United Nations Committee on Status of Women

        Chaired by: Alicia Chan

The Committee on the Status of Women is dedicated exclusively to gender equality and the advancement of women. It is the main global policy-making body that focuses on the challenges of gender equality sets global standards and formulates concrete policies that will help the advancement of women. At VAMUN XXX, the Committee on the Status of Women will discuss ways to create momentum for greater female participation in politics and business and help to provide aid to women caught in crisis

International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors

        Chaired by: Paul Hodskins

The International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors is composed of states that make recommendations to the IAEA General Conference. The Board of Governors, while responsible for oversight of accounts, programs, budget, and membership, is most valued for its insight on safeguard agreements and safety standards. The IAEA finds itself under great international pressure to make headway on the formulation of new countermeasures against the threat of nuclear terrorism. The agenda will include highly sensitive topics such as loose nuclear weapons in former Soviet satellite states, the establishment of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, and the Iranian nuclear program. The Board of Governors meeting will be fairly formal in procedure and require intense deliberation between member states. Representatives must come prepared to discuss and (hopefully) effectuate real solutions for real issues that threaten the security of the international community. This committee is not for the faint of heart. Be ready to think on your feet as we engage in potentially aggressive negotiations.

United States Constitutional Convention 1787

        Chaired by: Justin Shin

Meeting in May of 1787, fifty-five delegates from twelve states and commonwealths convened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss the issues plaguing the then-infant United States of America.  Although the original intention of the meeting was to revise the Articles of Confederation, it was soon apparent that many of the delegates intended to draft  a document setting up an entirely new government to replace the existing one. At VAMUN XXX, you will have the opportunity to represent the views of the delegates that were in attendance as well as the views of the states and commonwealths they represented. Although delegates are expected to stay true to their own position, there is no expectation of strict adherence to the debate and events that occurred during the convention itself. One of the main purposes of this committee will be to discuss the issues surrounding the confederation and then remedy them.  How this will be accomplished will be up to debate and at the discretion of the delegates, and creative remedies will be welcomed.

1919 Paris Peace Conference

        Chaired by: Alison Wilensky

The armistice has been signed, signaling the end of the Great War, and you have been called to Paris to set the terms of the ensuing peace treaty. You are charged with the delicate task of setting the terms of peace for the defeated powers that will determine the future of Europe and international landscape as a whole. The conditions that you devise will have a long lasting legacy as you hope that the Great War truly will be 'The War to End All Wars.'

Millennium Development Goals Summit 2015

        Chaired by: Mary Wang

It’s already 2010 and the world has yet to achieve even half of the Millennium Development Goals. Ban-ki Moon has called on world leaders to get together in September to discuss how to achieve more of their goals. However, there are many obstacles that prevent us from achieving these goals such as limited funds and resources, lack of awareness, and most importantly, the lack of a concrete understanding of how to eradicate the root causes of these global issues. While all of the MDGs are important, there is simply not enough time to discuss and resolve all eight goals. Therefore, this futuristic committee will address three goals that will surely be the most challenging to reach. Because the events of the future are unknown, there will be news briefings presented at the beginning of each committee session that will update delegates on the situation of the world as of 2015, in order to bring the issues debated into perspective. Therefore, it is advised that delegates keep up with current events and will be prepared to think fast on their feet.

Delegates: Your chair has been kind enough to offer a blog on which she will be posting information designed to help prepare for the committee. The blog is located here: http://vamunmdg.wordpress.com/

United Nations Human Rights Council

        Chaired by: Nikhi Kasibhotla

The U.N. Human Rights Council is the recent successor to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, which was replaced due to criticism for allowing members with poor human rights records. The Council now contains 47-elected members, all of whom are believed to uphold the highest standards pertaining to human rights. A key component of the UNHRC is the process of conducting a review of all U.N. member nations and the status of human rights within them, called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). At VAMUN XXX, this session of the UNHRC will address two issues which have served as obstacles to advancing human rights. The first topic will be the issue of electoral violence in post-civil-war Sri Lanka, while the second issue will delve into police brutality and accountability in the cases of India and China. We will use these specific case studies as examples to find comprehensive solutions to the issues as a whole.

Kenyan Constitutional Review

        Chaired by: Betsy Graves

What does it take to rewrite the constitution of a developing nation, nearly 50 years after independence from colonial powers? In the Kenyan Constitutional Review Committee, delegates will set out to answer this question and many others while working to establish a new working constitution. Kenya faces a unique time in its political history where citizens, rulers, and the international community are all calling for substantive political change in light of the 2007 post-election violence. Set in present-day Kenya, this committee will also take into consideration questions such as: How will the presence of domestic issues such as corruption, land reform, poverty, ethnic groups, and affirmative action affect the constitutional revision and what role do these factors play in the revision process? It will be up to the Members of the Kenyan Parliament (otherwise known as delegates) to rewrite the constitution in such a way that not only addresses these issues, but also will prevent that further violence in the 2012 presidential elections. No previous knowledge of East African history, politics, or constitutional processes is required; however, the most successful members of parliament are often those with the greatest national spirit, commitment to reform, and persuasive prowess.