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World Health Organisation
London International Model United Nations
19th Session | 2018
Table of Content
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction Letters .................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction to the Committee .............................................................................................................. 5
Topic A: Securitisation of Health (infectious disease outbreaks) ............................................. 6 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 6 History of the Problem ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................................................. 10 Current Situation ................................................................................................................................................. 12 Bloc Positions ........................................................................................................................................................ 15 Questions a Resolution Should Answer ....................................................................................................... 16 Sources ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Topic B: Integration of People with Disabilities into Society ................................................... 22 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 22 History of the Problem ....................................................................................................................................... 23 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................................................. 25 Current Situation ................................................................................................................................................. 29 Bloc Positions ........................................................................................................................................................ 31 Questions a Resolution Should Address ...................................................................................................... 32 Sources ..................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Conference Information ........................................................................................................................ 35
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Introduction Letters
Dear Delegates,
It is our distinct pleasure and honour to welcome you to the London International
Model United Nations Conference World Health Organisation committee. We are
simulating the World Health Organisation, one of the oldest international bodies and
one devoted to the promotion of Public health and well-being. In this committee, we
will be discussing two very important issues. The first is the Securitisation of Global
Health, which is very relevant in today‘s globalised world, especially nearly one
decade after the Swine Flu epidemic and with other diseases threatening the
world. The second one is the Integration of People with Disabilities into society,
which still remains a problem due to varying models of care for disabled people and
different governmental approaches.
As your chairing staff, we look forward to seeing you come to grips with these topics
and hope that you will have an enjoyable conference. We intend to be a professional,
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yet friendly dais and encourage all delegates to approach us during the conference as
well as get in touch before with any questions. If you want to get in touch with us or
ask any questions please do so on [email protected]
We look forward to meeting you
Thomas Ron Alex Selway Malcolm Wong
Director Assistant Director Assistant Director
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Introduction to the Committee
The World Health Organisation was founded in 1948. Its headquarters are in
Geneva and as a body it seeks to eradicate disease and illness throughout the
world. It has played a strong role in fighting communicable diseases, and one
of its most high-profile victories was the eradication of smallpox in the 1970s.
It has led the charge against polio as well and hopes to eradicate that particular
scourge as well. However, with modern times the WHO has developed a new
mandate, looking at mental health and disability as well. It has considered
these issues to be not just health issues but issues of integration and seeks to
create a more tolerant world. Furthermore, it has begun to work with other
nations to ensure that there is a globalized framework to fight disease in
general.
Nearly every nation has signed up to the WHO and sends delegates to its
meetings. Every nation is heard equally and works side-by-side in this
organization to foster health and well-being for all. On the whole, the WHO
has been hailed by many international policy experts as a shining example of
international cooperation.
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Topic A: Securitisation of Health (infectious
disease outbreaks)
Introduction
Disease outbreaks occur often in the modern day, and carry high levels of threat to
the regions involved. Epidemics of the same kinds of diseases tend to re-occur time
and time again despite successful efforts in resolving most of the outbreaks we have
faced in the past. With numerous international frameworks and programs in place, the
WHO is the central body in identifying, analysing and mitigating disease outbreaks
through coordinating with the affected regions and providing them with medical
assistance and humanitarian aid. Although outbreak protocols provide an effective
outline for minimising the impact, very often the WHO and the countries involved
are required to make instantaneous decisions depending on the development of the
epidemic. One of the most controversial methods that aims to reduce disease spread
is implementing travel bans. Some would argue that countries are selfish in imposing
such bans due to their desires to only keep themselves safe and not lending a helping
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hand, and some would argue that bans catalyse disease eradication and that this
outweighs the negative economic and humanitarian consequences. Limiting travel
has its pros and cons in terms of national security and disease containment, and it is
very difficult to strike a balance in order to achieve the effective securitisation of
health. There are also many more other variables to consider when planning and
executing solutions for these outbreaks, and only through fostering regional and
global cooperation will the world be ready for the next disease outbreak.
History of the Problem
List of Major Disease Outbreaks in the Past 100 Years[i]
Time Main Affected
Region
Name of Outbreak/Disease Fatalities
1918-
1920
Worldwide Spanish flu (influenza) Over 50
million
1950s-
now
Sub-saharan Africa HIV Over 20
million
1957-
1958
Worldwide Asian flu (influenza) Over 2
million
1968-
1969
Worldwide Hong Kong flu (influenza) Over 1
million
2002-
2003
Asia SARS About 800
2008-
2009
Southern Africa Zimbabwe Cholera Pandemic About 3,500
2009 Worldwide Swine flu (influenza) About 15,000
2010-now Central America Haiti Cholera Outbreak Over 10,000
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2012-now Worldwide Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS)
Over 500
2013-
2016
West Africa Ebola Over 10,000
2015-
2016
Americas Zika virus About 20
Temporal Trends in Pandemics
Before the 1700s, there were a significant number of plague outbreaks. The plague
pandemic in the 14th century known as the Black Death remains one of the most
worst outbreaks the world has ever witnessed in terms of the number of people
affected and the number of fatalities.
Disease outbreaks in the 18th
century were dominated by measles and smallpox. Both
viral infections, measles is characterised by inflammation and Koplik spots, while
smallpox causes rashes and hard blisters. The WHO declared in 1980 that smallpox
was completely eliminated through a successful international vaccination
campaign[ii].
The variation of diseases increased in the 19th
and 20th century, with some cases of
the plague, measles and smallpox, but also the emergence of new infectious diseases
such as cholera, an acute diarrheal disease, and yellow fever, a viral infection
contracted through mosquito bites. The influenza, on another hand, was one of the
most fatal diseases in the 20th
century, with approximately 80 million related deaths
in this time period alone.
WHO Disease Outbreak Emergency Response
Operationally, the WHO follows the International Health Regulations for specific
action plans [iv]. The IHR is an extremely comprehensive document describing the
appropriate protocols and actions to be taken should certain scenarios arise, while
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also taking into account the fact that disease control interventions should not severely
hinder economic activity in order to compartmentalise and contain damage. Specific
guidelines are addressed for aspects such as but not limited to reducing or
maintaining points of entry to an affected region, instant response dependent on the
disease, medical and personnel provision, temporary measures (instantaneous) and
emergency committees. There are no legal or bureaucratic consequences for non-
compliance with the IHR [xxi], however the country in question may suffer long-
term economic losses due to ineffective disease treatment and eradication, and
undermines the national integrity and reliability of the country on the global stage.
In addition, the organisation formulated the Global Outbreak Alert and Response
Network (GOARN) [v] as a system of experts and institutions of various
sectors/categories to congregate whenever deemed necessary to determine
interventions for a disease outbreak. The WHO also utilises the Global Public Health
Intelligence Network (GPHIN) [xxii] to monitor any early signs or intelligence about
disease outbreaks in the news and social media. Despite the importance of GPHIN in
collecting informal information, it raises significant concern to certain countries as
media surveillance can be used for malicious purposes by nations. This sparks the
controversy that governments may use the system for espionage; the positive
intended nature of the system can be easily exploited with the perfect cover-up story.
The case of Ebola
The WHO was tested by the 2013 outbreak of Ebola, a type of viral hemorrhagic
fever (VHF)[iii]. The unfortunate outbreak was catalysed by high population density
in areas with a lack of hygiene and medical centres in West African countries. The
organisation followed the temporary recommendations (IHR article 15) and
emergency protocols of the IHR, but while the WHO did not impose any travel bans,
other countries, mainly the western world, decided unilaterally to impose bans
themselves. The countries decided that the ban is crucial to protect domestic health
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and national security. On 18th
September 2014, and only for the second time in
history, the UN Security Council passed resolution 2177 aimed to implement
emergency action and reduce isolation in the affected areas [xx]. The full resolution
can be found here: https://www.un.org/press/en/2014/sc11566.doc.htm. Standing
against the unilateral action taken by some countries, the resolution encouraged
countries to lift travel restrictions to allow resources to be easily transported to the
affected areas. The level of securitisation for pandemics causes a big debate in how
much the mitigation strategies limit trade and travel. Strategies like these are
implemented differently according the severity and prevalence of the epidemic. In the
case of Ebola, the travel bans did help isolate the disease, but it also isolated the
people. The eventual lifting of the bans did the opposite, and it is often difficult to
strike a balance between insufficient securitisation and excessive securitisation. The
Ebola battle lasted about four years before the organisation cleared the affected
regions of a state of medical emergency.
Statement of the Problem
Types of Disease Transmission
The two main types of disease transmission are direct and indirect [vi]. Direct
transmission refers to physical human contact and sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs), whereas indirect refers to diseases that do not require human contact to be
spread, and is likely to be airborne or spread through contact with certain materials,
animals, food or contaminated water.
Causes and Catalysts of Pandemics[vii] [viii]
Travel and Trade:
Some describe travel and immigration as the ―mode of transport‖ for infectious
diseases. In modern day society, travelling, whether for leisure or for business, is a
large part of human life. In addition to ever increasing trade capacities and
opportunities to help boost local economies and the global market, this opens up
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more doors for both direct and indirect disease transmission. Plane travel was one of
the culprits that contributed to the dispersion of the Ebola virus in West Africa.
Population, urbanisation and agriculture:
With global population at about 7.5 billion people and no signs of negative
population growth in the near future, this makes the human race more vulnerable to
infections simply because there are more people who could be disease carriers who
could transmit pathogens. Cross-species transmission is the medium of which led to
numerous large-scale outbreaks of fatal diseases such as measles and smallpox. This
is true even in industrialised/factory farming. Though a smaller quantity of animals is
needed to produce the same yield, indoor confinement and exploitation make animals
more susceptible to diseases, of which can consequently be transferred to farmers.
Urbanization and migration to cities lead to increased risk of disease dissemination.
Patel and Burke (2009) describes this phenomenon as ―an emerging humanitarian
disaster‖[x]. Taking the recent Zika outbreak in Brazil for example, the situation was
not helped by the high population density in Brazilian cities, especially in favelas.
Mosquitoes are abundant in Brazil‘s climate and coexist with humans; combined with
the low level of hygiene in poor areas of cities, mosquitoes breed extensively and act
as disease transmitters. In terms of general city growth, sometimes high population
growth can sometimes outstrip healthcare provision and overall cleanliness.
Climate change:
The effects of climate change plays a big role in the development and spread of
diseases[ix]. With warmer climates and possibly higher humidity as well, vector
ecology will change, as stated by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). For animals
like mosquitoes that thrive in tropical rainforest-like climates, this implies that there
will be more options for mosquitoes to migrate and spread viruses. The Zika virus
and dengue fever are two diseases notorious for being transmitted by mosquitoes.
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The species also brings diseases like cholera and bird flu to humans through cross-
species transmission.
Poverty and health:
The affected populations of pandemics are not only unable to seek medical help
because there is an insufficient number of doctors, but often also because they cannot
afford it. Poverty is also an indicator and reminder that disease outbreaks can be
helped through vaccination, this is exemplified by the fact that pandemics are much
more likely to happen in LEDCs than MEDCs. There are now immunization for
numerous diseases and conditions, but getting these drugs and vaccines have also
proven to be difficult for LEDCs due to poverty, lack of infrastructure and weak
hospital systems, or even the lack thereof.
Lack of knowledge and expertise:
Relating to the poverty determinant mentioned above, local response to an epidemic
is arguably the most crucial aspect of disease containment. First responders, or the
local government and organisations, must be equipped with a high level of medical
expertise and knowledge in order to effectively achieve mitigation. The number of
doctors per capita is generally significantly lower for developing countries than in
developed countries, and thus will be quantitatively lacking in terms of medical
expertise. Moreover, doctors of developing nations may generally be less skilled due
to weak healthcare system, resulting in a qualitative insufficiency in expertise.
Current Situation
Efforts in Mitigating Chemically Induced Outbreaks
Chemically induced outbreaks are rather rare in the context of outbreaks, but cases
are constantly found around the world. In order to combat chemical poisoning, the
organisation initiated the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS)[xi].
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Efforts in reducing chemically induced pandemics are coordinated through
established poison centres[xii]. Such efforts include but are not limited to analysing
toxicology, identifying the source of chemical poisoning, providing medical
diagnosis, recycling programs for related products, ensuring safe working
environments for related occupations, and providing education on chemical
poisoning.
Efforts in Mitigating Environmentally Induced Outbreaks
The four main environmental factors the WHO have defined as pivotal determinants
to the severity of a pandemic are climate, sanitation facilities, water supply and
food[xiii]. Hence, environmentally induced outbreaks are often the result of
conditions such as environmentally (not chemically) contaminated water, lack of
sanitary toilets and/or flushing facilities, warmth and humidity, and food
contaminated with pathogens. The environmental aspect is also often linked to other
aspects. For example, a low level of hygiene could lead to an increase in bacteria and
pathogens, of which then comes into contact with animals, and finally infects
humans. Specific efforts include but are not limited to providing medicine to affected
populations, launching immunization campaigns for mitigation and for prevention,
setting up accessible food banks, ensuring hygiene of water pipes, delivering 24/7
emergency medical services, setting up temporary sanitation facilities, supplying
blood, and shipping health supplies.
Efforts in Mitigating Naturally Induced Outbreaks
Naturally induced outbreaks refer to outbreaks explicitly related to or originating
from animals, not to be confused with environmentally induced outbreaks[xiv].
Naturally induced outbreaks are rather common, with Ebola and MERS believed to
be cross-species diseases (can exist in both humans and animals), and Zika and
dengue fever both originate from mosquitoes. Examples of mitigation strategies
include but are not limited to culling of diseased animals due to high risk of cross-
species transmission to humans (sparks ethical debate), isolation and containment of
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diseased animals, releasing animals injected with antibodies to the wild to transmit to
infected animals, encouraging reduced contact with animals, setting up clinics in
affected regions, and sending experts.
Efforts in Mitigating Radiationally Induced Outbreaks
Radiation induced outbreaks are very rare, but when such radiation related incidents,
such as nuclear plant explosions, happen, they are often of very high severity and
treated with the utmost caution and attention. Two incidents of such explosions are
the Chernobyl disaster in 1986[xv] and the Fukushima disaster in 2011[xvi]. Both
events caused a release of radioactive material. Since radiation is very penetrative, it
affected everyone in the vicinity, and people have consequently had medical effects
in days or even years after the catastrophe such as cancer. In collaboration with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), efforts in mitigating such disasters
include but are not limited to coordinating medical support, advising local councils
and authorities, suggesting evacuation strategies, relaying information to relevant
bodies, and containing victims [xvii].
Dealing with Disease Outbreaks of Unknown Etiology
From time to time, a disease of no known cause emerges, such as the nodding disease
in South Sudan in 1960s [xviii]. When this happens, the WHO acts according to the
best of their knowledge in terms of what the disease resembles and what the likely
cause is. The disease could have risen due to a new pathogen, untraceable radiation,
undetected chemical or new variations of an old disease. Efforts are usually based
around treating patient symptoms and general disease outbreak protocol. A larger
focus is instead put on documenting the details of the disease with the hope that more
answers will arise as time progresses.
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List of Some Current Disease Outbreaks (2017)[xix]
Date Main Affected Region Name of Outbreak/Disease
3rd January China H7N9 Avian Influenza
17th January Saudi Arabia Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
5th August Italy Chikungunya
11th September Madagascar Plague
28th September Burkina Faso Dengue Fever
Bloc Positions
Economically-Developed States
Economically developed states often face greater risk of infectious disease outbreaks
due to densely-populated urban regions which allow for quick and easy germination.
These states are also at high risk of transferring infectious diseases due to
interconnectivity through ports and travel. However, advances in medical care for
developed regions like Europe and North America means that the risk is less-likely to
be domestically developed, but is instead likely to derive from ‗importing‘ the
disease through a point of contact. For these states where density would accelerate
the spread of an infectious disease, they must focus on the prevention of outbreaks or
re-emergences of diseases. More economically-developed states may therefore be
inclined to assist less-developed states with finance and technology to research and
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take action to prevent the spread of diseases, and will focus on security for ports of
entry.
Less Economically-Developed States
For these developing states where medical provisions may not be as effective in
reducing mortality, the focus is on early-detection to prevent the spread of infectious
diseases. Securitisation will often be more rudimentary and less effective as there
may be breaches of quarantines if improperly established. Although minimisation of
damage is a key, states within this bloc will often lack the necessary national
surveillance infrastructure to monitor and identify potential outbreaks, creating a
reliance on more-developed states or international organisations to provide this
service. Securitisation is also often more likely to be militarised reactionary force as
logistical organisation of medical screenings and quarantines may not be effective. It
must be noted that some members of this bloc are skeptical of the need to securitise
health: some states in the past have perceived actions led by the United States and
other economically-developed states to be neo-imperial in design, and a threat to
sovereign state conduct.
Questions a Resolution Should Answer
· What should be done to reduce the medical disparities between the developed and
developing world?
· To what extent is collaboration with governments and other organisations crucial
towards preventing the next outbreak?
· How should current protocols and procedures (or parts of it) be revamped or
modified according to the current environmental and geographical conditions?
· What path should future medical research take in order to reduce pandemics?
· What measures need to be taken to extend disease prevention strategies?
· How should the medical world (attempt to) predict the unpredictable? And what
mitigation measures should be taken for diseases with unknown causes?
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20
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http://www.who.int/csr/alertresponse/epidemicintelligence/en/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017].
22
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Topic B: Integration of People with Disabilities
into Society
Introduction
People with disabilities exist around the world and have certain special requirements
order to be able to function as part of society. However, many nations in the world
fail to recognise this or are unable to cater for the needs of disabled
people. Additionally, not all nations agree on what disability is and often classify
disabilities differently, meaning that some people may slip through the cracks or
some disabilities may not be catered for at all. Furthermore, even those nations that
do cater for disabled people often use different models, with some focusing on
making society more accessible to disabled people, and others treating disability as
something wrong within a person and needing to be changed. The varied nature of
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disability treatment has meant that there is no set way to integrate disabled people
into society and therefore the international community must come together in order to
help disabled people be able to fully integrate into society. However, there are many
obstacles that stand in the way of this goal. Often integration can be expensive and
unpopular, meaning nations are less willing to do so. There can also be large
amounts of social stigma attached to disability that may be hard to get rid of and
cannot necessarily be legislated against. Furthermore, many people may not define
themselves as disabled but still face trouble integrating and therefore may be caught
between the gaps of any system. Therefore, it is incumbent on the international
community to consider all these aspects when calling for solutions
History of the Problem
Physical Disability
Physical impairments have historically received greater attention and support than
mental or psychological counterparts. The transformation of medical science towards
the end of the eighteenth-century into a science of categorisation and understanding
the human body led to a pursuit of identifying what it meant to be ‗normal‘i.
Freakshows of this era epitomise the stigmatisation of oddities which diverged from
the scientifically-established idea of the normal human body, notably in the case of
‗The Elephant Man‘ii.
Human rights were first linked to disabilities with the 1798 Military Disability Law,
which granted relief to sick and injured sailors. The 1750s and 1760s saw the
introduction of schools for the deaf, initially pioneered in Europe. Accessibility of
education was improved initially through Louis Braille‘s invention of the Raised
Point Alphabet in 1829, which created an alphabetised system of translating visual
materials into raised-text that blind persons would be able to read from. Braille‘s
work and commitment to the blind led to the establishment of specialist institutions
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for educating the disabled, which began cropping up throughout the twentieth
century.
The cost of World War One meant that many soldiers returned from war physically
impaired, often with amputations. The United States of America in particular initiated
primitive rehabilitation and incorporation programmes for wounded veterans,
guaranteeing job counselling and vocational training. The work of Franklin Delano
Roosevelt as a disabled president was later regarded as a milestone for the integration
of the disabled into society, and his work in 1935 led to the Social Security Act of
1935 which shaped much of future international legislation on government assistance
for disabled adults.
The United Nations became involved with disability rehabilitation from 1950, with a
report into the rehabilitation of the handicapped and the social rehabilitation of the
blind, both of which sought to improve the education and treatment of those with
disabilities. The established Social Commission later attempted to incorporate
educating public opinion alongside the regulation of rehabilitation services to
promote independence the contribution disabled persons can make into societyiii
.
The 1970s saw increasing awareness globally towards equality for the disabled,
which until this point had largely emanated from Westernised regions of the world. In
particular, 1975 saw the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons stipulating
full equality be granted to disabled persons, and was produced alongside calls for the
elimination of physical and architectural barriers to the full social integration of
persons with disabilities. National committees involving 141 countries and territories
worked to improve the socioeconomic condition of disabled persons, culminating in
the 1981 Year of the Disabled Person which was dedicated to removing barriers in
human settlements impeding full participation and integration into the community.
To this end, disability policy was divided formally into rehabilitation and the
equalisation of opportunities.
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To the end of the millennium, numerous summits affirmed the rights of the disabled
persons, while attempting to move policy away from creating dependence on
governments and encouraging the individuality of the disabled.
13 December 2006 introduced the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities and it was subsequently adopted by the General Assembly, entering force
from 2008. Most recently in 2011, the World Report on Disability, produced by the
WHO and World Bank, comprehensively outlines the current issues facing disabled
persons globally, and outlines optimal policies for their care and integration into the
wider communityiv.
Non-Physical Disability
Non-physical disabilities have received less direct attention regarding policies for
integration within the community. Common non-physical disabilities include learning
disabilities, mental illnesses, and diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Mental health patients prior to the 1900s were typically termed to be suffering from
―madness‖ and were therefore ostracised and isolated from their communities. Many
were relegated to insane asylums, colloquially termed as ‗madhouses‘, which were
permitted to impose sterilisations and even lobotomies on patients. Such practices
were not even ignored, but were instead ruled as constitutional in places like the
United States. Such practices have since been discontinued, but up until the end of
the twentieth century non-physical disabilities received less attention and support
than physical counterparts.
Statement of the Problem
Types of disabilities
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Disability is a very complicated issue and to attempt to classify all disabilities is next
to impossible. However, there tend to be three areas that can make an attempt to
cover all disabilities. Bear in mind that often there is crossover and one form of
disability can often lead to another one.
Impairments and Physical Disabilities
Impairments are disabilities which are primarily physical and affect body
function. These are the disabilities people immediately tend to think about and also
tend to be the most apparent. People who have loss of mobility, hearing, sight, or
other such issues fall under this category. Integrating these types of disabilities can
be challenging and costly. For some people who have been recently injured and are
temporarily disabled, often therapy or treatment can help bring them back or mitigate
the issue. However, when this is unsuccessful, often changes need to be made in
order to integrate them properly. Often this involves changing areas to make them
more accessible. Providing ramps for wheelchair access is often quite important, as
is having dropped curbs on streets, or making sure sidewalks are wide enough for a
wheelchair user to get past. In areas where this cannot be done having clear
alternatives or training for public servants can often help mitigate these issues. Often
having a carer may be necessary and states may have to help fund these especially for
those who cannot. For those who are visually impaired, providing texts and maps in
braille may be necessary. For those who are hearing impaired hearing loops and sign
language education are potential solutions. Of course, some people who are disabled
like this may not even wish to change back. Amongst deaf people there is an
increasing level of deaf culture which embraces deafness and states that the solution
is teaching people how to use sign language and communicate with them, rather than
fixing their condition. Of course almost all these changes to help these people
integrate can be expensive and require a lot of work and funding.
Neurodiversityv
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Neurodiversity constitutes a large number of behavioural differences and learning
disabilities. People who are neurodiverse often do not exhibit obvious signs of
disability but often have differences in how they perceive the world which hampers
them in society. Examples of this include Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD),
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), as
well as many others. Often people who are neurodiverse have trouble understanding
societal norms and their behaviour often ostracises them from the rest of society and
in extreme cases inhibits their ability to function at all. Integrating such people into
society presents a challenge. Some nations have insisted on behavioural therapy
which may try to help such people put on a more normal facade or almost overcome
their disabilities, while institutionalising the extreme cases. Other nations have
stressed the importance of early education to teach people about these differences, as
well as to help neurodiverse people accept their condition and find ways to maximise
their potential, as well as advocating on their behalf and providing them legal
protections so they can contribute to the workforce and not be discriminated against
by a neurotypical society. However, often education systems in less-developed
nations are ill-equipped and unable to provide this quality of education, meaning that
integration is quite difficult.
Mental Health
Mental Health constitutes disabilities that affect someone‘s psychological well-
being. Examples of this include depression, anxiety disorder, phobias, and
schizophrenia to name but a few. Just like with neurodiversity their conditions may
not be apparent but can be just as disabling as physical disabilities. When it comes to
mental health the treatments can be quite varied. Some nations see mental health
disorders as signs of weakness and do not attempt to treat them either due to lack of
resources or due to the stigma in society towards reporting such issues. Other nations
have made mental health a priority and provided protections under the law as well as
made improvements in the kind of care and therapy people with mental health issues
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can access. As with all other forms of disability setting up these systems can be
costly and therefore where they don‘t exist integration can be very difficult.
Models of Disability Rights
Medical Model of Disabilityvi
The Medical Model of Disability is one that is mainly used by nations who have only
recently begun to discuss treatments towards disabled people. It treats disability as
something that is wrong with the person and something that needs to be treated. The
idea with this model is that disabled people are sick, with something specifically
wrong with them, which needs to be labelled and treated so they can have a ‗normal‘
life. It puts the onus on the person to seek help and be treated and states that they can
never integrate with society as long as they are disabled. Those that it cannot treat
tend to be institutionalised and treatment is geared towards maintaining the status quo
rather than improving the lives of disabled people.
Social Model of Disabilityvii
The Social Model of Disability is one that is increasingly gaining traction in the
western world and in developed nations. The idea of this model is that disabled
people have trouble integrating due to society‘s unwillingness to change and
accommodate them and their differences. It treats disability as a difference and a
societal issue, and the onus should be on society to remove those barriers that prevent
their full inclusion into society. This model claims that the best way to help disabled
people integrate into society and live their lives to the fullest is by listening and
accommodating their needs by evolving, such as teaching British Sign Language,
having inclusive education that anyone can access, providing accessible areas,
etc. This model is favoured by disability rights groups.
29
Current Situation
The current situation can largely be understood through assessing the barriers facing
disabled persons inhibiting their ability to integrate into communitiesviii
.
Barriers to Health Care
In rural areas and less developed countries, services are often not deliverable or
provided directly, however the cost and difficulty of transport for disabled persons
may therefore render access to healthcare relatively inaccessible. Legislation at both
international, regional, and national levels attempt to promote the accessibility,
affordability, availability, and quality of healthcare at a level equivalent to the
healthcare provided to able persons in the community, and to therefore promote
greater inclusivity. This lends itself to advocation of public health systems, and
dedicated specialists to provide comprehensive tailored care.
Barriers to Rehabilitation
These barriers are very similar to those provided for health care. But rehabilitation
often is perceived to be less important in comparison to immediate health care, which
results in underfunding. From prosthetics to hearing aids, unmet needs for
rehabilitation goods are often due to the sheer expense of provision in less-developed
areas. In regards to services, such as therapy, this is even less prioritised and
underprovided. Even in relatively developed areas, services are underprovided which
leads to overcrowding, long waiting times, and in extreme cases the temporary
inaccessibility of a service which cannot be provided at all times. Funding and human
resources again construct a major barrier globally to the provision of rehabilitation
which is crucial for integration into communities.
Physical and Information Barriers
Barriers in both the physical and information sense can impede full integration of
persons with disabilities. The simple inability to enter buildings greatly restricts
30
mobility and can prevent access to education, health, toilets, and work. While many
laws act to ensure accessibility, there is no strict monitoring or enforcement to ensure
essential buildings are fully accessible. Transportation is another major issue, as
those without accessible transport such as the inability to board buses means disabled
persons are excluded from services and social contact. Simple obstacles such as road
crossings can prevent physical impediments to physically disabled persons who may
be blind, deaf, or handicapped. The inability to communicate or access information is
another major impediment - the absence of braille or interpreters for the deaf will
inhibit the ability for disabled persons to receive information. This is also true for
those with learning impairments, who will need information presented in a clear and
simple manner
Work and Employment
There are numerous barriers preventing entry to the labour market, many of which
stem from an absence of effective education, or prior barriers which prevented the
development of skills. This places disabled persons at an immediate gap and
disadvantage in comparison to the abled who have received education. Beyond
physical barriers to buildings, which can still be problematic, people may not be
aware of job openings if barriers preventing access to information exist.
Discrimination and misconceptions about disability may prevent access to
promotions based on the prejudice that disabled persons are less-productive than able
counterparts. Misconceptions can create social conditions which erode the self-
expectations of disabled persons, leading to an absence of desire to expend effort to
apply for jobs which are inherently ‗out of reach‘. Those with mental health
impediments often feel the need to conceal their impediments for fear of being
disadvantaged on these grounds.
Another interesting lens is the overprotection of workers, which has recently begun to
be explored. Longer rest periods, paid leave, and greater severance pay are mandated
by several countries in Europe, irrespective of need. Although done in the best
31
interest, this can have a counterproductive effect as employers may view disabled
workers as less productive and more costly to hire.
Bloc Positions
Economically Developed States
Most of the Western world has adopted the social model of disability and seeks to
promote integration by creating an accessible society. Many of them are home to
disabled rights groups who seek to promote their agendas and lobby the government
to support disabled people and help integration. They tend to have strong policies
favouring education as a way to facilitate integration, as well as counselling
services. They also have strong medical care for those who need it and often devote
a decent proportion of their health budgets towards disability and especially mental
health.
Less Economically Developed States
Often these states are unable to provide for disabled people or help them integrate
into society. The stigma around disability, especially mental health issues, means
that there is no pressure for them to do so by their people and often acute health
issues take precedence. Furthermore, without strong education on disability often the
issues are seen as medical rather than social, meaning that the onus is only on one
place, rather than being on all aspects of society to improve on the integration of
disabled people. Often these nations have stated a commitment to improve on
disabled integration but lack the funds and require some more.
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Questions a Resolution Should Address
● How should a universal definition of disability be introduced to ensure a
universal appreciation of the term and its impact on people?
● Should the United Nations be responsible to ensure the adequate provision of
treatment or rehabilitation facilities and compliance with legal protocol, and
where should governments obtain funding for these facilities?
● Should a single model be internationally applied in the identification and
treatment of disabilities?
● In what ways can national, regional and international governments and
organisations better improve integration and accessibility for the disabled?
● What initiatives can be utilised to mainstream the challenges faced by persons
with non-physical disabilities, and how can these disabilities be better
mainstreamed alongside physical disabilities in public perception?
● How should the United Nations move forward in policy terms to ensure the
human rights of disabled persons are not infringed?
Sources
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with Disabilities Under United States and International Law. Disability Rights
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1
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