Resolution to End War In Ukraine

By: Sadie Gower

On November 15, 2022, just three days before Model United Nations Conference B began, there was a missile explosion in the nation of Poland, killing two civilians. According to CNN, the leaders of Poland and NATO both agree that the missile was likely a Ukrainian defense missile intended for Russia. The 9-month-long war between the neighboring nations has killed 100,000 soldiers on each side and around 6,000 civilians, with millions more displaced and having to relocate to other countries as refugees. Even more so, civilians are being targeted and abused through human trafficking, torture, and rape, with many of them being women and children. With the death count rising daily, countries around the world agree that the situation is dire.

But what can the United Nations do?

Delegates Maheshwari, Patil, and Munjeti propose a resolution in the Red General Assembly to “pass the ‘Reinforcement of Friendship Treaty’ between Russia and Ukraine. The resolution states that Russia has violated numerous rules of the United Nations, including Article 51, stating Russia does not have the right to annex territories, which Russia did in 2014 to Crimea and now to Ukraine.

This resolution calls for amendments to the RFT, including efforts to aid Ukraine and Russia in the aftermath as well as increase trade, peace, and cooperation in the coming years. While this is very beneficial, Russia is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and has the right to veto any resolutions attempting to be passed. This is because, in 1945, President Franklin Roosevelt needed to obtain Russia’s cooperation in creating the United Nations, and the only way to do that was to allow Russia to be a permanent member of the Security Council. So, even if the United Nations decides to take action, Russia still has veto power to crush the hopes of peace.

This resolution is a representation of an effort to free millions of people from the grips of tyranny. Only time will tell how long it will take before the United Nations’ values can finally be prevalent in a global superpower, and whether or not there may be another world war.

The Implications of Education on Child Marriage

By: Kerrigan Clayton and Athena Lorenz

An alarming issue that has recently come to light is one that many more people should become aware of. Child marriage has proved to be a serious problem in developing countries such as Cameroon. The Delegation of Cameroon has come to the United Nations with a resolution to improve their current situation of increased child marriage.

According to their resolution, 31% of girls in Cameroon are married before the age of 15, which leads to an increased risk of domestic violence. Additionally, the legal age for marriage is 15 years old for females, yet 18 years old for males. The Delegation of Cameroon is asking the UN for $1,600,000 in order to build 30 secondary schools and help families cover the cost of school supplies. They also request to increase the legal age of marriage from 15 to 18 years old. According to delegate Chavan of Cameroon, increased education in these young women allows them to get a better-paying job in order to provide for their families. When asked about options for homeschooling, Chavan states, “We would want to, in the future, be able to spread the curriculum to places outside the schools to make education more accessible.” Compared to other resolutions, a low price of $1,600,000 would make an immense difference in the lives of young women affected by child marriage in Cameroon.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: What They Are And How They Can Help You Endorse Your Resolution

By: Catherine Greek

 The United Nations has a set of Goals that were created as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.” These goals include gender equality, quality education, zero hunger, and no poverty. When writing your resolution, a pro-intent speech, or even a con-intent speech, it can be helpful to have these goals on hand. There have been several resolutions about ending poverty in various ways, and when giving a pro-intent speech, it would be great to cite the United Nation’s published goals as a way to boost it.  Also, if you are trying to give a con speech, you could consider trying to find an SDG that the resolution conflicts with. Knowing about these goals is an amazing way to already be a step ahead of everyone else in your strategic planning. Have a good time in GA and don’t forget to speak some! Link to SDGs: https://sdgs.un.org/goals

The Child Sex-Trafficking Industry

By: Sadie Gower

The child sex industry is a global multi-billion dollar sex tourism industry, stretching across every continent other than Antarctica. Up to 10,000,000 children are involved in the sex-trafficking industry, and a million more are forced to become part of the industry each year. Millions of children, mostly young girls, are forced to succumb to the desires of sick adults who desire to inflict harm and control others. Even though the industry is so huge that millions of children suffer from it, the numbers have only increased as countries do not do enough to end the horrific abuse and crime that occurs within their own borders.​​

Awareness within countries and local areas has increased, however, law enforcement and government officials have little to offer for their demands. A number of countries are popular tourist destinations partially because the child-sex industry is legal there. Countries like Brazil, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands (particularly Amsterdam), Kenya, Colombia, Thailand, Cambodia, Cuba, and Indonesia (particularly Bali) are particularly dangerous and violent for children and women, where millions are often kidnapped and sold for sex slavery. Many are even tourists visiting the country.

Even if child sex trafficking is illegal in some countries, there is too much “ambiguity” to prosecute the right criminals, as victims can be convicted as prostitutes, which since prostitution is illegal, means they have technically committed a crime. Since the industry also has its tactics for being concealed, traffickers have many ways to hide from police and the law. The irony is that many of these prostitution centers are hidden in plain sight. The delegates of the United Nations should imply rescue efforts to save children from the hell that is the sex-trafficking industry, and rather than prosecute them for prostitution, implement government-funded resources and programs that help assist victims and their families. Governments should also be mandated to utilize more resources to catch sex traffickers and prosecute them to bring them to justice.

There are so many resolutions arguing for the protection of women in countries like Sierra Leone and the Solomon Islands. Patrons from Libya and Uruguay are attempting to pass resolutions to combat slavery and human trafficking in their countries. Trinidad and Tobago are specifically combating child sex trafficking. It is no mystery that the horrific abuse millions of children go through is a prevalent issue among United Nations delegations.

The time is now to act. There needs to be a world where every child can be safe from this demonic industry.

The Anti-Abortion Resolution: Where Is It Now?

By: Kenleigh Pennington and Marguerite Mary

   At this conference, the delegates of Poland have created a divisive topic of discussion with their resolution regarding a complete ban on abortion within all United Nations countries. In interviewing the patrons of the proposed resolution, the delegates informed the press that they wanted to “address the elephant in the room” and wished to “look into what Poland is currently doing with the topic of abortion.”

The group was called into the Security Council, and after over an hour of debate, they came to the conclusion that they must fail the resolution due to member countries’ stances and their individual legislation. Furthermore, the United Nations cannot interfere with the private affairs of member countries and the organization as a whole has previously deemed abortion a human right.

Our United Kingdom representative, Lana Grace Fields, informed us that due to the UK’s pro-choice beliefs and legislation, their veto meant that the resolution could not be endorsed by the power five countries of the Security Council. The Council further suggested amendments to be made in their committee presentation, these are as follows, but not limited to the removal of cases of incest and rape, emphasizing that charges would be targeted towards healthcare providers and the removal of application of murder charges.

Despite having three other vetoes in the Security Council, the delegates continued on to present in front of their committee. After the amendments made and suggested by the Security Council, Poland failed to pass the resolution on to the docket for General Assembly, as they faced dissent from their delegates during pro-con debate on the basis that the proposed resolution is not coherent with the UN’s stance that the right to an abortion procedure is a human right. Although the patrons of the resolution will not be presenting in the General Assembly, they proved true to their country’s beliefs and initiated a conversation on a prevalent topic.

Controversial at Home… What About Abroad?

By: Sadie Gower

Delegates for the nation of Poland proposed a resolution, 22-4-1, on the criminalization of abortion by “the passage of abortion ban laws, enforcement of these laws, and target illegal abortion suppliers” (21). Already, the resolution is causing quite a stir among delegates and officers alike, with the resolution already being subject to possible hearing from the International Court Of Justice and the Security Council.

So, what exactly is the issue with this resolution?

To start, we have to go back to June 2022.

In June, the Supreme Court chose to overturn Roe v. Wade, which allowed federal abortion laws across the country. The overturn gives the right to conjure abortion bans and anti-abortion laws to the states. According to the New York Times, most abortions have already been banned in 13 states since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, with moderate bans in 4 more states, and small limits in 6 states. A further 12 states are at the tipping point between legalization and criminalization of abortion. It’s no mystery that this issue is dividing America, but what about elsewhere?

Already, the overturn of Roe v. Wade has seen international effects. Many countries are questioning the United State’s involvement in women’s rights and healthcare, verbally expressing their discontent with the issue.

This resolution, in particular, is not focusing on abortion within the nation of Poland, but rather worldwide. This resolution is asking the United Nations to criminalize abortion worldwide. Most scholars, activists, doctors, and people, in general, agree that this is in serious danger of jeopardizing women’s rights, especially in countries where women’s rights are already sparse such as the countries of the Middle East.

No wonder this resolution is being talked about so much.

Stay updated on this blog to hear more about this bill!

Corruption In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia

By: Max Mittelberg

Over the course of the last years, Saudi Arabia has burned through dollars to clean its standing and stifle analysis from worldwide media. With the assistance of Western PR organizations, the public authority is pushing the picture of a cutting-edge country appealing to unfamiliar financial backers. At home, be that as it may, the system’s activities paint a totally different picture — one of merciless constraint and glaring negligence of common liberties. After a degenerate “hostile to defilement” cleanse In 2017, the Saudi Crown Ruler Mohammad Bin Salman (MBS) completed an “against defacement” cleanse as a feature of his change of the country. This was considered by a lot of people to be a transition to merge his, influential place to which he rose through plotting and nepotism.

A so-called (anti-corruption) reformer from one viewpoint, the Crown Prince carries on with an extravagant way of life that gobbles up billions of dollars of indistinct beginning on the other. His new sumptuous buys incorporate a yacht, a French manor, and a da Vinci painting, amounting to over US$1 billion.

In spite of government cases of recuperating roughly US$106 billion of taken resources in the crackdown, there was no fair treatment, straightforward examination, or fair and free trial for suspects.

Regardless of whether it was an earnest endeavor to clamp down on corruption, this hierarchical methodology will probably end up being unreasonable, as it doesn’t draw on the full scope of anti-corruption measures, a significant number of which depend on the interest of non-state entertainers and actors. The shortfall of common society highlights a more extensive issue in Saudi Arabia. Over late years, the country’s system has been raising its clampdown on protesters, keeping individuals in prisons for quiet activism or political resistance.

In November 2019, the Kingdom even ruled feminism and homosexuality as wrongdoings. While the government eventually withdrew its declaration, Saudi Arabia’s female activists are still in a correctional facility for their human rights work. Free media is likewise basically non-existent in Saudi Arabia, and any type of contradiction bears the gamble of grave results, from flogging to jail or even capital punishment. An absence of responsibility in the Saudi legal executive empowers corruption. With an overall set of laws that follows Sharia Law, individual judges figure out what is a crime, which is accompanied by even more corruption risk. 

Legal corruption is normal, in instances of both land enrollment and with regards to politically delicate choices. Judges apparently get “implicit directions” and are pressured to give cruel sentences. An exceptional court put in a position to attempt instances of psychological oppression is especially known for an absence of straightforwardness and extreme punishments against human rights activists. 

The corruption in Saudi Arabia shows that the United States should completely withhold any further business with the country. Furthermore, the United States has financially supported the Saudis for decades, costing taxpayers millions of USD. We cannot allow a country ruled by tyranny to become a superpower. It will be the end of us all.

A Solution To Fossil Fuels

By: Mattison Sanderson

As climate disasters and fuel prices continue to skyrocket, the United Nations stresses the need to end the planet’s “global addiction to fossil fuels.” UN Secretary António Guterres was present at the recent Global Compact Board meeting where he stressed the need to achieve a just energy transition. However, he stated that this would come with a challenge, considering that fossil fuel usage has reached record numbers.

In order to achieve this transition, Guterres explains that renewables are the “only credible path” to real energy security. He stated that the share of renewables must increase by 30 percent by 2030 and that the use of renewables should no longer be treated as a distant project. Climate-changing action is often regarded as a future problem, but the world is closer to irreversible damage than the population may realize. 2030 is only 7 years away, even though it appears as a distant number. He described the fossil fuel industry as “feasting on hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies and windfall profits while households’ budgets shrink and our planet burns.” In other words, the industry of fossil fuels is a dominating and lucrative business that continues to expand and ruin the planet for the sake of the economy. Guterres highlighted the need for fossil fuel companies to finally be held accountable, which includes financial institutions that invest in fossil fuels such as banks and asset managers. Due to public media control, this climate crisis may not appear as severe to some. However, even the most ordinary investors have a large role in feeding the fire of the fossil fuel business.

The real consequences of shifting from fossil fuels to renewables were also made known by Guterres. He acknowledges that oil, coal, and gas still are crucial to the modern world, in all types and levels of economies. Fossil fuel is an extreme investment that can not easily be shut down, but Guterres wants to hold investors accountable and expose them. He stressed that “Polluters must pay.” Many media outlets fail to highlight the developing countries and communities being directly affected by the climate crisis. This crisis also causes people to suffer from quickly rising energy prices and even food prices. However, Guterres has an obtainable plan for change.

The Secretary-General introduced a Five-Point Energy Plan, created to aid the shift to renewables, which began by making these renewable technologies available for public use. Supply chains for these renewables are still in remote and concentrated use, which he aims to change. He also noted that the government spends more on lowering the price of fossil fuels than on creating renewables. With this budget channeled toward the creation and use of renewables, change can finally happen. Guterres also explained the need to increase both private and public investments in renewables in order to observe change. The Secretary-General stated that upfront costs for solar and wind power are actually 80 percent of lifetime costs, therefore it is financially beneficial. However, the prices of these renewables in a developing world are much higher than in a developed one. Africa has an extreme renewable energy potential but lacks the percentage of clean energy investments. Guterres imposed that developed countries should impose an extra tax on fossil fuel profits that would be used for countries and households affected by climate change. With a budget that focuses more on renewables than fossil fuels, some change may be possible.

The large-scale company known as fossil fuels has become a world power and affects more people and countries than one may realize. Oil and gas companies have begun to profit off of an “energy crisis” (raising prices to an extreme level). Poor citizens and communities are the consequence of this massive climate destruction. Guterres is one of the many who are calling for a change that can start with smaller companies and work with entire countries. This climate crisis has affected not just the climate but individual households. It is time for a change in budget and tax in order to save the planet.

Questions Surrounding Resolution to Legalize Cocaine

By: Elyssa Fraser and Mattison Sanderson

Today delegates Hemi Rambha, JD Byers, and Grant Waggoner of Colombia are to present their bill for the legalization of producing and transporting cocaine. Their central argument is that cocaine represents “a key economic factor to further develop this country.” To most, the legalization of cocaine may seem counterintuitive to any country’s betterment, and in an interview, the delegates answered pressing questions:

When asked how the economic gain of drug-produced forces and groups would improve the country, delegate Hemi says “Since the point is that we’re legalizing it [the cocaine], the government can actually use these drug cartels — I guess the main point is that everyone wants to have a better living situation because that’s what money is used for, so if the drug cartels want that and the government wants that, we want them to connect and start growing more, and to use that money for a better lifestyle” 

Delegate Waggoner says that “By legalizing cocaine, we are taking away a lot of its negative effects, such as the high rates of overdose — the leading cause of overdoses is whenever the cocaine is laced with fentanyl,  and by making it industrialized, we are actually making it purer so it’s just cocaine; it’s not going to have fentanyl or any other dangerous drugs involved in it.” 

Delegate Hemi clarifies “Our stats for Colombians actually using cocaine are very, very low, and the main point of us actually growing cocaine is just to sell and export for economic purposes.” 

The Colombia delegate’s bill asks for $1 million (in addition to costs for separate purposes) to stabilize the transition of the cocaine business from an illegal business to a standardized industrial business. Delegate Hemi explains: “We want to build more machines so we can actually have machinery involved in the cultivation of cocoa plants, and we also want to use that money to pay farmers more because right now they are not being paid that well.” Delegate Byers says the machines would most likely be used for seed dispersal and irrigation.

The delegates stand firm in their opinion that cocaine should be legalized. Waggoner says, “It’s a huge part of the economy so banning it would have detrimental effects.” Hemi adds: “We really thought this was the best possible thing for Colombia based on all the information we’ve gathered and research we’ve done.” There is no telling the results of the debate, but Colombia’s delegates stay true to their argument.

The Carbon Craze!

Finley Warren

In 2016, Carbon Dioxide concentrations were globally up to 403.3 ppm (parts per million). The Paris agreement is a treaty the United Nations passed that legally binds countries who ratify it to take preventative measures against climate change. Each country that participated set nationally determined contributions or NDCs based on their own country’s goals for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Two of these countries, China and Singapore, both represented at our MUN conference, have taken the initiative to create resolutions in order to reach their NDCs. 

China has created a resolution to “reduce CO2 Emissions in China”. They hope to manufacture ultra-super-critical plants that work by using a “supercritical fluid that utilizes pre-combustion and it releases less CO2 and produces the same amount of energy”, says Zach Arguelles.  By doing so they hope to reduce carbon emissions by 20% annually in China as well as “pave the way for other countries to do the same according to Matt Ciampa.  Many countries, although setting NDCs, have not been taking significant strides to truly reach their goals. China wants to “actually start achieving the agreement.”

Singapore has taken a different approach to reduce climate emissions. Targeting the 13.8% of their carbon emissions that come from transportation, they hope to implement new infrastructure for cycling and pedestrians. The reason for their resolution according to Townsend Schultz is because “during covid and people stopped using cars we saw a drop in CO2 emissions like we had never seen before”. The current infrastructure discourages people from using bikes or walking because it is unsafe.  “people will be encouraged to go out and bike to work” says Ethan Whitefield. By reducing the amount of single-person car use, Singapore hopes to cut down 13.8% of carbon emissions significantly.

In both countries, we see strides to not only make policy but truly achieve a sustainable future.