My Experience as Haiti in the UN Commission on the Status of Women
For many Model United Nations delegates, being assigned a large world power can sound like the ultimate goal. As a nation like the United Kingdom, not only do you have considerable influence on the world stage but oftentimes many past initiatives and accomplishments to draw upon in your research and debate. Knowing this, I was frankly a little disappointed when I was assigned to represent Haiti in a committee on gender equality, the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW). Admittedly, Haiti is not a leader in the global movement for women’s rights, and the country has not yet been able to fulfill its obligations under the UNCSW due to a lack of resources and its struggle with humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters. However, during my journey of researching and representing Haiti, I realized that being a little country isn’t a bad thing, and it expanded my perspective as a delegate.
Below are 4 things I learned about representing the country policy of smaller country that helped me succeed in committee, as well as reasons you can view your assignment not as a disadvantage, but as a powerful thing!
- Move beyond hard power: You don’t need hard power like an advanced military or a booming economy to succeed in committee. You can leverage other types of power that you have, either as a delegate or as a nation. Your soft power – your sense of leadership, charisma, ability to collaborate with others, skills at fostering diplomacy, etc. – can positively distinguish you from other delegates and encourage others to partner with you. Convince others to ally with you because your nation has collaborated with theirs in the past, because you can empathize with the struggles they face, or because you have uniting factors such as similar religious or cultural values. If you know your country policy well and enter committee prepared, representing a smaller country won’t hold you back, especially if you recognize that soft power and the unique aspects of your country can bring people together.
- Unite smaller countries: Most likely, other delegates representing “little countries” are also in the same situation. In committee, rally other developing nations, as well as novice delegates! You have the opportunity to empathize with the struggles they face in a genuine way. By uniting with them, you can not only create powerful solutions that address common problems, but you can also find strength in numbers. The Permanent 5 members of the UN Security Council are just that – 5 nations. In UN General Assemblies and other similar committees where these countries lack veto power, every country has an equal vote and smaller nations far outnumber large world powers. Becoming a leader and working with other developing countries can help you build a powerful bloc and influence which resolutions pass, ensuring that they address your needs and concerns. You can develop and practice resolution writing and bloc creation skills by attending the MUN Institute over the summer!
- Your perspective is valuable: As a country that likely faces many challenges, you are uniquely suited to coming up with creative solutions or championing existing ones. Oftentimes, MUN and UN resolutions can veer towards being vague, which makes them difficult for countries to implement. When preparing for the UNCSW committee, I noticed that Haiti would have a hard time “working to end systemic discrimination against women and girls,” as often stated in documents. How would they go about doing that? By representing a country that has limited resources but the drive to come up with innovative solutions, I learned about different, concrete ways Haitian communities have been working to achieve that overarching goal, from implementing one-stop centers where women can go for resources and healthcare, to establishing a hotline for reporting gender based violence. These solutions were effective in Haiti and have the potential of making a positive impact in other developing nations. Ultimately, I was able to propose solutions that went beyond generic statements and included specific ideas that nations with limited resources can also benefit from and adopt. Chances are, the country you are representing also has challenges that it may not be able to address through sweeping frameworks but can tackle through targeted initiatives. These are a powerful way to take action and can be vital in crafting multifaceted resolutions. You can distinguish yourself – even over larger countries – if you have substantive ideas.
- Take opportunities: Don’t shy away from opportunities! I learned from my experiences in the UNCSW that, even as a developing nation, you can take a leadership role and provide a valuable perspective. We found out that the African Union committee next door had a crisis having to do with sexual assault by a prominent celebrity, and our chairs intended to elect three UNCSW delegates who would provide advice. Knowing that Haiti struggles to deal with sexual abuse in its own borders, I was reluctant to put myself forward for this opportunity. However, after hearing powerful country after powerful country stand up and speak about how they were best suited due to their general lack of sexual violence, I realized that Haiti’s experience with it could be invaluable in addressing the situation. I recounted the significant and similar problems Haiti has faced, and how Haiti has a firsthand understanding of the difficulties in addressing sexual assault. Ultimately, my committee elected me to represent them in this crisis precisely because of my experiences as a smaller country. Acknowledge and embrace the difficulties that your nation faces instead of letting them hold you back from participating fully.
Representing a small or developing nation can be a challenge, but approaching your assignment with an open mind and remembering the tips above can help you excel no matter what country you represent. To learn more about how to successfully prepare for and navigate committees, you can attend the Diplomat program at the Model United Nations Institute over the summer! During my experience at the program, I learned how to research for a conference, identify my country policy, enhance my public speaking, and craft solutions to global issues from the perspectives of different nations, all of which helped me succeed in representing countries large and small, developed or developing. Registration for all MUNI programs opens on December 1st at mun.bestdelegate.com!
