Committees
The Covid Crisis Committee
About
The coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we as a species, have faced since World War Two. Since its emergence in Asia late last year, the virus has spread to every continent, except Antarctica; with cases rising daily. Countries are racing to slow the spread of the virus by testing and treating patients, limiting travel, quarantining citizens, cancelling large gatherings, etc. The pandemic is moving like a wave—one that may yet crash on those least able to cope.
But COVID-19 is much more than just a health crisis. By stressing every one of the countries it touches, it has the potential to create devastating social, economic and political crises that will leave deep scars. We are in uncharted territory. Many of our communities are now unrecognizable. Dozens of the world’s greatest cities are deserted as people stay indoors, either by choice or by government order. Every day, people are losing jobs and income, with no way of knowing when normality will return; the International Labour Organization estimates that 195 million jobs could be lost.
In this committee, delegates will be presented with constant crisis updates that they will be expected to resolve within the three days of the conference. As representatives of countries from all over the world, delegates are required to be quick thinking and capable of providing practical and innovative solutions to the several problems at hand; ultimately paving the way to flattening the curve. Approach with care and caution however. When so much has already been lost to the crisis, would you really want to be responsible for it getting worse?
The Covid Committee Chairs
Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Greetings delegates!
I would like to welcome you all to the first ever global virtual MUN of Pakistan, IVYMUN 2020. I, Qimra Hameed, am currently a freshman at LUMS and am pursuing a Computer Science degree. I am very excited to be serving as the Chair of the United Nations COVID-19 Crisis Committee (UNCCC). I can assure you, you are in capable hands as I have enjoyed a productive MUN career gaining a priceless understanding of the practice of MUNs. The criteria of your judgement will be an inclusive one; don’t expect to win through just flaming rhetoric and fancy language, for I believe there is much more to MUNs than that. Strategic lobbying and diplomatic dialogues will have equal consideration as your quality of debate. As far as the environment of the committee is concerned, I expect the committee to be a very rapidly progressing one. It is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the crisis at hand. Each and everyone of us is going through this crisis alike and it is times like these that call for our solution formulating skills that we have honed over the years to come into play. Looking forward to some very well researched and meticulously articulated solutions from you guys!
Happy researching and Godspeed!
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Hello future ambassadors!
Arsam Shaikh here! I am a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania pursuing a neuroscience major. Since I identify as a first-generation, low-income student (FGLI) at UPenn, I am involved with multiple FGLI organizations. Along with being a mentor for PENNCAP this year, I also served as one of the nine delegates from UPenn at the 1vyG Conference and discussed ideas that would help higher education institutions better cater to FGLI students.
I found a social organization called AACT -- Awareness Against Current Transgressions -- along with two of my peers. Sick and tired of seeing injustices being committed and no one taking any proactive measures to address those violations, we co-founded AACT to integrate UPenn and surrounding communities against such issues while standing in solidarity with our fellow human beings. For our first project, we would be responding to the plight of about a million Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China who have been detained in concentration camps in the name of “vocational training.” Fortunately this year, my group and I were selected to receive the Hassenfeld Social Impact Research Grant through which we will be working towards bringing our three-part solution to this problem into fruition.
With the current Covid-19 crisis at hand, it gives me great pleasure to see that the youth of Pakistan is coming forward to find a cohesive solution to this crisis. The situation has been nerve wrecking for diplomats around the globe and IVYMUN 2020 is going to give you a unique opportunity to stand in the shoes of those diplomats and put forth your ideas. Looking forward to intense debating sessions and comprehensive documentation!
Best of Luck!
The United Nations Women Committee
About
The United Nations Women Committee is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UNW was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. UNW supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide.
The committee at IVYMUN’20 will be discussing the following topics:
Topic Area A: Protection & Rehabilitation of Women in Post Conflict Areas
Topic Area B: Global Feminism;
Transnational Women’s Activism, Organisation and Human Rights
The Women Committee Chairs
Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Hello! My name is Ramsha Shoaib. I am very honoured to serve as your Chair for the UNW at the the very first Roots Ivy Virtual MUN.
I am not a fan of extremely long write ups so here is some advice: be well researched but do not bring in lots of research material and throw in facts without making a point, the purpose of MUN Conferences is to test your diplomacy skills and not your research skills 'alone'; always keep in mind the mandate of your committee and reflect upon it while functioning in the committee. Do not throw in fancy rhetoric uselessly; be confident and well dressed but most importantly, have fun. Also, a little humour is always appreciated.
The criteria of judgment for the Best Delegate Award is not the ability to scream in the unmods or whose laptop is being used to type out the resolution, but the ability to make pertinent and logical arguments. Best of luck for the conference!
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
"If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down, these women together ought to be able to turn it right again." —Sojourner Truth
Greeting delegates! I, Daniya Ahsan will be serving as your chair for United Nations women and I’m proud to welcome you all to the IVYMUN 2020. I have always been very passionate about public speaking as it has played a vital part in my life and hence, not only have I participated in a handful of MUNs, parliamentary debates, declamations, etc. but have had my fair share of wins and losses. I believe at the end of the day, we all eventually learn something important from MUNs that is relevant to our professional/personal lives: the secret to speaking is listening. Your judgement criteria will not be based on your superior vocabulary or your ability to shout during the unmods because there’s so much more to MUNs than that. Lastly, I believe that in times like these, we need to stay connected because while some of us are safe in our homes and consider this lockdown a “break”;there are many suffering. Therefore, I believe UNW is one of the most important committees at this time, as this concept of lockdown has been there for women since the beginning, a concept that we should definitely discuss and make the effort to resolve; and I am eager to see what you delegates think of the matter.
Best of luck for the debate. Stay safe and continue washing your hands 🦠
Disarmament and International Security Committee
About
The General Assembly First Committee: Disarmament and International Security (DISEC) deals with issues relating to disarmament, global challenges, and threats to peace that affect the international community and seeks out solutions to the challenges in the international security regime. The Committee comprises of all member nations of the United Nations, and even though its mandate is limited to recommendations, it has proven to be one of the most influential bodies in the United Nations, as its resolutions deal with some of the most complex topics in the international community.
The committee at IVYMUN’20 will be discussing the following topics:
Topic A: Police Brutality and the Resulting Inflammation of Tensions
Topic B: Preventing Online Recruitment of Youth by Extremist Groups
The DISEC Chairs
Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Hello delegates, my name is Brinda Mehra and I’ll be serving as your Chair for DISEC at IVYMUN’20. I’m a final year Psychology major at the City University of Hong Kong, interested in neuroeconomics and neural system processing! I also enjoy reading Japanese magical realism novels, watching police procedural dramas and doing my best to stay on top of the overwhelming amount of news we are inundated with everyday, which is probably what led to my interest in MUNs. I attended my very first MUN in eighth grade and was absolutely taken in by the atmosphere and the intensity of the agendas that we discussed, as well as the interesting ways in which things played out in different committees.
I have been an avid member of the MUN community since high school, chairing several committees and serving as the secretary general of my high school MUN and director general of my university’s! I am extremely honored to be given the chance to chair Pakistan’s first virtual MUN and so excited to see all of you bring your A-game to the DISEC committee! Please do feel free to reach out and contact me before the MUN if you need help with anything!
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Greetings delegates,
My name is Shizah Kashif and I'm a rising freshman at Williams College, looking to double major in Political Science and another one of my many (divergent) academic interests, Comparative Literature being the frontrunner - for now!
Originally from Islamabad, I've been living in Dubai for the last six years, competing in and chairing multiple local and international MUNs, but I'm yet to experience the debating vigor of Pakistan for myself, which makes IVYMUN’20 all the more special for me. I'm beyond humbled - and excited - to be serving as the co-Chair of DISEC alongside Brinda at IVYMUN’20!
I know a virtual setting is a maverick take on MUNs, where the excitement seems to stem from spontaneity. To dismantle issues of international significance as part of DISEC despite the obstacles put in our path by the ongoing pandemic is an act of ferocity in itself - an act of fierce resilience. This is our stress test and I am so sure we will emerge from it stronger, more well-informed, and with an indelible debating experience like no other before.
To me, it doesn't matter if you have competed in one MUN or ten, won multiple Best Delegate awards or none, spoken ten times or just once; what matters to me is that you take a stand for what you believe in. The kinds of issues we'll be deconstructing in DISEC are decades in the making and seemingly unsolvable, but with the right diplomatic etiquette, originality of thought, awareness, and vigor, nothing is impossible.
I look forward to seeing you all soon! Good luck!
The United Nations Security Council
About
The United Nations Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 members, and each member has one vote. Under the Charter of the United Nations, all member states are obligated to comply with Council decisions. The UNSC takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression. It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement. In some cases, the Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.
The committee at IVYMUN’20 will be discussing the following topics:
Topic A: The Situation In The South China Sea
Topic B: Securing Nuclear Warheads in Turkey - Combating Nuclear Proliferation
The UNSC Chairs
Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Hello, Delegates!
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the IVYMUN’20. My name is Aleha Jehanzeb, and I will be chairing the United Nations Security Council.
I have been an active member of the parliamentary debate, and the Model UN, circuit for the past five years. That being said, I don’t see the appeal in ‘modestly’ listing down the awards I’ve managed to bag over the course of this time, so I’ll leave that to your imagination.
This year, we’ve decided to tackle an issue that plays with the dynamics of a traditional Model-UN session. You’ll be expected to maintain diplomacy (bet you didn’t see that one coming), and all the other qualities the quintessential MUN-er is assumed to possess.
Please keep in mind that proper formatting will be appreciated, and rewarded. Feel free to contact me if you have any queries or concerns.
Happy researching!
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Delegates,
My name is Mustafa Afridi and I am honored to serve as your Chair for United Nations Security Council at IVYMUN’20. As a brief introduction I, having a vast knowledge on international and national issues appreciate delegates who are researched. My participation in Model United Nations conferences have played an indispensable part in my life, I have been familiar with the MUN circuit for a while now.
Moreover, my aim for this committee is to solve current issues with the use of diplomacy. I expect an astonishingly high debate level which can only be possible through extensive research.
Lastly, I will work to the best of my abilities to make UNSC, at IVYMUN’20, a challenging, memorable and inspiring experience for all those who attend.
See you there, good luck!
Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee
About
The General Assembly Third Committee: Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Committee (SOCHUM) is a forum for UN Member States to discuss social, humanitarian, and cultural issues, especially those related to human rights. The SOCHUM takes the lead in drafting general resolutions on these matters. The Committee also addresses important social development questions such as issues related to youth, family, ageing, persons with disabilities, prevention of heinous crime, criminal justice, and control over the international drug epidemic.
The committee at IVYMUN’20 will be discussing the following topics:
Topic A: Combating the Glorification of Nazism and Practices that Contribute to Fueling Contemporary Forms of Violence
Topic B: Violence Against Women
The SOCHUM Chairs
Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Hello everyone,
I am Mohammad Owais Sabri and I will be serving as the chair for SOCHUM at IVYMUN’20. I am, like a lot of people right now, waiting for my Alevel result while social distancing. In times like these, online MUNs are an opportunity to socialize and meet new people. It's an opportunity to break the lethargic daily routine and try something interesting while, of course, discussing important issues faced by the modern world.
As a chair, I expect the delegates to be well researched and have good content. However, all of that is secondary to having a proper grip over diplomacy. I expect delegates to be diplomatic and respectful with each other when they are in the committee.
With that said, I cannot wait to meet of you on the 26th! Good luck and stay safe!
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Hello, delegates!
My name is Zaineb and I’ll be serving as your chair for SOCHUM. I just finished my A Levels from LGS Defence. Having attended my fair share of Model UN conferences along the years (I’ve won stuff, I promise) you’re in good hands - I’ve learnt a thing or two along the way (I mean, I’m bound to).
I have the tendency to look bored and/or angry (unintentionally) sometimes, I’m chiller than I look -I swear. Other than that I’m entertained fairly easily and enjoy intensive debate so make sure the committee has that.
As boring as this note has been so far, I sincerely hope the committee isn’t. The topic is super vast so be sure to be well researched and be sure to have pragmatic, innovative solutions and frameworks.
I hope the committee gives you an enjoyable experience that you won’t forget. I look forward to it!