7th Ateneo Model United Nations Delegate Delegat e Primer
Compiled by The Ateneo Model United Nations Commission
This work is not to be reproduced unless permitted by the organization.
Table o Contents Contents Letter from the Secretary General Conference Program
7
Code of Conduct
11
General Information
13
Committees for the 7th AMUN
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Before the Conference
21
Beginning the Committee
24
Debate on a Resolution
30
Working Papers
40
Resolutions
42
Crisis Situations
55
Ateneo Model UN Conference Topics
57
Position Papers
67
Tips and Reminders
70
Dear Delegates, On behalf of the Association of European Studies Students (AEuSS) and the 7th Ateneo Model United Nations Commission, I am pleased to congratulate you for completing the application process to the 7th annual Ateneo Model United Nations. However, your your AMUN experience has yet to begin, and there are still preparations to be done. This year’s year’s commission is very excited to present to you you the flagship project of the Association of European Studies Students. The The Ateneo Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the proceedings of the United Nations. Participants will have a first hand-experience on how diplomats work: work: putting forth arguments based on foreign policy, lobbying plans, and negotiating their outcomes. However, ever, it is not restricted to just diplomatic experience. Participants get to see concretely how their field is being influenced by the changing global architecture, may it be politics, business, trade, etc. Through this, participants can respond to both current and future critical challenges in the social context. It aims to promote students to uphold principles of unity in diversity, and hallmarks of the United Nations such as human rights and democracy. This event prepares students, both Ateneans Ateneans and non-Ateneans non-Ateneans in propelling a country as a competitive and formidable international player. player. It seeks to develop leaders skilled in the critical analysis of international, international, political, and economic relations, world vision and its relation to the Philippine context. The conference also aims to hone participants’ skills i n public speaking and negotiating in the realm of diplomacy which which are abilities highly valued and needed not only in politics, business or economics but in all fields of work. With your your forthcoming participation to the 7th Ateneo Model United Nations, you are given this Delegate Primer, Primer, for the purpose of providing all pertinent information concerning procedural and logistical guidelines all delegates are required to observe and abide by. The The 7th Ateneo Model United Nations Commission eagerly encourages delegates to read this primer thoroughly especially during their preparations for the conference. Moreover, Moreover, this primer serves as a guide for delegates during the conference proper to ensure that proceedings go efficiently and smoothly. smoothly. Should there be any inquiries or clarifications pertaining to anything connected to the conference that are not found in this primer, delegates are to direct their concerns to the Delegate Services Committee. Sincerely,
Hannah Sofia Guinto Secretary-General
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Model United Nations Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the proceedings of the existing New York based United Nations organization in an academic environment. It provides opportunities for students around the world to practice cross-cultural communication, experience multilateral diplomacy, and engage in discussions involving global issues and current events. Model United Nations thus becom es a platform for young individuals to hone their skills in negotiations, writing, policy analysis, and problem solving as they work together to realise common goals and come to accord through resolutions and good will.
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Conerence Conerence Program
7th AMUN February February 9-11, 2017
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
February 9, 2017
Time
Activity
Venue
8:00 - 9:00
Registration
Leong Hall
9:00 - 9:10
Opening Ceremony Ceremony
Leong Hall 111
9:10 - 9:20
Opening Remarks
Leong Hall 111
9:20 - 9:30
Introduction by AMUN Project Heads
9:30 - 9:50
Ingress of delegates to respective committees Committee Session I
9:50 - 12:00
12:00 - 13:00
UNESCO
Faura AVR
Security Council
Faber 308
General Assembly
Leong Hall 111
Human Rights Council
Faber 101
Lunch Break Committee Session II
13:00 - 16:30
16:30
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UNESCO
Faura AVR
Security Council
Faber 308
General Assembly
Leong Hall 111
Human Rights Council
Faber 101
Egress of delegates
Leong Hall Roofdeck
7th AMUN February February 9-11, 2017
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
February 10, 2017
Time
Activity
Venue
8:00 - 9:00
Registration
Leong Hall
9:00 - 9:15
Ingress of delegates to respective committees Committee Session III
9:15 - 12:00
12:00 - 13:00
UNESCO
Faura AVR
Security Council
Faber 308
General Assembly
Leong Hall 111
Human Rights Council
Faber 101
Lunch Break
Leong Hall Roofdeck
Committee Session IV UNESCO
Faura AVR
Security Council
Faber 308
General Assembly
Leong Hall 111
Human Rights Council
Faber 101
15:00 - 18:00
Keynote Speakers’ Talk
Leong Hall 111
18:00
Egress of delegates
13:00 - 15:00
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7th AMUN February February 9-11, 2017
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
February 11, 2017
Time
Activity
Venue
8:00 - 9:00
Registration
Leong Hall
9:00 - 9:15
Ingress of delegates to respective committees Committee Session V UNESCO
Faura AVR
Security Council
Faber 308
General Assembly
Faber 101
Human Rights Council
Faber 302
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch Break
Faber 101
14:00 - 14:45
Voting of superlatives by delegates
Faber 101
14:45 - 15:00
Ingress of delegates to Plenary Session
15:00 - 16:30
Plenary Session (Presentation of Resolutions) Resolutions)
16:30 - 17:10
Awarding Ceremony
17:10 - 17:30
Picture Taking
17:30 - 18:00
Closing Remarks
18:00
Egress of delegates
9:15 - 13:00
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ISO
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Code o o Con Conduct
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Dress Code In order to effectively embody the character of a professional UN delegate, participants of Ateneo Model UN are required to wear corporate attire. Everyone is enjoined to limit the colours of their attire to neutral shades. Ateneo Model UN will not tolerate attire that includes T-shirts, short pants, athletic wear, denim apparel, and hats. Ateneo Model UN strongly respects religious diversity. In line with this principle, religious attire that may have been considered as inappropriate will be permitted. The Ateneo Model UN Secretariat reserves the right to decline the admittance of any delegate deemed to be dressed in inappropriate attire. Dress code violations will automatically forfeit delegates of their privileges during the conference.
Decorum Ateneo Model UN delegates are expected to carry themselves in a manner appropriate of real-life diplomats. Diplomatic etiquette should be highly observed throughout the entire conference. The debates that transpire during any Model United Nations conference generally carry a well- defined tone of formality. Delegates are therefore encouraged to communicate and cooperate with other delegates with utmost respect and courtesy. Principles of a healthy line of cross-cultural communication that acknowledges both religious and cultural diversity should be held as the standard in this conference. conference. All types of contemptuous acts and deeds will be sanctioned by the organisers of this conference.
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Alcoholic beverages, cigarette smoking, drugs, public displays of affection, and any explicitly lascivious acts are prohibited. Delegates found to have violated these rules will be sanctioned accordingly and will not be allowed to join the conference thereafter.
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General Inormation
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Name Tags Name tags will be provided for the delegates before the conference which will serve as their credentials. The name tag will include the delegate’s full name, country assignment, committee designation, and the institution he/ she hails from. Delegates and staff members are obligated to wear their name tags at all times for the entire duration of the conference. Responsibly wearing the name tags will help the staff and event organisers identify delegates, which will decrease the possibility of any misunderstanding between school personnel, faculty, and student body while the delegates are on campus. All name tags are to be surrendered at the end of the first day of the conference to the Ateneo Model UN Commission. Placards will be provided for each delegate, indicating his/her country assignment and council designation. Delegates are encouraged to handle their placards with care. Before delegates break for recess, they must surrender their placards to the Delegate Services Committee for safe-keeping. Delegates may keep their placards as souvenirs at the end of the conference. Delegates must check-in for each day of the conference at the registration desk located outside the General Assembly Hall before convening. Upon signing in on the first day of the conference, delegates will receive their delegate kits, which include the delegate’s name tag, placard, notepad, pen, and an Ateneo Model UN shirt souvenir. Likewise, delegates are required to surrender their name tags and placards at the registration desk at the end of each conference day excluding the final one when they get to keep their name tags and placards as memorabilia.
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Liability Ateneo Model United Nation s will not hold itself liab le for any damage, theft, or loss of any and all items during the conference or outside it. Delegates are advised not to leave their belongings unattended.
Language English will be the official working language of this conference, and formal language shall be used (which means this excludes colloquial terms). All delegates are always to refer to themselves in third person (i.e. The delegate of [full official name of your assigned country] moves to...), and never in first (I move to...). Furthermore, when a delegate wishes to make a motion, the word “motion” is never to be used as a verb (i.e. This delegate motions to…). The correct phrasing would be “This delegate moves to” or “This delegate calls for a motion to…”
Delegations For the 7th Ateneo Model United Nations, delegates are assigned either to the Security Council, the Human Rights Council, UNESCO, or the General Assembly. Countries in the General Assembly are represented by only one delegate. Each country is given one vote. Veto powers are held by the Permanent Five in the Security Council (China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America).
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Delegates Delegates are the main participan ts in any Model United Nations Conference. Each participant is assigned a country to represent within the of his/her assigned committee’s and topic agenda. In order to ensure that proceedings carry on appropriately, each delegate is cautioned to conscientiously reflect only his/her nation’s views and policies. The delegates must take great caution to not “go out of character” as a representative of their respective country as this will ruin the quality of the debate and the negotiation. The practice of interjecting one’s own personal opinions and bias at any point and time especially if they are directed negatively towards another delegate during the debate or conference proceedings is strongly discouraged.
Notes Delegates are allowed to pass notes to each other with the help of note passers. The Chair, however, may revoke this privilege if he/she deems that this dispensation is being maltreated.
Dais The Dais is co mposed of a Cha ir, ir, a Vice-Chair, and a Rapporteur for each co mmittee. They They are in charge of moderating each session and ensuring that debates go smoothly and productively.
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Chairs Chairs take on the roles of moderators who have absolute parliamentary control during and over the conference. They are primarily tasked with facilitating the flow of debate from roll call to passing resolutions in order to ensure that the discussions in their respective respective committees proceed efficiently and remain relevant to the topics at hand. Chairs come to decisions regarding agendas, objections, motions, amendments, and votes. They are also allowed to address points of order, and they are allowed to recommend procedural mechanisms. In addition, Chairs are responsible for keeping order during the conference proceedings by taking note of any violations or warnings delegates may incur.
Note Passers Note Passers are responsible for relaying messages from one delegate to another or from one delegate to the Chair, and they have no power in the flow of the debate. The Chair may call for assistance from pages in counting votes, distributing copies of resolutions, and other logistical matters.
Appeal Though Chairs have absolute control over the conference and their decisions are considered final, there are certain cases when delegates may appeal a decision made by the Cha ir. ir. However, However, the move to appeal the Chair’s dec ision still lies within the jurisdiction of the Chair who has the authority to accept or reject the appeal. If the appeal in question is directed towards the whole committee and not to specific conference proceedings, delegates may address the appeal to the Ateneo Model UN Commission.
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Committees or the 7th AMUN
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
The The General Assembly Assembly (GA) The General Assembly is usually the largest council designation in any Model United Nations conference. One of the six principle organs of the United Nations, the GA is considered the primary deliberative deliberative and policymaking organ of the UN. The GA tackles and makes resolutions concerning any issue within the scope of the United Nations, except for matters that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is specifically tasked with, which are mainly issues of peace and security. The assembly undertakes international issues that may be within the parameters of political, economic, economic, humanitarian, social, and legal spheres. Each member state of the assembly is given one vote; and two-thirds majority are needed to pass a resolution.
The United Nations Educational, Scientifi Scientificc and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the UN that has the main task of promoting the exchange of information, ideas, and culture at an international level. The agency’s purpose is also to contribute to building peace and security, universal respect for justice, human rights, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms stipulated in the UN Charter. UNESCO has five main programs: education, natural sciences, social/human sciences, culture and communication/ information.
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Human Rights Council (HRC) The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the UN that has the main task of promoting the exchange of information, ideas, and culture at an international level. The agency’s purpose is also to contribute to building peace and security, universal respect for justice, human rights, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms stipulated in the UN Charter. UNESCO has five main programs: education, natural sciences, social/human sciences, culture and communication/ information.
The Secrity Council (UNSC) The Security Council is gen erally part of a committee referred to as Specialized Agents, which often limit the number of their delegate participants. It is a principal organ of the UN with the main responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. It is the only UN body able to issue binding resolutions, deploy peacekeeping missions, authorise military intervention, and establish international sanctions.
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Beore the Conerence
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Position Papers A position paper is a one-page summary statement. Preparing Preparing a position paper enables the delegate concisely collect all the information gathered on his/ her country, committee, and the topic in question, and in this manner, s/he is familiarized with the country s/he has been assigned to before the committee session convenes. Delegates are required to submit their position papers before the conference.
Six-Step Strategy or Model UN Research Preparing for a Model United Nations Conference may be a tedious task if you are unabl un ablee to focus foc us your you r resear res earch ch proper pro perly. ly. This Thi s strate str ategy gy will wil l guide gu ide you to properly prepare for the discussions and debates during the conference:
Know your country in general. • • • •
Form of government; General demographic (population statistics on religious and cultural diversity); Any issues on rebellion, separatists, issues with indigeno us people (if any); Geographical borders and topographical characteristic s;
Know the issue, both object ively and in the f ramework of your country’s policies. •
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Know whether your your countr y is central to the issue, and always, always keep your country’s position in the matter in mind.
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• • • •
Look at official statements by the pertinen t government agencies. Statement s given by government officials in internatio nal conferences; Government press releases (go to Foreign Affairs site, site, usually); Research on the importan t specifics of the issue in general.
Using the information about the issue in relation to your country’s policy, foreshadow and framework thoughts accordingly. • • •
Good time to write a position paper (see above); Given the basic policies you are aware of, try now to formulate what your country will now say. Identify your “red lines” in the issue, the non-n egotiables of your you r cou c ount ntry. ry.
Look for UN-related resolutions that your country may have supported before which are related to the topic/po licy at hand. • • •
Read them, and determine if the resolution still fits with your you r poli p oli cy, or is it tim e to t o chan c hange? ge? What does the resolution try to do with the issue? What tone in resolutions resolutions do you you think should you write/ sponsor?
Determine the core states that i nfluence the issue. Determine your you r role r ole in the issue. iss ue. •
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Will my country be expected to give strong stances on the issue?
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
• • •
Will my country be a major actor in the debate, given my position with regards to the issue? Who are my countr y’s allies? Who are the countries I should look out for? Why?
Branch out. Look for sub-issues that fall under the council issue. Try to familiarise yourself with some of these. They will help during the debates and other occurrences requiring your direct contributions. • •
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You may find a topic to write a resolution on. Crisis situatio ns may occur. You may want to prepare for them.
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Beginning the Conerence
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Roll Call The Chair begins with a roll call to which the delegates will respond to with “present in voting” which is indicative of a delegate’s attendance, but with the right to abstain during voting procedures. “Absent” will be cast by the dais when the delegate is not present. Each committee will have one topic and several draft resolutions on various specific issues pertaining to the committee’s theme. Setting the agenda serves to lay down the order by which the resolutions that are already available will be discussed. The primary purpose of calling the roll is to determine the existence of quorum.
Quorum Quorum is the needed minimum number of delegates in order for a committee to start its session. The quorum of an A-MUN General Assembly is majority which is fifty percent of the delegates plus one to offset discussion on resolutions and voting. In the A-MUN Security Council, a majority is also needed to begin the session.
Setting o the Agenda Due to the nature of the Ateneo Model UN, the agenda is determined and released to the delegates prior to the conference. Hence, the Chair will ask the Rapporteur to provide the agenda at the beginning of the session, and delegates will vote which topic the committee will tackle first.
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Delivery o Policy Statements Every delegate has to prepare and orally present an opening speech at the beginning of the conference, stating his/her country’s stance on the committee-specific issue. Delegates are given a maximum of sixty seconds for their opening speeches. The Chair is responsible for strictly imposing this time limit to accommodate all the delegates before lobbying and discussions on resolutions can begin. Customarily, opening speeches are presented formally thus the delegate who is about to deliver his/her opening speech must address the Chair and the committee respectfully. For example, “Good morning/afternoon/evening, honourable Chair and fellow delegates. [Full official name of your assigned country] is honoured to be present in this year’s Ateneo Model UN Conference.”
Motions It is encouraged that a member of the assembly to set the general speaker’s time for the entire session. However, if no motion is raised to set the speaker’s time, it can be set later on. Other motions can be raised as well, but the context within which they are made must be taken into consideration.
[continued on next page]
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When is it applicable?
How many votes are needed to pass?
Type o Mo Motion
What does it do?
Motion for a Moderated Caucus
Moderated Caucuses are debates to limit topics to a more specific discussion. They follow the order of countries listed on the speakers’ list. To be placed on the list, one needs to raise his placard.
When council opts to stick within a timed and orderly series of exchanges on the matter being discussed.
Only one delegate needs to second the motion. If there are objections, one speaker “for” and one “against” will be required by t he Chair. Simply majority will be needed to pass.
Motion to Table Resolution
To simply junk the resolution for whatever meritorious reason. Should be raised between speeches.
Between speeches on the resolution. When no points are being raised.
2/3 majority. When someone motions to table a resolution, the council proceeds straight to voting block.
Motion to move directly to voting procedures
Ends all debate on the resolution, and immediately places the council into voting procedures.
In between speeches on the resolution, and when no points are being raised.
No vote needed. Only a second and no objections.
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Types o Points
When to use it
What it does
How to say it
Point of Order
Immediately after you think that the Chair or a delegate made an error in procedure.
It informs the concerned parties of the error in procedure.
“This delegate believes that the Chair/the delegate of ____ ___ _ made m ade an error err or in/by...”
Point of Parliament Inquiry
At any time you are confused with matters pertaining to procedures. Rise only when no one is speaking.
Asks the Chair how to continue with the Debate
“This delegate would like to inquire about the... (time of suspension of session, etc.)”
Point of Personal Privilege
When no one is speaking. You may only interrupt speaker if the point is on audibility.
Asks the Chair to grant you tim ed bathr ba throo oom m breaks, etc.
Unless it is on the matter of audibility of another speaker, all points of personal privilege are to be sent via notepassers. State reason for such a request. Wait for confirmation from the Chair.
Point of Information
When the Chair opens up the floor for points after a speech is delivered.
Inquires from the delegate who just gave a speech
Polite phrasing of a question related to the speech he just delivered
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Debate on a Resolution
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
General Speaker’s List The General Speaker’s List is part of the conference’s default method of debate. The Chair lists down the order by which delegates can address the committee prior to voting on a resolution. If delegates wish to be placed on the General Speaker’s List, raising the placard is enough for the Chair to recognise a delegate as a speaker. Once the General Speaker’s List has been established, delegates are allowed one minute to speak. The Chair will strictly monitor the time limit. The Chair may open the floor to points of motion thereafter and any delegate may move to open unmoderated caucus on the topic at hand.
Special Speaker’s Speaker’s List The creation of a Special Speaker’s List is a type of moderated caucus dedicated to a specific aspect of the topic or issue that needs special attention. Any delegate delegate can motion for a Special Speaker’s List once the Chair opens the floor for points of motion. For example, the topic of discussion is Somalian piracy. A delegate may motion for a Special Speaker’s List for a moderated caucus on a specific topic he/ she wants to focus on such as financing terrorist organisations. The delegate who motioned for the Special Speaker’s List will have to state the purpose and time limit of the entire moderated caucus as well as the time limit for each delegate’s speech, which is usually set to thirty seconds. If a delegate does not finish his/her speech in the time allotted during a discussion on a resolution, and if there are more than 25 seconds left for his/her speech, s/he may yield to any of the following: • • •
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To question s His/her time to the Chair His/her time to another delegate
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Yield If the delegate yields to questions, and no one raises a questio n, the Chair will appoint at least one other delegate to ask questions regarding the speech, which the delegate who has the floor is obligated to answer each question in a one-minute time frame. frame. Yielding to the Chair ends the time the speaker has been given, however, the Chair can opt to move down the Speaker’s list or open the floor for questions directed to the speaker from other delegates. Yielding the remaining time to another delegate only allows that delegate to speak in the permitted time frame increased by the time yielded to him/her. After the remaining time has passed, the Chair will move down on the Speaker’s List.
Moderated Caucus A moderated caucus will only be open for a specific purpose provided by the delegate who motioned for it. The delegate in question will also indicate 1) the time of the entire caucus, 2) the topic, and 3) speaker’s time, which the Chair will strictly monitor. The purpose of a moderated caucus is to focus the debate on a specific aspect of the topic during the discussion. Any delegate may move for a moderated caucus after the Chair opens the floor for points. The Chair will only facilitate the voting of those in favour of or opposed to a moderated caucus. If the majority of the committee raises their placards, a moderated caucus will ensue. The Speaker’s List will be temporarily suspended on the event of a moderated caucus. The Chair will encourage delegates to speak at will.
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Unmoderated Caucus An unmoderated caucus presents opportunities for delegates to speak informally about their nations’ positions on the topic in question as well as to lobby in preparation for their working papers and draft resolutions. The Chair will ask the one who motioned for an unmoderated caucus to state the purpose of such a motion and the time limit for the discussion, which is usually capped at a maximum of ten minutes. The Chair will strictly monitor the time limit. Once the purpose and time limit has been specified, delegates will vote whether they are in favour of or opposed to an unmoderated caucus.
Lobbying and Negotiating Lobbying and negotiating are two of the most important skills every delegate in any MUN conference must develop. A delegate should be able to effectively share his/her stance with other delegates in order to accomplish key tasks during the conference such as drafting resolutions, working papers, and resolutions themselves. Moreover, negotiating can be a very helpful ability during crisis situations when delegates are challenged to engage in high-pressure discussions that require them to think critically in order to restore peace and order back to the committee proceedings. More than discussing certain issues with other delegates, negotiating involves coming to a compromise. To be able to start negotiations, a delegate must first be clear on what he/ she wants to achieve and the plan by which he/she aims to accomplish it. Research plays an important role in committee proceedings because delegates will find it easier to negotiate with countries that share similar goals and policies such as Australia and the UK because they recognise the same monarchy. While delegates should be clear on what they want, they should
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also consider what they don’t want to happen. In a room full of delegates attempting to lobby and negotiate for support for their stance, delegates have to be cautious not to be overpowered by another delegate’s opinion or manner of del ivery. The point of lobbying and negotiating is to come to a point of compromise after all the ideas have been presented clearly, constructively criticised, and agreed upon. Delegates must always remember to treat each other with respect and courtesy as if they were in a professional setting at a real United Nations conference. Every delegate should be given an opportunity to speak and petition for their stances and ideas. When a delegate is speaking, everyone is advised to listen attentively and considerately without suddenly interjecting. Delegates are likewise reminded that they are representatives of a country so bias and personal opinion should be excluded from the discussions as much as possible.
Suspension or Adjournment djournment o Session Session A motion to adjourn the session from any delegate delegate may only be entertained by the Chair once he/she opens the floor for motions and if three-quarters three-quarters of the allotted time for the whole session has already been spent. The motion to adjourn the sessions requires a majority to be passed.
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Postponement Postponement or Resumpti Resumption on o Debate Debate If the Chair opens the floor for points of motion and a delegate moves to postpone or resume discussion on a resolution or an amendment, the proceedings will require a two-thirds majority vote only after two-thirds of the entire set committee session time has been spent.
Reconsideration A motion to reconsider is entertained after a resolution has been adopted or rejected. A delegate who voted with the majority must make the move to make a point of reconsideration. The Chair will hear from only two delegates against the motion and will proceed to facilitating the voting process where two-thirds of those who are present and voting will be required for this motion to be passed.
Closure Closure o Debate Debate As with all points, a delegate may only move to close a debate only if the floor is open. After a delegate moves to close the debate, the Chair will hear from two speakers against the motion and none from the group of delegates who are in favour of it. If the majority of the com mittee is in favour of closing the debate, the Chair will pass this motion and the resolution or amendment in question will be voted on thereafter.
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Voting No friendly or unfriendly amendment and draft resolution could be considered to be official until after it passes a parliamentary voting procedure. There are two ways of counting votes- one is by having delegates raise their placards. If the Chair finds results unclear for whatever logistical reason, he may opt to take a roll-call vote. When any delegate motions to move into voting procedure passes, the Chair will mandate all delegates to go back to their designated places, should they be elsewhere. When the committee is in voting procedures, no delegate will be permitted to both enter and exit the conference hall. There are three possible votes to cast. One may vote “for”, “against” or “abstain” on a resolution. Abstentions are only permitted when voting for a resolution. All other matters that require voting procedures will not have abstentions as possible votes. For procedural matters (unless specified otherwise in this primer), resolutions or amendments to pass in the GA, they need to be agreed upon by majority vote of the members present. This is defined by 50% + 1. For example, if there are 40 members, majority vote is 20 + 1. Majority vote is also required to pass motions on procedure in the SC. For the Security Council, two-thirds of those present must vote in favour of a resolution with all P5 (Permanent Five) member countries present – the US, Russia, the UK, PRC, and France –must also vote in favour of the resolution or abstaining, for it to pass. A vote against the resolution from any of the P5 countries will render it ineffective. When a resol ution pa sses, delegates are free to cl ap. However However,, clapping for a resolution that failed is strictly prohibited. Motions to applaud the author(s) of the resolution are welcome. Objections to these informal motions are not in order.
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Types o Voting Type
Method
By Voice
Members of the assembly in favour say “Aye “Aye””, then members against say “No”. Afterward, those who abstain say, “Abstain”.
By Show of Hands
Members in favour raise their right hand, then the vote will be counted. Members against and those abstain do the same.
By Rising
Members in favour rise, then the vote will be counted. Members against and those abstain do the same.
By Roll Call
Members are called individually in alphabetical order an d eac h says “For”, “Against” “Against” or “Abstain” “Abstain” depending on whether they said “Present” or “Present an d Voting”. Voting”. *
*This is the pre-determined method for voting for A-MUN. It I t can c an be modifi mod ified ed if a dele d elega gate te moves move s to t o do do so.
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Type By General Consent
Method Members are asked by the Chair if there are any objections, and if there are none, then the council proceeds to another method of voting.*
*This method is used on the assumption that General Consent can be attained.
By Ballot
Members are to write whether they are for, against or abstain by writing their vote and their assigned country on a piece of paper. This is to be collected and counted by members of the dais.
Right to Reply All delegates reserve the right to reply to questions and clarifications set by co- delegates. Rights to reply come into play when allegations are set by any other delegate. All a delegate needs is to raise his placard right after the speech in question is delivered. The delegate should request for the right to reply, and he shall b e given 30 seco nds to respond to anyt hing that m ay have been raised in the previous speech.
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Grievances and Warnings For example, if a delegate has “threatened” another delegate (within the context of merely representing countries in an academically simulated diplomacy event) in any way, the affected delegate can stand until the Chair recognises his/her grievance. Once the grievance is recognised, the Chair gives the offending delegate a warning and takes note of it.
Issues on Delegate Competence It is assumed by both the Chairs and the delegates in the committee that statements from all delegates are accurate representations of their country’s foreign policy. However, should there be any obviously detrimental errors made by any delegate, any delegate who notices should act by sending a note identifying the error to the Chair, in case the Chair himself does not notice the erroneous statement. The Chair will respond by sending a note to the delegate in question mentioning that such an error was indeed committed. This will take place if the Chair believes that the error made by the delegate did not directly affect the quality and flow of debate. However, if the Chair notices that the quality of debate has been adversely affected by the error, the Chair may directly inform the committee in order to correct misconceptions and prevent more errors to occur as an effect of the one in question. Any delegate who would like to determine if the topic of debate is still within the bounds of jurisdiction of the committee should be raised as a Point of Parliamentary Inquiry to the Chair, following the same procedures already discussed in this primer.
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Working Papers
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Working Papers Working Papers are a one page research summary on a possible topic of a draft resolution. It usually takes the form of an information sheet with maps, graphs, tables and/ or a comprehensive outline of ideas. It is ill-advised that paragraphs of text be included in the working papers. The only content-based requirement set on working papers is that the research summary presented in the working paper should serve at least one operative clause in a draft resolution. The ultimate goal of a working paper is to enlighten the entire council/committee of ideas shared and/or developed by alliances or individual delegations. Working papers are not required features of a Model United Nations Conference.
Procedure or Putting Forward a Working Paper The only requirement for the reproduction and distribution of a working paper is to submit it privately to the Ch air, air, who will inspect it s contents in term s of competence and format. Should the Chair deem the Working Paper to be only indirectly relevant to the council/committee, he will have the right not to approve its reproductio n and distri bution. However, However, this lack of an approval will not prevent the delegate from using the information to lobby, should he decide to do so. Violations in format will merit an immediate rejection, unless edited to comply with the set format.
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Format The only format prescribed for a working paper is the inclusion of a proper heading and the compliance with the prescribed paper size (A4). The orientation of the document (landscape or portrait) is not of significance. significance. The heading should be placed in the upper left corner of the page, regardless of orientation. The heading should simply indicate the overall topic of the Working Paper and the countries who put the document forward.
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Resolutions
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Resolutions Resolutions are the heart of each Model United Nations Conference. These documents are the culmination of all discussions, negotiations and lobbying performed and contributed by the various delegations represented in a council. Like an actual United Nations resolution, Model UN resolutions are written binding and non-binding policies on how to address the primary issue being discussed by the council. Resolutions, which are authored and ratified by delegates in a committee, need only a majority number of votes to pass. However, Security Council resolutions require a two-thirds majority vote, with Permanent 5 Member States (USA, China, UK, France, Russia) veto powers. Resolutions written by the UN GA are non-binding, while those by the UN SC are binding. They simply contain suggestions on how the international community could act on an issue involving the member states. However, Security Council resolutions have the authority to compel Member States to perform certain tasks that are within the framework of international law.
Draf Resolutions Draft resolutions are resolutions that have not yet been voted on by the committee to which it is addressed to. Delegates have multiple options in writing resolutions. There is no mandate on a timeline involving resolutions. Delegates may opt to come to a conference with a draft resolution already in the works. Furthermore, delegates are allowed to write resolutions during the conference it self. There is no restriction in the nu mber of delegates working on a single resolution.
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations A draft resolution has three main parts: the heading, preamble (commonly known as the pre- ambulatory clauses), and the operative section (commonly known as the operative clauses). Each draft resolution is technically one long sentence divided into a varying number of clauses. Each clause ends with either a comma or a semicolon when appropriate. The subject of the sentence is the committee taking action (General Assembly, Security Council, etc.), and therefore, the heading of the resolution. The preamble sets the context of the resolution by a detailed reference of past resolutions that may have been considered while writing the resolution. The operative clauses contain the concrete action plan the resolution aims to present to the committee to consider. For the purposes of a sizeable committee, a draft resolution could only be included in agenda by the staff if it has at least one-fifth of the committee as tentative signatories.
Parts o a Resolution The parts of the resolution highlighted GOLD constitutes the Heading of the Draft Resolution. The first country listed in the category “Submitted by” will be considered as Main Submitter. Main Submitters are tasked to read the operative clauses of the resolution once presented to the Council/Committee. All questions regarding the resolution are assumed to be directed at the Main Submitter, unless the question is posed to all Submitters of the draft resolution. The parts of the resolution highlighted BLUE constitutes the pre-ambulatopre-ambulatory Clauses. Pre-ambulatory clauses set the context of the draft resolution by offering a detailed introduction. These clauses include possible references to past resolutions that may have dealt with the issue being tackled by the draft resolution. These are not read during the presentation of the resolution.
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations The parts of the resolution highlighted DARK BLUE constitutes the Operati ve Clauses. Operative Clauses are the detailed action plans of the resolution. They are considered to be the heart of the resolution. Debates will primarily revolve around the content of the Operative Clauses. For formatting purposes, Operative Clauses are numbered orderly, and are indented by at most an inch for easy identification. All pre-ambulatory clauses end with a comma. All but the last one of the operative operative clauses end with a semi-colon. The last operative clause ends with a period. All operative and pre-ambulatory clauses are to be italicised, as seen in the template below.
(The following resolution is an excerpt from the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1511. It is used only for the sole purpose of educating delegates on the prescribed format of resolutions.)
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Sample Resolution SUBJECT: MANDATE MANDATE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN IRAQ SUBMITTED TO: the Security Council SUBMITTED BY: USA, UK Co-Submitters: Spain and Cameroon The Security Council, Reaffirming its previous resolutions on Iraq, including resolution 1483 (2003) of 22 May 2003 and 1500 (2003) of 14 August 2003, and on threats to peace and security caused by terrorist acts, including resolution 1373 2001) of 28 September 2001, and other relevant resolutio ns, Underscoring that the sovereignty of Iraq resides in the State of Iraq, reaffirming the right of the Iraqi people freely to determine their own political future and control their own natural resources, reiterating its resolve that the day when Iraqis govern themselves must quickly, and recognising the importance of international support, particularly that of in the region, Iraq’s neighbours, and regional organisations, in taking forward this process expeditiously, Recognising that international support for restoration of conditions of stability and security is essential to the well-being of the people of Iraq as well as to the ability of all concerned to carry out their work on behalf of the people of Iraq, and welcoming Member State contributions in this regard under resoluti on 1483 (2003), 1.
Welcomes the Welcomes the positive response of the international community, in form, such as the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the United Nations General Assembly, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to the establishment of the broadly representative Governing Council as all important step towards an internationally recognised, representative government; 2. Supports the Governing Council’s efforts to mobilise the people of Iraq, including by the appoi ntment of a cabinet of ministers and a preparatory constitutional committee to lead a process in which the Iraqi people will progressively take control of their own affairs; 3. Determines that the Governing Council and its ministers are the principal bodies of the Iraqi interim administration, which, without prejudice to its further evolution, embodies the sovereignty of the State of Iraq during the transitional period until an internationally recognised, representative government is established and assumes the responsibilities of the Authority; 4. Decides to Decides to remain seized on the matter matter..
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Resolution Writing There are various ways one could write an effective draft resolution. This primer offers a possible five-step guide to writing effective resolutions. 1. The delegate should know the topic of the council well. well. This is done by basic research methodologies. Then, the submitters should narrow down the topic to a more specific aspect. One way of effectively narrowing down a topic for a resolution is to enumerate all possible issues that fall under the more general council issue. 2. Once the submitters have effectively narrowed down a topic for consideration, listing down possible action plans that will directly answer the needs posed by the draft resolution topic. In listing down possible steps for the unified action plan, the submitters should consider the importance of making sure that the ideas are feasible, not redundant and are accurate. e.g. Resolution Topic: UN’s role in the reconstruction of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake Possible Steps for Action: Increase in foreign aid in the form of supplies that cater to the basic human needs (food, medication, water, temporary shelter, clothing), send peacekeeping forces to maintain stability while rebuilding process takes place, encourage foreign investments to stimulate Haitian economic system, assess damage, and determine points of reconstruction, etc.
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations 3. The next step to take would be to order your action plan logically. logically. This is the step where submitters could decide which of the enumerated steps for the possible action plan should be retained or dropped. In doing this, submitters are encouraged to consider matters on feasibility, redundancy and accuracy. After striking down steps deemed impertinent, the next step is to order the steps in a clear and logical outline. There are numerous ways of ordering the steps of the action plan. However, most United Nations resolutions opt to follow a chronological framework by ordering the action plans in the preferred order of execution. The ordering of UN resolutions are feasible but must be logical. 4. After giving your action plan a logical order, order, each step in your action plan will now take the place of the operative clauses of the draft resolution. For each step/ operative clause, submitters should now cite more specific details pertaining to each step/operative clause. e.g. Draft Operative Clause: Reconstruction of infrastructure in Haiti Further Developed Details: 1.Priority should be given to rebuilding roads, air strips, hospitals, and headquarters for bodies vital to stabilisation; 2. Encourage direct foreign investments to fund infrastructure, reconstruction, and to simulate Haitian economy. 5. The final step will be for the submitters to organise their outline to fit the technical requirements of UN Resolutions. This should be the phase for the operative clauses and the pre-ambulatory clauses to be merged into one document. The clauses of the entire draft resolution should be phrased in the passive voice of the English language conventions. Format in draft resolution in accordance to the standard Resolution Format is being applied in this conference.
Appropriate words for Pre-ambulatory and Operative Clauses may be found at: http://www.unausa. http://www .unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-participate/ -to-participate/ model-un-preparation/ model-un-prepar ation/ resolutions/pr resolutions/preambulatory eambulatory-and-operativ -and-operative-clauses e-clauses
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Amendments Amendments are proposed changes to a draft resolution currently being discussed by the committee. These allow delegates who did not have opportunities to contribute to a draft resolution to offer ideas and thoughts on how to improve it by making it more agreeable to other nations. There are two types of amendments: friendly amendments and unfriendly amendments. In order for an amendment to be considered friendly, the main submitter and co- submitter should first agree on the amendment. If the amendment is not approved by the main submitter and co- submitters, it will be deemed unfriendly. Unfriendly amendments will need to receive a simple majority vote from the committee before it is placed in the draft resolution. For this conference, there will be no limit to the number of friendly amendments. However, only a maximum of 3 unfriendly amendments will be submitted for voting by the entire council. Amendments, once deemed friendly or unfriendly, will be forwarded to the Chair. The submitter of the amendment should indicate whether the amendment is friendly or unfriendly for the sake of voting procedure.
How to Submit Amendments On a sheet of paper, the delegate must indicate the any of the following: • • •
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Strike
- this will remove the entire clause from the draft resolution Insert in Replace Replace <...> with in number> - to replace words, phrases with better phrasing. Strike <...> in to strike out a word/phrase in a clause.
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Debates on Unriendly Amendments In the same way debates in resolutions proceed, there will be “for” and “against” speeches for each unfriendly amendment. The number of speeches to be given by both sides will be determined by the committee. After the speeches, the committee will vote to adopt the amendment into the resolution. A simple majority is required for all committees except the Security Council, which requires 9 of the 15 members to vote in favour of it. There are no abstentions on voting for an amendment.
Amending Amending an Amendment Amendments may be amended following the same procedure of amending a resolution, as explained previously. These must be submitted during the debate on the amendment. Amendments to amendments that have already been voted down or incorporated into the draft resolution will not be considered. If an amendment to an amendment passes, then it will be incorporated directly into the resolution. If the amendment for an amendment fails, debate on the originally proposed amendment will resume.
Resolution Analysis A Model United Nations delegate will encounter various relations even in a single conference. This part of the primer aims to present a practical framework for delegates, regardless of experience, on how to analyse resolutions for purposes of debate.
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations Clarity of the Issue The first aspect each delegate should look at in the process of resolution analysis is the clarity of the issue being discussed. UN Resolutions should always have a narrowed-down issue, which has the general issue of the council as its root. Since UN Resolutions are action plans for specific issues concerning the international community, the lack of a specific concentration will not produce an effective resolution. For example, UN resolutions that discuss the broad issues of “Climate Change” or “Peacekeeping Forces” will be difficult to draft because of a lack of concentration. A lack of concentration will only result in general action plans. examples: • General Issue: Climate Change Specific and Pertinent Issues: Desertification, whaling in international waters, preservation of coastal territories, etc. • General Issue: Peacekeeping Forces Specific and Pertinent Issues: Mandate of Peacekeeping forces in Somalia, reforming the legal mandate of peacekeeping forces in UN Legal System, etc. • General Issue: Rights of Indigenou s People Specific and Pertinent Issues: Extension of Rights covered by the UN Convention on the Rights of Indigenous people to reflect globalisation, reform in the economic rights of Indigenous People, etc.
Feasibility The second point of analysis a Model UN Delegate could look at is the feasibility of the entire resolution in general. All resolutions should
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations be realistic, if implemented in actuality. Since Model United Nations Conferences should, as much as possible effectively and accurately, simulate actions in the United Nations, all the stipulations in a Model UN resolution should be ones that could actually be executed by the United Nations General Assembly. The implementation of excellent Model UN Resolutions wouldn’t be difficult to imagine in the real world. Potential problems on resolution feasibility are often found in the timeframe and the deadlines set for completion and the legality of the actions being proposed or mandated.
Redundancy The third point of analysis a Model UN delegate could look at is the possible redundancy of a resolution. Should there be any other resolution that already covers any of the stipulations in the resolution, the resolution could be considered redundant, and therefore, weak. Redundancy also covers the occurrence when the steps proposed by a resolution, though not found in existing ones, have already been proven to be inadequate in relation to the issue by virtue of common knowledge. All resolutions have to be forward thinking and progressive. This means that prior to writing a resolution, a delegate, without disregarding the clarity of the topic, should research effectively on the topic/issue s/he would want to discuss in the resolution.
Logical Ideas The next point of analysis a Model UN delegate could look at is the development of ideas in a resolution. A good resolution will have multiple operative clauses, each pertaining to a separate detail that helps build the entire resolution’s main idea. With this in mind, repetitive operative clauses should be avoided in order to maintain a logical order of ideas in a single resolution. Since resolutions are, in structure, outlines, they should
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations follow conventional principles of logical idea presentation. An effective resolution will flow smoothly and clearly if the ideas of the submitters are developed logically. Resolutions should also be well-worded. Clear and direct statements of ideas will always be the better choice.follow conventional principles of logical idea presentation. An effective resolution will flow smoothly and clearly if the ideas of the submitters are developed logically. Resolutions should also be well-worded. Clear and direct statements of ideas will always be the better choice.
Accuracy Another important point of analysis is the determination of the accuracy of a resolution. It will be assumed by other delegates that what you write in your resolution is correct based on credible sources gathered through the appropriate research methodologies. As an act of courtesy to other delegates, it is deemed imperative for delegates to present only factual technical details. Furthermore, the entire resolution and flow of discussions will become erroneous should the inaccuracy be left unnoticed. Debates on the competence of a delegate and the credibility of his research should be avoided. Other details to not when analysing resolutions include the idea of financing United Nations projects. It should be assumed that the UN has no real concern for funding. Debates on funding and possible issues related to money are not necessary. Another problem a delegate may determine is the quality of the resolution as a whole. If the resolution is deemed to be too problematic to even put up for debate and amendments, a majority of delegates could vote to table a resolution. Most importantly, a delegate should always ask himself/herself whether the pending resolution being discussed directly affects his country’s foreign policy. The answer to this question should play a key role in the anal ysis ysi s of the th e re soluti sol ution on,, and an d how h ow the delegat del egatee wo uld vote on the th e re solut sol ution ion .
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Crisis Situations
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Crisis Situations Crisis situations are immediate events that need urgent resolution. These can be of any kind, from hurricanes to hostage crises to nuclear threats. When the assembly is faced with a crisis situation, all ongoing discussions of the topic at hand will be put on hold and the assembly must resolve the crisis first. After announcing the crisis situation, the Chair will ask all delegates delegates to deliver one-minute policy statements. Discussion and resolution making regarding the crisis situation must be done with urgency. Procedures are usually the same as a normal session. However, it will be up to the discretion of the Chair to make changes to parliamentary procedures when he/she deems the process too time consuming to reach a solution appropriately. All procedures and rules remain in the assembly. After the crisis situation is resolved, the assembly will resume the discussion of the initial topic.
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7th AMUN Topic Agendas
7th Ateneo Model United Nations Theme: Upholding the Rights and Dignity of Every Individual or Group in Vulnerable Situations This year, the Ateneo Model United Nations will be involving numerous topics that are all in accordance with certain principles that reflect a common theme: the importance of rights and the protection of dignity of every individual or group, regardless of sex, class, age, and race, in vulnerable situations. Below you will find the chosen topics for the 7th Ateneo Model United Nations. These will provide an avenue for the delegates to create resolutions that are in line with the theme, so that each participant may act in the spirit of social mobility towards global issues that significantly need to be scrutinized at present.
General Assembly 1. Extra Judicial Killings in Developing Countries Despite the protection of the rule of law and the principle of human rights, countries who supposedly uphold such principles are still discovered to be exercising extrajudicial killings (EJKs). These EJKs, either state-sponsored or vigilante killings, are labeled as such in instances where a person or a group is murdered directly by or by the order of government officials, without any form of legal process involved. This phenomenon has considerably involved massacres, death squads, target killings, political agenda, graft, and corruption. Extrajudicial Killings (EJKs) occur in many countries, regardless of their form of politics and governance, culture, conventions, or norms. From the United States of America to Kenya to Brazil to the Philippines, vigilantes and official policemen undertake the enforcement of the law by conducting unjust killings without fair trials. The factors that give way for EJKs differ from country to country, however abuse of power and impunity are present elements in states affected, with their corresponding system of law and order being distorted.
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations In response to the phenomenon, many non-government organizations, specifically human rights groups, advocate and campaign against the abhorrent extrajudicial killings worldwide. Sharing the same principle, the United Nations, being a prime organization that is founded on international co-operation, has strongly opposed EJKs and has campaigned against extrajudicial punishment for decades. Many representatives of the United Nations, as well as the organization’s undertakings, have partaken in campaigns and have advocated against EJKs. However, with the recent rise in concern globally, further actions have to be taken. It is then the task of the General Assembly to create state reactions for the issue at hand, to call for the cessation of and campaign against extrajudicial killings. 2. Journalist ic Freedom In the contemporary age of information brought about by the revolution in communication technology, the desire to know the latest and most important news has never been so embedded to the current extent in various cultures. Every message, every event, and every development is generally considered a priority for citizens, as access to information is required to make important decisions everyday. Undeniably, there are certain developments and issues that are harder to access and even harder to disseminate to the public than others. There are numerous states that continuously interfere with journalists and agencies in the media industry in specific issues. There are certain delicate issues wherein powerful individuals or institutions decide to contain such news to garner a wider reach for a variety of questionable reasons. This then directly impedes journalistic freedom and citizens’ access to information critical for their corresponding country and for their own lives as well. Freedom of the press is considered integral to connectivity and communication, wherein every single citizen, group, institution, organization, is considered a stakeholder in one way or another. The issue of journalistic freedom does not merely involve tight censorship of news coverage and communication, but also the violence against media outlets, specifically specifically
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations targeted journalist killings. With journalism being one of the most interesting, rewarding, and dangerous professions in the world, various countries and groups have come under fire for their hostile environments for media workers. What is even more worrying besides these violent attacks on journalists, is the fact that many of the perpetrators of these crimes escape prosecution and punishment by the judicial system. Each year the journalistic death toll varies, yet what is certain is that these killings should not be overlooked nor justified. The General Assembly is called upon to address the need to safeguard freedom of the press as well as the issues of media expression and state censorship. The assembly shall discuss and work for solutions regarding the matters of journalistic killings and the boundaries of state censorship so the media is regulated appropriately while at the same time ensuring that citizens do not fall prey to false spread of information.
UNESCO 1. Proper Implement ation of the Education Education 2030 Agenda under the Sustainable Development Goals Education 2030 or the Incheon Declaration was created in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 which ensures “inclusive and equitable quality education” in order to provide “lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Since its creation in the World Education Forum 2015 in Incheon, Korea, it has set a new vision for proper education for the succeeding 15 years. Education plays a vital role in the development of a country and is recognized as the key to full employment and eradication of poverty. For the past years, education has become more of a privilege rather than a public good. The implementation of Education 2030 faces challenges such as gender inequality in having access to education.
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations Gender disparity is deepened by factors such as poverty, religious practices, culture. The access of girls to education is also limited by early marriage, adolescent pregnancies, or gender roles. Tensions also rise with the implementation of Education 2030. The quality and access to education is highly affected by the resources available. With scarcity of resources, providing access may sacrifice the quality of education and focusing on quality may lead to discrimination in accessibility. Accessibility in terms of proximity is also a challenge. While creating satellite schools to small villages might be expensive, the distance of the nearest schools may also hinder children from gaining access to education. The conflicts between cultural and ideological differences must be reconciled in universal education. All of these are factors that affect the accessibility of education all over the world. The UNESCO is entrusted by the Incheon Declaration to lead and work towards the implementation of Education 2030. There is a need to work towards gender parity and to reconcile tensions on accessibility and quality, proximity, and the cultural and ideological differences. Delegates then shall have fruitful discourse in order to provide concrete measures for the proper implementation of the Education 2030 Agenda under the SDGs so that the UN can be one step closer to making education a human right and a public good. 2. Restoration and Preservation of Cultural Heritage Sites UNESCO, in line with its World Heritage mission, has been working towards the identification and preservation of different world heritage sites all over the world. The preservation and restoration of cultural heritage sites are ways in which the legacies of the past, may it be natural or cultural, can be conserved from the present day to the future generations. Heritage sites include areas, architecture, and buildings, along with the different forms of artworks and archaeology found in the site.
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations The restoration of cultural heritage sites is vital for a state as it encourages economic development through sustainable restoration which can increase tourism. However, local governments are often enticed by the potential greater economic returns expected from modernization and property development. The question of which encourages more economic development raises tension between cultural heritage preservation and urban transformation. Destruction of cultural heritage sites can also be due to extremist groups and climate change effects. Despite the different factors that lead to the destruction of said sites, the tragic effect of loss or devastation of tangible sites and artifacts that have profound historical and cultural significance is always present. The preservation and restoration of cultural heritage sites are tedious and cos tly processes. It not an endeavor to merely remain i n the past, but for significant sites to stay intact in the modern setting. The key is to keep the site as close to the original by making minimal and reversible interventions, full documentation of the changes applied, using appropriate materials in accordance with proper restoration. With that said, financial resources as well as state support are needed in order to make the preservation and restoration of heritage sites possible. While the preservation of these sites are deemed important, the deficiency in financial resources in poorer countries remains to be a challenge. Since 1972, the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Culture and Natural Heritage was adopted by UNESCO. It has been part of the mission of UNESCO to identify, protect and preserve heritage sites that are deemed important to humanity. The delegates of UNESCO are called upon to reconcile its tensions with urban transformation and discuss the challenges in financial resources, as well as other foreseeable contentious issues that delegates may bring up.
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Human Rights Council 1. Framework for Countermeasures on Child Trafficking Trafficking For the purpose of this council, child trafficking will be defined in two different perspectives: first, the literal recruitment, transfer, and harboring of underaged human beings for the purpose of exploitation, whether sexual, labor or military; and second, through the enforced participation of those underaged in pornography. In the sphere of child pornography, the current trend is that pornographic material is produced in developing countries otherwise known as the “Global South,” and consumed in countries considered to be “first world.” It has been estimated that around 1.2 million children are involved in child trafficking each year. Since statistics are hard to obtain and various organizations have presented different data regarding child trafficking, one can never truly imagine how many children are marginalized and forced into vulnerable, humiliating, and dehumanizing circumstances. Thus, delegates of the Human Rights Council must undertake the task of formulating a framework for countermeasures on global child trafficking. It will be up to their discretion which issues or areas of this topic the council will touch upon. 2. Protection Protection of NGOs and TANs TANs in the context of vulnerable vulnerable situations situations It takes a considerable amount of courage and dedication to commit your you r career car eer in advocat advo catin ing g for som ethin et hin g you truly tr uly belie be lieve ve in, in , a cause cau se that one may think is vital and significant for every human being. Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and Transnational Advocacy Networks (TANs) have been commended for selflessly and ardently working towards their specific goals such as wildlife preservation, combatting climate change, combatting illegal wildlife trade, curbing corruption, environmentalism, fighting child abuse, and so many
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations more. However, However, these groups also face th e possibilit y of being threatened and putting their lives at risk of being harassed, attacked, and even killed. There have already been countless cases of human rights activists, environmental and animal activists, land rights activists, as well as activists against a regime, among others, who experience death threats and even being murdered. Those associated with these NGOs and TANs are considered outspoken critics or threats to stakeholders who thrive on what these groups are calling them out for. Thus, they continually face the danger of targeted killings in order to silence their advocacy. The Human Rights Council must take action against such unjustified threats and killings against those associated with NGOs and TANs in the context of vulnerable situations. Delegates must provide a resolution that ensures the protection of these activists’ lives and their freedom of speech, for the purpose of their dignity and their fight against unjust situations and phenomena.
Security Council 1. Security of the Stateless in Transitory Transitory Countries Since the rise of the number of those forcibly displaced in 2011 and even more so in 201 4 due to various areas of conflict a round the world, the refugee crisis has presented a difficult and contentious issue for political leaders from states involved in the screening, acceptance, and assimilation processes of the stateless. In the recent developments in the last couple of years, the issue of refugees being stuck and experiencing a kind of imprisonment in transitory countries has been brought to light by various media outlets. Because Europe has been a very attractive “safe haven” for immigrants escaping their war torn countries, the influx of a great number of refugees to the continent has provided a problem for European states to monitor and control the assimilation and immigration process. The disparities of
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations different immigration policies of European states have led to only allowing a very small, limited amount of refugees being let in, as well as certain borders being shut from those seeking for a better life from conflict. Thus, such refugees have considered themselves “prisoners of Europe” while stuck in transitory countries such as Greece and Turkey, Turkey, where their living con ditions are far from appropr iate nor humane. These refugees have no choice but to live in grounds which was not meant for housing groups of people. They sleep and eat in wastelands and abandoned factories dismally turned into camps. These camps are considered dirty, dangerous, insect-infested, cold, and cramped. The harsh conditions these people have to live with are threats to the safety and lives of refugees who are struggling to survive. Quite a number of refugees have resorted to illegal smuggling and trafficking to get to their desired countries, with the risk of losing their lives and their loved ones in the process. The council notes that although there are respective respective national mechanisms and international conventions on how to recognise and aid refugees, such are currently insufficient to aid the numerous refugees struggling to find shelter and safety. The United Nations Security Council recognizes the plight of such refugees stuck in transitory countries, and for the purpose of their assembly, will tackle the issue of security and safety of such vulnerable displaced peoples. It is the task of the U NSC member states to address the issues of poor security, appropriate housing, food, and treatment of refugees in transitory countries. The UNSC must also discuss whether a response for states involved must be in order, and take into account the powers and limits of such states regarding the issue. 2. A Response to to the Conflict Conflict in South Sudan The power struggle between the Sudanese government headed by President Kiir and forces of opposition has resulted in what is globally known as the South Sudanese Civil War. Despite already having negotiations, ceasefire and peace agreements, and sanctions for the
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7th Ateneo Model United Nations purpose of diminishing casualties and alleviating the conflict, the civil war has yet to decline due to unprecedented breakouts of fighting. It is estimated that the conflict in South Sudan has resulted in the displacement of 5 million citizens and 300,000 deaths since 2013. Even with the recent draft resolution by the UNSC to effectively bolster the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, there are criticisms from certain states about the effectiveness of the resolution on the worsening situation in South Sudan. Although it must be recognized that the present resolution can somewhat help in alleviating the problem, the Security Council has to be meticulous with the approach towards the issue. The council acknowledges the renewed mandate of extending its peacekeeping mission in South Sudan to further protect civilians, but it is the task of the delegates of the Security Council to refine its resolution so that an effective ceasefire is implemented in the country. Furthermore, delegates must analyze the effectiveness of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) and provide measures that they see fit, whether it be concerning the composition of personnel, its strategies, strategies, its conduct and discipline, to contribute to the mission’s goal.
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Position Paper
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Position Paper The position paper is usually a one-page paper that expresses the clear stand of the country the delegates are representing regarding the issues being discussed by their respective committees. It must contain what the country has done and what it proposes to do. This is the formal paper in which you situate your country’s placement within the state of affairs – referring to policy, political culture, or institutional structure can do this. The purpose of a position paper is to provide you with a clear and concise stand on the given topic, which aids in fostering full and free debate. The Ateneo Model United Nations Conference has two assigned topics for each council. Delegates are expected to make a one-page position paper per assigned topic. There will be an award for Best Position Paper per comm ittee. Criteria include: cogency, conciseness, and creativity. Be as articulate as possible. • • • • • • • • • • •
Please put (COUNTRY_COMMITTEE) (COUNTRY_COMMITTEE) on the HEADER. Do not indicate your you r name. n ame. Font: Times New Roman Font size: 11 1” margins on all sides Spacing: 1.0 Justified A4 size of paper Maximum of 2 pages only 1 page per topic of your respective commit tees Cite your sources in APA Format Save in .PDF format E-mail subject: COUNTRY_COMMITTEE COUNTRY_COMMITTEE Position Paper
On the next page, you will find an example of a position paper following the format. Your position papers need not be of the same length as the example. The format prescribed above must be followed.
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Sample Position Paper KOSOVO_THE SOCIAL, HUMANITARIAN, AND CULTURAL COMMITTEE
Topic: Solving Linguistic Extinction in the 21st Century Kosovo affirms that language is that which presents a society’s unique human experience from the distinct worldview of its speakers and th us, advocates the importance of language as the nece ssary demarcate of distinctive anthropological, historical, cultural and social knowledge. Kosovo understands that bound to the increasing loss of language in the world is the irrevocable loss of culture among societies. Moreover, Kosovo recognizes the significance of preserving and perpetuating language for the survival of nations. Faced with the fact that as a result of conflict-related displacement that the country struggles with as an after-effect of the Kosovo War War,, several regions and muni cipalitie s of present-day Kosovo have lost their multi-linguistic diversity or have become less diverse, and as such, displaced persons that must retain their right to return, to seek and obtain information on municipal affairs and require services from authorities struggle with language barriers. Thus, through efforts such as the adoption of the Law on languages in October 2006, the Assembly of Kosovo has endeavored to harmonize existing legislation on the use of languages, and reaffirmed the commitment to ensure the equal use of the official language, Albanian and Serbian. Further efforts have also been made for the preservation of languages in Kosovo through its Office of the Language Commissioner. Correspondingly, Kosovo Kosovo advocates the implementation of similar poli cies that provide for the effect ive integration of existing government legislations on languages within multi-ethnic communities among the international community. Kosovo continues to promote language rights and endeavor for the promotion of policies that encourage patronage for the preservation of languages through its Office of the Language Commissioner, and with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The country shall be supportive of future international efforts in line with these goals. Sources: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). (2014, October 14). Promoting language rights in Kosovo. Retrieved January 2015, from http://www.osce.org: http://www.osce.org: ht tp://www.osce.org/koso tp://www.osce.org/kosovo/ vo/
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Tips and Reminders
7th Ateneo Model United Nations
Tips and Reminders Please come on time. Upon your arrival to the University Campus, proceed to the LEONG HALL LOBBY, where you will be assisted to the venue for plenary session, and then to your council’s assigned venue •
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Before the conference, please make sure to check the Ateneo Model UN Website (http://www.facebook.com/AteneoMUN) and/ or Twitter for announcements. For changes made during the conference, the Chairs will inform you before bef orehan han d, and the same sam e inform inf ormat ation ion will wi ll be pos ted on onon line platforms.
Present your school ID to the guards stationed at Gate 2.5 or Gate 3.5. These are the entrance gates at the foot of overpasses across Shakey’s and Regis Building, respectively. Cars without Ateneo stickers may enter through Gate 3, at the rightmost lane, where the drivers shall be asked for their driver’s lic ense. You You may park at the LS N orthwest Carpark ac ross the Social Sciences Building. This parking area is not reserved exclusively for participants. Thus, parking slots will be available only on a first come first served basis.
Bring your conference materials, laptops or iPads, chargers, and umbrella. It is also advised to wear comfortable shoes (within the prescribed attire) as there will be walking involved for changing venues.
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For your own convenience, it is also recommended to bring your own broadband connection as the WiFi connection in the Loyola Schools is only for students and employees. Some members of the Ateneo Model UN Commission will also be hosting WiFi hotspots from their laptops. laptops.
Please observe proper decorum.
During the conference, do not take things personally. Also, do not be intimidated by the procedure. The A-MUN Commission is there to help you along t he way. way.
The Ateneo Model UN Conference will be a fruitful learning experience if the delegates make it so. Remember that a delegate needs to both: • •
Represent his or her countr y well; and Contribute to resolving the conflict at hand.
Make friends and enjoy the experience!
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Thank you and see you at the conference!