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CHS MiniMUN 2016
Contents
Table of Contents
A Letter from the Secretariat 3
Description of Committee 4-4
Access to Education for Persons with Disabilities
Introduction 5-6
Background 7-11
Recent Development 11-12
International Action 12-14
Recommentations for Creating A Resolution 14
Further Research 15
Resources 16
This background guide has been adopted and reformatted from
UNA-USA 2014 Model United Nations Conference Background Guide for the General Third Committee,
SocHum.
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CHS MiniMUN 2016
A Letter from the Secretariat
Delegates,
Welcome to the background guides for MiniMUN 2016! Whether it is your first or third Model
United Nations conference, it is our hope at MiniMUN that you will continue to further expand your
knowledge of MUN, world issues, and the UN itself.
By opening this document, you are taking the first step towards being a participant. The purpose
of this background guide is to introduce the committee and the topic. Further research is required along
with the submission of a position paper. Details on position paper and submission are available under the
Position Paper tab on our website: http://chsminimun.weebly.com/position-papers.html
The topics and committees were chosen to reflect the problems that our world leaders face. From
the basic idea of access to vaccines to avoiding the possible conflict in outer space, these issues have to be
dealt with. As a delegate, you will be stepping into the role of world leaders. You will take on perspectives
different from your own, and you will push for what your country believes to be right.
If at any time you are having trouble finding information on your topic or need help with the
position paper, contact the MiniMUN staff. We are more than willing to help!
We are very excited to see you at MiniMUN 2016!
Karla Chavez and Ashwin Rathie
Secretary-General and Director-General, MiniMUN 2016
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CHS MiniMUN 2016
Description of Committee
The General Assembly, one of the United Nations’ main organs, was created with the
purpose of creating policies, deliberating and uniting countries around the world. Its creation not only
brought countries together to discuss important topics, but also has proven its purpose of maintaining peace
within member countries from its foundation back in 1945. With 193 member states, it provides a unique
forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the charter.
The General Assembly has six Main Committees: Report of the High Commissioner for the First
Committee (Disarmament and International Refugees.Security Committee), Second Committee (Economic
Source: United Nations and Financial Committee), Third Committee (Social,
Humanitarian and Cultural Committee), Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization
Committee), Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary Committee), and the Sixth Committee (Legal
Committee). All of these work together to ensure the correct functioning of the body as a whole, to set
policy goals and recommendations for the GA and her member states, and to discuss topics of import
amongst member nations to make the General Assembly achieve its purpose.
The Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (GA 3rd) was created to take care of
humanitarian affairs and human rights issues that affect people all over the world. Because of its important
link to Human Rights affairs, the 3rd Committee also examines reports from the Human Rights Council as
part of its agenda.
In 1948, the committee recommended the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, presented in the
General Assembly by Eleanor Roosevelt, to be used as the standard for laws protecting human rights
internationally.
SocHum: http://www.un.org/en/ga/third/
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Access to Education for Persons with Disabilities
Introduction
Persons with disabilities make up around 15% of the world population, according to the World
Health Organization (WHO). While awareness of disability issues has improved since the commencement
of the annual celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 1992, conditions for
persons with disabilities are still not up to the standard they should be. However, a major step towards
improving the status of rights for the disabled came in the form of the adoption of the Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities by UNESCO in 2006. This convention introduced a universal
framework which states that those with disabilities should be able to enjoy both human rights and
fundamental freedoms, as enjoyed by those without disabilities. UNESCO believes that access to quality
education is a crucial aspect of promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and their inclusion.
Historically, children as well as adults with disabilities have been excluded from both mainstream
education and the workplace. Instead, they have been placed in special schools targeting a specific
disability such as blindness or deafness, which indirectly isolates them from the rest of society. According
to UNESCO, 90% of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school. Additionally,
a study conducted by the UNDP in 1998 found that the global literacy rate for adults with disabilities is as
low as 3%, and as low as 1% for women with disabilities. Significant improvement in these areas has only
been observed when legislation has passed that requires the inclusion of disabled children with disabilities
in general educational systems. A review of countries that are a part of the Organization for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD) shows that there is a general movement towards inclusive education
(for example in Norway, Portugal and Lithuania) though there certainly are exceptions among developing
countries and states with strong conservative parties (such as Belgium and Germany). In the United States
of America, the education system tries to place children in as integrated a setting as possible while also
providing for special placements as deemed necessary.
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Even though inclusive schools appear to be desirable for the achievement of equality and human
rights, not all forms of disabilities will benefit from full inclusion. The World Federation of the Deaf has
argued that a deaf child benefits most from a school where teachers and students use sign language, and
that placement of deaf children in a mainstream school where they have limited interactions with their
surroundings actually excludes them from education and society. Major actors in improving the access to
education for persons with disabilities have been UNESCO, WHO, and the World Bank. These
organizations have promoted their findings and results through the World Report on Disability, as well as
the establishment of the Global Partnership for Children with Disabilities. Although the leadership of these
global organizations is necessary for the advancement of the rights of the disabled, the strongest power to
act and implement various measures to help the disabled lies with governments. For this reason, universal
access to education for persons with disabilities is only possible with the full support and cooperation of
all governments worldwide.
Support for the dignity, rights, and wellbeing of disabled persons is a central condition for equality
and justice for all of humanity. In order to achieve all of the internationally agreed-upon goals, we must
fully address disability as a development issue. There have certainly been victories in the journey towards
attaining access to education for persons with disabilities, such as the 2008 International Conference on
Inclusive Education, where member states committed to adopting an inclusive approach to reach the goal
to achieve education for all. Nevertheless, there are still many goals to be reached regarding the global
ability to provide access to education for persons with disabilities. UNESCO, among other key actors, will
sure have to play an important role in shaping the way this problem is tackled in the near future.
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Background
The slow development of providing access to education for persons with disabilities can generally
be attributed to an insufficient understanding and awareness on the issue. The problem persists because it
is very complex, and no one solution can be implemented worldwide.
Moreover, the definition of a disabled person is constantly evolving and is no longer limited to
persons with physical disabilities. This is considered progressive because more people who require the
services are now included within the category.
However, this has also caused difficulties in education systems as the various disabilities have led
some policy makers to simply segregate the disabled children.
Many different policies have emerged on education for the disabled over the years, including
segregation, mainstreaming, and inclusion. These three practices exist to differing degrees in the various
parts of the world depending on the capabilities of countries.
If persons with disabilities are not given the opportunity to receive education, the consequences
remain with them throughout their lives. An argument that supports the policy of inclusion as well as
mainstreaming is that in addition to receiving education, the disabled should receive education in
conjunction with non-disabled persons because we all co-exist in society. The segregation of the disabled
in education encourages a situation in which they are secluded from the greater society because both parties
do not know how to interact with each other.
The generation of disabled adults who were denied the opportunity to receive education only serves
to emphasize the dire need for a good education program for the disabled as levels of literacy are extremely
high among disabled adults. Furthermore, the non-existence of skills that children normally learn in schools
leads to the inability of the disabled to independently function in society as the lack of education often leads
to the incapability to secure employment.
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Despite the many barriers to achieving a solution to this issue, there has been positive development,
especially in promoting greater awareness. Because of this, there is recognition for the need to establish a
standard for education the disabled.
Prior to this, the issue was mostly tackled on a case-by-case basis, or on a small scale. Noteworthy
achievements include greater cooperation between UNESCO and UNICEF in the Global Partnership on
Children with Disabilities. This partnership has fundamentally transformed international cooperation in
education.9 As part of this partnership, a task force has been formed with responsibilities such as collecting
data, monitoring progress and advocating the need for teacher training for disability-inclusive education.
When discussing the issue of education for persons with disabilities, we have to take into
consideration that segregation, mainstreaming and inclusion are all valid methods and countries have
employed each method with varying degrees of success.
Value on Education
An important issue in some developing countries is the amount of value placed in education,
persons with disabilities and the education of persons with disabilities. This comes down to the promotion
of equality between persons with and without disabilities. The lack of value in the education of persons
with disabilities was a crucial factor in the exclusion of persons with disabilities from education systems.
Key actors in improving this aspect of the access to education are governments. The promotion of
acceptance of persons with disabilities in society as well as the extension of encouragement by the
government to families with disabled persons will go a long way in improving the accessibility to the
disabled and positive response from society.
Inadequate Resources
The issue of inadequate resources is two-fold: on the part of the providers of education, and on the
part of families with disabled persons. Even for a more developed country, the cost of education for a person
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with disability can be high when compared to for a person without disability. A study from the United
States found that on average, educating a child with disability costs the government almost double the cost
of educating a child without a disability. Without increased financial support, a good system of education
for children with disabilities is difficult to achieve.
Today, three ways of funding special needs of education are in use: through the national budget,
financing particular needs of institutions, or financing individuals to meet their needs. Because educating
disabled children sometimes entails costs higher than can be afforded by the government, sometimes the
cost of education falls on the parents’ shoulders. The lack of resources of the families with disabilities
discourages them from sending their children to school. For these situations, incentives are needed to
encourage school attendance of children with disabilities.
Developments
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an important day that occurs annually on 3rd
of December. This day raises awareness and sheds some light on the issues concerning people with
disabilities and how far we have come today in allowing them equal opportunities in the world.
Every year, a theme is selected to reflect some of the important topics that need to be known. In 2012,
the theme was “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all.” In 2013, the theme
was “Breaking barriers, opening doors: an inclusive society for all.”
This highlights the crucial need for the global society to break down barriers and the importance of
inclusion as a way forward for persons with disabilities. Even though these campaigns apply to general
issues that pertain to persons with disabilities, barriers and inclusion are very important in advancing the
status of the disabled in the educational arena as well.
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The Policy of Inclusion
In 2012, the Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities formed a special task force under their
purview on the topic of inclusive education. The recent focus on inclusion as a viable strategy to achieve
access to education for disabled persons is indicative of the need for a strong basis for building structures
that will allow future success. This also suggests that concepts of segregation and mainstreaming are not
popular directions in which global society is encouraged to move in.
Moving forward, this trend suggests that meetings between governmental and non-governmental
organizations on the issue of access to education for persons with disabilities will focus on mapping out the
strategy of inclusive education and the implementation of this form of education. One such meeting
occurred earlier this year on 23 September 2013: the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on
Disability and Development (HLMDD).
During the HLMDD, two main topics discussed were International and regional cooperation and
partnerships for disability-inclusive development and Post-2015 development agenda and inclusive
development for persons with disabilities. While it is important to think of what needs to happen for current
advancement pre-2015, it should be noted that plans post-2015 need to be made now. As a guide, the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with regards to persons with disabilities are key goals that should
be met as a means to provide the disabled with access to education.
Accessibility
Without physical accessibility and the infrastructure necessary, it is difficult for any significant
advancement to occur. Countries worldwide are encouraged to renovate existing schools to include facilities
that are more disability-friendly such as ramps and handle rails. With the improvement in
infrastructure, accessibility for the disabled will have improved. This is a crucial step towards inclusive
education. Though this may not be necessary depending on the state of schools in any country, it may be
required that new schools be built that are more disability-friendly.
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Even though the current state of schools in certain urbanized areas leave much to be desired,
when targeting locations for improvement, one must not forget the rural areas. Some disabled persons in
these areas are not only disabled, but they may also be marginalized as a minority in society. Therefore,
when thinking of making education more accessible, the marginalized persons throughout the world also
have to be accounted for.
Women’s organizations in various areas of the world have also been playing an important role
in improving access to education for persons with disabilities. One such activity is sponsored by The
Women’s Council of the UK in conjunction with the ADAPT (formerly the Spastics Society in India).14
These groups provided scholarships for educators to be trained in teaching the disabled. Though this is one
particular form of disability education, and only one of many initiatives, this serves as an example of what
can be encouraged in different nations and by different organizations throughout the world.
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International Action
When thinking about an issue as diverse as access to education for persons with disabilities,
disparity in standards of policies and the level of implementation is expected throughout the world.
International action in this sense not only encompasses what is being done by international bodies such as
UNESCO and UNICEF, but also what is being done by other organizations and governments globally. In
order to solve the issue and improve the situation for the disabled worldwide, international action has to be
broken down further into actions taken regionally, nationally as well as locally.
Challenges to be Faced
Funding, unfortunately, is an important factor in determining the level of success of an initiative
towards achieving access to education for the disabled. However, this problem is not unique to the issue of
education for the disabled and should not be treated as such. It is simply imperative to remember that
funding is part of the problem that has to be addressed as part of the solution. With enough determination,
it is possible for governments to receive funding for their policies that aim to implement better educational
systems that greatly benefit the disabled.
The World Bank awarded Vietnam fast track funding due to its development activities geared
toward achieving universal primary education. Vietnam’s credible national plan for universal education and
strategies to reduce poverty was the first in Asia to be recognized by the World Bank.15 Therefore, a lack
of funding is no excuse to not move towards achieving a high or equal quality of education for disabled and
non-disabled children as there are international organizations willing to help countries who require it. The
interaction between local, national and international in the case of Vietnam symbolizes the necessity of
cooperation between different bodies in order to achieve good end results. As part of these plans for action,
nations such as Vietnam, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka all aim towards inclusion as the system of education and
focus specifically on infrastructure and training teachers in the methods of educating persons with
disabilities.
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Even though all countries have room for progress, the advancements made by the United States
in the past 35 years since the enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have to
be commended. A large portion of their success is a direct result of IDEA investments in rigorous education
research, training and technical assistance which are then employed by various teachers with confidence
Another aspect of their success has been through the development of a national infrastructure that has
benefited both children with disabilities as well as their non-disabled classmates.
According to UNESCO, “the greatest barriers to inclusion are caused by society and not by
medical impairments.” 18 In societies where the disabled are shunned and hidden away, it is foremost less
likely for the parents to even acknowledge the disabilities of their child. This stigma against the disabled
has to be lifted and modified in order for the disabled children in these communities to be given the chance
to receive an education. Even though it may be difficult for governments to change the mindset of their
society, it is not impossible and there are numerous ways such as practicing acceptance of the disabled as
well as employing incentives such as food, transportation and/or monetary benefits.
Moving Forward
The path ahead varies greatly from country to country. Conditions such as policy and legislative
environments have to be considered carefully before deciding on a preliminary course of action that will
then lead to more concrete plans that can be implemented. The Education for All Fast Track Initiative
(FTI) provides data that can be helpful towards establishing what needs to be done next. However, the
use of international bodies as pillars of support are important in ensuring that the development pursued by
various governments are stable. Additionally, it is important to track data and keep a record of the numbers
of persons with disabilities receiving education and if and/or how this changes as different policies come
into play. With each improvement, it is important to note why and how did it come to be successful. Even
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if certain actions lead to failures instead of successes, it is still important to know the causes and effects
for the benefit of other countries.
When planning for the future, it could also be beneficial to set up immediate, short-term and long-
term goals so that the plan of action has a structure as well as deadlines to adhere to. Many plans currently
in existence monitor conditions or plan activities up to the year 2015. When the time of the plan expires,
an evaluation of the progress made and a new plan should be drafted up to prepare for the future.
Recommendations for Creating a Resolution
For this topic, because the issue is so vast, delegates may want to find solutions in a three-step
approach: immediate, short-term and long-term goals. An important step to achieving access to education
for persons with disabilities is raising awareness and educating the general public on the merits of
education, and inclusive education, for both the disabled as well as the nondisabled. Delegates should also
think about ways to implement inclusive education, and increase the distribution of resources and the
allocation of educational funding, among others. To measure the extent of success, it is imperative for
delegates to assess actions taken prior to 2016, and plan accordingly for after 2016.
While drafting the resolution, as well as during debate, it is important to consider the different
cultural backgrounds present throughout the global society. These differences materialize through the
various attitudes toward persons with disabilities in different countries. In order to relay the importance of
this topic to the maximum number of people, it is important to address the issue and carry out the actions
in a culturally sensitive manner. The consideration of cultural differences globally raises the chances of
more effective implementation of solutions.
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Further Research
Questions to Consider:
1. How can greater educational opportunities be created for persons with disabilities in your country?
2. How should different attitudes toward the disabled be addressed while exploring solutions? Think
in terms of family, teacher, and peer relations.
3. Has your country made efforts to integrate the disabled more completely into educational and
greater society? If so, what efforts have been made? What efforts can be made to integrate persons
with disabilities more effectively throughout the international community?
4. Will making parents and their children more knowledgeable about inclusive education have an
effect on your educational system and student enrollment?
5. How can greater cooperation and discourse be created between the disabled and nondisabled
communities? Does your country believe that cooperation may lessen social isolation in society? If
so, how?
6. How can access to education lead to access of other resources for the disabled?
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Resources
“Introducing UNESCO.” United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
http://en.unesco.org/about-us/introducing-unesco
“UNESCO around the world,” United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO). http://en.unesco.org/countries/countries-list
“UNESCO’s governing bodies,” UNESCO, http://en.unesco.org/about-us/unescos-governingbodies
“Access for people with disabilities,” Communication and Information, UNESCO,
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/access-to- knowledge/accessfor-
people-with-disabilities/
“World Report on Disability,” World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank,
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789240685215_eng.pdf
“Background Note for the Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities,” Task Force on the Global
Partnership for Education, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),
http://www.unicef.org/disabilities/files/Education_Background_Note_for_GPcwd_12.08.27.pdf
“World Report on Disability,” WHO and the World Bank,
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789240685215_eng.pdf “The Dakar Framework for
Action,” UNESCO,
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001211/121147e.pdf
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“Article 24,” Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the United Nations (UN),
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=284
“International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December 2013,” the UN,
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1607#background
“High-level meeting of the General Assembly on disability and development, 23 September 2013,” the
UN, http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1590
“IDA Press Release: High level meeting on disability and development (HLMDD), 23
September 2013,” International Disability Alliance (IDA),
http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/en/article/ida-press-release-high-level-meetingdisability-
and-development-hlmdd-23-september-2013
The Women’s Council, http://www.womenscouncil.org.uk/events.html
ADAPT (formerly The Spastics Society of India), http://www.adaptssi.org/home.html
“Towards Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities: A Guideline,” UNESCO, Education for All
and Japanese Funds-in-Trust,
http://www.uis.unesco.org/Library/Documents/disabchild09-en.pdf
“Guidance Note: A Department for International Development practice paper, Education for children with
disabilities – improving access and quality,” UKAID,
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67664/edu-chidisabil-guid-
note.pdf
“Thirty-five Years of Progress in Educating Children With Disabilities Through IDEA,” U.S. Department
of Education, http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/idea-35history.pdf
“Guidance Note: A Department for International Development practice paper, Education for children with
disabilities – improving access and quality,” UKAID,
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https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67664/edu-chidisabil-guid-
note.pdf
“The State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities,” UNICEF,
http://www.unicef.org/mena/MENA_SOWC_Report_2013_ENG(1).pdf
“Equity and Inclusion in Education: Tools to support education sector planning and evaluation,”
UNESCO, http://www.unesco.org/bpi/pdf/iatt_equity_inclusion_tools_042008_en.pdf, “Guidance Note:
A Department for International Development practice paper, Education for children with
disabilities – improving access and quality,” UKAID,
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67664/edu-chidisabil-guid-
note.pdf