[DRAFT] Child Social Welfare Act

[Enjuku]

Child Social Welfare Act

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Significant

---

The World Assembly,

Commending efforts by this body to provide basic protections for children,

Recognizing the dedicated work of member states in their respective attempts to combat the social and economic problems children and their families face,

Aware that some children face social and economic problems so harmful that they hinder their overall achievement of a better quality of life,

Noting that these harms often fall short of a member state’s attention due to their overall focus on protecting children as a whole,

Believing these harms are preventable with appropriate attention,

Hereby,

1. Defines “at-risk children” as persons below the age of majority defined by the member state they visit or reside in who:

(a) experience substantial difficulty acquiring a better quality of life by the time they reach the age of majority,
(b) lack, due to their economic or social circumstances, adequate means to overcome these difficulties on their own or with the help of their families, and who consequentially,
(c) participate in self-destructive behavior such as substance abuse, criminal activity, self-harm, or any other activity that shows reckless disregard for the safety and well-being of themselves and others;

2. Further defines “quality of life” in the previous clause as one’s well-being shaped by social indicators such as overall health and safety;

3. Mandates member states to:

(a) identify risk factors that result in a child becoming an at-risk child,
(b) research methods to reduce or eliminate these risk factors,
(c) educate healthcare, education, and law enforcement authorities on how to recognize at-risk children, and,
(d) pass laws and regulations to that effect;

4. Requires member states, through state or private actors, address the immediate problems of substance abuse, criminal activity, and self-harm facing at-risk children by:

(a) providing affordable and accessible drug rehabilitation services,
(b) establishing safe and accessible recreational venues, such as community centers, intended in practice as a preferred social outlet to criminal activity,
(c) making available affordable and accessible mental health professionals to provide adequate counseling and treatment;

5. Suggests that member states, when acting in accordance with Clause 4, take reasonable precautions to address at-risk children that revert back to the same self-destructive behaviors leading to their classification as such;

6. Further requires member states ensure, whether through state or private actors, that all known at-risk children within their jurisdictions, including non-resident at-risk children, have reasonable access to resources that enable them to sustain a decent quality of life, of which adequate food, water, and shelter shall suffice;

7. Expresses its hope that member states shall pursue further supportive measures that enable safe and stable living conditions for all children.

Child Social Welfare Act

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Significant

---

The World Assembly,

1. Commending efforts by this body to provide basic protections for children,
   
   
2. Recognizing the dedicated work of member states in their respective attempts to combat the social and economic problems children and their families face,
   
   
3. Aware that some children face social and economic problems so harmful that they hinder their overall achievement of a better quality of life,
   
   
4. Noting that these harms often fall short of a member state’s attention due to their overall focus on protecting children as a whole,
   
   
5. Believing these harms are preventable with appropriate attention,

Hereby,

1. Defines “at-risk minors” as children who:
   
   1. experience substantial difficulty acquiring a better quality of life by the time they reach the age of majority,
      
   2. lack, due to their economic or social circumstances, adequate means to overcome these difficulties on their own, and who consequentially,
      
   3. participate in self-destructive behavior such as substance abuse, criminal activity, self-harm, or any other activity that shows reckless disregard for the safety and well-being of themselves and others;
2. Mandates member states to:
   
   1. identify risk factors that could lead to a minor become an at-risk minor,
      
   2. research methods to reduce or eliminate these risk factors,
      
   3. educate healthcare, education, and law enforcement personnel on how to recognize at-risk minors, and,
      
   4. pass laws and regulations to that effect;
3. Requires member states tackle immediate problems facing at-risk minors by establishing:
   
   1. social welfare programs,
      
   2. counselling offices,
      
   3. community centers,
      
   4. drug rehabilitation clinics, or,
      
   5. any combination thereof tailored to at-risk minors;
4. Also requires member states ensure, whether through state or private actors, that all children within their jurisdictions have reasonable access to:
   
   1. healthcare,
      
   2. housing, and,
      
   3. safe and adequate food and water;
5. Urges that member states take measures to prevent children formerly considered at-risk minors from falling victim to the same self-destructive behaviors that led to their classification as such;
   
   
6. Encourages member states to pursue or continuing pursuing efforts that provide basic protections for children not covered by this resolution.

OOC: This is my first attempt at a resolution draft. I don’t see any passed resolutions yet that address vulnerable and troubled kids as a class, so thought I’d go for it for my first try! Any input or constructive criticism is appreciated.

IC:

The SANCTUARY Act

Description: A resolution that Sanctions A New Committee To Uplift At-Risk Youth
Category: Social Justice
Area of Effect: Significant

---

1. Remembering that this body believes certain basic protections should be provided to all children,
   
   
2. Recognizing the dedicated work of member states in their respective attempts to combat the social and economic problems facing children,
   
   
3. Regretting that some children cannot always choose which environments, families, or nations they grow up in,
   
   
4. Contemplating the various social and economic problems some children face including but not limited to substance abuse, domestic violence, broken homes, poverty, human trafficking, homelessness, and recruitment into criminal gangs,
   
   
5. Noting sociological and psychological research that concludes these problems hinder the cognitive and behavioral development of children during their transition into adulthood,
   
   
6. Acknowledging that this hinderance significantly reduces opportunities for children to achieve a better quality of life,
   
   
7. Recalling current and international law enacted to protect the well-being of children,
   
   
8. Believing the matter mentioned in Clause 6 negatively affects the well-being of children to the point that it requires attention at the international level,
   
   
9. Hearing the silence of this body on this particular matter,
   

The World Assembly hereby:

1. Defines at-risk youth as minors that:
   
   1. experience extreme threats to acquiring a higher quality of life upon reaching the age of majority,
   2. do not possess, due to their economic or social circumstances, adequate means or options to respond constructively to these extreme threats and,
   3. consequentially participate in self-destructive risk behaviors, including but not limited to social isolation, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, felonious activity, or self-harm;
   
   
2. Establishes the Youth Enrichment Authority (YEA) with the mission to:
   
   1. identify, evaluate, and communicate current and emerging threats to the well-being of global at-risk youth,
      
   2. actively research socioeconomic, psychological, and educational methods to help at-risk youth achieve a better quality of life,
   3. coordinate efforts between member states in applying these methods to their own at-risk youth;
   
   
3. Mandates the establishment of a YEA office in every member state in order to:
   
   1. monitor the ever-changing needs and circumstances of its at-risk youth population,
   2. advise governments on these matters with information that is both ethical and evidence-based,
   3. consolidate and disseminate new information and research concerning at-risk youth internationally in an organized fashion,
   4. coordinate and/or support efforts in partnership with the appropriate private or public actors of that member state and if deemed necessary take action without those actors’ assistance;
   
   
4. Specifies that member states are permitted to facilitate their actions in coordination with and/or support of YEA advisement and activity within their borders at that member state’s discretion through private or public sector initiatives, including but not limited to social welfare programs, educational opportunities, youth community centers, drug rehabilitation facilities, or any combination thereof;
   
   
5. Clarifies that YEA offices must reasonably conform to and respect the customs of where they reside regarding the rights and entitlements of the parents and legal guardians of at-risk youth;
   
   
6. Strongly reaffirms as a common goal the commitment of all member states toward safeguarding the well-being of and providing basic protections for all children within their sovereign jurisdictions.

[ImperialRhodesia]

Although the abbreviation is interesting, please note that you can't write the description by yourself. It is given to you.

[Kenmoria]

(OOC: There is a rule against every clause of a proposal working only via a committee, which this appears to break. All you do is construct a committee, mandate its establishment, and then specify the details of compliance with the committee. You need something that, by itself, forces action or recommends action on a member state.)

[The ethereal lord]

Perhaps add "urges nations to enact legislation that help at-risk youth"
That should ,I think, put this in compliance with the "no committee only" rule

[Araraukar]

Perhaps add "urges nations to enact legislation that help at-risk youth"
That should ,I think, put this in compliance with the "no committee only" rule

OOC: Or perhaps actually scrap a useless committee and make the nations do everything? That's how GA legislation is meant to work.

A rewrittal, with the committee eliminated, the most important tasks given to nations, and some new ones added in for better effect. In-draft comments marked [OOC: Like this.]

Saving Our Children In All Lifestyles
[OOC: Since the description isn't what you want it to be, the whole "sanctuary" makes no sense. This title, though clumsy in itself, spells "social", and I would seriously suggest going for something like that if it must spell something, but would actually suggest going for something sensible that doesn't do cutesy spellings.]

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Significant

The World Assembly,

Applauding the basic protections for minors afforded by previously passed legislation,

Recognizing the dedicated work of member states in their respective attempts to combat the social and economic problems minors and their families face,

Aware of specifically youth-related issues that often are preventable with good quality counseling, education and healthcare services being made easily available and affordable for young people,

Wishing to ensure that certain risk groups are paid more attention by the member nations,
[OOC: Short and precise is always better than long and flowery. Also, moved "The World Assembly" to the start so that you have something that does the applauding and recognizing, since you can't write from your own point of view.]

Hereby,

1. Defines "at-risk minors" as minors who,

1. experience severe difficulties of acquiring a good quality life upon reaching the age of majority,
2. do not possess, due to their economical or social circumstances, adequate means or options to overcome these difficulties on their own, and who consequentially,
3. participate in self-destructive and risky behaviors, including but not limited to substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, criminal activities, or self-harm;

[OOC: Removed a lot of the "extreme" stuff from it, as that doesn't really work for stuff like juvenile delinquency. Though you don't actually define the actual difficulties ("threats" sounds like someone threatening to kick in their teeth, not them having difficulties getting a good job). Also removed social isolation, since though that can be a problem, it's not really "self-destructive", as social isolation is rarely something the individual does to theirself, but is more commonly the result from being bullied; people stay at an arm's length to avoid becoming targets themselves. Also, changed "youth" to "minors" for clarity. A young adult can be a "youth", but you're trying to target minors.]

2. Requires member nations to

1. identify the risk factors that may lead to a minor becoming an at-risk minor,
2. educate the educators as well as healthcare and law enforcement personnell in recognizing an at-risk minor, or a minor about to become an at-risk minor,
3. research ways in which to eliminate or reduce such risk factors, and
4. pass national laws and regulations to that effect;

3. Also requires member nations to help at-risk minors by tackling their immediate problems, such as substance abuse, with rehabilitation and re-education programs and counseling;

4. Requires member nations to ensure that every minor has access to affordable and safe housing, adequate and safe food and water, as well as good quality healthcare, to be paid by the state if the minor or their family are unable to pay;

5. Encourages states to not cut state assistance completely to those reaching the age of majority, who were at-risk minors earlier, but to instead help ensure that they do not fall back on the risky behaviours in an effort to make a living or fit in.

Your clause 4 has some things that should probably be meshed into my version's clause 3, but only the ones after "including but not limited to". Don't need useless hot air added, drafts are not hot air balloons.

From what I can see, the only thing the committee does in your version, that would be hard to move onto the member states as-is, is the "global" (do be aware that many WA nations don't exist in the same universe, nevermind same planet) cooperation, but I don't really see how juvenile delinquency, for instance, is an international issue requiring such.

[Enjuku]

Thanks for all your feedback! I added a revised draft to the original post.

Saving Our Children In All Lifestyles
[OOC: Since the description isn't what you want it to be, the whole "sanctuary" makes no sense. This title, though clumsy in itself, spells "social", and I would seriously suggest going for something like that if it must spell something, but would actually suggest going for something sensible that doesn't do cutesy spellings.]

--rewrite--

[OOC: Short and precise is always better than long and flowery. Also, moved "The World Assembly" to the start so that you have something that does the applauding and recognizing, since you can't write from your own point of view.]

--rewrite--

[OOC: Removed a lot of the "extreme" stuff from it, as that doesn't really work for stuff like juvenile delinquency. Though you don't actually define the actual difficulties ("threats" sounds like someone threatening to kick in their teeth, not them having difficulties getting a good job). Also removed social isolation, since though that can be a problem, it's not really "self-destructive", as social isolation is rarely something the individual does to theirself, but is more commonly the result from being bullied; people stay at an arm's length to avoid becoming targets themselves. Also, changed "youth" to "minors" for clarity. A young adult can be a "youth", but you're trying to target minors.]

Your clause 4 has some things that should probably be meshed into my version's clause 3, but only the ones after "including but not limited to". Don't need useless hot air added, drafts are not hot air balloons.

From what I can see, the only thing the committee does in your version, that would be hard to move onto the member states as-is, is the "global" (do be aware that many WA nations don't exist in the same universe, nevermind same planet) cooperation, but I don't really see how juvenile delinquency, for instance, is an international issue requiring such.

I used a lot of your revisions to write the revised draft. They were very helpful! I'm bummed I can't really think of a good short title that makes a witty acronym, so being boring with "Child Social Welfare Act" will do. I also took out juvenile delinquency and replaced it with reckless activity.

I really like the part you added about guaranteeing healthcare, housing, and food and water for children. It helps redirect what I want the resolution to be about. I don't know if your revision intended to exclude my last clause affirming a commitment to basic protections for kids though, for precedent. If it's not illegal, I want there to be SOME part of the resolution to that effect. The last part of the revised draft is my attempt at that.

[Araraukar]

I really like the part you added about guaranteeing healthcare, housing, and food and water for children.

OOC: Do be aware that that can't be the main aim, because there already is a resolution mandating nations provide all that to their citizens/inhabitants.

I don't know if your revision intended to exclude my last clause affirming a commitment to basic protections for kids though, for precedent. If it's not illegal, I want there to be SOME part of the resolution to that effect.

But what "basic protections"? There already is a resolution against child abuse, and member nations are required to provide certain basic protections to everyone, not just children.

Additionally, re-change "children" for "minors" throughout the draft. There's a reason I used "minors"; it's less attention-grabby (as in, more like real law text), and prevents people from going "oh, but children refers to like preschoolers, we can freely ignore teens". Also, you currently keep switching between children and minors and it's jarring.

Don't number your preamble (just don't use the list code for it at all) and don't use list code for your main clauses, number them manually. (And just a personal nitpick, use normal numerals, not Roman ones, for your main clauses.)

Some specific issues:

Mandates member states to:

1. identify risk factors that could lead to a minor become an at-risk minor,
   
2. research methods to reduce or eliminate these risk factors,
   
3. educate healthcare, education, and law enforcement personnel on how to recognize at-risk minors, and,
   
4. pass laws and regulations to that effect;

D probably needs to come after B to make sense. I'll think about that some more.

Requires member states tackle immediate problems

You really need to throw at least one example in there about such an immediate problem. That's why I had substance abuse in there.

1. social welfare programs,
   
2. counselling offices,
   
3. community centers,
   
4. drug rehabilitation clinics, or,
   
5. any combination thereof tailored to at-risk minors;

What do the social welfare programs do? You're supposed to use this resolution to create the social welfare programs, not just randomly wave a paper slip with that written on it.

Counselling offices? But not counselors? Or, gods forbid, counselors who had the faintest idea of what they're doing? These things need to be specified. Also, I'd prefer kids to have counselling whether or not it was done in a fine office.

Community centers have exactly what to do with anything?

Why drug rehab clinics? Why not out-patient care? Support groups? Use "services" instead of "clinics" and it's more all-encompassing (and probably more effective, too).

Instead of having e., just put "including but not limited to" in the main clause. There are, after all, tons of things that can be done that you haven't mentioned here. Also, you'd have to include their families/legal guardians in all these services to have a proper impact on the kids' lives.

Also requires member states ensure, whether through state or private actors, that all children within their jurisdictions have reasonable access to:

1. healthcare,
   
2. housing, and,
   
3. safe and adequate food and water;

Bad clause, no cookie. Don't use list code. There's literally no reason to use a list. You're giving a simple mandate.

Though, speaking of simple, make it "all resident minors" so that children just visiting (tourists, for example) don't get caught in it. Sure, visiting kids should have all of the above too, as necessary, but shouldn't generally be paid for by the nation they're visiting.

Urges that member states take measures to prevent children formerly considered at-risk minors from falling victim to the same self-destructive behaviors that led to their classification as such;

So locking them up in prison is fine? And don't alter the clause to say "except not in prison", because I guarantee you I can find exceptions to make it too long a list to want to include. You need to put in something like "supportive measures meant to enable continued safe and stable living conditions" instead of just "measures".

Encourages member states to pursue or continuing pursuing efforts that provide basic protections for children not covered by this resolution.

Such as?

[Kenmoria]

“I don’t see why you have numbered your preamble, it is normally left without numerals. Also, I find issue that member nations have to establish the programs in clause III, even if there are almost no at-risk minors in their jurisdiction. City states, for example, would find it unreasonable to have to build structures for a microscopic segment of the populace.”

[Araraukar]

“City states, for example, would find it unreasonable to have to build structures for a microscopic segment of the populace.”

IC: "I would imagine that for a city-state a program encompassing the at-risk minors in that city, would be enough," Johan snorted. "I mean, at-risk minors are hopefully going to be a microscopic segment of the populace in any kind of nation, and the proposal aims to make the segment even smaller, or even non-existent. Your argument could be used to ignore the needs of any minority."

OOC: If you mean building physical locations, then I agree and have pointed out the issue, But for the city-state argument, I can't help but think of this and go "I don't think it's going to be such a small segment of population as you think"...

[Enjuku]

“I don’t see why you have numbered your preamble, it is normally left without numerals. Also, I find issue that member nations have to establish the programs in clause III, even if there are almost no at-risk minors in their jurisdiction. City states, for example, would find it unreasonable to have to build structures for a microscopic segment of the populace.”

If you identify how many at-risk minors you have, and you only have a few, you probably wouldn't build a gigantic facility for them, no? City states could reasonable spend money and construct facilities based on the size and scope of their at-risk minor problem.

OOC: Do be aware that that can't be the main aim, because there already is a resolution mandating nations provide all that to their citizens/inhabitants.

...

But what "basic protections"? There already is a resolution against child abuse, and member nations are required to provide certain basic protections to everyone, not just children.

Additionally, re-change "children" for "minors" throughout the draft. There's a reason I used "minors"; it's less attention-grabby (as in, more like real law text), and prevents people from going "oh, but children refers to like preschoolers, we can freely ignore teens". Also, you currently keep switching between children and minors and it's jarring.

Don't number your preamble (just don't use the list code for it at all) and don't use list code for your main clauses, number them manually. (And just a personal nitpick, use normal numerals, not Roman ones, for your main clauses.)

Fair point on the basic protections for everyone. I revised the last clause with that in mind. "Basic protections" as a concept will stay in the preamble, since it's broad and not binding.

On your children vs minors point, note I use children in the resolution because "children", compared to "minors", have different protections according to WA precedent. Resolution 4 on child labor (where I get "basic protections for children" from) only references children in its preamble but goes on to cover anyone below the age of majority (minors). Resolution 38 on genocide covers children, with no reference to minors. Resolution 76 on issuing passports covers children AND those under the age of majority separately. Resolution 109 uses "under the national age of maturity" to define an of an orphaned child, not an orphaned minor. Etc. etc. I could go on but this isn't a research paper on the WA.

"Children" are the target of many existing resolutions. "Minors" as a term has shakier precedent and its definition is already used for multiple legal resolutions for children. To be consistent with the WA, I'm sticking with children.

And on minor (pun intended) formatting, noted and revised.

Some specific issues:

...

What do the social welfare programs do? You're supposed to use this resolution to create the social welfare programs, not just randomly wave a paper slip with that written on it.

Counselling offices? But not counselors? Or, gods forbid, counselors who had the faintest idea of what they're doing? These things need to be specified. Also, I'd prefer kids to have counselling whether or not it was done in a fine office.

Community centers have exactly what to do with anything?

Why drug rehab clinics? Why not out-patient care? Support groups? Use "services" instead of "clinics" and it's more all-encompassing (and probably more effective, too).

Instead of having e., just put "including but not limited to" in the main clause. There are, after all, tons of things that can be done that you haven't mentioned here. Also, you'd have to include their families/legal guardians in all these services to have a proper impact on the kids' lives.

Noted and revised substantially. Community centers are pretty important for the criminal activity factor actually. Get kids off the street, where they're exposed to gangs and crime, and into safe and secure venues that give them avenues to do things other than commit crimes. There's research on how children in neighborhoods without recreational venues tend toward criminal activity, but I doubt citing that research in the preamble will be appropriate. HENCE, Clause 4(b) in my new revision.

Also we don't need families/legal guardians included in these services. At all. In the first draft I had the committee staff respect local customs regarding guardians because I foresaw the problem of families wanting to get involved. We have this resolution because we're having actors OUTSIDE the family intervene in the affairs of at-risk children. If family want to be involved, which they could, they are respectfully not mentioned in the services, because their involvement is not necessary or required to help the child for the purposes of this resolution. Mentioning them in the preamble is enough imo.

Also, I added to the definition of at-risk children to hammer in the fact that the families are not part of the solution this resolution aims at.

Bad clause, no cookie. Don't use list code. There's literally no reason to use a list. You're giving a simple mandate.

Though, speaking of simple, make it "all resident minors" so that children just visiting (tourists, for example) don't get caught in it. Sure, visiting kids should have all of the above too, as necessary, but shouldn't generally be paid for by the nation they're visiting.

Thanks for reminding me! I want visiting children covered, hence why I used "all children". To make it more tailored, I made it "all known at-risk children" and made sure it covered non-residents just so it fits with the rest of the resolution. A child is a child regardless of national origin, and should have access to basic resources (like food and shelter) wherever they go. Emphasis on access over a guarantee or right.

I realized Resolution 97 covers basic healthcare for all, so I removed healthcare. Instead, it's all tied back to quality of life (added a definition for that to Clause 1).

So locking them up in prison is fine? And don't alter the clause to say "except not in prison", because I guarantee you I can find exceptions to make it too long a list to want to include. You need to put in something like "supportive measures meant to enable continued safe and stable living conditions" instead of just "measures".


Such as?

I bumped the preventative measures to only apply to Clause 4 and that they're only reasonable precautions instead of outright prevention.

And took your suggestion for supportive measures for the broad policy goal clause I intended for the last clause If that phrase suffices for an Urges clause as you recommended then it should be fine for expressing hope.

[Aclion]

(b) establishing safe and accessible recreational venues, such as community centers, intended in practice as a preferred social outlet to criminal activity,

Do the woods count?

[Enjuku]

(b) establishing safe and accessible recreational venues, such as community centers, intended in practice as a preferred social outlet to criminal activity,

Do the woods count?

A campground in the woods? Sure. That’s a venue that’s recreational, safe, accessible, and intended as a social outlet akin to a community center.

An entire forest? Hard to see how you could section that off as a safe venue for children to socialize in. Unless you’re having some kind of maintenance to keep it safe, which would just make it a park, not what we’d consider “woods”.

[Araraukar]

An entire forest? Hard to see how you could section that off as a safe venue for children to socialize in.

IC: "Why does it have to be a "safe venue for children"? Wouldn't it be more important and useful to teach children survival skills? With anyone wandering away from the camp being more or less counted as natural selection in action?"

OOC: Aside from the Darwinism point, that's my OOC opinion too. Get kids out of urban environments, teach them how to work together, let them have the sense of accomplishment when they keep theirselves safe, fed and warm in a camp, and you're doing much better than if they were playing billiard in a community center. The world can't be made child-safe, but children can be made pretty world-safe, when taught how to deal with it properly.

I'll get to the rest of the points later, but I still seriously suggest using "minor" instead of "child" to plug a loophole where nations can't redefine "minor" without messing with a whole host of other issues, but can redefine "child". And there will be nations willing to do the latter if it gets them out of having to put money in something like this. Hell, Araraukar would likely be one, given its insanely low youth crime or crime rates in general, and already existing progressive welfare/childcare policies.

Also, according to existing GenSec decision, what definitions and wordings other resolutions have used, has no bearing on future proposals (including this one), since all proposals must use their own definitions.

Oh and don't take healthcare out. All the other needs are mentioned in other resolutions as well. I left them in for the same reason I left healthcare in; in case they're repealed.