Director: Sion Joo

Topic One: Statelessness and Legal Identity

Not everyone is born with a birth certificate and passport in hand. While billions worldwide can comfortably rest assured from this issue, for the 15 million outside of this threshold, belonging is a privilege. Without documentation, their bridges to basic human foundations guaranteed by a state government are cut: difficult employment, impaired access to medical care and legal defense, and barring from proper education are only a handful of issues wrought on by statelessness. This helpless disposition is widely a result of discriminatory nationality laws, a bureaucratic system that traps ethnic minorities, refugees, and nomadic communities in a cycle of displacement. Delegates will be asked to take the initiative and draft concrete and viable solutions to ensure that every person in the world is connected and counted. 

Topic Two: Asylum Seekers' Treatment and Turmoil

The 1951 Refugee Convention defined a refugee as a fearful individual fleeing persecution, and necessitated that such a person must not be returned to the country they fled from. It outlined that the receiving country should be sympathetic– responsible for ensuring minimum standards like housing, education, and food. Idealistic in principle, these proclamations don’t translate into action; the asylum seekers crisis today paints a much grim story. Receiving nations, many located in war-torn, overcrowded, and developing regions of the world, practice illegal deportations or hustle hoards of refugees into detention facilities. These centers are characterized by inhumane, unsanitary conditions, medical neglect, and inadequate legal counselling for immigration. Furthermore, refugees are often antagonized by receiving governments, used as scapegoats for increasing criminality or economic downturns when, oftentimes, they have no associations to patterns. Delegates will evaluate existing policies for the classification and treatment of an asylum seeker, identify key shortcomings of the system, and discuss a solution that makes rightful treatment a normalcy. 

Director: Maryaam Abaas

Topic One: Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)

As the world is rapidly becoming more digital, so are the technology tools to perpetuate gender-based violence. Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence, or TFGBV, refers to when technology or digital media mediums are weaponized to inflict violence on someone on the basis of gender. Examples of this can include AI deepfakes, cyberbullying, online sexual harassment, stalking, impersonation, online grooming, sextortion, and many more. Moreover, TFGBV has serious implications. Due to the anonymity in many online platforms and little technology regulations, there is already a challenge of justice for women and girls. As a result, delegates in this committee will work to establish regulations that focus on holding technology companies accountable for their role in the perpetuation of TFGBV, and creating norms in society that hold those who employ these abusive technologies accountable. 

Topic Two: Expanding Education Opportunities for Women

Although the world has made significant strides in its expansion for education, research shows that there are still severe gaps for women and girls. This gap in education can occur for a variety of reasons, such as the stigmatization of women’s education, inequity in teachers and infrastructure for women and girls, and more. Geographic regions, particularly those that are rural, lower-income, facing war and violence pose another complex challenge of educational access. Moreover, the consequences of these gaps are critical. When women and girls lack an educational foundation, they face barriers to economic sustainability, and are more likely to fall into generational cycles of poverty. This committee will require delegates to collaborate on a resolution that places protections for women and girls as well as expands their access to education.

Director: Hari Viswanathan

Topic One: Drone Warfare

This topic focuses on the immediate aftermath of a cross-border autonomous drone strike in a highly sensitive region of South Asia. As autonomous systems become more widely deployed, the risk of rapid and unintentional escalation has increased significantly, especially in areas with existing geopolitical tensions. Delegates will be placed in a situation where information is incomplete and constantly evolving, requiring quick decision-making under pressure. They will need to consider how to respond to the attack while managing domestic political expectations, avoiding unintended escalation, and maintaining international credibility. The role of misinformation, attribution challenges, and unclear lines of accountability will further complicate the situation. This topic encourages delegates to think not only about military responses, but also about diplomatic signaling, crisis communication, and mechanisms for de-escalation in an environment where traditional deterrence may no longer apply in the same way.

Topic Two: Space Regulations and Anti Satellite Weapons

As countries in South Asia continue to expand their space capabilities, outer space is becoming an increasingly contested domain. This topic examines the development and testing of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons and the broader implications of space militarization for regional and global security. While space has traditionally been framed as a domain for peaceful exploration, recent actions by several states have raised concerns about the potential for conflict beyond Earth. One major issue is the creation of space debris from ASAT tests, which can damage critical satellite infrastructure relied upon for communication, navigation, and economic activity. Delegates will explore whether existing frameworks, such as the Outer Space Treaty, are sufficient, or if new agreements are needed to address modern technological realities. The committee will also consider confidence-building measures, transparency mechanisms, and the challenge of regulating dual-use technologies that serve both civilian and military purposes.

Director: Ayushi Das

Topic One: The Reintegration of Formerly Incarcerated and Marginalized Populations into Society

The reintegration of formerly incarcerated and marginalized populations into society has remained a significant social and humanitarian concern. Individuals who wish to re-integrate into their respective communities are unable to do so as they face barriers such as access to education, housing, and healthcare. With these barriers, formerly incarcerated individuals fall into cycles of poverty and social exclusion, leading to mental, physical, and emotional health issues. Moreover, societal stigma against those who have been incarcerated continues to create roadblocks for individuals to re-adapt to society. The absence of stable support systems for incarcerated people often contributes to higher rates of recidivism which continues to reinforce a cycle that is difficult to break. Without any policy initiatives and increased investment in reentry programs, these barriers will continue to affect this population. Delegates in this committee will have to collaborate to develop policies that support the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals. 

Topic Two: Labor Rights and Safety in the Global Garment Industry

Labor rights and safety has become a pressing concern across the world’s landscape, wherein marginalized groups like women, children, and migrants are being exploited for their ability to manufacture cheap products in developing countries. The garment industry is valued at over 1.79 trillion dollars and multinational corporations develop products through outsourced work in third world countries. Garment workers work in unsafe conditions, during exhausting shifts, and with extremely low wages. Tragedies such as the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh highlight the pressing concerns with the modern day garment industry. The event claimed over 1,100 lives and could’ve been easily avoided with additional regulations for the protection of those garment workers. Delegates will have to navigate the complexities of labor rights and balance that with the rights of multinational corporations along with governmental entities to address the systemic concerns within the garment industry. 

Director: Jesse McCormick

Topic One: Rising Sea Levels

8 of the world's 10 largest cities are on the coast, and over a billion people globally reside within 10km of the ocean. The planet’s roads, bridges, subways, water supplies, oil and gas wells, power plants, sewage treatment plants, and landfills are all critically reliant on stable sea levels and resilience against storms and intense flooding. However, the pace of rising sea levels has accelerated over the past decades, leading to concerns over coastal communities’ ability to handle the greater stress to infrastructure that higher water levels pose. These threats are not limited to the coasts, as reduced economic activity and hindered trading abilities can cause significant socioeconomic downturn far beyond the shore, and also lead to mass forced displacement. Within this topic, delegates will explore the varied solutions that are available to address rising sea levels, ranging from large-scale engineered defenses and flood-resilient infrastructure to nature-based approaches like wetland restoration. They will also consider policy tools, including climate adaptation planning, zoning regulations, and managed retreat strategies for the most vulnerable areas. Most importantly, delegates will tackle questions related to equity and responsibility, given that the states most vulnerable to sea level rise are often those contributing the least to global emissions.

Topic Two: Pollution

Air pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges of the 21st century, responsible for millions of premature deaths each year. Rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and population growth have intensified emissions from vehicles, coal-fired power plants, brick kilns, and construction activity, while seasonal agricultural practices, such as crop residue burning and the widespread use of biomass fuels for cooking and heating further exacerbate the problem. The consequences extend far beyond immediate health effects, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, reduced labor productivity, and long-term developmental challenges. Air pollution also intersects with climate change, as pollutants like black carbon and ground-level ozone both harm human health and accelerate global warming. Moreover, transboundary pollution complicates mitigation efforts and underscores the need for regional cooperation. Within this topic, delegates will explore a range of solutions, from the adoption of cleaner technologies in agriculture and manufacturing to the role of data monitoring, educational efforts, and international frameworks in addressing air quality challenges. Central points of discussion will be questions of equity, development, and feasibility, as countries seek to balance economic growth with the urgent need to protect both human health and the environment.

Director: Andrew Lee

Topic One: The Erosion of Foreign Aid

In 2025, the US alone offered nearly $20 billion in foreign aid to global states marred by housing and food insecurity, epidemic outbreak, gender-based marginalization, natural disasters. Other leading nations in foreign aid donations––Germany, Japan, and France––center monetary packages as a mechanism to position stability, order, and development at the forefront. And at face value, foreign aid functions to consecrate human rights protections, protecting vulnerable populations from compounding systems of structural and institutional violence. Yet, foreign aid is dually, and intimately, engaged with neocolonial control, Western hegemony, and corporate privatization. A foreign aid package does not arrive without stringent regulations––reproducing vertical, top-down models of management and control. This committee will ask delegates to reimagine sustainable, alternative networks of economic aid that center the humanity of communities in the Global South whilst ensuring that cash flow and on-the-ground support remain robust. What are the delicate lines between state sovereignty and economic dependency?

Topic Two: Enforcement of Human Rights

Applications of human rights oscillate between universality and cultural relativity. The former emphasizes a blanket approach to conceptualizations of human rights––to claim that, by nature of being human, certain rights are inherent to human expression and existence. The latter emphasizes that human rights are constructed and undergo diverse processes of cultural socialization––then to reject Western liberal notions of human rights and subjectivity. Delegates will intervene in this debate. How do, but also how can, these tensions shape approaches to gendered, sexual, and religious freedoms that are baked with a cultural ethos? The committee will implore delegates to assess how normative models of human rights can be established in the Global South while also grappling with identity politics that continue to mold how communities across the world navigate policy, expression, and substantive calls for visibility and autonomy.

Director: Claire Guo

Topic One: Algorithmic Bias and the Protection of Human Rights in AI Systems

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more widely used in decision-making processes, concerns about algorithmic bias have grown significantly. AI has been used in areas such as hiring, policing, lending, and even healthcare. These are fields in which biased outcomes lead to various consequences. These biases happen because the training data itself reflects social inequalities or due to a lack of diversity in system design. Additionally, many AI systems operate as “black boxes,” meaning that one sees the input and outputs, but it is difficult to find the relationship between the two. As a result, certain groups may face discrimination or unequal access to opportunities without clear accountability. Addressing this issue is a major issue, especially for the international community in which various countries have different legal frameworks and ethical standards. Delegates should consider how governments and organizations can implement safeguards despite varying governmental requirements, auditing mechanisms, and data practices. 

Topic Two: The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Surveillance and Its Implications for Privacy

The growing use of artificial intelligence in surveillance has introduced new challenges relative to privacy as well as civil liberties. Technologies such as facial recognition, predictive policing, and even large-scale data monitoring are increasingly used by governments to better their security. However, these tools also raise concerns about potential misuse and lack of consent. The tensions between national security and individual practice rights have become a more and more central issue, especially as surveillance technologies become more advanced. Different countries have differing approaches in regulating these technologies, inevitably leading to inconsistency in how personal data is protected across the globe. Delegates in this committee should evaluate how AI-driven surveillance can be governed securely with a standardized system, as well as address security concerns across the world. The challenge here for delegates would be to create frameworks that prevent the abuse of systems while ensuring that potential advancements of technological developments are not limited as well.

Director: Riyashi Varia

Topic One: Regional Connectivity and Infrastructure Development

South Asia remains one of the least economically integrated regions in the world, with intra-regional trade accounting for less than 6% of total trade among SAARC countries. Limited cross-border infrastructure, inefficient customs systems, and ongoing political tensions have hindered the movement of goods, services, and people across the region. At the same time, rapid urbanization and population growth have placed increasing strain on existing transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure systems. Efforts to improve regional connectivity—such as cross-border rail and road networks, energy grids, and digital corridors—have the potential to significantly boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and strengthen regional resilience. However, these initiatives are often complicated by disputes over sovereignty, unequal access to funding, and concerns about external influence, particularly through large-scale infrastructure investments backed by outside powers. Within this topic, delegates will explore strategies to expand and modernize regional infrastructure while navigating political and economic constraints. This includes developing financing mechanisms for cross-border projects, improving trade facilitation and customs coordination, and strengthening regional energy and transportation networks. Delegates must also address key questions of equity and access, ensuring that smaller and less-developed states benefit from connectivity initiatives while maintaining national autonomy.

Topic Two: Political Instability and Democratic Backsliding

In recent years, several South Asian states have experienced rising political instability, democratic backsliding, and challenges to institutional governance. From states of emergency and contested elections to restrictions on press freedom and civil liberties, these developments have raised concerns about the long-term stability of democratic systems in the region. Political instability in one country often has broader regional consequences, including refugee flows, economic disruption, and heightened security tensions. At the same time, SAARC’s principle of non-interference limits its ability to directly intervene in the domestic affairs of member states, creating a fundamental challenge for regional cooperation. In this committee, delegates will examine how SAARC can respond to governance challenges while respecting national sovereignty. Potential approaches include strengthening regional dialogue mechanisms, promoting electoral transparency and institutional capacity-building, and expanding cooperation on human rights and rule of law initiatives. Delegates will need to balance competing priorities of sovereignty, stability, and accountability, while considering how regional action can realistically influence domestic political conditions.