Letter from the Executive Board

Dear Delegates,
I welcome you all to the simulation of United Nations Security Council at Salesian Model
United Nations 2022. This letter is the first thing I expect you to read before you move ahead
with the background guide and the agenda. I have envisioned this simulation to be one of the
most productive and thoughtful simulation of the committee and for that vision to be
actualized, the impetus falls on your shoulders to work harder, think more critically, and
adapt instantly. The agenda for the committee has been kept keeping in mind the prospective
delegates. What I expect out of you, is an understanding of the agenda, relevant policy
concerns and inference of
direct and indirect implications.

To ease your work; this background guide has been divided into 4 parts; namely:
1. How to prepare for the committee?
2. Valid source of proof in the committee
3. Introduction to the committee
4. Introduction to the agenda
5. Committee goals and general guidelines

For a better understanding of the guide and the committee, it’ll be better if you go through
them
part wise and understand the importance of each part. I can assure you that each part will help
you in some way or the other regarding the committee.

You may only treat the guide as an introductory document, which will build an insight into
the concepts that the agenda deals with. Beyond this, you are required to dig deep and do
your own research, but more importantly, I want you to take the information you’ve
researched and sit down with it to analyze the core issues there, possibly forecast what the
deliberation on this will entail, and then form logical arguments and efficient solutions on it.

Lastly, in case of any queries related to the committee or rules of procedure you may contact
me via email or Whatsapp and I’ll respond to you as soon as possible.

All the best!

Regards,
A.J. Mitra
Director
+91 9832571148
jyotiarko1122@[Link]
Part I: How to prepare for the committee

One of the major misconceptions about the concept of MUN’s is that you just research from
the
internet and speak in the committee. However that’s not the only thing you do, you are
required to research for the committee AND ANALYZE whatever you’ve studied.

When it comes to the term analysis, a lot of people don’t know what it means so for example:
You see someone’s marksheet and see that person has scored 90+ out of 100 in 4 out 5
subjects, however in the 5th subject, the person has scored just 53 out of 100. The part till
here is called your research, this is something you’ve found out by searching somewhere.
When it comes to analysis, analysis means interpretation, now for example in the above
example a good analysis would be finding out that the person if gives more time to the 5th
subject rather spending so much time on other subjects, his/her marks in the individual
subjects might fall a bit but he/she would improve overall because now that person would be
scoring well in 5th subject as well.

In the context of MUNs, analysis is a very important aspect when it comes to you playing the
role of a delegate in a committee. Most delegates get confused by the term analysis and are
not able to improve the quality of their analysis overtime. In very simple words, “Analysis
means interpreting the research you have from your perspective”. The reason why analysis is
an important aspect of a MUN is because, without analyzing the current research you can’t
progress towards development but can only dwell upon the already existing research.

Before that, let’s understand what does your analysis include? When you start analysis, you
need to keep the following things in mind:
1. Context– What is the context of your analysis? Basically, what are you analyzing? What is
it
related to?
2. Stakeholders– Who/What are driving your research and playing a major role? Who are the
relevant members to your research?
3. Impact– What impact will your research have on the agenda? What role will it play on the
stakeholders of the research you have regarding the agenda.
4. Scope of Solution Space– What all solutions can be formulated to tackle the problem?
5. Constraints within solution– The solutions formulated in the solution space would have a
few constraints, what are those? And can they be tackled or is there any way around?
6. Key Insights– What is the final conclusion or key takeaways you have from the analysis
you’ve done regarding your agenda?

The above are the key points which are included in the concept named “Analysis”. If you are
able to find answers to the above points regarding your research you’ll have an easier time
going with the research and trying to understand the agenda.

For a sample example let’s take the 2018 North Korea-United States Summit in Singapore
([Link] being
discussed in General Assembly on an agenda related to nuclear weapons;
Now let’s draw out the line from this case:
Context– The context in this case would be that the summit had a few major decisions
regarding the nuclear weapons in the Korean Peninsula hence it’s relevant to the agenda; to
elaborate more upon the context one would go into detail of what has been promised by both
the states regarding Nuclear weapons.
Stakeholders– The stakeholders in this case would be; USA, North Korea, South Korea
majorly; but you can come with other stakeholders as well when you research further upon
what bodies can play a role in this agenda, for example IAEA or P5 members of UNSC
especially China
Impact– So if the plans according to summit go well, we can have a nuclear weapon free
Korean
Peninsula and a threat to a nuclear war might reduce; the nuclear resources used for making
weapons can be used for other purposes which can be elaborated upon
Scope of Solution Space– The scope of solution space can be very broad in this case; it can
start from seeking help from IAEA, drafting a treaty similar to NEW START treaty,
Inclusion of DPRK in NPT(again), Discussing the sanctions on DPRK etc.
Constraints within Solution– The terms and conditions of the agreement; Time; feasibility,
POLICY RESTRICTIONS (applicable for all agendas), existing sanction on DPRK, Non-
membership of DPRK in NPT
Key Insights– One of the major key insight in this topic would be that how a major decision
to disarm the nuclear weapons in Korean peninsula has been taken; how policies for both
DPRK and USA have changed; How South Korea’s relations have been affected with USA;
How USA is talking about disarming nuclear weapons in Korean Peninsula but on the
contrary also backing out from Iran Nuclear Deal;

These are just a few of the many key insights which could be taken from the topic. The above
example also misses out on a lot of aspects in terms of analyzing the topic, for example if
researched further one can find relevance of China in this agreement as well.
In simple language, analysis means to interpret and understand what you’ve researched and
being able to present it as an argument in the committee which will help in the flow of the
debate.

So, for 3 days of the conference you’ll be marked upon following things:
1. Verbatim
2. Research and Analysis
3. Foreign Policy
4. Guidance of Debate

Guidance of debate- Being able to lobby in the committee and ensuring your points in the
committee are creating good arguments and ensuring debate in the committee including in the
unmoderated caucuses;

Foreign Policy - Ensuring the fact that the statements made by a delegate in the committee in
the
verbatim are in line with the their foreign policy; which basically means that your statements
should not oppose something which has been said by high positioned representatives of your
state/country;
How to Research?

Whenever you start your research, first try understanding the meaning of research and what
do you plan to do in the committee. Write the agenda somewhere on your electronic device or
a notepad and try to break it into parts.
Example: (1) Women, Peace and Security; (2) Accountability as Prevention; (3) Sexual
Violence in Conflict Zones

As you break it into parts try coming up with topics which can be discussed in the
committee.
Example: (1) strengthening accountability and addressing impunity for conflict-related
sexual violence as a means to deliver justice for survivors; (2) hold implicated individuals,
states, and non-state actors accountable; and prevent future violence; (3) gaps in the
delivery of justice and assistance to survivors, as well as ways to reinforce the international
architecture

After writing the agenda and breaking it down further, search about the sub-topics on the
internet and find more information such as legal aspects, government implications etc. It’s
not necessary that you are able to find your subtopics without starting your basic research, as
you start your basic research you’ll be coming across problems which are being faced across
the world from which you can derive your subtopics.

After coming up with your topics and researching them; find out what all other committees
and bodies exist (National and international both) apart from UNSC which are taking actions
on this agenda. In our case, online campaigns on the agendas can be also considered to
provide solutions. Go through the reports, suggestions, and actions taken by those bodies and
those given in national and UN documents for eg. Secretary General Report till date on the
agenda and try to analyze the problem and solution both and give your own input.

After going through the National and International reports, do go through the Secretary
General report on the agenda which’ll tell you about ALL the progress which has been
related to the agenda. After you’re done with the above things, try to pick up case studies and
find the problems in it and how can they be improved (which’ll test your analytical skills) and
being able to implement the solution for that problem will help you in your application skills.

The above is just one of the many ways of research, and one can differ as well. But in the
end, just ensure that you understand what the agenda means and what all requires to be done
in order to have a successful result.
PART II: Valid source of proof in the committee

Evidence or proof is from the following sources will be accepted as credible:

1. State-operated News Agencies – These reports can be used in the support of or against
the State that owns the News Agency. These reports, if credible or substantial enough, can be
used in support of or against any country as such but in that situation, they can be denied by
any other country in the council.
Some examples are,
i. RIA Novosti (Russia) [[Link]
ii. IRNA (Iran) [[Link]
iii. BBC (United Kingdom) [[Link]
iv. Al Jazeera (Qatar) [[Link]
v. Xinhua News Agency (PR China) [[Link]

2. Government Reports: These reports can be used in a similar way as the State Operated
News
Agencies report and can, in all circumstances, be denied by another country. However, a
nuance is that a report that is being denied by a certain country can still be accepted by the
Executive Board as credible information.
Some examples are,
i.) Government Websites like the State Department of the United States of America
[[Link] or the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
[[Link]
ii.) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of various nations like India [[Link] or
People’s Republic of China [[Link]
iii.) Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Reports
[Link] (Click on any country to get the website of theOffice of its
Permanent Representative.)
iv.) Multilateral Organizations like the NATO
[[Link] ASEAN [[Link] OPEC
[[Link] etc.

3. United Nations Reports: All UN Reports are considered are credible information or
evidence:
i) UN Bodies like the UNSC [[Link] or UNGA
[[Link]
ii.) UN Affiliated Bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency
[[Link]
World Bank [[Link] International Monetary Fund
[[Link] International Committee of the Red Cross
[[Link] etc.
iii.) Treaty Based Bodies like the Antarctic Treaty System [http:// [Link]/e/[Link]], the
International Criminal Court [[Link]

NOTE — Sources like Wikipedia [[Link] Amnesty International

[[Link] Human Rights Watch [[Link] or newspapers like
the
Guardian [[Link] Times of India [[Link]
etc.
are typically not accepted as PROOF/EVIDENCE. However, they can be used for better
understanding of any issue or on rare occasions, be brought up in debate if the information
given in such sources isin line with the beliefs of a Government.

Further, the information submitted as evidence citing reportage from sources such as
specified in this note may be at best, treated as having significance in terms of persuasive
value - e.g. to cement one’s assertions, but never as binding, indisputable fact.

PART III: Introduction to the committee

Mandate: The United Nations Security Council (SC) met for the first time on 17 January
1946 in London. Charged with maintaining international peace and security, the SC is one of
the primary bodies within the United Nations, whose mandate is laid out within Chapter V of
the Charter of the United Nations. The Security Council consists of 15 representatives from
UN Member States, including five permanent members (China, France, Russian Federation,
the United Kingdom, and the United States), and 10 non-permanent members based on
geographic distribution
Functions and Powers: Under the Charter, the functions and powers of the Security Council
are:
a) To maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and
purposes of the United Nations;
b) To recommend the admission of new Members;
c) To make recommendations to the General Assembly and other UN or UN affiliated bodies
to carry out requires operations;
d) To investigate any dispute or situation, which might lead to international friction;
e) To determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to deliberate
and decide the action to be taken;
f) To formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments, formation of a
Military Staff Committee under the article 47;
g) To recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement
h) To call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use
of force to prevent or stop aggression;
i) To take military action against an aggressor if enlisted provisions do not seem to be
adequate;
j) To recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary General of the
UN and together with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.

Veto Power: Under Article 27 of the UN Charter (mentioned below), the Council decisions
on all substantive matters require the affirmative votes of nine members. A negative vote, or
veto, by a permanent member prevents adoption of a proposal, even if it has received the
required number of affirmative votes, i.e. 9 votes. Abstention is not regarded as a veto.

Voting Procedure:
1. Each member of the Security Council shall have one vote.
2. Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative
vote of nine members.
3. Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote
of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in
decisions under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall
abstain from voting.

PART IV: Introduction to the Agenda

“Women, Peace and Security: Accountability as Prevention (Ending cycles of sexual

violence in conflict)”

Among the most severe problems which all children and women face during armed conflicts
is a heightened risk of rape, sexual humiliation, prostitution and other forms of gender-based
violence. Women of all ages are targets, but adolescent girls are especially vulnerable. While
most victims have been girls, young boys are also raped or forced into prostitution - although
such cases are generally under-reported.

What is a Conflict?
Conflict means armed aggression, widespread violence, and/or widespread human rights
abuses. These can include:
i) any forms of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment;
ii) any forms of forced or compulsory labor, which means work or service which is exacted
from any person under the menace of penalty and for which said person has not offered
himself voluntarily;
iii) the worst forms of child labour;
iv) other gross human rights violations and abuses such as widespread sexual violence;
v) war crimes or other serious violations of international humanitarian law, crimes against
humanity or genocide.

What is a Conflict Affected area?

Conflict-Affected Areas are areas where Conflict is prevalent. The area may be a region, a
country, an area within a country, or an area that crosses one or more country boundaries.
Conflict-affected areas are identified by the presence of armed conflict, widespread violence
or other risks of harm to people. Some of the worst human rights abuses involving sexual
violence occur amid conflict over the control of territory, resources or a government itself –
where the human rights regime cannot be expected to function as intended.

Women in Conflict Affected Areas

A few decades ago, women and girls in conflict situations were forced to endure brutal
incidents of sexual violence, had fewer resources for protection and survival, lost their loved
ones and had to take responsibility for their families, were forced to join the combatants, or to
flee leaving everything behind. Today, all of these risks are not only just as real, but they are
compounded by the fact that the very nature of wars invades ever more private spaces,
becoming a threat to their identity and their security. Rape, sexual slavery, trafficking, forced
and early marriages are a few examples of sexual crimes perpetrated against women and
girls, that increase during conflict situations. The damage of such acts on their lives is ever-
lasting. Social stigma and the lack of adequate legal channels often leave victims without
vital support, with dire consequences for themselves, their families and communities.

Added to this, many outbreaks of violence today are of religious or ethnic origin, linked to
issues of identity, which play against women and women’s rights. Many of these conflicts are
marked by extreme violence and gender-based abuse. Gender inequality is one of the most
serious and perverse forms of discrimination. It keeps women and girls in poverty, deprives
them of their rights and undermines their capacity for change. In every corner of the world,
women exercise less power and control than men. Their vulnerability to violence, the
reproductive burden they bear, their unequal access to resources and scant legal protection
puts them in a position of constant risk. Such inequality is a fundamental breach of women’s
rights, and an almost insurmountable barrier for their development.

In each of these contexts, we see the emboldening effects of impunity. Indeed, the gap
between commitments and compliance, resolutions and reality is evident. Over the past year,
sexual violence continued to be committed as a tactic of war, torture, terrorism, and political
repression. The UN reports cover 18 country situations and documents 3,293 UN-verified
cases of conflict-related sexual violence committed in 2021, representing a significant
increase of some 800 cases compared with 2020. Once again, the highest number of incidents
was recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1,016). The vast majority of
incidents targeted women and girls (97 percent). 83 cases were recorded against men and
boys, with the majority occurring in detention settings. 12 verified cases were found to target
LGBTQI individuals.

Most of the resolutions adopted by UN focus on the core issues of participation and
protection (linked particularly to gender violence and sexual violence). Although these are
indeed essential elements, other crucial issues such as conflict prevention and the role women
can play in this are not afforded the same priority. This is largely due to the fact that the UN
Security Council has traditionally focused on physical protection rather than other more
structural issues, such as gender inequality, a shortcoming that hinders the potential
transformation that the Women, Peace and Security agenda could bring about.

About ‘Women, Peace and Security’ in UNSC

In 2000, the United Nations Security Council approved resolution 1325, which marked the
start of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The resolution urged the participation of
women in peace initiatives, protection from violations of their human rights, and the
prevention of conflicts. Eight further resolutions have since been approved, widening the
range of issues covered by the agenda and thus making it more ambitious.

One of the commitments included in the agenda is the development of national action plans.
These are strategic documents defining a country’s objectives and initiatives for
implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. Although an increasing
number of countries now have a national action plan, most of these merely consist of
proposals on paper, with no accountability mechanisms or associated budgets.

UN Resolution 1325 marked a turning point in that it recognised for the first time that women
and girls suffer differentiated impacts from armed violence which had until then been
ignored. Decades of war and the earlier resolutions are evidence of the fact that women had
not occupied the space they are entitled to. Unfortunately, this milestone has not had a
widespread impact on the lives of women in conflict areas, their protection or the formal roles
they play in peace initiatives. In general, there is a lack of political will to facilitate
meaningful participation of women in peace processes; address the causes of conflict where
gender discrimination is an underlying issue in a holistic manner; create a system for
reporting on implementation of the resolution; and mobilise the necessary financial
resources.

In 2021, four encouraging developments took place in terms of transitional justice.

• Firstly, in Guatemala, five former members of the paramilitary group, the Civil Self-
Defense Patrols, were convicted and sentenced for crimes of sexual violence committed
against indigenous Maya Achi women in the 1980s.
• Secondly, in Iraq, the Council of Representatives adopted the Yazidi Survivors’ Law, which
provides support to victims of Da’esh atrocities.
• Thirdly, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a ruling that found the State
responsible for violations of the rights of Colombian journalist, Ms. Jineth Bedoya Lima,
following her two-decade quest for justice for abduction and sexual abuse. Yesterday, I was
pleased to announce Ms. Bedoya’s appointment as one of my mandate’s Global Champions
for the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence.
• Fourth, under the auspices of universal jurisdiction, a former official of the Syrian General
Intelligence Service, Anwar R., was convicted by the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz,
Germany, for crimes against humanity, including sexual violence committed in 2011 and
2012.

PART V: Committee Goal and General Guidelines

1. Delegates will have form a comprehensive resolution addressing the issue at hand.
2. The areas of focus for the drafting of resolution must include the aspect of
Accountability as Prevention, which means the delegates must also focus on the Role
of ICJ with regards to Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflicts through effective
measures.
3. Since there are a lot of conflict zones, covering all of them during our deliberations
will be cumbersome. Therefore, Delegates should focus only on the following areas of
conflict:
a. Ukraine
b. Syria
4. While this study guide will help you set your research goals, it is imperative for you
to thoroughly go through Mr. Antonio Guterres’s Report which has been attached
with this Study Guide. The report will help you broaden your perspective about the
agenda and at the same time, it will give you a clearer image about the solutions that
you’ll be coming up with.