Committee Overview

Simulating the main policy making organ of the United Nations, the conference’s General Assembly session takes place during the final day of the conference and hosts all delegates of the 6 GA committees (see below). In order, the main submitters of the best resolution passed from each GA committee present their resolution to be debated upon and voted on by the delegations present. The General Assembly is an opportunity for delegates to interact with and debate on topics outside of their committee while working as a team with the rest of their delegation. It also provides a stand to speak in front of an extraordinarily large audience, an exhilarating public speaking challenge.

Also known as the Disarmament and International Security committee, the 1st GA committee, deals with challenges and threats to peace and the security of the international community. Its agenda items vary from more general discussions on principles and standards regarding, amongst others, the reduction of armaments and the promotion of cooperation for peace and security, to more specific contemporary regional or cross-regional challenges where delegates are called to implement solutions following the principles of the United Nations. Debate topics might often be contentious and delegates in this committee need to have an excellent understanding of the sensitivity of their countries’ policies, along with a well-rounded view of global historical and military developments in order to be successful.

The 2nd GA Committee specialises in Economic and Financial (EcoFin) affairs. It deals with a broad range of issues linked in some way to promoting economic growth and development across the world. Its agenda items usually range from broader discussions on reviewing financial standard practices of organisations and governments to more specific questions or challenges to global and regional economic stability and human development. The delegates will be engaging in detailed and sometimes technical discussions pertaining to the effective application of micro and macroeconomic policies and principles. Delegates have an opportunity to employ problem-solving skills and appreciate the adverse and uncertain effects of policy-making on different stakeholders, across many different economic landscapes.

The 3rd GA Committee is the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee. It targets all three components equally, i.e. social issues (e.g. gender discrimination), humanitarian crises (e.g. refugees) and cultural matters (e.g. protection of cultural heritage in time of war). Having a bigger jurisdiction, it adopts a wider scope than the Human Rights Council (see below). Delegates here can develop an inclusive and holistic way of thinking, called to support different groups of people in distress with varying needs. To be successful, delegates need to have a well-rounded appreciation of the cultural and social identity not only of their delegation’s country, but also of all other parties involved.

The 4th GA Committee deals with Special Political and Decolonization affairs. Its agenda has a broad scope usually including the resolution of some specific case of territorial dispute related to decolonisation, the reconsideration of the nature of peacekeeping and/or special political missions and other possible diplomatic and political challenges that are in some way connected to decolonisation. Delegates in this committee frequently have to deal with complex and vaguely defined or contested concepts, while they also have to try and establish communication and understanding between parties with clashing and sometimes very rigid beliefs.

The 5th GA Committee deals with the internal administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations. It aims to achieve the smooth operation and coordination of the UN internally, ensure the proper allocation of funds throughout the organisation and tackle human resources issues. GA5 addresses long term foundational problems, including the modernisation of management practices and their sustainability. Delegates in this committee will have to establish measures to facilitate transparency and accountability across UN bodies and propose measures to enhance efficiency in areas where the UN system may lack. As such, delegates must engage with technical details that deeply influence how the UN evolves as an international organisation.

The Legal Committee, GA6, is the primary forum of the UN where legal matters are discussed. More specifically, GA6 is tasked with the consideration of legal questions, like the development of international law and the promotion of justice. Delegates in this committee focus on the interpretation of international treaties, the clarification of state responsibilities, and the development of legal frameworks across various topics. It requires delegates to engage with the technicalities of international law and the rule of law, both at the national and international level, and therefore, strong analytical skills and the ability to apply legal reasoning are necessary.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the principal decision-making organ of the organisation. It is the only organ whose decisions can be legally-binding and it has the authority to issue sanctions to countries violating its principles; as such it deals with the most critical challenges to international peace and any crises that need immediate or direct action in order to be resolved. Due to its critical nature, 5 of its 15 members hold permanent seats (the rest change every two years) and thus reserve the right to prevent any proposal from officially being adopted regardless of whether a majority is reached (the veto power). Debate takes place clause by clause instead of on entire draft resolutions and as such all delegates have the chance to present clauses to be debated and voted upon more than once. However, usually considering very contentious topics, delegates need to be very dedicated, alert and flexible as they are tasked with balancing conflicting opinions in order to arrive at some sort of direly needed, commonly acceptable solution. Delegates ought to have an extensive and confident understanding of their delegation’s limits and pragmatic aims which strictly guide their decisions when voting, especially if they are representing a permanent member. Delegates are highly encouraged to read the respective manual.

The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the principal UN organs and deals, as the name suggests, with socio-economic issues, emphasizing on the underlying connection between social and economic problems. Its resolutions focus on limiting the inequity and societal imbalance caused by modern economies. Compared to the 2nd and 3rd GA Committees (see above), this Council’s agenda items are not “purely” economic or social/humanitarian in nature: it deals with both components simultaneously. As a result, it is less technical than the 2nd and often more complex than the 3rd GA Committees.

The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is a subsidiary body of the UNGA. The scope of this Council focuses on human rights violation issues and, by extension, the promotion and protection of human rights (e.g. the prohibition of child soldiers). With a very clear mandate, delegates having an understanding of the universal declaration of human rights will engage in exciting debate trying to reconcile different interpretations of human rights to resolve distinct issues of human suffering and exploitation. The scope and clear topics discussed lead to an accessible experience for people interested in welfare and human rights.

The Environmental Commission (EC) is a variation of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), a UNGA subsidiary body. The commission deals with a variety of topics all linked with the protection and restoration of the environment. Debate typically revolves around tangible issues that might often have to do with daily life practices; as such, delegates can gain experience in extensive and detailed lobbying and debating without encountering too complicated and abstract concepts.

Each year, CGSMUN has a different global theme, which is addressed in a Special Conference (SPECON), as well as having direct or indirect links with most agenda items of all other Committees. The special conference is not bound by a specific mandate and so hosts a mix of topics ranging from socio-economic to scientific, to political and security issues amongst others. This lack of a clear focus introduces a level of difficulty, but also uniquely provides delegates with a chance to experience a variety of different debates. Thus, delegates finding it difficult to commit to a specific debate field will find this option interesting even though they will have to gain an extensive understanding of their delegation’s status in widely different fields. This is a committee for delegates who enjoy research and find the conference’s theme of great interest.

The Youth Assembly (YA) is a special assembly created for new and less experienced members of the MUN community. In the Youth Assembly, delegates represent themselves and debate on 2 different issues creating an Action Paper. The lack of a need to research on a specific country’s policy makes preparation and research for this committee more accessible, while it also encourages more unrestrained, creative development of personal ideas. The structure of the action papers is meant to highlight the multiple and distinct levels of thinking that exist in the process of drafting solutions, such as recognising the issue and its impact, while avoiding conceptually dense or ambiguous phrasings. Having only two topics to debate allows for much greater lobbying and debating time margins creating a less stressful environment where delegates are encouraged to ask questions and tackle concepts and MUN procedures at a more comfortable pace. Delegates are highly encouraged to read the respective manual.

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It advances global stability and human development by promoting international cooperation in education, science, culture, communication and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding and a deeper, more meaningful understanding of diverse cultures and ways of life. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. It also plays a vital role in safeguarding cultural heritage and traditions, ensuring that both tangible and intangible aspects of culture are preserved for future generations.

The UN Women committee struggles for the empowerment of women worldwide while further achieving gender equality. It functions by developing policy recommendations and setting international standards for the adoption of measures by Member States on issues such as gender-based violence, access to healthcare and education, as well as the social and economic inclusion of women. Also, UN Women monitors the progress of Member States and ensures that women’s voices are a part of decision-making procedures and processes.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a highly technical committee, as it is the world’s intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the field of nuclear science. It is responsible for ensuring that nuclear energy is used safely and securely for peaceful purposes, while also mitigating the effects of radioactive hazards. Delegates in this committee will need to balance the complexity of international oversight with the beneficial use of nuclear technology, and to establish standards to ensure global stability with scientific advancement for the common good.

The CCPCJ is the primary UN body which addresses topics focusing on crime prevention and criminal justice. Its mandate is to improve international action to combat national and transnational crime, as well as improve efficiency in justice systems. Delegates in this committee are expected to focus on the practical application of the law, in order to ensure that legal frameworks are modernised to uphold the rule of law, legally protect vulnerable populations, and create proactive strategies against emerging security threats. Ultimately, it demands delegates to move beyond simple policy making, and address the technical ways that law enforcement and legal systems must operate to be effective.

NATO is a transatlantic political and military alliance founded in 1949 in Brussels consisting of 32 countries. It guarantees the collective security of its Members in Europe and North America. NATO deals with a variety of topics, all focused into taking measures to safeguard the freedom and the security of its Member States. The committee’s goal is to reach a joint proposal by consensus, named “Joint Communique”. Delegates (also called panellists) who wish to gain a greater understanding in international relations and politics in concern of peace and security, will have a chance to engage in such discussions. Debate is conducted clause by clause. Delegates are highly encouraged to read the respective manual.