United Nations Commission on the Status of WomenChairs: Kaylyn Lu & Alisha Merchant
Email: kaylu21@bergen.org Topic A: Prevention of Online Harassment and Violence Against Women Whether it’s at work or in our pockets, the vast majority of people have immediate access to the Internet and other forms of media wherever they go. While this has proven to be beneficial in various situations, it has a devastating side effect; the proliferation of online harassment and violence against women. Online harassment includes a variety of varying tactics, ranging from verbal abuse to doxing, cyberstalking, and threats. The online harassment of women, called cyber sexism or cyber misogyny, incorporate concepts like sexism, racism, homophobia, and religious prejudice in order to terrorize women. Topics like public and private sector accountability will be explored in this topic, as well as more obscure forms of online harassment like cybermobs and incels, in order to initiate diplomatic discussions on finding solutions to this horrific phenomenon. Topic B: Women's Reproductive Rights There are many obstacles that women in developing countries face when trying to access contraceptives, including a lack of sufficient resources and medical providers, poverty, social stigmas, and legal barriers. According to the World Health Organization, a staggering 214 million women of reproductive age in developing countries who want to avoid pregnancy are not using a modern contraceptive method. Access to contraception and family planning allows women to better pursue educational and/or professional opportunities and provides them with the resources needed to consider their future. Lack of access to effective contraception methods prevents women from reaching their full potential as productive members of society. It is imperative that developing and developed countries work together to formulate innovative strategies to combat this pressing issue. 
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