CSPCMUN2017

United
Nations
Childrens
Fund
Committee: United Nations International Childrens Emergency Funds (UNICEF)
Topic: Kids Involvement in Drug Trafficking in Colombia
Moderator: Abigail Contreras
Director: Antonio Zermeo
Sub-Director: Erick Leyva

Men make history and not the other way around. In periods
where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs
when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change
things for the better. Harry S. Truman

Dear Delegates,
First of all, welcome to CSPCMUN 2017. It is an honor to have you
in this years edition. We hope that this simulation is a memorable
experience. We are confident that during these three days you
will develop skills such as leadership, negotiating, and critical
thinking while representing a specific country. We expect that in
this model you meet new people who will encourage you to
make an impact in our world. I am sure that you will prepare
yourself enough so you can get to agreements and help in the
resolution of the committees problematic. We hope that you
enjoy this simulation as much as we will. Any doubts you may
have, do not hesitate on asking us.

Sincerely,
Mariana Lazo
Chief of Moderators
 I. Committee Overview

UNICEF stands for United Nations International Childrens Emergency Funds and it is
an agency that helps and cares about children in need all around the world.
UNICEF was established in December 11th, 1946. It was founded because of World
War II and since then they have helped children in all countries by giving funds and
lifesaving supplies. UNICEF works almost all around the world. Overall management
and administration of the organization takes place at headquarters. The priorities of
UNICEF is the education, child survival and development, protection and social
inclusion, and emergency aid and humanitarian action. UNICEF has work in 190
countries all around the world since its foundation. UNICEF has been supported
entirely by volunteers and organizations (i.e: UNICEF has an agreement with the FC
Barcelona that consists that the club donates 1.5 million euros to UNICEF).

UNICEF makes sure every kid in the world receives what they need and deserve such
as education, health, safety, respect, social life, freedom, chances for a better life,
etc.

Every day children die by one of many reasons; mistreatment or abuse and illness
and disease, which are the main causes. UNICEFs purpose is to prevent the deaths
of innocent kids that otherwise would have lived a longer life. Not every life can be
saved, but the majority can, and by every life that is saved, a million of smiles are
created.

Every life has a thousand reasons to be saved and that is what motivates UNICEF.

II. Topic Information

In this case, kids dont have freedom of expression, nor do they have the chance to
talk for themselves since their voices are silenced by the same people that threaten
and force them to join the business known as drug trafficking. Children are usually
given threats involving their loved ones and family, which is also the reason they
dont consider fighting back.

This issue has now become a problem that must be solved as soon as possible,
seeing the amount of children that are forced into these jobs and what they lose
when they start trafficking drugs. The topic is focused on Colombia, a country thats
part of Latin America and that involves countries like U.S and Europe.

Kids shouldn't be compromised with this topic, and in some age not even notified
that this even exists, but unfortunately they are.
Children must have a correct education, social life, health, and so many things
Unfortunately, drugs take all of that away from them.

Gangs are kidnapping, blackmailing and also convincing kids to get them into this
mess called drug trafficking. Taking away their lives and families. Kids don't deserve
that, no one does, but children do not know what they are going through and when
they realize it is already too late; and that is why we are here trying to avoid and find
a solution to this big problem.

And give children the life they deserve and need. And once and for all end this
horrible and ridiculous mess.

A) History of the Topic

According to UNICEF the violence that was caused in Colombia by illegal armed
groups gave rise to a serious humanitarian crisis which has affected children and
youth who are in turn having trouble in building a stable future. The previous
comment confirms Colombias struggles, which started several years ago. The most
affected are the children living in poverty and lack access to any kind of education.
Throughout the entire region, in both drug production and trafficking theres a great
amount of violence, corruption, and human rights violations caused by the powerful
organized groups and drug cartels. It is also vital to note how one of the main culprits
in child recruitment are the revolutionary armed forces of Colombia, which exploit
social disenfranchisement in rural Colombia and causes the feeling of
abandonment from the state.

B) Current Issues

Brazil: Has also become and grown into a major consumption market. Youth
homicide has shocked in Brazil over the past 30 years, growing and growing by over
300 percent. A result of the expanded drug trade that has increased the possibility of
gangs looking for teens to recruit them. From 1980-2010, Brazil's homicide rate for
people aged 19 and below increased 346 percent to 13.8 per 100,000.

Argentina: The illegal drug trafficking in Latin America has gotten out of control.
Argentina is used as a pathway for trafficking to the United States. It is increasing the
use of its roads as a trade route for cocaine and other drugs. They are bound to
markets in the United States and Europe, as an example. Bolivia and Peru are some
of the countries that use Argentinas roads for trafficking drugs, since it is proving to
be an active and effective way. Argentina "is used to send drugs to Europe," said
Soren Pedersen, spokesman for Europol, an umbrella organization for European
Union police forces.
Colombia: Approximately half of the drugs involved in this issue are exported from or
taken into Colombia. In Colombia drugs are legal as long as the countrys legal
requirements are followed and while it does increase the amount of drugs
consumed, the current issue focuses on illegal selling of drugs. Colombia is one of
the top producers of drugs in all Latin America, besides Bolivia and Peru.

Mexico: Up to 35 thousand children work for drug cartels in Mexico since 2006. Kids
under the age of 18 had been kidnapped, abused and involved because of the
need people have to travel or traffick drugs, being threat about their families and
even their own safety. The UNCRC states, that the increasing recruitment of children
by drug cartels is part of the increasing use of children in armed conflicts globally. It
is a fact that there are around 1,100 teens locked up in Mexican prisoners for
murder. In Mexico kidnapping is not the only problem, Kids and teenagers are now
growing learning and thinking drug trafficking is normal and perfectly okay. There
are some business being started by teens under the age of 18.

Nigeria: The recent revelation by NDLEA states that youth in Kano State were still
leading in the drug abuse index of the agency for the whole country, this is a brutal
truth that should serve as a wake-up call to the people of the state. Nigerian criminal
groups are heavily involved in drug trafficking, shipping heroin from Asian countries
to Europe and America as well as cocaine from South America to Europe and South
Africa. The large numbers of ethnic Nigerians in countries like India and Thailand give
their gangs ready access to around 90% of the world's heroin.

South Africa: The drug problem in South Africa is extremely serious, with drug usage
reported as being at twice the world norm. Over 15% of our population has a drug
problem.
In light of SANCA's drug awareness week from 24 to 28 June and Youth Month, now
is the perfect time to place drug abuse in the spotlight. According to Patrizia
Scalone from Metapsychic, substance abuse can simply be defined as a pattern of
harmful use of any substance for mood-altering purposes that gives rise to both
physical and psychological dependence. "Dependence results in mental,
emotional, biological or physical, social and economic instability. The effects of
substance abuse on an individual form the basis of its increasing effects on society.
This is a major danger of substance abuse," she explains.

United States: United States is a really big allie of Latin America and a strong partner
in the development of almost everything, and unexpectedly they do work long in
drug trafficking by exporting and importing drugs from the United States to countries
such as peru, Mexico, and Colombia. Colombia soon was providing as much as
seven-tenths of the marijuana being imported into the United States. Using the profits
from marijuana, drug leadersespecially from Medellndiversified to cocaine
trafficking, and shipments grew from individuals carrying small amounts to large
quantities on boats and low-flying airplanes. (Gilmore, 2014)
 C) UN Action

The UN action has been working with UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs), ILO
(International Labour Organization) and a programme of ILO: IPEC (International
Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour) helping and saving kids all over Latin
America.

The UN tries to keep children away from drug trafficking and drugs at all by teaching
in schools that taking that path is really wrong, and preventing the possibility of
getting them closer to drugs.

For the cases children are already involved, the UN identifies the illegal substances
and the guilty person of all the trafficking and use of drugs.

III. Conclusion

Drug trafficking has been affecting citizens for a long time now, and unfortunately
its now gotten to the point where even children, who are the present and the future
to this world, are being forced to work in this illegal, dangerous, and life threatening
activity.

No one, especially not children, should be under this kind of fear and pressure. It is
the committees duty to find a solution in order to give children back their normal life
and to make sure all their rights are being granted and not violated.

VI. Essential Questions

1. Has your delegation had problems with drugs and/or gangs recruiting
children into traffic them? If so, has your country done anything about this?
2. What percentage of drugs are in your delegation? If the percentage is high,
what has happened to be so?
3. Are there any campaigns in your country helping and preventing this issue? If
so, which ones?
4. What kind of help are kids involved in drugs trafficking receiving from your
country?
5. After rescuing children, in case your delegation has done this, is there any
program or organization that ensures the children with a haven while theyre
in recovery?
VI. References

Adriaanalsema. "Colombia drug trafficking | Fact sheet." Colombia News |

Fox, Written By Edward. "Why Children Are Low-Risk Labor for Latin America's Drug
Gangs." Why Children Are Low-Risk Labor for Latin America's Drug Gangs. N.p., 2012.
Web. 16 Dec. 2016.

"Drug Trafficking in Latin America." Drug Trafficking in Latin America | Drug Policy
Alliance. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.