Historical Resolutions Archive

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #224
Repeal "Common Sense Act II"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #30


Proposed by: Dashanzi

Description: UN Resolution #30: Common Sense Act II (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: UN Resolution #30: Common Sense Act II (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The United Nations,

REGRETFULLY ACKNOWLEDGING that individuals may be reckless, irresponsible, ignorant and/or foolish, and

SOBERLY MINDFUL of the potential for the waste of time and resources represented by such individuals,

NONETHELESS REMAINS AGOG at the chutzpah exhibited in crafting a resolution that seeks to legislate against stupidity, yet which simultaneously fails to account for the myriad factors involved in personal decision-making, and furthermore

RAILS MOST FURIOUSLY at those who seek to undermine the lofty goals of this institution by assailing it with such egregious trivialities and alarmist pettifoggery, and consequently

RIGHTEOUSLY PURIFIES the UN statute of this most disingenuous resolution by

REPEALING United Nations Resolution #30: Common Sense Act II.

Votes For 6,351 (69%)
Votes Against 2,803 (31%)

Implemented Tue Oct 16 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #225
Repeal "Max Barry Day"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #223


Proposed by: Omigodtheykilledkenny

Description: UN Resolution #223: Max Barry Day (Category: Education and Creativity; Area of Effect: Educational) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: These here fine United Nations,

Commending Resolution #223's laudable purpose, to recognize truly great men and their achievements;

Duly congratulating this resolution's intended honoree on his many titles from coed beauty pageants throughout the NS world;

Expressing its concern, however, that this resolution breaches the reasonable limits to which this body has traditionally held itself;

Chagrined that amidst the many serious problems the world faces today, including war, terrorism, poverty, oppression, corruption, pestilence, disease, famine, malnourishment, starvation, taxes, illiteracy, substandard education, substandard sex education, imperial measurements, necrophilia, space junk, nations not labeling chemicals correctly, shortages of computers for schoolchildren, invisible tree people, shortages of computers for invisible tree schoolchildren, rampant ecclesiastical self-defenestration, and reluctance to eradicate the Arctocephalinae, the United Nations would actually pass a resolution declaring an international holiday for some dude who started a Website suggests that this institution's priorities are somewhat out of whack;

Randomly kicking ambassadors in the nuts for even thinking this proposal was a good idea,

Hereby repeals Resolution #223: Max Barry Day.

Votes For 6,158 (62%)
Votes Against 3,727 (38%)

Implemented Sun Oct 21 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #226
Passport Standardisation Act

A resolution to restrict political freedoms in the interest of law and order.


Category: Political Stability


Strength: Mild


Proposed by: Cobdenia

Description: The United Nations,

NOTING the potential security risks arising from being unable to accurately assess those entering and leaving a nation,

FURTHER NOTING that such a potential security risk may be exacerbated by the inability of relevant officials to guarantee the authenticity of a foreign passport,

1. DEFINES a "Passport" as a travel document by the nation of which the person is a citizen, identifying the bearer as a national of that country,

2. MANDATES that all citizens carry a Passport issued by a relevant nation in which they hold citizenship or other citizen status, when travelling abroad, except where deemed unnecessary through the existence of bilateral and multilateral border control agreement,

3. PERMITS issuing nations to allow children under the age of majority, or a specific age that is lower than that of the age of majority, in the issuing country to travel on the passport of one or both of their parents, as necessary under national law

4. FOUNDS the United Nations Commision for Passport Design and Control (UNCPDC)

5. CHARGES the UNCPDC to establish minimum requirements of details to be included into passports, including but not limited to passport numbers, facial representations of the owner, name, date of birth, validity, and anti-forgery features

6. MANDATES that United Nation's Member States abide by the requirements laid down by the UNCPDC

7. AFFIRMS that the passport entitles the holder to any of the Consular services available from their nation's Embassies, Consulates, Consulates-General, High Commissions, Deputy High Commissions, Legations and other diplomatic missions as they may require,

8. ENSHRINES the right of foreign nationals carrying an appropriate passport to be visited by a consul of their nation when detained for legal reasons.
a) allows consuls to give the detainee legal advice, lists of approved barristers and/or solicitors, and guidance on the legal process of the nation in which they are detained.
b) in cases where there is no diplomatic or consular presence of the detainee's nation a consul of another nation may be substituted for a consul of the detainee's nation, where bilateral or multilateral agreements are in place for such a substitution.

9. AFFIRMS that any national of a United Nations member state, carrying a valid passport and visa cannot be denied entry to a nation, except where either the security of that nation is at stake or for reasons of medical quarantine,

10. CALLS UPON all nations to recognise the passports of nationals of United Nations member states,

11. MANDATES the publication of all Passport designs (including information about counterfeit protections), to be made available to all relevant officials, including but not limited to: immigration officials, customs and excise officers, security personnel, and constables of the law.

Votes For 5,997 (65%)
Votes Against 3,253 (35%)

Implemented Fri Oct 26 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #227
Air Pollution Convention

A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.


Category: Environmental


Industry Affected: All Businesses


Proposed by: Ithania

Description: The United Nations,

Recognising the adverse effects air pollution has on the environment,

Determined to promote relations and cooperation in the field of environmental protection,

Believing that member states have the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental policies,

Also believing that member states have an obligation to ensure that activities within their jurisdictions do not cause damage to the environment of other States,

Hereby:

1. Defines “Air Pollution” as the non-natural introduction, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the air resulting in deleterious effects of such a nature as to endanger health, harm living resources and ecosystems and material property and impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment;

2. Defines “transboundary air pollution” as air pollution whose physical origin is situated within the area under the national jurisdiction of one State and has adverse effects in the area under the jurisdiction of another State;

3. Requires member nations to provide the UN Environmental Agency (UNEA) with meteorological, physico-chemical, and biological data relating to the effects of transboundary air pollution with a view to establishing a scientific basis for dose/effect relationships;

4. Mandates the creation and maintenance of monitoring stations in member nations. The collection of data shall be carried out under the respective national jurisdictions of member nations;

5. Tasks the International Meteorological Organisation with cooperating, as appropriate, in the collection and analysis of data;

6. Charges the UNEA with the following:
a. Creating and subsequently maintaining a list of air pollutants for international use,
b. Establishing a standardised procedure for monitoring air pollutants that allows for effective comparison of data,
c. Creating models utilising data collected from member nations in order to better understand the transmission of air pollutants and their transboundary fluxes,
d. Assessing alternative economic, social, and environmental measures for attaining the objective of reducing transboundary air pollution,
e. Providing education and training schemes related to the environmental consequences of air pollution,
f. Acting as independent adjudication upon request if a member nation believes another to be responsible for environmental damages within their jurisdiction;
g. Objectively assessing whether there is quantifiable environmental damage and whether a causal link between the accused nation(s) and any damage can be established based on collected data;
h. Assigning liability for damages in cases where a causal link is established.

7. States that nations found to be liable for damages by the UNEA shall either provide reparations equal to the resources required to remediate and prevent environmental damages within the aggrieved nation, or consult with the UNEA to establish an economically feasible timetable to reduce the emission of air pollutants;

8. Requires member nations to provide the UNEA with notification of major changes in national policies and industrial development that will likely cause significant changes in transboundary air pollution;

9. Urges member nations to create national, sub-regional, and regional strategies to combat and control air pollution beyond the confines of this resolution.

Co-authored by Lots of Ants

Votes For 7,100 (72%)
Votes Against 2,784 (28%)

Implemented Sun Nov 11 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #228
Repeal "Rights of Minorities and Women"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #80


Proposed by: G l o g

Description: UN Resolution #80: Rights of Minorities and Women (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Strong) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: UN Law "Rights of Minorities and Women" BAD!!!

Article I say "No one race or culture is better than another." What mean "better"? UN law not tell what "better" mean. This not protect any rights.

Article II say "Males and Females should be treated as equals. Whether it be in the workplace or at home". What mean "equals"? UN law not tell what "equal" mean. This not protect any rights.

Article III say "Not a single religion or belief is better or more right than another." This not tell what "better" mean either. Not tell what "right" mean. This not protect any rights.

Article IV say: "One should have the right to express their love for a member of the same sex." What "express their love" mean? UN law not say. This not protect any rights.

UN law use word "should" too much. Not strong word.

UN law not protect rights of minorities. Only mention "race" once in preamble part. Mention "race or culture" in Article I. Never mention again.

UN law not protect rights of women. Only say "should be treated as equals" in Article II. Never mention again.

UN law "Discrimination Accord" protect some rights. "Discrimination Accord" GOOD!!! "Discrimination Accord" still protect rights after this repealed. "Rights of Minorities and Women" not protect any rights.

UN Law "Rights of Minorities and Women" do nothing, just happy words to make UN people feel good. Stand in way of new law that protect rights.

UN Law "Rights of Minorities and Women" BAD!!! UN repeal.

Votes For 5,412 (55%)
Votes Against 4,381 (45%)

Implemented Mon Nov 19 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #229
Ban International Trafficking

A resolution to ban, legalize, or encourage recreational drugs.


Category: Recreational Drug Use


Decision: Outlaw


Proposed by: Intelligenstan

Description: DEFINING for the purposes of this resolution, a "recreational drug" as a chemical substance whose primary purpose is to act upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary or permanent changes in perception, mood, consciousness and/or behavior,

AWARE that member nations may not wish to outlaw drugs,

OBSERVING that trafficking of drugs across borders may lead to large untaxed amounts of money being poured from one nation to another,

NOTING that drug trafficking between nations may lead to conflict due to differences in drug laws of member nations,

FURTHER NOTING that drug trafficking in many instances directly funds terrorism and illegal weapon trade,

CONCLUDING that cutting down on international drug trafficking will benefit all nations involved economically and socially,

THEREFORE HEREBY MANDATING all member nations to follow this resolution that is:

§1 ENACTING that nations put immediately into effect laws imposing a fine, imprisonment, or other such forms of correctional action that are allowed by the UN upon drug traffickers.

§2 DEFINING international drug traffickers as any individuals who are caught involved in the international:

-Buying
-Selling
-Otherwise exchanging in any form

of drugs that were not legally passed through the borders of the nations involved.

§3 URGING member nations to consider imposing sanctions on nations who do not follow similar courses of action.

§4 ADVISING each member nation to consider imposing sanctions on nations who do follow similar courses of action, but fail to present their choice of correctional action as sufficient and fitting for the crime committed.

REITERATING, finally, that member nations who do carry out legal drug trade will be able to continue to do so.

Votes For 4,706 (56%)
Votes Against 3,724 (44%)

Implemented Thu Nov 29 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #230
Fairness and Equality Act

A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.


Category: Human Rights


Strength: Significant


Proposed by: SchutteGod

Description: The United Nations,

AFFIRMING the right of all people not to be targeted for abuse or discrimination based upon their gender, sexual orientation, or religious or cultural background;

RECOGNIZING the need for effective international anti-discrimination measures and additional protections for women and members of minority groups;

REGRETTING that Resolution #99: Discrimination Accord, while outlawing discriminatory practices by nations, may be interpreted as a prohibition of discrimination by governments only, while excluding discrimination by private groups, individuals and employers;

SEEKING to address the failures of past legislation in the area of human rights, much of which has been repealed on the grounds of ineffectiveness;

NOTING past affirmations of national prerogative on marriage and criminal-sentencing laws, somewhat limiting the scope of this remit;

Hereby enacts the following:

1. Unfair and unreasonable discrimination in employment, housing, education or access to services provided to the general public shall be prohibited by all member states, including discrimination based on a person's gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, skin color, language, economic or cultural background, physical/mental disability or condition, age, religion or belief system, sexual orientation or gender orientation;

2. Unprovoked violence against or intimidation of any person on previously stated grounds shall be a civil and criminal offense in all member states;

3. Nothing in this article shall be construed as to deny additional or stronger protections against discrimination and abuse already enacted by member states.

Votes For 6,034 (67%)
Votes Against 2,943 (33%)

Implemented Wed Dec 5 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #231
Repeal "End slavery"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #6


Proposed by: Quintessence of dust

Description: UN Resolution #6: End slavery (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The United Nations,

Remaining fully opposed to slavery,

Hence disgusted that existing law on the subject, UN Resolution #6 "End Slavery", fails to live up its title and does not in fact end slavery,

Concerned that Resolution #6 makes no provision for:
- the prohibition of ownership of persons,
- the freeing of those previously enslaved,
- legal protection, economic aid and social rehabilitation for freed slaves,
- the prohibition of forced labour,
- the suppression of the slave trade,

Concluding that Resolution #6 is a woefully inadequate document that, given its prevention of any more meaningful legislation on the subject, is actively damaging to the international antislavery cause,

Stressing the importance of passing comprehensive antislavery resolutions immediately following passage of this repeal, which will:
- replace the prohibition of the sale of persons,
- fully address the above unaddressed issues,
- promote international cooperation to end the slave trade,

Repeals Resolution #6.

Votes For 7,324 (78%)
Votes Against 2,027 (22%)

Implemented Wed Dec 19 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #232
Abolition of Slavery

A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.


Category: Human Rights


Strength: Strong


Proposed by: Quintessence of dust

Description: The United Nations,

Believing that slavery violates the most basic principles of individual liberty,

Rejecting the notion that any nation has the right to permit persons to be subjected to slavery,

Further considering that international cooperation is required to eliminate the slave trade,

Therefore strongly desirous of enacting firm prohibitions on slavery,

Further wishing to deal with the problems presented by freed slaves, such as repatriation, economic restitution and the prevention of discrimination,

Realizing that where slavery persists, all forms of diplomatic and economic pressure, including exclusion and embargo, should be directed at ending the practice,

Noting that trafficking in persons constitutes a form of slavery that has proved particularly resilient to attempts at abolition and that special vigilance is required in this regard,

Also calling for future legislation on the subject of unfree labour in order to fully prevent de facto slavery from persisting:

1. Declares that all persons are free, and that no person shall be held, under the law of any nation, to be the possession, property, or chattel of any other person or any legal entity;

2. Requires the immediate release of any persons so owned, the immediate dissolution of any legal contracts enacting such ownership, and that all member nations henceforth refuse to recognise such conditions and contracts;

3. Condemns slavery in all its forms;

4. Prohibits member nations from returning persons to countries still practicing slavery, where there is probable cause to believe such persons will be returned to a condition of slavery or punished for attempting to escape from such conditions;

5. Permits member nations to require such persons to leave their territory for other nations willing to accept them;

6. Strongly endorses programs to assist freed slaves with adaptation to society, including the provision of education, vocational training, financial assistance and housing as required, as well as voluntary repatriation to nation of origin on request;

7. Requires member nations to take criminalise and take reasonable action to prevent reprisals against freed slaves;

8. Otherwise prohibits discrimination in civil, social, economic, legal and political rights, protection under the law, access to public services, travel permission and any other rights afforded by national and international law based solely on prior condition of servitude;

9. Encourages member nations to contribute assistance to areas previously reliant on slavery, in order to facilitate the transition of economic and social structure;

10. Prohibits the importation into any member nation of goods produced, in whole or in part, through slavery;

11. Further prohibits investment in companies using slavery;

12. Endorses and encourages diplomatic and economic efforts by member nations and international organizations to eliminate the practice of slavery in non-member nations, including efforts to support compensated manumission;

13. Requires nations to examine possible causes of and catalysts to trafficking in persons and to work, on their own and with other nations, towards the elimination of them;

14. Encourages even those nations having already abolished slavery to remain vigilant to forms of de facto slavery that may return and to fully assist in international efforts to totally eliminate all forms of slavery.

Votes For 5,721 (76%)
Votes Against 1,807 (24%)

Implemented Wed Dec 26 2007

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #233
Abolition of Forced Labour

A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.


Category: Human Rights


Strength: Significant


Proposed by: Iron Felix

Description: Deploring the practice of forced labour, including bonded labour, debt-servitude and other forms of unfree labour, and

Believing that all persons have the right to leave their employment at any time and to be free from threats, violence or coercion from their employer,

The United Nations

1. Abolishes the practice of forced labour in all UN member nations;

2. Defines "forced labour" as a situation in which persons are required to enter jobs by any means other than freely agreed contracts or to perform work against their will, under coercion or threat of extreme hardship to themselves or their families, including violence or detention;

3. Notes that for the purpose of this resolution the term 'coercion' shall be defined as excluding
a. the use of legal systems to enforce contracts;
b. the withdrawal of state-paid allowances from unemployed persons who refuse work that is offered to them and that they are capable of performing;

4. Accepts that nations may allow work to be compelled from
a. Persons performing either military service or alternative national service, as required by law;
b. Persons who are sentenced to such labour as a punishment for crimes;
c. Prisoners of War, and civilians interned during wartime, as allowed under international law;

5. Declares that no person may be committed to a contract against his or her will, except as clause #4 allows. Additionally, in the case of minors who are legally old enough to work the consent of a parent or other legal guardian may be required as well as the consent of the child itself;

6. Declares that any person who is currently bound to an employer because of any hereditary arrangement rather than by his or her own consent has the right to leave that employer's service. Persons willing to remain in such service are entitled to have a fair contract drawn up under binding independent arbitration;

7. Declares that all persons have the right to leave their jobs at any time unless required, by a stated condition of employment or a contract freely entered into, to give specific and reasonable prior notice of abandoning the position. Failure to provide such notice may release the employer from any contractual or similar obligations;

8. Declares that the specified duration of a contract of employment may only be extended or shortened by the freely given consent of both parties, or by an order from a relevant court;

9. Declares that all persons have the right to be free from violence, threats of violence, enforced indebtedness, and other forms of undue coercion by their employers;

10. Prohibits all other forms of labour which would meet the definition of forced labour as stated in this resolution.

Votes For 6,395 (75%)
Votes Against 2,167 (25%)

Implemented Tue Jan 8 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #234
Repeal "'RBH' Replacement"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #20


Proposed by: The Dourian Embassy

Description: UN Resolution #20: 'RBH' Replacement (Category: Social Justice; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Whereas the United Nations is committed to effective legislation.

Understanding that RBH Replacement was an administrative move in the early days of the UN.

Noting that Required Basic Healthcare(RBH) was repealed by Resolution 102.

Further noting that RBH Replacement relied heavily upon that repealed document to outline its intentions.

Believing that RBH Replacement itself does nothing at all to modify healthcare.

Accepting that the repeal of this piece of legislation will in no way affect healthcare.

Hereby repeals RBH Replacement.

Votes For 6,679 (85%)
Votes Against 1,192 (15%)

Implemented Sun Jan 13 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #235
Territorial Waters

A resolution to restrict political freedoms in the interest of law and order.


Category: Political Stability


Strength: Mild


Proposed by: Cobdenia

Description: REALISING the current possibility for nations to claim vast swathes of oceanic territory for legal and economic reasons,

CONCERNED that such a situation has the potential to destabilise international security,

SEEKING to remedy this situation, whilst taking into account the necessity for nations to impose legal and economic jurisdiction over waters bordering their shores,

The United Nations hereby,

1. DECLARES that, for any nation with a coast:
a) The waters within 12 nautical miles of that nation's sea border should normally be counted as its 'Territorial Water', over which the nation shall have sovereign control and may enforce any and all laws of the nation in question. Waters above undersea nations are to be considered territorial in addition to those extending beyond the sea border;
b) All of the waters within 200NM of that nation’s sea border should normally be counted as its ‘Exclusive Economic Zone', within which it has the sole right to harvest natural resources, but otherwise considered as international waters;
c) All of these zones also include the floors of those waters.

2. PROCLAIMS that waters that are neither territorial nor within the exclusive economic zone be considered 'International Waters';
a) National jurisdiction is to be extended to vessels registered in that nation traversing, and on offshore installations located in, international waters and the exclusive economic zone;
b) Nations are prohibited from intentionally placing devises that may hazard shipping indiscriminately in international waters, including but not limited to sea mines.

3. AUTHORISES that the sea border is to be considered to be at the point where waters meets the land at low tide, where such a border would exist at sea level in the case of undersea nations, or an estimation of where fresh water meets salt water where the coastline is disrupted by river, etc., mouths,

4. DECLARES that any waters bordered by a single nation’s shores shall are to be considered as that nations territorial waters;

5. NOTES that possible issues of overlapping claims be resolved as follows:
a) The boundaries between the territorial waters of nations that adjoin each other on coasts shall normally be straight-line continuations of their land borders;
b) Any waters where two or more nations’ claims would overlap shall be divided along lines mid-way between those two nations’ shores;
c) Nations with overlapping claims may voluntarily agree to divisions along other lines than these, as long as they are not to the detriment of the claims of other nations and do not encroach onto international waters;
d) Where two nations’ shores are less than 25NM, and greater then 2NM, apart a median channel of 1 NM width shall be between them, and will be treated as international waters, except in the case of archipelagic nations.

6. ENCOURAGES member nations to respect these rules in their interactions with non-UN member nations that also accept these limits, and reach similar agreements with non-members,

7. FOUNDS the Marine Arbitration & Recognised International Thalassic Institutional Management Executive, (MARITIME), and charges it to arbitrate in international disputes about territorial claims in the seas and national jurisdiction.

Co-authored by Shesharlie

Votes For 5,801 (70%)
Votes Against 2,530 (30%)

Implemented Fri Jan 18 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #236
Free Trade of Durable Goods

A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.


Category: Free Trade


Strength: Strong


Proposed by: Iron Felix

Description: The General Assembly of the United Nations,

RECOGNIZING the role that the trade of durable goods plays in the global economy;

FURTHER RECOGNIZING the role that the sale of these goods plays in providing manufacturing jobs;

NOTING the beneficial effect that these goods have on people's daily lives by making numerous home and business related activities less labour intensive, more efficient and more enjoyable;

FURTHER NOTING that durable goods includes equipment vital to medical research and that increasing access to such equipment could lead to a cure for cancer in our lifetimes;

DEFINES, for the purposes of this legislation, "durable goods" as goods or consumer products that have a useful life extending more than three years. Examples include, but are not limited to, automobiles, home appliances, home furnishings and fixtures, and business, medical, electronic, and manufacturing equipment.

HEREBY

1. ENCOURAGES the sale and/or transfer of durable goods between UN nations;

2. ENCOURAGES all nations to increase their citizens access to durable goods by creating favourable business environments for retailers who market these goods;

3. REQUIRES the elimination of protectionist devices restricting the trade of durable goods, including but not limited to tariffs, duties, subsidies, subventions and quotas, within eleven years;

4. DECLARES that nations may apply reasonable restrictions on trade in the following cases:

- to ensure the stability of industries supplying essential products (such as military equipment or other items vital to national security);
- in times of severe economic crisis, where such measures are required to ensure a stable supply of durable goods;
- to collect revenue for the sole purposes of economic recovery following severe collapse;

5. DECLARES it the right of nations to impose cultural, safety, environmental, ethical or other regulations on durable goods and their manufacture, provided any such regulations are administered in a non-protectionist manner;

6. EMPHASIZES that UN member nations reserve the right to employ retaliatory tariffs towards non-UN nations to prevent price dumping;

7. AUTHORIZES the United Nations Free Trade Commission (UNFTC) to arbitrate any trade disputes which may arise concerning the implementation of this legislation. Such arbitration may include, but is not limited to, cases involving alleged price dumping by UN members upon UN members, alleged violations of Articles 3, 4 and 5 of this legislation, and disputes over the interpretation of the terms and conditions of this legislation.

Votes For 4,572 (56%)
Votes Against 3,532 (44%)

Implemented Mon Jan 28 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #237
Protection of Orphans Act

A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.


Category: Social Justice


Strength: Mild


Proposed by: Iron Felix

Description: The General Assembly of the United Nations;

Recognizing that orphans and homeless children are some of the most vulnerable of all persons in any society and are often ignored or abused;

Recognizing that violence, drugs, war, famine, social chaos, disease and prejudice in many nations have resulted in an unprecedented number of children who are abandoned as orphans or who have become homeless;

Recognizing that the rights of orphans and homeless children are often ignored;

Deploring the terrible conditions that these children suffer in;

Alarmed that these children are exposed to the possibility of being raped, murdered or sold into prostitution and noting that some of these children are extremely young;

Finding this situation to be unacceptable, enacts the following:

1. Member nations are encouraged in the strongest possible terms to fund the construction and staffing of orphanages and shelters for homeless children as the situation in their nation merits.

2. Member nations are further strongly encouraged to establish appropriate child welfare agencies to oversee the well-being of these children and to manage the distribution of aid. Additionally, these agencies are strongly urged to share information to facilitate intranational and international adoptions.

3. The United Nations Child Placement Authority is hereby established to do the following:
(i) Compile a database of all known homeless or orphaned children currently residing in UN nations who are awaiting placement in adoptive homes. The governments of UN member nations shall submit bi-annually a report detailing the number of homeless or orphaned children living within their nation who are awaiting placement in adoptive homes, either within, or outside their nation. The report shall include the child's age, sex, name (if known), pertinent medical information as allowed by UN law and any other details considered relevent to the child's case.
(ii) Act as a clearinghouse for coordinating the efforts of accredited adoption agencies and child-advocacy groups in UN nations and to assist in the effort to place these children in permanent, stable homes.

4. Member nations are reminded that many homeless children, particularly runaways, may be reluctant to accept aid and assistance from government agencies or recognized charities due to fears that they will be forced into an unacceptable situation, e.g., returned to an abusive home. Therefore, it is suggested that aid and assistance be provided in a no-threat environment with assured confidentiality for all clients, but with the goal of eventually placing these children in an officially recognized shelter, orphanage or foster home, or if possible, returning them to their parents or an acceptable guardian.

Votes For 5,310 (62%)
Votes Against 3,206 (38%)

Implemented Mon Feb 18 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #238
Repeal "The Sex Industry Worker Act"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #91


Proposed by: Silentscope embassy

Description: UN Resolution #91: The Sex Industry Worker Act (Category: Free Trade; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: UNDERSTANDING the goal behind the Sex Industry Worker Act which is to allow for "an happier, more content and more productive society" by legalizing prostitution,

NOTING however that the right for someone to choose to be a prostitute is already duplicated by Resolution #53 (Universal Freedom of Choice), as people has the freedom to choose to sell their own body, without "unreasonable interference",

FURTHER NOTING Resolution #192 (Sexual Privacy Act) which prohibits the criminalization of "any form of sexual activity", including prostitution, if it is done by consenting adults and done in private,

STATING that the rest of the resolution is worded with clauses that merely 'encourages' nations to change their behavior, but does nothing else,

CONCLUDING this resolution therefore to be nothing more than a duplicate of much more well-written resolutions that already protect prostitution,

DESIRING to remove useless resolutions to streamline bureaucracy,

The United Nations:
1) REPEALS Sex Industry Worker Act

Votes For 6,062 (77%)
Votes Against 1,854 (23%)

Implemented Mon Feb 25 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #239
Repeal "Humanitarian Intervention"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #92


Proposed by: Omigodtheykilledkenny

Description: UN Resolution #92: Humanitarian Intervention (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Strong) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: This Assembly, having convened to reconsider its adoption of UN Resolution #92: Humanitarian Intervention, observes the following:

1. The United Nations through past legislation condemns in the strongest possible terms egregious human-rights violations such as genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity;

2. The United Nations is committed to enforcing relevant legislation expressly forbidding such offenses by member states;

3. The United Nations is not necessarily opposed to international interventions with a humanitarian purpose, but does fear that UN involvement in military operations as stipulated by Resolution #92 is inappropriate;

4. The United Nations expresses strong concerns over the serious flaws evident in the remit of Humanitarian Intervention, specifically:

- that it permits the United Nations to authorize offensive actions against member states, in contradiction of the UN's long-held tradition of strict neutrality in international theaters of conflict;

- that it subjects the territorial sovereignty and integrity of member states to a vote by a panel of unaccountable UN diplomats, allowing the United Nations to disregard member states' said sovereignty at the request of two or more nations;

- that it allows the United Nations to authorize interventions in non-member states, who are decidedly outside UN jurisdiction and are under no obligation to uphold UN mandates, however beneficial or well-intentioned;

- that it grants the overseeing panel unlimited powers to meddle in the planning and execution of intervention operations, greatly impeding their effectiveness and likelihood of success.

Whereas:

This Assembly considers the above-cited flaws to constitute a serious overreach of the mandate of the United Nations to protect international human rights;

This Assembly in particular strongly condemns this act's attempt to enforce UN dictates on non-member states;

This Assembly reassures its members that the enforcement of UN proscriptions against human-rights violations by member states will continue, even in the absence of an intervention accord;

This Assembly is convinced that nations finding cause to intervene in cases of grave human-rights abuses committed in other countries will do so, with or without a UN permission slip:

Be it therefore resolved:

1. UN Resolution #92: Humanitarian Intervention is hereby repealed.

Votes For 5,586 (66%)
Votes Against 2,860 (34%)

Implemented Sat Mar 1 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #240
Repeal "Fair trial"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #21


Proposed by: Jey

Description: UN Resolution #21: Fair trial (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The General Assembly of the United Nations,

APPLAUDING the attempts of Resolution #21: "Fair trial" to bring about fair rights of the accused within the various judicial systems of member nations;

HOWEVER CONSIDERING Resolution #21's complete lack of any details concerning the concept of a fair trial, including relevant definitions and ingredients that traditionally constitute a fair trial, usually including: juror and/or judge impartiality, competency and neutrality, right to fair representation, right against intimidation, and right to counsel;

REGRETTING that without these understood characteristics of a fair trial in the text of the resolution, the term becomes ambiguous, defeating the overall purpose Resolution #21;

REPEALS Resolution #21: "Fair trial".

Votes For 5,227 (63%)
Votes Against 3,087 (37%)

Implemented Thu Mar 6 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #241
Repeal "Metric System "

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #24


Proposed by: The Dourian Embassy

Description: UN Resolution #24: Metric System (Category: Free Trade; Strength: Strong) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Understanding that "Metric System" seeks to standardize weights and measurements, specifically, converting all nations to the metric system,

Regretting, however, that the resolution fails to require any standardized weights and measurements, or provide any details for their implementation, defeating its central purpose,

Seeking the opportunity to pass more detailed and comprehensive international weights and measurements standardization,

Noting that this ineffective piece of legislation bars such an act from passage,

The United Nations hereby repeals "Metric System".

Votes For 5,608 (59%)
Votes Against 3,909 (41%)

Implemented Tue Mar 11 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #242
UN Access to Literacy Project

A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.


Category: Education and Creativity


Area of Effect: Educational


Proposed by: Quintessence of dust

Description: The United Nations,

Applauding its previous Resolution #79, "Reformed Literacy Initiative", for making literacy "the critical priority" for national educational systems,

Recognising that access to a wide range of suitable reading materials is central to the realization of that goal,

Considering that the relative cost of redistributing surplus reading materials compares favourably in economic and environmental terms with that of mass reprinting,

Pleased that the existence of the UNEAF precludes the necessity of creating additional bureaucracy for the administration of the Project:

1. Inaugurates the "UN Access to Literacy Project", to be run as a voluntary and not-for-profit initiative to include all member nations;

2. Invites all nations to collect surplus reading materials and make them available to the Project for redistribution to those in need;

3. Designates "surplus reading materials" as including donated, unwanted, used, second hand or remaindered books, magazines, journals and other written sources, including print rejects that are still usable but that cannot be sold;

4. Stipulates that materials may be used but must be of a reasonable quality, or capable of being returned to a reasonable quality at minimal cost, particularly with regard to their utility in literacy projects;

5. Grants nations reasonable discretion in organizing collection of the materials, including in the degree of centralisation: the collections could, for example, be organized within educational institutions, as part of waste collection, or through charity events;

6. Permits agencies and authorities involved in literacy programmes to petition the UNEAF for assistance in supplying a range of reading materials;

7. Authorises the UNEAF to:
- take inventory of collected materials;
- allocate the materials, and otherwise acquired through additional UNEAF initiatives, to petitioners;
- make contributors aware of particularly dire needs;
- grant small rewards to institutions that prove particularly responsive and helpful in collecting surplus reading materials;
- advise nations on strategies to improve their collections;

8. Declares that the UNEAF may make judgments on the reading materials, in consultation with petitioners for assistance, based on how appropriate and relevant they will prove, but that it will refrain from indulging in or abetting political censorship.

Votes For 6,340 (85%)
Votes Against 1,117 (15%)

Implemented Sun Mar 16 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #243
International Measurements Act

A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.


Category: Free Trade


Strength: Significant


Proposed by: Cobdenia

Description: The United Nations,

REALISING that lack of weight and measurement standardisation is a major concern for importers and exporters,

FURTHER REALISING that such a lack of standisation can impede the flow of scientific research,

BELIEVING, therefore, that a standard for weights and measurements is required,

UNDERSTANDING, however, that one system of measurement, whilst appropriate in some circumstances, may be inappropriate and otherwise unusable in other circumstances,

FURTHER UNDERSTANDING that other measurement systems may be of cultural signifigance for certain member states,

The United Nations, hereby:

1) ESTABLISHES the Bureau of Measurements and Weights (BMW),

2) COMMISIONS the BMW to create a standard for all weights and measurements, and warrants the BMW to decide which unit is to be used under what circumstances. This will include, but is not limited to:
a) Metric weights and measures for use on consumer products, scientific calculations (where appropriate), and roadway signage;
b) The Parsec and related measures for astrophysical calculations (where appropriate);
c) The Nautical Mile and related measures for aerial and nautical navigational (where appropriate)
d) Bits, octets, bytes and related units for electrical information storage
e) Other measurements systems for other circumstances as deemed appropriate by the BMW

3) MANDATES that all labelling, roadsigns, scientific papers, navigation charts, and other items requiring notation of this ilk, display the unit system as deemed appropriate for said item by the BMW clearly. This does not preclude the use of alternative measurements on such items as long as the BMW sanctioned unit is also displayed,

4) FURTHER ENCOURAGES that the measurement system(s) as authorised by the BMW be used primarily in educational instruction to encourage familiarity, but not precluding the teaching of other systems should a nation deem it necessary

Votes For 6,062 (76%)
Votes Against 1,945 (24%)

Implemented Fri Mar 21 2008

[The Dourian Embassy]

HISTORICAL RESOLUTION #244
Repeal "Ban Single-Hulled Tankers"

A resolution to repeal previously passed legislation.


Category: Repeal


Resolution: #11


Proposed by: Jey

Description: UN Resolution #11: Ban Single-Hulled Tankers (Category: Environmental; Industry Affected: All Businesses) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The General Assembly of the United Nations,

APPLAUDING the attempts of Resolution #11: "Ban Single-Hulled Tankers" to prevent serious environmental damages involving oil tanker ships;

NOTING WITH REGRET that Resolution #11 makes no legislative effort to actually prevent the oil spills referenced to, only providing the rhetoric that the United Nations "must unite to ban single-hulled tankers and endorse the use of double-hulled tankers";

CONVINCED that serious environmental issues such as oil spills should be addressed by the United Nations with legislation that contains actionable language to fulfill its intent;

UNDERSTANDING that it is in the interests of the United Nations to eliminate legislation that contains nothing more than rhetoric;

BELIEVING that more comprehensive and effective legislation can and should be enacted to eliminate serious environmental hazards;

REPEALS Resolution #11: "Ban Single-Hulled Tankers."

Votes For 6,286 (69%)
Votes Against 2,876 (31%)

Implemented Sun Mar 30 2008