UNICEF Topic A.pages - Nord Anglia Education
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
THE UNITED NATIONS
INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S EMERGENCY FUND
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Committee: The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Topic A: Aiding Orphaned Children in Post-Conflict Zones Written by: Eduardo Tello and Andrea Treviño
I. Committee Background The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established on December 11, 1946, after World War II and has been operating ever since. Its current headquarters are located in New York City, within the official United Nations building. This fund supports children’s rights for their protection and well-being. Initially, the main objective of UNICEF was to provide humanitarian aid such as food or health care to the youngest of the world. However, this service soon evolved and became a full-fledged United Nations committee in 1953. Currently, UNICEF contributes to the elimination of discrimination and poverty within minors. In addition to that, it also provides education, healthcare, and worldwide sanitation. Six of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are directed to children. All of this was put into action by Herbert Hoover, a former United States president, and Maurice Pate, a businessman and humanitarian. They were the founders of this organization in 1946. Even though UNICEF has accomplished many of its objectives to aid the youth of the world, there are still many issues that need to be addressed such as the global provision of education and medical aid in conflict zones.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
II. Topic information A) History of Topic
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “conflict zones” are defined as areas in which militants are carrying on a war in an area marked by extreme violence. “Post-conflict zones” are locations that have previously been marked as a conflict zone, and the extreme violence and war that once happened there is now over. In addition, “orphaned children” are kids whose parents have left them or have been killed. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). As of 2014, there were around 150 million orphaned children worldwide. What this means is that orphaned children have become a major issue worldwide issue. Although not every country suffers from an alarming number of orphaned children, there is a number of countries that do, especially in regions where conflict zones are distributed around the region.
Millions children have seen their parents killed in a conflict zone. These children are now orphans and they suffer going through not only grief, but living in the conflict zone that killed their parents. The United Nations reported that between the 1990s and 2000s, 2 million children were killed in situations of armed conflict, and more than 1 million were orphaned. In 2014, it was estimated that there were 230 million children in armed conflict in countries such as Syria, Iraq, South Sudan, and Nigeria. (National Public Radio)
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Over the past few years, many orphaned children have been suffering in countries where conflict zones are everywhere. One example is Ukraine, there is no child, orphaned or not, that has not been affected by war. (Euro-Press-2014). Since 1998, children that were orphaned due to conflict were sent to refugee camps or orphanages, and part of them are sent to war as child soldiers. The ones that are left, if any, are kidnapped, tortured, recruited, raped, and even forced to be a slave or sold as one. (FMO-2016). Orphaned children being left in conflict or post-conflict zones have suffered significant psychological trauma and have had their mental and sometimes even physical development severely affected, as reported in a study by a group of psychologists, psychiatrists, and pediatricians.
As stated by Insight Conflict, women and children are the most vulnerable and affected by war, and many times they are the ones who suffer the most. War affects men and women differently. Throughout history, women and children have gone through the worst, being gang-raped, left pregnant and alone, being forced to give birth to a child, etc. Children born during war and in the aftermath of the conflict often suffer from physical or mental health problems. The challenges young mothers and children are facing, and will face in the future, is a serious problem that deserves a significant amount of attention.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
The Security Council has addressed the issue of children in conflict and post-conflict zones since 1999, and started taking action in 2001 by deploying children protectors. These children protectors carry out many jobs, including: general child protection, monitoring and reporting, negotiating with armed groups to prevent further conflicts, capacity building, legal reform, awareness raising, and training. UNICEF has also helped in this topic by building youth centres in post-conflict zones, an example is Kyrgyzstan. Between 2011 and 2012, 19 youth centres were built in Kyrgyzstan, and the majority of them were built around and inside the conflict zones to aid orphaned children.
B) Current Issues Afghanistan: UNICEF stated that Afghanistan is currently the worst country to be born in. There are numerous amounts of conflicts happening in Afghanistan, along with extreme poverty, violence and war. There are thousands of orphanages in the nation, and most of them are already filled with children. The United States army has been stationed in Afghanistan as part of its fight against Taliban forces, and thousands of civilians have been killed in this conflict since 2001. Some children managed to survive, even though their parents were murdered, leaving them orphaned. Currently, Afghanistan has the goal of creating the largest number of orphanages, to aid all of the children left alone due to conflict. In the country, a colossal number of children are abandoned, abused, and forced to live on the streets. Organizations are trying to take action and build even more orphanages, like the TAO Project. Their goal is to fund, build, and maintain the largest orphanage in
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Afghanistan, the Kalakhan Orphanage. This orphanage is already receiving immense support and it aims to provide a safe home and school for 500 boys and 500 girls.
Syria: The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has significantly impacted children living in the country. UNICEF has reported that more than four million Syrian people have fled the country and half of them were children. As of 2003, it is estimated by the UN that 8,000 children have fled from the country without their parents. The Syrian Orphans Organization, an organization that provides Syrian children with needed supplies to survive, reported that as of 2016, 7.3 million Syrian children are in need, 5.6 million are in urgent situations, and 2 million are in remote zones. Syria is in need of urgent support as the civil war continues to contribute to this issue.
Ukraine: According to Euromaiden Press, 8 million children in Ukraine have gone been affected by the current conflict with Russia. The conflict began in 2013 when Russia annexed the Crimean region of Ukraine. More than 6,000 people have been killed and thousands more left injured. Say No to Orphanhood is a program currently operating in Ukraine. The program aims to reunite families and has currently done use for almost 8,000 people. As of February 14, 2016, the program has been operating for close to two years, issued more than six million adult survival kits, and provided more than 450,000 survival kits to children from 0 to 3 years of age.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Kenya: Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group that has carried out multiple attacks in Kenya in revenge for Kenyan troops being present in Somalia. The al-Shabaab group has launched multiple attacks in an attempt to erase non-Muslims from the country, as well as declaring Kenya a war zone. Men and women who are not Muslims are shot dead, leaving the children abandoned. However, terror attacks are not the only reason as to why children are orphaned. According to the Visiting Orphans Organization, Kenya was classified as the country with the third highest number of orphans due to HIV/AIDS, estimated at 890,000. There are about one million orphaned children living on the streets of Kenya, and that number is expected to grow exponentially as HIV and AIDS continues to spread. Seven hundred Kenyans die everyday from AIDS. The orphaned children are forced to survive alone, and this has caused many young girls to prostitute themselves at ages as young as ten, and for young boys to turn to crime. There are multiple orphanages in Kenya. The Dream Children’s Home Kenya Orphanage, one of the largest in the nation, was opened in February 2005, and has been operating and taking in orphaned children ever since.
Sudan: Throughout history, Sudan has gone through civil wars, genocides, and conflicts. Sudan had two civil wars between 1955 and 1989, and once again, conflict has erupted, as the western region of Sudan, known as Darfur, was the place where the third Sudanese civil war started as two rebel groups, known as the Sudan Liberation Movement and Equality Movement, set in motion a full
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
rebellion against the Sudanese government in February 2003. In 2003, after the rebellion started, the Sudanese government sent Arab armies to attack hundreds of villages throughout Darfur. More than 400 villages were destroyed, more than 400,000 people were killed, and millions more were forced to flee. Many children were left orphaned and rebel groups forced boys to join the fighting while a number of young girls were sexually assaulted. At least 20,000 children in Sudan between ages 7 and 17 were separated from their families due to the conflict, and it is estimated that 10% of children in Sudan are in orphanages or live on the streets. (UNICEF) The Children Alive Organization is an orphanage that is working to help street children by providing housing, daily meals, and an education.
Indonesia: The main cause of orphans in Indonesia is not war, but natural disasters. In 2004, a massive earthquake under the sea caused gigantic tidal waves, killing or displacing more than 200,000 people around the country. Due to this tragedy, about 410,000 people were left homeless, and over 150,000 children in Indonesia have been orphaned according to the Globe and Mail. In 2011, the BBC released a report exposing the widespread misuse of money in the nation’s orphanages. Money was being donated by the government to help orphan children, but instead was being used for the personal gain of the orphanage owners. Indonesia has done very little to stop this crime.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.” Ethiopia: In 1991, conflict engulfed Ethiopia when Eritrea and its rebel groups separated from the country. Further conflict in 1998, that would last two years, was fought around the borders of the two countries, bringing instability to East Africa. The war took more than 100,000 lives, and once again, hundreds of thousands of children were left orphaned, and billions of dollars was spent to rebuild the damages. The war ended with the Algiers Peace Agreement. According to UNICEF, out of the 90 million people living in the country, 4.5 million are orphans, which means that about 5% of Ethiopia’s population is orphaned. The Kidane Mehret Organization has served as a home for orphaned children since 1933. They take in abandoned children, street children, orphans under 8 years of age, and children whose parents are sick with HIV/AIDS.
C) UN Action The United Nations has tried to help orphaned children. The Security Council began to take action in 2001. It deployed peacekeepers to help millions of orphaned children, mostly around Africa. The United Nations also created UNAIDS, a United Nations based organization dedicated to ending the biggest cause of orphans: HIV/AIDS. It started in 2000, and set development goals to end HIV/AIDS. This disease is rampant in post-conflict zones due to poor health care and the use of rape as a weapon of war. UNAIDS aims to slow the spread and eliminate the disease between 2016 to 2021. Furthermore, UNICEF also started raising awareness for neglected Ebola orphans, by offering aid and nourishing about 2,500 survivors in severely affected African nations.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
III. Conclusion To conclude, there have been continuos attempts to provide aid to every single orphan that has lost their parents because of disease or conflict. However, it is a very challenging task due to the fact that the number of orphaned children keeps growing every day. War affects everyone, but children are impacted the most, as they are often traumatized or left with psychological problems. They continue to suffer as they live in the streets, are forced into prostitution or commit crimes in order to survive. The number of orphans that have received aid is below 1% in countries such as Kenya. There are thousands of organizations and orphanages, but it does not come close to ending the orphan crisis, but then again, epidemics like AIDS will not stop adding to the orphan count until a cure or a way to end it is developed. Major organizations like UNICEF do as much as they are able to, financially and physically.
IV. Essential Questions 1. What is your delegation doing to provide aid to orphaned children? 2. Have there been any issues with orphaned children being forced into the military in your delegation? If so, has your country done anything about this? 3. What is the main cause for children becoming orphans in your delegation?
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
4. Do orphaned children in your country lack basic needs? What could your country do to change this? 5. Are there any campaigns in your country helping and preventing this issue? If so, which ones? 6. Does your country have any issues with rebel groups? If so, explain. 7. What kind of support are orphaned children receiving in your country? 8. In your delegation, are orphaned children being provided with an opportunity to have an education?
V. Resources "2014 A Year Of 'Unspeakable Brutality' For Children In Conflict Zones." NPR. NPR. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"The Afghan Orphan Project." The Afghan Orphan Project. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
"Almost 8,000 Ukrainian Children Found Their Parents Thanks to «Say No to Orphanhood»” Program. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"American Foster Care for Syrian Orphans." The Chronicle of Social Change. 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Children and Adolescents in Conflict Situations." — Forced Migration Online. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
Children in Conflict: Child Soldiers." Child Soldiers. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Children of Afghanistan." Humanium Together for Children's Rights. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
"Children's Statistics." Worldwide Orphan Statistics. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
"Conflicts in Sudan." Conflicts in Sudan. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"CONFLICT ZONES OF THE WORLD - JULY 2015." CONFLICT ZONES OF THE WORLD - JULY 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Dream Children's Home - an Orphanage in Kenya." Dream Children's Home - an Orphanage in Kenya. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"The Effects of Conflict Are Felt Hardest by Women and Children | Insight on Conflict." Insight on Conflict The Effects of Conflict Are Felt Hardest by Women and Children Comments. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Ethiopia." News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Ethiopia - Current Conflicts." Ethiopia - Current Conflicts. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Ethiopia and Eritrea: Brothers at War No More." - Al Jazeera English. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
"Ethiopian Rebels Launched Major Offensive in Northern Ethiopia." Madote. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"History: Kidane Mehret Children's Home - Addis Ababa Ethiopia - Caring for Ethiopian Orphans." History: Kidane Mehret Children's Home - Addis Ababa Ethiopia - Caring for Ethiopian Orphans. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Indonesia: 150,000 Children Orphaned by Tsunami: VP." ReliefWeb. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Indonesia Opens War on Aceh Rebels." The Globe and Mail. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Indonesia Profile - Timeline - BBC News." BBC News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Indonesia: Resources and Conflict in Papua." - International Crisis Group. 2013. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
"Kenya." United States Institute of Peace. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
Ligtvoet, Frank. "A Calculation: The 'Orphan Crisis' in Ethiopia." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"The Lost Boys of the Sudan." The Lost Boys of the Sudan. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Overview." Mama Sayang Orphanage. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Peacekeeping Issues. Children in Conflict." UN News Center. UN. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Real Lives." UNICEF Kyrgyzstan. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Smith, David, and Zoe Flood. "Kenya Is a War Zone, Warns Al-Shabaab after Somali Islamists Massacre 48." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 2014. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Statistics." UNICEF. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Sudan: Conflict Profile | Insight on Conflict." Insight on Conflict. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Sudan's Third Civil War: In Medias Res | Dissent Magazine." Dissent Magazine. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"South Sudan: What Is the Fighting About? - BBC News." BBC News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Sudan." Kids Alive International. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Syrian Orphans - Donate, Sponsor and Help Orphans and Children." Syrian Orphans Donate Sponsor and Help Orphans and Children. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.” "Timeline of Some of Ethiopia's Significant Events." Timeline of Some of Ethiopia's Significant Events. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Ukraine Crisis in Maps - BBC News." BBC News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
"United Human Rights Council." United Human Rights Council. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
"UNAIDS." About. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"UN Imposes Arms Embargo against Yemen Rebel Leaders, Ex-president." The Globe and Mail. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"UN Raises Alert over Neglected Ebola Orphans." - Al Jazeera English. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"War, Orphans, and Children at Risk - an Interview with Ukraine's Child Advocate." Euromaidan Press. 2014. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
“War Zone.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"What's Tearing Kenya Apart? History, for One Thing." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 2008. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
THE UNITED NATIONS
INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S EMERGENCY FUND
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Committee: The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Topic A: Aiding Orphaned Children in Post-Conflict Zones Written by: Eduardo Tello and Andrea Treviño
I. Committee Background The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established on December 11, 1946, after World War II and has been operating ever since. Its current headquarters are located in New York City, within the official United Nations building. This fund supports children’s rights for their protection and well-being. Initially, the main objective of UNICEF was to provide humanitarian aid such as food or health care to the youngest of the world. However, this service soon evolved and became a full-fledged United Nations committee in 1953. Currently, UNICEF contributes to the elimination of discrimination and poverty within minors. In addition to that, it also provides education, healthcare, and worldwide sanitation. Six of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are directed to children. All of this was put into action by Herbert Hoover, a former United States president, and Maurice Pate, a businessman and humanitarian. They were the founders of this organization in 1946. Even though UNICEF has accomplished many of its objectives to aid the youth of the world, there are still many issues that need to be addressed such as the global provision of education and medical aid in conflict zones.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
II. Topic information A) History of Topic
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “conflict zones” are defined as areas in which militants are carrying on a war in an area marked by extreme violence. “Post-conflict zones” are locations that have previously been marked as a conflict zone, and the extreme violence and war that once happened there is now over. In addition, “orphaned children” are kids whose parents have left them or have been killed. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). As of 2014, there were around 150 million orphaned children worldwide. What this means is that orphaned children have become a major issue worldwide issue. Although not every country suffers from an alarming number of orphaned children, there is a number of countries that do, especially in regions where conflict zones are distributed around the region.
Millions children have seen their parents killed in a conflict zone. These children are now orphans and they suffer going through not only grief, but living in the conflict zone that killed their parents. The United Nations reported that between the 1990s and 2000s, 2 million children were killed in situations of armed conflict, and more than 1 million were orphaned. In 2014, it was estimated that there were 230 million children in armed conflict in countries such as Syria, Iraq, South Sudan, and Nigeria. (National Public Radio)
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Over the past few years, many orphaned children have been suffering in countries where conflict zones are everywhere. One example is Ukraine, there is no child, orphaned or not, that has not been affected by war. (Euro-Press-2014). Since 1998, children that were orphaned due to conflict were sent to refugee camps or orphanages, and part of them are sent to war as child soldiers. The ones that are left, if any, are kidnapped, tortured, recruited, raped, and even forced to be a slave or sold as one. (FMO-2016). Orphaned children being left in conflict or post-conflict zones have suffered significant psychological trauma and have had their mental and sometimes even physical development severely affected, as reported in a study by a group of psychologists, psychiatrists, and pediatricians.
As stated by Insight Conflict, women and children are the most vulnerable and affected by war, and many times they are the ones who suffer the most. War affects men and women differently. Throughout history, women and children have gone through the worst, being gang-raped, left pregnant and alone, being forced to give birth to a child, etc. Children born during war and in the aftermath of the conflict often suffer from physical or mental health problems. The challenges young mothers and children are facing, and will face in the future, is a serious problem that deserves a significant amount of attention.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
The Security Council has addressed the issue of children in conflict and post-conflict zones since 1999, and started taking action in 2001 by deploying children protectors. These children protectors carry out many jobs, including: general child protection, monitoring and reporting, negotiating with armed groups to prevent further conflicts, capacity building, legal reform, awareness raising, and training. UNICEF has also helped in this topic by building youth centres in post-conflict zones, an example is Kyrgyzstan. Between 2011 and 2012, 19 youth centres were built in Kyrgyzstan, and the majority of them were built around and inside the conflict zones to aid orphaned children.
B) Current Issues Afghanistan: UNICEF stated that Afghanistan is currently the worst country to be born in. There are numerous amounts of conflicts happening in Afghanistan, along with extreme poverty, violence and war. There are thousands of orphanages in the nation, and most of them are already filled with children. The United States army has been stationed in Afghanistan as part of its fight against Taliban forces, and thousands of civilians have been killed in this conflict since 2001. Some children managed to survive, even though their parents were murdered, leaving them orphaned. Currently, Afghanistan has the goal of creating the largest number of orphanages, to aid all of the children left alone due to conflict. In the country, a colossal number of children are abandoned, abused, and forced to live on the streets. Organizations are trying to take action and build even more orphanages, like the TAO Project. Their goal is to fund, build, and maintain the largest orphanage in
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Afghanistan, the Kalakhan Orphanage. This orphanage is already receiving immense support and it aims to provide a safe home and school for 500 boys and 500 girls.
Syria: The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has significantly impacted children living in the country. UNICEF has reported that more than four million Syrian people have fled the country and half of them were children. As of 2003, it is estimated by the UN that 8,000 children have fled from the country without their parents. The Syrian Orphans Organization, an organization that provides Syrian children with needed supplies to survive, reported that as of 2016, 7.3 million Syrian children are in need, 5.6 million are in urgent situations, and 2 million are in remote zones. Syria is in need of urgent support as the civil war continues to contribute to this issue.
Ukraine: According to Euromaiden Press, 8 million children in Ukraine have gone been affected by the current conflict with Russia. The conflict began in 2013 when Russia annexed the Crimean region of Ukraine. More than 6,000 people have been killed and thousands more left injured. Say No to Orphanhood is a program currently operating in Ukraine. The program aims to reunite families and has currently done use for almost 8,000 people. As of February 14, 2016, the program has been operating for close to two years, issued more than six million adult survival kits, and provided more than 450,000 survival kits to children from 0 to 3 years of age.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Kenya: Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group that has carried out multiple attacks in Kenya in revenge for Kenyan troops being present in Somalia. The al-Shabaab group has launched multiple attacks in an attempt to erase non-Muslims from the country, as well as declaring Kenya a war zone. Men and women who are not Muslims are shot dead, leaving the children abandoned. However, terror attacks are not the only reason as to why children are orphaned. According to the Visiting Orphans Organization, Kenya was classified as the country with the third highest number of orphans due to HIV/AIDS, estimated at 890,000. There are about one million orphaned children living on the streets of Kenya, and that number is expected to grow exponentially as HIV and AIDS continues to spread. Seven hundred Kenyans die everyday from AIDS. The orphaned children are forced to survive alone, and this has caused many young girls to prostitute themselves at ages as young as ten, and for young boys to turn to crime. There are multiple orphanages in Kenya. The Dream Children’s Home Kenya Orphanage, one of the largest in the nation, was opened in February 2005, and has been operating and taking in orphaned children ever since.
Sudan: Throughout history, Sudan has gone through civil wars, genocides, and conflicts. Sudan had two civil wars between 1955 and 1989, and once again, conflict has erupted, as the western region of Sudan, known as Darfur, was the place where the third Sudanese civil war started as two rebel groups, known as the Sudan Liberation Movement and Equality Movement, set in motion a full
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
rebellion against the Sudanese government in February 2003. In 2003, after the rebellion started, the Sudanese government sent Arab armies to attack hundreds of villages throughout Darfur. More than 400 villages were destroyed, more than 400,000 people were killed, and millions more were forced to flee. Many children were left orphaned and rebel groups forced boys to join the fighting while a number of young girls were sexually assaulted. At least 20,000 children in Sudan between ages 7 and 17 were separated from their families due to the conflict, and it is estimated that 10% of children in Sudan are in orphanages or live on the streets. (UNICEF) The Children Alive Organization is an orphanage that is working to help street children by providing housing, daily meals, and an education.
Indonesia: The main cause of orphans in Indonesia is not war, but natural disasters. In 2004, a massive earthquake under the sea caused gigantic tidal waves, killing or displacing more than 200,000 people around the country. Due to this tragedy, about 410,000 people were left homeless, and over 150,000 children in Indonesia have been orphaned according to the Globe and Mail. In 2011, the BBC released a report exposing the widespread misuse of money in the nation’s orphanages. Money was being donated by the government to help orphan children, but instead was being used for the personal gain of the orphanage owners. Indonesia has done very little to stop this crime.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.” Ethiopia: In 1991, conflict engulfed Ethiopia when Eritrea and its rebel groups separated from the country. Further conflict in 1998, that would last two years, was fought around the borders of the two countries, bringing instability to East Africa. The war took more than 100,000 lives, and once again, hundreds of thousands of children were left orphaned, and billions of dollars was spent to rebuild the damages. The war ended with the Algiers Peace Agreement. According to UNICEF, out of the 90 million people living in the country, 4.5 million are orphans, which means that about 5% of Ethiopia’s population is orphaned. The Kidane Mehret Organization has served as a home for orphaned children since 1933. They take in abandoned children, street children, orphans under 8 years of age, and children whose parents are sick with HIV/AIDS.
C) UN Action The United Nations has tried to help orphaned children. The Security Council began to take action in 2001. It deployed peacekeepers to help millions of orphaned children, mostly around Africa. The United Nations also created UNAIDS, a United Nations based organization dedicated to ending the biggest cause of orphans: HIV/AIDS. It started in 2000, and set development goals to end HIV/AIDS. This disease is rampant in post-conflict zones due to poor health care and the use of rape as a weapon of war. UNAIDS aims to slow the spread and eliminate the disease between 2016 to 2021. Furthermore, UNICEF also started raising awareness for neglected Ebola orphans, by offering aid and nourishing about 2,500 survivors in severely affected African nations.
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
III. Conclusion To conclude, there have been continuos attempts to provide aid to every single orphan that has lost their parents because of disease or conflict. However, it is a very challenging task due to the fact that the number of orphaned children keeps growing every day. War affects everyone, but children are impacted the most, as they are often traumatized or left with psychological problems. They continue to suffer as they live in the streets, are forced into prostitution or commit crimes in order to survive. The number of orphans that have received aid is below 1% in countries such as Kenya. There are thousands of organizations and orphanages, but it does not come close to ending the orphan crisis, but then again, epidemics like AIDS will not stop adding to the orphan count until a cure or a way to end it is developed. Major organizations like UNICEF do as much as they are able to, financially and physically.
IV. Essential Questions 1. What is your delegation doing to provide aid to orphaned children? 2. Have there been any issues with orphaned children being forced into the military in your delegation? If so, has your country done anything about this? 3. What is the main cause for children becoming orphans in your delegation?
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
4. Do orphaned children in your country lack basic needs? What could your country do to change this? 5. Are there any campaigns in your country helping and preventing this issue? If so, which ones? 6. Does your country have any issues with rebel groups? If so, explain. 7. What kind of support are orphaned children receiving in your country? 8. In your delegation, are orphaned children being provided with an opportunity to have an education?
V. Resources "2014 A Year Of 'Unspeakable Brutality' For Children In Conflict Zones." NPR. NPR. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"The Afghan Orphan Project." The Afghan Orphan Project. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
"Almost 8,000 Ukrainian Children Found Their Parents Thanks to «Say No to Orphanhood»” Program. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"American Foster Care for Syrian Orphans." The Chronicle of Social Change. 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Children and Adolescents in Conflict Situations." — Forced Migration Online. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
Children in Conflict: Child Soldiers." Child Soldiers. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Children of Afghanistan." Humanium Together for Children's Rights. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
"Children's Statistics." Worldwide Orphan Statistics. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
"Conflicts in Sudan." Conflicts in Sudan. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"CONFLICT ZONES OF THE WORLD - JULY 2015." CONFLICT ZONES OF THE WORLD - JULY 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Dream Children's Home - an Orphanage in Kenya." Dream Children's Home - an Orphanage in Kenya. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"The Effects of Conflict Are Felt Hardest by Women and Children | Insight on Conflict." Insight on Conflict The Effects of Conflict Are Felt Hardest by Women and Children Comments. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Ethiopia." News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Ethiopia - Current Conflicts." Ethiopia - Current Conflicts. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Ethiopia and Eritrea: Brothers at War No More." - Al Jazeera English. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
"Ethiopian Rebels Launched Major Offensive in Northern Ethiopia." Madote. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"History: Kidane Mehret Children's Home - Addis Ababa Ethiopia - Caring for Ethiopian Orphans." History: Kidane Mehret Children's Home - Addis Ababa Ethiopia - Caring for Ethiopian Orphans. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Indonesia: 150,000 Children Orphaned by Tsunami: VP." ReliefWeb. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Indonesia Opens War on Aceh Rebels." The Globe and Mail. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Indonesia Profile - Timeline - BBC News." BBC News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Indonesia: Resources and Conflict in Papua." - International Crisis Group. 2013. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
"Kenya." United States Institute of Peace. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
Ligtvoet, Frank. "A Calculation: The 'Orphan Crisis' in Ethiopia." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"The Lost Boys of the Sudan." The Lost Boys of the Sudan. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Overview." Mama Sayang Orphanage. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Peacekeeping Issues. Children in Conflict." UN News Center. UN. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Real Lives." UNICEF Kyrgyzstan. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.”
Smith, David, and Zoe Flood. "Kenya Is a War Zone, Warns Al-Shabaab after Somali Islamists Massacre 48." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 2014. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Statistics." UNICEF. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Sudan: Conflict Profile | Insight on Conflict." Insight on Conflict. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Sudan's Third Civil War: In Medias Res | Dissent Magazine." Dissent Magazine. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"South Sudan: What Is the Fighting About? - BBC News." BBC News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Sudan." Kids Alive International. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Syrian Orphans - Donate, Sponsor and Help Orphans and Children." Syrian Orphans Donate Sponsor and Help Orphans and Children. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
ISRMUN 2016
“Embracing our diversity is the first step to unity.” "Timeline of Some of Ethiopia's Significant Events." Timeline of Some of Ethiopia's Significant Events. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"Ukraine Crisis in Maps - BBC News." BBC News. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
"United Human Rights Council." United Human Rights Council. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.
"UNAIDS." About. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"UN Imposes Arms Embargo against Yemen Rebel Leaders, Ex-president." The Globe and Mail. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"UN Raises Alert over Neglected Ebola Orphans." - Al Jazeera English. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"War, Orphans, and Children at Risk - an Interview with Ukraine's Child Advocate." Euromaidan Press. 2014. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
“War Zone.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
"What's Tearing Kenya Apart? History, for One Thing." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 2008. Web. 07 Mar. 2016. .
