The following Committees will be role-played at GEMUN '08:
General Assembly (Topics in GA: 1. Measures to combat international terrorism, 2. Alternative energy sources, 3. Biotechnology and genetic engineering, 4. Nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, 5. Poverty eradication and 6. Open agenda)
Security Council (SC Topics: 1. Peacekeeping, 2. Disarmament, 3. Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, 4. Counter-terrorism and 5. Open agenda -- All Issues of Security and International Peace)
Economic and Social Council (Topics in ECOSOC: 1. Sustainable Development, 2. Human Settlements, 3. Extreme Poverty and Hunger, 4. Globalization and 5. Open Agenda)
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP Topics: 1. Global warming, 2. Biodiversity, 3. Deforestation, 4. Sustainable Agriculture/Consumption, 5. Freshwater Quality, 6. Persistant Pollutants/Chemicals in the Environment and 7. Open Agenda)
World Health Organization (WHO Topics: 1. World Hunger, 2. Water Sanitation, 3. HIV/AIDS, 4. Immunization, 5. Tobacco and Drug Abuse, 6. International Spread of Disease, 7. Health Education and 8. Open Agenda)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF Topics: 1. Child Soldiers, 2. Children in Darfur, 3. Children of the Natural Disasters, 4. Achieving Universal Primary Education and 5. Open Agenda)
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW Topics: 1. Education and training of women, 2. Violence against women, 3. Women's literacy and development, 4. Discrimination against women, 5. Empowerment of women and 6. Open Agenda)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA Topics: 1. Disposal of radioactive wastes, 2. Management of live radioactive materials, 3. Water resources, 4. Nuclear technology and 5. Open agenda)
Country Information/News/Miscellaneous

General Assembly (GA) -- The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations. It is composed of representatives of all member states, each of which has one vote. The Assembly may make recommendations on any matters within the scope of the UN, excluding matters of peace and security specifically under Security Council consideration.
- General Assembly Home Page
1. Measures to combat international terrorism -- Terrorism, according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, is as follows: criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of persons or particular persons, intimidate a population or compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act. While the General Assembly does not have the explicit power to enact binding security resolutions, resolutions regarding counter-terrorism issues may be submitted to the General Assembly, voted on, and then referred to the Security Council.
- UN Action to Counter Terrorism
2. Alternative energy sources -- The continued development of energy technology currently faces many challenges. Energy development is an ongoing effort to provide sustainable energy resources through knowledge, skills, and constructions. The depletion of fossil fuels, upon which the world economy is reliant, has created a new need for environmentally conscious and sustainable energy sources. These include wind, solar, water, nuclear and other energy technologies. Many of these technologies are already available, but have not yet been implemented, practically, on a wide scale.
- Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development
3. Biotechnology and genetic engineering -- As stated by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, biotechnology is defined as any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use. With evolving science and technology, genetic engineering and biotechnology has become more prolific and useful but transversely more controversial and potentially dangerous. The UN supports further development of biotechnology to provide powerful tools, but also recognizes the need to regulate potentially dangerous technology.
- UN Division for Sustainable Development -- Biotechnology
4. Nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament -- Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of nuclear weapons, fissile material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations which are not recognized as "nuclear weapon States" by the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The United Nations recognizes that the spread of nuclear technology and weapons is detrimental to the welfare of mankind, and thus must me stopped. At present, 189 countries are States Parties to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty or NPT; Only four states are not. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty has three pillars: non-proliferation, disarmament, and the right to peacefully use nuclear technology, and all three of the pillars are important in the consideration of Nuclear Non-Proliferation. Once again, the General Assembly does not have the explicit power to enact binding security resolutions, but Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament resolutions may be submitted to the General Assembly, voted on, and then referred to the Security Council.
- Danger of Nuclear Weapons -- GA Resolution
5. Poverty eradication -- Poverty is described as the ³lack of opportunities, accompanied by high levels of undernourishment, hunger, illiteracy, lack of education, physical and mental ailments, emotional and social instability, unhappiness, sorrow and hopelessness for the future.² Poverty eradication programs may be aimed at economic or non-economic poverty. Some methods of poverty eradication are education, economic development, and income redistribution. Poverty reduction efforts may also be aimed at removing social and legal barriers to income growth among the poor.
- UN CyberSchoolBus: Poverty Curriculum
6. Open Agenda
- A Global Map of Human Impacts to Marine Ecosystems
- United Nations Peacekeeping Home Page
- United Nations Cartographic Section (Peacekeeping Maps)
- Fifty Years of Peacekeeping
- Reform at the UN
- Cyberschoolbus Briefing Paper -- Renewing the United Nations
- Oceans and Law of the Sea -- Home Page
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea -- Overview and full text
- International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea
- Law of the Sea & Antartica -- resources in the United Nations System
- International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
- ISDR: Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning
- STOP DISASTERS! A disaster simulation game from the UN/ISDR
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
- Committee against Torture
- UNHCHR -- Torture
- Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Torture and Inhuman Treatment
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Security Council (SC) -- The Security Council's purpose in the United Nations is to preserve and create safety and security for various countries. The Security Council meets to produce and sign treaties that protect the peace of the countries involved. Its main purpose, however, is to find peaceful and rational ways to resolve the issues of today's world and to avoid conflict and violence altogether.
- Security Council Home Page
- Alliance of Civilizations
1. Global Peacekeeping uses peaceful negotiations to solve political conflicts without violence. There are 17 active peacekeeping operations today with a $5.25 billion dollars budget. These operations are trying to resolve conflicts in countries including Sudan, Liberia, Congo, Ethiopia, Sahara, Haiti, India, Pakistan, Cyprus, Lebanon, and much of the Middle East. These missions include overseeing ceasefires, supervising armistice agreements, and providing support to other UN personnel. Peacekeeping includes promoting human rights, peaceful negotiations, and enforcing peace between neighboring countries. The Middle East and violence in Darfur are still major issues.
- United Nations News Service
- United Nations Peacekeeping Operations
- UN -- Peace and Security
- Peace and Security resources in the UN System
- Cyberschoolbus Briefing Paper -- Peacekeeping
2. Disarmament prevents countries with superior weapons and military force from overpowering smaller countries. Disarmament includes documenting, collecting, and disposing of smaller weapons, ammunition, and explosives. It also includes establishing responsible arms management programs. These local weapons include landmines, which are a major issue.
- What is Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR)?
- UN and Disarmament
- Cyberschoolbus Briefing Paper -- Disarmament
3. Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons stops the spread of nuclear weapons. This includes preventing the spread of nuclear technology. The UN Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has been ratified by over 190 states. Another treaty has banned the use of nuclear explosions for military or civil testing. These treaties are major steps to the complete disarmament of nuclear weapons.
- Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Terrorism and Disarmament
- Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
- NPT: background
- Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS)
4. Counter-Terrorism prevents or deters terrorist attacks and works to determine peaceful ways to solve the issues causing the attacks. The UN has come up with five steps to prevent terrorism, called the "Five D's"; to dissuade groups from choosing terrorism as a way to achieve their goals; to deny terrorists the means to carry out their attacks; to deter States from supporting terrorists; to develop the UN capacity to prevent terrorism; and to defend human rights in the struggle against terrorism.
- UN acts against terrorism
- Terrorism -- Global Issue before the UN System
- Terrorism and Disarmament
5. Open Agenda -- All Issues of Security and International Peace
- S-G 1999 Report -- Achieving peace and security
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Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) or the Economic and Social Council, is responsible for promoting higher standards of living, full employment, and economic and social progress; identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems; facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation; and encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Economics deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services within a country. Social issues are those that relate to human society and its modes of organization.
- Economic and Social Council Home Page
1. Sustainable Development is defined as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." (Brundtland Commission, 1987). Over 1 billion people in the world make $1 or less a day, while the richer countries are using the world's resources rapidly, polluting the atmosphere and causing possible scarcities. The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) has been in existence in the UN since 1992 to ensure that they successfully carried out the goals of The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). These goals are being carried out by businesses and government organizations. The UN and government organizations are monitoring patterns of production, especially of toxic materials, along with use of alternative fuels and public transportation. The most recent conference of the CSD was held last May and the next review session will focus on Agriculture, Rural development, Land, Drought, Desertification, and Africa.
- MDGs -- Cyberschoolbus -- Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
- UNICEF -- Goal: Ensure environmental sustainability
- Sustainable Development and the UN System
- United Nations Division for Sustainable Development
- Achieving Sustainable Development -- The Earth Institute
2. Human Settlements are being developed by The United Nations Human Settlements Programme. The goal is to provide Human settlements for all people; inhabitable cities and towns everywhere. The agency receives funding from partners, governments, organizations, and about 5% of the annual UN budget. In 1996 the Habitat Agenda was established in Istanbul and adopted by 171 countries. It makes an effort to promote sustainable development and lessen global poverty. The members have committed to make an effort to improve the lives of 100 million "slum dwellers" by 2010. Unchecked, the number of "slum dwellers" will multiply to 3 billion by 2050. This is one of the most pressing issues today. Currently one half of the world's population is living in cities. Cities generate opportunity, but they also generate crime and poverty. The goal is to eliminate these "slum dwellers" with newly developed human settlements.
- UN-HABITAT -- The Challenge
3. Extreme Poverty and Hunger affects over 3 billion people in the world. It's a long lasting and pressing issue. Because of poverty, thousands of people die each day of hunger. There is more than enough food, but it is not reaching those in need. The UN funds the World Food Programme (WFP) which is working to get food to those areas which need it most. The WFP is encouraging kids to go to school as well as providing food for those affected by HIV/AIDS. They're also focusing on building skills to get people working and out of poverty.
- UNDP Poverty Reduction
- World Food Programme Overview
- FreeRice
- Poverty.com -- Hunger and World Poverty
4. Globalization is the growing integration of economies and societies. Globalization has had both positive and negative impacts on the world. On the positive side, it has brought countries such as China and India out of poverty, but, negatively, there are concerns globalization has brought about inequality and environmental degradation. Since 1950, the amount of goods being exported has increased ten times. The goal of globalization is to bring more markets, business, and jobs to all countries. However, globalization has had some very bad effects such as the Asian Financial Crises, which affected many countries all over the world. This was the fifth such crisis in the last 20 years. Although globalization has advanced many countries, central Asia and Eastern Europe have more people living in poverty now than they did 10 years ago. Globalization has left large parts of the world untouched and there is still much progress to be made.
- Globalization -- Cyberschoolbus
- Globalization -- World Bank
6. Open Agenda
- Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries
- UNCTAD -- LDCs, Land-Locked and Island Developing Countries
- ESCAP: Least Developed Countries Coordination Unit (LDCCU)
- UNESCAP: Small Island Developing States
- Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries
- Small Island Developing States Network
- UN and Small Island Developing States
- Human Rights
- United Nations Human Rights Website
- Human Rights resources in the United Nations system
- Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Homepage
- Human Rights module -- UN's Cyberschoolbus
- Amnesty International (Human Rights)
- Human Rights Watch World Report 2007
- United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
- Trade and Development resources in the United Nations System
- Cyberschoolbus Briefing Paper -- Globalization
- UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development
- Science and Technology for Development
- Youth Employment Network -- Home
- Social Development resources in the United Nations System
- United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
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United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), established in 1972, works to encourage sustainable development through sound environmental practices everywhere. Its activities cover a wide range of issues, from atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems, the promotion of environmental science and information, to an early warning and emergency response capacity to deal with environmental disasters and emergencies. UNEP is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and has regional and outpost offices in Paris, Geneva, Osaka, The Hague, Washington, New York, Bangkok, Mexico City, Manama, Montreal and Bonn.
Mission Statement: To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and people to improve their quality of life without compromising that of the future generations.
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