• The question of reproductive choice. 

• The question of female empowerment education.

• The question of positive discrimination. 

Honorable directors, fellow chairs, distinguished delegates, 

It is my utmost pleasure to welcome all delegates to the SDG 5 Committee as the head chair of the council.

My name is Viktória Gyuricza, I am currently a junior at the United Nations International School of Hanoi and I am honored to attend this conference as a part of the chair team. This upcoming March conference will mark my second MUN conference as a chair. 

The leading theme of our conference will be the question of: “What can we do to bring balance to the growing asymmetries of power?” and the SDG 5 Committee will assemble to debate on three issues related to the theme and  United Nations’ ambitions to achieve Gender Equality. Delegates will engage in a discourse through the lenses of their allocated countries and talk through the question of reproductive choices, which recently has been raising many concerns and dissensions around the World. This topic will deal with the question of abortion, family planning and women’s right to choose their method of contraception.  

Secondly, the council will debate on female empowerment in education, its importance, effects and applications. The resolution challenging this problem should ensure that women have better access and opportunities in the workforce, leading to increased income and less isolation at home or exclusion from financial decisions. 

The last topic debated in this council will be the question of positive discrimination. As defined, the term “positive discrimination” refers to special measures which aim to foster greater equality by supporting groups of people who face, or have faced, entrenched discrimination so they can have similar access to opportunities as others in the community. 

I believe that with the tremendous diplomatic skills of the delegates, the committee will be able to assemble and engage in a constructive and enjoyable learning experience.

Honorable Directors, Presidents, Chairs, fellow delegates, and esteemed guests, welcome to March UNISMUN conference! My name is SeoHyeon Kim, a junior at UNIS Hanoi. I am highly honored to serve as a deputy chair for the SDG 5 committee for the upcoming conference. 

With a passion on global issues and growing urgency, I have been participating in MUN for more than 2 years as a member of the UNISMUN leadership team, delegate, and chair. Experiences in MUN offered me valuable opportunities to be knowledgeable about different issues but also to grow as a global citizen. 

The conference will be done under the theme of “What can we do to bring balance to the growing asymmetries of power?”. Specifically, our SDG 5 council will be debating on the three issues: the question of reproductive choice, the question of female empowerment education, and the question of positive discrimination. 

With an increasing recognition of every individual’s freedom and rights, it is more than urgent to not only acknowledge them but also set and evaluate appropriate boundaries for preventing possible violations. Furthermore, taking consideration of the difference between “Equality”, state of being equal, especially status, rights, and opportunities, and “Equity”, the quality of being fair and impartial, will be crucial to approach and respond to our issues.

I, as a deputy chair, am looking forward to hearing fruitful debate on the issues with all of our passionate delegates and will do my best to support making the best conference possible. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you and see you all in March! 

Honorable directors, distinguished delegates, and most esteemed guests.

I am Yoon HyoJung, currently a junior in Singapore International School, and I’m more than just excited to be serving as Procedural Chair for SDG 5 committee.

In the 2023 March Conference, the delegates will merge on behalf of the theme “What can we do to bring balance to the growing asymmetries of power?” The first topic of SDG 5 is the question of reproductive choices, a clear indication of liberty, and the security of a person. This topic comprises the issues regarding bodily autonomy, maternal mortality, accessibility of health services, and abortion. Delegates will explore the nature and scope of rights pertaining to reproductive choice.

The 2nd topic highlights the link between women’s empowerment and education, and the significance of education as an essential condition to perpetuate gender discrimination. Women’s empowerment corroborates a redistribution of authority, and it is a process of confronting patriarchy which is expected to lead to the end of discrimination. Education is perceived in the context of contemporary development discourse, which will enable people to obtain a stronger voice in society. It is indispensable to recognize education of female empowerment as vital for ensuring women’s participation and engagement in social, economic, and political aspects.

The final question regards positive discrimination, which refers to automatic favoring of minority groups or under-represented individuals. This topic deals with its compatibility, and questions whether positive discrimination is a valid and reasonable solution to perpetuate discrimination against minorities. Delegates are to explore the difference between positive action and positive discrimination, and further examine suitability.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the conference, and I am hoping for an active and diplomatic session with you all. Thank you and see you then!