World Health Organization

(WHO)Topic 1: Mental Health

Topic 2: Health Consequences of Air Pollution

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Osbourn Park Model United Nations Conference V: October 16-17, 2015

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Topic 1: Mental HealthBackground and Current SituationThe issue of mental health is one that deserves international attention and discussion in order to reach a resolution that benefits the individual and a country’s health infrastructure as a whole. Mental illnesses are usually interpreted as severe and erratic disorders that can be easily observed and documented (such as Schizophrenia). However, more subtle disorders, such as anxiety and depression, also make up significant portions of psychiatric patients. The World Health Organization now estimates that one out of five people on the planet is clinically depressed or poses a mild form of anxiety. In developed nations, people with minor mental difficulties (such as mild anxiety and depression) make up a much larger part of the mentally challenged population than people that suffer from extreme disorders, such as PTSD and Bi-polar syndrome. However, in countries that are affected by a host of other issues, such violent strife or inadequate living conditions, mentally ill patients experience severe disorders (like post traumatic stress disorder) due to their hostile environment. The mental discomfort and strain that result from major disorders often leads to the development of other mental disorders like depression as well. Even though the prevalence of mental disorders presents a large problem in itself, the lack of adequate

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healthcare and funding poses an even greater threat to global mental health. Most of the health funding in developing nations is devoted solely to physically harmful diseases, while mental and emotional disorders are not given adequate funding or attention., There are large portions of the world (especially in Africa and Asia) that have not yet passed legislation that protect the rights of mentally challenged people. Approximately 33% of Asian nations and 41% of African nations have not ratified laws to ensure the safety of mentally ill people, which leads to systematic oppression and discrimination against mentally ill individuals. The World Health Organization looks forward to substantive debate on this topic, and hopes attending nations can reach a resolution on this prudent topic.Bloc PositionsEurope: In past years, the European Union has been at the forefront of the fight for mental health research and rehabilitation. In November 2005, the European Union declared a revived focus on improving mental health in European countries. Since nearly 27% of adult Europeans have suffered from some form of mental disorder (primarily anxiety and depression), many EU officials have expressed interest in preventing certain types of mental disorders. Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome have been prevalent in the European Union’s education

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initiatives in order to inform citizens about the signs and threats of such disorders. The EU’s efforts at public outreach may be an initiative that could find success at the international level as well.

Africa/Middle East: Mental health has not been a focus in most African and Middle Eastern nations, which is likely due to preexisting problems such as civil instability and expansive poverty that have received more immediate attention. Post-traumatic stress disorder is also a major problem in Africa as a result of these widespread problems. The patient to psychologist rate in developing African nations is astoundingly low (almost 1-100,000), and few mentally ill people are able to receive adequate treatment. It was estimated that mental health accounts for 1% of the health budget for nearly 70% of African countries, and hospitals in the region are not equipped to handle mentally ill patients with sufficient assistance.

North America: Nations in North and South America have taken efforts to reduce the impact of mental health disorders on society. The United States has been especially active on the issue of cognitive health, and many American associations (including the renowned National Alliance on Mental Illness) have been created to gain public awareness on the signs and ramifications of mental disorders. Approximately 60 million Americans are affected by

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mental illness, which constitutes about a fifth of the national population.

South America: South American nations have put effort into fighting mental illnesses, but patients continue to encounter obstacles before treatment. Nearly 25% of South Americans have been determined to possess f mental illness, and almost 29% of documented cases are found in adolescents (especially in poor communities). The psychologist to patient ratio is also significantly larger than that of North American and European nations. Also, only one in five mentally ill people receive complete treatment, which leaves numerous communities devastated by the social and economic burden of mentally ill populations.

Asia/Oceania: With a population exceeding 3.5 billion, the nations of Asia and Oceania have significant populations of mentally ill individuals. In the past, these countries have suffered from extreme discrimination and stigmas against mentally ill people. As a result, they are not able to receive proper care. Another primary problem (especially in south east Asia) is the lack of substantial legislation to protect the rights of mentally ill individuals. Only 67% of Asian countries have laws that ensure the safety of these marginalized populations.

Questions to Consider in Research6

1)Does mental health deserve more international attention than physically detrimental diseases, such as HIV/AIDS? Is it time to shift assistance and aid to populations that suffer from mental disorders?

2)Do mandatory mental health examinations before obtaining a job or other before other tasks to violate individual privacy?

3)Should mental health disorders that occurred due to genetic mutation (such as Asperger’s and autism) be embraced as diversity in global populations or should they be treated with rehabilitation to integrate them into mainstream society?

4)Should aid and assistance be postponed to countries that actively discriminate against mentally ill individuals?

5)Should anxiety and depression be considered “mental illnesses” even though overwhelming populations of people experience them periodically?

6)Should current mental health programs be reformed, completely eliminated and rebuilt, or kept the same?

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Topic 2: Health Consequences of Air Pollution

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Background and Current SituationAir pollution and climate change are two pressing issues, both in the scheme of international politics and environmental destruction. The consumption of fossil fuels has led to a drastic increase in carbon dioxide levels. Most scientists have suggested that humans are the primary cause of global warming, and as a result the world has begun to face the repercussions. The amount of smog in cities such as New Delhi, India and Beijing, China has become bad enough to cause diseases in the lungs and eyes. Aside from negatively impacting health, climate change is also detrimental to ecosystems and could start a massive displacement of the world’s population. As challenging as this issue is, there are already many forces at work against it. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as Greenpeace are at the forefront of this fight. Among other things, Greenpeace is working to help reduce the numerous sources of harmful pollution in China. Other NGOs working towards this cause are the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Peace Boat, and the You and I Foundation. In addition to the multitude of NGOs, many international governments are working on limiting their air pollution and emissions. While some countries like Japan and Indonesia have promised to reduce their emissions by as much as 26%, there are still countries that have not taken any steps to combat air pollution. These nations argue that reducing emissions would hurt their industry-

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based economies. The need for a concrete solution for this problem only rises as time progresses. Now, it is up to the World Health Organization to determine how the global community will attempt to lessen air pollution and other detriments in order to prevent future distress to international health.

Bloc PositionsEurope: Since the 1970’s, the European Union has implemented many clean air initiatives and legislation, including the comprehensive Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution. However, in recent years, widespread smog and air pollution have continued to cause significant problems in Western Europe and the United Kingdom. Urban areas have continued to face the wrath of this destructive smog and pollution.

Africa/Middle East: The last decade has proven to be critical for the nations of Africa and the Middle East. The exponential growth of developing African economies and well as increased urbanization have led to growing levels of car exhaust and fossil fuel usage. The further construction of industry throughout the African continent is beneficial in many ways, but has created additional environmental pressures. Consequently, air pollution has become a major problem in heavily populated regions. As a result, large populations have become affected with air quality-related diseases (such as asthma), and are not able to adequately receive

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medical treatment to cope with these harmful problems. The World Health Organization will continue to provide healthcare and aid to these developing countries, but a long-term solution is needed to prevent further suffering.

North America: Air pollution is a growing issue in North American nations. In 1997, Canada, Mexico, and the United States signed a doctrine that called for joint action by the three countries to decrease air pollution levels throughout the continent. This paper, which has been instrumental in the creation of other air pollution legislation throughout the world, emphasized the importance of funding cross-border research as well as lessening the amount of fossil fuel emissions. Since the heavily populated eastern seaboard of North America possesses multiple power plants, air quality has been especially poor in those regions (Pennsylvania and Kentucky have considerable amounts of mercury and other dangerous chemicals in their atmosphere). Another notable air pollution legislative act in North America is the American Clean Air of 1970, which caused a significant drop in air quality-related health complications.

South America: Recent urban development in Latin and South America has led to large amounts of air pollution. The metropolitan areas of Sao Paulo and Mexico City have been drastically impacted by the

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concentrated usage of fossil fuels. Unsafe sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide levels have been shown to affect nearly 81 million people in Latin America alone, which constitutes a staggering 26.5% of the total urban population. There is also a lack of effective clean air legislation in South America; Bolivia is the only nation that has passed any form of preventive legislation (Law of the Rights of Mother Earth) for air pollution. The health consequences that will occur as a result of exposure to these chemicals is considerable, and the World Health Organization must intervene before more damage is done.

Asia/Oceania: Grave air pollution has been documented in most Asian nations as a result of the prosperous economies that have emerged in the past century. In a recent study, most Chinese cities cannot achieve the minimum air quality standard. Beijing, China failed to attain passing air levels for 52% of last year. However, Asian leaders (such as Chinese prime minister Li Keqiang) have “declared war” on air pollution and intend to improve air quality levels in coordination with the goals outlined in the Millennium Development Goals. While this recent support for change is encouraging, most scientists agree that it will be at least ten years before any change can be documented. WHO will continue to aid Asian and Oceanic countries in this time of peril until they are able to achieve the healthy air standard outlined by the United Nations.

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Questions to Consider in Research

1)Should current clean air initiatives be reformed, eliminated, or maintained as is?

2)How can the United Nations ensure that nations will abide by existing treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol?

3)Should there be punishments or incentives for countries that either deny or accept global air pollution initiatives into their governmental policies? If so, how can the United Nations implement these consequences effectively?

4)Should research and money be invested in air pollution management or the creation of eco-friendly technology? (Should the World Health Organization place more emphasis on managing current pollution or trying to avoid future complications in the future?)

5)In a recent study by the World Health Organization’s Department for Public Health, nearly 1 out of 8 deaths are now linked to air pollution. Should aid and international assistance be shifted to air pollution instead of issues such as hunger and poverty, which have gradually decreased over time?

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6)How will the United Nations ensure that the Millennium Development Goals relating to air pollution can be reached?

Works Cited

ALARCÓN, RENATO. "References." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 5 July 1924. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.

"European CommissionPublic health." Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.

"Green Paper: Improving the mental health of the population." European Union. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.

"The silent crisis: Mental Health in Africa." Consultancy Africa Intelligance. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.

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"Air Pollution." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

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Busch, Simon. "And the World's Most Polluted City Is ..." CNN. Cable News Network, 31 Jan. 2014.

"COMMISSION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION." Commission for Environmental Cooperation. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.

"Clean Air Act Requirements and History." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.

"Stop Climate Change." Greenpeace East Asia. Greenpeace, n.d. 02 Apr. 2014.

"Urban Air Pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean: Health Perspectives." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.

Wong, Edward. "Most Chinese Cities Fail Minimum Air Quality Standards, Study Says." The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 Mar. 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.

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