Topics
Indigenous People's Rights, Drug Production and Drug Trafficking Trade, and Land Degradation
Committee Type
Regional
Committee Size
Small
Committee Description
Asia-Pacific Summit recognizes the importance of regional cooperation and collaboration in finding effective solutions to the diverse range of challenges faced by the participating nations. Delegates are encouraged to work together, leveraging the proximity of all countries in the region, to develop comprehensive and sustainable resolutions. Through the Asia-Pacific Summit, delegates have the opportunity to shape the future of the Asia-Pacific region, exploring innovative approaches to address current issues. The committee serves as a valuable platform for delegates to exchange ideas, build networks, and collectively work towards a bright future.
Topic Intros
Indigenous People's Rights
Indigenous Peoples are defined as descendants of people who inhabited a region before colonization or modern state formation. They maintain distinct social, economic, and political systems, which include languages, cultures, beliefs and knowledge systems separate from those of a dominant or mainstream society.
Indigenous Peoples rights are defined as the rights held by Indigenous Peoples, which recognize their unique and specific needs beyond those covered by the UN Declaration of Human Rights. These rights cover not just those of basic survival, but also land possession, language, religion, education, cultural heritage, and many additional cultural aspects essential to their identity and existence.
Many Indigenous Peoples have lost connection to their cultural roots due to forced assimilation, wherein minority groups/individuals adopt the practices of the dominant culture, against their will and abandon their native culture, language, and customs. Governments or dominant groups may also use policies, laws, social pressure, or violence to coerce minorities towards assimilation. Various Indigenous Peoples across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region have become increasingly vulnerable to Indigenous Peoples rights violations due to lack of legal recognition by governments, land dispossession, weak enforcement of rights/protections, socioeconomic marginalization, and climate change.
Drug Production and Drug Trafficking Trade
Illicit drugs are substances that are illegal to manufacture, distribute, possess, or use. This term encompasses a wide variety of substances including: Methamphetamine , Heroin, Cannabis, Ketamine, Ecstasy , and Fentanyl/Synthetic Opioids. The most common illicit drug found in the APAC region is methamphetamine.
The term ‘Narco-Economy’ (Narco-state/Narco-capitalism) is used to describe economies in nations where the illegal drug trade has become a dominant force in society, business, politics and culture.
Major contributions to the presence of drug trade and trafficking in the APAC region include the Opium Wars in China, the rise of heroin in the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand) , strong organized crime groups such as Sam Gor , and weak border control by APAC state governments.
Land Degradation
Land Degradation is defined as a negative trend in land condition, caused by direct or indirect human-induced processes. This includes climate change, expressed as long-term reduction or loss of at least one of the following: biological productivity, ecological integrity or value to humans. In the APAC region, land degradation is deeply rooted in unsustainable agricultural practices, rapid urbanization, and natural resource exploitation. This phenomenon has resulted in widespread soil erosion, a decline in water resources, and biodiversity loss which have negatively impacted the livelihoods of communities in the APAC region who rely on the land to provide food, income, and work.
