​TOPIC A: ADDRESSING GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS ON INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND PRESS FREEDOM

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Freedom of speech and expression within the media is integral to holding governments accountable and maintaining public access to accurate information. However, in both times of conflict and peace, as well as under a variety of political systems, political influence and government interference have limited the press under the guise of national security. This has led to widespread censorship and the silencing of opposing groups of people, which have raised concerns in the international community. For context, examples of censored media can include television programs controlled through a network or private company, podcasts and independently-created media subject to monetization rules through platforms such as YouTube, and government-sponsored universities being limited through funding.

 

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TOPIC B: REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE IN AREAS OF INSTABILITIES

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Armed conflict and political instability often disproportionately restrict women’s access to reproductive healthcare, including contraception, maternal care, and family planning services. Recent developments in conflict-affected regions have highlighted the humanitarian and human rights implications of these restrictions, particularly for vulnerable populations. A recent prominent example of this is the Taliban’s unofficial ban on contraception for women in Afghanistan, where birth control methods have stopped being supplied to clinics and female medical staff are being constantly harassed by soldiers. These conditions severely limit reproductive healthcare for women, leading to increased mortality rates and chronic pain for many women. Such human rights violations in areas of conflict display a larger systemic issue, where women’s healthcare is sidelined and restricted under unstable government regimes.​

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CHAIR: Maria Wiik Candido​​