MUN Sample Committees

Harvard WorldMUN Committees

General Assembly:

DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE (DISEC)

Topic A: Missile Defense Systems

Technological advancement has greatly impacted modern day warfare. From the use of
sophisticated robots and automated weapons like drones to complex systems missile
defense systems, developments in technology have revolutionized weapons in the status
quo. The issue of missile defense systems and sovereignty has come to the forefront
recently with different countries having conflicting opinions on the features and
capabilities such systems can have. In exploring this topic, the committee will need to
consider questions like the importance of such missile defense systems and whether or
not such systems are reliable and feasible. Debate will be informed by case studies like
the prospect of violent escalation on the Korean peninsula and in the Middle East.
Additionally, delegates will need to understand the political and strategic implications of
such systems. Important questions that will be addressed during the debate include
whether or not missile interceptor systems can be employed in space, what the effects of
such a shield are and what are the rights of people who are not entirely involved but are
trapped in this warzone.

Topic B: Cyber Warfare

The increased use of information and communication technology is a source of

advancement and innovation. However, increased dependency on technology has its
disadvantages. According to UN Chronicle: "With the increasing dependence on ICT and
the interlinked nature with critical infrastructure, we have become alarmingly vulnerable
to possible disruption and exploitation by malicious cyber activities". Such malicious and
dangerous activities have caused damage in various parts of society ranging from the
individual to government institutions. Given the unpredictable nature of such attacks, it
can often be very difficult to differentiate a small case of hacktivism from a major
attack on a government or nation. Even though there is no consensus on what constitutes
cyber warfare, it is imperative that individual countries and their governments play an
active role in tackling this problem and finding solutions to it. The debate within DISEC
will focus on understanding the technicalities and sources of contention between various
forms of cyber warfare.
SPECIAL POLITICAL AND DECOLONIZATION COMMITTEE (SPECPOL)

Topic A: Marine Refugees

Maritime Refugees are refugees and/or asylum seekers attempting to find land because of
fear of persecution in their native countries. Often, this is due to civil unrest, financial
difficulties, or disease, but can also occur due to extreme cultural stigmas against certain
sexualities, diseases, religions, and ethnicities. Maritime refugees fleeing troubles in
countries like Afghanistan, Iran, and Sri Lanka pay huge sums to smugglers who operate
often-unsafe boats. In 2012, 252 boats carrying 17,821 asylum seekers arrived on
Australian shores. Last year, an estimated 1,500 people were reported missing or dead
attempting to reach Europe across the Mediterranean. Not only is it expensive for the host
country to process maritime refugees, it is also incredibly unsafe for refugees: in boats
designed for 40 people, there are often more than five times that amount on board. Last
year, in early October, some 365 migrants drowned off Lampedusa when their boat
capsized.

Topic B: Rights of Private Companies in Outer Space

Rights of Private Companies in Outer Space refers to the rules that will regulate the
opening of outer space to non-governmental groups or individuals. Now, more than
twelve companies have created their own private space ships, which will be able to carry
humans into space. With these capabilities, private companies are now competing to
become leaders in this new space race. Without a definite set of policies in place to
control the actions of private companies in outer space, it is very likely that disputes will
occur between companies, individuals, or governments. This committee will focus on the
responsibilities of companies, human safety, and control of spacecraft. As private
companies now take on the missions that were once assumed by the government, there is
a fear that this space race will create problems within the international community.
Others, however, believe that it will bring about a newfound freedom.

SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND HUMANITARIAN COMMITTEE (SOCHUM)

Topic A: Ageing Populations

The worlds population is looking far older than it did at the turn of the 20th century,
when life expectancies were almost half those reported today. This committee will
examine the international trends and issues facing the worlds oldest populations. This
topic will be divided along two axes. The first will deal with ageing concerns in
developed countries, where forms of social safety nets are often long established, but are
riddled with outdated schema and are insufficient to meet the demands of 21st century.
Furthermore, changing demographic breakdown has created serious problems for national
labor forces and given rise to new problems like ageism in the workplace. The other axis
will deal with issues related to ageing in the developing world, where social welfare
programs and medical infrastructure are incomplete if not largely absent, and the onus for
geriatric care and remittances often place a significant strain on families and inhibit
economic development.

Topic B: Violence against Women

Violence against women, as defined by the WHO, can take two forms: intimate partner
violence and sexual violence. While statistics on the prevalence of these crimes vary
widely, on average 35% of all women worldwide will experience one of these types of
violence in their lifetime. SOCHUM will be looking at both types of violence and broad,
historical trends, like the correlation between the increased engagement of women in the
workplace/higher education and the incidence of domestic violence. This topic will
include the recent cases of violence against women, such as the highly publicized rapes in
Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, India (in December 2012 and May 2014, respectively), as well
as the May 2014 honor killing of a Pakistani woman. The goal of this committee is to
both understand the ideological and social factors that contribute to a culture of
permissibility for these crimes, as well as the legal and security-sector shortcomings that
have made cracking down on these crimes a struggle. This committee will also aim to
explore how nations can better prevent and respond to crimes again women.

ECOSOC:

HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (HLPF)

Sustainable Energy & Air Pollution in Cities

The issue of sustainable energy is critical to the political and economic stability of all
regions. In light of rapidly growing populations, the task of sustainably meeting energy
demands requires urgent and effective resolutions. The topic is broad, its discussions far-
reaching, and its resolutions crucial to the sustainable development of nations. As the
pace of urbanization continues to accelerate, the issue of air pollution has become a
significant yet unsolved issue for various stakeholders, most importantly urban residents
whose health has been seriously affected. As state-level and interstate-level development
policies collide with the well being of city dwellers, for who various local governments
and corporations are responsible, the problem of pollution becomes a complicated
problem garbled with various demands from stakeholders at different levels.
UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE
PACIFIC (UNESCAP)

Sustainable Access to Safe Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation & Improvement in the
Lives of Slum Dwellers

The goal of one of the environmental development goals is to improve and increase the
proportion of the population that has access to improved water and sanitation sources.
Billions of people across the world have gained access to water since 1990 and the
situation regarding water availability has improved quite a bit. However, there remain
still 2.5 billion people that have no access to facilities such as sewer systems, flush
toilets, or improved latrines among others. For the later topic, when the millennium
development goals were signed in 2000, about 760 million people around the world were
living in slums. The millennium development goal envisioned improving the lives of at
least 100 million slum dwellers. While the share of slum dwellers decreased to 33 per
cent in the developing world by 2012 and more than 200 million slum residents got
access to improved water and sanitation facilities, 863 million people in the world still
dwell in slums. This increase in the number of slum residents shows that while a
significant number of people who once lived in slums were able to improve their
situations, the increase in new slum dwellers added to the total number of slum residents.

Crisis and Historical Committees:

THE SECURITY COUNCIL

Topic A: Russian Annexation of Crimea

The overarching issue of state sovereignty and regional players in Eastern Europe came
to an all time high in Russias recent incorporation of most of the peninsula of Crimea
during military intervention in Eastern Ukraine. The Supreme Council of Crimeas
declaration of independence and subsequent disputed referendum has fueled the concerns
of NATO and now, the Security Council, over what is considered to be an illegal
annexation of Ukraine territory in violation of previously agreed upon arms treaties. In
spite of the General Assemblys adoption of a non-binding resolution affirming
Ukrainian sovereignty, the Russian position view the Crimean public vote to join the
Federation as legitimate. As the militarized conflict in Eastern Ukraine continues to
intensify with uninspected Russian humanitarian aid trucks crossing the border and
Ukrainian forces pushing deeper into pro-Russian rebel territory, the Security Council is
faced with the challenge of creating a binding multinational settlement that will
determine changing economic and political players in the region.

Topic B: Al Qaeda Cell Re-emergence in Iraq

ISIS, a militant Sunni group otherwise known an Islamic state, had regained control of
parts of Syria and Iraq in an attempt to establish a caliphate. The Security Council is
faced with the humanitarian fallout of the groups persecution of Assyrian, Chaldean,
Syriac Christian, and Yazidi minority peoples of Iraq. Moreover, the state of Iraq,
struggling to exercise sovereignty over its own borders, cities, and manpower, is ceasing
to become a safe haven from Iraqi minorities displaced from their homes and now
refugees in neighboring Syria and surrounding areas. This emergency session of the
Security Council must consider the consequences of ISIS amassing significant political
and economic power through gaining control of Iraqi oil fields and caches of weapons.
With the Iraqi army on retreat and Iraqs Kurdish populationthe survivors of Husseins
earlier genocidal effortsasking for international military support, the Council must also
keep in mind the pitfalls of disintegration and the future of a federal state in which
Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds coexist.

Special Summit on the Transition of South Sudan

The situation in South Sudan has remained unstable since the nations founding. South
Sudanese President Salva Kiir and rebel commander Riek Machar recently signed a peace
agreement that dissolved within hours, leading to continued violence all over the country.
The issue of South Sudans recovery is a broad one, so our focus will be on the ethnic
tensions that continue to threaten the safety of thousands of South Sudanese people, the
handling of refugees and whether South Sudan should work with its neighbors
including Sudan to end the fighting between the government and rebel forces. These
sub-issues have some overlap but still must be considered individually. Is there a way to
unite the different ethnic factions that are competing for power? Can the refugee crisis be
contained? Is there a way to end the civil war that does not require outside support?
Singapore MUN Committees

General Assembly:

Disarmament and International Security (DISEC)

Topic 1: Use of Depleted Uranium in Munitions

Depleted uranium, a waste product from nuclear reactors, has a density twice that of
conventionally used lead, making it ideal for use in armour piercing rounds and tank
armour. While the radiation from depleted uranium rounds is theoretically not high
enough to be toxic, critics of their use point to the inconclusive results the World Health
Organizations study of radioactive contamination during the Gulf War and Kosovo War
as well as the 'Gulf War Syndrome' experienced by US veterans, while attempts to reach
a consensus on their use have been repeatedly stalled by NATO states. There are an
estimated 20 countries with depleted uranium munitions in their arsenals, but only the
United States and Britain have used them in combat. Belgium became the first country to
outlaw use of depleted uranium in munitions in 2009, followed by Costa Rica in 2011.

Although the international community has called for a moratorium on the production and
military use of DU, it faced resistance chiefly amongst member states possessing them.
There is presently no treaty ban on the use of DU projectiles, as noted in a UNHRC
Working paper delivered in 2002, as well as by the chief prosecutor for the International
Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

Delegates will be challenged to discuss the legality of the use of DU in military conflicts,
and draft a resolution on the production and military use of depleted uranium.

Topic 2: Foreign Military Bases

In recent decades, international non-governmental organisations have attempted to make

the abolition and withdrawal of foreign military bases found in more than a hundred
states and territories worldwide an internationally codified state requirement. In 2011, the
International Conference on the Human Right to Peace collectively passed the "Santiago
Declaration on the Human Right to Peace" which insisted that disarmament and by
extension the scaling down of foreign military bases was a demand people had the right
to make of their governments. The article in question, Article 7, was further reiterated to
the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Human Rights Council as a requested
addition to its Draft Declaration on the Right to Peace the following year. However, the
arguments based on "threat of force" and on facilitation of inter-state violence were only
briefly touched upon with the focus being more on socio-economic detriments and their
implications for human rights.

Delegates to the United Nations' Disarmament and International Security Committee are
to consider if international security is truly threatened by the presence of foreign military
bases as facilitators of power projection and infringement of sovereignty, or should
foreign military bases be allowed the contention of facilitating peace-keeping efforts and
balancing of power.

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

Topic 1: Income Inequality and Corruption

Income inequality has been hindering economic growth and poverty reduction, in aspects
including nutrition, health and education. It further restricts the opportunities and access
to political, social and economic resources, driving conflicts and destabilizing societies.
Growing deprivations due to persistent inequalities will continue to create problems in
society, and possibly give rest to social unrest. Though economic growth has been
present in recent years, it has not alleviated the income gap, but further worsened the
income inequality in the world.

Corruption is also a threat to the upholding of peace, security, democracy and human
rights. The effects of corruption is far reaching as it may cause the weakening of
democratic institutions and attack the root of these institutions by distorting the voting
during the elections, finding loopholes to the rule of law and even go onto creating
bureaucratic quagmires that solicit bribes, at the expense of the common good of society.
Corruption remains a pivotal component in economic underperformance and a major
obstacle to poverty alleviation and development.

Delegates should seek to address both topics by re-evaluating the current measures taken
by the UN, and further cooperate with other organizations to improve the efficiency and
influence of the work of the UNDP.

Topic 2: Clean Water and Sanitation

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) seek to halve the proportion of population
without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015. Though
substantial progress have been made, over 2 billion people still lack access to adequate
water and sanitation facilities, especially in developing countries. Due to poor
management of water resource via exploitation and inefficient usage, mankind has
impacted irreversible damage to the water sources, causing lakes to dry up and even
inter-state conflicts over water.

The lack of drinking water, basic sanitation, and hygienic practices have disastrous
consequences. The main impact is on public health, where people become increasingly
vulnerable to diseases. In developing countries, there is a growing rural-urban disparity
with regards to the accessibility to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and services.

Delegates should consider formulating concrete plans in collaboration with other

organizations to tackle this issue, including ensuring equitable provision of water,
sanitation and hygiene services and facilities. Ultimately, the committee should aim to
achieve improved standards of water, sanitation and hygiene for both the developing and
developed member nations.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Topic 1: Refugees of the Syrian Conflict

In 1951, the "UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees" was approved and came
into force 3 years later. In 1967, the convention's protocol saw states acceding to
cooperation with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in supervising
implementation of the convention. With the commencement of the Syrian Civil War,
Syrian refugees have fled to various states in the region. The UN High Commissioner for
Refugees, Antonio Gutierrez, has criticized the lack of action by the international
community in addressing the Syrian Crisis, highlighting that while the Syria Crisis itself
has become the biggest humanitarian emergency of the current era.

Delegates are encouraged to consider the interests of the governments of neighbouring

states and their legal and legitimate abilities to deal with the refugee issue. Furthermore,
delegates ought to consider if further multilateral measures in this issue would be
beneficial to resolving the problems.

Topic 2: The Rights of Stateless Persons

Approximately 10 million people worldwide are considered stateless by the UNHCR,

including people such as the Bidun in Kuwait, the Kurds in Iraq, the Rakhine peoples of
Myanmar and the Burkinab in West Africa. The United Nations defines stateless people
as those who are "not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its
law", and further distinguishes between de jure and de facto stateless persons. De
jure stateless people are those whose nationality has been denied explicitly by the state
andde facto stateless people are those whose nationality is ineffective or in question.
In 2011, the UNHCR held a ministerial conference at Geneva as part of a campaign to
encourage further accession to the 1961 Convention, the articles of which are supposed to
ensure citizenship by birth, prevention of nationality deprivation whether by
discrimination or by territorial transfer. However, it is still a contemporary issue where
states are unable to establish for certain whether the claims of stateless persons of right to
citizenship are factually sound due to lack of legal documentation. Furthermore, efforts to
resolve statelessness are at the mercy of the states' abilities to define what makes a citizen
and it is within the states' sovereignty to deny citizenship to those they deem not
satisfactory for nationality.

Delegates are to consider if the international community is ready to expand the legal
ability of the conventions to further legislate the ways in which states define their citizens
or non-citizens and also if there are further measures to be taken in protecting the rights
of currently stateless persons whether De jure or De facto.