Issues OPOMUN 2016

HUMAN RIGHTS
1. The issue of public healthcare in MEDCs and LEDCs
1.3 billion people dont have access to public healthcare. Within that figure, there are those who cant
afford the treatments and others who dont have systems to provide the necessary aid. The
predicament is that thousands die daily due to a lack of medical assistance in their area. The issue,
however, doesnt exclusively apply to LEDCs, where the main focus tends to go. Some MEDCs still
dont have infrastructures available to all citizens. In the United States, there are more than 448,800
annual deaths caused by the absence of a suitable health insurance. It is the delegates responsibility
to discuss the improvement of health facilities where they are existent, and the creation of them where
they remain inexistent since everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and
well-being of himself and of his family.

2. The question of violence and abuse in domestic environments

Even after the UNs General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in
1993, 1 in every 3 women experience physical or sexual violence and most report that it is between
them and an intimate companion. Contrary to popular opinion, the question of violence in domestic
environments is not one-sided since two out of five reported victims are men. With no safety within
their home, and no support system from their governments, victims remain silent and as many as
38% of murders are committed by an intimate partner. Domestic violence and abuse is a universal
issue involving people from all races, sexes, and social/financial backgrounds and thus the taboo
and silence that has surrounded the topic must be broken and the issue tackled.

DISARMAMENT
1. Revision of the laws regarding technological military advancements
After World War II, the military industry increased its investment on the development of
technologically operated weaponry and steadily nations are adhering to the modernisation of
warfare. Drones, UAV's are becoming common weapons in the battlefields and cyberattacks more
frequent. This massive innovation has improved the transportation, communication and defence
system, yet there is a growing anonymity over these attacks. As new devices enter the battlefield,
it has become both real and virtual, urban and rural.
It is increasingly complex and harder to access the impact of these innovations since they
operate in the virtual world. At a time where technological warfare is undeniably developing with
various countries spending millions of dollars on weapon research, the UN urges a revision of the
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way said weapons are handled throughout the world.

2. The question of gun possession

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution declares "A well regulated Militia, being
necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be
infringed".The USA has the highest number of privately owned guns in the world and nearly 16 times
the gun homicide rate in comparison to Germany. Many other countries allow the possession of
weapons by civilians in order to ensure their safety. However to which extent does gun ownership
affect gun violence, and does the safety within individuals disturb the safety of communities and
countries?
This controversial topic leads us to the statistical fact that 200 000 times women per year use a
weapon to defend themselves against sexual abuse, yet it is also an undeniable truth that suicide and
homicide rates are high amongst allowing nations. More than simply the question of if guns should be
prohibited or not, this issue focuses on the idea that if gun possession is to be legal, what measures
should be taken in order to ensure that the they are handled responsibly.

SECURITY COUNCIL
1. The issue of terrorism
The modern concept of terrorism is frequently associated to large scale attacks in big metropolis. The
first events to change our contemporary perception were the terrorist attacks on the 11th September
2001 - when two planes hit the World Trade Center Building, one other plane hit the Pentagon and
another crash landed in Pennsylvania. Since then, countries have taken a increasingly careful
approach to airport security and border patrol as well as internet surveillance.
However, terrorists have continued to strike - The Madrid Train Bombings in 2003, the London
Attacks of 2004 and most recently, The Paris attacks.
On the night of November 13th 2015, an armed joint force composed of members of the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levante (also known as ISIL or ISIS) attacked 7 different locations within the city
of Paris, including the the Stade de France and the famous theatre Le Bataclan. Actions taken
following terrorist attacks have yet to become efficient enough to guarantee the security of citizens
and thus, delegates must discuss measures that ensure the safety of populations.

2. The Iran Nuclear Deal

Between March 26th and April 2nd 2015, representatives of the United States, United Kingdom,
Russia, France, China, Germany and Iran met in Switzerland to discuss a Nuclear Framework to be
endorsed by Iran with the aim of restructuring and controlling its nuclear plan. These meetings
resulted in a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, to certify that Iran's nuclear program would be
solely and entirely peaceful, which took effect on the October 18th 2015. Amongst the measures
adopted - Irans Uranium Stockpile was cut by 98%. The United Nations Security Council has
received the task of closely tracking the progress of the Joint Plan of Action and has received full
authority to intervene in its content if it believes it is appropriate. Given that some time has passed
since the adoption of the the Nuclear Framework, delegates now have the task to access if any
changes should be made to it.

3. The Question of Death Penalty

As of January 2015, only 102 of the 193 United Nations members have completely abolished the
Death Penalty in their judicial system. Most countries that havent yet gone through this process have
not issued the capital punishment in the last 10 years or only use this type of sentencing in very
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exceptional occasions such as war crimes. 37 countries, including two permanent security council
members: The United States and The Peoples Republic of China, openly and regularly use death as a
mean of punishment.
Several international agencies such as the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International condemn
the Death Penalty and all countries in which it is still in use since it violates one of the Fundamental
Rights expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to life, liberty
and security of person () No one shall be subjected to cruel or degrading punishment.
Security Council delegates must now assess which measures should be put in place to give every
human being the right to serve its sentence alive and in a dignified manor.

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

1. Certain Questions of Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (Djibouti v. France)
On October 19, 1995, the burned corpse of Bernard Borrel, a French magistrate seconded to
Djibouti, was found at the foot of a cliff of said nation. This murder case has become a prolonged
process disrupting intentional relations between Dijbouti and France. However it is Djiboutis wish to
re-establish these.
In its application, the nation claims that France has unyieldingly not allowed jurisdictional power over
the murder, further alleging the violation of the Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation concluded
between France and Djibouti on the 27th of June 1977.
Recent discoveries have led to speculation of Djiboutian Head of State and senior Djiboutian officials
involvement as witnesses and even as potential suspects which caused breaches towards the
provisions of the Treaty of Friendship.
This case has shown France's reluctance in allowing access of different evidences in the Borel case.
Yet this murder took place within Djiboutian borders and accusations towards renounced officials of
this nations have been professed.
Despite all afore mentioned, it is advised that the court must respect the nations sovereignty and
wishes to re-establish relations with France.

2. Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Racial Discrimination (Georgia v. Russian Federation)
On 12 August 2008, the Government of Georgia filed an Application proceedings in the Registry of
the Court against the Russian Federation in respect to a dispute concerning actions on and around
the territory of Georgia. The Application regards the breach of the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 21 December 1965.
During the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia declared its independence from the U.S.S.R.,
however both nations of Abkhaz and Ossetia were against this. Georgia and the USSR entered in
conflict with respect to which state kept these two republics. The former wishes that any and all
decisions concerning them are to be dealt with by her. This decision has yet to stand agreement by
Russia and with intent to restore peace between countries this court must reach a verdict.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The revision of the Millennium Development Goals
On September 2000 at the Millennium Summit, the world leaders agreed on a global partnership to
tackle extreme poverty, setting 8 time bound targets known as The Millennium Development Goals.
These goals aim to address extreme poverty in its many aspects: hunger, lack of primary education,
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child mortality, gender equality, empowerment of women, maternal health, HIV, malaria (and other
diseases), environmental sustainability and global partnership. The deadline for these was 2015.
It has proven to be the most successful anti-poverty movement in history with more than a billion
people out of extreme poverty. The success of the MDGs has shown that global action is
undoubtedly effective, however the progress is far from uniform and the action far from over. Gender
inequality persists, disparity between rural and urban areas prevails, millions of people continue to live
in poverty and hunger without access to the basic human services. The 15-year agenda has come to
an end, and hence it leaves the delegates with the important task of creating sustainable development
goals that dare to make a difference and become the framework for further global action.

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