Security Council

Security Council CGBMUN IV
President: Cristina Camacho
Vice-president: Nicolás Leiva

Dear Delegates,
As your presidents, we would like to welcome you to Colegio Gran Bretaña’s fourth annual Model United Nations. As most of you know, both of us have participated in all of CGB’s MUNs, and have had experience as presidents and vice presidents during the last couple of years. Also, we have taken part in countless MUNs outside of school since 2008, and every time, we have found room to grow and become more well-rounded people. We have learned and discussed topics and represented nations that have changed our perspectives on the entire world. This year’s CGB Model United Nations will be orbiting the main theme of Youth. The Security Council has the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. As part of this extremely prestigious committee, we will be debating two topics:
1. The forced and voluntary recruitment of youth into illegal groups in the Americas.
2. The use of teenagers as suicide bombers in the Middle East.
You will find a small introduction to each topic with a list of sources where you can investigate. In addition, remember you are all expected to hand in an opening speech and position paper in order to ensure the best possible outcome during the debate. We encourage each and every one of you to work hard and make the most of this opportunity.

1. The forced and voluntary recruitment of youth into illegal groups in the Americas.
What is a child soldier? According to the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers defines a child soldier “as any person below the age of 18 who is a member of or attached to irregular armed force or armed political groups. Child soldiers perform a range of tasks including: participation in combat; laying mines; cooking.” The recruitment of children under the age of 15 for military purpose is a war crime under a statute of the International Criminal Court. However, the Human Rights watch still estimates 300,000 children are currently serving as soldiers for both rebel and government forces in armed conflicts. Between 2002 and 2007, it was reported that over 21 armed conflicts contained children under the age of 18. In some armed groups, the proportion of child soldiers can reach up to 70%.  Furthermore, they have confirmed the inclusion of child soldiers in countries such as Colombia (as members of Las FARC and ELN), Brazil (in Favelas and in drug-related business), Peru and other Central American countries. These children are forced into revolutionary armed groups through sexual, physical and emotional violence, or sometimes even out of free will with the purpose of obtaining money or supporting a group’s political or religious views. Living conditions for these soldiers are terrible in most of the cases, and for that reason the United Nations has created a Protocol for Children and Armed Conflicts. The UN is trying to solve this problem that affects children everywhere on a daily basis, and is working to protect them as much as possible.

2. The use of teenagers as suicide bombers in the Middle East.
Children like to identify themselves with heroes; heroes who commit heroic acts and represent power.  Lebanon experienced the first known modern suicide bombing attack in 1981. In the last 30 years, this has become an extremely common practice. Every day in countries in the Middle East, children are being used as suicide bombers as part of terrorist attacks. Since 9/11, Pakistan has had over 290 bombings, killing at least 4,600 people, making suicide bombings everyday occurrences. One of the main problems with these attacks is that the bombers are able to attack popular areas and get very close to large amounts of people. Many teenagers have now become experts in making home-made pipe bombs, and in places like Palestine even receive weapon training in summer camps sponsored not only by revolutionary groups, but also mainstream national organizations. Between the years 2000 and 2005, over 80% of suicide bombers used in terrorist attacks in Israel have been between the ages of 17 and 24. Moreover, the attackers are considered martyrs: they become almost holy, are praised by their entire communities, are granted a high social status, and their families are congratulated and privileged by state officials. As part of tradition, teenagers and children also dress to represent death, or even as pint-sized suicide bombers. Whether attackers are part of revolutionary groups like Fatah or Hamas, or act on behalf of the misinterpreted Muslim religious belief, Jihad, hundreds of people serve as victims for the ruthless attacks taking place in the Middle East, and it is atrocious to think most of them are being committed by teenagers and young adults.
These topics are very interesting because they involve people our own age: Children that should be at home with their parents, enjoying an education, freedom, and not have to worry about living to tell a story another day. There is a relationship between these Child Soldiers and Suicide Bombers and us, and it is our duty to exploit that relationship in order to benefit these children. For this reason we want to invite all of our delegates to explore these issues, and debate about it not only with the ideas and thoughts of your assigned nation, but with the heart of the Children we all are.

“I would like you to give a message. Please do your best to tell the world what is happening to us, the children. So that other children don’t have to pass through this violence.” – 15 year old (Uganda)
Delegates, once again, we encourage all of you to take it upon yourselves to work your hardest and make this commission the best of the entire Model. Reread the testimony above. Children everywhere are being affected by these topics, and it is important not only to be aware of it, but also learn how to create possible solutions to eradicate these issues. We will be meeting as a commission throughout the next couple of weeks to work on this Model United Nations; and know there should be no hesitation in contacting either of us if you have any questions or doubts. We are anxious to meet you all, and work side by side in order to solve these issues that are greatly affecting our beloved world.
Thank you,
Cristina Camacho and Nicolás Leiva.

List of Sources:
United Nations Home Page - http://www.un.org/en/
CIA World Factbook - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
Human Rights Watch - http://www.hrw.org/home
Child Soldiers organization - http://www.child-soldiers.org/home
Children and Armed Conflict - http://un.org/children/conflict/english/index.html
Global Report on Child Soldiers - http://www.childsoldiersglobalreport.org/
Global Report on Child Soldiers in America - http://childsoldiersglobalreport.org/regions/americas
War Child, Child Soldier control - http://www.warchild.org/index.html
Child Labour Guide (Child Soldiers) - http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/childlabour
Suicide Bombers articles - http://barrybrumfield.com/terrorism/suicide_bombers.htm , http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?page=gallagher_26_1&section=library
Teenage Suicide Bombers - http://middleeastfacts.com/Articles/teenage-suicide-bombers.php
Suicide Bombers - http://science.howstuffworks.com/suicide-bomber3.htm
UN Suicide Bombers - http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/219025/u-n-s-spokesperson-suicide-bombers/anne-bayefsky