Special Political and Decolonization

        Chaired by: Ania Giffin and Myong Choi

The Special Political and Decolonization Committee primarily handles issues concerning the right to self-determination, the rule of law, UN peacekeeping forces, and special instances of international law that do not fall under the realm of the other General Assemblies.  It is particularly important to keep in mind that the committee may not violate any state’s sovereignty. The SPECPOL committee may not authorize military force to accomplish its goals, nor may it authorize sanctions; instead, the committee may only offer suggestions as to what should be done to resolve an issue.  Essentially, the purpose of SPECPOL is to make recommendations to the General Assembly and/or to the Security Council as to how to respond to an issue.   Because SPECPOL is oftentimes unable and ill-equipped to deal with the logistics of resolutions, delegates should primarily focus on the political aspects of a particular resolution as well as the effects of the resolution on sovereignty and the international community as a whole.

Disarmament and International Security

        Chaired by: Brian Wolin

The Disarmament and International Security Committee of the General Assembly deals with issues concerning peace, security, and the prevention of future war.  All UN member states are represented with equal voting powers on DISEC.  Delegates on this committee will debate important international security questions using standard parliamentary procedures.

Social, Humanitarian and Cultural

        Chaired by: Kelly Lugbill and Priya Vithani

This committee primarily focuses on human rights issues, including those addressed within the reports of the Human Rights Council, as well as the promotion of foundational freedoms and the importance of sustainable development in least developed and developing countries. The two topics on which we will be focusing are 1) developing strategies to combat the increasing cost of food in developing nations and 2) the implementation of the Durban Declaration to effectively reduce and eliminate genocide, xenophobia, and racism. The first Millennium Development goal reads, “to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.” For the poor living in the least economically developed countries, a general lack of domestic food security has forced them to spend increasingly higher proportions of their limited incomes on food. While there have been isolated success stories such as a decrease in Nepalese poverty rates, it will take a global effort to meet this goal by 2015. Universal cooperation will also be necessary to reduce genocide, xenophobia, and racism. As the proclaimed International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World comes to an end in 2010 without having witnessed a significant reduction in these forms of discrimination, it is essential to reassess the Durban Declaration and create a resolution that will unite all the member nations in their eradication of such intolerances.    

World Health Organization

        Chaired by: Melissa Rickman

Global health concerns have never ceased to capture worldwide attention and cooperation due to their universal resonance and effects. The health concerns faced by this generation are no less imperative than those of the past due to the persistence of worldwide poverty, the relative ineffectiveness of international aid, and the epidemic of modern diseases. On top of these are the health threats faced by the more developed and developing world alike, threats exacerbated by environmental pollution and globalization. This session of the World Health Organization plans to challenge delegates to push the borders of established goals to make progress a reality, whether in the realm of substance abuse or water pollution.