SAMPLE OF POSITION PAPER

Committee : World Health Organization (WHO)

Country : Argentina

Topic : Contemplating Castration Punishment for

The lack of accountability of sexual offenders and the fear of being rejected by community hampers
the victims of sex crimes, especially children and women, to report their cases to the authorities. In
Mexico, 44 percent of Mexican women will experience some form of sexual violence during their
lifetime, and yet, 91 percent of these crimes go unreported. the number of sex crimes are also
increasing due to the lack of law enforcement, particularly in holding sex crimes perpetrators
accountable. In India, Mathura, a 16-year-old girl was raped by two policemen inside a police
station, but then, the courts set free the accused, blaming Mathura for not raising an alarm and not
injured. Justice for the victims of sex crimes are at risk, leaving other people more vulnerable to sex
crimes. Thus, eradication of sex crimes should not only be focused on incarceration and other law
enforcement measures, but also by involving continuous protection and assistance for the victims as
well as medical measures, such as chemical castration for the perpetrators.

In Argentina, Penal Code recognizes various types of sexual abuse and its impact, thus, jail
punishment varies from 6 months until 15 years. Beside strong jail punishment for the perpetrators,
Argentina also involves the medical measures for convicted people. In 2010, Argentina’s Mendoza
province authorized voluntary chemical castration treatment for rapists in return of reduced
sentences. In order to give women free-access to report to the authorities regarding sexual violence,
Argentina through National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA) provide several
helplines, information and advice line, emergency line, and women shelter in 28 areas across
Argentina. In international scale, WHO has recognized the urgency of sexual violence and abuse,
without paying attention to the urgency of medical approach to eradicating the number of sexual
violence, such as castration. Even though in many countries castrations have been being used as the
method of punishment for sexual offender, WHO hasn’t fully addressed castrations as a
complementary way to significantly reduce recidivism rates in certain male offenders. WHO also
hasn’t addressed the urgency of medical assistance towards the victims of sexual violence which will
make other victims hesitate to report to the authorities. Understanding the issue of affectivity of
chemical castration for convicted perpetrators, Argentina proposes 3 main solutions, which are:

1. Establishing Special Division of Medical Measures against Sexual Violence, as a division that will
reduce the ineffectively of castrations practice that have been happening in various countries. This
division be responsible in creating special procedures of conducting castrations to ensure its safety
measures, doing research and development regarding

Bali Asia International Model United Nations “The Evolving of Cultural and Environmental Awareness
for a Brighter Future” 18

castrations for sexual criminals, equipping national and domestic law enforcers on how to integrate
such punishments in their legislations or verdicts, as well as equipping medical personnel such as
doctors in conducting castrations for convicted people. Thus, it will increase the affectivity of
castrations for sexual offenders.

2. Enhancing integration between courts and medical authorities in punishing the perpetrators of
sex crimes, by standardization of chemical castration methods through balancing castration with
gradual jail punishment in various countries. This integration will address the failure of penal system
to achieve deterrence effects for the perpetrators which is mostly caused by the lack of
measurement and balance between jail punishment and castration. This integration will be
monitored frequently by the regional office of WHO in each region, also by the Special Division of
Medical Measures against Sexual Violence, that will review and give recommendations towards the
implementation of this integration.

3. Strengthening partnerships with various related UN bodies, such as the United Nations Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) to monitor the implementation of integrating chemical castration as a
punishment for convicted sexual criminals.