Committees
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Beginner committees
GA1
1st General Assembly Committee
Chair: Yara Bazeigh
Deputy Chair: Jady (Keyu) Yan
Disarmament and International Security
The Disarmament and International Security (DISEC) Committee is the General Assembly’s First Committee (GA1) and one of the six committees of the United Nations General Assembly. It includes all United Nations Member States, as under the UN Charter, all member states and observer states of the United Nations are part of the First Committee and have an equal vote. Documents devised by the First Committee require a simple majority (51%) to pass and like other General Assembly Committees is not able to authorize armed interventions, impose sanctions or pass binding resolutions. Like all General Assembly committees the GA1 deals with matters regarding world peace, but focuses on dealing with affairs that threaten to endanger international security and acknowledges all disarmament and international security matters, within the field of the UN Charter.
The First Committee is arguably the most important of the six General Assembly Committees, mainly due to the complex topics being discussed. More than other Committees in the General Assembly, the aim of the DISEC Committee is to present effective solutions, that focus on addressing the nature of the problem to permanently settle the issue.
The first contribution of the GA1 to the United Nations was Resolution 1 regarding the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy on January 24 1946 which led to the creating of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission (UNAEC).
The First Committee is arguably the most important of the six General Assembly Committees, mainly due to the complex topics being discussed. More than other Committees in the General Assembly, the aim of the DISEC Committee is to present effective solutions, that focus on addressing the nature of the problem to permanently settle the issue.
The first contribution of the GA1 to the United Nations was Resolution 1 regarding the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy on January 24 1946 which led to the creating of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission (UNAEC).
Topic 1: Promoting Global Cooperation on Cybersecurity Amid Transnational Threats.
Topic 2: Illegal Trafficking of Small Arms by Promoting Control Measures.
Topic 3: Dealing with the Escalating Challenge of 3D Printed weaponry in Worldwide Conflict.
Delegations: Greece, Belgium, Palestine, South Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, Hungary, Australia, Cuba, Brazil, Isreal, United States, Norway, Iran, China, France, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Mexico UAE, Ukraine, Kenya, Russia
GA2
2nd General Assembly Committee
Chair: Ila Blower
Deputy Chair: Deniz Gümüş
Economic and Financial
The Economic and Financial Committee is the General Assembly’s Second Committee (GA2) and one of the four committees of the United Nations General Assembly. It includes all United Nations Member States, as under the UN Charter, all member states and observer states of the United Nations are part of the Second Committee and have an equal vote. Documents require a simple majority (51%) to pass and like other General Assembly Committees is not able to authorize armed interventions, impose sanctions or pass binding resolutions. Like all General Assembly committees the GA2 deals with matters regarding world peace, but focuses in the area of global finances and economics, within the field of the UN Charter.
The Second Committee is arguably the most important of the six General Assembly Committees, mainly due to the importance of managing finance while keeping the peace between nations. Since our world is meanwhile based on globalisation, including trading, debt between countries and transportation, an issue with finance can often lead to a global catastrophe. The GA2 has the important role of preventing such a catastrophe.
The GA2 is a relatively new committee that is not very common in MUN conferences, however it still is one of the most significant committees in the UN.
Topic 1: Promoting sustainable and resilient economic recovery in the post-conflict setting of Ethiopia.
Topic 2: Addressing Global health investments: Strengthening health Systems for Sustainable Development.
Topic 3: Promoting Responsible Tourism Practices to Achieve Sustainable Economic Growth and Environmental Stewardship in Brazil.
Delegations: Germany, DRC, Greece, Canada, South Korea, Switzerland, Cuba, Poland, Spain, Ethiopia, Norway, Pakistan, China, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Russia, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Kenya, India, USA, Japan
GA3
3rd General Assembly Committee
Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural
The Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee is the General Assembly’s Third Committee (GA3) and one of the six committees of the United Nations General Assembly. It includes all United Nations Member States, as under the UN Charter, all member states and observer states of the United Nations are part of the Third Committee and have an equal vote. Documents devised by the Third Committee require a simple majority (51%) to pass and like other General Assembly Committees is not able to authorise armed interventions, impose sanctions or pass binding resolutions. Like all General Assembly committees the GA3 deals with matters regarding world peace, but focuses on dealing with affairs that threaten humans including reports of the special procedures of the newly established Human Rights Council.
Topic 1: Addressing the Human Rights Implications of Artificial Intelligence: Strengthening Legal and Ethical Frameworks for Responsible AI Development and Deployment.
Topic 2: Mitigating Racism and Hate Crimes in the Global Digital Sphere.
Topic 3: Fostering Global Collaboration to Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Vulnerable Populations in Lebanon.
Delegations: Lebanon, Greece, Canada, Palestine, Columbia, Italy, South Africa, Hungary, Poland, Brazil, Israel, Iran, United Kingdom, Kenya, China, France, Netherlands, Ukraine, USA, Japan, UAE, Russia
GA4
4th General Assembly Committee
Special Political and Decolonisation
Topic 1: Ensuring International Cooperation in Strategic and Military Operations in Space.
Topic 2: Establishing Guidelines for the Operation of Military Bases abroad.
Topic 3: Promoting Sustainable Economic Recovery and Social Reintegration for Former Child Soldiers in the DRC.
Delegations: DRC, Greece, Turkey, Canada, Belgium, Egypt, Brazil, Hungary, Poland, Australia, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, United States, Ethiopia, Mexico, Germany, United Kingdom, China, France, Russia, Pakistan, India, UAE, Netherlands, Japan
GA6
6th General Assembly Committee
Legal
Notable treaties by the Legal Committee include the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 1998.
While law-making negotiations take place in a variety of specific bodies of the United Nations, depending on their subject-matter, negotiations related to general international law are usually held at the Sixth Committee.
Topic 1: Establishing Norms and Regulations to Strengthen International Cybersecurity and Personal Data Privacy.
Topic 2: Developing an International Legal Framework to Regulate Sex Work.
Topic 3: The Role and Effectiveness of International Law in Settling Territorial Disputes.
Delegations: Canada, Taiwan, Netherlands, South Africa, Russia, Argentina, Italy, Spain, Iran, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sweden, South Korea, France, Thailand, United Kingdom, Ukraine, China, Brazil, India, USA, UAE, Germany
CSW
Commission on the Status of Women
Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the main UN body exclusively assigned to the advancement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and was established on the 21st of June 1946. At MUNISS it too will be part of the General Assembly on the last day of our conference, resolutions do not need to be ratified by the General Assembly though.
Topic 1: Implementing Sustainable Development Initiatives to Empower Women in Rural Communities of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Topic 2: Ensuring Women’s Security in Conflict Settings.
Topic 3: Addressing the Growing Issue of the Gender Pay Gap.
Delegations: South Africa, Switzerland, Australia, Russia, France, Norway, Argentina, Italy, United States, Iran, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, India, Afghanistan, China, Japan, Ukraine, Sweden, Ukraine, Nigeria
WHO
World Health Organization
Topic 1: Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Strengthening Global Health Systems.
Topic 2: Addressing the Global Health Crisis of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Topic 3: Promoting Good Nutrition and Sustainable Food Systems for children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Delegations: Turkey, Bangladesh, South Korea, Bosnia, Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Iran, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Canada, China, Philippines, Germany, Thailand, Argentina, Ukraine, Russia, Vietnam, Sweden, UAE, Brazil, India, USA
Advanced committees
ILO
International Labor Organization
International Labor Organization
The International Labor Organization (ILO) is the United Nations branch which deals with everything that has to do with labour worldwide. Its main goal is decent working conditions for everyone. It was set up in 1919, and currently 183 of all 193 UN member states are member of the ILO. The ILO has powers to register complaints when it feels that international rules with regards to labour are being violated; it however cannot impose sanctions on governments.
The ILO is composed of 28 government representatives, 14 workers’ representatives, and 14 employers’ representatives. Ten of these governmental seats are held by countries that are of great industrial importance. These countries are currently Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States. The terms of office are three years.
The ILO is of major significance to the UN, as it is a watchdog and regulator for all the labour across member states. Without such an organisation no universal working condition regulations would be present and corporations as well as governments who have no regards for working conditions would be able to exploit their workers to the fullest.
Each year in June, the ILO organises the International Labour Conference. At this conference conventions and recommendations are crafted and adopted. Each member state has four representatives: two government delegates, an employer delegate and a worker delegate. Each delegate has an individual vote.
Topic 1: Decent Work in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Protecting Workers’ Rights and Opportunities.
Topic 2: Fostering Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment in Developing Nations.
Topic 3: Addressing Concerning Working Conditions in Clothing Industry in Southeast Asia.
Delegations: Greece, Bangladesh, Canada, Columbia, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, United States, Iran, India, Norway, United Kingdom, China, South Korea, Philippines, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, Indonesia, France, Sweden, Ukraine, Russia, Brazil
UNESCO
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Topic 1: Promoting Media Literacy and Combating Misinformation in the Digital Age.
Topic 2: Balancing the role of Tourism and Development with the preservation of Cultural Heritage.
Topic 3: Supporting Technological Innovation to Improve Access to Educational Opportunities for All.
Delegations: Turkey, Bangladesh, South Korea, Bosnia, Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Iran, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Canada, China, Philippines, Germany, Thailand, Argentina, Ukraine, Russia, Vietnam, Sweden, UAE, Brazil, India, USA
HRC
Human Rights Council
Human Rights
The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe. The UNHRC has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms. The 38th session of the UNHRC began June 18, 2018. It ended on July 7, 2018. The headquarters of the council is in Geneva, Switzerland.
Topic 1: Addressing Human Rights Violations Against Migrants in Yemen.
Topic 2: Mitigating civilian abuse at the hands of police.
Topic 3: Discussing the breaches in human rights in Gaza due to the current conflict.
Delegations: Turkey, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Russia, Netherlands, France, Mexico, Australia, Yemen, Egypt, United States, India, United Kingdom, China, Philippines, Germany, Indonesia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Japan
ECOSOC
Economic and Social Council
Economic and Social
Under the UN Charter, ECOSOC is responsible for higher standards of living, full employment, and economic and social progress; identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems; facilitating international, cultural and educational cooperation; and encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. ECOSOC’s purview extends over 70 percent of the human and financial resources of the entire UN system.
ECOSOC was established by the UN Charter in 1945, which was amended in 1965 and 1974 to increase the number of members from 18 to 54. ECOSOC membership is based on geographic representation: 14 seats are allocated to Africa, 11 to Asia, 6 to eastern Europe, 10 to Latin America and the Caribbean, and 13 to western Europe and other areas. Members are elected for three-year terms by the General Assembly. Four of the five permanent members of the Security Council have been continuously reelected because they provide funding for most of ECOSOC’s budget, which is the largest of any UN subsidiary body. Decisions are taken by simple majority vote. The presidency of ECOSOC changes annually.
Topic 1: Inclusive Financial Systems for Sustainable Development.
Topic 2: Addressing the Social Impact of Automation and Job Displacement.
Topic 3: Global Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture.
Delegations: Iraq, Canada, Russia, Ghana, South Korea, South Africa, Mexico, Norway, Iran, Spain, China, France, Japan, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Australia, USA, United Kingdom, Germany, DPRK, Afghanistan
CCPCJ
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Topic 1: Addressing the Growing Threat of Human Trafficking.
Topic 2: Preventing Transnational Organized Crime (drug and weapon smuggling across countries).
Topic 3: Raising Awareness on the Global Money Laundering in the Americas.
Delegations: Iraq, Canada, Russia, Ghana, Ukraine, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Israel, Iran, Norway, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, DPRK, Indonesia, Afghanistan, France, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, China, India, USA, Australia
Expert committees
HSC
Historical Security Council
Historical Security Council
The Historical Security Council (HSC) is the Security Council (SC), but instead of discussing current day issues, one talks about historical situations that have influenced the world.
The Security Council is arguably one of the most important committees of the United Nations (UN) since its first session in 1946. The SC has powers that no other committee has: they have the power to allow the use of force, can issue binding decisions.
Another difference among the institutions in the UN is that the Permanent 5 countries (P5), the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the French Republic, have veto powers: if one of the P5 vetoes a decision, it puts an absolute stop to any decision that was being made.
Except for the five permanent members in the SC, there are ten more countries elected every two years, the non-permanent members. The current non-permanent members are Chad, Nigeria, Angola, Jordan, Malaysia, Chile, Venezuela, New Zealand, Spain and Lithuania.
Topic 1: The Aftermath of the Palestine Conflict of 1948: The Creation of Israel and the Palestinian Refugee Crisis.
Topic 2: Addressing the Humanitarian Crisis Resulting from the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Topic 3: Restoring Peace and Stability in the Balkans following the Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001).
Delegations: Spain, Germany, India, Russia, Palestine, Ireland, China, Egypt, United Kingdom, France, Bosnia, Romania, Pakistan, Israel, United States
SC
Security Council
Security Council
The United Nation Security Council has the role of keeping the world safe, being in charge of international security. The United Nation Security Council calls upon its members to peacefully resolve international disputes and if needed, with military resources
Topic 1: The Conflict in Israel and Palestine.
Topic 2: Addressing the Ongoing Conflict in Myanmar.
Topic 3: Ensuring Maritime Security in the Red Sea.
Delegations: Spain, Germany, India, Algeria, Myanmar, United States, Myanmar, Ireland, Brazil, Ireland, Yemen, Egypt, Israel, China, Russia, United Kingdom