general assembly

Women and Children’s Rights: Draft Resolutions in the Third Committee

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The November 22nd meeting began with a report of UN spending and proposed draft resolutions on preventing and combating corrupt practices and facilitating asset recovery. The Committee Secretary and the representative of Colombia stressed the importance of crime prevention and criminal justice. The Third Committee further discussed social development in the context of regional culture regarding youth, aging, disabled persons, and family life. Representatives focused on implementing outcomes of the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly. The Committee deferred draft resolutions regarding women’s socioeconomic advancement, trafficking of women and girls, as well as “assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions” until a later time.

The committee discussed the promotion and protection of the children’s rights. Representatives proposed draft resolutions relating to “Child, early and forced marriage,” “Protecting children from bullying,” and “Rights of the child” (including, but not limited to migrant children). After some debate about language and content of the proposed revision, Sudan’s oral amendment to “Rights of the child” (A/C.3/71/L.20/Rev.1) was rejected by vote. The Committee adopted the revisions as earlier proposed, and several delegations followed with relevant personal statements. The committee agreed to adopt draft resolution to A/C.3/71/L.17/Rev.1 regarding the rights of indigenous peoples.

Meeting: Third Committee, 55th Meeting

Date/Time/Location: Tuesday, 22 November 2016; 10:00 to 13:00; UN Headquarters, Conference Room 1

Speakers: Chairperson of the Third Committee, Secretary of the Third Committee, Representative of Colombia, Representative of Nigeria, Representative of the Philippines, Representative of Mexico, Representative of Iceland, Representative of Sudan

Written By: Renée S. Landzberg, WIT Representative

A Resolution Toward Peace in Afghanistan

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On Thursday, November 17th, the General Assembly convened to address the resolution regarding the current situation in Afghanistan. Delegates expressed concern over issues within the war-torn nation and pledged to provide assistance to help rebuild the country. Delegates addressed the need to support the country in its efforts to strengthen the government. This must be done by fighting corruption and providing military and financial assistance. Delegations of Pakistan and the United States promoted negotiation settlements between the Afghani government and the Taliban to help achieve peace. However, the delegation of Afghanistan disagreed stating the government refuses to cooperate with the Taliban and any other organizations that continue to oppress the Afghani people.

Terrorist organizations prominent within Afghanistan have made it increasingly difficult for citizens to live safely. The deaths of millions of innocent people and the illicit drug trade as a source of income continues to threaten security. Last year alone, as highlighted by Lithuania, there were 11,000 civilian casualties, with 25% of those being children. By uniting international communities and working together, the fight can be won against violence and terrorist organizations. Additionally, gender inequality has been an issue within Afghanistan that delegations aim to address with the resolution. It was continuously stressed throughout the meeting that all forms of violence against women must be combatted. Women have become increasingly involved in political and social progress and creating spaces to empower women in this way can build peace. With political, social, and economic instability, Afghanistan has struggled to provide for the Afghani people. The resolution, on which no delegation has disagreed, will help promote the redevelopment of the troubled nation.

Meeting: General Assembly, 47th Plenary Meeting on the Situation in Afghanistan

Date/Time/Location: 17 November 2016, 10:00 to 13:00; United Nations Headquarters, General Assembly Hall

Speakers: Mr. Heiko Thoms, Deputy Permanent Representatie of Germany; Mr. Mahmoud Saikal, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan; Mr. Mahmadamin Mahmadaminov, Permanent Representative of Tajikitan, Mr. João Pedro Vale de Almeida, Head of the Delegation of the European Union; Ms. Michele Sison, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States; Mr. Liu Jieyi, Permanent Representative of China; Mr. David Yardley, Counsellor of Australia; Mr. Vladimir K. Safronkov, Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia; Ms. Farzana Zahir, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives; Mr. Güven Begeç, Deputy Permanent Representative of Turkey; Koro Bessho, Permanent Representative of Japan; Mr. Michael Bonser, Minister Counsellor for Political Affairs of Canada; Mr. František Ružička, Permanent Representative of Slovakia; Mr. Syed Akbaruddin, Permanent Representative of India; Ms. Maleeha Lodhi, Permanent Representative of Pakistan; Mr. Román Oyarzan Marchesi, Permanent Representative of Spain; Mr. Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, Permanent Representative of Belgium, Ms. Raimonda Murmokaifé, Permanent Representative of Lithuania; Ms. Inga Kanchaveli, Counsellor of Georgia; Mr. Inigo Lambertini, Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy; Mr. Ihab Moustafa Awad Moustafa, Minister Plenipotentairy of Egypt; Mr. Masud Bin Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh; Mr. Gholamhossein Dehghani, Deputy Permanent Representative of Iran; Mr. Barlybay Sodykov, Deputy Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan; Mr. Tofig Musayev, Counsellor of Azerbaijan; Mr. Georgi Panayotov; Permanent Representative of Bulgaria

 Written By: Leticia Murillo, WIT Representative

 

International Criminal Tribunals and Justice after Civil War

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In this session, the General Assembly discussed the many challenges facing the international tribunals formed in response to the civil wars in Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Mr. Agius stated that the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) wishes to resolve all remaining cases regarding inhumane crimes by 2017. The ICTY has already finished proceedings against 154 individuals charged for serious violations of international humanitarian law. Mr. Meron stated that since the tribunals have been established, there has been a “new age of accountability,” within the community. The social movement aids the tribunal in appropriately and accurately convicting responsible individuals.

The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) executed the other functions of the ICTY since the conclusion of the Rwanda Tribunal in 2015. Mr. Meron stressed the importance of cooperation and support by Member States for the success of the MICT and ICTY in regards to the remaining cases. Most of the convicted individuals in Rwanda have been acquitted or released in the United Republic of Tanzania. Serbia was claimed to also surrendered many indicted individuals. A debate arose, and the Representative of Croatia argued otherwise. He emphasized that all arrest warrants are currently pending, thus expressing concerns of “failures” within the tribunals. The Representative of the United States expressed that the support of judges and staff can be helpful in the tribunals following through on indictments.

Meeting: General Assembly Plenary, Seventy-First Session, 44th Meeting, “Report of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.”

Date/Location: Wednesday, 9 November 2016; 10:00 to 13:00; United Nations Headquarters, General Assembly Hall

Speakers: Mr. Theodor Meron, President of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals; Carmel Agius, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)

Written By: Ashley Lee, WIT Representative

El Niño, A Continuing Global Threat

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In this session, the General Assembly discussed the environmental and socioeconomic effects of El Niño, a climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean with extreme and dangerous impacts on global weather patterns. H.E Mr. Peter Thomson began and stated that El Niño has directly affected over 60 million people globally. The negative effects on communities worldwide have been profound, including malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and limitations to healthcare and educational resources. Additionally, he highlighted El Niño’s detriment to the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals. In many cases, El Niño’s weather patterns have already undermined progress made since the SDGs were implemented in 2015. H.E. Mr. Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez brought attention to Peru’s exceptional vulnerability to natural disasters given its geography. As a result, Peru has instituted preventative measures and increased focus on risk management. He noted that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has set clear global targets for disaster risk management.

The Representative of Ecuador added that the peak period of El Niño ended in May, however the economic impacts remain difficult to measure. He explained that El Niño has decreased harvest crop volumes, destroyed rural infrastructure, and increased food insecurity in the region. He emphasized the importance of the government prioritizing water accessibility. H.E. explained that water can be used for energy and agricultural irrigation as well as for drinking and sanitation. In addition to the federal government taking action, he acknowledged the importance of coordinating solutions with local governments to ensure the safety to all people in Ecuador. He urged other countries to adopt a proactive, rather than reactionary, approach to natural disaster, and stated that Ecuador’s early actions can save thousands of lives.

Meeting: Plenary Meeting, “Action-Oriented Recommendations to Address the Socioeconomic and Environmental Impacts of the 2015/16 El Niño Phenomenon,” (Item 13).

Date/Location: Wednesday, 2 November, 2016; 10:00 to 13:00; United Nations Headquarters, General Assembly Hall

Speakers: H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the General Assembly; H.E. Mr. Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez, Permanent Representative of Peru; Distinguished Representative of Ecuador

Written By: Anna Prisco, WIT Representative

 

Recognizing The Common Ground Between Drugs and Public Health

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Zuma visits Eldorado Park over drugs safety 2 [gcis]

As the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the World Drug Problem in April 2016 approaches, the reevaluation of metrics to best evaluate drug policy have become a concern. Thus the panel discussion, co-organized by the United Nations University (UNU) and the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP), focused on what indicators will be utilized in the process of measuring the impact of illicit drugs.

Dr. Dan Werb opened the meeting by introducing the ICSDP’s open letter, “A Call for a Reprioritization of Metrics to Evaluate Illicit Drug Policy.” Werb highlighted four main categories for indicators presented in this letter; Health, Peace & Security, Development, and Human Rights. He reasoned that these four categories are needed in order to prioritize the impact of illicit drug usage above the quantitative value or amount. Dr. Daliah Heller shared this sentiment. She suggested that the UN conduct public health surveillance that monitors drug-related injury, illness, disease, and death whilst setting health intervention benchmarks. She concluded that although criminal justice has dominated drug policy for the past five decades, equity must become the primary lens through which drug policy is examined.

Following, Dr. Kanna Hayashi presented her research and shared how People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) account for 30% of new HIV cases outside of sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of which are located in Asia. She reasoned that this could be combatted by adhering to evidence based standards, as well as ensuring service coverage and accessibility to Methadone therapy. Ms. Genevieve Sanders explained that, “human rights have been one of the great omissions from the evaluation of drug policy.” She explained that the OHCHR Guide can be adapted for drug policy in order to incorporate human rights indicators. The meeting concluded with the panel answering questions from the audience.

Meeting: Identifying common grounds for the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem to be held in 2016 (UNGASS 2016): Rethinking metrics to evaluate drug policy

Date/Location: Thursday, January 21st, 2016; 13:15-14:45; Conference Room 7, UN Headquarters, New York, New York

Speakers: Dr. Dan Werb, Director, International Centre for Science in Drug Policy; Dr. Kanna Hayashi, Research Scientist, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS; Dr. Daliah Heller, Clinical Professor, CUNY School of Public Health; Ms. Genevieve Sander, Human Rights Research Analyst, Harm Reduction International

Written By: WIT Representative Yume Murphy

Edited By: WIT Representative Alex Margolick

Photo Credit: GCIS via Flickr

General Elections in the General Assembly

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Today, there was a meeting held by the General Assembly. It was divided into three parts: the election of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Appointment of the judges of the UN Dispute Tribunals, and the Appointment of the judges of the UN Appeals Tribunals.

Mr. Mogens Lykketoft led the meeting on the voting and announcements of various positions. Mr. Filippo Grandi of Italy was elected as the High Commissioner for Refugees. The distinguished representatives of the Pacific, European Union, and the Gulf spoke their congratulations and support for Mr. Grandi’s election. His term will begin on January 16th, 2015 and end on December 1st, 2020. His responsibilities are to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve their problems internationally.

This is relevant to the current problem in Syria, which is the largest refugee crisis since World War II. The Office was created in 1950, and since then, it has helped nearly 55 million internally displaced and stateless refugees and returnees.

The Internal Justice Council recommended the judges of the Tribunals, who were appointed today by the Assembly. The statutes of the Tribunals were adopted and amended in resolution. There was a written ballot on the election for the Appeals and Dispute Tribunals, following the rules of procedure. Because the terms of the current judges are expiring, new judges who are eligible for election were voted for consideration. There are currently four vacancies on the Appeals Tribunal and three on the Dispute Tribunal from July 1st, 2016, to be voted for positions, which can be either full-time or half-time. This procedure for identifying suitable candidates enables the Council to place in an informal roster to possibly serve for the next scheduled term of judges.

Meeting: General Assembly 57th Plenary Meeting

Date/Location: Wednesday, November 18th, 2015; 11:00-11:30; General Assembly Hall

Speakers: Mogens Lykketoft, President of the United Nations General Assembly

Written By: WIT Representative Jin Yoo

Edited By: WIT Representative Alex Margolick

General Assemby Statistical Commission Briefing

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BIG_IMG_1329987527520Mr. Schweinfest began with a short introduction and commentary on a variety of topics. He wants to urge the General Assembly and the Statistics Commission to communicate effectively. The statistical and political sides must discuss what either side is and is not willing to do for the purpose of indicators. When the statisticians recommend an indicator, they will be sure of its capability. The only indicators to be shared are those that have been checked many times. For newer indicators, statisticians need assurance that their preliminary data will not be taken seriously.

Mr. Nasir asked what the procedure is for each agenda item. Mr. Schweinfest said that the chair would discourage national experiences because they would not be conducive to decision. Some form of preliminary list will be available in March but there are still a lot of people who are unhappy with how quickly the request came in. Most chief statisticians do not think they can do it within that time. It is likely that the indicators discussed will be those already agreed upon in the Millennium Development Goals in 2000. There will also be a ranking of proposed indicators.

The Representative from the UK asked what ratings were trying to measure and (1) Whether an indicator is meaningful; (2) What is the methodology; and (3) specificity–whether statisticians feel comfortable with the way is it presented.   Schweinfest said that the plan was to take more time to talk to leaders in specific sectors. He wants to see separation in the political and the technical realms. Statisticians need to measure time series and hold methodologies constant for 10 years, as it takes time to come up with new data.

The items for discussion at the 46th session of the Statistical Commission are highlighted on their website unstats.un.org under “Report of the Friends of the Chair on Broader Measures of Progress.”

Meeting: General Assembly; Statistical Commission Briefing
Date &Location: 25 February 2015, UN Headquarters, New York
Speakers: Stephan Schweinfest, Director of Statistics Division. Mr. Nasir, Mission of Afghanistan. Representative from the United Kingdom
Written By WIT Representative: James Victory
Edited By WIT Representative: Philip Bracey

Advancing Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls for a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda

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gender equality 3 _640This meeting featured distinguished panelists, member states, and civil society organizations that discussed the critical importance of incorporating benchmarks and policies dedicated to promoting gender equality and female empowerment within the transformative post-2015 development agenda. In particular, representatives stressed the necessity for prioritizing the economic and political empowerment of women through offering women greater opportunities within both the public and private sectors.

Ms. Kabeer focused on the wide variety of gender stereotypes that serve as barriers towards enabling women to effectively participate in politics and urged the adoption of infrastructure and public services that will enable women to thrive in society. Ms. Kabeer looked favorably upon establishing a standalone goal in the SDGs dedicated to promoting gender equality in political life. Ms. Clark described a robust vision for improving the lives of women around the world, as empowering women is essential to the success of both the international community and the sustainable development goals. The representative from Montenegro proclaimed a commitment toward facilitating the inclusion of women in the economy and developing a cooperative approach for all stakeholders. The economic empowerment of women not only assists them, but also contributes to global poverty reduction. Additionally, the delegate from Brazil affirmed that gender equality can only be achieved through the collaboration of civil society and governments.

Furthermore, representatives emphasized the significance of strengthening both accessibility and quality of education, seeing as how education is integral in instilling foundational and transferable skills that will benefit women that are becoming active global citizens. Mr. Osothimehin spoke about analyzing education holistically and improving standards of innovation, which would allow adolescent girls the ability to develop a comprehension of technical and vocational skills. Next, Ms. Hayshi alluded to alarming gender inequities like discrimination, lack of equal pay, and violence, which serve as impediments toward female empowerment. Finally, the President of the General Assembly concluded the debate by pointing out that sustainable development cannot be attained without valuable contributions from women.

Meeting: High-level Thematic Debate on Advancing Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls for a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda
Date & Location: Friday, 6 March 2015, UN Trusteeship Chamber, UN Headquarters, New York
Speakers: Naila Kabeer, Professor of Gender and Development at the Gender Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science; Helen Clark, Administrator of United Nations Development Programme; Irina Bokova, Director General of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund; Yoko Hayashi Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; Geeta Rao Gupta, Deputy Executive Director for Programs United Nations Children Fund; Representative from International Labor Organization; Representative of Montenegro, Representative of Latvia, Representative of Ecuador, Representative of Zimbabwe, Representative of Finland, Representative of Ukraine, Representative of Brazil, Representative of Canada.
Written By WIT Representative: Parth Shingala
Edited By WIT Representative: Philip Bracey

Discussion on the Eradication of Poverty

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50x70_eradicatePoverty copyThe agenda of the Second committee was ‘the Eradication of Poverty and Other Development Issues.’ The meeting began with a discussion among representatives from a variety of countries and organizations about the implementation of the second United Nations decade for the eradication for poverty. Her Excellency, Ms. Anna Marie Menendez Perez, President of the Trade and Development Board (UNCTAD) and permanent representative of Spain to the United Nations, spoke on the reports of the trade and development board, which focused on tackling inequality through trade and development a post-2015 challenge.

The conclusion of the trade and development board was to decrease inequality among countries, stimulate higher rates of trade, and increase the productivity of least-developing countries. A recommendation from the trade and development board was to catalyze investments in Africa to ensure transformative growth in order to strengthen the managerial capacities of African policymakers and leaders.The board also looked at the evolution of trade and agriculture and its effect on poverty eradication, sustained development, and employment. Throughout the meeting there was a call for a global post-2015 development agenda by several delegates.

Representatives from countries in special situations including least developed countries and landlocked developing countries spoke on the challenges these countries within in special situations face. There was a consistent consensus among delegates for the recommitment of the Instantbul Programme of Action. The representative of Sudan said that the Instanbul Programme of Action’s goals can be met if economies work together in order to create job opportunities, improve health, education, and technology.

Meeting: Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee), 19th Eradication of Poverty and other development issues
Date: October 23, 2014
Location: Conference Room 2, UNHQ, New York.
Speakers: His Excellency Mr. Sebastiano Cardi of Italy; Excellency, Ms. Anna Marie Menendez Perez, President of the Trade and Development Board (UNCTAD) and permanent representative of Spain to the United Nations; Individuals who spoke on behalf of groups in special situations included representatives of Myanmar (on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)), Malawi (on behalf of the African Group), Benin (on behalf of the Group of Least Developed Countries), European Union, Brazil, Malaysia, United States, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, New Zealand, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Morocco, Russian Federation, Togo, Kazakhstan, Japan, Turkey and the Solomon Islands.
Written By WIT Representative: Eman Osagie

Edited by WIT Representative: Aslesha Dhillon

The Human Rights Situation in North Korea

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images (1)The Permanent Missions of Australia, Botswana, and Panama co-organized a panel discussion on the human rights situation in the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, featuring the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the DPRK (COI). Kim Hye-Sook and Jung Kwang-Il gave statements on the “systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations” in political prisoner camps.

Representing the Commission of Inquiry, Justice Michael Kirby delivered a keynote speech. He, and later the representatives of Canada and the U.S., asserted the transparency of the COI’s 2013 Report on Human Rights in the DPRK. The report aimed to disclose North Korea’s “crimes against humanity” and the need for tribunal in the International Criminal Court. Though acknowledging the DPRK’s recent willingness for engagement, Justice Kirby requested a show of action in which, the DPRK makes the report available to its citizens and allows international machineries to enter the country.

Former North Korean citizen Kim Hye-Sook described the deplorable health and education conditions in labor camps. Former North Korean Jung Kwang-Il described the nine months of severe torture he endured in a prisoner camp, and the lasting physical and psychological damage.

The representative of the DPRK questioned the COI report’s “nature of political plots”, its use of leading questions, and the report’s assumptions of the DPRK’s legal handling of human rights. Justice Kirby assured the use of non-leading questions and lack of political motivation by directing the representative towards the online interview transcripts. Despite Kirby’s request, the representative of the DPRK denounced Kim Jung and other witnesses, as defectors.

The European Union and Japan mentioned a resolution based on the COI report, to soon be presented to the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. Botswana supported their resolution, having broken diplomatic ties with the DPRK upon release of the COI report.

Meeting: Panel discussion on “The Human Rights Situation in North Korea”
Location: Economic and Social Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York
Date: 22 October 2014
Written By WIT Representative: Alis Yoo
Edited by WIT Representative: Aslesha Dhillon