Download 2. Ways to satisfy economic and social needs of post

Minsk International Model United Nations 2012
Global Security: Motion to stable future
Instructional Guide
ECOSOC (Economic and Social
Council)
Minsk International Model United Nations High School Conference 2012
ECOSOC
DEAR PARTICIPANTS,
Welcome to the MINTMUN 2012! This year the general topic is devoted to
the Global Security: motion to stable future. We are George Borisov and
Hanna Aranovich, chairmen of the Economic and Social Council.
My name is Hanna
Aranovich. I’m a student of
Belarusian Economic State
University of marketing
faculty. I’ll try to do my best
to create profitable
atmosphere, so that it could
be unforgettable for all of
us.
Hi, my name is George Borisov
and I will be one of the
chairmen team of ECOSOC of
the MINTMUN 2012
conference. I'm a 5th year
student of the BSU, Faculty of
International Relations. It will
be my 8th MUN conference
and for me MUN is some kind
like a mafia: if you came in, no
one can simply go out. But
seriously, to my mind it's a
good possibility to improve
yourself.
It’s a pleasure you have chosen this Council, the only body which face
with real problem of common people and could impact on receiving economic
and social needs and improve everyday life all over the world. This year we
have two issues:

Rehabilitation of former prisoners in social life;

Ways to satisfy economic and social needs of postconflict countries.
2
Minsk International Model United Nations High School Conference 2012
ECOSOC
1. Rehabilitation of Former Prisoners in Social Life
I went to prison, I paid my bill
George Michael
‘Rehabilitation’ means literally ‘re-enabling’ or ‘making fit again’ (from
the Latin rehabilitare). In the prison context it means readying prisoners to
rejoin society, as useful and law-abiding members of the wider community.
The rehabilitation of former prisoners released from the places of
imprisonment is the most complex and important part of the process of
former criminals ’re–integration into the
society.
Social
and
psychological
rehabilitation of former prisoners will not
lose its importance in the civilized society
as long as such kind of criminal
punishment as imprisonment is used.
The isolation of criminals to some extent
helps to fight crime, but the effects of
imprisonment
on
a
person
are
contradictory. On the one hand, the
isolation prevents antisocial activities,
but on the other hand former prisoners have trouble acting independently
when released. For this reason people released from prison need some
relevant psychological assistance.
The topic of prisons and prisoners clearly affects the governments and
yet it is not given due attention. It is regarded as a negative issue in
20th century societies and is sometimes put aside. The public is badly
informed and this makes it difficult for the governments to undertake the
necessary reforms.
Rehabilitation regimes around the world comprise a number of
different types of interventions which are employed in varying degrees to
provide purposeful activity for prisoners, challenge offending behaviour,
provide basic education to tackle illiteracy and innumeracy and equip
prisoners with life and work skills. The most common interventions are:

Needs assessment to identify the offender’s needs and
classify the types of intervention required. This is a core ingredient in
sentence and resettlement planning.

Education to address the prisoner’s educational deficits.

Behavioural and cognitive skills programmes to challenge
offending behaviour and offending-related risks, and provide
treatment for substance misuse.

Vocational training to provide transferable and recognized
skills to increase prospects of employment on release.

Work to give prisoners—often for the first time—
experience of the working day and increase prospects of employment
on release.

Resettlement to provide assistance to prisoners with
finding accommodation and employment after their release.
3
Minsk International Model United Nations High School Conference 2012
ECOSOC
What sometimes happens in several countries is that there are no
programmes or rules to support the social rehabilitation of prisoners once
they have served their sentences.
Here are some examples of support organizations of different countries
for those recently released from prison:
I.
Age Concern Older Offenders Project - Age
Concern Older Offenders Project (ACOOP) aims to offer social
care, advice and support to older prisoners and their families,
both in prison and within the wider criminal justice system.
http://www.recoop.org.uk/pages/home/index.php
II.
Caring for Ex-Offenders - Caring for Ex-Offenders’
vision is to reduce reoffending by reintegrating ex-offenders
(of any faith or none) into society through the local church. Through
training and advice, CFEO equips churches and enables them to
support ex-offenders to live changed lives. We believe that by breaking
the cycle of crime, individuals, families and neighbourhoods can be
transformed.
http://www.caringforexoffenders.org/
III.
Futures Unlocked – Its mission is to support ex-offenders
in leading crime free lives. To contribute to building safer communities.
Reducing crime, protecting the public and consequently reducing the
numbers of victims of crime. To support ex-offenders to break the
cycle of re offending, working with the full range of statutory, private,
and voluntary sector Services.
http://www.futuresunlocked.org/
IV.
Republican Association "Hope" - Provides assistance to
former prisoners (a flophouse, it is given a temporary residence permit,
provided medical and material assistance.
In a hearing on the rehabilitation of former prisoners organized by the
EPP Group, MEP Salvatore Iacolino urges concrete action on rehabilitation
before,
during,
and
after
the
period
of
imprisonment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_c-qhQ8CQ
There can be 3 main questions every delegate should think over from
the position of the country (s)he represents:
I. Are an adequate number of educational, vocational and work
programmes being provided to rehabilitate prisoners?
II. Are the programmes having an effect in reducing re-offending? If
not, what should be done differently?
III. Are certain groups of prisoners—remand
and short-term
prisoners, women prisoners, young offenders and prisoners with mental
health problems—receiving adequate rehabilitation?
The main thing everyone should remember is best way of reducing reoffending is to ensure that prisoners on their release have the ability to get
into work and a home to go to.
4
Minsk International Model United Nations High School Conference 2012
ECOSOC
Here are some UN resolutions concerning the topic of prisoners that
can be available to read and study then.




1997/36. International cooperation for the improvement of
prison conditions
http://www.un.org/documents/ecosoc/res/1997/eres199736.htm
45/111. Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners
http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/45/a45r111.htm
2006/22 Providing technical assistance for prison reform in
Africa and the development of viable alternatives to
imprisonment
http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/docs/2006/resolution%20200622.pdf
2002/15 United Nations standards and norms in crime
prevention and criminal justice
http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/docs/2002/resolution%20200215.pdf
5
Minsk International Model United Nations High School Conference 2012
ECOSOC
2. Ways to satisfy economic and social needs of post-conflict
countries
Forty percent of post-conflict countries return to violence
within a decade. In the urgent rush to help, donors do a
tremendous amount of good for many people, but nearly
half the time they fail to do what is needed to prevent a
return to violence.
USAID1
Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, Sierra Leone,
Liberia, southern Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq,
and Timor- Leste: These are just a few of
the many countries in which nowadays are
implemented programs in the aftermath of
conflict.
It has become increasingly clear that
economic
development
and
poverty
reduction can significantly reduce the incidence of conflict. This is of
particular importance for countries recovering from violent conflicts,
considering they are often among the poorest even compared with other
developing countries, and are extremely vulnerable to slipping back into
violence.
Economic development therefore plays a key and interrelated role –
along with political development and the maintenance of security – in postconflict peacebuilding processes aimed at creating lasting and sustainable
peace. Clearly, the needs of post-conflict transition countries vary according
to their situations. The overriding priority in those countries emerging from
complete collapse such as Liberia and Somalia is to restore stability and
security. Where institutions are still intact to some degree, efforts can
concentrate more on improving economic and social conditions by
establishing effective, accountable governance mechanisms. In addition to
the omnipresent threat of relapse to violence, post-conflict countries are
afflicted by a range of other serious risks and capacity deficits, including
political instability, severe security problems and a lack of institutional
capacity.
In developing countries generally, and even more so in post-conflict
countries, weak institutions are known to hamper entrepreneurial
investments, exacerbating underdevelopment. Physical infrastructure is
often damaged or unavailable, including electricity, water, transport and
access to land. Corruption is often endemic, while transparency and the rule
of law are either absent or extremely weak. These are all strong limiting
factors on economies shattered by conflict, and deprived of skilled labour as
they struggle to cope with the effects of brain drain and capital flight.
Accordingly, the challenges of post-conflict economies are very different to
those of developed, and even of other developing economies.
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has played an “avant1
United States Agency for International Development
6
Minsk International Model United Nations High School Conference 2012
ECOSOC
garde” role in developing mechanisms to respond to the problems facing by
countries emerging from conflict and thus helping to prevent the
deterioration of human security.
In 2002, the Council established the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory
Groups to help define long-term programmes of support for countries
emerging from conflict and created two groups on Guinea-Bissau (created in
October 2002) and on Burundi (created in July 2003). While the mandates of
the two Groups have been terminated as the peacebuilding challenges of
these countries are now being addressed by the Peacebuilding commission
(PBC), the Council retains its role in providing advice to Haiti on a long-term
development strategy to promote socio-economic recovery and stability
through the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti. The first Advisory Group on
Haiti was created in response to a request by the Security Council, using
Article 65 of the United Nations Charter to request advice from ECOSOC.
Organizations in the “avant-garde” of resolving the problem:
 ECOSOC – United Nations Economic and Social Council. It is
responsible for coordinating the economic, social and related
work of 14 UN specialized agencies, their functional
commissions and five regional commissions;
 PBC – United Nations Peacebuilding commission – an
intergovernmental advisory organization that supports peace
efforts in countries emerging from conflict;
 PBF – United Nations Peacebuilding Fund – the Secretary
General’s Fund to support activities, actions, programs and
organizations that seek to build a lasting peace in countries
emerging from conflict.
Resolutions on the topic:
 ECOSOC resolution – Support to South Sudan – (29.07.2011) http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/docs/2011/res%202011.43.pdf;
 Review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture
(25.10.2010)
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/65
/7;
 Strengthening of the Economic and Social Council – (09.01.2007)
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/61
/16.
7
Minsk International Model United Nations High School Conference 2012
ECOSOC
Useful links:
Here are some links, which can help you in the preparing for the debates.
1. Rehabilitation of Former Prisoners in Social Life:
 ECOSOC - http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/;
 PBC - http://www.un.org/en/peacebuilding/index.asp;
 NACRO - http://www.nacro.org.uk/;
 ICPS - http://www.prisonstudies.org/links.html;
 Re-entry
—
Prison
Fellowship
International
http://www.pfi.org/cot/ex-offender/re-entry.
-
2. Ways to satisfy economic and social needs of post-conflict
countries:
 PBF – http://www.unpbf.org/;
 Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post-Conflict Countries –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KS3gukuWsc;
 Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on African Countries emerging from
conflict – http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/adhocmech/conflict.shtml;
 Post-Conflict Economic Recovery
–
http://relooney.fatcow.com/SI_Expeditionary/Post-Conflict-EconomicDevelopment_75.pdf.
8