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UNICEF

Chair | Arya Kordia

Topic B

Houston Area Model United Nations 51

February 5 & 6, 2026

Houston Area

Model United Nations

Specialized Committee

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Copyright Notice

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Delegates,

Howdy! Welcome to the 51st annual Houston Area Model United Nations conference! My name is Arya Kordia, and I’m beyond excited to be serving as your chair for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) committee this year.

I am an undergraduate sophomore majoring in nutritional science and pursuing the pre-med path at Texas A&M University. I joined Model UN my freshman year of high school amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite having all the meetings and conferences through Zoom that year, I instantly fell in love with Model UN, leading me to become the vice president and eventually the president of my high school’s chapter. Model UN has been a transformative experience that has not only taught me the importance of international diplomacy but also improved my public speaking skills, refined my research abilities, and compelled me to expand the horizons of my creativity. This past year at HAMUN 50, I had the amazing opportunity to chair the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) committee, focusing on promoting climate-smart agriculture through biotechnology and globally enhancing responsible business conduct (RBC) within fisheries. I have really enjoyed my experience with HAMUN these past five years and am extremely grateful to be back. I am certain that this conference will be full of astonishing discussions, incredible diplomacy, and lots of fun!

Within this committee, we will be focusing on two main topics: 1) Expanding the accessibility of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) for children with acute malnutrition and 2) Strengthening protections against child labor and exploitation in the global supply chain. As these topics are multi-faceted, they will require inclusive and innovative solutions in order to be addressed.

A few last-minute tips: Do not procrastinate! I know that is easier said than done, but to truly succeed and do your best at the conference, it is imperative to start early. Try to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and actively participate! This conference is a safe learning experience for all delegates, so do not be afraid to speak up and engage in committee. Please research in advance and come to the conference prepared! Thoroughly explore information about your own country as well as other countries in the committee. Researching beforehand and writing your position paper is a great way to get the most out of your conference experience. Lastly, have fun! HAMUN is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and make friends.

Best of luck delegates!

Arya Kordia

UNICEF

HAMUN 51

arlita555@tamu.edu

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Letter from the Chair

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About UNICEF

What is UNICEF?

The United Nations Children’s Fund is a specialized agency within the United Nations dedicated to protecting children and mothers across more than 190 countries and territories. UNICEF’s initiatives are driven by five main core values: care, integrity, respect, accountability, and trust. Through its extensive partnerships with governments, non-governmental organizations, and other UN entities, UNICEF has significantly reduced mortality and improved the quality of life for countless women and children around the world [1].

A Brief History

Established on December 11, 1946, The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly to meet the urgent needs of children in Europe after the second world war. By 1953, it became a permanent part of the UN system and was renamed to the United Nations Children’s Fund. In its early years, UNICEF’s efforts focused on providing emergency relief through aid like food, clothing, and healthcare. The 1960s and 1970s then marked a transformative period in UNICEF’s history as they expanded their operations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, focusing on addressing issues pertaining to health, nutrition, and sanitation [2]. In the recent decades, UNICEF has expanded its focus to incorporate emerging global threats, with notable accomplishments including vaccinating 45% of children around the world under the age of five, ensuring safe water accessibility for 35 million people every year, and supporting more than 115 million children since 2021 receive access to education. Today, this specialized United Nations agency continues to play a pivotal role globally in providing safety and security to millions of women and children [3].

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Topic #2: Strengthening protections against

child labor and exploitation in the global supply chain

Executive Summary

Child labor remains one of the most persistent violations of children’s rights, affecting millions of children across global supply chains. From agriculture and mining to textiles and manufacturing, children continue to be exposed to hazardous work, exploitation, and trafficking in regions where oversight is limited and protections are weak [4]. Recent efforts to strengthen laws and international monitoring frameworks have improved global awareness, yet enforcement gaps, informal labor networks, and economic pressures continue to place vulnerable children at risk.

Despite growing international commitments, meaningful progress to cease child labor remains inconsistent as insufficient regulation, limited supply-chain transparency, and inadequate social protection systems contribute to ongoing disparities across low and middle income countries [5]. With these persistent challenges, a comprehensive approach centered on stronger corporate accountability, capacity-building, and global collaboration is urgently needed.

Topic Concept

Child labor remains one of the most interminable violations of children’s rights, affecting millions of children embedded within global supply chains. In sectors such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and textiles, children continue to perform hazardous tasks that expose them to physical harm, exploitation, and trafficking, particularly in regions where oversight is weak and protections remain inconsistent [6]. Although awareness surrounding supply-chain abuses has

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Topic #2: Strengthening protections against

child labor and exploitation in the global supply chain

increased, many forms of child labor remain hidden within informal subcontracting systems, making detection and accountability difficult. Globally, an estimated 138 million children aged 5–17 are engaged in child labor, accounting for nearly 8 % of all children worldwide, with approximately 54 million of them in hazardous work that poses risks to their health, safety, and development [7]. These figures represent a reduction of about 20 million children since 2020, but the world missed its international goal of eliminating child labor by 2025 [8].

Efforts to strengthen protections have evolved over the past two decades. The adoption of global frameworks such as ILO Conventions No. 138 Minimum Age and No. 182 Worst Forms of Child Labour marked a shift toward demanding greater transparency from corporations and setting international benchmarks for legal protections. Convention 138 targets the abolition of child labour by setting a minimum legal working age and comprehensive national policies whereas Convention 182 obliges states to take immediate and effective measures to eliminate the worst forms of child labour [9].

Figure 1. A map displaying child labor prevalence in 2012 [13].

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Topic #2: Strengthening protections against

child labor and exploitation in the global supply chain

To identify labor risks and prevent exploitation at various stages of production, initiatives such as supply chain mapping, auditing standards, corporate reporting mechanisms, and due diligence laws have been introduced. However, informal labor systems where majority of child labour occurs often escape visibility and regulation, particularly in sectors like agriculture, artisanal mining, and home-based production. For example, agriculture alone accounts for around 61 % of global child labour, followed by domestic and market work services representing 27 %, and then the mining and manufacturing industry with 13 % [10].

Significant enforcement gaps persist. Many low income regions lack the regulatory capacity to monitor informal labor systems, while multinational corporations often struggle to trace their supply chains beyond primary suppliers, especially across multiple subcontracting tiers and informal intermediaries. This hidden nature of work makes traditional enforcement mechanisms, such as national labor inspections, frequently under-resourced and unevenly implemented, insufficient. In many countries, a single inspector may be responsible for overseeing thousands of workplaces, allowing exploitative conditions to go unnoticed [11].

Economic pressures continue to drive families toward child labour. Poverty, limited access to quality education, and social inequality are major structural causes. These are also conditions that are further exacerbated by conflict, displacement, and climate-related shocks, which increase children’s vulnerability to forced labor, trafficking, and exploitation across supply chains. In conflict-affected areas, child-labour prevalence can exceed 21 %, more than four times the global average [12].

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Topic #2: Strengthening protections against

child labor and exploitation in the global supply chain

Topic History

Global efforts to address child labor in supply chains began gaining international traction in the late 20th century, starting with the adoption of ILO Convention No. 138 in 1973, which set minimum age standards for employment, and Convention No. 182 in 1999, calling for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor [14]. These conventions laid the foundation for modern child-protection frameworks and remain among the most widely ratified labor implementation worldwide.

In the early 2000s, increased globalization exposed the widespread use of child labor in industries such as cocoa, textiles, mining, and manufacturing. This prompted the rise of corporate social responsibility codes, supplier audits, and ethical sourcing guidelines, though many of these early efforts were voluntary and inconsistently applied [15]. A major shift occurred in 2011 with the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which established clear expectations for companies to prevent and address human rights abuses within their supply chains [16].

Figure 2. An image from the Washington Post highlighting child labor [20].

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Topic #2: Strengthening protections against

child labor and exploitation in the global supply chain

By the mid-2010s, global commitments intensified with the adoption of Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, aiming to end child labor by 2025, and the creation of Alliance 8.7 to coordinate international action [17]. Several countries subsequently introduced mandatory due-diligence laws like France’s Duty of Vigilance Law in 2017 and Germany’s Supply Chain Act in 2021, requiring companies to identify and mitigate labor risks across all tiers of production [18].

In recent years, the ILO, UNICEF, and Alliance 8.7 have launched new global accelerators focused on strengthening monitoring systems, expanding social protection, and improving supply-chain transparency to better safeguard children worldwide [19].

Figure 4. A timeline outlining the dates of the “Topic History” discussed in the section above.

ILO Convention No. 182

rise of corporate social responsibility codes, supplier audits, and ethical sourcing guidelines

UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 & Alliance 8.7

Duty of Vigilance Law

Supply Chain Act

ILO Convention No. 138

1973

1999

2000s

2011

2016

2017

2021

Figure 3. An image from UNICEF depicting a working child [21].

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Topic #2: Strengthening protections against

child labor and exploitation in the global supply chain

Case Study: Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo remains one of the most affected countries by child labor in global supply chains, with millions of children engaged in hazardous work across mining, agriculture, and informal markets [22]. Conflict, economic instability, and limited state oversight have intensified vulnerability, particularly in regions rich in cobalt, copper, and gold. These are minerals that play a critical role in global electronics and renewable energy supply chains [23]. According to international child-labor assessments, children in the DRC frequently work in hand-dug mines where they face risks of injury, toxic exposure, and exploitation by informal labor networks [24].

Efforts to combat labor exploitation have expanded over the past decade. Since 2014, UNICEF, the ILO, and the Congolese government have collaborated on child-protection systems that include community monitoring, withdrawal of children from mines, and access to education and social services [25]. In mining regions such as Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, pilot programs have introduced traceability systems and safer livelihood alternatives for families, aiming to reduce reliance on hazardous child labor. In 2024 report, child-protection partners supported more than 6,200 children in danger through education initiatives, community outreach, and reintegration programs [26].

Figure 3. An image of children in DRC working in the mines [27].

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Topic #2: Strengthening protections against

child labor and exploitation in the global supply chain

Despite these interventions, challenges persist. Many mining operations remain unregulated, with production controlled by informal cooperatives operating outside national oversight. As a result, supply-chain transparency remains limited, and companies struggle to verify whether minerals used in global electronics originate from child-free sources. Geographic barriers, widespread poverty, and the presence of armed groups further complicate monitoring and enforcement in high-risk areas. Additionally, alternative employment opportunities for families remain scarce, perpetuating the economic drivers of child labor.

Questions to Consider

What mechanisms can be developed to improve transparency and traceability across global supply chains to identify and prevent child labor?
How can governments strengthen enforcement of labor laws in regions with limited monitoring capacity or large informal labor sectors?
What responsibilities should multinational corporations bear in ensuring that all tiers of their supply chains are free from exploitation?
How can social-protection programs be expanded to address the economic drivers that push families to rely on child labor?
What role can technology, such as digital registries, blockchain systems, or mobile reporting tools, play in detecting labor violations?
How can international organizations, regional bodies, and local communities collaborate to create sustainable, child-safe supply chains?