Country: Republic of Mali

                  Committee: Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee
                         Names: Alejandro Guzmán and Carolina Sabater
                           Delegation: WorldMun UCAB

Topic: Protecting Healthcare in Conflict Zones.

TOPIC???
In consideration of the 3rd Sustainable Development Goal: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being
for all at all ages, Mali firmly believes that health is the germ warrant of humankind's prosperity, as it constitutes
the insurance of vigor and vitality, forces that maintain human beings able to thrive. Consequently, healthcare
workers must be provided with the utmost of government's endeavors regarding protection, proper equipment and
infrastructure to efficiently serve their community. That being said, one of biggest challenges that the international
community faces in this area is assuring the security of health care workers and the integrity of their equipment
amid scenarios of armed violence.  

  According to Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), 108 of the 402 reported attacks against medical
facilities took place in Syria, where the lack of security for a proper health care has now become a constant due to
the internal armed conflict. FuerthermoreFurthermore, , thus, according to the Safeguarding Health in Conflict
Coalition, in Syria, as in other 22 countries, being a healthcare provider is considered a threat beyond an
occupation, hence, the inhabitants of these nations, where it is even considered a privilege to have health care, are
unable to access qualified health services.

In our country, healthcare has been severely affected by internal armed conflicts since its beginning in
2012. According to International Red Cross Committee, (ICRC) More than 3 million Malians are in need of
humanitarian assistance because of the grave damages caused on health facilities as well as the difficulties to
effectively transport humanitarian aid and medical supplies. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that in six
occasions during 2016, ambulances and vehicles that transported aid where theft by rebel groups; in four of the
accidents, sick passengers and workers were forced out of the vehicle.

FurthermoreMoreover, there are currently 1350 civilians in quality of healthcare workers deployed by the
United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) receiving constant support
on personnel and security from the Malian Government. Additionally, they established a project with the United
States of America, called the USAID/Mali Health Strategy which goal is to develop enduring improvements on
health services and resources, aiming to recover the quality life of our citizens.

The government of Mali considers of essential importance that Member States center their endeavor on
creating consensus policies aimed at improving the transportation means of medical supplies to contribute with the
enhancement of affected medical facilities in conflict zones through the constant notification regarding the
conditions of medical equipment roadways of transit. MoreoverAlso, our nation believes in the establishment of
databases under the guidance of the World Helath Organization (WHO), filled with the identity of healthcare
workers in countries with internal armed conflicts in order to provide periodical reports confirming the location,
state of health and living conditions of each healthcare worker, so as to establish precise control on the security of
personnel in conflict zones.
   As the aforementioned solutions compose a glimpse of Mali´s constant willingness and commitment towards
reaching well-being for the global citizens, it is auspicious to quote an antique Malian proverb “There are a
thousand forms of evil; there will be a thousand remedies”