Reflection

The most important thing I learn in Model UN was that it help get in contact with issues around the world, and to try to come up with solutions to help this country if we were in that position. You had to learn more about the country that you had and see how you can use that information to come up with something fake but at the same realistic. It also helps me to be less shy when talking in front of many people. This will benefit me in the future because when you don’t have that confidence in you and you are shy that you would never accomplish what you want because, you would never let anyone know what you’re thinking you would just save it for yourself and you wouldn’t speak because of your shyness. But, Model UN helps you with communicating with people around you it builds up confidence in you and you reflect that when you’re talking to someone. When getting informed about other countries you’re getting involved and maybe you might try to help them based on what you just learn about them. Model UN has many advantages but mostly helps you with speaking in public and getting involved with other countries around the world.

South-Africa position paper

Committee: UNICEF

Country: South Africa

Topic: Child Soldiers

School: International High School at Sharpstown

Name: Jennifer Mariaca

Greetings Honorable Chair,

           The topic this year deals with child soldiers, but what are child soldiers is a child that is involved in any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group of any kind. These kids sometimes are under eighteen which is a problem mostly in developing countries. For this reasons are why many kids in developing countries don’t have the basic education they need, because they are capture or they join it by themselves because of many reason; one because, one of their members die ;second because they provide them with food shelter etc.. Third they don’t have other choice. They use kids mostly from South Africa because they are cheaper and they take advantage of their current situation. That is why South Africa is trying to do something about it to stop this.

            Since the Optional Protocol was legally approved in February 12, 2002 by more than 100 countries this has cause a good impact in the countries including south Africa this act pass by the UNICEF is all about kids that can’t join the  armed forces until they are 18 years or older. This act was created because; mostly in Africa is where kids are more frequently joining the armed forces at younger ages and girls are getting rape. South Africa sign the Optional Protocol and it has reduce the number of younger kids getting involved in armed forces without them wanting too now because, of this act kids are only allowed to join the armed forces when they are 18 years or older because, they are more aware of what they doing and if they really feel like joining and its their choice. They don’t let any minor join for their safety. This doesn’t mean that that child soldiers’ has stop completely but it has reduce at least a little since we know. As you can see South Africa has the highs number of child soldiers 300,000 child soldiers, some as young as seven, are actively fighting in 41 countries, with about 120,000 of them in Africa.

                Therefore I believe all countries in South Africa should sign the Optional Protocol to try to stop people from rapping these innocent kids that sometimes are forced to join their army. This act will benefit kids that are younger than eighteen years old. Help these kids not to get sexually abuse if their woman’s and the boys not to get involved in war conflict or any kind of violence they don’t want to do. We can make a difference if countries sign the Optional Protocol. 

                                                        BIBLIOGRAPHY

tp://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol15no3/153chil2.htm

http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,CSCOAL,,ZAF,456d621e2,486cb1305,0.html

http://www.unicef.org/emerg/index_childsoldiers.html\

http://www.child-soldiers.org/coalition/what-we-do