UN General Assembly - Disarmament and International Security (First Committee)

Topics

1. Establishment of a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone in the Region of the Middle East

2. Advancing Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace in the Context of International Security

3. The Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects

Statement

At the moment the world is facing various rising tensions concerning international peace and security: With the Iran Nuclear Deal being on the brink of termination, worsening security issues in the Middle East on one side and also new threats emerging during the COVID-19 pandemic on the other, such as the spread of fake media in cyberspace, it is vital for the international community to combat these problems with comprehensive solutions. Therefore I – Benedikt Holzschuh – will address these issues from the perspective of Ecuador in the General Assembly First Committee.

UN General Assembly - Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee)

Topics

1. Financing for Development

2. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Sustainable Economic and Financial Development 

3. Disaster Risk Reduction

Statement

Global cooperation involves economic and financial issues in every topic, especially when it comes to sustainable development. We are happy to represent Ecuador’s opinion and achievements on financing, Information and Communication Technologies, and on how to reduce disaster risk.

UN General Assembly - Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (Third Committee)

Topics

1. Rights of Indigenous People

2. Empowering Conflict-Affected Children and Youth

3. Implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 

Statement

Researching the topics, we were impressed by Ecuador’s approach on integrating people with disabilities in society. Moreover, we are very honored to support the rights of Indigenous people, as 1.1 million Indigenous people are living in Ecuador and their culture and their earth-protecting knowledge needs to be preserved. As the Venezuelan crisis is affecting the whole Latin American region, we strive to empower especially children and youth who were forced to leave their homes.

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Topics

1. Peaceful use of nuclear energy

2. Strengthening Measures towards General and Complete Nuclear Disarmament

Statement

Ecuador has a long history promoting nuclear disarmament, as a nuclear free weapon state it works towards developing more nuclear free weapon zones and a better understanding between Nuclear weapon and Non-nuclear weapon states. It pays great importance to the use and further development of nuclear energy especially in its most important export sector agriculture.Presenting  a developing, nuclear-free weapon state is a great pleasure as it forces me to change my view on global and especially the nato‘s safety politics.

United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)

Topics

1. Climate Change and Health;

2. Ensuring Sustainable Consumption and Production

3. Mitigation of and Adaptation to Desertification and Drought

Statement

Did you know that Ecuador is one of the most biologically diverse countries on the planet? Sadly, climate change is becoming the biggest threat in the 21^st century, particularly for Ecuador.  Therefore we, Leon Herrmann and Bohdana Chepka are honored to represent Ecuador in the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) at the NMUN conference. As representatives, we are working on finding sustainable solutions for environmental issues caused by climate change that will enable a safer future for us all.

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Topics

1. Forced Displacement Due to Climate Change

2. Ensuring Access to Safe and Sustainable Energy

3. Improving Employment Opportunities for Refugees and Displaced Persons

Statement

Did you know that the current number of displaced people is the highest it ever was in history? This is partly due to the effects of climate change, which will be the major reason for displacement in the future. In the committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, we will champion a fair world for refugees and will try to find measures to improve their living conditions.

Economic and Social Council Plenary (ECOSOC)

Topics

1. The Socio-Economic Effects of Global Pandemics

2. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Fragile States

3. Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective into All Policies and Programmes in the United Nations System

Statement

At a time when the whole world is struggling to keep the economy from collapsing despite the severe impact of the pandemic, the discussions in ECOSOC are more important than ever. How can we mitigate the economic impact of the crisis without leaving the most vulnerable behind? As a heavily affected country ourselves, we represent Ecuador in this discussion.

United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

Topics

1.  Empowering Women through Entrepreneurship

2. Promoting the Political Participation of Women

3. Protecting Women in Migration from Human

Statement

Gender Equality - shouldn't that be a matter of course these days? Unfortunately not. So it is even better that the UN has dedicated us women a commission of its own. Women empowerment has been a priority for the UN since 1946, but there are still many fields in which the female role needs to be strengthened. As one of the first countries to introduce women's suffrage in 1929, Ecuador has been taking responsibility for promoting the female role in politics, economics and society for decades. And as a woman, of course, I feel a special responsibility to ensure that our voice is heard and valued worldwide!

United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

Topics

1. Improving Vulnerable Persons' Access to Justice Including a Fair Trial

2. Combating Organized Cybercrime

3. Combating Illicit Organ Trafficking

Statement

We might all have been misunderstood by others or we might blame somebody wrongly. But in most scenarios, we can clear the air. However, just imagine, what if you can’t resolve it. You are refused to give any explanations. You are not allowed to defend yourself, nor to justify yourself. Sounds absurd, but the devastating fact is that 5 billion people have failed to meet justice in the world. Every one of them is the living case of violation of human rights. No need to say more about its significance. Let’s roll up our sleeves and improve vulnerable persons’ access to justice. I hereby am honored to represent the Republic of Ecuador in the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.