BGA/6/15
Sponsored by Avantika Pillai, Sydney Doak, Sophie McAtee, Sophia Wang of Ravenwood High School
The delegates above represented the Delegation of Samoa.
This legislation was filed in the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural category
Presented as part of the MUN B 2023 conference
| 1 | To The General Assembly, |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Alarmed by the rapidly depleting supply of clean water happening unequally across the globe, |
| 4 | causing projected severe water shortages by 2025; |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Deeply concerned that, as the UN Sustainable Development Goals has reported, only 73% of the |
| 7 | world’s population as of 2022 have access to safely managed drinking water; |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Further concerned on the notable effects of a lack of proper waste water sewage treatment and |
| 10 | disposal infrastructure, especially in rapidly developing cities, on human health and cleanliness; |
| 11 | |
| 12 | Recalling that the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in Article 25, |
| 13 | “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself |
| 14 | and of his family”; |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 6, Ensure |
| 17 | Access to Water and Sanitation for All and Goal 12, Ensure Sustainable Consumption and |
| 18 | Production Patterns and Goal 9, Build resilient infrastructure, Promote Sustainable Industrialization |
| 19 | and Foster Innovation; |
| 20 | |
| 21 | Noting that water scarcity particularly hinders economic development in Small Island Developing |
| 22 | States (SIDS) like Samoa by limiting the supply of fresh water available for agriculture and |
| 23 | economic activities like fish processing and manufacturing; |
| 24 | |
| 25 | Further noting that in the Pacific Islands, only 55% of people have access to basic drinking water |
| 26 | and 30% have sanitation services, with most water sources in Samoa having a “high concentration |
| 27 | of minerals, toxic pesticides, microplastics and bacteria such as e-coli, which increases the rate of |
| 28 | water-borne diseases and poses significant health risks”; |
| 29 | |
| 30 | Aware that sanitation and clean water are inextricably intertwined, as the UN reports that the |
| 31 | Pacific Islands have the lowest rate of clean water availability in the world due to “poor waste |
| 32 | management systems and lack of adequate infrastructure”; |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Viewing with appreciation the UN’s efforts, including the ongoing production of the Vai O Le Ola |
| 35 | (Water of Life) Report: Samoa’s Response to the Triple Planetary Crisis and the passage in 2022 of |
| 36 | resolution A/RES/76/300 which recognized access to a clean, safe and sustainable environment, |
| 37 | |
| 38 | Affirming the words of Samoa’s Prime Minister: “SIDS [Small Island Developing States] simply |
| 39 | cannot support their SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] and fund their core needs on their |
| 40 | own under the prevailing conditions of economic contraction”; |
| 41 | |
| 42 | The delegation of Samoa hereby: |
| 43 | |
| 44 | Urges the public pledge of UN member states to domestically dedicate increased investment to |
| 45 | clean water and sanitation infrastructure, especially the recycling of waste water; |
| 46 | |
| 47 | Further requests that the UN provide $75 million USD, distributed in proportion to countries’ need, |
| 48 | to develop and deploy wastewater infrastructure including both basic sewer systems and systems |
| 49 | like sewer mining (on-site wastewater reuse) which treats wastewater, reduces the need for |
| 50 | lengthy pipes to the treatment plant, and provides clean water; |
| 51 | |
| 52 | Asserts that of the requested budget, $47 million USD will be allocated towards the construction of |
| 53 | waste water recycling facilities in least developed countries; and the remaining $28 million USD |
| 54 | will fund the continued production of clean water in UN member states, with emphasis on |
| 55 | recognized developing countries; |
| 56 | |
| 57 | Proclaims that UN aid will support decreasing inequality between countries in standard of living |
| 58 | and health, and further bolster those in most desperate need of water; |
| 59 | |
| 60 | Declares that the funding provided to each country would increase proportionally to the population |
| 61 | lacking access to sanitation as well as the difference between each country’s ability to finance |
| 62 | infrastructure and the cost of their needed infrastructure; |
| 63 | |
| 64 | Further declares that additional grants would be available to countries that pledge financial |
| 65 | commitment to clean water access and to projects that enable innovative methods of wastewater |
| 66 | recycling; |
| 67 | |
| 68 | Asserts that the UN will prioritize funding of water and sanitation decision-making systems and |
| 69 | transboundary water cooperation, both of which are underfunded and unprioritized under current |
| 70 | water financing; |
| 71 | |
| 72 | Calls for a review of UN funding towards wastewater recycling to be conducted yearly effective |
| 73 | starting January 1, 2024; |
| 74 | |
| 75 | Declares that the disbursement of allocated funds will be managed by the UN Resident Coordinator |
| 76 | for each country or region (or other UN representatives designated by the UN Resident |
| 77 | Coordinator), directly to projects where appropriate; |
| 78 | |
| 79 | Further proclaims that this project is to the benefit of all involved, and to everyone who shares the |
| 80 | water crisis worldwide, therefore no country shall be at a loss; |
| 81 | |
| 82 | Expresses its hope that all member states of the United Nations recognize the urgency of water |
| 83 | scarcity and take immediate steps to promote recycling waste water. |
| 84 | |
| 85 | |
| 86 | Bearing in mind that despite official policies, only 4 percent of New Zealanders are fluent in Maori, |
| 87 | most of whom are over the age of 50, |
| 88 | |
| 89 | Aware of the necessary action, funding, and awareness in order to preserve and revitalize |
| 90 | endangered languages and cultures, |
| 91 | |
| 92 | The Delegation of New Zealand hereby: |
| 93 | |
| 94 | Urges indigenous peoples to campaign and raise awareness to legislators and educators the |
| 95 | inherent value of indigenous languages, the necessity of providing indigenous children quality |
| 96 | education, and the expression of daily use of such languages as natural through communication |
| 97 | technologies; |
| 98 | |
| 99 | Recommends meaningful collaboration between UNESCO, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous |
| 100 | Issues, and indigenous peoples to prioritize the preservation, restoration, and promotion of such |
| 101 | languages; |
| 102 | |
| 103 | Further requests from UNESCO that in addition to the proclamation of the Indigenous Language |
| 104 | Decade that an annual week of celebration honoring indigenous languages should proceed the |
| 105 | International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on August 9, culminating in multiple awards |
| 106 | for language revitalization attempts to raise international awareness; |
| 107 | |
| 108 | Requests member states to develop language policies to promote and protect indigenous |
| 109 | languages, particularly in the education of indigenous children; |
| 110 | |
| 111 | Further requests member states to extend cultural education to all children, instilling awareness of |
| 112 | the importance of indigenous cultures from an early age; |
| 113 | |
| 114 | Seeks from member states the creation of jobs and incentives for speakers of indigenous |
| 115 | languages who can educate children, coordinate efforts with indigenous peoples, ensure accurate |
| 116 | census-taking of indigenous peoples, and monitor the holistic situation of indigenous peoples; |
| 117 | |
| 118 | Affirms that this resolution will take immediate effect on passage. |
| 119 | |
| 120 |