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The 7th

Houssam Hariri High School

Model United Nations

UN WOMEN

Topic: Female Political Empowerment and the Battering Against Women

Presidents: Yana Nassar

Chairs: Yasmine Osta and Haytham Hijazi

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Table of contents:

I. Description of the Committee: .................................................................................... 3

II. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 4

III. Timeline: .................................................................................................................. 5

IV. Subtopics: ................................................................................................................. 6

V. Countries’ Histories: .............................................................................................. 11

VI. Hints & Tips:.......................................................................................................... 13

VII. Countries Represented: .......................................................................................... 14

VIII. Contact Us: ......................................................................................................... 14

IX. References: ............................................................................................................. 15

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I. Description of the Committee:

The United Nations Women, established by the General Assembly on 2010, is

the UN’s Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. By creating

such a division, all member states took a step forward in accelerating the UN’s

goals for gender equality and empowerment of women. The unit merges and builds

on the crucial work of the four distinct parts of the UN system: “the Division for the

Advancement of Women (DAW), the International Research and Training Institute

for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), the Office of the Special Adviser on

Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI), and the United Nations

Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).”

The UN Women has three main goals:

1. To support inter-governmental bodies, such as the Commission on the Status of

Women, in their formulation of policies, global standards and norms,

2. To help Member States to implement these standards, standing ready to provide

suitable technical and financial support to those countries that request it.

3. To lead and coordinate the UN system’s work on gender equality as well as

promote accountability, including through regular monitoring of system-wide

progress.

Being a women’s foundation, the UN Women works for the elimination of

discrimination against women and girls, empowerment of women, and the

achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of

development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Over the

years, the UN has made significant progress in advancing gender equality, including

through landmark agreements such as the “Beijing Declaration and Platform for

Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Women (CEDAW).” Equality is a basic human right. Women and girls have

the right to live in a world that praises their worth and appreciates their massive

roles in society.

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II. Introduction:

For this year’s conference, the UN Women will be tackling the topic of the

Empowerment of women in the political field and the battering against women.

We want to empower women everywhere. Yet, politics is on the major platform

right now. We have to consider the main role of the committee: equality. We don’t

want to empower women over men. We want to create equality between the two

genders. We want to establish the “planet 50-50: step it up for gender equality”, that

way; we can see more female integration in the political arena. “Only 22 per cent of

all national parliamentarians were female as of August 2015, a slow increase from

11.3 per cent in 1995.” This number must increase in the future years. Women have

proved to be very effective and successful participating in policy making and

demonstrating diplomacy. After Sukhbaataryn Yanjmaa from Mongolia became the

first female acting president, the world witnessed more female contribution in

politics. Let us mention Angela Merkel, The

Chancellor of Germany, who won “TIME person of the year” for TIME Magazine.

All females who proved to be successful in the political field are the living proof

that females have the abilities and skills to hold the responsibility of being leaders

in politics. All what needs to be added is a little sprinkle of equality! Moreover, like

the “Global Women’s Leadership program (GWLP)”, many programs have been

created to incorporate women in peace processes, political transitions, and other

decision-making procedures. With more women addition to politics, adolescent

females will have the motivation to strive for higher goals rather than settling with

housework and chores that limit their abilities. According to reports done by the

UNWOMEN, countries with female integration and equality have witnessed better

democracy and social tolerance, and thus manage to be more inclusive and

unrestricted. After World War I, women proved to be powerful in many other fields

such as economy and agriculture knowing that they took on their husbands’ roles

due to them participating in the army or sadly being deceased. So, why not make

women prove their power in politics now in 2017? Concerning the idea of the

battering against women, it is clear how many incidents are reported about women

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beaten to death, exposed to violence, tortured, or forced into sex. This is the

explanation of cultures that discriminate women and deprive them of their basic

rights. Even though many efforts have been done to relief violence against women,

such as “The Declaration on the Elimination on the Violence Against Women” and

“The Convention on the Elimination on All Forms of Discrimination Against

Women” which was adopted by the General Assembly, we still witness the horrible

stories of women dying or being psychologically damaged due to being targeted. In

its second article, the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” says: “everyone is

entitled to all rights and freedom set forth in this declaration, without distinction of

any kind, such as race, color, sex, religion, language…” when women are treated as

equal to men, they are bound to have their full liberation and right to decide their

own life destiny. As the United Nations Women’s Goodwill Ambassador Emma

Watson once said,” If not me, who? And if not now, when?”

Don’t we all think it is time to stop, reflect, and change? Isn’t it the time where the

country’s representatives take action in incorporating women in law making? Isn’t

it time to prohibit laws that accept violence against women for whatever reason?

Yes, its time to change. And it’s all up to the delegates of the UN Women

committee to try and portrait this change.

III. Timeline:

Date Event

1979 “The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against

Women” (CEDAW) was adopted in 1979 by the General Assembly. It is

labeled as the “International Bill of rights for Women.” It defines

discrimination against women and focuses on ways to end it. One of its major

goals was to abolish violence towards women.

1995 “The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action” was the result of the 1995

“Fourth World Conference on Women” in Beijing. World leaders focused on

crucial aspects targeting female integration in politics and other relevant

regional and international support in finance, NGOs, and women and men at

large.

2000 The General Assembly held a 23rd

special session to handle a five-year analysis

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and evaluation of the implementation of the “Beijing Platform for Action” and

to initiate future missions. “Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development, and

Peace for the Twenty-First Century” took place in New York City, and

stemmed future decisions to apply the Beijing Commitments.

2010 In the 54th session in 2010, a 15-year review took place. Member states

embarked a declaration that accepted progress towards equality between

women and men and promised to undertake action to guarantee the acceleration

of the operation of the “Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.”

2015 In 2013, the ECOSOC requested the CSW to review the operation of the platform

for action in 2015, in a session entitled “Beijing+20.” To inform debates, the

council also asked the UN Members to achieve national reviews and encouraged

regional commands to start provincial reviews.

IV. Subtopics: These are some subtopics that the Dias deems necessary to be discussed. Note that

they are not the only subtopics that can be entertained.

A. Education:

Offering quality and universal education to young girls endorses development

for society as a whole. When women are afforded with equal rights and equal

access to education, they go on to participate in business and economic activity.

Across the globe, women are not very politically involved, but civic education,

training and all around empowerment will alleviate this gap. Education

eradicates sexism and enhances women’s knowledge. It also teaches them that

they are capable of achieving their goals whether they were joining politics or

working jobs they thought were “impossible”. Malala Yousafzai is an example

of a young girl who strived to show people the importance of education for

women. As a young girl, Malala confronted the Taliban in Pakistan and

demanded that girls be permitted to get an education. She was shot in the head

by a Taliban gunman in 2012 but survived and went on to receive the Nobel

Peace Prize.

B. Political Training Programs:

Mentorship, confidence building, media training and political campaigns are all

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efficient gears to expand women’s political aspirations despite structural

difficulties. Training helps overcome socialization that has women stuck

believing they're not meant to be political leaders. Women think they don't have

the abilities because they weren't upraised to think they were skilled or capable

of being leaders in public service, and that should change. Women in training

programs can learn from those who already have been elected and discourse

how activism is different for them as opposed to men. Debbie Walsh, a director

for the “Center for American Women and Politics” said, “Women run because

they care about an issue. For men, it's more likely to be an interest in a political

career. It's that different motivating force that gets you in."

a. Barriers to Political Participation

Institutional, systemic and individual barriers limit women’s influence in

decision-making structures in most walks of life, including economic and

political institutions, trade unions, the media, and religious bodies. Women

politicians identify the inequality in the perception of motherhood and

fatherhood and the role of a woman and a man in the family in combination

with work conditions in politics, which include unsocial work hours and

business trips, to be one barrier to women’s political participation.

Some women politicians also have personal experience with discrimination

in politics, and many others believe that women in politics are discriminated

against even if they do not claim to have personal experience with it. A

range of official and unofficial, formal and informal barriers can limit

women’s political participation. There are also opportunities and factors that

facilitate participation in various ways. Access to power tends to emerge

from familial, communal and economic linkages, and these factors may help

explain patterns of participation. Norms about women’s appropriate roles

and leadership capabilities also shape both aspirations and opportunities. In

countries where women have historically been absent in public life, such

barriers to entry may be much higher. Participation in local level

government may be a good route to participation at the national level.

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C. Human Rights of Women:

In 1993, 45 years after the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” was

adopted, and eight years after CEDAW entered into force, the “UN World

Conference on Human Rights in Vienna” confirmed that women’s rights were

human rights. Women’s status as human beings entitled to rights should have

never been in hesitation. And yet this was a step forward in recognizing the

rightful claims of one half of humanity, in identifying neglect of women’s rights

as a human rights violation and in drawing attention to the relationship between

gender and human rights violations. Women around the world nonetheless

frequently agonize about violations of their human rights throughout their lives,

and realizing women’s human rights has not always been a priority. Achieving

equality between women and men requires a comprehensive understanding of

the ways in which women experience discrimination and are denied equality so

as to develop appropriate strategies to eliminate such discrimination. “The

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights” guarantees,

for instance, the right to work, the right to form trade unions, rights relating to

marriage, maternity and child protection, the right to an adequate standard of

living, the right to health, the right to education, and rights relating to culture

and science.

a. Women’s Right to Vote in political representations and decisions:

Ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

granted American women the right to vote—a right known as woman

suffrage. At the time the U.S. was founded, its female citizens did not share

all of the same rights as men, including the right to vote. It was not until

1848 that the movement for women’s rights launched on a national level

with a convention in Seneca Falls, New York, organized by abolitionists

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Following the convention, the

demand for the vote became a centerpiece of the women’s rights movement.

Stanton and Mott, along with Susan B. Anthony and other activists, formed

organizations that raised public awareness and lobbied the government to

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grant voting rights to women. After a 70-year battle, these groups finally

emerged victorious with the passage of the 19th Amendment. Today,

women continue to empower our electorate and democracy. In every

presidential election since 1996, voter turnout rates for women have

exceeded the rates for men, with women casting between 4 and 7 million

more votes than men in recent elections. Yet women remain

underrepresented in elected office, and discriminatory voter photo ID laws

disproportionately affect women.

b. Women’s Health:

Women in some developing nations lack basic health care and face life

encumbering. Some health issues never existed in the West whereas

science eradicated others decades ago. Women who have been

physically or sexually abused have higher rates of mental ill health,

unintended pregnancies, abortions and miscarriages than non-abused

women. Investing in girls and women benefits not only the individual

but also society as a whole. Programs that postpone marriage and

pregnancy can improve women’s health. Providing formal or vocational

education, adequate family planning, and antenatal services can break

the cycle of poverty and empower women. Girls need to learn about

reproductive and sexual health, STD prevention, contraception, AIDS,

and how to seek health care. Governments must incorporate preventive

care and treatment programs for reproductive health issues into their

health services. In order for us to reach the United Nations Millennium

Development Goals, the health and human rights of girls and women

must be a priority for each nation.

D. Gender-based Legal Restrictions:

Across the world, in all class places, females are targeted to trafficking, rape

and murder. These are considered human rights abuses. They not only

destroy the cultural traits and values of a society, but also abolish the health

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of an important member in it, Women. States throughout the world are still

unable to live up to their international compulsions and commitments to

prevent and address violence against women. Too many criminals are not

held accountable. Women continue to be re-victimized through the legal

process. Husbands can beat or rape their wives, women can be abducted and

killed, women aren’t allowed to drive, and women can be forced to quit

their jobs. All of those are examples of “gender based legal restrictions”.

These restrictions are found in some countries in the world, mostly the

developing ones, where killing and raping women is legalized.

E. Relation Between Gender-Based Violence and Women In Politics:

Politics are what makes the countries accept or permit violence against

women, so when women are integrated in politics, they will eliminate such

laws that accept the violence against women. When women are in politics,

they are most likely to be exposed to violence and harassment and vice-

versa. When women are being abused and are unprotected, they wont have

the chance to voice themselves and join politics, and that’s because they’ll

be scared or hesitant to do so. Women should be empowered to join politics

and eradicate the violence they’re being exposed to.

a. Causes and Consequences of Gender based violence:

It is widely understood that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) – be it in the

form of isolated acts or systematic patterns of violence - is not caused

by any single factor. Rather, it is a combination of several factors that

increase the risk of a man committing violence and the risk of a woman

experiencing violence. Individual-level factors are biological and

personal history factors that increase the risk of violence. For example, a

low level of education, young age (early marriage) and low-economic

status/income have been associated as risk factors for both experiencing

and perpetrating intimate partner violence. Relationship-level factors

contribute to the risk of GBV at the level of relationships with peers,

intimate partners and family members. However, Community-level

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factors refer to the extent of tolerance towards GBV in contexts at

which social relationships are embedded, such as schools, workplace or

the neighborhood. GBV seriously affects all aspects of women’s health-

physical, sexual and reproductive, mental and behavioral health. Health

consequences of GBV can be both, immediate and acute as well as long

lasting and chronic; indeed, negative health consequences may persist

long after the violence has stopped. The more severe the level of

violence, the greater the impact will be on women’s health. In addition,

GBV can result in women’s death.

V. Countries’ Histories:

A. KSA:

The most crucial initiative that came up this year was when women aligned the

shoura council whilst now they are responsible at a ratio of one over five seats.

The council’s women will take advantage of their new stance to urge the

negotiation about driving rights for women regardless of any condemnations

from bias religious figures. Recently Women’s rights activists had called upon

all women for a driving protest throughout a website they launched, for that a

formal endorsement to lift the ban was initiated.

B. Pakistan:

Pakistan has a skyrocketing projected number of population of one hundred and

eighty-eight million, which makes it rank the sixth most populated country in

the world. Pakistan has consented to various conventions concerning gender

equality and eliminating the batter against women to preserve their rights;

however, Pakistan remains ranking the lowest for gender equality. According to

Noran Elashi, “The growing participation of women in the political

sphere, despite severe obstacles, such as cultural resistance, discrimination

patriarchy, religious extremism and religious misconceptions and unequal social

power structures, is a positive step in the right direction.”

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C. Lebanon:

Gender equality in Lebanon is a bit vague; however, a very sensitive yet crucial

issue has been discussed for several years if not decades, the prohibition of

Lebanese mothers passing on their citizenship. Lebanon is not the only country

in world, Middle East nor Arab region to have this problem. “Lebanon

considers itself a beacon of liberalism in the Middle East, the place where East

meets West”. However, this creates an argument that claims if Lebanon is

considered as such, it can not simply ignore women equal rights while

endorsing the sustention of western values.

D. Chad:

The percentage of women in Chad overweighs the men’s; women are around 52

percent. However, women are still inferior and they can’t prove their presence

in the country in neither of the state agencies. A proposal was suggested by the

President, Idriss Debby a few years ago but unfortunately was ignored.

E. Iceland:

For three consecutive years, Iceland is ranked number one nation in women’s

political representation. Iceland was one of the first countries that granted

women the right to vote in 1915. The percentage of female parliament members

is forty-three percent and had also elected a female president that lasted for

eighteen years during the past fifty years. Adding to that, the current prime

minister. Johanna Sigurdardottir is a female appointed since 2009.

F. Yemen:

The current conflict in Yemen is tragic and disastrous which puts its civilians

under danger and expects the population to decrease. Not denying the fact that

Yemen has already lost over thousands of people and the left majority is

battered for humanitarian assistance. Because of all of what’s happening, one of

the consequences has proved that “women are more vulnerable than ever to

violence and exploitation.”

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VI. Hints & Tips:

A. Questions to consider:

1. What is your country’s position regarding the topic?

2. What has your country done/can do nationally and internationally

concerning the empowerment of women?

3. Will ratifying the CEDAW completely help in eliminating battering against

women?

4. How does education help in reducing sexism?

5. To what extent can other UN organs help, in cooperation with the

UNWOMEN, in achieving equality goals?

6. What pillars countries may have to consider letting planet50-50 workout?

B. Suggested sites:

1. www.unwomen.org/en/csw

2. www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation

3. www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2014/03/07/85457/fact-

sheet-the-womens-leadership-gap/

4. www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw

5. www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/index.htm

6. www.unfpa.org/resources/human-rights-women

7. www.womenpoliticalleaders.org/barriers-womens-participation-politics-

wipworld-bank-survey/

8.

C. Note that delegates must:

Use credible resources.

Stay in character. They are representing a country’s beliefs not their own.

Be very sure of their knowledge regarding their country’s position.

Undergo deep research tackling all details.

Be ready to ask questions and answer them.

Be logical and rational when suggesting solutions. Knowing that the topic is

defined differently between countries and takes time to be established.

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VII. Countries Represented:

Africa Asia Europe The Americas Oceania

Cape Verde Afghanistan Albania Canada Australia

Central African Republic Bangladesh Denmark Chile

Chad China France Mexico

Egypt India Germany United States

Ethiopia Indonesia Iceland

Kenya Iraq Norway

Liberia Japan Spain

Mali Lebanon Sweden

Morocco Nepal Switzerland

Nigeria Pakistan United Kingdom

Republic of Guinea Palestine

Rwanda Philippines

Sierra Leone Saudi Arabia

Tanzania South Korea

Thailand

Turkey

Yemen

VIII. Contact Us:

President: Yana Nassar

Email: yananassar@yahoo.com

Phone Number: +961 76 741933

Chair: Haytham Hijazi

Email: hfhijazi@gmail.com

Phone Number: +961 71 195657

Chair: Yasmine Osta

Email: yasmine.osta@hotmail.com

Phone Number: +961 71 545826

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IX. References:

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http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/about-un-women

warner, j. (2014, march 07 ). the Women's Leadership Gap. Retrieved july 14, 2017,

from American Progress:

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2014/03/07/85457/fact-

sheet-the-womens-leadership-gap/

Violence Against Women . (n.d.). Retrieved from UN Women :

www.un.org/women/watch/daw/vaw/index.htm

Calabresi, M. (2015). Person of the Year- Angela Merkel . Retrieved july 14

, 2017, from Time : https://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2015-angela-merkel/

Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrmination against

Women . (n.d.). Retrieved july 14, 2017, from UN Women :

www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw

Ph.D., N. L. (2017, march 28). Transcript of Emma Watson's 2014 Speech

on Gnder Equality . Retrieved july 14, 2017, from ThoughtCo. :

https://www.thoughtco.com/transcript-of-emma-emma-watsons-speech-on-gender-

equality-3026200

Violence against women escalates under Yemen's brutal conflict. (2016, 10

31). Retrieved from United Nations Population Fund:

http://www.unfpa.org/news/violence-against-women-escalates-under-yemens-

brutal-conflict

Asia and the Pacific. (n.d.). Retrieved from UN Women:

http://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/countries/pakistan

Elashi, N. (2014, 10 20). Women's political participation in Pakistan.

Retrieved from I know politics: http://iknowpolitics.org/en/discuss/opinion-

pieces/womens-political-participation-pakistan

Fisher, M. (2013, 10 25). Saudi women set to drive in protest – and to show

their rising clout. Retrieved from The Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/10/25/saudi-women-

set-to-drive-in-protest-and-to-show-their-rising-clout/?utm_term=.c742c8217059

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Goudreau, J. (2011, 11 1). The Best And Worst Countries For Women.

Retrieved from Forbes:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2011/11/01/the-best-and-worst-

countries-for-women/#e42bb926e8ac

Mehdi, T. (2015, 5 25). Dawn. Retrieved from Women in politics:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1183988

Saidi, M. (2015, 5 10). Lebanon’s sexist citizenship law hurts mothers and

babies. Retrieved from Aljazeera America:

http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/5/lebanons-sexist-citizenship-law-hurts-

mothers-and-babies.html

Angiwe, A. (2014). perceptions of women in political leadership positions

in Nigeria. Retrieved july 16, 2017, from Walden University:

http://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=dissert

ations

Women's Human Rights and Gender Equality. (n.d.). Retrieved july 16`,

2017, from United Nations Human Rights:

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Women/WRGS/Pages/WRDSIndex.aspx

which are the barrier's to women's participation in politics? (2014, august

04). Retrieved july 16, 2017, from Women Political Leaders:

https://www.womenpliticalleaders.org/barriers-womens-participation-politics-

wipworld-bank-survery/

UNFPA. (2006). The Human Rights of Women . Retrieved july 15, 2017,

from United Nations Population Fund : www.unfpa.org/resources/human-rights-

women