UN Women is the global champion for gender equality, working to develop and uphold standards and create an environment in which every woman and girl can exercise her human rights and live up to her full potential. We are trusted partners for advocates and decision-makers from all walks of life, and a leader in the effort to achieve gender equality.
TOPIC 1: Resolving the problem of sex trafficking and the impact of the pornographic industry on how society perceives women
Sexual material has long held a controversial place in society, and its relationship with a number of behaviors and attitudes has been highly debated. Now that human trafficking is as a bigger issue than ever before, sex trafficking has become a huge problem. Many people in active sex trafficking situations do not recognize themselves as being victims because they have been expertly groomed by a trafficker to believe they have chosen to participate in commercial sex. As the number of people being sex trafficked grows, mostly in developing nations, society’s view on women has in some cases worsened, as women are often objectified, belittled, and humiliated in many scenarios. Several member states have already censored pornographic material, yet most of them are still not in content with that decision.
TOPIC 2: Addressing the legality of abortion
Abortion is a basic healthcare need for millions of women, girls, and others who can become pregnant. Worldwide, an estimated 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in an abortion every year and around 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year. But while the need for abortion is common, access to safe and legal abortion services is far from guaranteed for those who may need abortion services. Ending a pregnancy is a common decision that millions of people make and regardless of whether abortion is legal or not, people still require and regularly access abortion services. In fact, access to abortion is one of the most hotly contested topics globally, and the debate is clouded by misinformation about the true ramifications of restricting access to this basic healthcare service. Many countries have changed their view on abortion in the past years, either to consenting to it or disallowing it.
COUNTRY MATRIX:
Beginner: Kingdom of Sweden, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Poland, Kingdom of Thailand, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Iraq, Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, United Mexican States, the Republic of Austria, Czech Republic
Intermediate: Japan, Federal Republic of Germany, Dominican Republic, Republic of India, Federative Republic of Brazil, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Vatican City State (observer), Turkey, Republic of Yemen, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Advanced: Russian Federation, United States of America, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, French Republic, People’s Republic of China
List of available countries here