The Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, or the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee (SOCHUM), focuses on issues dealing with fundamental human rights in the international community. SOCHUM was founded in 1945 in reaction to the establishment of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The Third Committee promotes and enforces basic freedoms and ideals meant to be enjoyed by the entire international community such as the right to life, the expression of cultures, the freedom of political participation, the protection of children’s rights, and the promotion of social development, among many others. SOCHUM derives its legitimacy from the original United Nations Charter and operates with the goal of designing peaceful settlements for issues within the large spectrum of social, humanitarian, and cultural complications in the international community. This body does so by initiating studies that encourage recommendations for the promotion of international cooperation and fundamental freedoms for all.

Venezuela often faces criticism for its lack of human rights and freedoms for citizens, which has culminated in a human rights crisis within the country. Issues of violence, inflation, guerilla activity, as well as country-wide shortages of essential goods and services have created one of the largest humanitarian crises worldwide. Specifically, just under eight million people have been displaced and 6.5 million refugees are currently seeking refuge within Latin America and the Caribbean. Within the state itself, many Venezuelans struggle with limited political freedoms. In 2023, more than 270 political prisoners were currently jailed or imprisoned. Activists have also raised concerns over decisions made by the current government to disqualify presidential candidates, harass and jail union workers and journalists, as well as the lack of protection for members of the LGBTIQ+ community. Delegates within the Social, Cultural, & Humanitarian Committee (SOCHUM) must seek solutions to address human rights in the country, the current refugee crisis, and manage the multiple overlapping crises in Venezuela.

Since its independence in 1948, Myanmar has been plagued by a series of socio-political issues ranging from genocide and ethnic cleansing to mass poverty to military coups. Today, these same conflicts persist with the unlawful persecution of Rohingya Muslims by government officials and nationalist Buddhists intensifying. Since rising in power, Myanmar’s dominant political party, the Tatmadaw, has continued to suppress civilians resisting their rule through the use of brutal force, arrest, and murder. Since October 2023, over 600 have been killed, 20,000 detained, and countless more injured. The ongoing crisis has been described as one of the world’s largest humanitarian conflicts, with millions displaced and forced to seek refuge in bordering countries. The situation in Myanmar is not only characterized by violence but also the systemic denial of human rights, the pain of fleeing civilians, and relentless ethnic cleansing. Despite the persistent violence, the international community continues to fail to take decisive action. Delegates must take urgent and concrete actions to safeguard the people of Myanmar. It is essential to protect all citizens by upholding their human rights, saving lives, and ending the suffering they have all endured.