the social, humanitarian and cultural affairs...

The Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee

Topic A: Refugee Camp Conditions

Topic B: Humanitarian Aid on the Gaza Strip

Chair: Ruhi Bhaidani Vice Chair: Nicole Antony

Moderator: Olivia Landsman [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]

Glenbrook South Model United Nations April 25 Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Affairs Committee Chair: Ruhi Bhaidani

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Letter from the Chair:

Hello Delegates!

My name is Ruhi Bhaidani and I will be your SOCHUM chair for the first Model

United Nations conference at Glenbrook South! I welcome you to challenge yourselves

in creating effective solutions for our two topics. As for a little about myself, I am

currently a senior at Glenbrook South and this is my third year doing Model UN. I

absolutely love anything with chocolate, eating lots of labne almost as much as I love

playing water polo and strumming my guitar, petunia. The Social, Humanitarian, and

Cultural Affairs committee deals with human right concerns and ways in which to

address them, and I am excited to get to know you as a delegate and what you can

bring to committee. MUN was a huge catalyst in my life as it encourages me to think

beyond the single vision model of local understanding I have grown up with and

towards a broader spectrum of ideas, issues, and relations. I hope you will get the

same experience! If you have any questions or concerns you can contact me at

[email protected].

Sincerely,

Ruhi Bhaidani

mailto:[email protected]


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Topic A: Refugee Camp Conditions

Introduction

As of 2013 there are 51.2 million refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people

(IDPs) around the world, and that number is only on the rise. According to the head of the United

Nation’s refugee agency, António Guterres, “We are witnessing a quantum leap in forced

displacement in the world.” A figure above 50 million refugees has not been seen since the second

world war (Sherwood, Harriet), and is among the international community’s deep concerns.

Considering the sheer amount of displaced peoples around the world today, it is imperative to

ensure that there are proper living environments in refugee camps.


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Refugees are defined as people who are forced to flee their homes due to persecution, whether

on an individual basis or as part of a mass exodus due to political, religious, military or other

problems (Refugees, Human Rights Education Associates). According to Amnesty International, there

are six refugee rights that must be met: protection from being forcibly returned to a place where they

would be at risk of persecution, protection from discrimination, protection from penalties for illegal

entry, the right to work, housing and education, the right to freedom of movement, the right to

identify and travel documents (Who Is a Refugee? | Amnesty International). But the reality is that

many refugee camps hold hundreds of thousands of people in conditions that are difficult to live in,

and for the six million refugees that are predicted to spend an average of 17 years in these camps

(these refugees are classified by the UNHCR to be “protracted”) it can be unfathomable. Food and

water supplies are often scarce, disease is rampant, and seldom are refugees allowed to leave from

the camps ("How Safe Are Refugee Camps? | Factsheets | Go Back to Where You Came From | SBS).

These problems are universal across most refugee camps from Ethiopia to Bangladesh. It is up to you,

as delegates in the third committee of the United Nation’s General Assembly, also known as the

Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM) to create a sustainable, effective, and

efficient plan to ensure that human rights are met across all refugee camps.

History of the Problem

The history of refugee camps is varied, but those facing some of the most severe humanitarian

crisis’ tell a similar tale of being set up to serve for short amounts of time. Yet in reality, these camps

have often been utilized for over a decade. A key refugee camp whose conditions are ideal to

examine in committee, is the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. Some other refugee camps with

conditions that must be examined are the Mae La refugee camp in Thailand, Zaatari refugee camp in

Jordan, Tamil Nadu State in India, Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, and the Kungi refugee

camp in Pakistan (Shah, Saeed). Beginning with Dadaab, the camp is located in an arid region of

Eastern Kenya by the Somali border. Originally the three Dadaab camps were created in 1991 to host

up to 190,000 refugees from the Somali civil war, but now hold over 463,000 refugees as of 2012

(“Dadaab - World’s Biggest Refugee Camp 20 Years Old.” UNHCR). The numbers in the camp have

increased as second and third generation refugees have been born and the 2011 famine in Somalia.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in conjunction with the government


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of Kenya and multiple non-governmental organizations, such as the Center for Victims of Torture

(CVT), have strived to create and sustain the camps over the years ("Dadaab - World's Biggest

Refugee Camp 20 Years Old." UNHCR). CVT in particular works with refugees themselves who have

suffered from conditions such as PTSD, yet in

the majority of refugee camps are not

provided with proper treatment (“Dadaab,

Kenya.” Home. The Center for Victims of

Torture). Historically food and water

shortages have plagued the camp due to

heavy deforestation, and subsequently soil

erosion of already infertile soil due to its

location have also been major sources of

problems in the camps (2-21 - Socio-Economic

Impact of Refugees on the Areas Neighboring

Camps: A Case Study of Kenya's Refugee Camps.). Crime and domestic violence have also been

difficult to overcome in the camps on account of increased poverty (Allen, 5).

One of the biggest challenges facing Dadaab over the years has been the militarization of

members of the camp as demonstrated by the 2009 accusation of the Kenyan government by Human

Rights Watch of supporting recruitment drives among refugees in the camps to fight in Somalia’s

army. Somalia’s Shabab, a terrorist organization, has similarly been trying to recruit amongst

refugees. Young men and boys were lured with false promises of pay for recruitment of both of the

aforementioned activities. A reason for this may be that people in Dadaab have been stuck there for a

long time; 6,000 of the current refugees in Dadaab are third-generation refugees on the account of

stagnation. Dadaab is also a settlement cut off from the national grid and relies on boreholes for

water. Most of its residents also lack transit papers to travel into the rest of Kenya (Kron, Josh). The

utopian refugee camp has been historically a difficult standard to maintain for many of the countries

to which refugees were imposed upon. A common trend of violence has been observed to follow

many of those seeking refuge, as those in exile are often forced into close proximity with many rebel

groups such as Shabab and have hope that has been diminished over generations, thus continuing the

cycle of poverty (White, Gavin D).


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Current Situation

Shortages of food, water, and space still remain at the core of all refugee issues. The majority of

refugee camps do not have sufficient food resources so they rely almost entirely on humanitarian aid.

The UNHCR recommends that each refugee receives more than 2,100 calories per day, but most

camps fall short of this figure. A 1987 study in the largest refugee camp on the Thai side of the

Thailand-Cambodia border found that 30% of the population was chronically malnourished and in

2006, a UNHCR and WFP review discovered extremely

high rates of acute malnutrition in many refugee camps-

most notably in Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan. The already

low caloric intake of refugees is further lowered because

many refugees tend to sell the food they receive in order

to obtain other goods such as cloth as well as the food

received is low in nutrition, often causing vitamin

deficiencies which lead to diseases such as blindness

(vitamin A deficiency) and malnutrition makes individuals more susceptible to disease. Ways in

which refugees have dealt with this issue can be clearly seen in Bangladesh where refugees use

farming patches to enhance the food they eat, but most refugee camps prohibit agriculture of any sort

as the camp itself is only meant to be temporary (Module 3: Food, Water, Sanitation, and Housing in

Refugee Camps). The issue with food aid is that it can wreak havoc on the economy of the nation the

refugee camp is located in as it can decrease the value of local farmers’ produce, thus making

sustainable development impossible. Food aid has also been known to significantly increase violence

as it can be traded by the receiving government for arms and money. Also food distribution biases

such as giving more food to those who help a certain political interest or have a particular

background has often been seen with food aid (Module 9: Food Aid Program Development).

The UNHCR also believes over half of the world’s refugee camps do not provide its peoples

with the minimum of 20 liters of water per day, which can lead to severe dehydration as well as put

refugees more at risk for diseases such as cholera. Currently, in northern Jordan, which hosts the

largest number of Syrian refugees, water shortages have spiked. Hospitals and schools don’t have

enough water to maintain sanitation standards, and Mosques cannot perform the necessary daily


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ablutions; all significant problems for refugee camps (Water Scarcity and the Syrian Refugee Crisis).

These issues associated with water shortages are also linked to a lack of sanitation: The UNHCR

estimates that around 30 per cent of camps do not have adequate waste disposal systems (Water,

Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

Education is also a necessity for refugee camps as it brings about a sense of normality back into

the lives of affected youth, teaches sanitation (an issue faced by most refugee camps on account of

lack of education and space), and plays a fundamental role in breaking the confinement and the cycle

of poverty many refugees live in. About 19.5 million children are considered refugees or IDPs. The

issue is that schools are unable to accommodate children from other learning systems, with different

languages,accents and abilities, Camps often face a shortage of qualified teachers and must recruit

among the camp population (ie many teachers have not been trained past the primary level), and

large class sizes (Dadaab currently has 100 students per teacher). Other issues involving education in

refugee camps are that displaced families often do not have money for school fees or other costs,

parents do not send their kids to school as they fear for their security, children who lack educational

opportunities are at increased risk for recruitment as child soldiers, criminal activity, forced labor and

exploitation. There is also usually no system to track the progress of education ( Educating Refugees

and IDPs).

Possible Solutions

Knowing that the concept of refugee camps is “at best problematic, and at worst

dehumanizing and dangerous” (Seeley, Nicholas). The same problems that start refugee camps

hinder its improvements consisting of, but not limited to: natural disasters, poverty, the effects of

climate change, scarcity of resources, political instability, and weak governance and justice systems.

When extreme circumstances are unavoidable and result in refugee camps, people are not granted all

basic human rights. Universal approaches to ameliorating the condition of one of the world’s most

vulnerable can not be used for Regardless of natural or conflict-induced displacement, bettering

refugee camps is a delicate issue that decides the fate of geographically traumatized people. The

International Humanitarian Law provisions has set forth “basic rules of war” which protect civilians

to greater extents than before. Children and civilians are better protected against the horrors of war


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although still sometimes forced to leave the given conditions. In cases where populations were either

voluntarily or forcefully displaced, the current repercussions of integration/reintegration must be

improved. Ideas like further provisions to IDP laws grant more recognition by the authorities of the

right to property, public services, and sometimes compensation. It could include encouraging the

relevant authorities to clear land contaminated with mines and explosive remnants of war, forego

further use of such weapons, and conduct mine-risk education programmes (Kellenberger, Jacob).

In terms of improvements in education, Sakena Yacoobi, is an exemplary model for her work

in Afghani camps in Pakistan. Yacoobi was an Afghan Muslim woman who established the Afghan

Institute of Learning and educated 3,800 girls in underground schools with strict rules so as to

encourage parents to send students and discourage militant groups (ie the Taliban) from having

access to students(Module 4: Children and Education in Refugee Camps). Part of the reason why it

worked was because she was an Afghani on the ground rather than a foreign worker promoting

education in the camps. Wells as well as a method of food aid which would not disrupt the current

economy of the nation, are also important factors to consider when creating solutions.

Women, children, and the elderly are at the highest risk within refugee camps and for this

reason their needs should be adequately addressed. According to the UNHCR, women currently in

refugee camps are desperately in need of: proper refugee documentation, access to education, access

to training and income-generating activities, access to own or lease property, access to social services,

and information about the medical consequences of harmful traditional practices (e.g. female genital

mutilation). Refugee children are heavily protected under the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the

Child (CRC) which protects all refugees 18 and under. The CRC protects the children’s families and

aims at encouraging participation in the community, nondiscrimination, as well as provides all

protections from health and education to social and political rights. The elderly is the group most

vulnerable to social disintegration and chronic dependency. It is imperative for this committee to

create solutions to solve issues regarding the elderly in refugee camps by addressing: the lack of

information about rights, entitlements and claims procedures; lack of access to important

documentation, especially

documents left behind in the country of origin; lack of mobility; and medical and health care

necessities (Protecting Refugees).


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Questions to Consider

● How should the committee address living space considering the increasing numbers of people

in refugee camps?

● What measures should the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee take to ensure the

demilitarization of camps in conflict areas?

● How can the committee ensure the stability of water resources and increased sanitation among

camps?

● How can your country aid refugees living in such conditions?

● What actions should the committee take to ensure that all six of Amnesty International’s

refugee rights are met as well as the International Humanitarian Law provisions?

● Should refugee camps be fundamentally restructured in the way they operate, or should small

changes be made?

Bloc Positions

States which currently hold refugee camps: States like Kenya, Pakistan, Jordan, India Uganda, Tanzania,

Ethiopia, and Chad fall into this category. Many of these refugee camps are quite large and are the

resultants of large scale conflicts in other, surrounding, nations. Due to size and location, many of

these camps have refugees which do not have adequate space, food, water, education, and oftentimes

have members with PTSD who do not get proper treatment.

States that generate refugees: States such as Colombia, Afghanistan, The Central African Republic,

Syria,The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Cambodia, South Sudan, and Sri Lanka fall

into this category. These nations have either created several refugees in the past or are in the process

of creating refugees. Many of these nations also have several IDPs due to conflict and must work to

not only effectively reduce the flow of refugees from their nations to others, but to ensure that the

necessities of IDPs are being met.


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States that provide relief: States such as the United States, Canada, Ecuador, the United Kingdom,

Argentina, and Brazil fall into this category. These nations oftentimes provide aid to refugee camps as

well as asylum for people within refugee camps. Be familiar with the policies of your nation towards

assisting refugees and how they have been implemented.

Helpful Resources

● http://www.un.org/en/ga/third/

● http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cef.html

● http://www.un.org/ha/general.htm

● http://www.basiced.org/wp-

content/uploads/Factsheets/Educating_Refugees_and_IDPs.pdf

● http://www.uniteforsight.org/refugee-health/module4

Works Cited

"10 Largest Refugee Camps in the World - BORGEN." BORGEN. N.p., n.d. Web.

<http://www.borgenmagazine.com/ten-largest-refugee-camps-world/>.

Sherwood, Harriet. "Global Refugee Figure Passes 50m for First Time since Second World

War." Theguardian.com. The Guardian, n.d. Web.

<http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2014%2Fjun%2F20%2Fglo

bal-refugee-figure-passes-50-million-unhcr-report>.

"Refugees." Refugees. Human Rights Education Associates, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.hrea.org/index.php?base_id=153>.

"Who Is a Refugee? | Amnesty International." Who Is a Refugee? | Amnesty International. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.amnesty.org/en/refugees-and-migrants/rights-of-refugees-and-migrants>.

"How Safe Are Refugee Camps? | Factsheets | Go Back to Where You Came From | SBS." How

Safe Are Refugee Camps? | Factsheets | Go Back to Where You Came From | SBS. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

http://www.un.org/en/ga/third/

http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cef.html

http://www.un.org/ha/general.htm

http://www.basiced.org/wp-content/uploads/Factsheets/Educating_Refugees_and_IDPs.pdf

http://www.basiced.org/wp-content/uploads/Factsheets/Educating_Refugees_and_IDPs.pdf

http://www.uniteforsight.org/refugee-health/module4


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<http://www.sbs.com.au/goback/about/factsheets/6/how-safe-are-refugee-camps>.

"Dadaab Refugee Camp." Boston.com. The New York Times, 12 Aug. 2011. Web. 16

Nov. 2014.

<http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/the_horn_of_africa_dadaab_refu.html

>

Shah, Saeed. "Thousands Stuck in Camps of No Return." Theguardian.com. The Guardian, n.d.

Web.

<http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2008%2Foct%2F26%2Fpakista

n-afghanistan>.

"Dadaab - World's Biggest Refugee Camp 20 Years Old." UNHCR. N.p., n.d. Web.

<http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unhcr.org%2F4f439dbb9.html>.

"Dadaab, Kenya." Home. The Center for Victims of Torture, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.cvt.org/where-we-work/africa/dadaab-kenya>.

"12-21 - Socio-Economic Impact of Refugees on the Areas Neighboring Camps: A Case Study

of Kenya's Refugee Camps." 12-21 - Socio-Economic Impact of Refugees on the Areas

Neighboring Camps: A Case Study of Kenya's Refugee Camps. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov.

2014. <http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/call/docs/12-21/ch_6.asp>.

Allen, 5. Harboring or Protecting? Militarized Refugees, State Responsibility, and the Evolution

of Self-Defense (n.d.): n. pag. Web.

Kron, Josh. "Somalia’s Wars Swell a Refugee Camp in Kenya." The New York Times. The New

York Times, 11 Nov. 2010. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/world/africa/12dadaab.html?_r=0>.

White, Gavin D. A Failure of Protection: Refugee Camps and the Proliferation of Conflict.

(n.d.): n. pag. Web.

"South Sudan: Water Shortages Hit Crisis Point in Refugee Camps." South Sudan: Water

Shortages Hit Crisis Point in Refugee Camps. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/update/2012/south-sudan-update-2012-

9-20.htm>.

"Module 3: Food, Water, Sanitation, and Housing in Refugee Camps." Food, Water, Sanitation,

and Housing in Refugee Camps. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.uniteforsight.org/refugee-health/module3>.

"Water Scarcity and the Syrian Refugee Crisis." Mercy Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.mercycorps.org/articles/jordan/water-scarcity-and-syrian-refugee-crisis>.

"Module 9: Food Aid Program Development." Food Aid Program Development. N.p., n.d.

https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/update/2012/south-sudan-update-2012-


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Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.uniteforsight.org/effective-program-development/module9>.

"Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)." UNHCR News. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cef.html>.

”, -., and A Female Refugee From Darfur To Chad,. Educating Refugees and IDPs (n.d.): n. pag.

Basic Education Coalition. Web.

<http://www.basiced.org/wp-content/uploads/Factsheets/Educating_Refugees_and_IDPs.

pdf>.

Seeley, Nicholas. "The Last Refugee Camp." Foreign Policy. N.p., n.d. Web.

<http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foreignpolicy.com%2Farticles%2F2013%2F10%2F30%2Fthe_

last_refugee_camp>.

Kellenberger, Jacob. "Root Causes and Prevention of Internal Displacement: The ICRC

Perspective." Root Causes and Prevention of Internal Displacement: The ICRC

Perspective. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/statement/displacement-statement-23100

9.htm>.

"Module 4: Children and Education in Refugee Camps." Children and Education in Refugee

Camps. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.uniteforsight.org/refugee-health/module4>.

Protecting Refugees. Geneva 2 (P.O. Box 2500, 1211): UNHCR, Media Relations and Public

Information Service, 2006. Web.

<http://www.unhcr.or.jp/protect/pdf/ProtectingRefugees-FieldGuideforNGOs.pdf>.

http://www.basiced.org/wp-content/uploads/Factsheets/Educating_Refugees_and_IDPs

https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/statement/displacement-statement-23100


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Topic B: Humanitarian Aid in the Gaza Strip


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Introduction

Despite the recent ceasefire in the region, humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip remain

enormous. Gaza has faced the destruction of necessary infrastructure such as water systems,

sanitation, and health services on account of recent violence between Hamas and Israel. More than

100,000 civilians have had their homes destroyed in Gaza, and 25 percent of the population (roughly

450,000 people) has no access to running water and little to no access to electricity. In addition,

several schools, farms and businesses have been destroyed. These issues have been amplified by

Israel’s current blockade on Gaza’s coast which has destroyed Gaza’s economy, restricts people from

leaving the strip (which has led to decreased access to education and health services and has split

Gazans from their family in Israel, the West Bank, and other Arab nations), lowered Gaza’s exports,

reduced the construction industry, and has led to rampant unemployment with 70 percent of the

youth without jobs ("Crisis in Gaza." Oxfam International).

The recent conflict has led to the deaths of 2,191 peoples, 75.7 percent or which were civilians

(approximately 1,660 peoples, 527 of which were children) and 10,895 civilians wounded, 30.3 percent

of which were children (Palestinian Center for Human Rights). The third committee of the United

Nation’s General Assembly, also known as the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee is in

place to ensure the advancement of women, the protection of children, indigenous issues, the


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treatment of refugees, the elimination of racism, and the promotion of human rights (SOCHUM –

Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Committee). The Gaza Strip is in dire need for humanitarian aid, and as

such it is the job of you, as members of SOCHUM to create an efficient and effective plan for its

civilians.

History


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The recent conflict has been Gaza’s third since 2008 (Filiu, Jean-pierre). To fully understand why

humanitarian aid is a necessity in the area, it is imperative one understands its history first. The Gaza

Strip has long been the center of geopolitical conflict throughout history, but the issues concerning

the land today can be traced back to a little less than a century ago, 1948. The region of Gaza is 25

miles long and seven miles wide, yet remains as one of the most over populated places in the world.

After World War II, the partitioning of the original

British Mandate of Palestine (established by the League

of Nations after World War I) into separate Jewish and

Arab states led to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The

resultant of the war was a massive displacement of

Palestinian peoples, and the original territories, under

the British Mandate of Palestine, of the West Bank and

the Gaza Strip were given to Jordan and Egypt,

respectively. Israel reoccupied the strip as a result of the

Six Day War against the Arab states in 1967. Gaza, along

with the West Bank, remained under Israeli occupation

and control for 30 years. The first organized Palestinian

uprising, also known as “intifada”, occurred in 1987 and

quickly caught fire, establishing the political party, Hamas, as an extension of the Muslim

Brotherhood Organization. Hamas denounced Israel’s presence in the region and demanded a

Palestinian Islamic state in its place. Hamas in recent years has, however, stated that they are willing

to seek truce with Israel and cites Israel's continued occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem

as reasons for its attacks on the Jewish state ("Gaza-Israel Conflict: Is the Fighting Over?" BBC News

Middle East).The 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)

brought back control of parts of Gaza and the West Bank in exchange for a stemming of the

violence.But the PLO’s inability to stop attacks from groups like Hamas against Israel combined with

Israel refusing to dismantle remaining settlements deconstructed the accords and led to the second

Intifada in 2000.

Hamas remains a popular group within the Palestinian territories as seen in the 2006

parliamentary elections when it won 74 out of 132 seats, leading to Fatah controlling the West Bank


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and the more militant Hamas in Gaza. Israel then put a blockade on Gaza, which is still in existence,

to suffocate its economy. This blockade has led to humanitarian issues as it prevents Gazans from

leaving, and goods and aid from entering the strip. Israel continued its blockade and in response

Hamas sent mortar hits. On December 19, 2008, an increase in Hamas rockets caused Israel to step up

the blockage, which then on December 26, 2008, led to a massive bombardment of Gaza which killed

close to 1,000 Palestinians in the strip. Those who suffered were mostly Gazan civilians (Fetini,

Alyssa).

The most recent conflict, in the summer of 2014 began on July eighth when Israel launched

Operation Protective Edge in Response to Hamas launching rockets towards Israel, which was

largely protected due to its “Iron Dome”. Because Gaza did not have the benefit of having a

protective device such as the Iron Dome, many deaths occurred as mentioned in the introduction.

Israel was criticized for shelling schools, some even United Nations sponsored that were sheltering

civilians who had received warnings to leave home, which were thought to hold Hamas rockets.

Several medical facilities, hospitals, and other vital infrastructure were destroyed during the attack

which came to a conclusion within 50 days with a ceasefire created in Egypt on August 26th ("Having

to Rebuild Gaza, Again." The New York Times).

Current Situation

A quarter of Gaza’s population (500,000 people) are internally displaced as a result of the

conflict. Approximately 300,000 are sheltered

in 85 UNRWA schools, and the rest in other

housing arrangements. Many of the displaced

population is unable to return home on

account of destruction ("Gaza Emergency

UNRWA." UNRWA). The aforementioned

scarcity of water is a result of broken pipelines,

rubble, and contaminated aquifers, leaving

many without water. Over 100,000 Palestinians

in Gaza have had their homes destroyed

beyond repair The high civilian fatality rate, the shelling of hospitals and schools, and the killing of


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humanitarian aid workers and on-duty medical personnel and electricity, water and waste water

technicians has led the average civilian in Gaza to have a significantly decreased quality of life. The

people of Gaza now are in dire need of health assistance, food assistance, water provisions, hygiene

kits, and basic household items (European Commission for Humanitarian Aid and

Civil Protection).

Each of the clashes between Hamas and Israel, including the most recent, has led to a huge

amount of children now orphaned in Gaza and thousands of Palestinian children in the strip unable

to receive adequate education. Some classrooms are so crammed for space that, “three children share

each desk,” ("OPT: Thousands Missing out on Education in Gaza." IRINnews). Education is

imperative as it provides a way out of the cycle of poverty many in Gaza face and a release from the

bleak surroundings the children find themselves immersed in (Education in the Gaza Strip |

UNRWA). 244 schools have been damaged on account of the recent violence and many schools left

are often in some ways destroyed in structure, but it is almost impossible to repair them on account

of the blockade still in place on Gaza’s border ("Gaza's Destroyed Schools Flooded." Middle East

Monitor). Gaza has one of the highest literacy rates in the region (95 percent as compared to the

regional 77 percent) and education is highly valued, yet its continuation may not be entirely possible,

and with more than 370,000 children being affected by the conflict to a major capacity, one in five

children in Gaza are said to have severe cases of PTSD, schools may serve as the only safe haven for

these children ("8 Things You Need to Know About Gaza." UNICEF USA).

Possible Solutions

Re-establishing infrastructure and creating shelters to reduce casualties are two factors which

are imperative in ensuring that the damage fared by Gaza in this encounter will not occur again. Yet

neither are possible without some sort of opening in the blockade for the people of Gaza to receive

aid and materials to rebuild their infrastructure and economy. One method of getting around the

blockade without fundamentally harming Israel’s security demands is to establish an international

zone near Gaza which would include a seaport, desalination plants, solar farms, a hospital, and a

small airport ("International Humanitarian Solutions for Gaza and Israel." Ameinu). The question of

children’s education and the way in which to rebuild houses are also critical to answer. Damage


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prevention measures must also be set in place to ensure that further conflict will not have such a large

scale impact in the strip, as well as a full and

detailed plan concerning food, water, education,

and shelter for those who no longer have access

to these basic and fundamental necessities.

The Israeli blockade is a huge deterrent to

aid and progress in the Gaza Strip. It has

especially, in conjunction with the recent conflict,

led to a severe decline in agriculture. Another

solution is to work from the ground up by

bolstering the agricultural sector of Gaza which is approximately 5 percent of its gross domestic

product. In order to do so, water scarcity must be addressed ("Agriculture." The Tax Lawyer). The

building of the pipelines, who it must be overseen by, and sanitation of the heavily contaminated

water have been heavily contested by all sides; some believe Israel should take all responsibility for

the aforementioned whereas others would rather have NGOs such as the Aga Khan Development

Network (AKDN), Development Innovations Group (DIG) or certain allies of the Palestinian peoples

to lead the building of vital water infrastructure.

Questions to Consider

● How should the committee address limitations regarding the blockade without infringing on

Israel’s security needs?

● What measures can be taken to ensure that future violence will not lead to such large scale

damage?

● How can the committee provide mental health care and counseling services to those severely

affected, especially children, in the strip?

● What emergency health care, water, shelter, and food infrastructure should be implemented to

ensure the immediate safety of civilians in Gaza?


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● Which NGOs can the committee utilize to ensure that the needs of Gaza are adequately met?

● How should Gaza go about rebuilding and creating a sustainable plan for new infrastructure?

Bloc Positions

Member states with infrastructure insecurity similar to Gaza: States such as Myanmar, Libya, Lebanon,

Burundi, Syria,Venezuela, Colombia and Burkina Faso fall into this category. All of these nations

have very poor infrastructure on account of factors such as conflict and their future developments lie

in the solution of the infrastructure problem in Gaza.

Member states with good and stable infrastructure: States like Switzerland, Singapore, and Finland fall

into this category. Each of these nations has sustainable infrastructure in place and can assist in the

implementation, aid, and creation of a stable infrastructure system in Gaza.

Other states: Other nations may be allies with Gaza or may simply have had conflicts in the past that

they have recovered from or are in the process of recovering from. Nations such as the United Arab

Emirates are huge donors of humanitarian aid in Gaza. Be familiar with your nation’s past policies to

determine plans for Gaza’s current humanitarian crisis.

Helpful Resources

● http://www.unicefusa.org/stories/8-things-you-need-know-about-gaza/18886

● http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/opinion/gaza-victim-of-history.html?_r=0

● https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/15070-gazas-destroyed-schools-

flooded

● http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1870148,00.html

Works Cited

http://www.unicefusa.org/stories/8-things-you-need-know-about-gaza/18886

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/opinion/gaza-victim-of-history.html?_r=0

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/15070-gazas-destroyed-schools-flooded

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/15070-gazas-destroyed-schools-flooded

http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1870148,00.html


21

"LIVE UPDATES: Operation Protective Edge, Day 4 - Diplomacy and Defense."Haaretz.com.

N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.604437>

"Crisis in Gaza." Oxfam International. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

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"Palestinian Center for Human Rights." Palestinian Center for Human Rights. N.p., n.d. Web.

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-focus>.

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Aug. 2014. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/opinion/gaza-victim-of-history.html?_r=0>.

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e-untenable-us-believes/>.

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<http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Fworld-middle-east-28252155>.

Fetini, Alyssa. "The Gaza Strip." Time. Time Inc., 07 Jan. 2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1870148,00.html>.

"Having to Rebuild Gaza, Again." The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Oct. 2014.

Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/11/opinion/having-to-rebuild-gaza-again.html>.

"Gripping Images of Gaza Under Siege." Slate Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/photography/2014/07/photos_from_th

e_israeli_palestine_conflict_in_gaza.html>.

"Gaza Emergency UNRWA." UNRWA. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.unrwa.org/gaza-emergency>.

"Gaza Crisis." Gaza Crisis (2014): n. pag. European Commission for Humanitarian Aid and

Civil Protection. European Commission for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection. Web.

<http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/gaza_en.pdf>.

"OPT: Thousands Missing out on Education in Gaza." IRINnews. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1

http://casgroup.fiu.edu/pages/docs/3913/1326308916_SOCHUM_FIMUN_2012_Backg

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/37482341/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/gaza-blockad

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/photography/2014/07/photos_from_th


22

<http://www.irinnews.org/report/89739/opt-thousands-missing-out-on-education-in-gaza

>.

"Education in the Gaza Strip | UNRWA." UNRWA. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.unrwa.org/activity/education-gaza-strip>.

"Gaza's Destroyed Schools Flooded." Middle East Monitor. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/15070-gazas-destroyed-schools

flooded>.

"8 Things You Need to Know About Gaza." UNICEF USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.unicefusa.org/stories/8-things-you-need-know-about-gaza/18886>.

"International Humanitarian Solutions for Gaza and Israel." Ameinu. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov.

2014.

<http://www.ameinu.net/blog/seek-peace-and-pursue-it/international-humanitarian-soluti

ons-for-gaza-and-israel/>.

"Agriculture." The Tax Lawyer 38.4 (2013): 809-17. Web.

<http://www.anera.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/AgReport.pdf>.

http://www.irinnews.org/report/89739/opt-thousands-missing-out-on-education-in-gaza

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/15070-gazas-destroyed-schools

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