Position paper for Ukraine
| Committee: | GA First |
| Topic: | Consolidation of peace through practical disarmament measures |
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| Between February 24, 2022, and July 31, 2024, 11,520 people, including 633 children, lost their lives due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. When will we declare that enough is enough and begin to implement resolutions that protect future generations from the horror of war rather than create larger ones? To establish peace, implementing practical disarmament measures is crucial for the sake of Ukraine and the sake of international community because Ukraine has suffered the consequences of the opposition's side in this war and reign of terror, and we have lost thousands of lives to crimes committed by firearms and other munitions by the opposing state. As for the international community, if we do not put a stop to the uncontrolled arming of nation-states during times of war and outside times of war, states will suffer the consequences by seeing the death toll rise due to weaponized crimes. According to UN Resolutions supported by implementations in our state legislation and the Ukrainian foreign ministry agreeing not to develop weapons of mass destruction, A/RES/1540 and A/RES/2117, disarmament entails reducing available weapons and limiting their distribution to prevent further conflict escalation and enable humanitarian actions. The main procedures, such as multilateral agreements, arms reduction treaties, and international oversight, aligned with UN Resolution A/RES/1325 on women, peace, and security, play a pivotal role in ensuring Compliance. Our nation-state, Ukraine, has taken the initiative in developing these NAPS into our nation's laws and continuing efforts to update them in alignment with the UN resolution. These initiatives should address not only state actors but also militias, aiming to curb the illegal arms trade and limit the proliferation of small arms. Peace-building programs like disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), as noted in UN Resolution A/RES/242, are essential for reintegrating former combatants into society, reducing the likelihood of renewed violence. Success stories in Sierra Leone and Colombia show just how effective such approaches are. Bringing together disarmament with peace-building initiatives, anchored by key UN resolutions, creates a concrete foundation for lasting peace and reducing the devastating impact of armed conflict. To do that, Ukraine suggests all nations take it upon themselves to halt all development of weapons of mass destruction. | |
| Committee: | GA First |
| Topic: | Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction |
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| In today's world, many nations, including ours, face war, insecurity, and hardship. It is important now more than ever that we unite to create peace and address problems like humanitarian crises and geopolitical instability. When it comes to the use of chemical weapons, this remains an inhumane threat to global peace. When it comes to Ukraine's convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons, Ukraine aims to have these weapons of mass destruction eliminated, as well as having other nations commit to the disarmament and destruction of chemical weapons. Ukraine fully supports our commitment to the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons (OPCW) and has taken different steps to ensure prevention concerning our future developments. A more recent violation where chemical weapons were used in Syria just proves that we must take the necessary steps globally to enforce global peace. With the UK's support in developing advanced technologies like DragonFire, we can better protect its people and land. With backup from the UK and even other allied countries of Ukraine through collaboration with one another to enforce international frameworks, we can ensure that we can help prevent future crises, especially the ones involved in chemical weapons and any other inhumane weapons. These advancements can give Ukraine a foot up in the ongoing conflict. As the war continues to claim lives in Ukraine and beyond, it is more important than ever to put an end to this suffering, especially along the Russia-Ukraine border. Ukraine needs more aid and military support to stop the violence. Advanced technology could shift the balance of power and help Ukraine gain the upper hand. With adequate support, we believe peace can be maintained. Ukraine remains committed to pursuing a peaceful resolution and avoiding further violence. However, we also support providing military aid from our allies to ensure long-term stability. We prompt other international partners to contribute to these efforts to build lasting peace. By bringing forth technology, aid, and collaboration, we can achieve the stability that Ukraine and many other nations desperately need. Ukraine aims to focus on complex chemical weapons to keep peace and hopes to create strategies globally to illuminate chemical weapons around the world. | |
| Committee: | GA Second |
| Topic: | Agriculture development, food security and nutrition |
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| We emphasize the need for agricultural development, food security, and nutrition in developing nations and the importance of achieving the UN goal to achieve zero hunger by 2030. Despite the ongoing conflict with the Russian Federation, Ukraine remains committed to supporting agricultural development and food security. There is an urgent need for programs with a greater focus on agriculture development to help combat the effects of climate change due to the extreme weather conditions. For example, in extreme drought and flooding, many crops are lost or destroyed. Conventional agriculture production relies heavily on natural resources that are the most vulnerable to fluctuating weather conditions. The implementation of vertical farming practices and the use of hydroponic growing systems can help to combat the effects of climate change. This technology can also be used in urban areas to grow crops, expanding the local production of food while not taking up valuable land space. Through partnerships with private sector companies to develop hydroponic technologies and to educate clients on how to use this new growing technology. Ukraine respects and applauds the previous works this body has contributed to agriculture development, food security, and nutrition. Most notably, A/RES/77/186 and A/RES/75/235. Ukraine is piloting the "Feed Your Neighbor Initiative," which gathers surplus food produce from farms and redistributes it to those most in need, and that reduces food insecurity. Through a continued partnership with the FAO, Ukraine hopes to share the knowledge from this program with other member states. To allow other member states to develop similar programs to help reduce food waste. Furthermore, Ukraine applauds the states that have implemented programs to increase agricultural development, food security, and nutrition. The world's population is only growing, and with that, so is the need to increase efforts to reduce food waste, create partnerships with the private sector, and promote sustainable agriculture practices. Ukraine remains committed to promoting a future of zero hunger. | |
| Committee: | GA Second |
| Topic: | Development cooperation with middle-income countries |
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| In an attempt to navigate a globe disparaged with conflict, we must recognize the specific challenges of middle-income countries (MICs). Over time, it has continued to be transparent that while MICs are capable of economic growth, they face many unique challenges. These are not just contained to one variable either. There are many socio-economic factors to consider when facing the specific and complex challenges of MICs. Ukraine recognizes the past efforts, most critically the A/RES/78/162 and A/RES/76/215 resolutions, that have been made by this committee to uplift middle-income countries but does not deny that it is not enough and there is more to be done. Ukraine additionally recognizes and applauds the steps already taken by intergovernmental organizations to support MICs, such as the UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade Development), a body that offers economic and trade analysis and technical assistance to support developing countries to reap the benefits of a globalized economy. As a middle-income country, the Ukrainian State emphasizes that solutions should not rely solely on MICs but require global efforts to address them. For example, in post-conflict, MICs struggle highly with rebuilding infrastructure and poverty and often need international support. And it is not sufficient to simply provide more financial aid. According to the World Bank, economic diversification is a key aspect to consider as economic growth thrives on a diverse economy; variety is a necessity. Assisting MICs to invest in green energy, which promotes long-term economic growth through less reliance on the unpredictability of fossil fuel prices, and infrastructure development, which results in MICs being less reliant on other countries for trade and creates more domestic production, are privy to reaching this end goal. Another step to promote the development of MICs is capacity building. This strategy is not just effective in developing MICs but can help them navigate globalization and avoid global conflicts that could harm them. It is of utmost importance that such action be taken to foster the growth of MICs. Despite the current conflict that Ukraine is facing at its border, the state stays committed to promoting the development and cooperation with middle-income countries overall and hopes to break barriers that currently confine them. | |
| Committee: | GA Third |
| Topic: | Rights of indigenous peoples |
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| International collaboration is essential on the issue of ensuring the rights of indigenous peoples are being considered and respected, in the wake of human rights violations within our state due to occupation subjecting our indigenous peoples, the Crimean Tatars, and many others in the occupied territory to religious persecution, discrimination, and suppression of freedoms such as speech, protest, and assembly. We continuously call for international diplomacy and respect regarding indigenous rights for all member states citizens under occupation. We look to the international community for support and assistance with appreciation to the UN and its supporting member states, who join us in calling for the enforcement of resolution 73/263 adopted by the general assembly on 22 December 2018 condemning the illegal occupation of Crimea violating international law. Ukraine urges all members to adopt the framework outlined in the resolution 61/295 adopted by the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous people in September 2007, which details implementing Indigenous rights focused on social inclusion-based policies, giving indigenous peoples the platform to have a voice not just within their communities but the international community as well. This will require cooperation and assistance on an international level, such as the UN SWAP guide, to foster long-standing support and respect for Indigenous peoples' rights. This system-wide action plan lays out a framework that focuses on integrating indigenous voices into national and international policies. Giving indigenous peoples a voice when it comes to laws that will affect them will foster trust, social inclusion on an international level, and collaboration between indigenous peoples and their governments and create policies that are sensitive to the needs of indigenous populations. There is an urgent need to prioritize and enforce the rights of indigenous peoples; this effort must involve policies that incorporate indigenous peoples in international spaces to further social inclusion and maintain respect for indigenous peoples' human rights. | |
| Committee: | GA Third |
| Topic: | Literacy for life |
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| Fostering social inclusion is essential when promoting literacy for life in accordance with the UN (SDGs), specifically goal 4, which highlights the importance of creating literate environments for all in an inclusive attempt for literacy to reach all populations, specifically those in poverty, ensuring sustainable development. We recognize the duty of the GA Third Committee to promote social, humanitarian, and cultural protections. Ensuring easy access to education not only in each member state's official languages but in minority languages as well will foster social inclusion and give access to lifelong education for minority language speakers who did not have the opportunity. Improving literacy in minority communities by implementing multilingual and bilingual primary and secondary education will give access to education for all in adherence to the resolution 57/166 adopted by the GA in December 2002 outlining the goals of the United Nations declared literacy decade education for all, broadening the scope of literacy for life calling for governments and respective organizations to ensure the promotion of literacy for all. Communities with higher literacy rates are better functioning, more effectively able to advocate for their preferred policies, and most importantly, able to understand how to participate in their society. Language gives one self- identity and a sense of belonging, member states must uphold the duty of the GA third committee by ensuring minority language speakers are included in the plan of action. 77/192 adopted by the GA on December 15th, 2022, to ensure inclusive education internationally and adopt literacy technologies. We urge member states to provide funding to financially disadvantaged countries, ensuring that education is accessible to those lacking resources. This initiative's purpose is to develop more inclusive policy-making strategies reaching the most marginalized groups of people within this declared literacy. The goal of the UN and its member states is to prioritize literacy for life, multilingual and bilingual quality life-long education for all, which will aid all states in attaining this shared international goal. | |
| Committee: | GA Plenary |
| Topic: | The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment |
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| As a body, the United Nations has strived to find solutions to the countless concerns facing the international community since the institution's founding. For decades, the nations of the world have worked together to create a more prosperous, more equalitarian, and, most importantly, more peaceful world for all people. One of the longest-lasting and most pressing issues threatening the progress toward these goals is the threat of environmental degradation. As a nation that has stood alongside the international community in making great strides in mitigating harm to our environment through monumental resolutions such as A/RES/44/228, which laid the groundwork for UN-ensured protections for the environment, A/RES/55/2 and A/RES/70/1 which set environmental goals and targets to reach, and A/RES/76/300 which ensured the human right to a clean, healthy, environment, Ukraine has been eager to cooperate and find mutually agreeable methods of combating environmental degradation and ensuring a clean, healthy, environment for all persons. The Ukrainian position is that more needs to be done to defend this right and that one of the most versatile methods of doing so would be to introduce and adopt more environmentally friendly, sustainable agricultural practices. For Ukraine, this has been through the setting and achieving of targets to lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) from the agricultural sector. Another key step would be for member states to agree to ensure pollutants and other waste runoff do not enter the water supply used for irrigation. According to the World Food Programme, a large contributor to hunger is climate change, therefore, sustainable agricultural practices not only contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment but also work to achieve a critical goal of A/RES/70/1. Ukraine, therefore, believes that the international community agreeing to reduce the emissions of respective agricultural industries can better ensure the human right to a clean, healthy environment. | |
| Committee: | GA Plenary |
| Topic: | Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel |
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| While there has never truly been a time where it has been safe to be a humanitarian aid worker, assisting those affected by the calamity, the 21st century is, unfortunately, becoming a time of unparalleled danger to the United Nations and humanitarian aid personnel. Ukraine, the United Nations, and the international community all have a vested interest in ensuring the safety and security of those risking their lives to help others and have acted accordingly through measures such as the 1994 Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel NO. 35457 and A/RES/78/316. Ukraine, as a nation currently facing the horrors of war, knows firsthand the importance of protecting the UN and other humanitarian personnel as they work to assist noncombatants. As one of the primary goals of the UNDSS in Ukraine has been to provide care to those dealing with intense stress and trauma, the importance of caring for the mental well-being of UN and humanitarian personnel so they may continue to provide aid has become undeniable. Therefore, Ukraine's position is that as a body concerned with the safety and security of persons, we must consider all aspects of a person's well-being, which includes mental health. Ukraine believes that this can be best achieved by encouraging cooperation between the WHO and UNDSS with a focus on mental health. This can be done by adding WHO mental health experts to UNDSS field teams whose objective is to provide this care, thereby enabling these field teams to provide better care to UN and humanitarian personnel. Additionally, member states, Ukraine included, that have suffered conflict can also lend expertise to both respective agencies and to the international community on how to provide more effective responses to threats posed against the safety and security of humanitarian and UN personnel. | |
| Committee: | WHA |
| Topic: | Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health |
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| Amid global conflict, women and children are put in increasingly vulnerable situations. These vulnerabilities are a global struggle that requires a global solution. Ukraine believes women's, children's, and adolescents' health and safety in war zones should be a top priority. As a global community and as diplomats advocating for world health and safety, women must have safe access to sexual and reproductive care, like rape crisis services and contraception, while protecting children from violence. This fosters an environment where women and adolescents can live without fear. Ukraine is addressing reproductive care access with the European Institute for Gender Equity to address reproductive care access. We have identified several gaps in the availability and accessibility of rape crisis care, contraception, and other sexual and reproductive health care for refugees from Ukraine and abroad. Ukraine appreciates the past resolutions of the General Assembly, particularly A/RES/62/134, Eliminating rape and other forms of sexual violence in all their manifestations, which urges states to provide victims access to sexual and reproductive health care, psychological support, and rehabilitation. Additionally, Ukraine applauds the States that have supported these programs. The clearest path for children's safety is through The Global Accelerator for Pediatric Formulations, which focuses on providing appropriate medicines for infants and children and the establishment of a sexual and reproductive health team to address conflict-related sexual violence. Ukraine remains committed to protecting women, children, and future generations. We advocate for an increase in access to rape crisis care, contraception, and other sexual and reproductive health services for refugees fleeing conflict. This could be through partnering with neighboring countries and taking in our refugees to help them get the care they need. Ukraine calls upon the global community to unite in these efforts, ensuring the safety and health of women and children in conflict zones is not just a priority but a fundamental right. | |
| Committee: | WHA |
| Topic: | Public health dimension of the world drug problem |
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| Despite ongoing international efforts, there are significant challenges in addressing the world drug problem. These vulnerabilities are a global struggle that requires a global commitment to robust solutions. Ukraine believes that a crackdown on organized crime is among the top priorities. As diplomats advocating for world health and safety, it should be prioritized because, within Ukraine, military personnel are increasingly turning to illicit substances as coping mechanisms amidst the ongoing conflict. Ukraine is addressing the rampant increase of illicit substances being smuggled during wartime. Our allies have worked closely with us to obtain valuable information and data to track the movement of such substances, but we need the help of the entire international community to put an end to it. There must be a greater emphasis on the trade of illicit substances. Ukraine appreciates the past resolutions of the General Assembly, particularly A/RES/S-30/1, Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem. Within A/RES/S-30/1, effective measures were used to address the links between drug-related crimes and corruption and respond to the serious challenges posed by the increasing links between drug trafficking and organized crime. We also realize the success of states like Brazil in tackling the rise of organized crime and drug smuggling through increased security at airports and cooperation among citizens and the federal government. This is among the topics Ukraine hopes to reaffirm and applaud the States that have supported these programs. It is of the utmost importance that we prioritize regulating dangerous substances and protecting all our people. Ukraine is committed to expanding the development of safe drug use research in addition to being a nation that helps in the leading of organized crime regulation. In conclusion, Ukraine urges the global community to unite in combating the drug problem by addressing organized crime and promoting public health initiatives that safeguard the well-being of all individuals. | |
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