[MUNUC 35] Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee SOCHUM

Established in 1945, the United Nations General Assembly third committee meets annually in early October, serving as a forum for discussions of social, humanitarian, and cultural issues, including human rights and social matters. SOCHUM also considers the advancement of women, the protection of children, the protection of indigenous populations, the treatment of refugees, issues related to racism and discrimination, the promotion of fundamental freedoms, crime prevention, and more in its discussions.

Topic A: Migrant Labor Rights

Migrant labor is a key contributor to economic stability for several of the world’s emerging economies. As of 2022 it is estimated that 73% of migrants are workers. Despite this, migrant workers, specifically those performing unskilled labor, are overrepresented as targets of exploitation and human trafficking in their host nations. As more than two in three international migrant workers are concentrated in high-income countries, it is evident that the issue of migrant labor affects developed and developing nations alike. During the 2017 International Labor Conference in Geneva, Switzerland the need for the “development of rights-based, transparent and coherent labor migration legislation and policies” was set forth as a goal for future United Nations resolutions. It is now recognized that the targeting of immigrant communities is linked to the broader issues of racism, sexism, and xenophobia. It is SOCHUM’s role to discuss possible solutions to the migrant labor crisis.

Topic B: Implications of Artificial Intelligence

Does Artificial Intelligence make you think of a machine gaining consciousness? Perhaps due to the way AI is portrayed in movies, some may have misconceptions about what AI really means. And while the fear of a robot takeover may not be on the horizon anytime soon, AI is a domain in which society should carefully consider the implications of its applications. Used for a variety of tasks ranging from suggesting a TikTok, to playing chess, to diagnosing cancer, to automobile technology, AI continues to be an increasing part of 21st century technology. While AI may have a myriad of benefits, it may also contain consequences, some of which may be unforeseen by those developing AI technologies. There may also be ethical questions raised in conjunction with many of the fields utilizing artificial intelligence. Delegates will consider the impact of Artificial Intelligence on human life in the present and future. Human bias and discrimination in AI algorithms, data collection and consumer privacy, and computation cost and efficiency may be some things to note among many other considerations.

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