National High School MUN

SOCHUM
Committee Blogs

Topic 1
The Human Rights of Prisoners
Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR), all human beings are equal in dignity
and rights. However, there are groups of people worldwide whose human rights are ignored or
diminished due to their status in society. Prisoners in particular are often overlooked in the
discussion of human rights because they are deemed unworthy of human rights and basic
protections. Yet according to the UNDHR, all humans across the global community deserve equal
treatment. In the wake of increasing prisoner abuse and a lack of protection of the rights of
prisoners, SOCHUM must take action in ensuring that all prisoners are treated according to
international standards and that the international guidelines are in accordance with present
situations. Delegates will have to look at previously existing guidelines, suggest changes that will
improve protection of prisoners rights, make new suggestions for defending prisoners rights, and
develop ways to ensure that governments and prison institutions abide these guidelines.
Topic 2
Socio-cultural Influences on Womens Health in the Developing World
In 1995, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published Fact Sheet
No. 23, Harmful Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children. This document
defines traditional cultural practices as ones that reflect values and beliefs held by members of a
community for periods often spanning generations. Two decades later, all of the traditional
cultural practices mentioned in the fact sheet are still prevalent. This includes practices such as
female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), son preference, forced-feeding, and child marriages.
These practices all have detrimental effects on womens health. As the Social, Cultural, and
Humanitarian Committee (SOCHUM), this body has the obligation of addressing these socio-cultural
influences on womens health in the developing world.