NMUN background paper

NMUN is a highly respected model UN for university students and each year they put together a number of fabulous briefing packages for their delegates. This one looks at the problem of access to employment for women. If you scroll down to the bottom of the document you will find an annotated bibliography which may also be useful for your research.

Division for the Advancement of Women

Hey Delegates! i know some of you are one semester break around this time so i hope you take a little bit of your time to help prepare for the conference. Sometimes as a delegate it can be a little overwhelming just figuring out where to start gathering information so check out this July 2009 document from the 64th General assembly meeting on integrating gender perspective

http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N09/419/31/PDF/N0941931.pdf?OpenElement

See you soon!!

Background Papers!

Just a reminder that background papers are an excellent resource:

Access to Education, Training and Employment for Women

Sustaining Aid to the Developing World During Global Recessions

Good luck on your research Delegates!

Things to think about

So HSMUN is coming soon and most have you have probably started on your position papers. Each of you has to remember to write about how your particular country stands on the issue and have to ignore personal biases. For example, if you believe that aid should be continued during the recession but you are a country such as the United States, you might have to go against your gut instinct. It is also important to research information about your country and its foreign policy from different sources because wikipedia can only take you so far. Remember that some of your sources might be biased as well, so try looking at neutral sites. In my experience BBC and Al Jazeera give a good account of current events and also have interesting articles which are known to be unbiased.
Many of you might think that writing a position paper is a waste of time because it is not mandatory. However, in my three years of experience with HSMUN, I did the best when I wrote a paper. Not only does it force you to do your research, but it also allows you to remember it. During a committee session you might not have time to go rummaging through your notes and print outs from various sites. A position paper will allow you to have all your information in one place. Also, don't forget that there is a prize for the best position paper so why not try your odds?
Good Luck!
Here are some articles that might help you when you write your papers:

http://blogs.worldbank.org/africacan/will-the-financial-crisis-reduce-foreign-aid

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/13/recession-aid-poverty-development

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8134943.stm

http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15172941&CFID=104258040&CFTOKEN=82713010

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14915144&CFID=104258040&CFTOKEN=82713010

Haiti

Hey delegates I'm sure you've all seen the news reports lately. The devistation in Haiti is a reminder of how small the world can be when disaster strikes. Small countries with few resources need global neighbours to help them in their hour of need. Nearly 2 million have been displaced with many of the roads and hospitals reduced to rubble. On top of needing to support third world countries on long term basis the UN and global community needs to be able to send large resources in times of sudden need. Take time to reflect on this issue in the next while. And while your at it if your a Rogers or fido customer text "HELP" to 1291 to donate $5 to Haiti relief fund created by the ONEXONE foundation. I did :)

Millennium Development Goals

Happy New Years Everyone! Hope you had a fantastic holidays and relaxing winter break. While you all are pondering your resolutions for the new year take some time to reflect on gender and the millennium development goals as we enter a new decade in this millennia!

UN and Other Agencies are Short Billions for Aid in 2009

In July, the United Nations announced that it was short $4.8 billion for aid projects in the developing world due to the global recession. This announcement was accompanied with the news that in many developing nations, poverty and the demand for aid is continuing to rise. While nations continue to pledge aid at G20 and UN summits, the money never actually reaches the UN.

Other aid groups are concerned that their problems are just beginning, because the early recovery from the recession will still be accompanied by lower disposable incomes, and thus less donations. To deal with the crisis, some groups are having to change their aid models and/or lay off employees, exacerbating the unemployment in the developed world. In addition, for groups whose work is mainly based around the US dollar, but who fundraise in another currency, fluctuating exchange rates have contributed to their struggles to maintain aid. Staff and press teams from these NGOs have begun to speak out about the issues they face.