By: Zachary Danevicz, Student Reporter*

In Monday’s evening session of CPD debates the terminology used for the highly populated and poverty-stricken areas of the world. Representative Elise Johnson of Saudi Arabia said, “creating a development framework for how to make cities sustainable” is the purpose of Proposal BB, a resolution causing some of the Commission’s debate.

Previously in the first draft of the proposal, the phrase “slums” was used. The idea of these areas is that they are densely populated, run down housing and low income. During a 20 minute consultative session, Members took issue with this wording. A motion to reword to “low income” was proposed but quickly fell through because of the vague meaning of the term.

Some Representatives believe that although the term slums is not considered a slur the terminology has negative implications. In place of slum, the term “impoverished” was suggested. Some Members of the body believed this was a neutral phrase to be used. In a 11/1/12 strawpoll vote the body changed the wording from “slums” to “impoverished areas” in Proposition BB .

_{The views and opinions expressed in this article were part of simulation of the United Nations held from 18 to 21 November 2023 and do not reflect the views and opinions of the American Model United Nations Conference, American Model United Nations International, LLC., *Zachary Danevicz, Grand Rapids Community College or the governing bodies of the states mentioned in the article.}