UN Women
Are Rights The Only Way To Ensure Protection Of Women?
Why do we need laws to endure protection of women? Who makes the laws that ensures the freedom of women? Does ratification of law and implementation of law mean the same thing? Who should ensure the implementation of the laws supporting women? And lastly, how much do these laws actually help women? Having been part of the UN Council of women, these questions regularly came up during the conference, discussing about the laws that every country has that ensures the protection of the rights and the freedom of women in their country. Undoubtedly, every country recognises the need and the urgency of these laws not only on a national level but also on an international level, having seen so many violations of women’s rights by numerous countries and organisations such as ‘Honour Killings’ that are committed by the male relations to keep the ‘family honour’ against women involved or suspected to be involved in adultery, frequent in the Middle East and stretch as far as Asia and Africa.
However, talking elaborately about the more fundamental question, how beneficial these rights actually are and whether rights are the only way of ensuring the freedom of women. There are numerous laws under CEDAW that specifies the rights of women and have many anti discrimination laws. However, ratifying a specific law and ensuring the implementation of these laws are two very different things divided by a very thin line. Recognising the need for a specific law is the first step towards the elimination of atrocities faced by women. However, implementation of these laws guarantees that these rights are inalienable. This is where I think the CEDAW Act has its shortcomings. There are 23 elected gender experts who sit and give ‘general recommendations’ regarding the rights that should be added under CEDAW. Unfortunately, these recommendations are hardly ever approved by the UN General Assembly. To top it off, the countries who originally endorse these treaties refuse to ratify it.
Having such a laidback approach towards CEDAW is hardly the best option to solve the problems of discrimination against women. Recognising the problem is one achievement however acting on the problem is a different ballgame altogether that needs to be given more attention to tackle the current problem. Having said this, it is well understood that rights alone cannot ensure and safeguard the rights of women. Discrimination against women has been going on for ages and it’s time to recognise it as not just a social issue but also a historical issue. Also, as much as rights can protect women, it is the mindset of the people as a whole that needs to change and needs to start recognising the female sex as someone of their own and not someone inferior or subordinate to their opposite sex. The world community as a whole needs to join hands and change the current situation and make this world a better place for the females. -Saakhsi
The World Divided: Choice versus Life The issue of abortion saw the United Nations Women committee divided. tion only in cases where the mother's life is in immediate danger. Abortion is a controversial issue in Irish politics and five national referendums have been held on the topic in the last 30 years.
The Irish delegate spoke in the UNW committee about Women’s Rights violations also mentioning the United States of America's abortion laws - even as the anti-abortion policy of the state itself has been the centre of controversy in recent years. Ireland passed a law last year allowing abor-
In an exclusive interview with the International Press, the Irish delegate said that Ireland was unhappy with the amount of efforts put into force by the United States, especially when it came down to ‘implementation of policy.’ When questioned about the country's own laws on abortion, the delegate accepted that the country needed more liberal laws, however did not comment upon any concrete steps being taken in the direction. Internationally, Ireland has been criticized by most other Western countries that remain pro-choice. The German delegate told the IP that “Our country holds a negative view of abortion, but we do not believe the state should interfere with the decision of the individual.” Meanwhile, sex selective abortion is a
major issue in East and South East Asia. Countries like India have more liberal laws regarding abortion, though most eastern developing —economies and even developed nations remain pro-life. The delegate of Japan told the IP, “The gender imbalance prevails in almost every East Asian country, but Japan. The balanced sex ratio is because of the 2 piece legislation (that exists in Japan) against abortion.” Abortion is only permitted in Japan if the pregnancy has resulted from rape, or if the continuation of the pregnancy may severely endanger the maternal health because of physical reasons or economic reasons. The USA replied to Ireland by reminding them of the recent case of an Indian origin woman’s death that sparked global outrage. The delegate added that the USA does not wish to grant abortion as a right so as to prevent misuse. India remained silent on the issue. -Ummang
UNSC
Military Intervention - The difficult choice The Sunnis and Shia’s are at loggerheads once more, no surprise there. The latest conflict started with the Prime Minister Nouri-AlMaliki’s speech against the Sunnis, which supposedly hurt sentiments and caused this crisis which is at hand. This also made the Prime Minister run with the tail between his legs out of Baghdad. This crisis has invited global attention because of violation of human rights, the man slaughter and also because of the fact that Middle East has always been a hot topic for the global community. The ISIS has been labelled as jihadist by the international community adding one more to the list of the long list of terrorist organizations. The burning of the Christian’s is also a very severe issue which hits the largest religious community of the world right at the heart. The occupation of Mosul and the self- declaration of Abu-Bakr-Al-Baghdadu as a Caliphate in the region of Mosul is attracting international attention and reactions for reasons more than one. The caste fight has been taking ugly turns over the centuries and it has just gone worse.
On the topic of military intervention, there have been quite opposing stands by countries like U.S, Russia, Britain and Arab Federation.
make themselves look noble to the international community. Russia on the other hand is completely against the Military intervention in fears that a repeat of the U.S intervention in Iraq would occur again. Britain on the other hand has already helped Iraq monetarily which again involves wide spread debate about the correct usage of the funds. Military Intervention though seems like a necessity to stop the ISIS but it can take an ugly turn with the possibility that the developed countries can take control over Iraq and exploit its oil fields for their personal benefits. Any decision needs to be taken considering a lot of factors to avoid the strong taking advantage of the one in trouble. -Radhika
Obama has already increased the air surveillance and is in the deliberation to provide Military intervention to Iraq, only they call it ‘Help, which is asked and not any sort of intrusion or intervention’, which is clearly an effort to
Whose War Is It Anyway? The war on Iraq and consequent involvement of the United States within the country’s domestic affairs might just prove to be disastrous, report Nishita Khattar and Jasmine Bhalla. It’s a little disquieting, isn’t it? Not the neatly arranged desks, the pens scribbling furiously away, the notebooks fallen open to hastily filled pages, the eagerly raised ands. What unsettles you is how greatly they contrast with the haunted eyes, the arms raised in defense, the broken spirits the hijabs can’t conceal, the numbers united, ironically, against the prospect of war. This isn’t the first time that the clashes in Iraq are creating echoes around the world. Remember that high school bully that plagued the so called “golden years” of your life as an adolescent? Well, it wouldn’t be amiss to extend the same metaphor to the situation Iraq was mired in, in 2003. If the United States is the popular kid, then Britain can perhaps play the role of the faithful sidekick eagerly following in his footsteps. It isn’t exactly the world’s greatest secret that the war started because the US and UK governments, believed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Much to their dismay, they never found what they had gone so eagerly on their search for. But there was a silver lining to their invasion after all, because they did end up getting the country out of the clutches of Saddam’s tyranny. The government under Saddam Hussein may have been
dictatorial, but it still provided a semblance of stability to the country. Since the invasion, things have only gone downhill. Political organizations have rendered the foundations of the nation hollow, and they stand on shaky ground. The Iraq of present day is plagued by the two-headed monster of political and communal conflict. The Shias and Sunnis have been at loggerheads for what seems like forever. But the irony is that the two communities which are united by the same religion are also divided by their conflicting ideologies within the same religion. The ill-considered speech of the Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, only served to exacerbate this animosity. That’s when ISIS entered the picture. Seeing that the population of Iraq is predominantly Shia, and the ISIS is a Sunni organization, it is but obvious that a war had to arise. In response to the ISIS rebellion, the government fled from the northern part of Iraq, taking advantage of which the insurgents took control of the western and north-western territories. But it was not yet time for the chaos to be resolved into order. Thinking it could provide Iraq with the stability
it so needed, the Kurdish government moved in to snatch the reigns from ISIS’s hands. And so it happens that Northern Iraq still remains the bone of contention between the ISIS and the Kurdish government. However, the interference of United States remains a pertinent issue. Wouldn’t the ongoing tumultuous war only escalate once US steps into the picture? Though he refrained from sending combat forces, Obama recently sent 300 military advisers to Iraq to aid its military and evacuate Americans from the Baghdad embassy. The crux of the matter remains as to whether it is ethical to meddle in another country’s domestic affairs. As Iraqi religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei puts it, “The US wants an opportunity to put Iraq under its hegemony and be ruled by its stooges.” The United States’ continued involvement with unrestricted tenacity might just destroy a country that is already in ruins.
UNGA
When Does This End? As the General Assembly in the United Nations readies itself for the first session on ‘‘War weapons and combating International terrorism in all its forms and manifestations’’, all we can ask is- when does this end? Sonalika examines. Dickens rightly viewed or rather predicted, in another millennium and in another century, that it is the best of times, and the worst of times. The stimulating part about this statement is that it holds truer meaning today also. World peace seems to be resting on a very thin rope, threatening to flip over in case of the slightest amount of imbalance. War time is cruel and barbaric, and probably the most daunting ordeal one can ever experience. While the threat looms right over everybody’s head like a dark, rainy cloud causing nations to exercise extreme caution, there is nothing to say that more sinister schemes aren’t brewing in the corners. Biological warfare can be loosely defined as the usage of bacterial toxins or some other deadly viruses, as weapons of mass destruction. It holds the potential to destroy the entire population, generations and even races. Considering the immense potential for destruction biological weapons wield, the Biological Weapons Convention was signed in 1972, effective 1975 onwards, banning the production of such weapons, although allowing room for research aimed at peaceful purposes. This was the most important point in the conference men-
tioned by the Delegates of USA and China both. Currently, 172 countries are party to this treaty. But this too has its limitations, as there are still many countries who haven’t signed the treaty. Moreover, signatories can have undeclared weapons, and in the madness of war, the sanctity of treaties is not always upheld. Plus, it’s safe to say that terrorists and tyrannical leaders don’t have a reputation of adhering to international agreements. In this age of controllability, the face of attacks too, has changed. And for those being attacked, this sort of advanced weaponry which also includes biological weaponry can prove to be catastrophic. There have been several instances in history, and a few in the modern age as well, that weapons have been deployed, causing casualties in uncontrollable numbers. The destruction they unleash is beyond proportion, but there is a more, important, overarching argument. Weapons have the ability to pass on the afflictions that they causes to future generations. War is an act of conflict at a particular moment in historyis it in any way okay to punish an entire race and their future generations over it? Times like these are cruel and barbaric, and probably the most formidable ordeal
Drug.....A Two Way Reaction A drug is, in the broadest of terms, a chemical substance that has known biological effects on humans as well as animal’s when the biological response is therapeutic and useful they are called medicines but if taken in higher doses than recommended by the doctor most of the drug used as medicines are potential poisons. To the simplest of all even the coffee that we drink contains a drug known as caffeine which keeps us awake for hours. Talking about drug control it is a topic which is very abstract. It is always in the contention whether to legalize the drugs or to illegalize them. Drug according to a layman is a kind of a very harmful chemical substance which can corrupt their own body. However, according to scientists even the food people eat contains drug. The conflict occurs when drugs increase the revenue of a country while on the other hand it
harms the people of the particular country. For example, Morphine when administered in medicinal doses relive pain and produce sleep for the relief of post operative pain, cardiac pain, pains of terminal cancer and in child birth but in poisonous doses they produce stupor, coma, convulsions and ultimately death . Hence drug control is both harmful as well as good for a countries humanitarian welfare. Drugs not only have medicinal or harmful effects it has various spiritual, regional and recreational use as well. Control of drugs may hurt the sentiments of a particular religion that use it as in a spiritual sense. For example for thousands of years the people of Nepal and India have celebrated the holy day of Shiva, Shivaratri, by partaking of the God's sacred cannabis infused drink 'Bhang' or smoking chillums of hashish. -Fiza Jain
one can ever have the misfortune to experience. Obviously an ideal scenario involves no war, and hence, holds no relevance for weapons. But a warless world seems nowhere in the horizon as of now, and all of us are constantly at the brink. Hence, in the absence of a better alternative, and because the world needs no added trouble, all countries must agree upon a uniform ban on such weapons, and especially for deterrent purposes, to prevent unnecessary build-up. War poet Wilfred Own, in his poem Dulce et Decorum Est, describes the agony of watching a fellow comrade die, as he fumbles to put on his gas mask, and talks about ‘vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues.’ The message is clear and simple: there is obviously no glory in war, but also, nothing is invincible, gas masks aren’t all that convenient and even biological weapons can backfire, so keep your pretty hands off.
Drugs.....The New Evil! Whenever the word, "drug" strikes our ear, most of us tend to think about an unemployed deviant who embodies different values to the mainstream society. A majority of the people have created a pigeonhole in their brains which infers these drug addicts to be isolated from the customary people and taking drugs in dark, dirty alleyways or squats. The reality of these substance abusers is that the majority of them are just like everyone else. The ones who begin to engage in drugs, gradually get addicted to it and later, making it perplexing to quit. Hence, the society tends to build up a "formulaic convention", pertaining to these "drug partizans". These individuals at first, try drugs to overcome stress, to escape from the adversity or to lead a relaxing and serene life. Thus, they tend to take malign drugs like Heroin, Cocaine, Ketamine or Marijuana that can consequently naufrage their lives into debris. Bit by bit, their ardent cravings become the only means of survival, which is subsequently followed by cutting them off from the "prevailing core".
Multifariously, there have been various other ways like adopting a healthier lifestyle, savouring hobbies or pepping up, that have been assisting in combating stress and leading a tranquil and unagitated life, far more than drugs can really do. They are the ones uniquely responsible for destroying mind, soul and creativity, thus, ruining one's life at its utmost. Globally, there should be a ban imposed on drug usage and its trafficking. Drug addiction cannot only ruin the person's life or career, but may sparsely affect the country's development and deeply curse its upcoming future. Even in the countries where drugs are illegitimated, people tend to habituate drugs, primarily due to the low employment rate, leading to poverty and starvation, making drugs the only means for their survival. Hence, the country must strive towards a higher employment rate and keeping a strict check on drug trafficking within their country. -Preetika Pahwa
Random
Time: Bad Place: ICMUN’14 (stairs) Dear Diary! Swept shining floors, cleared desks, placards hung the right way- typical MUN style! Are MUN conferences all about talking current events and politics? Are they all about meeting some very interesting people? Does it feels like being a totalitarian dictator and imposing your extremist ways upon the planet when one is a wearing a Delegate ID? Well, again I would say- typical MUNer man. Let’s go deep inside about it. Let’s say diary, do these MUNers dream of running their own country? Of course they do! Sitting at the back listening to the conference, Sonalika feels that their dreams do become a reality. They get to control a country for a day! Like, if they want to suspend human rights, embargo China, or invade Switzerland, they can (well, fictionally). I see how young college teens choose what their country does and hold power. I’ve seen Russia revert back to Communism, only to have the rest of their debate chamber (including the USA) follow suit. I’ve seen Ireland declare war on the UK. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy the power—and because it’s fictional, you CAN let it go to your head. I know, it sounds a bit lame, but it's actually really cool. Whether it’s grooving out to the Congo drums, debating the merits of Communism over ice cream, or even creating lame pick-up lines (“what are your country’s immigration laws like?’Cuz I’d really like to gain entrance to you."), there's never a dull moment. Then what more I see, well something which everyone else see, FOOD man! Model United Nations conferences are known for their epic food. Sure, you may gain a pound or so, but it’s totally worth it. They completely over-feed you, but you sure need it. Another VIGILANT observation of this journalist: Facebook friends- admit it guys! It makes you feel special. When you go to Model UN, you gain so many friends you don’t know what to do. Random people you meet in passing add you; in fact, even people you didn't meet add you! Expect a flood of friend requests and a lingering I’m-so-awesome feeling. Lastly, even after months have passed, one looks back at the conference experience and smile. The friends you made, the laughs you shared, and the pick-up line that made you grin like an idiot are things one will always remember and treasure. The Model UN conference creates memories that last a lifetime, and when it’s over, you'll wish you could do it all again, I do at least. Adios!
P3......."P"icture "P"erfect "P"ose From the most boring and sleepy corners of the General Assembly, the International Press has managed to present to you some amazing behind the scenes..... 1. #ButFirstLetMeTakeASelfie The delegates have reportedly been spotted impressing attractive people, by clicking selfies. Will they drown or succeed? 2. "Awww The secret admirers of various delegates have increasingly being caught sending them flirtarious messaages via chits, some even offerring chewing gums.....The question is whether the so-called "admirers" are boys or girls?
3. Kitty Party <3 Within this dull committee, the Press has managed to capture some amazing bits of socializing between girls who have been laughing away to glory....
4. Sleepy Dumbbells :O A few delegates have also been captured staying off the committee, being unaware of the agenda, acting as dumb as possible during the sessions. Take a look...
5. The WhatsApp Virus:The virus named, "WhatsApp" has been strongly regarded as "The Most Harmful Virus", which has spread throughout the General Assembly at a very fast pace. Scientists across the globe have reportedly been going all crazy finding the "antidotes" to minimize this virus! -Fiza and Preetika
Missing: A Reality Check
As the UN Women Committee progressed into deep discussion, we couldn’t help but notice that while the intentions of the committee are in the right place, there are some points that were raised but not discussed sufficiently for a fruitful outcome. One of the most important of these was the rather undemocratic representation by the members of CEDAW – a committee which emphasizes on the equal and indiscriminate representation of women across the world. The irony is that the members constituting the committee that promotes democratic decision making itself doesn’t select its members in a similar fashion. The committee consists of 23 unelected, male mem-
bers, who sit once a year and come up with “general recommendations” which are later to be approved by the UN General Assembly. Moreover, these recommendations are hardly ever approved by the General Assembly. In fact, CEDAW operates according to its own rules and procedures not being accountable to any governing body. Accountability, here, becomes a major problem, because there is nothing to ensure that the committee is not partial or ignorant towards certain vulnerable sections. In the context of lack of representation it is interesting to note that there isn’t a single woman representative in committee that works towards women’s empowerment. Even the men who sit here are not elected by women, which is a gaping hole in the functioning and overall effectiveness of the committee. Another major flaw in the committee is that the problems faced by LBT community are not yet recognized. In most developing countries, LBT women face severe social stigma as well as discrimination on the hands of legal apparatuses of their own
UN Women
countries, with some countries awarding death penalties to these women. It’s shocking to see that a committee which prides itself in eliminating discrimination against women doesn’t include the rights of such a huge section of the society and completely overlooks the fact that these individuals battle for their rights, alone. We genuinely believe that if these recommendations are taken into consideration, the benefits that are provided by CEDAW will be more widespread and effectively reach the unrecognized sections of the society. -Saakhsi and Umaang
Peace to all!
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There is blood on the floor, the walls scream It is the same place where they once had a dream They have been hoping for peace and a quiet night Where their dreams are not haunted and day where they don’t have to fight They don’t want to fight their own brothers but they don’t have a say A few people, destroy the peace just because they want to have it their way How does it matter if you are Sunni or a Shia? You are a human and this is what matters. Lives are wasted on deciding who is better than the other? We all share the same planet, Dear Brothers. Let us not fight for caste and religion Let us be a peace loving nation.
Remember that old saying that it is always darkest before the dawn? Well, it seems as if the situation in Iraq, and the world, along with it, is yet to reach that state. Political and religious conflict may already be hounding the country and its people, but as much as we may wish to the contrary, each action, each event does lead to its own set of consequences. And these consequences, in this case at least, don’t look too rosy. The turmoil in Iraq may not yet be sending shockwaves rippling through the world economy but its ability to do so is all too evident. Painfully so. Being a veteran supplier in the oil market, and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ second-biggest producer after Saudi Arabia, Iraq holds a great number of the strings of the
global economy in its hands. The entire Persian Gulf region is such that even the hint of a military conflict shows its effect directly on the price of oil, which is not the happiest occurrence, considering the fact that a spike in oil prices is quite concurrent with recession. Much of the conflict lies towards the north; while the greater part of the nation’s productive oil fields are found in the southern territory. What’s alarming is that the oil prices are capable of hitting much greater heights, and it all hinges on whether or not the insurgency filters down south. The recent capture of Mosul and Tikrit, two of the country’s major cities, only served to augment the distress. We haven’t yet reached the stage where we may bank solely on other fuel resources – resources
friendlier to the environment, and the world still relies heavily on oil from the Middle-East. If the oil prices hit the 2008 high, there may very well be another replication of the 2008 recession, with the derailment of the world economy. Whether the situation reaches such grave lows is now something that remains to be seen. -Nishita Khattar and Radhika Jhalani