Delegation from the Republic of Chile

Position Paper for the General Assembly

The topics before the General Assembly (UGNA) are 1.) Utilizing Genetic Engineering in Crops to
Ensure Sustainable Agriculture and Farming, as well as 2.) Achieving Dignified Menstruation Through
Universal Access to Menstrual Hygiene Products. The Republic of Chile affirms its support for the
beforementioned issues be it with difficulty and delay; however, its cooperation towards the betterment of
the world population is steady in its progress in making carefully studied policies for its constituents.
I. Utilizing Genetic Engineering in Crops to Ensure Sustainable Agriculture and Farming
The World of Genetic Engineering (GE) has made significant advancements in the past two decades.
These significant advancements are set to address the issues regarding the production of raw goods to
battle world hunger. The UN’s second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is titled: Zero World
Hunger by 2030, yet this specific SDG is not on track to be realized by the given deadline. Given that
GMO crops could be the saving grace that could help end world hunger, there are still a lot of issues as
well as questions that have to be answered regarding the sustainability of the GMOs for the market, the
farmers, and the economy. There is also the question of ethics regarding the matter. The Republic of
Chile have given a significant amount of attention regarding genetically engineered crops; evident for its
regulatory framework that governs cultivation, importation, and commercialization of GM crops.
GM Crops have the potential to answer problems in food production; it also has potential environmental
impacts which include, increased pest resistance to pesticides, and decrease in soil health. This could
result from the enhanced crop productivity, and resistance to pests. There are also ethical considerations
to be addressed, namely, patenting and corporate control, potential risk to human health and environment,
and ecological impact. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) have the
initiative to promote sustainable agriculture and address the issues that surround GM crops. UNFAO also
developed voluntary guidelines and standards for the assessment and management of GMOs. Given this
knowledge on the different policies; there is still a debate as to whether Genome-edited organism can be
classified as GMOs. This is because the process of Genome-editing does not involve the introduction of
foreign genetic material (Vajiram IAS App for UPSC Aspirants, n.d.). The Republic of Chile has
regulatory framework on GM seeds, this makes them one of the most important innovators for GM seed
production for research purposes and counter-season markets (Sánchez & León, 2016). This does not
mean that the Republic of Chile has solved the beforementioned ethical considerations. As of 2020, the
Chilean regulatory framework on GM crops is still not clear on the farm-use of the technology. Chilean
farmers still have no access to the same advancements on GM crops for domestic farming; thus, leaving a
disadvantageous gap between Chilean farmers and their counterparts within the region (Chile Advances in
Breeding Gene-edited Crops That Weather Climate Change - Alliance for Science, 2020).
Biotechnology alone cannot solve the issue of world hunger; henceforth, fortified cooperation and
commitment are imperative between member states in order address this issue. Without each other, no
nation can stand to face the challenges that continues to threaten the lives of millions of people. With this
in mind, The Republic of Chile calls other Member States to develop TRUST: 1.) Teach and provide
knowledge about the latest GMO developments to farmers in order to ensure sustainability for both small-
scale, and large-scale producers; 2.) Reduce environmental, and ecological risk by strict implementation
of existing, and developing frameworks regarding the use of GM crops; thus, assuring the public that such
innovations are safe; 3.) Unite the Member States into the creation of a binding international framework
that guarantees equal and beneficial utilization of GMOs; 4.) Study and improve upon existing
frameworks in regards to the cultivation and regulation of GMOs; 5.) Terminate any policy violators who
breach standards to ensure stability in the scientific, economic, and agricultural sectors. The Republic of
Chile shall fully commit to building TRUST among its counterparts to realize a future that is rid of
starvation.
 II. Achieving Dignified Menstruation Through Universal Access to Menstrual Hygiene Products
Menstrual hygiene is one major issue that has been neglected by Member States across the globe.
Feminist organizations at the UN Water Conference dedicated to the development of National Menstrual
Health Strategies have stated that millions of girls do not have safe sanitation in public places such as
schools. Menstrual-poverty or the lack of access to affordable feminine sanitary products is a hinder to the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the UN targets to fulfill, namely, SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG
3: Good Health and Well Being, and SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO) menstrual health should be framed, recognized, and addressed as a human right
issue, as opposed to a hygiene issue; therefore, it is the responsibility of every Member State to address
their issues regarding DM. The Republic of Chile is no exception to neglecting the issue of Dignified
Menstruation (DM); know that there were actions made by the Republic that signifies its interest in
addressing the issue.
Menstrual hygiene products (MHPs) are essential in achieving the beforementioned SDGs that UN set to
fulfill. As of 2023, there are still no documents other than the UN’s 2030 agenda, SDG target 6.2 that
state: women and girl's rights to water and sanitation should be ensured, and UN General Assembly
Resolution on the Human Right to Water and Sanitation that would induce a stronger commitment to the
issues regarding MHPs. Even fewer Member States have worked on promoting MHPs that can be better
for the environment. There are only a number of Member States who have passed legislation to eradicate
such taxations on MHPs. The feminine hygiene market in Chile registered a positive compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 8.66% from 2015 to 2020 (Sanitary Pads (Feminine Hygiene) Market in Chile -
Outlook to 2025; Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics (Updated With COVID-19 Impact), 2021).
This clearly reflects of their commitment to attaining accessible MHPs for menstruators. Although this is
the case, there are policies that still hinder MHPs to be more accessible to more menstruators. As we
speak, Chile is still firm on the 19% Value Added Tax (VAT) that is imposed on MHPs in their market.
Given that there is a minor are advancement regarding the taxation issue; this would all be useless if the
common taboos regarding menstruation are not rectified. The Chilean government, proposed a bill to allot
a paid leave to women if they have been diagnosed with endometriosis and/or dysmenorrhea (Bobel et al.,
2020b). This sparked discussions to eliminate common taboos that accompany menstruation; however, in
the end the bill was not approved. With the knowledge that DM is one issue that the UN’s SDGs cater to;
most member states have done minimal to just enough effort to address the issue on DM. The
beforementioned can be a product of misogyny from each Member States’ political body; hence,
hindering the issue to be addressed as majority of politicians from every Member State is from the
masculine area of the population.
As we speak, the Republic of Chile is lacking a few steps in ensuring that their government has done
everything in its capability to ensure universal access to these MHPs. To withhold the exemption of these
feminine hygiene products from taxation is a form of neglect apparent to the Republic of Chile. In the
effort to resolve the issues that surround DM; the Republic of Chile calls for actions that are FAST: 1.)
Funding the private sector via multilateral funding agreements that could match the demand for supply of
MHPs in each region; 2.) Adapt legislations from Members States who have a working framework
regarding the issue of DM; 3.) Strengthen the education system of each Member State regarding the right
to DM, health related issues, and misconceptions that plague menstruation; 4.) Target marginalized areas
around the world; bringing menstrual education and MHP supply to those areas. By FAST action we can
make steady progress in ensuring Dignified Menstruation for all menstruators around the world.