UNW Study Guide

SGMUN Conference 2024 - UN Women Study Guide

Overview of UN Women

  • UN Women: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, established by UN General Assembly in 2010.

    • Purpose: Promote gender equality and empower women globally.

    • Founded from a merger of preexisting UN bodies (e.g., UNIFEM).

    • Core values: Multilateralism and Collaboration.

Leadership Introduction

  • Lewis Adams: Third-year Law LLB student, University of Exeter, General Secretary of Exeter Model United Nations Society.

  • Sophia Hofbauer: Third-year Law student, University of Konstanz, Secretary General of LakeMUN 2025.

  • Kira Brookes: Psychology graduate, Full-Time Student Officer at the University of Exeter.

Conference Focus

  • Topic: Combatting Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

  • Alarming rise in GBV rates since the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Goal: Foster a conversation, raise awareness, and provide insights into addressing gender-based violence.

  • Quote by Malala Yousafzai emphasized:

    • "We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back."

Importance of the Issue

  • Gender-based violence is a critical barrier to achieving gender equality.

  • Victims: Explore socio-economic impacts, endanger dignity, security, and autonomy.

  • Persistence of GBV despite historical efforts challenges global progress.

Structure and Function of UN Women

  • Mandate: Lead efforts to promote women's rights and opportunities, embed rights into national legislation, and track accountability.

  • Powers: Focused on advocacy, awareness, and mobilization rather than binding legislation.

  • Key Campaigns:

    • HeForShe: Engages men and boys as advocates against GBV.

    • UNiTE: Aims to end violence against women and girls globally.

Challenges Faced by UN Women

  • Gaps between resolutions and real-life implementations.

  • Insufficient enforcement capabilities to effect change.

  • Complex socio-cultural norms hinder progress towards gender equality.

Definitions of Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

  • Gender-Based Violence: Any act of violence directed at a person based on their gender.

    • Types:

      • Sexual Violence: Coercive sexual acts regardless of the relationship to the victim.

      • Intimate Partner Violence: Physical, sexual, or psychological abuse by a partner.

      • Female Genital Mutilation: Non-medical removal of female genitalia.

      • Genocidal Rape: Mass rape in conflict settings.

Historical Context of GBV

  • Historical norms view women as property, leading to justified violence.

  • Legal codes like the Code of Hammurabi regulated women's sexuality with severe punishments for transgressions.

  • Medieval practices (e.g., witch hunts) exemplified gender-based violence.

  • Feminist movements from the 20th century started to challenge the normalization of violence against women.

Recent Trends and Current Situation

  • 1 in 3 women globally experience violence in their lifetime, approximately 736 million women affected.

  • Increase in global gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic due to confined circumstances.

  • Societal norms continue to normalize discrimination against women, complicating eradication efforts.

  • Current humanitarian aid focuses inadequately on gender-based violence, highlighting a need for more comprehensive funding and support.

Bloc Positions at the Conference

  • The Alliance for Gender Equality: Focus on strengthening laws, capacity building, and supporting dialogues with nations with poor gender rights records.

  • The Traditional Values Coalition: Emphasizes preservation of cultural norms while opposing suggestions for imposed gender equality.

  • The Limited Capacity Coalition: Developing countries seeking support for medical and psychological health initiatives for GBV victims.

Key Questions to Address in Resolution

  1. Balancing national sovereignty with global treaties against violence.

  2. Addressing comprehensively the lack of support for gender-based violence victims.

  3. Exploring the role of religion in either preventing or perpetuating GBV.

  4. Evaluating effectiveness of existing preventative measures against GBV.

  5. Determining necessary protections for the LGBT community against gender-based violence.

Conclusion

  • The conference aims to catalyze meaningful dialogue and progress in combatting gender-based violence.

  • Efforts must address both immediate interventions and underlying socio-cultural factors perpetuating GBV.

  • United and innovative solutions required to ensure a holistic approach to ending gender-based violence.