BMUN 72 WHO

Hey delegates! I was reading a little bit more about the topic of "The Decline and Neglect of Adolescent Mental Health" and stumbled upon this article I think you would find interesting. Feel free to give it a quick read, or I’ll also summarize its main points below. I found this article interesting because it gives a deeper understanding of topics discussed in understanding what mental health is and insight into some of the more recent UN actions. I thought it brought up an interesting point about just how big of an impact Covid-19 had on mental health for so many young people. This article touches on many relevant points, but I think the most important things to acknowledge are how Covid-19 really changed the landscape when it came to mental health in youth and also how treating mental health, for many, goes further than just acknowledging that the issue is prevalent. In fact, the study mentioned in this article finds that "antidepressant use among young adults and te...

 Hi delegates! As BMUN grows nearer, I wanted to offer some advice on your solutions and what our dais expects for committee! (LETS GOOOOO) Before diving into the different types of solutions we are hoping to see in committee, I wanted to take this opportunity to revisit our learning goals and expectations for research in hopes that your solutions end up addressing these key points: -Healthcare disparities in high income and low income countries -Systemic factors that have led to such a wide gap in healthcare accessibility  -Differences in culture and religion that lead to attitudes towards healthcare -Overall understanding of the various backgrounds, perspectives, and socioeconomic influences that lead to the creation of healthcare infrastructure  Please keep these learning goals in mind when forming solutions! They are key points we want you to address! (⏰❗❗HINT HINT HINT) Need stepping off points to start thinking about solutions? Start at the synopsis! As you read, hi...

Image: a picture of Oski, (UC Berkeley mascot) holding a cupcake with a birthday candle. Happy 156th Birthday, UC Berkeley! Charter Day celebrates the official founding of the University, which took place March 23, 1868 — also known as the university’s birthday.

 Hi Delegates!  We are almost at our two-week countdown until BMUN 72! *yayy* As you all prepare for the conference, please know it's completely normal to feel excited, nervous, or feel any kind of way toward public speaking! Whether it is your first or last time attending a conference, please maintain full respect and understanding toward the progress of others and yourselves. BMUN is ultimately a learning conference more than anything, and we value your growth over all else.  As you prepare for Conference, here are some pointers for public speaking:  Know your country's position prior:   Before conference, research the country you'll be representing and familiarize yourself with its stance on the topics to be discussed. Be ready to present some of the issues raised in your position paper! This will allow you to speak with authority and conviction. Prepare an opening speech:  Write out a short speech that you can use to introduce yourself and your country'...

  Hi Delegates!!!:)))) I wanted to check in with you to provide some more insight to how our committee is going to work at BMUN 72. World Health Organization Committee(WHO) will be using Standard BMUN Procedure.  🎊 Our committee will begin by opening a running Speaker’s List (standard speaking time is 1 minute, 30 seconds) and those speeches will be followed by 2 30-second comments by other delegates. This is the default timing for the Speaker’s List and can be amended if agreed upon by the committee. The Speaker’s List can also be interrupted by Moderated Caucuses and Informal Caucuses that give delegates the opportunity to exchange opinions on policy, solutions, and more specific aspects of the topics at hand. In our committee, our dais plans on leaving the flow of committee up to you delegates, so we suggest you come prepared with specific subtopics and policies you hope to discuss! During Informal Caucus time, delegates are expected to draft and write Resolutions which w...

Hello Delegates!  My name is Nicola McDermott Catena, I use the she series, and I'm so excited to be one of your WHO vice chairs this BMUN 72. I am a Freshman majoring in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and an intended minor in Human Rights. As a member of BMUN I have been able to stimulate my passion for international topics by learning about The Decline and Neglect of Adolescent Mental Health and International Blood Availability as a member of the WHO dais; but also about current events not in my committee like the Venezuelan Economic Crises, or Democratization of the Middle East in simulations.  As a student in Political Science at Berkeley with a concentration in International Relations, I am particularly interested in democratic backsliding, autocracies in the Middle East and South America, and human rights violations across the globe. Outside of BMUN, I am involved in Delta Phi Epsilon, Berkeley's International Relations Professional Fra...

Hi delegates! Please read the following blog post very carefully on tips to improve not only your BMUN position paper but also your overall research skills (YAAAYYY)! As a current college student myself, I can assure you ahead of time that these skills will benefit you no matter what path you will embark on in the future! As a reminder, WHO will be using the standard Position Paper format detailed on the committee page on the BMUN website . Besides the general format, we wanted to offer some tips on the research process and the formation of your paper: Research The biggest favor you can do for yourself in the writing process is to really apply time and effort into understanding the topics beforehand. Luckily, your generous dais has written the key to beginning this process: your synopsis! Not only do we recommend reading this synopsis, but we hope that you will interact with it. Ask questions, make connections, and reflect on what you learn from reading each topic. Familiarizing your...

 Hello and welcome delegates!  My name is Madelyn Diaz and I am so happy to be your vice chair of WHO this year.  Here's a little bit about me: I'm a current Junior majoring in Legal Studies and minoring in Public Policy. Other activities I'm involved in include being part of a Latina-based sorority at UC Berkeley, and the Latinx Student Business Association at Berkeley (LBSA)!  Even though I am well into my third year with BMUN, I'm very proud to have maintained a personal connection to this conference through being a BMUN delegate myself a few (?) years ago!  As a policy wonk myself, I have dedicated my professional and academic interest to domestic healthcare policy for quite some time. Before this spring semester, I worked for the US Senate on US Healthcare issues on behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), and have returned to Berkeley to pursue this interdisciplinary issue in my academics as a Research Assistant for the UC Berkeley Sch...

 Hi everyone! My name is Rhea Master and I will be one of you vice chairs at BMUN 72's World Health Organization. I am so excited to meet all of you over BMUN weekend. In this post I will tell you a little bit more about me and my interests, hopefully giving you a chance to know me a better before conference. I am currently a first-year majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology and planning on minoring in Public Policy on a pre-med path. I have always been fascinated in understanding the world around me and the interactions that make up our society. As such, I think the intersection between health and policy is so interesting (which is also why I am excited to chair WHO!).  Though this is my first year with BMUN, but I have loved Model UN since high school– this will be my fourth year doing MUN! I will always appreciate the community and environment that MUN has provided for me, especially because it has created deep bonds and taught me so much about the would. I am beyond excite...

 Heyyy WHO DELEGATES!!! I'm Niveditha Sukesh(she/her), call me Nivi and I am your BMUN 72 WHO Head Chair!!! I am super excited to meet you all and get to know you as we explore global health advancement and improvement.  First a little about me! I am a sophomore at Berkeley, studying Molecular and Cell Biology (emphasis in Neurobiology) and minoring in South Asian Studies. I'm interested in research and on the pre-health track! I'm in research studying amblyopia(lazy eye) and early reversal of its effects as well as some other projects in health. I enjoy writing poetry and short stories in my free time. So if you're interested in research, writing, and/or academia, I'd love to talk and answer any questions!  Three random facts about me: 1. COFFEE and coffee shops are my favorite! 2. I'm from the Central Valley and I've lived in 5 states. 3. I LOVE grey's anatomy (season 1-10 only tho🙄) I have been doing Model UN for 8 years now and this is my second yea...

  Hi delegates! We are so excited to welcome you to BMUN 72 and the World Health Organization(WHO) Committee!!! In this committee, you will be analyzing global systems of blood transfusion, mental health within global infrastructures, and healthcare access and equity . Our first topic addresses international blood availability and transfusion safety. Our second topic addresses the decline and neglect of mental health. (YAYYYYYY) This blog will act as our committee’s more informal avenue for discussion and communication before the conference– and we’d love to see you interact with it! The purpose of this blog is to (1) allow you to actively engage with the content of this committee and (2) give you all the opportunity to learn about other countries’ policies before the debate actually starts. You can post comments on posts that we make and write about literally anything relevant to the topics at hand! For example, if you’ve found follow-up content or research you’d like to share, ...