WA Digest July 2018

[Malphe]

World Assembly Affairs Digest

By Malphe, Deputy Minister of Communications and Lead Gameside Advocate​

The exalted marble halls of the world assembly have echoed to the sound of tumbleweed recently. It is speculated that most enthusiasm and WA engagement has been sucked out of the multiverse by a disturbance in space-time, leaving only a motley collection of proposals and quiet discussions within the General Assembly. Whereas the GA has shown minimal signs of life, the SC has been brutally murdered and is surely dead.. A funeral is being held for the security council by concerned parties.

General Assembly
Improving the world one resolution at a time​

Repeal "Ban on Secret Treaties"
Status: Discarded
Delegates Vote: Against
Total Votes (World): For: 5,678 Against: 9,914
Total Votes (TNP): For: 101 Against: 405​

Recommendation: The resolution "Ban on Secret Treaties" sought to end the deleterious effects of secret diplomacy, asserting that such conduct fostered an atmosphere of misunderstanding and miscalculation which ultimately resulted in greater conflict within and among member nations. The proposal at vote rejects this notion, asserting that the resolution had failed to account for the 'positive' aspects of secret diplomacy at the time of its passing. We find these claims of the supposed benefits of secret treaties in this proposal unconvincing, however, unsubstantiated either in the text of the proposal or other explanation by the author. Holding that the content of repeals should be based upon a compelling argument, we believe the proposal at vote fails to achieve this standard.

In accordance with the reasoning above, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against this proposal.

Protecting Free Expression
Status: Passed
Delegates Vote: Against
Total Votes (World): For: 12,495 Against: 3,443
Total Votes (TNP): For: 316 Against: 204​

Recommendation: The current proposal seeks to replace the recently repealed WA#30, Freedom of Expression. However, where WA#30 was an elegant, comprehensive defense of individual civil liberties - which had one important omission - the current proposal puts a much greater emphasis on the rights of nations to limit free expression, than it does on protecting the rights of the individual. By trying to achieve too much, in a single piece of legislation, the author has introduced a variety of limitations to free expression which are somewhat arbitrary, vaguely defined, and, may in fact empower nations to unnecessarily limit civil rights to expression that were previously granted. The Ministry feels it would be more beneficial to have multiple resolutions address some of the complex issues like defamation and company advertising rather than a single proposal attempting to blanket the many facets of free expression.

For these reasons, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote Against the proposal

Ban on Conversion Therapy
Status: Passed
Delegates Vote: For
Total Votes (World): For: 14,123 Against: 2,300
Total Votes (TNP): For: 448 Against: 81​

Recommendation: The Ministry concurs with the author's justification for a total ban on conversion therapy. We believe this proposal is necessary to protect the lives of an often marginalized group of people. Conversion therapy is pseudoscience with no reliable evidence of its effectiveness and is potentially harmful to those who undergo it, especially in teens and children, who have higher suicide and self-harm rates after going through such procedures.

For these reasons, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote for the resolution.