Dear Delegates,
Welcome to Middle School MUN!
This year, we will deal with the conference theme Fighting Inequality, specifically through our committee topic, “Protecting Women in Conflict Areas.” BERMUN aims to simulate the United Nations in their pursuit of human rights, justice, peace, and a sustainable future. Striving for these, we must concern ourselves with one marginalized group: women.
Even in times of peace, women are oppressed, exploited, and discriminated against, but the gender divide becomes even more evident during times of conflict and war. While conflicts hurt all people involved, women face unique challenges such as being left behind without income to care for the entire family when their men join an armed group (e.g. military or paramilitary group) or die during the armed conflict. Furthermore, young women are often forced to marry the foreign soldiers.
Armed conflicts can normalize the infringement on human rights such as the disrupting the right to education and shelter to the weaponizing of rape of women and children. The protection of women during conflict starts with protecting women during peace, but also focuses on the work of governments, military, and NGOs and what each can do to ensure the protection of civilians and especially marginalised groups like women. Women are often excluded from decision making processes and sometimes even voting as well as peacebuilding events and conferences.
All in all, this will be my 12th MUN conference and my fourth time chairing. I love debating just as much as I enjoy working together with delegates to discuss possible solutions as a Student Officer. I have learned to see topics from many different angles and debate on a constructive basis, striving for international solutions on a wide array of topics. I hope to actively work with you the delegates on a personal level, making you feel comfortable and helping you achieve your debate goals.
In my free time, I like to read, draw, listen to music, watch movies, and hang out with my friends. Apart from MUN, my hobbies include swimming, badminton, and acting, for example in theater pieces at our school. I'm 15 years old and have two older sisters. By coincidence, there are eight chickens, who live in my garden and are pretty tame. My mother tongue is German but I am very comfortable in English and fluent in French.
I am very excited to work with my fellow chair and with you all. I'm sure we will have an interesting, entertaining debate and a really great time!
Frida Katzenstein
