Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee

Hofstra University Model United Nations Conference

Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee

______________________________________________________________________

Diana Kurth Chairperson

Dear Delegates, Welcome to Hofstra University’s Model United Nations Conference! My name is Diana Kurth and I am thrilled to be your Chair of the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM).

I am a sophomore here at Hofstra majoring in Political Science. Like you, I was once a delegate at Hofstra’s Model UN Conference. I became involved in Model UN my junior year of high school where I was a delegate in SOCHUM. After that experience, everything relating to politics quickly fascinated me. I continued with Model UN in my senior year as a delegate in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL) which I enjoyed even more thanks to my increased knowledge of the workings of a Model UN conference. I joined Hofstra’s Model UN club as a freshman at Hofstra where I helped out with the Historical Crisis Committee. When I am not in school, I enjoy drawing, traveling, reading, and I also compete in pageants.

The 2017 Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee will focus on the right to health care and the of issue of a women’s right to an education. I feel these two topics are pressing in today’s world. I hope you are as excited as I am for this conference. I wish you the best of luck with your research and I hope you find this experience both fun and educational.

Sincerely, Diana Kurth

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2 Introduction to the Committee The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization (IGO) founded in 1945 after World War II and currently includes 193 member states. The Third Committee of the United Nation’s General Assembly is the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM). The committee focuses on social, humanitarian, and human rights issues that impact people all over the world. Maria Emma Mejia of Columbia currently chairs SOCHUM. The Committee “discusses questions relating to the advancement of women, the protection of children, indigenous issues, the treatment of refugees, the promotion of fundamental freedoms through the elimination of racism and racial discrimination, and the right to self-determination."1 Currently, the Third Committee is focusing on a wide array of human rights and social issues. Some of these issues include the elimination of racism, the promotion and protection of human rights, the rights of indigenous people, and international drug control. All of these are pressing issues in today’s world that impact all people.

3 Introduction of the Issues The first topic of the SOCHUM committee is health care as a basic human right.

All people should have basic medical care available to them; however, 400 million people around the world do not have access to vital health services. Around the world, many have to pay out of pocket for medical care which pushes many into extreme poverty.2 The SOCHUM committee advocates for human rights issues that impact all people. Thus, if health care is a human right, countries should provide people access to health care.

Universal health coverage is an issue raised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is part of other aspects of international human rights law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states that countries should protect and provide basic human rights to their people. While this is not legally binding, it gives the state a political obligation to uphold basic human rights for their people. Moreover, Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights – which is legally binding after states ratify the treaty – states clearly “right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.”

Despite living in a modern age, questions about women’s rights still exist. That is why Hofstra University’s Model United Nations SOCHUM committee finds it is an important matter for the committee to discuss as the second topic. One significant issue in women’s right still to this day is a women’s right to education. Education is an important factor in an evolving society. No state should deny a person education due to their sex.

Thirty-one million girls of the primary school age are not in school and thirty-four

4 million female adolescents are not in school.3 Many factors play into the reasons of why girls are not receiving an education. Some reasons include school fees, strong cultural norms favoring boys’ education, and many girls have household obligations.4 The inequality of men and women is still a serious issue today and if society ever expects to see men and women as equals, states should treat them as equals in all social aspects like education.

5 Topic 1: Right to Universal Health Care Health care is important because it allows people to seek their medical needs and live healthier lives. Universal health care is a health system which provides health coverage to all citizens in a particular state. Without health care, many people would die from infections, diseases, and injuries. All over the world health care has become a great topic of interest for people because of its importance in peoples' daily lives. Today, people worldwide discuss the idea of universal health care for its importance of all humans. “Those in favor of universal health care claim that it is a basic right of citizenship, much like education, and should be provided to all citizens as a birthright and free of charge.”5 Despite UN and other intergovernmental organizations actions, the question of people having the right of universal health care and its feasibility is debatable as seen in the cases of Jordan and the issue of countries seeing health care as a business rather than a basic human right.

The UN has been vocal on its feelings about health care around the world. In 2010, the UN acknowledged “the emergence of a growing worldwide movement in support of universal access to health care as a means to promote and protect the right of every human being to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health."6 The UN sees universal health care as something everyone should have access to. One of the founding documents of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, addresses the right to health care. Article twenty-five states:

6 Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.7 Despite being one of the founding documents of the UN, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not legally binding to the states who sign it.

Another UN initiative is the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals.

These are a series of seventeen worldwide goals pertaining to poverty, protecting the planet, and creating propensity in the world over the next fifteen years. These goals do include providing universal health coverage; however, it is the responsibility of the states to meet these goals. Additionally, the United Nations marked December 12th as Universal Health Coverage Day encouraging states to achieve universal health care worldwide.8 Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated, “Our best defenses against any health emergency are strong and resilient health systems that serve all people without exposing them to financial hardships." Not having health coverage can be a burden for many since it is usually expensive to obtain it without a health plan. With universal health care, a better life is more capable for people.

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Map of states providing universal health care 9

Case Studies The concept of universal health care can be controversial because of what it entails of the people. Having a universal health care system requires the recipients to pay a sort of tax to fund the benefits. This can infringe on freedom of the individual since they would have no choice but to pay their tax.10 For poorer countries, providing health care can be costly while others in wealthier countries may not wish to provide health care services and leave it to private insurers despite its benefits. This causes numerous problems for making health care a human right as seen in Jordan.

In Jordon, the government made many improvements in health care, but there are still issues that persist. Despite not guaranteeing health care in their constitution, Jordon has signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ensuring the right to life which includes health care. But thirty percent of Jordanians do not have any health care and if they do, they must pay out of pocket for health care is not free.11 This situation in Jordan

8 is extremely contradictory. The state claims to ensure health care for all, but not all Jordanians have health care and they must pay high fees to obtain the care they need. In a theoretical sense, Jordon should provide health care to their citizens since Jordon signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), but the constitution of Jordan does not hold up to that standard. As previously stated, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not legally binding to the states that sign it. If a state does not provide an aspect of the UDHR, there is no punishment to that state. If any movement is to happen in the realm of universal health care, countries must learn to uphold the agreements they agree to and not be contradictory like in the case of Jordon. However, there are ways Jordanians can acquire healthcare through Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), otherwise known as Doctors without Borders. Since 2006 MSF – a privately funded international nongovernmental organization (NGOs) – has provided health services to Jordon.

However, relying on NGOs such as MSF or other charity organizations cannot be a substitute for universal health care. States must recognize taking care of their citizens it a priority. It is difficult to have a world with health care for all when there is no way to ensure states provide these services to their citizens.

In comparison, other states, like Canada, have proven providing universal health to their citizens is achievable. Canada is well-known for the excellent healthcare they provide to their citizens. Of course, there are criticisms to Canada's health care system, but the foundations of the system are what other states should look to. For instance, Canada provides health care to every one of their citizens. With a few exceptions, “all citizens qualify for health coverage regardless of medical history, personal income, or

9 standard of living."12 The Federal Government sets the guidelines for health care and there is no controversy to who has the right to healthcare. Through the government providing health care, Canadians have some of the highest life expectancy and lowest infant morality rates among all states.

Another issue in health care is many feel it is a business rather than a human right.

The supporters of these ideas claim health care is not as much as a necessity as food is.14 People would die much faster without food rather than a lack of health care. This may be true; however, should not people have the right to have a good quality of life? In developed countries, insurance companies are the middle man when it comes to health care, which only increases the cost of health care rather than making it less expensive.15 Between governments not providing health care and insurance companies making health care costly, it is no surprise 400 million people are without health care.

Additional Resources Universal Health Coverage Day http://universalhealthcoverageday.org/un-resolution/

Bloc Positions African Group Millions of Africans are without access to health care or are unable to afford health care.16 However, thanks to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals it has motivated many to fix the problems of health care in Africa. Still, the situation is dire as the African

10 region, which accounts for twenty-five percent of the world’s disease burden, but it has only three percent of the world’s doctors.

Asia-Pacific Group Many Asian countries recognize the right to health care; however, their health care system is still lacking.17 With a large population throughout Asia, there are not enough doctors to sustainably take care of all the people. The Asia-Pacific Group has moved to a patient-centered health care system. With an ever growing population, the Asian -Pacific group has concerns over how can they maintain quality in service with a growing population.

Eastern European Group The Eastern Europe Group consists of many countries which are part of the European Union (EU) and are still in transition with their governments. These states are still struggling with other problems left over from the previous communist rule. The EU standards consider the health care provided in these countries as inadequate despite its improvement since the 1950’s.18 Health care reform is a priority on their political agenda in these states.

Latin American and Caribbean Group Great inequality exists in Latin America when it comes to health care. Many benefit from access to local and international health care, but most struggle to obtain basic care.

11 Private organizations like religious groups fill the gap. However, inequality still persists.

Even countries with better health care, like Chile, lack productivity and management.19

Western European and Others Group Countries in Western Europe provide universal health care. As for the United States, legislators still debate over universal health. Despite for not having universal health care, the United States still recognizes the right to health care.

Guiding Questions for the Delegates 1. Should health care be a right to all people?

2. Should the United Nations make universal health care mandatory for all nations?

3. If the UN attempts to make providing health care mandatory, how can the UN work with member states to implement universal health care?

4. What is your country's current position on health care?

5. What are the advantages to universal health care? What are the disadvantages to universal health care?

6. How countries provide health care with a growing and aging population?

12 Topic 2: A Woman’s Right to Education Despite all progress the world has made, inequality is still inherent between men and women. This inequality starts at a young age when parents send their children to school. In some countries, boys and girls alike go off to school; however, in other countries, girls stay behind and are unable to attend due to other obligations or societal norms. Many benefits come from educating girls, including having healthier children, earning more money that they invest back into their families and communities, and playing an active role in their communities and countries.20 Educating girls will help communities and future generations since those girls will become women and have families of their own. Despite the movement for the right to women education, not all girls are in school rather they are elsewhere not receiving an education. The cases of Pakistan and Afghanistan reflect the issue of the right to women education.

The United Nations (UN) is vocal on the right to education. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights focuses on the right of education and asserts “everyone has the right to education."21 Countries should provide equal access to education to both girls and boys under all circumstances. Other significant UN actions include the creation of the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI). Founded in 2000 the UNGEI plans for improving education for girls, eliminating the gender inequality that occurs in schooling, and increasing opportunities for higher education for girls.22 Other UN initiatives have tried to ensure the education of females. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has partnered with UNGEI “to remove barriers to

learning, helping to ensure girls have a voice and a chance for a bright and successful future.�23 The guiding documents of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, otherwise known as UN Women, include the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals focus on the issue of women and equality when it comes to education. Article 10 of CEDAW, a treaty the UN adopted in 1979, requires states to ensure men and women equal rights in the field of education.24 However, the UN has no way to legally enforce these treaties which prevents any true progress for the world to make. The UN Sustainable Goals are seventeen goals the United Nations wishes states to achieve by 2030. One of these goals include ensuring states provide education to both boys and girls.25 This follows the Millennium Development Goals, which states would achieve by 2015 that strived to achieve universal primary education for children. These UN initiatives have provided education to countless girls throughout the world. However, the lack of a right to education for women is still an issue countries must solve if we hope to see a world without gender inequality.

Case Studies The issues girls face in education are prevalent throughout the world. A prominent example of this is the case of Malala Yousafzai. This young girl has received great attention since 2012 when a gunman shot her on a school bus. Pakistan has many issues in the region of the right to female education. Pakistan’s Constitution promises free education to all children in Pakistan, for boys and girls.26 However, gender inequality in

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Pakistan makes it difficult for girls in Pakistan to receive an education despite the promises of the Pakistani Constitution. Various reasons exist for the lack of female education in Pakistan. These factors include poverty, access to schools, cultural constraints, early marriage, pregnancy, and lack of water and sanitation in schools.27 Protests have occurred in Pakistan in support of female education. It is up to the government officials to respond to the peoples wishes of a guaranteed right to female education.

In Afghanistan, girls face numerous hardships in the hopes of receiving an education. Laws prevent girls from receiving an education even if their parents permit it.

Such laws include one that ban girls from going to school if they are married.28 Many Afghani girls marry at a young age, so the law forces them to drop out of school usually by the age of thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen. Social norms like these prevent girls to receive the education they need to have a fulfilling life. The progress of allowing females to receive an education is slowly changing in Afghanistan; however, opposition exists for having girls receiving an education. It is dangerous to be a girl in Afghanistan who wishes to receive an education. In 2015, there were at least 185 attacks on schools opposed to girls’ education.29 Attacks in Afghanistan, where men throw acid on girls’ faces or poison their water, are common.30 If the world wishes to progress on gender equality people in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan should reevaluate their ethics on how states treat girls.

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15 Additional Resources Girls' Education - the facts http://en.unesco.org/gem-report/sites/gem-report/files/girlsfactsheet-en.pdf

Bloc Positions African Group Poverty and poor classroom conditions prevent twenty-eight million girls from attending schools in the African continent.31 Families cannot afford to send both their daughters and sons to school. Organizations have helped make the schooling situation in Africa better; however, the efforts of the UN organizations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are not enough.

Asia-Pacific Group In Asia, the issue of education for girls is prevalent. States deprive girls’ access to education. Around the region boys outnumber girls in schools, especially in primary schools. This leaves girls disadvantaged since they do not learn basic skills like reading.

In places like Cambodia half of the girls are working rather than in schools and almost ninety percent of girls are illiterate.32

Eastern European Group Cultural norms also prevent girls in Eastern Europe from receiving an education. States exclude around four million children from receiving an education in Eastern Europe; of

16 the four million more girls than boys are barred from an education because they have other obligations from their family to uphold.33 Because of this, even if girls attempt to receive an education they may be more likely to drop out in a young age because of either having to work or their families marry them off.

Latin American and Caribbean Group Gender inequality is an issue in the Latin American and Caribbean Group. For example, seventy percent of girls in Bolivia do not go to school and only thirty percent of girls in rural areas finish elementary school. Women face many struggles when it comes to inequality and the lack of education makes it harder for them to fight for their causes. 34

Western European and Others Group Western Europe is a strong believer of the right of female education. This is enshrined the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) which states "everyone has the right to education and to have access to continuing and vocational training".

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The

EU firmly believes states should spread these ideals throughout the world and all women should have an equal opportunity for education.

Guiding Questions for the Delegates 1. How should the UN encourage states to support female education?

2. How can schools make it easier for girls to attend?

17 3. What are the benefits of having more girls receiving a quality education for the development for the state?

4. What are the benefits of girls receiving education for society?

5. How can UN programs work with local cultural and societal norms to ensure more girls receive an education?

6. Can the UN work with local nongovernmental organizations to help provide better access to education for girls?

18 NOTES

1

General Assembly of the United Nations: Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural (Third) Committee.

2

"New Report Shows That 400 Million Do Not Have Access to Essential Health Services." World Health Organization.

3

"Education for All Global Monitoring Report." Girls' Education - the Facts (2013).

4“ 5

Girls' Education and Gender Equality." UNICEF.

Andrew, Alex K., and Rich Walter. "Universal Health Care." Salem Press Encyclopedia

(2016): Research Starters. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.

6

General Assembly Draft Resolution, Global health and foreign policy, (1 December 2010) 7

"Universal Declaration of Human Rights." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

8 “

UN Calls on Global Community to Ensure Access to Affordable, Quality Health Services for All.” UN News Center. UN, 12 Dec. 2015. Web. 01 Oct. 2016.

9

Fisher, Max. "Here's a Map of the Countries That Provide Universal Health Care (America's Still Not on It)." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 28 June 2012. Web. 03 Oct. 2016.

10

Shah, Anup. "Health Care Around the World." Global Issues. N.p., 22 Sept. 2011.

Web. 07 Oct. 2016.

11

“Harmonization of the Jordanian Healthcare System with Human Rights." GNRD News. N.p., 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 08 Oct. 2016.

12

"Canadian Health Care." Canadian Health Care. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

13

McArdle, Megan. "Health Care Is a Business, Not a Right." Bloomberg.com.

Bloomberg, 23 Aug. 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

14

Eskow, Richard. "Health Care Is A Right, Not A Business." The Huffington Post.

TheHuffingtonPost.com, 30 Aug. 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

19 15

Moeti, Dr. Matshidiso. "Toward Universal Health Coverage in Africa." World Health Organization. N.p., 11 Dec. 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.

16

Ross, Charles. "The Shifting Landscape of Healthcare in Asia-Pacific." The Economist.

The Economist Newspaper, 5 Oct. 2015. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

17 "

Health Care Systems in Central and Eastern Europe." EurActiv.com. N.p., 29 Jan. 2010. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

18

Ugalde, Antonio, and Núria Homedes. "Health and Equity in Latin America." Americas Quarterly. N.p., Fall 2009. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

19

King, Elizabeth, and Rebecca Winthrop. "Today's Challenges for Girls' Education."

Brookings. N.p., 26 June 2015. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

20

"Universal Declaration of Human Rights." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

21

"Vision and Mission." UNGEI. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.

22

"Basic Education and Gender Equality." UNICEF. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

23

Assembly, UN General. "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women." Retrieved April 20 (1979): 2006.

24

"Education - United Nations Sustainable Development." United Nations. United Nations, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

25

Sultana, Nargis. "Right to Education for Girls in Pakistan: Malala's Struggle Must Continue." Open Society Foundations. N.p., 19 Oct. 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

26

Vutz Cornelia. "Girls' Education in Pakistan - Malala Yousafzai." The European Parliament. European Union, 14 Nov. 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

27

Kittleson, Shelly. "Education in Afghanistan – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

Global Issues. N.p., 26 June 201. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

28

Torgan, Allie. "Acid Attacks, Poison: What Afghan Girls Risk by Going to School."

CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Mar. 2016. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

29 30

ibid.

GEM Report. "No Girl Left Behind - Education in Africa." World Education Blog.

N.p., 06 Mar. 2015. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

20 31

Bradford, Laurence. "Infographic: Female Education in Southeast Asia." Investvine.

N.p., 15 Dec. 2015. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

32

"Access to Education in Moldova: Is Education Inclusive and Equal for Everyone in Europe?" OneEurope. N.p., 03 Mar. 2015. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

33

Snider, Colin M. "Gender Eqaulity in Latin America Still Has a Very Long Way to GO." America's South and North. N.p., 13 Oct. 2012. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

34

European Parliament. "Every Girl and Woman Has a Right to Education. No Matter Where She Lives." europa.eu. N.p., 3 June 2015. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.