About the committee:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is a specialized agency of the United Nations aimed
to help the refugees, the forcibly displaced people and the stateless people. The entity does so via voluntary
repatriation, local integration and resettlement in a third country. The UNHCR was created as an after math
of the World War II. The International Refugee Organization (IRO) was formed in 1947 to deal exclusively
with the refugees. However, continued political tension lead to the formation of the UNHCR in in 1950.
The entity works to find durable solution to help refugees. The entity was given a three-year mandate to
complete its work of helping the refugees of the second World War. However as fresh refugee crisis kept
emerging the UNHCR has since been in action to help millions of people in need.

About the Agenda:

About 80 percent of the world’s refugee population stays in countries that are either low or middle income
with limited public facilities. Often these are the countries with inadequate health systems in place.
Furthermore, in several countries’ refugees and the forced IDPs are stigmatized and neglected. This is a
critical situation in regions like Iraq. Libya, Sahel, Yemen and Venezuela among many others. Countries
like Bangladesh containing highly populated refugee camps will also face adversity in the upcoming
monsoon season. With limited technical and professional health care support in such regions the refugee
and IDP population cannot be ensured protection and safety from the Covid-10 Pandemic. In addition to
the closure of border makes it challenging to provide the service to the Persons of Concern. It is vital to
make sure that the PoC (Persons of concern) to UNHCR are protected worldwide in accordance to the
Pandemic Response Plan of the United Nations. The UNCHR has to therefore ensure the rights and needs
of the refugees and IDP in countries and communities.

Current Challenges:

• Border closure causes a pose a major challenge as important utility and services are difficult to
reach the PoC (Persons of Concern)
• Travel restrictions inside country, for example from areas or states to other states hamper the
efficient movement of logistics reaching the ones in need.
• Populous camps in several regions causes the process of social distancing difficult.
• Prevalence of other diseases in the overcrowded camps
• Lack of Education in the camps and low level of education and awareness among IDPs who have
been removed forcefully.
• Persons of Concern are very vulnerable to economic shocks as they lack basic amenities.
• Ensuring Public Health in accordance to the plans of United Nations Response Plan
• Continuing to provide services in between the lockdown condition.
• Providing vital education to improve awareness and knowledge among the vulnerable.
• Improve WASH and hygienic routines among Persons of Concern.
• Providing Shelter to all PoC in Need
• Cash Based Intervention to tackle the economic shock.
What is a refugee:
“A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or
violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or
are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing
their countries.” – UN

What is an IDP:
“An internally displaced person, or IDP, is someone who has been forced to flee their home but never
cross an international border. These individuals seek safety anywhere they can find it—in nearby towns,
schools, settlements, internal camps, even forests and fields. IDPs, which include people displaced by
internal strife and natural disasters, are the largest group that UNHCR assists. Unlike refugees, IDPs
are not protected by international law or eligible to receive many types of aid because they are legally
under the protection of their own government.” – UN

Global Overview:
1951 Refugee Convention:
The 1951 Geneva Convention is the main international instrument of refugee law. The Convention
clearly spells out who a refugee is and the kind of legal protection, other assistance and social rights he
or she should receive from the countries who have signed the document. The Convention also defines a
refugee’s obligations to host governments and certain categories or people, such as war criminals, who
do not qualify for refugee status. The Convention was limited to protecting mainly European refugees
in the aftermath of World War II, but another document, the 1967 Protocol, expanded the scope of the
Convention as the problem of displacement spread around the world.

Country and Reginal Analysis:

Middle East and North Africa:
The countries of this region are primarily dependent on the National Health System for tackling the Covid-
19 crisis. Major threat from the virus lies within countries of on-going conflict such as Syria, Yemen and
Libya. The refugee camps are congested and in difficult to access locations. Lack of adequate water,
sanitation, shelter and assistance leads to reasons behind the major concern. Additional restrictions on travel
and movement poses a critical problem in the distribution of services.

Asia and the Pacific:

Lack of enough testing facilities and the approaching monsoon season will pose a high threat on populous
refugee camps located in Bangladesh primarily. Preparedness and response plan have been taken out.
UNHCR has been paying its part in the inter-agency efforts to develop mechanisms to deliver sanitation
and hygiene.
West Africa and Central Africa:
Most of the People of Concern to the UNHCR in these regions live in very populous and poor conditions
with inadequate health and WASH systems. Access to limited healthcare professionals causes limited case
detection of the virus. Furthermore, the persistence of deadly diseases like malaria, measles and diarrhea
make the Covid-19 crisis even more fatal for the PoC (Persons of Concern) of this region. Already some
Cash-Based Interventions have been done to improve the situation. Association and knowledge sharing
between women and girls of this region has been as an effective measure for other outbreaks like Ebola.

East and Horn of Africa:

Governments in this location have put in place the Quarantine measures. There are restrictions on travel
and public activities. Several Regional Services Division activities have been already halted. The
governments of these countries have included the PoC (Persons of Concern) to UNHCR in their national
preparedness and response plan. The UNHCR is procuring PPE for usage and conducting virtual meetings
to easy the preparations to combat covid-19.

Southern Africa:
Most camps in the region are overcrowded. It is difficult for the UNHCR to reach health items and supplies
on time to the Person of Concern in these regions. UNHCR is working in close collaboration with the
regional governments to increase community-based surveillance, protection monitoring and creating a
network to identity potential cases. The entity is also focusing in the sectors of primary and secondary
healthcare.

Americas:
UNHCR has taken initiatives with local and other inter-agency organization on joint contingency plans to
mitigate the crisis. However as more and more persons of concern lose shelter and employment and sources
of income, there prevails a constant state of anxiety.

Europe:
Due to border closure and limits of traveling to contain the virus, UNHCR has faced added adversities in
trying to tackle the Covid-19 crisis here. The government of these regions have already placed strict
quarantine procedures in place along with thorough screening. Governments have encouraged and put into
mechanism social distancing and usage of hygienic items such as sanitizers. For example, in Greece
UNHCR is working extensively to support preparedness, prevention and response mechanisms. Cash based
support system is also being discussed.
Sample Position paper:
Agenda: Discussing the framework of accountability and regulating the impunity in the usage of
drones by the nations
Country: Republic of the Philippines
Committee: Disarmament and International Security Committee (The General Assembly First
Committee)
Although not a relatively new technology, the usage of UAVs for military purposes has been
present in many states. The ability of now being able to control surveillance and strikes completely
in an unmanned or an autonomous manner adds to the obvious benefits that makes UAVs a very
attractive means of interaction by militaries worldwide. Although as seen in several cases, the
usage of UAVs has been both positive and negative in the manner that it becomes an extraordinary
example convenience but at the same time the usage of these vehicles is seen as a means of
violation of international humanitarian and international human rights laws. Lacking in concise
convention and treaties targeted specifically towards UAVs makes the issue unclear in legislative
terms.

Philippines is a strong believer of peace and justice. We believe that through cooperation and
support from all parties can the imminent threat of advanced technology in weaponry be tackled.
Philippines was the first party in South East Asia to be a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty which
shows our commitment towards global peace and security. In addition to that we host reginal
meetings through the UNRCPD to facilitate dialogue on this treaty. Philippines is deeply
concerned at the proliferation of arms globally.

Philippines supports a collaborative discussion to reassess the present international documents and
conventions to identify loopholes and help update them to better the legislative environment.
Greater understanding of the arms relationship among nations through the sharing of the best
working approaches can help mitigates the difference between nations. Usage of UAV systems in
assisting in the combat of crime through a thoroughly checked and capable working body/expert
body will ensure the accountable usage of the systems. Suitable collaboration between the nations
drone building bodies should be a norm in order to establish a common platform for exchange of
permissible information. Bilateral and multilateral engagement in project and training platforms
could help bridge the gap pf technology.

Reference:
https://www.un.org/disarmament/update/study-on-armed-unmanned-aerial-vehicles/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336201167_A_Comparative_Analysis_of_the_Legislation_Evo
lution_for_Drone_Use_in_OECD_Countries

https://www.unidir.org/files/publications/pdfs/weapons-of-choice-the-expanding-development-transfer-
and-use-of-armed-uavs-en-723.pdf

References for Further Research:

https://www.unhcr.org/publications/legal/3ae6bd5a0/self-study-module-1-introduction-international-
protection-protecting-persons.html
https://www.unhcr.org/ceu/169-enabout-ushistory-of-unhcr-html.html
https://www.unocha.org/sites/unocha/files/Global-Humanitarian-Response-Plan-COVID-19.pdf
https://www.unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/what-is-a-refugee/
https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2020/3/5e7395f84.html