DIRECTOR: DIONNE THOMAS - Cerritos High School Model United

CERRITOS
UNFPA
DIRECTOR: DIONNE THOMAS
CERRITOS
UNFPA
United Nations Population Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome Statement ………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………... 2
A Note from Your Director ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Committee Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
HIV/AIDS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Background ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
United Nations Involvement ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
Bloc Positions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
Basic Solutions …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 6
Questions to Consider ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 7
Sources ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 8
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C ERRITOS H IGH S CHOOL M ODEL U NITED N ATIONS
Annual Novice Conference • October 10, 2015
W ELCOME S TATEMENT
Justin Cooley
Secretary-General
[email protected]
Joyce Kye
Secretary-General
[email protected]
Joseph Shin
Under Secretary-General
of Conferences
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to Cerritos Novice 2015!
It is our highest honor and pleasure to welcome you to our annual novice
conference here at Cerritos High School. On behalf of the Cerritos High School Model
United Nations program we are proud to host another year of this long-standing
conference. Here at CHS, we take absolute pride in this extensive program and its ability
to create new and lasting friendships while also encouraging stimulating and intellectual
discussion for high school students all across the globe.
The CHSMUN program boasts continually being nationally ranked, while our
delegates have the opportunity to compete at conferences all around the nation. Our head
chairs are selected from only the best seniors our program has to offer and they undergo
a rigorous training process to ensure they are qualified to moderate and grade the quality
Sophia Anigbo
Under Secretary-General of debate in each of our committees. Our chairs are the same delegates that represent our
of Delegate Affairs
delegation at universities and conferences to the best of their ability. Our topic synopses
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have been reviewed and revised countless times to ensure that as a delegate you have the
tools and understanding to be successful in committee. Our advisors and staff have put in
Betty Zhang
countless hours to ensure you have an amazing experience at our conference and that you
Under Secretary-General
are encouraged to continue on in Model United Nations at your prospective schools.
of Finance
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With 25 novice committees and 2 middle school committees, CHSMUN 2015 will
provide a quality experience for beginners to learn and develop your skills as delegates.
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Rohan Patel
If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please contact us. We look
Under Secretary-General forward to seeing you at CHSMUN Novice 2015!
of Technology
[email protected]
Sincerely,
Justin Cooley and Joyce Kye
Secretary-Generals 2015-2016
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C ERRITOS H IGH S CHOOL M ODEL U NITED N ATIONS
Annual Novice Conference • October 10, 2015
A N OTE FROM YOUR D IRECTOR
Justin Cooley
Secretary-General
[email protected]
Joyce Kye
Delegates,
Welcome to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund committee. I am very
honored to be your head chair for the Cerritos Novice conference. I hope that you all will
extensively research and be ready to engage in lively debate.
Secretary-General
My name is Dionne Thomas and this is my fourth year as a Model United
Nations delegate at Cerritos High School. I have done Varsity Cheerleading for two years,
and I have been in various clubs over the entirety of my high school life. I am currently
Joseph Shin
the treasurer of Octagon Club through which I have fostered my love of community
Under Secretary-General
service. I love school and my favorite subjects are Calculus and Chemistry, but when I’m
of Conferences
not busy with school work I am reading, hanging out with friends, or watching Netflix.
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My favorite types of committees are those that deal with the general health and
well-being of countries, so I tend to do committees like WHO and other types of
Sophia Anigbo
Under Secretary-General generally mutual-goal committees. Because I am such a pacifist at heart I tend to stray
of Delegate Affairs
away from committees that deal with warfare or weapons such as IAEA. In the committee
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I feel that it is very important that the committee thinks about what’s best for the nations
in focus.
Betty Zhang
Under Secretary-General
of Finance
[email protected]
Rohan Patel
Under Secretary-General
of Technology
[email protected]
———
Dionne Thomas
UNFPA
Director
dionnetaylormarythomas
@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Dionne Thomas
Director, UNFPA
C OMMITTEE I NTRODUCTION
The United Nations Population Fund has been very focused on the following
topics: youth well-being, population matters, human rights/gender equality, and sexual/
reproductive health. In this committee we will be working in the scope of the last topic.
This committee’s primary goal is to take care of human rights to fix the problems at hand.
It is important to consider that fact as well as the necessities for each individual nation
when trying to solve a crisis. The UNFPA contributes about 4% of its funding towards
HIV and STI prevention services. We should also keep this in mind while formulating
working papers. Because many of the issues are time-sensitive, UNFPA usually has to
work efficiently and cooperatively in every crisis.
I can’t wait to see you all in committee. Prep hard, and have fun!
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UNFPA
United Nations Population Fund
HIV/AIDS
B ACKGROUND
Human Immunodeficiency Virus, otherwise known as HIV, is a virus that weakens the immune system
and only infects humans. It was identified by scientists initially in 1983. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome,
AIDS, is the final stage of HIV and it is what usually kills those who are infected. A person is known to have
AIDS if the number of CD4 cells that they have is dangerously low due to destruction from HIV. HIV is
transmitted through sexual contact, sharing infected needles, pregnancy/breastfeeding, or, rarely, through blood
transfusions. The countries that are affected most by HIV are the least able to pay for treatment and prevention
(Countries). The virus has affected the most people in the sub-Saharan region mainly in these regions: Kenya,
India, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. A cause of this epidemic is that there is unwillingness to use
contraceptives or simply not enough stress on the importance of them. Another main problem is the treatment
and detection of the virus. Not many people are aware of what it is and the certain effects that it can have on
them. In Sub-Saharan Africa, AIDS is the leading cause of death with about 25 million people in the region
living with it. The mortality rate has increased and the life expectancies in each nation have decreased. However,
because of the high birth rate and small population, the numbers have evened out so that there has not been a
decline in the population because of it. Each year, about 2 out of 3 million of the deaths in the world due to
AIDS occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, although the growth rates of the populations continue to increase. This
problem has not directly affected this national aspect; however it hurts society in several ways.
HIV/AIDS affects households, health care systems, business/agriculture, and economic stability.
Households are tremendously compromised by the virus emotionally and financially. They do not want to
believe in the fact that their family member might die soon, and in the case that it is a parent, the children are
affected tragically. Treatments for this virus are really expensive for families in affected regions, and the loss of
income from the affected person creates an even worse financial situation. This creates households of poverty, or
in some cases, orphaned children. Health care systems are affected because more and more demands are
required of them. As more attention is directed towards the rising HIV/AIDS problem, that attention is taken
away from other medical problems such as terminal diseases. Also, with the need for increased research and
improvements in the healthcare sector, the more private sectors and individuals must pay to cover for their own
expenses. The business and agriculture sectors in affected nations are hurt in terms of the workforce. The
employers are burdened with the loss of workers and the increased health-care benefits. The amount of farm
workers also decreases at a rate that hurts the production in the agricultural sector. The loss in agricultural
strength creates harsh blows against nation as it threatens the food production in these nations. For example,
food scarcity is predicted to become apparent in nations such as Kenya and Zambia due to this epidemic.
Because of this, the economy has suffered and will suffer because of this problem. As the average well-being of
the education and health of each nation are put into distress, so is the economic sector. The epidemic has been
known as responsible for decrease in the gross-domestic product in affected nations by about 1 to 2 percentage
points annually. While HIV/AIDS affects lesser-developed nations tremendously, the committee will focus on
developed nations as well.
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United Nations Population Fund
U NITED N ATIONS I NVOLVEMENT
The United Nations has been very active in this issue, first introducing in 1996 UNAIDS. UNAIDS is a
joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and is co-sponsored by: UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP,
UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO, World Bank, and UN Women. There is a specific division of
labor strategy that separates the It works with the Unified Budget and the Accountability Framework and its main
focuses are: uniting, speaking out, mobilizing, empowering, and supporting. UNAIDS created the 2011-2015
strategy to reinforce and carry out its specific mandate. The main goals of the group are to have no more AIDSrelated deaths, no new HIV infections, and no discrimination. The strategies are to: “revolutionize HIV
prevention, catalyze the next phase of treatment, care and support, and to advance human rights and gender
equality for the HIV response.” In 2000 at the General Assembly’s World Summit, many world leaders
discussed the issue and set goals specifically to halt the spread of HIV. Efforts were furthered in 2001 by the
General Assembly with a meeting and a discussion on the progress made.
The Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was created as well by Heads of State and other officials
in order to create goals more aligned to the current day. In 2002, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis,
and Malaria was created in order to reverse the spread of the aforementioned epidemics. It has been really
successful in collaborating with civil society organizations and nations in order to help the regions that are most in
need in the form of monetary aid. This fund uses about $4 billion a year in order to reach its goal and provide
for the necessary treatments/medical help needed. Finally, the General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS
was convened in 2011 to further progress in a new decade. The UN Programme on Youth hosted a session in
2011 to discuss the harsh effects that HIV/AIDS have on children and how they are impacted. It is known that
education must be spread especially to the younger generations in order to help the problem, so the UN has
made it a priority to target young adults.
Women are especially considered in this focus because they account for the majority of those afflicted
with the virus. This is why UN Women had joined the fight with UNAIDS since June 2012. Another group that
has been very active in the fight against AIDS is the International AIDS Society. This society centralized in the
United States, is comprised of thousands of medical professionals with over 14,000 members across the globe.
“Its members include researchers from all disciplines, clinicians, public health and community practitioners on
the frontlines of the epidemic, as well as policy and program planners (UNAIDS). In order to extend its progress
it has worked with the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and the National Institutes of Health. The
African Aid Organization is more focused on the region of Sub-Saharan Africa with its efforts. This organization
is very important because it focuses on the following related issues: poverty, warfare, promiscuity, and lack of
education.
B LOC P OSITIONS
Western Bloc
The United States has funded the most in the global HIV epidemic, and contains about 1.2 million infected
people in the nation. The HIV/AIDS strategy that the U.S. president has created focuses on “reducing new HIV
infections, increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people living with HIV, and reducing
HIV-related disparities and health inequities.” (Global Resource) Western Europe, especially Portugal, is
affected more than in Central Europe, and the nations are very willing to take measures to end the
epidemic. HIV testing policies differ from nation to nation, but they are making much effort.
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United Nations Population Fund
The barriers that these nations face include society stigma, and certain difficulties accessing healthcare and HIV
treatment.
Latin Bloc
HIV treatment in this region is very accessible. The Treatment 2.0 Initiative has proven to be very successful, but
treatment monitoring should be improved. Latin America is a leader of lesser-developed countries because of its
outstanding success so far with treatment.
African Bloc
Sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected region related to this issue. In 2012, about 70% of those infected in the
world were in this region. Many of the countries affected have provided extensive programs to save their nations.
The well-being of the nation is being destroyed due to how families, the economy, and the general health of the
nation are negatively affected. Therefore, the governments are eager to end this epidemic with all efforts
necessary.
Asian Bloc
From the beginning of the epidemic starting in the 1980s, Asia had been “relatively unaffected.” Despite that
infection rates are have been going down in this region, the HIV/AIDS epidemic still remains harmful. Asia has
led very successful HIV prevention programs especially in Thailand, Cambodia, and India. Politics has
supported this issue, but more education and treatment must be ensued.
B ASIC S OLUTIONS
When forming solutions to this epidemic it is important to realize several factors. One problem is that
people do not want to admit to having the disease. Even after their diagnosis is confirmed they do not want to
believe that they will die or that a simple mistake has cost them everything. Voluntary counseling and testing is a
solution for this, so that people feel safer and more willing to accept their sickness. It is important that we address
the problem of education so that each affected region knows the ways of transmission and the seriousness of the
issue. Especially because young adults are the most affected people they must be the ones who are reached out to
on a higher level. Therefore, abstinence, monogamy and contraceptives have been promoted as a means of
hindering the virus from the source.
Another problem that must be focused on is with the healthcare sector of affected nations. When nations
are troubled with a heightened presence of the virus, they usually are not able to provide as much medical help
as needed because of lack of infrastructure and funding. Because of this, nations must better organize where they
are getting aid from and how they will build upon their own health care systems so they can be more
independent. Comprehensive solutions must be made to make treatment and healthcare more available to
common citizens in these regions. Antiretroviral drugs have been used, and their effectiveness not agreed upon,
so it is up to each country to determine what kind of treatment is best for their nation.
What also should be considered is how to rebuild the agricultural and business sector in relation to the
economy. The lack of workers has proven to be a problem for the economy of several nations, so there must be
better planning in the labor force.
Lastly, the problem of family unrest and pregnancy transmission should be considered as well, seeing
as it is a more direct effect of the epidemic. Solutions should be based on the aforementioned problems
and should provide more comprehensive plans for nations to follow.
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UNFPA
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United Nations Population Fund
Q UESTIONS TO C ONSIDER
1. What is your country’s position on the various types of treatment and healthcare?
2. What is the best way to organize the aid that the affected nations are accepting?
3. How will governments be able to rebuild the economy and create better production rates?
4. Will lesser affected nations be willing to help other nations esp. in Africa?
5. How can societies be changed and educated so that the problem can be handled?
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UNFPA
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United Nations Population Fund
S OURCES
1. "COUNTRIES MOST AFFECTED BY HIV/AIDS ARE LEAST ABLE TO PAY FOR PREVENTION
AND TREATMENT | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 25 May
2015. <http://www.un.org/press/en/2001/aids18.doc.htm>.
2. "Educating Youth on HIV/AIDS | UN DESA | United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/social/
educating-youth.html>.
3. "Global HIV/AIDS Organizations." Global HIV/AIDS Organizations. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015.
<https://www.aids.gov/federal-resources/around-the-world/global-hiv-aids-organizations/>.
4. "Global Issues at the United Nations." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.un.org/
en/globalissues/aids/>.
5. "Global Resource for HIV & AIDS Education and Information." HIV and AIDS Information and Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.avert.org/>.
6. "HIV in the United States: At A Glance." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 11 May 2015. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/basics/
ataglance.html>.
7. P., O., P., and U. HOW HIV AND AIDS AFFECT POPULATIONS (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
8. "UNAIDS." Goals. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.unaids.org/en/targetsandcommitments>.
9. "What Is HIV/AIDS?" What Is HIV/AIDS? N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <https://www.aids.gov/hiv-aidsbasics/hiv-aids-101/what-is-hiv-aids/>.
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