UMUN23

UNW
STUDY GUIDE
UNW
Table of Contents
United Nations ........................................................................................................................... 2

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women ........................ 2

Committee Mandate ................................................................................................................... 3

Core Procedures of the Committee ............................................................................................ 4

Our Agenda ................................................................................................................................ 5

Overview:........................................................................................................................... 5

CSW68 (2024): .................................................................................................................. 6

Emancipation of women .................................................................................................... 6

Adopting a Gender Perspective ......................................................................................... 7

Challenges Faced while Adopting a Gender Perspective .................................................. 8

Poverty ............................................................................................................................... 9

Challenges faced while tackling Poverty ......................................................................... 10

Previous Efforts ................................................................................................................... 12

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

(CEDAW): ....................................................................................................................... 12

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995: ......................................................... 12

The Istanbul Convention: ................................................................................................. 13

Stances of Nations.................................................................................................................... 13

Position Paper Guideline.......................................................................................................... 15

Further tips on the position paper ............................................................................................ 16

Position Paper Instructions ...................................................................................................... 17

Sample Position Paper ............................................................................................................. 18

Draft Resolution Guideline ...................................................................................................... 20

Sample Draft Resolution .......................................................................................................... 24

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 United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. Currently made up of 193
Member States, the UN, and its work are guided by the purposes and principles contained in
its founding Charter. The UN has evolved to keep pace with a rapidly changing world over the
years. But one thing has stayed the same: it remains the one place on Earth where all the world’s
nations can gather together, discuss common problems, and find shared solutions that benefit
all of humanity.

United Nations Entity for Gender

Equality and the Empowerment of
Women
The United Nations Women (UNW), is a committee that was made to empower women and
promote gender equality globally. UN Women works with governments and NGOs to create
legislation, policies, initiatives, and support systems that ensure the successful execution of
standards, leading to genuine advancements for women and girls across the globe. The
organization aids UN Member States in establishing worldwide benchmarks for attaining
gender equality.

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, or UN
Women, was established under the resolution A/RES/64/289 that was adopted by the United
Nations General Assembly on 2 July 2010. Through accomplishing this, the member states of
the UN made great progress toward advancing the organization’s objectives for gender equality
and women’s empowerment.

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 Committee Mandate

The main objective of the establishment of UNW is to promote gender equality and women
empowerment globally.

UN Women helps strengthen effective UN action on the global, regional, and national levels.
We help bolster capacities to make achieving gender equality central to programs and policies,
advocate for greater resources, and guide and implement joint development programs. We
support measures upholding accountability for commitments to women and have a key role in
increasing knowledge about women’s status in the United Nations.

The United Nations Women is mandated to:

 Advancing gender equality and women’s rights globally.

 Empowering women through economic, social, and political means.
 Eradicating violence and discrimination against women and girls.
 Promoting women’s participation in decision-making and leadership.
 Integrating gender perspectives into policies and programs.
 Fostering partnerships for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

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 Core Procedures of the Committee

UN Women (UNW) holds various meetings, events, and sessions throughout the year to
address its mission and objectives related to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
These meetings can include conferences, forums, workshops, and sessions with member states,
civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. The timing of these meetings can vary, and
they are typically scheduled based on specific agendas and priorities.

The Committee is made up of 45 member states who are elected by the Economic and Social
Council. The membership of the committee is based on equitable geographical distribution of
seats according to the following regional breakdown: 13 from Africa; 11 from Asia; 9 from
Latin America and the Caribbean; 8 from Western Europe and other states; and 4 from Eastern
Europe. These members are elected for 4 years. Aside from the member states,
nongovernmental organizations also participate during the sessions of the committee.

The Bureau of the committee plays a crucial role in facilitating the preparation for, and in
ensuring the successful outcome of the annual session of the committee. The Bureau of UNW
consists of one Chairperson and four Vice-Chairpersons. These Bureau members represent
each of the five regional groups and they serve for two years. The committee holds the first
meeting of its subsequent session, immediately following the closure of the regular session, to
elect new members of the Bureau as needed.

The committee can adopt resolutions usually without a recorded vote. The support of a majority
of the members is needed to pass and adopt a resolution by vote. During the voting session,
only the member states can vote while the non-member states retain the right to vote as
observers.

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 Our Agenda
Accelerating the emancipation of all women and
girls through tackling poverty while adopting a
gender perspective at CSW68 (2024).

Overview:
Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but a necessary foundation for a
peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. There has been progress over the last decades, but
the world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030.

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and therefore also half of its potential.
However, gender inequality persists everywhere and stagnates social progress.
On average, women in the labour market still earn 23 per cent less than men globally and
women spend about three times as many hours in unpaid domestic and care work as men.
Problems like this of women getting less wage or salary roots from a gender perspective. To
solve problems like this we need to accelerate the emancipation of women.

If we ought to improve our economy and step further towards achieving SDG goals then we
must adopt a gender perspective which will exclude all social stigmas and include all
empowerment. All the problems of gender equality can be solved by accelerating the
emancipation of women. Because the societal stigmas and beliefs of people circulating women
are the causes of why they won’t let women shine. It can be only changed by adopting a proper
gender perspective which will accelerate emancipation.

Poverty is another root cause when it comes to promoting gender equality. If we can tackle
poverty, then we can tackle gender issues. Here is how. If we can reduce poverty then we can
increase the number of children in education, and if they are being educated about gender issues
and gender perspective then a huge change or we can say revolution will take place. So tackling
poverty solves a lot of other problems as well.

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CSW68 (2024):
The matter of social stigma and gender perspective while ensuring gender equality and women
empowerment is a huge obstacle that must be addressed. To review the Social protection
systems, access to public services, sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the
empowerment of women and girls, UN Women has organized the sixty-eighth session of the
Commission on the Status of Women(CSW68-2024) that will be taking place from 11 to 22
March 2024. Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to contribute to
the session.

Priority Theme of the Conference: Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the
empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and
financing with a gender perspective

The outcome of the Commission’s consideration of the priority theme during its 68th session
will take the form of agreed conclusions, to be negotiated by all Member States.

Emancipation of women
Emancipation means the fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political
restrictions or liberation.

The achievement of complete (a) economic, (b) social, (c) political and (d) religious equality
of women with men, an aspiration whose realization in the twentieth century has been gradual,
varied and incomplete. Perhaps the most crucial agent of women's emancipation has been the
process of industrialization. In agricultural, pre‐industrial societies women are generally
regarded as responsible for the preparation of food and the bearing of children with very few
possibilities for an independent life outside the family. In industrializing countries, women are
increasingly compelled to join the industrial labour force out of sheer economic necessity. As
the demand for labour increases with new areas of employment developing, women are more
and more able to find employment in the service sector. They can join the ‘lower’ professions
(primary school teaching and nursing) and ‘lower’ white‐collar clerical and administrative
positions. As the process of industrialization matures with an increase in the service sector

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relative to the industrial sector (which is disproportionately dominated by male labour), the
economic opportunities for women increase accordingly.

As the economic status and independence of women rise, women become less dependent on
marriage and on a husband to provide for them, which leads to a corresponding increase in their
social independence. As a consequence, there occur social changes such as a decline in the
birth rate in industrialized countries and changes in marriage patterns, i.e. marriage at later ages
and higher divorce rates. This led to the eventual introduction of the political equality of women
to reflect their greater social and economic independence.

Apart from the interdependent (a) economic, (b) social, and (c) political factors promoting the
equality of women, emancipation is inversely affected by (d) the strength of traditional
religious sentiment in any society, which tends to emphasize the pre‐industrial image of the
family and the importance of the woman as the bearer of children. These four factors are the
most important elements that account for the differences in the position of women in different
countries. In many African countries with few or no industries, the role of women is still
confined to the home in relative dependence on their husbands, a situation exacerbated in some
countries by the stronghold of conservative Christian, Hindu, and Muslim movements. By
contrast, emancipation is relatively advanced (though by no means complete) in industrialized
countries, even though this has not been an automatic process.

Adopting a Gender Perspective

The term ‘gender perspective’ is a way of seeing or analysing which looks at the impact of
gender on people's opportunities, social roles and interactions. This way of seeing is what
enables one to carry out gender analysis and subsequently mainstream a gender perspective
into any proposed program, policy or organization.

Sex refers to the permanent and immutable biological characteristics common to individuals in
all societies and cultures, while gender defines traits forged throughout the history of social
relations. Gender, although it originates in objective biological divergences, goes far beyond
the physiological and biological specifics of the two sexes in terms of the roles each is expected
to play. Gender differences are social constructs, inculcated based on a specific society's
particular perceptions of the physical differences and the assumed tastes, tendencies and

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capabilities of men and women. Gender differences, unlike the immutable characteristics of
sex, are universally conceded in historical and comparative social analyses to be variants that
are transformed over time and from one culture to the next, as societies change and evolve.

Gender relations are accordingly defined as the specific mechanisms whereby different cultures
determine the functions and responsibilities of each sex. They also determine access to material
resources, such as land, credit and training, and more ephemeral resources, such as power. The
implications for everyday life are many, and include the division of labour, the responsibilities
of family members inside and outside the home, education and opportunities for professional
advancement and a voice in policy-making.

For several years now, governments and development agencies have given top priority to
gender issues in development planning and policies. Gender equity, concerning resource access
and allocation as well as opportunities for social and economic advancement, has been a
prominent item on the agendas of all recent international meetings, which have also
investigated the basic link between gender equity and sustainable development, defining
specific mechanisms and objectives for international cooperation.

By failing to adopt a gender perspective in circularity-related public policies, we risk

perpetuating–instead of challenging–current gender inequalities related to women’s
participation, leadership and access to the opportunities and benefits the circular economy can
generate. Failing to incorporate a gender perspective and harnessing women’s full potential as
agents of change in circular economy strategies may reinforce the discrimination and
disadvantaged position women have faced historically.

Challenges Faced while Adopting a Gender Perspective

Adopting a gender perspective is essential for achieving gender equality while minimizing
gender disparities. But there are difficulties in this transition nonetheless. Gender stereotypes
are deeply embedded in society, shaping our perceptions and expectations of individuals based
on their gender and bolstering traditional roles and norms. To overcome these stereotypes, it is
necessary to challenge preconceived notions about what it means to be masculine or feminine,
as well as to dismantle the bias that assumes certain occupations, behaviours, or preferences

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are inherently associated with one gender. This emphasizes the importance of comprehensive
education and awareness campaigns in changing societal attitudes.

Change is frequently met with resistance, particularly in situations involving power dynamics.
Strong leadership, advocacy, and a commitment to inclusion at all levels of society are required
to overcome this challenge. For a gender perspective to be effectively adopted, accurate and
thorough data on gender disparities in a variety of areas, such as education, employment, and
healthcare, are essential. However, gathering and analysing such information can be difficult
because many cases lack gender-specific data or are incomplete.

Intersectionality makes addressing gender disparities difficult without taking

various intersecting factors into account. Adopting a truly inclusive gender perspective
necessitates recognizing and addressing the unique challenges that people with different
identities face.

Another challenge is resource allocation, as efforts to adopt a gender perspective frequently

necessitate resources such as funding, personnel, and time. Allocating these resources can be
challenging, especially when there is competition for limited resources. Addressing cultural
and religious factors while promoting gender equality necessitates an intricate equilibrium
between cultural and religious diversity and gender equality.

Lastly, inadequate representation across sectors such as politics, business, media, and academia
is an ongoing issue. Increasing representation is a continuous challenge that necessitates
proactive efforts to create inclusive spaces and opportunities for people of all genders.

Poverty
Poverty can be defined as the combination of uncertain or non-existent income and a lack of
access to the resources needed to ensure sustainable living conditions. It often goes hand-in-
hand with hunger, malnourishment, poor health, high mortality and morbidity rates, insufficient
education and precarious and unhealthy housing.

Studies have revealed an increasing feminization of poverty. Compared with men, the number
of women living below the poverty line increased between 1970 and 1980. By 1988, an
estimated 60 per cent of poor people were women. As well as sexism in the employment sector,
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contributing factors included the economic restructuring imposed on many countries,

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government budget cuts and the adoption of neo-liberal economic models. Women have borne
the brunt of cutbacks in civil service jobs, social services and benefits. Their workload has
increased as welfare structures have broken down, leaving them in sole charge of children and
of elderly, ill and disabled people who were previously looked after, at least partially, by the
social services sector. While trying to cope with the impact of the crisis of the welfare state,
women are also desperately trying to juggle their meagre resources. The feminization of
poverty is much more visible among female-headed households. In a male-headed household,
both the man and the woman contribute to the family's welfare; the man brings in income and
the woman, in addition to the goods and services she provides the family, may also seek paid
work outside the home.

In rural areas, where services and job opportunities are even fewer than in urban areas, poverty
is also more acute. The situation is worse for women, who are less likely to have access to
production factors, services and resources such as credit, land, inheritance, education,
information, extension services, technology and farm inputs, as well as a say in decision-
making.

Another reason for the persistence of female poverty is gender vulnerability within the home.
When poor families cannot afford to send all of their children to school, parents favour
investing in the boy-children, keeping the girls at home to help with domestic work or some
income-generating activity.

Challenges faced while tackling Poverty

The emancipation of women and girls from poverty is a multifaceted and intricate challenge
that requires coordinated efforts at all levels of society. The core of this struggle is structural
gender inequality, which reinforces traditional gender roles that condemn them to poverty.
Challenges to this inequality frequently face opposition from those who benefit from the
prevailing institutional frameworks, resulting in resistance to change. Inadequate legal
frameworks aggravate the situation by failing to protect women's rights and perpetuating
gender disparities.

Another significant barrier to women's economic empowerment is a lack of access to

educational opportunities. Gender disparities persist, with women facing enrolment prejudice,

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higher dropout rates, and lower educational quality. Cultural barriers and financial constraints
hinder women from pursuing higher education. Economic disparities persist, with women
frequently earning less than men for equivalent positions or being trapped in low-paying jobs
with limited career advancement opportunities. Women's economic empowerment is severely
constrained by unpaid care work, which consumes a great deal of a woman's time.

Access to financial services is a critical component of economic independence, but women

often encounter challenges in this regard. Banking exclusion is a prevalent issue, with women
having inadequate access to bank accounts and financial services, making saving and investing
challenging. The situation is exacerbated by a lack of financial literacy.

Healthcare disparities remain, particularly in reproductive health care. Women frequently lack
access to family planning and maternal health care, resulting in adverse health consequences.
Another significant issue is gender bias in healthcare, with medical professionals occasionally
failing to take women's health concerns seriously, leading to delayed or inadequate treatment.
This can result in higher medical costs and lower work productivity, pushing women further
into poverty.

Violence and discrimination entrench poverty among women even further, with lax
enforcement of laws prohibiting gender-based violence perpetuating a society with impunity.
Many women also lack access to shelters and other forms of support, which retains them in
abusive situations.

Gender disparities and poverty are exacerbated by deeply ingrained cultural and social norms.
Women are deprived of educational and economic opportunities as a result of early marriage,
which is encouraged by cultural norms. Women's mobility and ability to engage in
entrepreneurial endeavours are limited by restrictive societal expectations. Traditional gender
roles discourage women from pursuing careers or starting businesses, perpetuating the poverty
cycle. Political and legal barriers, such as discriminatory laws in some countries, lax
enforcement, and a lack of women in political leadership positions, impede progress even
further. Challenges with data and monitoring, intersectionality, resource constraints, and
sustainability are all critical factors in addressing these issues.

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Previous Efforts
Many initiatives have been taken over the years by international organizations, most notably
the United Nations (UN) and its specialized agency, the United Nations Women (UN Women),
to advance the emancipation of women and girls around the world. These
endeavours encompass a diverse range of initiatives and programs aimed at promoting gender
equality and empowerment. These organizations have taken the following steps to accelerate
progress on this critical journey.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW):
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
is an international legal instrument that mandates countries to eliminate discrimination against
women and girls in all areas and promote equal rights. It is often referred to as the International
Bill of Rights for Women and is a key international agreement guiding UN Women's work in
achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. CEDAW is the culmination
of over thirty years of work by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women,
established in 1946 to monitor women's rights and monitor the situation of women. The
Commission's efforts have led to several declarations and conventions, with CEDAW being
the central and most comprehensive document. The Convention focuses on the female half of
humanity and reaffirms faith in fundamental human rights, dignity, and equal rights of men and
women. It establishes an international bill of rights for women and an agenda for action by
countries to ensure the enjoyment of these rights. CEDAW is a global human rights treaty that
should be incorporated into national law as the highest standard for women's rights.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995:

The Beijing Declaration was a resolution adopted by the UN at the Fourth World Conference
on Women in 1995, aimed at promoting gender equality and providing better opportunities for
women and girls. The Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted by consensus after over
40,000 government delegates, experts, and civil society representatives participated, is a
visionary agenda for women's empowerment and serves as a reference framework for analyzing

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women's situations and assessing state efforts. The platform responds to the collective efforts
of women and girls worldwide, affirming that women's rights are human rights and that equality
benefits everyone. The Platform for Action envisions a world where women and girls can
exercise their freedoms and choices, including living free from violence, attending school,
participating in decisions, and earning equal pay for equal work. The Beijing process generated
significant political will and global visibility, connecting and reinforcing the activism of
women's movements.

The Istanbul Convention:

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women
and Domestic Violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention, is a human rights treaty of
the Council of Europe opposing violence against women and domestic violence. The Istanbul
Convention instrument that aims legally to prevent gender-based violence, protect victims of
violence, and punish perpetrators. The convention contains 81 articles separated into 12
chapters. It aims at the prevention of violence, victim protection and to end the impunity of
perpetrators. The Istanbul Convention instrument that aims legally to prevent gender-based
violence, protect victims of violence, and punish perpetrators

Stances of Nations
In an increasingly interconnected world, the issue of accelerating women's and girls'
emancipation has taken centre stage in international discussion. Nations all over the world have
taken varying positions on this critical issue, reflecting a complex interplay of cultural, social,
political, and economic factors. The positions of nations on this issue reveal the ongoing
struggle to secure the rights and opportunities of half of the world's population, from advocating
for gender equality and women's empowerment to grappling with deeply rooted traditions and
structural inequalities.

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Pakistan
Pakistan's gender inequality is a significant issue, with the 2021 WPS Index ranking the country
167th out of 170. The UN Gender Inequality Index ranks Pakistan 135th out of 162, but the
Women, Peace, and Society Index identifies low financial inclusion, under four years of
education, and high incidences of intimate partner violence. The WPS links these disparities to
income and poverty rates within provinces.

Central African Republic

The UN and WPS Index show improvements in community safety in the Central African
Republic (CAR), with a decrease in organized violence. However, women still face
disproportionate violence, with less education and representation in local parliament. Harmful
gender practices, early marriage, and restricted access to reproductive health resources persist,
highlighting the need for improved community safety and access to modern family planning
resources.

Somalia
The WPS Index ranks Somalia twelfth on the 2021 Index, with greater political representation
for women than CAR. However, Somali women's workforce is significantly lower, with gaps
in reporting on women's land ownership rights, harassment, and gender pay. The country also
has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with over a third of Somali women
married before 18.

Sierra Leone
Concern over maternal mortality in Sierra Leone is a longstanding issue, with 1,120 women
out of every 100,000 dying due to pregnancy or childbirth complications. The WPS Index
shows that only 45.8% of women feel safe walking home at night, and most receive fewer than
three years of education. Concern is working to address gender-based violence, school-related
GBV, and female genital mutilation.

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 Position Paper Guideline
A position paper is a strategic document that outlines your country’s position. A position paper
must include these three main components:

1. Country’s position on the agenda.

2. Country’s relation to the agenda.
3. Country’s proposal of policies that should be included in a resolution.

Typically, a position paper is 1–1.5 pages long, although it should not exceed 2 pages. It usually
comprises three to four paragraphs. Each of the major elements should be covered in
these paragraphs. References must be included at the end of a position paper. Here is a basic
guideline on what to write in your position paper:

The first paragraph of the paper should have a general overview of the agenda and your
country’s position on the agenda. Its primary goal is to provide insight and clarify the issue that
has been mentioned in the agenda.

Your country's relation to the agenda should be outlined in the second paragraph of the paper.
It could contain information about how your country views the issue, how your country relates
to the issue, the steps your country has taken to resolve it, and so forth. These statements must
reflect your country and its foreign policy.

The third paragraph is generally used to provide solutions regarding the agenda. These
solutions should be written from the perspective of your country. The solution you suggest here
ought to complement the one you will offer during the conference.

N.B. It is not necessary to adhere to the aforementioned format. This is given to you as an aid
and is subject to your interpretation. Nevertheless, we anticipate seeing the content outlined
above in your paper.

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 Further tips on the position paper
An ideal position paper should include the following:
 A brief overview of your nation's background concerning the committee's topic;
 How the agenda or the issue affects your country;
 Your country’s policy and position on the matter
 Quotes on the subject from the leaders of your nation;
 Statistics to support your country's position on the issue;
 What solutions or steps your country has taken regarding the agenda;
 Agreements and resolutions that your country has signed or ratified;
 United Nations past actions that your country is in favour of or in disfavour of;
 What your country is looking forward to in the committee decision;
 How do foreign positions affect your country’s position on the agenda;

Source: Must be valid and binding.

Sources that are acceptable:

 All reports published by the United Nations and its agencies.
 Reports by your country’s government or their agencies/organizations or Foreign
ministry.

Sources that are Valid but not Binding:

 Reuters
 Al-Jazeera
 Amnesty International

Sources that are not Valid but can be only used for reference purposes:
 Any report published by a recognized news agency or NGO.

Sources that are not acceptable under any condition:

 Wikipedia
 Wiki leaks
 Blog Articles

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 Position Paper Instructions
Follow these instructions while writing your position paper:

Font Size: 12

Font: Times New Roman

Text Alignment: Justified

Paragraph Spacing: Single-spaced

Page Limit: 1.5 pages for the main content and half a page for references, making a total of 2
pages

Cover Page: Not required

Watermark: Optional

References: Must be included at the end of your paper

Margins: 1 inch on each side (normal)

Document name format: Country Name_committee_UMUN’23 (USA_UNSC_UMUN’23)

Document format: PDF

The deadline for the submission of the position paper is 11:59 p.m. on 18th October 2023.
Kindly submit your position paper timely. After completion of the position paper, email us at

tasmim.mouly27@gmail.com

cc: firuz.tahsin.rodshi@g.bracu.ac.bd , nusaibazahin1234@gmail.com

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 Sample Position Paper
Committee: United Nations Human Rights Council
Country: French Republic
Agenda: Freedom of opinion and expression in the Middle East
Freedom of opinion and expression is a fundamental human right.
Quoting Article 19, of the UDHR on Freedoms of Opinion and
Expression which states: Everyone has the right to freedom of
opinion and expression; the right includes freedom to hold opinions
without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media
regardless of frontiers.
Quoting Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides the right to
Freedom of expression and information. There has been a clear violation of Article 19 of
UDHR in the Middle East region. Violation of Freedom of opinion and expression has definite
sectors like Violation of media freedom and censorship, political activism and protest,
academic freedom and research, political freedom, Information and Transparency and these
violations are leading to escalate the already alarming situation in the Middle East. This
suppression of one has a lot of reasons including historical and cultural roots in the Middle
East. Some governments take advantage of these beliefs as a means to control the regions. To
improve this situation, we must come to a consensus and work on equal terms keeping in mind
the context of the religious and deep-rooted traditions of each country in the Middle East.
According to an NGO, Reporters without Borders, which monitors the safety of reporters and
media freedom internationally, in its annual index, ranked half of the countries in the Middle
East in the bottom third in its latest Worldwide Press Freedom Index.
France supports the freedom of opinion and expression through the Council of Europe in the
Middle East. France is subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights as
regards the implementation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights in
which freedom of expression is enshrined. France is trying to seek the cooperation of the
Middle East and other nations to come to a consensus and understand what the people of the
Middle East are trying to say to the authorities. Instead of addressing the root causes that drove
people to take to the streets, authorities in Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen have
crushed protests and attempted to silence dissent, using extreme violence, mass arrests, and
arbitrary detention to intimidate critics. France wants to draw the attention of other countries
to the Humanitarian crisis in Yemen and Syria which is already making the situation much
worse than it already is. Parties in these conflicts need to come to equal terms not just to ensure
citizens’ freedom of opinion and expression but to protect their human rights in general. France
has already taken some initiatives to promote freedom of opinion and expression in the Middle
East. But so far all the actions that we’ve taken weren’t subjected or concentrated to any
confined region like the Middle East. One of the main issues why the situation is not improving
is that Authorities in these countries won’t let proper investigation of violations conducted that
can be represented to the world.
Another issue of this violation is that most of the countries have still not ratified the UN
documents or those who have ratified are not abiding by those. France’s proposal to the Middle
Eastern countries would be to ratify the UN documents relating to Human Rights and promote
the freedom of opinion and expression in their legislation. France would like to take initiative
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for the press freedom and journalism firstly because through this information transparency can
be achieved that would further solve the other existing problems. In the wake of a joint initiative
by France, and Reporters Without Borders, the United Nations Security Council unanimously
adopted resolution 1738 (2006) on the protection of journalists in conflict situations, to prevent
acts of violence against journalists. France wants to formulate a concrete implementation
strategy for the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the issue of impunity. France
would like to urge other nations to use an international judicial body to monitor the activities
of the authorities in the Middle East who use oppression to suppress the freedom of opinion
and violation of its citizens. France urges the European Union and the European nations to
include the Middle East in the Media Pluralism Monitor research to identify potential risks to
media pluralism that would ensure the Middle Eastern countries' safe access to freedom of
expression on media.

References:
1. France - Centre for Media Pluralism and Freedom (eui. eu)
2. https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/human- rights/freedom-of-
expression/
3. : Press Freedom in Iran (hrw.org)
4. https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2012/05/freedom-press-middle-east-widely-curtailed-
and-often-violated
5. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2022/11/pushing-forward-
protesting-womens-rights-abuses-in-iran

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 Draft Resolution Guideline
A draft resolution is a written legal document where a group of delegates address the issue of
the agenda the committee is discussing and compiles all the solutions together. Producing a
resolution is one of the sole objectives of a MUN as it compiles the results of all the discussions,
writings, and negotiations that occurred in the committee. It is mainly a written suggestion for
addressing a specific problem discussed in the committee and how the involved parties would
like to solve it realistically.

A draft resolution has three main parts:

1. The heading

2. The preambulatory clauses

3. The operative clauses

The first component included in a Draft Resolution (DR) is the draft resolution is the heading.
It contains four pieces of information the committee name, the sponsors, the signatories, and
the topic. The topic and committee name ought to be self-evident. The sponsors are the author
delegates of the DR. They agree and support all the solutions provided in the resolution. The
signatories are the delegates who do not completely support the resolution but would like to
see it discussed. A draft resolution usually needs a certain number of sponsors and signatories
before it can be presented to the committee.

The second section of the resolution draft is the preambulatory clauses. All of the issues that
the committee seeks to resolve are listed in the preambulatory clauses. It could outline the
justifications behind the committee's work on the issue and highlight previous international
actions on the issue. It may contain:

● Past UN resolutions, treaties, or conventions related to the topic.

● Past regional, non-governmental, or national efforts in resolving this topic.
● References to the UN Charter or other international frameworks and laws.
● Statements made by the Secretary-General or a relevant UN body or agency.

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 ● General background info formation or facts about the topic, its significance, and its
impact.

Each preambulatory clause begins with a preambulatory phrase and ends with a comma.

One should start preambulatory clauses with preambulatory phrases. Here are some examples
given below:

Affirming Deeply conscious Fully aware Having received Recalling

Alarmed by Deeply convinced Fully believing Having studied Recognizing

Approving Deeply disturbed Further deploring Keeping in mind Referring

Aware of Deeply regretting Further recalling Noting with regret Seeking

Bearing in mind Desiring Guided by Noting with deep Taking into account
concern

Believing Emphasizing Having adopted Noting with Taking into

satisfaction consideration

Confident Expecting Having considered Noting further Taking note

Contemplating Expressing its Having considered Noting with Viewing with

appreciation further approval appreciation

Convinced Expressing its Having devoted Observing Welcoming

satisfaction attention

Declaring Fulling Having examined Reaffirming

Deeply concerned Fully alarmed Having heard Realizing

Please Note: Any of these Clause Starters can be reused by adding “further” or “deeply” in front of it.

For example: “Noting” can be reused by becoming “Further Noting” or “Concern by” can be reused by
becoming “Deeply Concerned by”

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The third and most crucial section of the Draft Resolution is the operative clauses. Operative
clauses outline the approaches the resolution's sponsors suggest taking to address the problems.
The issues specifically indicated in the pre-ambulatory clauses should be addressed in the
operative clauses. An operative clause should answer the “who, what, when, where, why, and
how” questions. By doing so you can strengthen the operative clauses.

All of the operative clauses should follow the format given below:
 Every operative clause should be numbered.
 The progression of your desired solution should be supported by each operative clause.
 Sub-clauses may be added to a clause for the purpose of providing more information
and clarification.
 Operative clauses are punctuated by a semicolon, with the exception of your last
operative clause which should end with a period (full stop).
You should write operative clauses with operative phrases or starters. Are some examples given
below:

Accepts Congratulates Endorses Further Requests Urges

Resolves

Affirms Considers Expresses its Has Resolved Sanctions Wishes

Appreciation

Approves Decides Expresses its Hopes Solemnly Affirms

Hope

Asks Declares Further asks Invites Strongly Condemns

Accordingly

Authorizes Demands Further Calls for Notes Strongly Urges

Calls Deplores Further Invites Proclaims Supports

Calls for Designates Further Proclaims Reaffirms Suggests

Calls upon Draws the Further Reminds Recommends Takes note of

Attention

Condemns Emphasizes Further Regrets Transmits

Recommends

Confirms Encourages Further Requests Reminds Trusts

Please Note: Any of these Clause Starters can be reused by adding “further” or “strongly” in front of it.

For example: “Requests” can be reused by becoming “Further Requests” or “Asks” can be reused by becoming
“Strongly Asks”

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You can also add an annexure section to a draft resolution. Although it is optional. An annexure
is like an extension of the operative clauses. If you are unable to answer the how, when, or
where question in the operative clause then you can add an annexure to that specific clause. It
is not frequently used. In case the answer to the how question is too long then it is good to write
that answer in the annexure. By doing so you can keep your operative clauses well-ordered
while still keeping them precise.

The committee's most formal document is a draft resolution. The language used when writing
a DR is crucial. It is strongly advised that you keep your writing formal and adequate. It is also
essential to be precise while writing a DR. To strengthen the authenticity of the solution you
offer in the DR, conduct appropriate research and gather data from reliable sources.

N.B. It is not necessary to adhere to the aforementioned format. This is given to you as an aid
and is subject to you.

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 Sample Draft Resolution
United Nations S/Res/2693 (2023)

Security Council Distr.: General

22 July 2023

Original: English

Sponsors: Republic of Malta

Signatories: Federative Republic of Brazil, Republic of Ecuador, Republic of

Ghana, Japan, Republic of Mozambique, Russian Federation, United Arab
Emirates, United States of America, Gabonese Republic, United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Republic of Albania

The Security Council,

Recalling, in particular, resolution 1535 (2004), resolution 1787 (2007), resolution 1805

(2008), resolution 1963 (2010), resolution 2129 (2013), and resolution 2395 (2017), which pertain to the
Counterterrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), and reaffirming the crucial role of its
Counterterrorism Committee (CTC) and CTED in ensuring the full implementation of resolution 1373 (2001),
and reaffirming its resolutions 1267 (1999), 1325 (2000), 1368 (2001), 1566(2004), 1624 (2005), 1894

(2009), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013), 2133 (2014), 2150 (2014), 2170 (2014), 2178 (2014),

2185 (2014), 2195 (2015), 2199 (2015), 2220 (2015), 2242 (2015), 2334 (2016), 2249

(2015), 2253 (2015), 2309 (2016), 2322 (2016), 2341 (2017), 2347 (2017), 2354 (2017),

2368 (2017), 2370 (2017), 2379(2017), 2388 (2017), 2396 (2017), 2462 (2019),(2016),

and 2482 (2019),

Underscoring that the fight against terrorism is one that is pertinent to the safeguarding of international peace and
security and that terrorism cannot be looked through a singular lens and requires the existence of context-specific
steps which are more easily born out of autochthonous modus operandi,

Recalling its primary responsibility under the United Nations Charter for the maintenance of international peace
and security,

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Reaffirming furthermore that the promotion and protection of human rights for all and the rule of law are essential
components of counterterrorism, and recognizing thateffective counterterrorism measures and the protection of
human rights are not conflicting goals, but complementary and mutually reinforcing, and stressing the need to
promote and protect the rights of victims of terrorism, and that we must bear in mind thefour pillars of the Global
Counter Terrorism strategy (A/RES/60/288), while adopting legislative measures to counter terrorism, it is the
responsibility of states to ensurehuman rights while tackling terrorism,

Condemning in the strongest terms terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and all terrorist acts, including
those on the basis of xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief,
reaffirming that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization, or group,

Noting with concern the increasing use of new technologies like unmanned aerial systems (UAS), unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAV) in terrorism and/or acts of terrorism, and recognising the detrimental potential technology
has to be misused, misappropriated and repurposed with malicious intent has become utterly paramount in
recollection of the trajectory the world is moving towards in the current timeline,

Taking into consideration the potential of harm of information and communicationtechnologies being used to
harbor terrorism, pursuant to UNSC Resolution 2617 (2021),

Taking into further consideration the recent spike in the frequencies of data breaches, ransom ware attacks,
distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and the urgency of safeguarding critical data infrastructure, it is
necessary to pay heed to data security at this point in time, further recognizing the potential of disinformation
campaigns to be utilized by terrorists or terrorist groups, and in response to that, there is high merit in using ICT
to counteract nihilistic, extremist and radical propaganda of terrorist groups

Strongly condemning the continued flow of weapons, especially unmanned aircraftsystems (UASs), unmanned
aerial vehicles and their components to and between ISIL (also known as Da’esh), Al-Qaida and their affiliates,

Acknowledging the suggestions of United Nations Centre for Science and Technology for Development
(UNCSTD) in relation to the necessity of incorporating novel ideologies in re-evaluating the Trade Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement to ensure that it reflects the needs of the 21st century,

Welcoming continuing cooperation on counterterrorism efforts between CTED, ICAO, UNODC, all other relevant
UN bodies, and INTERPOL, in particular on technicalassistance and capacity building, and strongly encouraging
their further engagement with UNOCT to ensure overall coordination and coherence in the counterterrorism
efforts of the United Nations system,

Taking note of the “Technical Guide to the Implementation of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) and Other
Relevant Resolutions” updated by CTED,

Guided by the chapter VII of the United Nations Charter,

1. Calls upon all States to ensure Digital Rights of the victims of cyber terrorism
and the Digital Responsibilities of their governments to protect them, subject to
the national jurisdictions of the respective Nations;

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2. Recommends the establishment of a Global Cyber Resilience Center (GCRC):
a. The Global Cyber Resilience Center (GCRC) shall be established under
the auspices of the United Nations Security Council, serving as the
central coordinating body for promoting cyber resilience worldwide,
the mandate of which will be determined at a later date,

b. The primary objective of the GCRC is to facilitate information sharing

upon consent, conduct cyber security research and analysis, and
develop best practices and guidelines for cyber resilience at a global
level,

c. Directs the establishment of a Data-Driven and Evidence Based

Counter- terrorism Unit pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) owing to
the necessity of the collection of data, data analysis, cleaning of data
and data dissertation in regards to terrorism and terrorist acts the
framework for which is attached in Annexure I;

3. Urges all States to implement methods to counter terrorist financing, the details
of which are included in Annexure II;

4. Encourages the connotation of a gender-responsive approach when engaging in

counter-terrorist measures, through legislating, criminalizing and enforcing laws
regarding sexual and gender-based violence, especially in areas of active conflict,
post-conflict areas and areas and victims affected by terrorism, terrorists or acts
of terrorism;

5. Suggests the World trade Organization to incorporate the facet of the effects and
implications of newer concepts when deliberating on the potential of re-
evaluating the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights agreement;

6. Invites all member states to promote digital financial literacy and skills among
their citizens and businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to
enable them to access and benefit from FinTech services and products, while
raising awareness of the potential risks of terrorist financing, and calls upon all
member states to support and promote social awareness programmes aimed at
countering cyber terrorism;

7. Calls for an International Data Conference under the United Nations General
Assembly for formulating ethics codes with having respect to national
jurisdictions on data and data security, all the member states of the United
Nations shall take part in the conference and the timeframe and moderation of
the conference will be done under the Secretary General of the United Nations;

8. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

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Annexure I: Framework of Data-Driven and Evidence Based Counter-terrorism Unit
1) The primary function of the Data-Driven and Evidence Based Counter-terrorism Unit will be to
collect,analyze, and evaluate data in relation to terrorism and terrorist acts, with special emphasis
on novel technologies such as newer information and communication technology, digital currency
mediums, Internet payment systems, online crowdfunding, virtual assets, and decentralized
currencies.
2) The Unit shall continue its activities for 2 years following the adoption of its mandate, reporting to
the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) every 6 months for the duration
of its mandate.
3) The Operational Staff of this team will draw from the existing officials of CTED.
4) The Data-Driven and Evidence Based Counter-terrorism Unit shall have 5 primary goals that it
shall work towards;
a) Acquisition and collection of data in relation to terrorism and terrorist acts,
b) Facilitation of datasets, made available to the CTED upon request, to aid it’s work in
informing the Council of trends in terrorist acts with special emphasis on tech-related
incidents,
c) Addressing the need for more data-intensive decision-making and policy-making in the
fieldof counter-terrorism,
d) Detection and analysis of malware attacks, phishing, denial of service attacks,
man in the middle (MitM) attacks, SQL injections, Ransomwares, Advanced
Persistent Threats (APTs), Internet of things (IoTs) exploitation, Watering hole
attacks,

e) Documentation and formulation of an Implementation Guide for Member states

5) After an agreement is reached in regards to the financing of this Unit with the support of a budgetary
auditing committee, the financial support required for the running of this Unit will encompass 1
year periods to a maximum of 2 until the exhaustion of its mandate.
6) The contribution of data to this Unit will be voluntary and on the basis of consent from all willing
States.

Annexure II: Details pertaining to Combating the Financing of Terrorism

1. Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws: The focal premise of AML laws is to detect and report the
existence of suspicious activity, through the application of financial methods and investigative tasks,
inthe facet of money-laundering, relevant to the financing of terrorism, terrorists and terrorist acts.
2. Know Your Customer (KYC) policies: KYC policies entail the identification, documentation,, and
verification of end users and customers of banking and financing services, this helps to ascertain
genuine customers and filtrates suspicious entities.
3. Customer Due Diligence (CDD) practices: CDD practices go a step further than KYC policies by
performing risk assessment in order to abide by national legal and regulatory obligations and to
eradicate the potential for the committing of financial crime.
4. Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) and Suspicious Transaction reports (STR) : SAR and STR
involve the evaluation, documentation and notification of unusual suspicious activity to
regulatory.

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 Questions A Resolution Must
Answer (QARMAs)
Please note that the resolution must address the following concerns to be considered for
discussion. You must thus research the positions that your respective nations have on these
issues. However, it is obviously acceptable if you choose to address more issues in your
resolution.

1. What are the key challenges women and girls face in terms of poverty, and how can
these challenges be effectively addressed within the framework of CSW68?
2. How can the international community collaborate to ensure that poverty reduction
strategies are more gender-inclusive and prioritize the empowerment of women and
girls?
3. What specific policies and initiatives can be implemented at the national and global
levels to accelerate the emancipation of women and girls from poverty?
4. What measures can be taken at the national level to promote the education of girls in
order to advance, through economic growth, the standard of living for women?
5. How can we ensure that marginalized and vulnerable groups of women and girls,
including those in rural areas, Indigenous communities, and with disabilities, are not
left behind in poverty reduction efforts?
6. What data and indicators should be collected and monitored to track progress in the
intersection of poverty reduction and gender equality?
7. How can civil society organizations, governments, and international institutions work
together to advance the gender perspective in poverty reduction programs?
8. What strategies can be employed to promote women's economic participation,
entrepreneurship, and leadership in decision-making processes related to poverty
reduction?

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