Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian Committee (SOCHUM)Chairs: Catherine Park & Ethan Donovan
Emails: catpar21@bergen.org & ethdon21@bergen.org Topic A: Child Marriage For centuries, the practice of child marriage has continued to violate human rights and worsen the quality of life all over the world. The present rate, an estimated 150 million girls under the age of eighteen will be married in the next decade. Delegates are tasked with working in tandem to resolve the conflicts associated with this complex issue. One of the primary matters to be addressed is the relationship between the likelihood of child marriage and a child’s poverty and education levels, as well as examine current legislation surrounding legal marriage. Topic B: Strengthening Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Aid Today, over 135 million people in 42 countries are in need of humanitarian aid and protection. This number includes people affected by natural disasters, refugee crises, and conflict in their home countries, among a multitude of other pressing issues. According to the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), humanitarian aid is, “assistance designed to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies.” Humanitarian aid and disaster relief can include everything from essential emergency supplies to long-term reconstruction efforts. Delegates will be responsible for the nature and scope of humanitarian aid the United Nations provides and discuss how affected countries should respond to these efforts. 
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