VICMUN 2017

GENERAL ASSEMBLYBACKGROUND GUIDE

Table of Content

Letter from Director ……………………………… 2

Committee Overview …………………………….. 3

Topic Area 1 ………………………………………….. 4

Topic Area 2 ………………………………………….. 7

Position Paper Requirements ………..…….. 9

Closing Remarks …………………………………. 10

Bibliography ……………….………………………. 11

Dear Delegates:

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We are excited to welcome you to VICMUN 2017 and your representation in the General Assembly (GA) in this conference.  The GA is comprised of 193 Member States alongside two non-voting members, giving delegates the opportunity to tackle our complex and multifaceted issues in this committee.  The GA can be full of dissent at times which is why we should keep in mind this year’s theme of VICMUN 2017 "A united path forward through dissent."  Through the current political situation we hope that delegates keep in mind to hold a respectful debate, however also work together to maximize creative solutions to the topics we have presented for you.  These topics will test your countries’ abilities to cooperate with other states, as well they will force you to take a critical look on your countries’ foreign and diplomatic objectives. This year’s topics are:

I. Right to Privacy in the Digital AgeII. Population Growth and its Consequences

When you begin your research try to expand your knowledge of the topics through various sources.  We have suggested a number of resources to start you on your research.  Be sure to look at previous resolutions in GA subsidiary organizations such as the Human Rights Council (HRC), Security Council (SC) and many others.  These will guide you on the track to gaining a mastery in the current situation facing the international community.  As delegates prepare for this conference be mindful of the fact that this year’s GA has a focus on the Third GA Plenary, which targets social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues that affect people all over the world. We look forward to seeing the creative solutions you come up with in committee.  We welcome you now to VICMUN 2017.

Sincerely,

Your Dias

Tyler Faminow Lily Hamilton Myim Bakan KlineDirector Assistant Director Chair .

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I. Overview: The General Assembly

The General Assembly (GA) was created in 1945 as one of the six key organs of the United Nations, and the only organ which has representation from all 193 Member States, as well as the two observer states. The first committee was held in London on the 10th of January 1943, with the original 51 Member States in attendance. In 1952, the General Assembly moved permanently to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The General Assembly oversees the UN budget, elects the 10 non-permanent members to the Security Council, and creates General Assembly Resolutions which recommend solutions and courses of action.

The GA is broken into six parts each with a specific function. The First Committee is tasked with disarmament, global challenges and threats to peace that affect the international community and seeks out solutions to the challenges in the international security regime1. The Second Committee is tasked with economic growth and development, as well as it may be focused on groups of countries in special situations. For example, permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory2. The Third Committee is social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues that affect people all over the world3. The Fourth Committee is the special political and decolonization committee, this focus has wide ranges such as the effects of radiation to reformation of peacekeeping operations4. The Fifth Committee is the administrative and budgetary component5. The Sixth Committee focuses on the legal affairs of the UN6.

The functions of the GA include the following:● Elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council (SC) and the members

of other United Nations councils and organs, including the Secretary General;● Consider and make recommendations in the interest of global peace;● Make recommendations to the UN bodies;● Initiate studies; ● Consider reports from the Security Council and other United Nations organs7.

For the purposes of this conference, our GA Plenary will focus on the Third Committee. This will focus your research towards a social and humanitarian perspective to solving global issues.

1 http://www.un.org/en/ga/first/index.shtml2 http://www.un.org/en/ga/second/index.shtml3 http://www.un.org/en/ga/third/index.shtml4 http://www.un.org/en/ga/fourth/index.shtml5 http://www.un.org/en/ga/fifth/index.shtml6 http://www.un.org/en/ga/sixth/index.shtml7 http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/background.shtml

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II. Topic I: Right to Privacy in the Digital Age

Statement of the Problem:

The balance between individual liberty and the right to privacy has been a heated subject of debate over the past few years. In 2013, the creation of resolution 68/167 addressed the concern of Member States, namely the “rapid pace of technological development8” which may lead to enhance the capacity of governments, companies and individuals to perform surveillance, interception and data collection actions, which may violate or abuse human rights9. According to Article XII of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks. This inherent natural right enshrined in the Declaration provides a framework to protect and ensure the maximum amount of individual liberty for people under their government. The problem Member States face is balancing their government’s interest in using surveillance to acquire intelligence to protect its citizens, and how that intelligence is procured.

History of the Problem:

The Tunis Commitment of 2005 for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) calls for action from governments to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society so that people everywhere can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge10. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) were a primary focus of the WSIS meeting in Tunis which targeted the need to raise awareness of the benefits of ICTs and the freedom of expression, free flow of information, ideas, and knowledge, are essential for the Information Society and beneficial to development11. Seeing a need to create rules and regulations for the use of ICTs and the acquisition of mass intelligence, the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) was tasked with the objective to report on the protection and promotion of the right to privacy from domestic and foreign surveillance or other methods of a massive scale of collection12. From here the Human Rights Convention at the suggestion of the GA drafted 68/16713. This resolution was the first step towards protecting the right to privacy in the digital age.

8 https://www.itu.int/net/wsis/docs2/tunis/off/7.html9 http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/DigitalAge/Pages/DigitalAgeIndex.aspx10 https://ccdcoe.org/sites/default/files/documents/UN-131218-RightToPrivacy.pdf11 http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/12 http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/13 https://ccdcoe.org/sites/default/files/documents/UN-131218-RightToPrivacy.pdf

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Current Situation and International Actions:

Mass surveillance of the domestic population is a violation of the rights protected under the Charter. The problem with mass surveillance is that while it is efficient, many Member States such as Germany, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Korea, and Uruguay sought to limit the use of such surveillance actions. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports on Eritrea’s use of mass surveillance as “oppressive and has a complete disregard for the civil liberties of its’ people14”. Eritrea’s government uses mass surveillance to repress free speech, expression and association15. While surveillance is an effective use for data collection, stripping individual liberties creates an international human rights crisis. One of the actions taken was the formation of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (CoI) which condemned Eritrea’s regime16. The Special Rapporteur to Eritrea encourages states to take actions condemning the systematic oppression of the civilian population17.

Building on the concerns many Member States had with the proceeding revelations from the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCH), there was also a call to action that states review their procedures, practices and legislation in related communications areas such as collection of personal data, and surveillance, interception18.

Proposed Solutions:

Currently the National Security Agency in the United States of America and General Communications Headquarters in the United Kingdom have developed technologies allowing access to much global internet traffic, calling records in the United States, individuals’ electronic address books and huge volumes of other digital communications content19. Since this revelation, 57 Member States have gathered together to form resolution 68/167 which the Assembly affirmed that the rights held by people offline must also be protected online, and called upon all States to respect and protect the right to privacy in digital communication20.

The Human Rights Council (HRC) strongly condemned the use of surveillance as a violation of the right to privacy21 which targeted the US, UK, and Canada. Amnesty International, alongside Access Now, and the Brennan Center for Justice created a NGO

14 https://www.hrw.org/africa/eritrea15 https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/eritrea16 https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/eritrea17 http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56986#.Wb8fkDGWxlY18 Ibid19 www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/DigitalAge/A-HRC-27-37_en.doc20 Ibid21 https://www.accessnow.org/five-eyes-surveillance-under-fire-by-un-human-rights-committee/

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assessment and recommended actions to be taken against the US. The Obama administration made a clear distinction between “acquisition” and “collection” which implies that the NSA may amass an unlimited number of protected communications and data without violating existing domestic regulations22. Due to this distinction, the NGO report was sent to the HRC with proposed solutions to this issue.

In Eritrea, the situation had two distinctive resolutions in the HRC that condemned the government’s use of mass domestic surveillance; 26/L.6 and 29/18. 29/18 targeted the government’s continued use of surveillance and human rights abuses23. As well, the Security Council Committee has targeted sanctions against the Government of Eritrea which have continued since the formation of resolution 75124.

Bloc Positions:

In today’s current political climate with the influx of mass surveillance, it’s important that the rights of individuals are being protected. Brazil and Germany started an initiative and passed resolution A/C.3/71/L.39/Rev.1 which focusses on the need for increased multi-stakeholder discussions, the need to further discuss and analyze, based on international human rights law, issues relating to the promotion and protection of the right to privacy in the digital age, procedural safeguards, effective domestic oversight25. Resolution 67/168 was opposed by the US, Israel, Canada, and UK26, the bloc of support included Germany, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Korea (DRK), and Uruguay as the key voices of support to limit mass surveillance and collection27.

The Five EyesThis group is composed of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia. These Member States focus on the need for mass extraterritorial surveillance (MES) as a separate entity and not having it condemned as a human rights violation28. Since this bloc is dominated by MES as an extended form of ICTs this group strongly supports the necessity for extraterritorial (foreign) surveillance.

Anti- MES GroupThis group of Member States includes Germany, Brazil, DRK, and Uruguay. This group heavily condemns the use of extraterritorial and mass surveillance other Member States have used, particularly the US and UK.

22 http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/USA/INT_CCPR_NGS_USA_20404_E.pdf23 https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G15/163/44/PDF/G1516344.pdf?OpenElement24 https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/751#eritrea_listing_criteria25 http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/C.3/71/L.39/Rev.126 https://www.un.org/press/en/2013/gashc4094.doc.htm27 http://undocs.org/A/68/456/Add.228 https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/11/21/un-reject-mass-surveillance

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Further Research Suggestions:

● HRC right to privacy in the digital age: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session27/Documents/A.HRC.27.37_en.pdf

● NGO’s report on Mass Surveillance: https://www.privacyinternational.org/node/402

● Commission of Inquiry on the Human Rights in Eritrea: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/CoIEritrea/Pages/commissioninquiryonhrinEritrea.aspx

● African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights: http://www.achpr.org/● Delegates country’s main government website, and allied Member States.

III. Topic Area 2: Population Growth and its consequences

Statement of the Problems:

The world’s population only hit 1 billion in 1804[1]. However since then, the population has grown rapidly to over 7.5 billion today[2], and this is in less than 200 years. There are a lot of positive reasons as to why our population has boomed in such a short time, lower child mortality rates, new technology and medicine that has allowed for lives to be saved and life expectancy to grow (the average life expectancy worldwide is now at approximately 71 years[3]). Unfortunately, despite the positive reasons for population growth, the planet is now facing crises that are directly related to overpopulation. The world does not have enough resources, mainly food and fresh water, to support the growing population. The increasing human population also contributes to man-made climate change that threatens all of humanity. With nearly 220 000 humans born each day, the world is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. History of the Problem: Thomas Malthus, an influential scholar on demographics, was the first to start examining the effects of population growth and overpopulation in the 1800s, just after the world hit 1 billion people. He stated, in his essay “On the principles of population” that the human population grows exponentially, whereas resources, specifically food supply, grows linearly[4]. This means that it is quite easy for population to outgrown the necessary amount of food and resources that all of the humans need to survive. However, the industrial revolution of the late 1800s created new ways to make and transport a lot more food quickly, but the technologies from the industrial revolution also caused a spike in population growth. We may have faster ways to get food, but rates of population growth are still fast, therefor, leaving Malthus’ predictions still relevant. In the post World War II era, many countries started to notice the effects of massive population growth, specifically China and India. China invoked the one child

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law in 1979[5], which has recently been relaxed, whereas India took an approach of running sterilization camps and giving out affordable birth control[6]. Current Situation: In today’s world, climate change has been causing natural disasters that have damaged food systems all across the world. This can be seen from major droughts in Africa that have dried crops, to massive storms in the South Pacific which have damaged rice fields[7]. The world may have enough resources to sustain 11 million people, but the problems lies more with where the population is growing and how the food and resources are spread across the globe. Many developed nations have seen declines in population, such as Germany[8] and Japan[9], whereas countries such as Niger are seeing the population grow at rates of 4.0[10] (compared to a global rate of 1.11%[11]). Current demographics assume that the world will hit nearly 10 billion by 2050 and will pass 11 billion by 2100[12]. China and India’s populations are both set to level off around 2050[13], and most of the growth will come from Africa. Africa currently has around 16% of the world’s population, but that number could jump to 49% by 2100[14]. This growth would have massive consequences, specifically on the areas with the largest growths, such as Sub-Saharan Africa.

International Actions: The UN released a resolution called the World Population Plan of Action in 1974 that recognizes that population is related to socio-economic growth[15]. This resolution was written at the United Nations World Population Conference held in Bucharest, Romania, in August 1974. The action plan on climate change recognizes a country’s rights to choose its own population regulations, as well as a family’s right to choose the number of children it will have. It also urges nations to pursue proper education on family planning and sexual health in order to prevent unwanted or unsafe pregnancies. Ideas from the Bucharest conference were reaffirmed in follow up conferences in 1984 and 1994, and the ideas surrounding the need for slower growth rates were emphasized.[16] The World Population Plan of Action has been used as a base for international discussing on population since in the 1970s, and has been used a method to obtain the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals[17]. Proposed Solutions: Main solutions suggested in the World Population Plan of Action from 1974 include better education surrounding family planning and sexual health[18]. Increase job availability for women, and decreasing the gender stereotype that women only belong in the house. Economic growth, creating jobs, furthering education so more people attend colleges. All of these issues promote a focus on other aspects of life besides starting a family. Since statistics show that developed nations have much lower birth rates, and some have declining birth rates, achieving sustainable development through

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the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals could allow for a drastic decreasing in population growth worldwide. Bloc Positions

Most Member States recognize the need for lower growth rates worldwide, but specifically in developing nations where rates are highest.[19] Most countries also agree that child mortality needs to continue to decrease, as well as maternal mortality. Countries are more divided when discussing family planning education, specifically sexual education, as it is still seen as more taboo in many areas of the world. Many Western-European and Others bloc nations have been working to improve education surrounding family planning, whereas African bloc nations and other developing nations struggle with education in general, and there for, family planning education is also quite minimal. Surrounding population growth and ways to control it, the largest issues in terms of international divide is abortion. Some states in the western-European and others bloc have options for abortion, but most countries worldwide either have internal conflicts surrounding the topic, or are completely opposed. Further Research Suggestions:

● United Nations Website: http://www.un.org/en/index.html● Sustainable Development Goals: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?

menu=1300● World Population Plan of Action 1974:

http://www.un.org/popin/icpd/conference/bkg/wppa.html● Views and Policies concerning Population growth among governments (UN):

http://www.un.org/popin/icpd/conference/bkg/wppa.html● Delegate’s country’s main government website, as well as the websites of allied

Member States.

IV. Position Paper Requirements:

A position paper is a document required by delegates that promptly summarizes the positions held on the above topics and how your country plans to attend to those issues.  Be sure to include both domestic and foreign issues and how your country is addressing those concerns. Please address both topics as it will directly affect your ability to have an idea what your country’s stance will be on these issues.

Please follow these guidelines when writing your paper: No more than two pages long; Written in the third person, similarly to an academic paper (i.e: The delegation of

Canada sees the issue at hand to be…); Single Spaced; Times New Roman 12pt.;

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Addresses both topics; Stance consistent with your country’s foreign policy; Clearly states the delegate name, school name, and country represented.

The Position Paper should be used to introduce and breakdown a country’s views and positions on the specific topics the General Assembly will discuss. The topics at the this conference will be:

1.     Right to Privacy in the Digital Age2.     Population Growth and its Consequences

Award winning positions papers will successfully express the position of the delegation on the topics discussed. They will be clear and correct understanding and usage of the concepts and terms discussed within the topics. Each topic will be written about separately and broken down into three separate paragraphs that will provide clear statements of the policies that the delegation follows surrounding said topic. These statements are:

1.     The country’s background and history on the topic2.     Political and Foreign Policy on the topic3.     Any action the government has taken in relation to the topic

Relevant UN Resolutions should be mentioned throughout the paper, as well as ideas for future solutions and resolutions.Position Papers should correctly reflect the country’s foreign policies. Good places to begin research include the government website for the country represented (i.e: https://www.gov.uk) as well as the UN website (http://www.un.org/en/index.html) specifically the UN resolutions that relate to the topics that will be discussed.  

Note that citations are NOT required for the papers, but reputable sources should be consulted in the drafting of your stance. Position papers are due by 11:59pm on October 15th at 11:59pm and sent electronically to vicmununga2017@gmail.com.

Closing Remarks

It is our hope that you will have a genuinely positive experience at this year’s VICMUN 2017.  For those of you who it is your first conference, please speak up, make motions, join in debate and continue to draft resolutions.  It may seem daunting at first, but the more you speak and the more you get involved those fears go away.  As you progress throughout the weekend, it will get easier for you.  For delegates who are more veteran continue to speak up, but also encourage those less experienced to join in.

VICMUN is a learning conference which allows for delegates to hone their MUN skills.  If you have any questions please, we encourage you to speak up, and ask for clarification from your committee directors.  We look forward to an enthusiastic weekend filled with debate and constructive diplomacy which may lead to creative policy

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recommendations.  If you complete your research, understand your country’s stance on issues we are positive you will have a weekend to remember. Keep in mind:

“It is one thing to show a man that he is in error, and another to put him in possession of truth” - John Locke

Bibliography

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committee/17. http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/USA/

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