peoples, such as the International Year of the World s Indigenous Peoples and the first International Decade of the World s Indigenous Peoples. The VDPA also praised the efforts of the international community to establish a permanent forum on indigenous issues. Current Status Today, the UNDRIP tries to improve the rights of indigenous peoples in nine areas: equality and non-discrimination; cultural integrity; collective rights; self-determination; autonomy; participation, consultation, and consent; lands, territories, and resources; development with identity; and redress and compensation. These areas are addressed by the work of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), which works with UN agencies, programs, and funds and advises them on how to align their policies and implement the UNDRIP to effectively realize the rights of indigenous peoples. Bloc Positions Asian States The Indigenous Peoples Task Force (IPTF) advocates for increased participation and visibility of indigenous peoples in Southeast Asia. IPFT has been building networks to increase 7

8 indigenous peoples contribution in the work of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). African States In Africa, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights included indigenous issues in its discussions and established the Working Group on the Rights of Indigenous Populations/Communities during its 28th Ordinary Session in Its aim was to support indigenous communities by gathering information on violations of their human rights, undertaking country visits to study their living conditions, and formulating recommendations for Member States on appropriate measures for guaranteeing their well-being. North and South American States In the North and South American States, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) adopted the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by acclamation in The Declaration is a non-binding document that recognizes the rights of 50 million indigenous peoples and citizens, who self-identify as indigenous peoples, to selfdetermination, land, resources, and free and informed prior consent. Questions to Consider 1. How can the process of implementing the UNDRIP avoid work overlap between the bodies or agencies involved? 2. How can SOCHUM support Member States in implementing legislation to better protect and improve the rights of indigenous people at the national level? 3. How can SOCHUM support Member States in a process that ensures that the rights of the communities involved are respected? 4. What is the minimum time frame for State parties to implement protocols within the UNDRIP and other resolutions that realize the rights of indigenous people? 5. What can be done to mitigate the effects of social and economic disadvantages, and gender, which can make indigenous people more vulnerable to exploitation? 6. What can be done for non-governmental and UN agencies to interact with local communities and local organizations to affect change? 8

9 Topic 2: Improving Coordination in Humanitarian Response to Natural Disasters and Other Emergencies Background of the Topic Considering the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, as well as continuous conflict in many regions of the world, the international community needs to ensure that the established humanitarian frameworks are ready to deliver effective and quick humanitarian assistance in times of crisis. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) defines disasters as serious disruptions of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources. Natural disasters stem from natural processes or phenomena, such as earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, or droughts. In contrast, other emergencies are usually man made humanitarian crises, such as armed conflict or health crises. In 2015, around 400 natural disasters occurred, claiming more than 20,000 lives, affecting 90.3 million people, and causing damages amounting to $65.2 billion. United Nations and International Involvement As set out in General Assembly Resolution 46/182 (1991) and Resolution 58/114 (2003), the provision of aid in these situations needs to be in accordance with humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) defines humanitarian coordination as bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent and principled response to emergencies [...] to assist people when they most need relief or protection. Efficient coordination is characterized by greater planning capability, accountability, and partnership across the entire humanitarian landscape. Several mechanisms have been developed over the past several decades to ensure effective collaboration among different agencies. In 2005, the international humanitarian response system was reviewed by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, together with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), to identify gaps in effectiveness. Consequently, the humanitarian landscape underwent a reform initiated by those entities. In 2011, the IASC Principals conducted further improvements to 9

10 counteract persisting weaknesses, which were evident in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake and 2011 flood in Pakistan. Later, the IASC Transformative Agenda was adopted which addressed these three priority areas: better leadership, improved accountability to all stakeholders, and improved coordination. An important part of advancing these coordination structures is the Cluster Approach about the international and regional framework documents on humanitarian responses and disaster risk reduction. Current Status In April and May 2015, two massive earthquakes hit Nepal, claiming approximately 9,000 lives, affecting millions more, and destroying a significant portion of the country s infrastructure. The emergency triggered a large-scale humanitarian response: the 2015 Nepal Earthquake Flash Appeal. The strategic objectives of the Flash Appeal were the immediate alleviation of suffering, protection of rights, saving lives, and providing support to recovery and resilience efforts working to restore and promote the livelihood and well-being of the most affected and most vulnerable groups. This approach focused on the most urgent life-saving activities, activating all 11 clusters to address the needs of 5.4 million affected people. Involving all international clusters significantly enhanced national disaster relief efforts, as local capacity was limited. Funding requirements were set at $422 million. However, only about 50% of the financial demand was met, meaning only approximately 3.7 million people received the help they needed. This illustrates the gap between financial demand and actual available resources that were committed to disaster relief by the international community. The arrival of emergency aid is often delayed by administrative hurdles, and considering scarce financial means, leveraging local capacities becomes even more important. The Nepalese government played a crucial role in distributing funds quickly, and local NGOs could provide services in a more costefficient way. Together with the Nepalese government, an estimated 450 humanitarian agencies were involved in the humanitarian response efforts, which made effective coordination a priority, but also difficult to accomplish. What worked well in Nepal at that point was close cooperation between clusters, national ministries, and local authorities to deliver aid even to the most remotely located communities. The Nepal response very much followed a people-centered approach, making communication with communities and accountability to affected populations an integral part of coordination 10

11 efforts. Furthermore, it can be positively noted that the response efforts included the implementation of a gender perspective. Nine clusters appointed a gender focal point reporting to the gender working group (WG). The WG has a crucial role in promoting relief efforts that address the specific needs of women and girls, particularly when it comes to sanitation facilities and hygiene kits. The same holds true for other groups, such as older or displaced persons who were affected in different ways by the earthquake and required special assistance tailored to their needs. This demonstrates the need for accurate, disaggregated data to be widely shared among humanitarian actors to facilitate informed decision-making in a crisis and to maximize effectiveness of humanitarian response. Bloc Positions Asian States A good example for an institutionalized regional framework to addressing humanitarian response efforts is the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC). This regional hub was established in 1998 in Kobe, Japan. Its mission is based on three pillars: to enhance disaster resilience of the member countries; to build safe communities; and to create a society where sustainable development is possible. The center organizes annual conferences convening member countries, disaster experts, UN entities, and other humanitarian organizations to promote information sharing and knowledge exchange enhancing partnerships among stakeholders. ADRC also engages in training and capacity building of human resources and communities to lead to a more efficient and effective response to emergencies. African States Natural disasters are increasing in number and frequency, and affect most countries in Africa. Droughts and floods severely impact on food and water security in Africa. Due to the combination of several natural resources, such as fisheries and fertile alluvial soils, wetlands and floodplains often are sites of dense rural settlements as well as urban settlements, such as N'Djamena near Lake Chad and coastal areas of central and southern Mozambique. The east African floods of 1998 and the floods near Mozambique in early 2000 and 2001 caused considerable damage to property and infrastructure. The major infrastructure damage was road 11

12 and rail network damage. Communications among human settlements in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania were seriously disrupted, impeding movement of goods and persons in the region. In 2011, there was a drought that affected some 15 million people in the Horn of Africa, providing humanitarian relief for some 3.6 million people stranded in the western Darfur region of Sudan. Questions to Consider 1. What measures could be taken to mainstream a gender perspective and ensure that marginalized populations do not get left behind? 2. How can the processes of coordination be more efficient and simple to allow for effective action? 3. How can financing be improved? 4. What should coordination between the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors look like to fix more complex, severe, and long-lasting crises? 5. How can humanitarian efforts be landscape specific since crises happen increasingly in urban settings? 6. What are the biggest problems stopping effective humanitarian responses and are there plausible solutions? 12

78 COUNTRIES. During 2010, UNDP, with BCPR technical input, provided support to

78 COUNTRIES. During 2010, UNDP, with BCPR technical input, provided support to During 2010, UNDP, with BCPR technical input, provided support to 78 COUNTRIES A farmer spreads fertilizer on his newly planted wheat fields that have replaced his poppy crop in Mian Poshteh, Helmand Province,