Utah Model UN PracticeTraining Conference
2021 — Online, UT/US
Councils and descriptions
Human Rights Council
Topic: Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance
In recent years there has been a noticeable rise in violent attacks and hate crimes on minority groups. One of the main contributing factors to this increased intolerance is the radicalization of online groups. Far-right groups have used online and community platforms to convert people to ideologies that create divisions. One example of intolerance that has been on the rise is Islamophobia, which has mainly stemmed from the belief that Muslims support terror. Xenophobic descrimination, though, exists around the world and targets countless groups such as the LGBTQ community and indigenous peoples. The delegates of this committee must ensure that each and every citizen of this world received the liberties and freedoms guaranteed to them by the Declaration of Human Rights.
General Assembly
World Health Organization
Topic: Disease Control in Humanitarian Emergencies
Following major conflicts or natural disasters, large amounts of people are often displaced and relocated to temporary locations with high population density. The World Health Organization has assessed that those affected are often at a higher risk for disease due to inadequate food and shelter, unsafe water, and poor sanitation. Delegates must work together to ensure the health and well-being of those impacted by humanitarian emergencies. The committee must address how to provide operational support during crises, strengthen partnerships with local organizations, provide technical support, and improve training workshops/education.
UNESCO
Topic: Improving Literacy Rates Among Indigenous Peoples
Closing the gap between indigenous communities and the rest of modern society has been at the forefront of UNESCO’s work since its inception in 1945. Now, over seventy years later, improving education in indigenous communities is still at the center of UNESCO’s mission. In this committee delegates will be tasked with improving literacy rates among indigenous people. This is an extremely difficult task due to the fact that are over 4,000 vastly different indigenous languages in the world. In Cambodia, for example, the literacy rate for those who do not speak Khmer is over 30% lower than the national literacy rate. Therefore, delegates must discuss how to increase literacy rates while still preserving the culture and languages of indigenous groups.
UNICEF
Topic: Eliminating Child Labor
Recent data from UNICEF and the World Bank suggests that over 168 million children ages 5 to 17 are caught in the chains of the child labor system, depirved form their childhood, education, and health. The worst forms of child labor include slavery, forced labor, child soldiering, sexual exploitation, and drug trafficking. Despite steady declines, though, over 100 million children are expected to still be caught in the system by 2020. That being said, the work of this committee to tackle child labor is more important than ever. UNICEF believes that in order to prevent child labor, children must be placed at the center of programs designed to protect their rights. Delegates in this committee will discuss the most effective ways to end child labor, including helpng communities change their their cultural acceptance of child labor, and provindg income, education, and protective services to families.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Topic: Mobilizing Financial Resources for Developing Countries for Sustainable Development
A key challenge to reaching the sustainable development goals by 2030 is that many developing nations do not have the economic resources to do so. Providing basic necessities such as education, healthcare, clean water, and food is not possible for many developing countries which comprise about 92% of the world’s population. In addition to necessities, these countries do not have the financial infrastructure to create new programs that address the SDGs, such as gender equality and climate initiatives. This committee has been convened so delegates can create a plan that allows developing countries to contribute to action for the global goals while promoting self-sustainability and economic growth.