Post on 25-Feb-2021
A Background Guide for the
Migration – Related Xenophobia,
Racism and Violence
Cambridge College Model United Nations Saturday 2nd June & Sunday 3rd June 2018
Directors
Renato Llontop & Felipe
Núñez de Prado
Assistant Directors
Alejandro Álvarez-
Calderon & Franco
Pacheco
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Table of Contents
Introduction Letter from Secretary General ............................................................................. 2
Letter from the Chair ............................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 4
History of the Committee ......................................................................................................... 4
Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................................ 5
History of the Problem ............................................................................................................. 5
Current Situation ..................................................................................................................... 7
Relevant UN Actions ................................................................................................................. 8
QARMAS .................................................................................................................................. 9
Bloc Positions ......................................................................................................................... 10
Suggestions for Further Research........................................................................................... 10
Position Paper Requirements ................................................................................................. 11
Closing Remarks .................................................................................................................... 12
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 12
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A Letter from the Secretary-General
Dear Delegates,
On behalf of Cambridge College, the hard-working Chairs,
and my fellow members of the Secretariat, it is of my
utmost pleasure to welcome you to the second edition of
the Cambridge College Model United Nations (CCMUN).
This event would not have been possible without the
enormous initiative taken by last year’s Secretariat and
Chairs whom Cambridge College is extremely proud of.
On this edition the CCMUN committees will be addressing
topics ranging from modern issues to dynamic historical
events, in which you as delegates must try to reach the
most diplomatic solutions. Always keep in mind,
delegates, seek for the same entertainment that your
chairs had while making the research on the topics and
never forget to spread diplomacy and respect amongst
yourselves. Having been part of the CCMUN for some time
and having participated in the first edition of the event I
have seen the inner change in this small “club” my
predecessors have created to what now is a delegation
capable of hosting an MUN conference. Cambridge
College has never been a hyper competitive, aggressive
delegation when it comes to debate and that’s why we
intend to keep this conference as an easy going one, we
intend to keep a conference recognized for its diplomatic
and respectful environment, but still rewarding delegates
for their achievement in solving real UN world problems.
The CCMUN crew and I wish all of you the best of lucks
and that the updates are ever on your favour. I hope you
all are as thrilled we are for this conference and I hope you
all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed organizing it.
Yours truly,
Mariano Morón
Secretary General
Mariano Moron
Secretary-General
Camila Abram
Under Secretary-General
Daniela Andaluz
Director-General
Andrea Morante
Press Coordinator
Julian Walter
MUN Advisor
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Renato Llontop Calosi
Director
Felipe Núñez del Prado
Director
Alejandro Álvarez-Calderón
Assistant Director
Franco Pacheco Assistant Director
Julian Walter
MUN Advisor
[sochumccmun@gmail.com]
A Letter from the Chair
Dear delegates & faculty advisors,
We are Renato Llontop and Felipe Núñez del Prado and it
is an honour to welcome you to the Social, Humanitarian
and Cultural Committee. Currently, as incoming
freshman's into college life, we are managing to handle
our times between studies and passions. For us, high
school experience was a unique one. There, we had the
opportunity to meet so many talented people and we
think that being surrounded by different points of view is
what makes Model UN one activity to strive for.
For the ones who want to know a little bit more of our
“MUN career”, we both have participated in more than 25
conferences in the national and international level –The
Ivy League Model United Nations Conference (ILMUNC),
World Federation of the United Nations Association
(WFUNA) International Model United Nations (WIMUN)
& Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) just to
mention a few. From this point, you can start to imagine
the many scenarios we have been through and thus, it
would be important to show dynamism and partnership
activeness during the session of Cambridge College MUN.
As previously stated, we are not anymore high school
delegates and now it’s our time to see what the next
generations of “MUNers” are up to teach us. Whenever
you are a veteran delegate or it is just your first
conference, never be afraid to stand up and raise your
voice during formal speeches or negotiations, do not go
down and always remember that diplomacy must prevail.
Never get mad with Model UN, remember that any
activity you do is for taking advantage of it and MUN is
for having fun! During this time for committee
preparation, do not hesitate to contact any of us
regarding doubts or if you just want to present yourself!
See you soon!
Renato & Felipe
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INTRODUCTION
The world is in constant change, migrations are not any longer just regional issues and
unfortunately, humanity has gone blind through the inevitable proliferation of social
stigmas.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stressed: “Refugees who flee
intolerance at home are increasingly finding more intolerance in the countries where they
seek protection.” This simple but powerful phrase illustrates the precise example of what the
human indifference can yield every day.
Today, according to the United Nations, more than 65.5 million people had been forced to
flee their homes, being the greatest number of displaced people since World War II. The
reasons for this situation vary in magnitude and cause, including different forms of violence -
as the intervention of armed groups-, natural disasters or socio-political issues within a
nation. In other words, possible fears of migration are often caused by the apprehension the
topic itself causes. As a result, citizens’ antagonistic attitudes and thoughts toward refugee
immigration have lead many times to increased difficulty in their integration to societies.
HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE
The Third Committee of the General Assembly, the
Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Committee, is one of the
six Main Committees of the United Nations General
Assembly. Topics discussed in the Third Committee
include those that relate to social development (e.g. drug
control, criminal justice, etc.) and those that relate to the
betterment of the status of underserved populations,
including women, children, the elderly, persons with
disabilities, refugees, and indigenous peoples. The
majority of issues addressed by the Committee concern
human rights in some way.
The successes made by the Third Committee since its establishment, particularly in regard to
the promotion of human rights, have been far-reaching. In the fall of 1948, the Third
Committee analysed the draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Delegates in
the Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Committee made many revisions and established a
sub-committee to finalize the text. By December 7, the Committee approved the document
and recommended it to the General Assembly, which voted in favour of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948. Eleanor Roosevelt described the
passing of the document as “a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life
of mankind.”
More recently, the Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Committee has continued to address
concerns regarding human rights in countries such as Iran, the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea, and Syria. It has addressed topics such as female genital mutilation,
notably urging an increased effort to actively eradicate the practice and support its victims.
The Committee has also considered many times the use of the death penalty, facilitating
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discussion between nations with varied stances on the topic and has recently recommend
member states takes steps toward eliminating its use.
Over the last decade, in an effort to become more efficient and adapt to the challenges of
modern world, the General Assembly has undertaken a variety of measures to “revitalize its
work.” These measures have included: more collaborative and informal discussion methods,
increased communication between the Secretariat and Member States, and earlier
Secretariat elections.
The Third Committee hopes as well to maintain its relevance and continue its successes
within the ever-changing global climate. In the 71st session between 2016 and 2017, the body
addressed pressing issues like the most recent Reports of the Human Rights Council, the
human rights situation in Syria, and digital privacy rights. Among the most anticipated
discussions were those regarding the “elimination of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance.”
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly will address the topic of
Migration-Related Violence, Racism, and Xenophobia. Though this problem has affected
communities for centuries, the dangerous pressures towards violence, racism, and
xenophobia threaten national and international security at levels perhaps unprecedented in
recent history. The uptick in violent offenses and hate speech may be attributed to the
increase in the number of displaced person worldwide, calculated to be at the highest point
since the end of World War II. This influx of population movement often causes a variety of
fears relating to cultural identity, safety, and the economy. Meanwhile, recent rises of
populist politics as well as shifts in political power toward right-wing movements have also
augmented such tensions.
HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM
The history of international refugee human rights legislation can be traced back to the early
20th century. Following World
War I (1914-1918) and World
War II (1939-1945), millions of
people found themselves miles
away from their home, having
fled war or persecution.
Legislative efforts to protect
these at-risk populations began
within the League of Nations
and, following years of
deliberation, culminated in the
creation of the Convention
Relating to the Status of
Refugees, also known as the 1951
Convention. The document A group of refugees leave the Samanli-Dag Peninsula, on a boat
they boarded with the help of the Turkish Red Crescent
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outlined the definition of a refugee as well as their rights and responsibilities. Though the
document created in 1951 applied to solely European refugees, the 1967 Protocol increased
the purview of the legislation to include refugees across the globe.
The document’s forty-six articles addressed many of the concerns of refugees. First and
foremost, it provides an extensive definition for a who qualifies as a refugee. It also
articulates a refugee’s rights to housing, to education, to seek out employment, to free
movement, to practice religion freely, and to access the courts. Finally, document outlines
the concept of non-refoulement, the principle that refugees cannot be sent back to territories
that pose threats to their life or liberty.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or the UN Refugee Agency, is the body
tasked with overseeing the adherence to the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol. In
fulfilling this guardianship, the body assists in adapting national law to comply with the 1961
Convention and 1967 Protocol, implementing these laws and procedures, and determining
whether or not individuals should be considered a refugee. It also is the main proponent for
international recognition and adoption of the law; currently, 145 states are party to the 1951
Convention. For millions of refugees, these documents, along with the assistance of the
UNHCR, have protected basic rights and freedoms during times at which they were most
vulnerable.
Other documents have bolstered this international human rights law. These include: The
1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, the 1961 Convention on the
Reduction of Statelessness, and the 1967 United Nations Declaration on Territorial Asylum.
Meanwhile, regional bodies, including the African Union and the Council of Europe have
also developed similar documents to reaffirm these rights.
However, the extensive protections afforded to refugees under these pieces of legislation, do
not apply to the majority of migrants today. In order to be eligible, they must be able to
prove that they have fled violent conflict or persecution in their place of residence. Many
migrants who may have fled poverty, environmental change, or precarious political
situations are not categorized as refugees. Therefore, they are able to be legally deported and
their concerns ignored by host countries. As turmoil in multiple regions of the world has
continued to rage, and as the methods of mass migration have become increasingly crude, it
has become more and more difficult to distinguish refugees from migrants. Member states,
then, have the ability to make decisions based on how lenient their interpretation of the
refugee status is and how they choose to differentiate the treatment of migrants and
refugees.
The issue of protecting migrants from discriminatory or xenophobic behaviour has arisen
more recently. In 2001, the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) addressed the topic of “International
Migration, Racism, Discrimination and Xenophobia.” The conference resulted in an
extensive declaration outlining its results – likely the most comprehensive document to date
calling for the elimination of xenophobic and racist attacks against migrants and for the
protection of victims.
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Of the issues facing migrants, economic discrimination and exploitation of migrant workers
stand out having attracted the most international attention. The International Convention on
the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families was
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 1990. The document
protects migrant workers’ rights, including safe working conditions, access to fair courts, and
intimidation or forced separation of family members. This exhaustive human rights
legislation, however, has not been signed by a majority of countries. In fact, most countries
to ratify the Convention serves as sources rather than recipients of migrants. To date, no
states in North America or Western Europe that accept migrants have ratified the
connection. However, certain individual countries have drafted legislation to address the
issue of migrant workers to some extent; the United States, for example, issued the Migrant
and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Protection Act in 1983 to establish regulations on the
“wages, housing, transportation, disclosures and recordkeeping” for the labour of migrants.
CURRENT SITUATION
Much of the press coverage regarding the current state of migration has focused on trends
within the European continent, and this attention is not misguided. Human Rights Watch, a
nongovernmental organization that investigates international human rights abuses, has
assigned fault to the European Union for failing to craft effective policy to care for, integrate,
or regulate the influx of migrants. Two of the most challenging issues have been the perils of
migrant travel and the implementation of integration plans. Human Rights Watch reports,
for example, that over 4,000 migrants died or went missing while attempting to cross the
Mediterranean Sea in 2016. Meanwhile, for those that survive the journey, resettlement is
slow. A 2015 plan to resettle over 22,000 migrants over two years fell far short of that goal.
Refugees hold a sign reading “we are not terrorists” during the dismantling of the “jungle” refugee camp in
Calais, France, in February 2016
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Though Europe may seem to lie at the centre of the migrant crisis, it is important to address
this topic cognizant of its international scale. In fact, the countries that have the largest
immigrants as a proportion of their population are often Middle Eastern countries: United
Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait top the list, each having greater than 70% in 2015.
Countries including South Africa, Indonesia, Canada, and the United States have all seen
dramatic increases in this sort of problem. Even in areas with relatively low levels of
immigration, the fear of the other can sometimes develop, fostering conditions antagonistic
to the promotion of human rights in all corners of the globe. When Syrian refugees were
resettled in Canada, they were attacked with pepper spray. In Brazil, seven Haitian migrants
were shot and subsequently refused medical attention. Meanwhile, public policy has failed to
address the recent Haitian immigration, leaving them vulnerable to abuses. In Thailand,
harsh punishments for migrant workers have led to increased exploitation and caused many
to flee. In Lebanon, controversial deportation laws have divided families and limited migrant
worker’s abilities to have children. In Australia, low-quality “processing” centres for asylum
seekers hold thousands indefinitely. These centres were criticized by the United Nations
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in June 2017 for “harsh conditions …
[including] acute isolation, overcrowding, limited access to basic services, including health
care and education, allegations of sexual abuse by the service providers, acts of intimidation,
taunting and provocation, and continuing reports of suicide and self-harm.”
The problems relating to xenophobia and violence against migrants are unfortunately ones
that nations across the globe must grapple with. Each member state will have its own unique
experiences with the issue, but all will likely be able to relate to the common challenges faced
by accepting foreigners as members of their society.
RELEVANT UN ACTIONS
The United Nations has issued several attempts on these matter. However, several of the
already given conferences and resolutions have proven ineffective towards the combat
against Migration-Related Violence, Racism, and Xenophobia. Nonetheless, the
International Community has been committed to solvent the matter in a humanitarian and
political way.
World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance
The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance was hosted by Durban, in South Africa. From August 31 to September 8 of 2001, this conference achieved several accomplishments on international accords and regulations regarding the cultural and religious barriers that part of the population is forced to face. The member states reunited to discuss and reach consensus during these three days of conference, affirming that persistence was the key to tackle the long-standing inequality, the economic and political situation, education, access to health care and housing. The responsibility of ending impunity for violations to human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals and groups of individuals who are victimized was put in place correctly by agreeing on taking immediate actions and sanctions to the countries that are negligent towards the measures concerning the population´s quality and quantity of life. The conference received the assistance and support of regional bodies as the Inter-Parliamentary
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Union, and the statements and enhancement of the High Commission on Refugees and the Commission on Human Rights.
Combating Violence against Migrants
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as international institutions responded efficiently to General´s Assembly Resolution 67/185 by delivering the Combating Violence against Migrants document, offering alternative solutions along with their legal framework, in order to attend to the increase range of economic and social measures to the issue. This document ensures along Criminal justice measures to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish violence against migrants, migrant workers and their families and to protect victims.
This document presented a humanitarian scope towards the current situation on the international legal framework attending the discrimination and xenophobia against migrants on a jurisdictional basis, along with the strengthen of international and regional legislation, the protection and the assistance to victims and finally providing access the justice, restitution and rehabilitation; compensating and supporting the short-term and long-term victims.
General Assembly´s Resolution 67/155
This resolution proved progress towards the past resolutions presented in 1997 and 2009 which comprehensively guided to the full implementation of World Conference and underlining the importance of their full and effective creation. The UN resolution was tagged as the “Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action”.
QUESTIONS A RESOLUTION MUST ANSWER (QARMAS)
A draft resolution on Migration-Related Racism, Discrimination, and Xenophobia should
reach further than merely trying to address each sub-topic in isolation; rather, the most
successful draft resolutions will synthesize diverse policy recommendations in order to tackle
as a whole the challenges of the migrant and minority experience.
What methods can be used to combat bias or hatred against foreigners?
How can countries that have strict immigration controls still uphold human rights in
the treatment of citizen or non-citizens’ migrants?
In what ways can countries with conflicting philosophies and policies on migration
agree and/or collaborate on the elimination of racism, discrimination, and
xenophobia?
Should equal efforts be directed toward revising or strengthening international law or
toward bolstering on-the-ground application of current law?
Will international, regional, national, or local bodies be most effective in
implementing solutions? Government or non-government organization?
In what ways can the international community protect migrant women and children
from abuse during travel and trafficking, often undertaken at the leadership of
dangerous forces?
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Are human rights of migrants and security of a nation mutually exclusive? If not,
what measures support both simultaneously?
POTENTIAL BLOC POSITIONS
Bloc positions for this subject are unlike many
other subjects; it is difficult to distinguish clear
divisions along geographic, political, or religious
lines. Unlike the topic of freedom of religion, there
are not a set of countries with separation of church
and state and a group with state-sponsored
religions. Unlike certain economic issues, this is
not a question of the developed versus the
developing world. In fact, it would be unwise to
assume that even all-western European countries
would agree on a set of policies while all Central
American countries would agree on another.
Immigration policies, as well as stances on the
protection of the rights of minorities, are issues
that are deeply specific to each nation. Each nation has a unique experience with cultural
history, racial understanding, and immigration and must craft its international policies
accordingly.
Furthermore, these political positions are also ones that changes drastically with shifts in
political leadership. In the United States, the stance of the Obama administration is quite
different than that of the Trump administration. In some countries, the positions of
delegates in this session of SOCHUM may be very different to those same countries’
positions a year in the past, and it’s important to remember that these positions may change
further before conference itself.
Still, one division that may be helpful in understanding bloc positions is net migration rate.
Countries with a greater flow of migrants into its territory than out of it are said to have
positive net migration. Countries with a greater flow of migrant out of its territory than into
it are said to have negative net migration. Though not a definite rule, countries with negative
net migration rates may be more open to policies that improve the standard of their citizens
abroad. Meanwhile, receiving countries with high net migration rates may be less likely to
support such measures if they require national funding or place a burden on the government.
Data on countries’ net migration rate can be found in sources such as the World Bank and
the CIA World Factbook.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
When conducting research on this topic, it will be best to consult a diverse range of source
materials in order to gain perspective on the full scope of the issue. It may be useful to begin
following news stories from a variety of news outlets that track the migrant crisis and
immigration policy over the past few years. Next, it will be important to appreciate your
U.S. citizens express their discontent with
illegal immigrants
http://worldmeets.us/
http://worldmeets.us/lajornada000184.sh
tml#.WuKnzy7wbIV#ixzz5DqOcKmL4
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country’s relationship with immigration. Try to understand its net migration rate, its
immigration legislation and policies, and the experience of migrants either entering or
leaving the country. Then, I recommend you dive into the intricacies of the issue as well as
each subtopic and do your best to understand the full extent of the problem. Make sure to
read UN documents on the subject, including reports and past resolutions.
Some documents to look out for include:
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
Convention on the Rights of the Child
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and
Members of Their Families
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced
Disappearance
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Slavery Convention and the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery,
the Slave Trade, Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery.
POSITION PAPER RECOMMENDATIONS
Delegates must take various things into account when writing their position paper, some of
these things include the following:
On the heading, delegate’s names, the delegation they are representing (country),
topic and committee respectively should be written down.
In the first paragraph, delegates must state their country’s position and situation in
the matter. For example, the country could be extremely involved/experiencing the
issue or it might be a bystander.
On the second paragraph, certain documents, treaties, or specific actions from
UN/internationally-recognized organs -which the represented delegation has
adopted or taken part- should be mentioned for strengthening the country’s position
towards the issue.
Lastly, on the third paragraph, solutions to the problem being faced must be
proposed. In order to do this, the delegates must take into account that the respective
solution(s) developed must be realistic and innovative.
Regarding some format aspects, the font will be Times New Roman size 11.5 with a
line spacing of 1.15. Please, remember to write clearly and in no more than 1000
words. As well, we highly recommend position papers to be attached as PDF files and
please make sure you send them to this email: sochumccmun@gmail.com (Delegates
will be notified when received). It is of high importance that the document must be
sent on time, and feel free to send them before deadline.
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CLOSING REMARKS
Congratulations! If you have finished reading this background guide (Hope so!!!) you are
already starting to manage the topic. Remember that this guide is only your first approach
with the topic and you are recommended to look forward into more detailed information.
Furthermore, I want to tell you that whenever you are a veteran delegate or it is just your
first conference, never be afraid to stand up and raise your voice during formal speeches or
negotiations, do not go down and always remember that diplomacy must prevail. Learn from
others and show what Peruvian delegates are made of. Finally, if you have any doubts
regarding the committee, feel free to reach me out through the email attached in this guide.
The Dais is really amazed to meet you all in June and hopes everyone can learn a lot and
have fun at the same time during this CCMUN 2018!
Sincerely,
Renato & Felipe
Directors of the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee
Cambridge College Model United Nations 2018
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. http://www.un.org/en/sections/history-unitednations-charter/1945-san-francisco-
conference/index.Html
2. http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/background.shtml
3. http://www.unelections.org/?q=node/27
4. UN High Commissioner for Refugees “Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status
of Refugees” [1951, 1967]
5. http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/about-us/background/4ec262df9/1951-convention-
relating-statusrefugees-its-1967-protocol.html
6. United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law, “International Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination” [December 1965]
7. http://www.un.org/WCAR/durban.pdf
8. https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison
reform/UNODC_Combating_Violence_against_Migrants.pdf