Letter from the Executive Board:

Greetings Delegates!

We welcome you all to the simulation of the United Nations Commission on the
Status of Women at Smriti MUN’23. This letter is the first thing we expect you to
read before you move ahead with the background guide and the agenda. For this
simulation to fulfill our expectations of being successful and thoughtful
simulations of the conference, it is up to you to work harder, think critically, and
adapt easily. The agenda for the committee has been kept, keeping in mind the
prospective delegates. What I expect out of you, is an understanding of the
agenda, relevant policy concerns and inference of direct and indirect
implications. Please note that this guide is to merely provide you with a
basic idea of the committee, so it is a mandate that you go beyond the guide in
your research.

To ease your work; this background guide has been divided into 6 parts; namely:

1. How to prepare for the committee?

2. How to research?
3. Valid source of proof in the committee,
4. Introduction to the committee,
5. Introduction to the agenda
6. Committee goals and general guidelines (will be explained during the
training session on the first day of the conference)

For a better understanding of the guide and the committee, it will be better if you
go through them part-wise and understand the importance of each part. You may
only use the guide as a core theme to help you understand the ideas covered in
the agenda. Beyond this, you must do further research, but more importantly, we
want you to sit down with the information you have gathered and analyze the
central problems there, possibly predict what the discussion will entail, and then
develop logical and reasonable defenses and effective solutions based on it.

We look forward to an exciting committee with the delegates at SMRITI MUN

2023. We wish you the best of luck for the conference Delegates!

Regards,
Chakrika Kusuma, Evelyn Tessa Grace

United Nations Commission on the Status of Women - Executive Board

chakrika.k.17@gmail.com evelyn.tessagrace.10@gmail.com
How to prepare for the committee?
One of the most widespread misconceptions about the concept of MUNs is that
you have to gather research on the internet and speak in committee. However,
that is not the only thing you must do; you must also conduct research for the
committee and analyze your findings.

When it comes to playing the role of a delegate in a committee in the context of

MUNs, analysis is critical. The term analysis confuses most delegates, and they
are unable to improve the quality of their analysis over time. "Analysis" simply
means "interpreting the research you have from your perspective." Analysis is an
important aspect of a MUN because without analyzing current research, you
cannot progress toward development but can only dwell on existing research.

Before that, do think about what your analysis includes. When you begin your
analysis, keep the following points in mind:

1. Context - What is the context of your research? What exactly are you
analyzing? What is its implication?
2. Stakeholders - Who/what is driving your research and playing a significant
role? Who are the people involved in your research?
3. Impact - How will your research influence the Committee? What impact will
it have on the relevant parties of the agenda?
4. Scope of Solution Space -What are all possible solutions to the problem?
5. Constraints within the solution -What are the constraints of the solutions
formulated in the
solution space? And can they be dealt with, or is there a way around it?
6. Key Insights - What is the final conclusion or key takeaway from your
agenda analysis?

How to Research?
When you begin your research, try to understand what research is and what you
intend to do in the committee. Write the agenda on your document and try to
divide it into sections.

Agenda: “PREVENTION AND ERADICATION OF ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE

AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS”
Example: (1) Violence against women (2) Women, Peace, and Security
(3) Accountability as Prevention and eradication;

As you break it into parts try coming up with topics which can be discussed in the
committee. Example: (1) Understand what does violence against women and
girls mean; (2) Improving accountability and combating impunity for conflict-
related violence as a means of providing justice to women; (3) Hold responsible
individuals, states, and non-state actors; and prevent future violence against
women at conflict; (4) Gaps in the delivery of justice and survivors' assistance, as
well as ways to strengthen the international architecture

After writing the agenda and breaking it down further, search the internet for
more information on the sub-topics, such as legal implications, government
implications, and so on. It is not necessary that you can find your subtopics
before beginning your basic research; as you begin your basic research, you will
come across problems that are being faced around the world, from which you
can derive your subtopics.

After you've chosen your topics and done your research, find out what other
committees and bodies (national and international) exist besides the UNCSW
that have the authority to act. In our case, online agenda campaigns can also be
considered to provide solutions. Examine the reports, suggestions, and actions
taken by those bodies, as well as those provided in national and UN documents,
such as the Secretary-General Report to date on the agenda, and try to analyze
the problem and solution, as well as provide your own input.

Example:
(1) what does violence against women and girls mean?
In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women (A/RES/48/104). The Declaration defines
violence against women as ‘any act of gender-based violence that results in, or
is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to
women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty,
whether occurring in public or in private life’.

After reading the national and international reports, read the UN report on the
agenda, which will tell you about all of the progress made on the agenda. After
you've completed the preceding tasks, try to select case studies and identify the
problems and how they can be improved (this will test your analytical skills), and
being able to implement the solution for that problem will help you in your
application skills.

The above is just one of many research methods, and they can all differ. But, in
the end, make sure you understand what the agenda means and what needs to
be done to achieve a successful outcome.

Valid source of proof in the committee:

Evidence or proof obtained from the following sources will be considered
credible:

1. State-owned News Agencies - These reports can be used to support or

oppose the state that owns the News Agency. These reports, if credible or
substantial enough, can be used to support or oppose any country, but
they can also be denied by any other country in the council.
Some examples,
i. RIA Novosti (Russia) [http://en.rian.ru/]
ii. IRNA (Iran) [http://http://www.irna.ir/en/ ]
iii. BBC (United Kingdom) [http://bbc.co.uk/ ]
iv. Al Jazeera (Qatar) [http://www.aljazeera.com ]
v. Xinhua News Agency (PR China)
[http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/china/ ]
2. Government Reports: These reports can be used in the same way as State
Operated News Agencies reports and can be denied by another country in
all circumstances. A nuance is that a report that is denied by a specific
country can still be accepted as credible information by the Executive
Board. Such as:
i. Government Websites like the State Department of the United States of
America [http://www.state.gov/index.htm ] or the Ministry of Defence of the
Russian Federation [http://www.eng.mil.ru/en/index.htm ]
ii. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of various nations like India
[http://www.mea.gov.in/ ] or People’s Republic of China
[http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/ ].
iii. Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Reports
http://www.un.org/en/members/ (Click on any country to get the website of
theOffice of its Permanent Representative.)
iv. Multilateral Organizations like the NATO
[http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/index.htm ], ASEAN
[http://www.aseansec.org/ ], OPEC
[http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/ ], etc.
 3. United Nations Reports: All UN Reports are considered are credible
information or evidence:

i. UN Bodies like the UNSC [http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/] or UNGA

[http://www.un.org/en/ga/].
ii. UN Affiliated Bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency
[http://www.iaea.org/], World Bank [http://www.worldbank.org/] ,
International Monetary Fund [http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm] ,
iii. International Committee of the Red Cross
[http://www.icrc.org/eng/index.jsp] , etc.
iv. Treaty Based Bodies like the Antarctic Treaty System [http://
www.ats.aq/e/ats.htm] , the International Criminal Court [http://www.icc-
cpi.int/Menus/ICC]

NOTE — Sources like Wikipedia [http://www.wikipedia.org/] , Amnesty

International [http://www.amnesty.org/] , Human Rights Watch
[http://www.hrw.org/] or newspapers like the Guardian
[http://www.guardian.co.uk/] , Times of India [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/] ,
etc. are typically not accepted as PROOF/EVIDENCE. However, they can be
used for better understanding of any issue or on rare occasions, be brought up in
debate if the information given in such sources is in line with the beliefs of a
Government.

Furthermore, information submitted as evidence citing reportage from sources

such as those mentioned in this note may be treated as having significance in
terms of persuasive value - for example, to cement one's assertions - but never
as binding, indisputable fact.

Introduction to the Committee:

The mandate and functions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
combine the mandates and functions of the Office of the Special Adviser on
Gender Issues and Women's Advancement, the Division for Women's
Advancement, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and the
International Research and Training Institute for Women. Furthermore, the entity
is responsible for leading, coordinating, and promoting the accountability of the
United Nations system in its work on gender equality and women's
empowerment. UN Women seeks to "enhance, rather than replace, efforts by
other parts of the UN system (such as UNICEF, UNDP, and UNFPA), which will
continue to have a responsibility to work for gender equality and women's
empowerment in their areas of expertise."

The following are the main thematic areas of work for UN Women:

● Political participation and leadership

● Economic empowerment
● Women's violence must be eliminated
● Humanitarian assistance
● Peace and security
● National planning and governance
● Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development
The main roles of UN Women are:
● To support inter-governmental bodies, such as the Commission on the
Status of Women, in their formulation of policies, global standards and
norms.
● To help Member States to implement these standards, standing ready to
provide suitable technical and financial support to those countries that
request it, and to forge effective partnerships with civil society.
● To hold the UN system accountable for its own commitments on gender
equality, including regular monitoring of system-wide progress.

UN Women has the authority to:

➢ Assist intergovernmental organizations, such as the Commission on the Status of

Women, in developing policies, global standards, and norms.
➢ Assist UN member states in implementing the aforementioned standards, standing
ready to provide appropriate technical and financial assistance to those countries
that request it, as well as forge effective partnerships with civil society.
➢ Allow member states to hold the UN system accountable for its own gender
equality commitments, including regular monitoring of system-wide progress.

Introduction to the Agenda:

What includes Violence against women and girls?
aggression, widespread violence, and/or widespread human rights abuses.

Tany forms of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, any forms of
forced or compulsory labor, which means work or service which is exacted from
any person under the menace of penalty and for which said person has not
offered himself voluntarily; the worst forms of child labour; other gross human
rights violations and abuses such as widespread sexual violence war crimes or
other serious violations of international humanitarian law, crimes against
humanity or genocide.

Armed Conflicted regions are those where Violence against women and children
is common. The area could be a region, a country, a region within a country, or
an area that crosses the borders of one or more countries. Conflict-affected
areas are distinguished by the presence of armed conflict, widespread violence,
or other threats to human life. Some of the most heinous human rights violations
involving sexual violence occur during conflict over territory, resources, or the
government itself, when the human rights regime cannot be expected to function
properly.

❖ Women Rights

Over many decades, the UN has made significant progress in advancing gender
equality, including through landmark agreements such as the Beijing Declaration
and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW)

● Beijing Declaration: resolution adopted by UN, 15 september, 1995

● CEDAW: An international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations
General
Assembly.

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but it also has enormous
socioeconomic implications. Women's empowerment fuels thriving economies,
boosting productivity and growth. Nonetheless, gender inequalities persist in
every society. Women face occupational segregation and wage disparities based
on gender. They are frequently denied basic education and health care. Women
face violence and discrimination all over the world. They have a disproportionate
representation in political and economic decision-making processes.For many
years, the UN has faced serious challenges in its efforts to promote global
gender equality, including insufficient funding and the lack of a single recognised
driver to direct UN activities on gender equality issues. UN Women was
established to address such issues. It will be a dynamic and powerful advocate
for women and girls, giving them a strong voice at the global, regional, and local
levels. UN Women works for the following issues, among others, based on the
vision of equality enshrined in the UN Charter:

➔ Elimination of discrimination against women and girls

➔ Women's empowerment
➔ Equality between men and women as partners and beneficiaries of development,
human

Rules Of Procedure:
The ROP for this committee shall be the same as any conventional committee,
with certain deviations from the same which we shall elaborate below.

Roll Call: Committee will begin with a roll call in order to establish quorum for the
session.

Delegates will respond with Present or Present and Voting.

● Present - if a delegate opts for present, this simply signifies they are
present in committee. They are not obliged to vote on the resolution, they
may vote or may abstain their vote as per their will. Delegates can change
their stance to “present and voting” on day two.
● Present and Voting - If a delegate opts for present and voting, they are
obliged to vote on the resolution. Delegates cannot change their stance to
“present” on day two.

Rules governing debate:

MOTIONS: There are various motions that can be raised in a session to formally
regulate the debate in a systematic order.

• Motion to open Debate: This motion is generally passed to begin the formal
session.

• Motion to Set an Agenda: If there is only 1 agenda, it will automatically be

adopted by the committee. This is the first step in order to establish formal
debate.

• Motion to open General Speaker’s List: This is non-exhaustible and closes after
the closing procedure of the committee.

• Motion to begin Moderated Caucus: This motion is raised to focus the

discussion on a specific topic within the mandate of the agenda. The purpose of
this motion is to discuss various important aspects of the agenda in detail.
• Motion to Begin Unmoderated Caucus: This is a form of informal debate which
is not moderated by the EB members. In this type of debate, there are no formal
proceedings which are followed. It is raised for a particular amount of time.

• Motion to Begin Voting Procedures: After the amendments are discussed and
voted on, the resolution is put to a vote. The Member States who voted ‘Present
and Voting’ during the roll call may vote YES or NO on the resolution. The
member states who voted ‘Present ’may ABSTAIN from voting on the resolution.
Observer Nations does not get the voting rights on the resolution.

• Motion to Adjourn the Session: This motion is raised at the end of the
committee session to adjourn the session until the next meeting. It is passed on a
simple majority or at the discretion of the Chairperson.

• Motion to Close Debate: This motion is raised when the committee is over with
the debating session and moves into the voting procedure for the Draft
Resolution.

• Motion to Suspend the Debate session: This motion is raised in order to

postpone all the committee proceedings for the rest of the committee sessions. It
is usually raised at the end of the conference.

GENERAL SPEAKERS LIST (GSL):

The General Speakers List is opened following a motion raised by a delegate

and the subsequent approval of the Chair. The Chair then recognizes a list of
speakers who wish to speak in the GSL and will have the floor. The default
individual speaker’s time is set at 90 seconds (may be altered by raising a
motion). Delegates will be allowed to yield any remaining time after speaking to
the Dias, questions, comments or to another delegate. Follow up questions will
only be allowed by the discretion of the EB.

MODERATED CAUCUS:

Moderated Caucus: A Moderated Caucus is a debate format where delegates

make short speeches on specific topics. These specific topics are sub agendas
to the main agenda set by the committee. Delegates raise a motion to start a
Moderated Caucus for a specific time period after which the Chair can recognize
speakers to speak in the Caucus. Example: - The delegate of Malaysia would like
to raise a motion for a moderated caucus on the topic “Impact of the Covid-19
Pandemic on the global pandemic”

UNMODERATED CAUCUS:

An Unmoderated Caucus, as the name suggests, is not moderated by the Dais.

Rules of the formal debate are suspended and delegates are allowed to freely
converse with other members of the committee. This time period is used by the
delegates to lobby amongst the committee members. An Unmoderated Caucus
is also used by delegates to work on working papers and Draft Resolutions.

● Example: - The delegate of Malaysia would like to raise a motion for an

unmoderated caucus for a total time period of 10 minutes.

TIME LIMIT FOR SPEECHES:

All GSL speeches are by default set at 90 seconds but can be changed if
required. Moderated caucuses are raised by delegates and it is, therefore, their
duty to set the duration of the moderated caucus and the time allotted per
speaker. When a Delegate exceeds the allotted time, the Dais may call the
speaker to order.

POINTS

Points are tools which can be used by delegates to increase their understanding
of the happenings of the committee.

• Point of Personal Privilege: This point is raised only when a delegate feels
personal discomfort. Subsequently, the Chair will do everything in his power to
address the discomfort.

• Point of Order: There are 2 types of points of order:

1)Factual Inaccuracy: If the speaker makes a factually incorrect statement.

2)Logical Fallacy: If the speaker makes a logically fallacious statement. For this
conference we will strictly not be entertaining a logical fallacy on any statement.

• Point of Information: This point is raised by delegates when they have a

question on the delegate’s speech.
• Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: This point is raised when a delegate has a
question regarding the proceedings of the committee such as a question
regarding who the next speaker on list is or inquiring about how much time is left
for the caucus to end.

• Right to Reply: A right to speak in reply to a previous speaker's comment

invoked when a delegate feels personally insulted by another's speech.

RESOLUTION:
Draft Resolutions are Resolutions that have not yet been voted on. Delegates
write Draft Resolutions with other countries. The Resolution contains all the
solutions to a topic and is the main aim of a MUN session.

A Draft Resolution is divided into 3 parts:

•Heading

•Preambulatory Clauses

•Operative Clauses

➢ The Heading contains the name of the committee the resolution is being introduced in,
the agenda of the resolution, and the list of sponsors and signatories.

➢ Sponsors are the Member States who have authored the Draft Resolution. All sponsors
must agree with the Resolution.

➢ Signatories are the Member States who wish to see the Draft Resolution discussed.
Signatories need not have to agree with the Resolution in its entirety and are willing to
debate on it and propose amendments. Signatories are also not required to vote for the
Resolution.

➢ Preambulatory Clauses serve the main purpose of stating the reasons for which the
committee is passing the following Resolution. They may include past Resolution taken
by the committee and also affirm precedents to justify the Resolution. Preambulatory
clauses can also cite the U.N charter, statements made by the Secretary-General and make
General Statements on the topic and its significance.

➢ Operative Clauses are the steps to be taken up by the committee to address a particular
situation and achieve a specific goal. These clauses can call for actions or just be
recommendations within the mandate of the committee. Each operative clause begins
with a verb and ends with a semicolon. After the last operative clause, the Resolution
ends in a period.

NO PRE-WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION WILL BE CONSIDERED.

QARMA (Questions a Resolution Must Answer):

1. What measures would be implemented by the member states to ensure
the prevention of violence among women and girls?

2. What legalities would be implemented by the member states to promote

the upliftment of women and minimize the inequality gap among men and
women?

3. How would the member states ensure that existing legalities and any
future legalities shall not be violated and what actions would be taken
against any such violators?

4. How will members of the commission ensure international cooperation to

the importance of eradicating violence against women and girls?