Young Delegates to the 47th Human Rights Council United Nations

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YOUNG DELEGATES TO THE

47TH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

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AFI DELEGATES TO THE UN DR. ARIEL ROSITA KING DELEGATE AUSTIN DOWLING DELEGATE SELIN HEARA DELEGATE MURAT EREN KUTLU DELEGATE SIDDHARTH SATISH

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© COPYRIGHT ARIEL FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL 2021 ISBN: 987-1-7375204-1-2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank Dr. Ariel King, president of the Ariel Foundation International, and the entire Ariel Foundation International team Young Ambassadors, Directors, Advisors, Volunteers and members - for giving us such an incredible opportunity by giving us delegate status within the United Nations Human Rights Council virtually for three days. It was this incredible experience that has enabled us to write this report, and engage with critical contemporary decision-making.

Dr. King’s dedication to empowering the Global Youth and her sustained belief that we can contribute to global decision making is what has made this report possible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 Religious Persecution Today 06 It Is In Your Hands To Make a Better World 09 SDGs and Education 11 Inclusion and Opportunities

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION TODAY BY: DELEGATE AUSTIN DOWLING

For the vast majority of human history, religions have been the hallmark of great nations bringing many to faith and giving people moral values which have given us many of the freedoms we enjoy today. However, there are places around the globe where groups abuse religious freedom, and discrimination leads to persecution and genocide.

According to a 2018 study by “Pew Research Center,” harassment of religious groups continues today in more than 90% of the world. These acts can range from simple verbal abuse to outrageous obscenities through physical violence, murder, and genocide.

As it stands today Christians are the most persecuted group followed by muslims which has held true since the study began in 2007. The research found that “Christians reportedly were harassed in 145 countries. There are several accounts to back up these claims as well - for example in Israel, an Ethiopian Christian monk was reportedly injured by police officers who were attempting to evict him from his church; in Burundi, a Christian man died after he was imprisoned and allegedly beaten by police for refusing to vote. Additionally during the pandemic, according to “The Guardian” Christians in many countries in Africa and Asia have been refused Covidrelated aid – by government officials, and village committees. Across sub-Saharan Africa, Christians have faced 30% higher levels of violence than last year at the hands of Islamist militant groups who took advantage of lockdowns and governments weakened by the crisis. In Ariel Foundation International

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Nigeria, the number of Christians killed has nearly tripled to 3,800 recorded deaths. In China, the government has increased surveillance, with facial recognition systems installed in “state-approved” churches in some areas and online services monitored. The government’s effort to “sinicise” Christianity has meant crosses and other Christian imagery have been replaced with pictures of President Gi ging ping and national flags, and Communist officials selecting church leaders.

While it goes without saying that Christians have endured an unprecedented amount of persecution around the globe over the years, Muslim persecution today, often takes form as genocide carried out by unscrupulous Authoritarian governments in acts of “ethic cleansing”.

The 2019 World Report carried out by the “Human Rights Watch” covered the Myanmar Genocide of the Rohingya Muslims. More than 14,500 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh between January and November 2018 to escape persecution and violence in Myanmar, joining almost 1 million others from 2017 in hazardous, overcrowded camps.

Refugees who arrived in Bangladesh in 2018 reported continuing abuses by Myanmar security forces, including murders, arson, extortion, severe restrictions on movement, and lack of food and health care. They also reported sexual violence and abductions of women and girls in villages and at checkpoints along the route to Bangladesh. Returnees to Myanmar faced arrest and torture by authorities. Additionally an on going development that has only recently made wide spread news is the Genocide of Religious minorities in China by the Chinese Communist Party. On Jan. 19, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Ariel Foundation International

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stated that China “has committed genocide against the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang.” Approximately eleven million Uyghurs—a mostly Muslim, Turkic speaking ethnic group, live in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

The Chinese government has imprisoned more than one million people since 2017 and subjected those not detained to intense surveillance, religious restrictions, forced labor, and forced sterilizations. Unfortunately, it is impossible to know the numbers of Uyghurs brutally murdered in Xinjiang because of an unprecedented amount of suppression by the Chinese Communist Party but it can be estimated in the thousands if not millions.

These crimes against humanity, tie into so many other human rights issues (ethnic cleansing, indigenous rights, womens rights, and discrimination on a broader scale) so what solutions can there be? We can start by telling more people, giving these atrocities more publicity to put pressure on government leaders for action. The UN along with other support groups must be given proper resources to deal with these injustices. Through donation and activism we can make this happen.

So let's be clear. This is a crisis, and millions more people will die unaccounted for than we could ever know if drastic action is not taken by world leaders. So please spread the word, make this known, aiding the survivors is important but being able to spot the early signs and act quickly to prevent genocide is important. Only together can we stop these atrocities which too often stay under the radar and hidden from the public. Thank you for your attention.

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IT IS IN YOUR HANDS TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD BY: DELEGATE SELIN HARA

Ancient Greek Philosopher Plato, in his famous work The Republic, argued that either the state should be governed by philosophers or that those who govern the state should be philosophers.

Is this how the countries and societies are ruled today?

My answer to this question is unfortunately a big “no”. I even think that maybe just a very small percentage of societies are led by people with philosophical thoughts that would have protecting humanity as a main job but others or most societies are controlled by leaders with the thoughts of protecting themselves and have a main goal of staying in power. People fight for their economic freedom, for their own values but they are pushed in concepts like democracy, order, tradition, religion. So, what about humanity?

What we understand from “human rights” is the basic rights that any human should possess from the day they are born and regulations to be imposed so that the freedom of any human rights is governed and protected. However, thanks for social media and the modern technology, even at modern societies like United Kingdom or United States or some other European Countries, we come across with many news or pictures or videos or statements with examples of breached human rights. Is it not a fact that for instance female workers are paid and rewarded less than male workers serving at same jobs, which clearly is a discrimination, or what about the non-equal treatment by police officers Ariel Foundation International

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to people belonging to certain groups like “coloured” ones? As a very recent example, Boris Johnson, our Prime Minister, is being accused of hypocrisy by condemning the racist abuse of England’s footballers after failing to support the team taking the knee against racism before games. As long as similar incidents increase, the governments dealing with human rights become questionable.

But even if a country or modern society seems to deal with human rights in a satisfactory way in its own territory, what about the politics and the way they get into internal affairs of other countries and divide societies, create wars with the aim of having shares of the resources of those countries, and selling weapons and other trades.

People in those countries are getting poorer, losing families, and even getting into civil wars. Let’s think of what has happened in Iraq or what is happening in Syria.

People full of fear escaping from their own countries, leaving their home and families.

Human rights can only be human rights if there is harmony, otherwise it is a total lie and betrayal against humanity.

Since we are not governing the countries, as individuals, we have certain roles in contributing to get things better in terms of humanity and protecting human rights; anything we notice to not be right, we should raise our voice, speak up loudly. Especially, discrimination being so significant and extensive and one of biggest issues, we should alert people and social groups via any means like social media. We should read more and increase awareness to be more alert and updated.

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To conclude, I can say, we should get connected and alerted. We should forget about the word “me” but think of all people. We should concentrate on the word “equal” and ways to reach this concept. We should always remember world heroes like Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Mandela who sacrificed a lot for serving humanity without firing even a single shot, or a volley of hurtful words and who were never motivated by their ego, power or control but by the strength of their spirit. Their victories against injustice made great contributions against humanity. We should raise our thoughts of educating children in poor nations and try to get our voice, ideas, concerns listened and heard. We should listen to our individual hearts and share with other people and groups. We should take responsibility to create a society where happiness and goodness is shared in all people's hearts.

I would like to end my with the words of Nelson Mandela; ‘’It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.’’

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SDGS AND EDUCATION BY: DELEGATE MURAT EREN KUTLU

For 30 years people are talking about climate change. For thousands of years there has been living some people who is rich and some people cannot reach to health, enough meal and water. Again for thousands of years there has been a lot of people who lived their lifes to change the world in a better way. Now we can see we need such people much more than a lot.

While I was listenning to the ECO-SOC Youth Forum 2021, a sentence made me think about it. “Key of the youth is education.”. I think the key of the world is education. I beleive the change is possible just with correct way of education.

I read an explanation of the correct way of education on the UNESCO’s website. It’s briefed as; “Education for Sustainable Development empowers learners of all ages with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to address the interconnected global challenges we are facing, including climate change, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, poverty and inequality.

Learning must prepare students and learners of all ages to find solutions for the challenges of today and the future.

Education should be transformative and allow us to make informed decisions and take individual and collective action to change our societies and care for the planet.”

But in real, there are still a lot of schools which can

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grow students up with maths, science, history and management of money and time but not with values. I believe that these students will be successfull at their own jobs and may be the first at their knowledge sides.

But I ask myself and you “Is it really enough?”

The founder of YGA (Young Guru Academy) Sinan Yaman uses an explanation called double-winged leaders. These two wings are knowledge and conscience. With knowledge but without conscience a person abuses the world for himself.

With conscience but without knowledge a person cannot do anything for a better world even if he/she wants to do it.

Without one of these wings a bird cannot fly. With both of these a great leader will be on the sky with a lot of followers behind him/her.

A school’s purpose should be to educate people with double-winged vision. A great writer Aziz Nesin says “Who opens a school, closes a prison.”. In these days everyone opens schools just to make money. As being who beleives butterfly effect I want to change this quote to “Who teaches people to be a double-winged person, closes a prison, saves hundreds of hungry and helpless people and saves the world.”. I want you to imagine a world with double-winged schools. 5 years later, imagine how big change we can do. The most important one of the 17 SDG’s will solve the other 16. Education, the key of the world.

Let’s close some prisons as much as possible. Thank you.

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INCLUSION AND OPPORTUNITIES BY: DELEGATE SIDDHARTH SATISH

I have seen that modern rhetoric for inclusion and opportunity focuses on embracing the diversity within our communities. This narrative is positive and is definitely a step in the right direction. However, international communities like the one in which we are at today, begin the long task of reform without seeing it through. We as young leaders need to hold organizations both governmental and civil society accountable for their actions and for their efforts to increase representation for the LGBTQIA plus community.

The first mechanism through which to achieve such change is to recognize the large scale tokenization that occurs in organizations under the farce of inclusivity. It is extremely remarkable that inclusivity has become a central tenet for many companies and nonprofits alike. It is even an SDG that the UN asks us to work towards achieving. What is forgotten, though, is that this is a goal to actively work towards. This change cannot be achieved overnight and that seems to be the broad corporate solution for it so far. How do we break this mindset?

We need to elevate minority voices by not only giving them a seat at the table but also the opportunity to share their wisdom. This means not just discussion but tangible action and holding foreign and domestic entities alike accountable for their actions. The OHCHR has begun this process by issuing comprehensive reports as well as accountability and international law resolutions to check Ariel Foundation International

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foreign powers that do not protect the liberties of their citizens. However, so far it has just been symbolic, and without youth action it will remain the same. Thus, in today's panel I call on every single person under the age of 18 to actively rally and protest to hold elected leaders accountable for their actions. We are the ones who will inherit the world tomorrow but that does not mean we cannot change it today. Forming coalitions and gaining international support for your actions has always been difficult but now is a time where it is the easiest it has ever been in decades. The UN and other large entities have developed envoys for youth and targeted advocacy to ensure that youth voices are heard, what we need to do is use these platforms to speak our truths and talk about the injustices present throughout the world.

The second way to break this mindset is by reforming our educational systems. Our education programs are implicitly spreading more bias than they should. textbooks on STEM feature more men than women, often sending the implicit message that women don't belong in this sphere. Bringing women and other gender minorities into STEM is not just done by hosting panels but rather by changing the way our education is delivered to students. Gender androgynous content needs to become the norm rather than the exception.

In this same vein it is important for us to note how institutional barriers exist for many gender and sexual minorities right now. From restrictions on hormone supplements for transgender athletes to the unfair blood donation laws for gay men, the problem is pressing. The way to address these problems are quite simple: lobby for Ariel Foundation International

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the repeal of bills and reach out to your local electorates and ask them to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.

The power in our over the vices of work relentlessly it's a consistent

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collective voices is enough to triumph the world we live in. These are goals we towards and inclusion is not just an act habit.

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DELEGATE AUSTIN DOWLING

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He is a 15-year-old high school student and Eagle Scout from the beautiful island of Bermuda. He attends Saltus Grammar School, where he has earned the character and overall academic attainment award. He has achieved further academic prizes in mathematics, history, design and technology, art, geography and humanities.

Austin has a particular passion for mathematics, literature, and the arts.

He fosters his creativity through woodworking, 3D rendering, and video editing. Austin also has a deep fascination with the world of aviation, and when he’s not playing baseball, practicing for debate club or learning to play jazz on the trumpet or piano, he trains to become a licensed pilot.

He actively works toward leadership and community service in his role as a member of Future Leaders Bermuda and the Duke of Edinburgh awards program.

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DELEGATE SELN HARA My name is Selin Hara, I was born on the 7th of October 2004 in Ipswich England.

I am in secondary school Year 11. I am interested in pursuing a career in musical theatre therefore I have been attending Stagecoach for 9 years after school. Singing, dancing and acting makes my soul feel amazing and free. I can play the piano. I do ballet. I love team and individual sports like tennis, skiing, hockey, rounder’s, to do at school since I was young.

I have a particular passion for literature, writing and reading, swimming and cycling. I also like singing songs in different languages. I want to study law as well, but at the same time I want musical theatre to be in my life. I am interested in philosophy and that’s why I joined the P4C (Philosophy for children) program weekly because I like questioning things in depth. I am bilingual, I can speak Turkish and English.

I like to travel to different countries and it’s my greatest desire to understand to see historical places all over the world that have distinct features and beauties. I find interesting learning about the cultures and histories of those countries I am visiting. I notice all cultures are inspired by each other. When I have travelled to Saint Petersburg and Moscow in Russia that I was enchanted by all the beauties I saw. When I visited Prague in Czech Republic, in all corners of the city, I could see the effects of the medieval times that we read in history books. When planning a travel, I get extremely excited that I will visit museums and historical places and get closer to the history, art and literature of a country.

I am interested in politics, how countries in the world are governed and follow their approach to human rights and the environment. I love helping people in the world, that’s why I have donated to charity. I always like donating food in supermarkets and they give the foods we bought for homeless people and one day I hope I can do more. I find it really important to help people with no homes, no food and I feel like everyone should be grateful for what they have because a lot of people don’t have what we have.

I prefer living, not just being alive, so I am interested in everything that contributes to life.

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DELEGATE MURAT EREN KUTLU I like to meet children from different countries, that’s why I have participated CISV (Children’s International Summer Village) Youth Meeting Turkey team for years. I have lots of friends from various countries and I take pleasure in having text chat with them. It is really great to learn different cultures. Apart from having education at school, I am also studying at YGA (Young Guru Academy) (It is a non-profit, non-government organisation). The goal of YGA is to raise double-winged young individuals giving hope for the future. These two wings symbolises conscience and knowledge and means that these young individuals grow their wings while producing innovative technology projects useful to humans. Here, It makes me happy trying to produce projects, discussing detailly on these projects together with my friends. When I was 11, I participated a JMUN Turkey conference as a member of Norway delegation commitee to present the system of education and child rights in Norway. I learned too much about the children’s livings, standarts, cultures and rights in so many countries in the end of this conference, it expanded my awareness about the children’s problems in undeveloped and underdeveloped countries. Since my mother is a volunteer educator at TEGV (Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation), I have joined her lessons with children having inadequate education and lead them by sharing my experiences, encourage them to do some simple science experiments. In the end of these days, I feel myself happy and peaceful.

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DELEGATE SIDDHARTH SATISH Siddharth Satish is a senior from NJ and attends West Windsor Plainsboro High School North, where they are focused on international interdisciplinary political and scientific advocacy. Over the past two years Siddharth has served as the Youth Delegate to the United Nations and ECOSOC from Ariel Foundation International and a member of the World Humanitarian Forum Youth Council; Siddharth also serves as the USA Canada Chair for the International Association for Political Science students wherein they helped with the US Y20 (official consultative group of G20) delegation consultations and were invited to speak the Y20 for a feature on the communique handed to the G20 presidency. Siddharth also is the founder of the non-profits Rememoirs and PEP magazine which works with the Aid Afghanistan Group from the Afghan MOE and the African Union Watch. They are also the state president for NJ HOSA, the programs director for NJ High School Democrats, NJ world schools debate team captain, and NJ state officer to the CLC for YMCA Conference on National Affairs. Siddharth founded their districts UNA-USA group as well as NAACP youth council that they serve as the president and vice-president of respectively.

DR. ARIEL ROSITA KING Dr. King was chosen to be on the Expert AIDS Prevention working Group with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (USA) and Human Science Research Council (South Africa).

Prof. Dr. Ariel R. King is the Founder, and President Ariel Consulting International, Inc. founded in 2000, a company that creates and enhances PublicPrivate Partnerships in international health, policy, and management with focus on developing countries. She also founded The Ariel Foundation International founded in 2002 as a non-profit organization with an international focus on children and youth in Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Community Service world-wide. In 2008 Dr. King founded the Ariana-Leilani Children’s Foundation International to educate and advocate for Children’s Human Rights Worldwide. Dr. Ariel King now as President of AFI, which has Economic, Cultural and Social Council (ECOSOC) status, has been a representative for various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) at the United Nations in Geneva, the

United Nations in Vienna (UNOV) and United Nations in New York. Dr. King’s life focus is on the worlds children and youth. Dr. King has over 35 years of experience in international health, international public health policy and international management in government, business and NGOs. As a Professor in International Health, Management, Policy and Environment she has taught at Universities in the USA, Europe and Africa. Dr. King was a part of SAHARA: Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research as the Chair of the Continental Advisory Board, and worked on forging public private partnerships, including a MOI between University of Bayreuth (Germany) and SAHAA. She was on the Friends of Madagascar Advisory Council (FOMAC) led by the late Madagascar Ambassador to the USA, H. E. Ambassador Jocelyn Radifera. Dr. King’s focus is on International PublicPrivate Partnerships in Development that has its foundation of 35 years of living and working in 11 countries and traveling to over 65 countries in Asia, Africa, Americas, Middle-East, Americas and Europe.

Dr. King is currently a Trustee of CRAE- Children’ Rights Alliance of England. She has also represented the International Council of Women (Paris) at various UN meetings and has served on the Boards of Directors including currently, the Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) based in London, UK; and had served on the board of directors of the National Black Women’s Health Project (Atlanta, USA), Positive Art: Women and Children with HIV/AIDS (South Africa), The Life Foundation: AIDS Foundation of Hawaii, The Black Alliance for AIDS Prevention, the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Care, Inc., and the Ronald McDonald House. Dr. King is a Founding and Board member of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), member of the Dr. King was chosen to be on the Expert AIDS

prevention working Group with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (USA) and Human Science Research Council (South Africa). Prof. Dr. Ariel R. King is the Founder, and President Ariel Consulting International, Inc. founded in 2000, a company that creates and enhances Public-Private Partnerships in international health, policy, and management with focus on developing countries. She also founded The Ariel Foundation International founded in 2002 as a non-profit organization DR. ARIEL ROSITA KING, PHD, MPH, MBA, DTM&H, Women’s Foreign Policy Group (WFPG) and has been active member of various International Rotary Clubs for fifteen years.

Dr. King completed a second research degree (PhD) in Sociology with focus of community care of traumatised children. She also has completed advance certificates in the study of Children’s Human Rights, from the UER Droits de l’enfant/Children’s Rights Unit, Institut Universitaire Kurt Bösch (IUKB) in Switzerland.

Dr. King holds a Diploma Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H); Doctorate (PhD) in Philosophy in Public Health and Policy from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London; a Master in Business Administration (MBA) in International Health Management from Thunderbird American Graduate School of International Management, Master in Public Health (MPH) in international Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health; and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Hawaii.

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