Commission on the Status of Women
Topic: Women’s Health & Reproductive Rights
Type: Novice, Double Delegate
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has been at the heart of global efforts to advance gender equality, and this year’s focus on reproductive rights brings both urgency and complexity to the table. From access to contraception and maternal care to debates over abortion and education, reproductive rights are deeply personal and politically charged. Delegates will have the chance to explore how different regions are approaching these challenges and to think about what global cooperation on reproductive justice could look like. How should the international community respond when reproductive rights are stripped away? What role should global institutions play in protecting bodily autonomy? And how can we craft policy that balances cultural diversity with the universal right to self-determination? We hope to see innovative, compassionate solutions that reflect a wide range of perspectives while firmly upholding principles of human dignity and fundamental rights.
Meet Your Chairs
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Dear Delegates,
I am ecstatic to welcome you to BearMUN’s CSW committee! I am especially thrilled to be spending the next few days hearing your perspectives on a topic that has increasing global prevalence and is a passion of mine.
A little about myself- I am from Orange County, California, and am a fourth-year at Berkeley, pursuing Public Health on the premedical track. In addition to chairing for BearMUN, I am a Senior Advisor for our chapter. Like many of you, I am relatively new to the world of MUN. While I joined UCBMUN to explore my interest in health policy, I stayed for the thrill of competing, the excitement for leading, and the feeling of community it has fostered. Whether this is your first or fifteenth conference, I hope you can leave BearMUN MMXXV with some of these sentiments.
Outside of MUN, I can be found thrifting trinkets, going for night drives, or eating sushi. I am sure that many of you share these interests, and I cannot wait to swap music recommendations in between committee sessions! One of my true passions in life, in addition to The Neighborhood, is expanding health equity, especially within vulnerable communities.
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women plays a critical role in furthering the overall goal of the UN: promoting global well-being. Too often, women are encouraged to look towards their individual governments to ensure their reception of basic privileges. But what happens when a woman’s rights are denied by their very government ? Women’s rights are a highly contested, relevant, and multifaceted topic. I encourage you to think critically about the unique landscape of healthcare in the context of female-identifying individuals, and why seemingly simple solutions may not be so feasible. With this in mind, please know that I am beyond intrigued to hear your diverse and fresh takes on a decades-old issue, and hope you can go back home with a newfound or fortified interest in reproductive rights. Welcome to CSW!
Sincerely,
Sameera Menon, Chair