SOCIAL, HUMANITARIAN &
CULTURAL COMMITTEE
2017 TOPICS
Oceanic Biosphere Depletion
Gender Segregation
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Oceanic Biosphere Depletion
Why this is important?
The United Nations hope that all member states will pass laws that are beneficial to all
other member states to the best of their ability. The United Nations is in support of keeping the resources that we have clean, which includes our planet’s natural resources of
ocean. This topic addresses how we need to protect the resources that we have and ensure
the lasting ability to use these resources.
Background:
Our dynamic ecosystems provide services for each one of us on this earth. They are generally split into three different types of services: provisioning services, regulating services,
and cultural services. Provisioning services are those that provide harvestable goods such
as fish, shellfish, seaweed, algae, minerals and health products. Cultural services are the
many non-material benefits that are derived from nature. These are things like recreational
activities, beauty, spiritual, intellectual and cultural benefits.
Regulating services are those that help protect our environment like coastal protection,
prevention of erosions, water purification and biggest of all, carbon storage. Carbon storage (sequestration) is done by the ocean and is where you take CO2, which is a greenhouse
gas, out of the atmosphere and the ocean holds onto that carbon dioxide. The ocean is capable of doing this without harming itself as long as we are not causing extra pollution to
be taken in by the ocean. The more pollution and carbon dioxide created in the world, the
less carbon dioxide can be held by the ocean.
The ocean can create so many benefits and has very unique processes that you won’t find
in another body of water, but that also makes it a vulnerable source that could be damaged
and destroyed by human activity.
Issues to be addressed in a resolution:
1. What criteria will the United Nations use to classify the oceanic biosphere unhealthy?
2. What is the best way for the United Nations to remind countries of their need to
keep their water supplies clean?
3. What non-Governmental Organizations, regional organizations, and environmentalist groups can the UN partner with to raise awareness of the biosphere depletion
and promote clean habits?
4. Should the UN recognize any specific incidents as worthy of immediate attention
and repercussions for those who damage the oceanic biosphere?
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Resources:
Ecosystem Services: Mapping Ocean Wealth
http://oceanwealth.org/ecosystem-services/
Ocean Carbon Uptake, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Carbon+Uptake
United Nations Environment Management Group
http://unemg.org/
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Gender Segregation
Why this is important?
Gender segregation is a worldwide issue that is treated very differently regarding the
country’s customs, traditions, and belief system. This is an issue that affect basic human
rights that are guaranteed by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. This affects
the UN and the whole world because we are working as a large community to find equality
for genders. This issue is especially prevalent in nations like Saudi Arabia where women can
do almost nothing without permission or a male escort.
Background:
Gender segregation as existed in the world for a very long time. This has been seen is all
different forms and types of segregation, done by different groups of people. This is a current, pressing issue in regards to ensuring the safety and basic human rights of all those
who live within the guidelines of the United Declaration of Human Rights. Women in countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt are not allowed to pass citizenship onto their children, spousal rape is not illegal, two women are equal to one man in court and women cannot divorce their husbands.
This is an issue that not only is affecting the livelihood of these women, but it also affects
the gender gap when viewing the issue economically. By closing the gender gap, we could
add $12 trillion to global gross domestic product by 2025. This issue can stem from lots of
things, but more often than not it stems from a religious or spiritual view that the men and
women possess. Even women are responsible for some of the violence against other women
when these norms and roles are disobeyed.
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Issues to be addressed in a resolution:
1. What is the definition that the United Nations should use when defining gender?
2. How can the United Nations enforce gender equality without stepping into someone’s religious freedom?
3. How can the issue of gender segregation and discrimination be enforced by the
United Nations? What outside bodies can also help with the enforcement and promotion of gender equality?
4. Should the United Nations recognize any specific incidents as worthy of immediate
attention and repercussions for those who segregate or discriminate by one’s gender?
Resources:
The 10 Worst Countries for Gender Equality, Ranked By Perception
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-03-10/the-10-worst-countries-for-gender-equality-ranked-by-perception
The Dimensions of Occupational Gender Segregation in Industrial Countries
https://journalistsresource.org/studies/society/gender-society/occupational-gender-segregation-pay-differences
Gender Segregated Sociology
https://familyinequality.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/gender-segregated-sociology/
UN Women
http://www.unwomen.org/en
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