United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)

About the Committee:

The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SpecPol) is the fourth subcommittee of the United Nations General Assembly. It is dedicated to exploring the diverse ramifications of political issues, especially those related to decolonization or historically derived impacts of colonialism. It also handles peacekeeping efforts. The committee will be large this year, welcoming 70+ delegates. Delegates both new and experienced will find this committee challenging and engaging.

In this committee, we will delve into two issues deeply connected with colonialism: The Situation in Sudan and The Political and Economic Statuses of Non-Self-Governing Territories. At the end of British dominion in Sudan, the country faced two brutal civil wars (1955-1972, 1983–2005), eventually culminating in South Sudan’s independence. During the last few years of the second civil war, the Sudanese government, led by Omar Al-Bashir, carried out a genocidal campaign in the Darfur region against non-arab ethnic groups. The country has suffered two military and paramilitary coups in the last 5 years. In April 2023, tensions erupted into war between the country’s two prominent military factions. The war has resulted in widespread famine, sexual violence, and possible ethnic cleansing. It has displaced 4 million people, creating a refugee crisis in the already unstable Horn of Africa/North Africa region.

Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs) are defined in the UN Charter as "territories whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government.” They are under the authority of an “administering power,” who agrees via the UN Charter to respect the political ambitions and promote the well-being of people in the NSGTs they administer. According to the UN, there are currently seventeen NSGTs. They include Western Sahara, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Island, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, American Samoa, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, and Tokelau. Delegates should consider how SpecPol can ensure self-determination and freedom from economic exploitation for these territories.

A LETTER FROM THE DaiS:

Dear Delegates,

My name is Mikaela Robbins and I am so excited to be one of your UN Women co-directors this year! I am a junior here at the University of Michigan, double majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, with a minor in French. Outside of all things MUNUM, I am a French tutor with Le Comité Francophone, I play clarinet in RC Chamber Music, and I do clinical science research in the Stigma Psychopathology Assessment Lab. In my downtime, I enjoy reading, cooking, watching sitcoms (especially Young Sheldon), and taking care of my many succulents. I am looking forward to meeting all of you in committee and hope you are excited for a great conference this year!

My name is Eli Jones and I am delighted to be one of your co-directors for UN Women. I am a third year student studying international studies and political science, and minoring in French. I love MUNUM, and I’ve been involved in Model UN since I was a freshman in high school. Outside of Model UN, I am a cellist in the University Campus Symphony Orchestra, and I participate in Residential College forums. In my free time, I love to play my instruments (I dabble in guitar in addition to cello) and knit. I am a strong believer that it is not possible to have too many sweaters. I also love to read and I am a huge, huge science fiction fan, especially star trek and star wars. I am super excited to meet you all in committee, and I hope we have a wonderful conference together!

Please feel welcome to contact us with any questions or concerns that may arise as you prepare for the conference in January! Our email addresses are robbinm@umich.edu and eeljones@umich.edu.

Best,

Mikaela and Eli

Co-Directors of UN Women