Preserving Free and Fair Elections

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: France
Delegate Name: Khai-Thi T Pham

The French Republic firmly upholds the values of democracy, transparency, and electoral integrity. France recognizes the critical role of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in combating corruption and criminal activities that threaten democratic processes worldwide. As a leading democratic nation and a founding member of the UN, France remains committed to strengthening global mechanisms that ensure elections are conducted freely and fairly, without the influence of organized crime, cyber interference, or political corruption.

France acknowledges that criminal activities, including cyber interference, disinformation campaigns, voter suppression, and financial corruption, pose significant threats to democratic institutions globally. Cyberattacks and misinformation have been weaponized in recent years to undermine public trust in electoral systems. France has witnessed cyber threats aimed at manipulating public discourse and compromising election integrity, notably during the 2017 presidential elections. Additionally, illicit financial activities, such as foreign funding of political campaigns and money laundering, threaten transparency in the electoral process. These challenges extend beyond France to many nations across Europe and the broader international community. Marginalized communities are particularly vulnerable to electoral corruption and intimidation, and France remains committed to advocating for electoral security measures that protect all voters from identity-based violence and coercion.

France recognizes the significant contributions of the UN and UNODC in combating corruption and electoral crimes. The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) serves as a critical framework for international cooperation in addressing political corruption, money laundering, and illicit financial flows. The UNODC’s Global Programme on Cybercrime has provided technical assistance to countries seeking to protect their electoral processes from cyber threats and online disinformation. Additionally, the UN’s Electoral Assistance Division (EAD) has played a crucial role in supporting nations in conducting free and fair elections. Despite these efforts, criminal organizations and corrupt officials continue to exploit legal loopholes and technological vulnerabilities to manipulate election outcomes. France believes that further action is needed to enhance electoral resilience against modern threats.

France reaffirms its unwavering commitment to democratic principles and the protection of electoral integrity worldwide. As a nation dedicated to upholding free and fair elections, France calls upon the UNODC and the international community to adopt stronger measures against criminal interference in democratic processes. Through enhanced cybersecurity, anti-corruption frameworks, voter protections, and international cooperation, the UNODC can play a pivotal role in safeguarding democracy for future generations. France stands ready to collaborate with global partners in advancing these initiatives and ensuring that democracy prevails over corruption and criminal influence.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Republic of Korea
Delegate Name: Julia O’Brien

If any country knows the importance of preserving free and fair elections, it is the Republic of Korea. Just elections are a principle central to all democracies. Criminal activities and corruption undermine this principle, distorting electoral outcomes and eroding public trust in democratic institutions. The Republic of Korea faces unique challenges in maintaining fair elections, namely with internal corruption, and external geopolitical factors.

The Republic of Korea has a powerful democratic foundation enshrined in our constitution. However, our nation still faces threats of corruption and external influences, challenging the integrity of elections. The Republic of Korea has faced scandals involving government officials and business conglomerates, known as chaebols. These instances have eroded public trust in the government, and increased suspicions of nepotism within the nation.

In order to respond to the threat of corruption influencing elections, The Republic of Korea urges the UNODC to strengthen support for anti-corruption campaigns. Namely this would be encouraging the adoption of laws criminalizing electoral fraud. Additionally, The Republic of Korea believes that UNODC should work with governments in establishing election monitoring bodies, to prevent the suppression of voices online, and disinformation campaigns.

Our constitution hinges on the ideals of democracy and freedom of the press. However, as our nation has seen the dangers of North Korea’s totalitarian dictatorship, there is no room for Pro-North Korean parties within our Republic.

As a result of the increasing use of technology in the electoral process the Republic of Korea supports developing a global framework for safeguarding electoral fairness from digital threats such as cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. The Republic of South Korea upholds the value of free and fair elections, as outlined in our constitution. The UNODC has been crucial in dealing with these issues, but there is still work to be done. The Republic of Korea calls for continued international collaboration to strengthen anti-corruption measures, promote media freedom, and lastsly to enhance cybersecurity, therefore ensuring free election for future generations.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Turkey
Delegate Name: Maryam Sadullaeva

Türkiye believes citizens should have the ability to express who they want to lead the government, without oppressive forces manipulating the results. Despite the country’s progress in the journey of free and fair elections, more work still needs to be done under our current ruling. Throughout the years Türkiye has been able to alter the system in different ways, such as passing Law No. 7393, which amends the country’s election laws, and changing to an executive presidential system rather than staying as a parliamentary democracy. With this decision, the president becomes the chief of national authority and grants executive powers to the office. However, progression in preserving elections has become a priority since this was recently installed in 2018. Since 2002, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his party have been ruling Türkiye. Despite the discourse and “critiques” around the current president and the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the progress in reinforcing free and fair elections can be met.

In Türkiye’s history, military coups are a common problem in the nation’s politics. Past coups incidents have resulted in the execution of prime ministers and the imprisonment of a president and members of the Democratic Party. From tactics like these, military coups can shape the political system negatively through their influence. They can alter the result, such as historically toppling four elected governments, from what the citizens of Türkiye want. Another issue is the danger they impose on civilians, such as more than 200 people killed in the 2016 military coup. Fortunately, since President Erdoğan’s term, military coups have dropped and only one, stated earlier, occurred, which has failed. After this event, President Erdoğan has been carefully removing military officers as a precaution. This has resulted in almost 24,500 officers being removed over 5 years, to protect not only Türkiye’s elections but also the people. Yet, this is not enough. The military can and still use their power for wrongs like they have done in the past. Türkiye, and the United Nations (UN), must enforce legislation to stop history from repeating.

Military coups are an issue in many nations’ politics, citizens’ rights, and free elections. This is an important issue for The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to focus on. Especially, since the United Nations (UN) recently has not been able to make any decisions on this prominent case. It is understandable why, such as certain countries, like China and Russia, state that the United Nations (UN) should keep out of internal politics. However, reasonable legislation that limits the military’s power would be able to help nations, such as Türkiye, that suffer from military coups. Another possibility is the creation of an official plan to help countries have the resources, and strategies, to be coup-proof in a situation where they feel the need to do so. Outside the countries that are suffering from this issue, legislation can help prevent any future military coups from rising in other countries that do not usually experience this. Throughout any creation of ruling or plan, one fact is certain, military coups need to be stopped once and for all.

Sources:
“Turkey: Freedom in the World 2024 Country Report.” Freedom House, Freedom House, freedomhouse.org/country/turkey/freedom-world/2024. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Parr, Eleanor. “Electoral Interference, Inflation and Military Coups: Forecasting the Turkish Presidential Election and Its Consequences.” Swift Centre, Swift Centre, 29 Feb. 2024, www.swiftcentre.org/publicforecasts/electoral-interference-inflation-and-military-coups-forecasting-the-turkish-presidential-election-and-its-consequences.
“Democracy in Turkey.” Chatham House, Chatham House, www.chathamhouse.org/2024/05/democracy-turkey. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
“State of Emergency Must Be Lifted for ‘Credible Elections’ in Turkey, Says Un Rights Chief | UN News.” United Nations, United Nations, news.un.org/en/story/2018/05/1009232. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
“Coups Only Make Crises Worse: Guterres | UN News.” United Nations, United Nations, news.un.org/en/story/2023/08/1140277. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
Necimoğlu, Berfin, and Hossam el-Hamalawy. “Coup-Proofing Strategies in Turkey and Egypt through the Lens of Dominant Perceived Threat.” Arab Reform Initiative, Arab Reform Initiative, 14 Feb. 2025, www.arab-reform.net/publication/coup-proofing-strategies-in-turkey-and-egypt-through-the-lens-of-dominant-perceived-threat/.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Brazil
Delegate Name: William Monroe

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Brazil
Delegate Name: William Monroe
As the largest democracy in Latin America, Brazil recognizes the importance of preserving free and fair elections as the cornerstone of a democratic nation. The Brazilian electoral process puts an emphasis on maintaining stability, representation, and the protection of the rights of Brazilian citizens. Brazil’s adoption of electronic voting machines (known as urnas eletrônicas) in 1996 was a landmark development in ensuring transparency in our electoral process. Electronic voting machines have significantly reduced incidences of fraud, streamlined vote counting, and increased public trust in electoral outcomes throughout Brazil since their introduction. Not only has Brazil implemented quick, safe, and secure methods of voting like electronic voting machines, but Brazil has also elected a unique government body known as the “Tribunal Superior Eleitoral” or TSE. The TSE serves as a specialized government body overseeing the whole electoral process, ensuring accountability and further protecting against fraudulent electoral practices. Despite many of Brazil’s advances in electoral security, our elections were thrown into question amid a sea of misinformation and even attempts to undermine confidence in the electoral process of brazil as a whole. To help alleviate this, Brazil has implemented legislation to criminalize the spread of false information, as well as promoting partnerships between the TSE and social media platforms.
Recognizing that freedom in elections is of paramount importance to maintaining freedom in citizenry, Brazil recommends that the U.N takes steps to implement a resolution very similar to the previous actions taken by Brazil and many other countries. Brazil proposes the creation of an international fund with the purpose of assisting countries in developing newer, safer electoral infrastructure. Funds from this program could go towards (but is not limited to) helping underdeveloped countries install electronic voting machines in populated areas, as well as technical support and training for government officials. Building off of our own success with electoral monitoring programs, brazil calls for the U.N. to expand electoral surveillance led by the United Nations and regional organizations. These programs should focus on providing technical assistance, verifying election results, and fostering confidence in electoral processes. Brazil hopes that countries will be incentivized to work with these programs off the merit of their clear benefit to their people, and does not believe that further incentives besides those already defined are necessary. As a final effort, Brazil would like to call for the United Nations to endorse and assist with any government programs that allow for the prosecution of those who spread misinformation, recognizing that the key to a truly free and fair election is an educated, not a misled populus. Further to that end, brazil would favor the creation of a multinational U.N task force comprising experts in cybersecurity, media, and electoral management. This task force would develop guidelines for identifying and countering disinformation campaigns and promote partnerships with social media platforms to ensure transparency in political advertising.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Lithuania
Delegate Name: Owen Gregg

The Delegation of Lithuania cannot express enough its commitment to free and fair elections. Historically, Lithuania has been a territory that has faced political oppression at the hands of Russia, a country that has prevented us from carrying out free, fair elections. Still, Lithuania has demonstrated its dedication to democracy at every turn. The Delegation of Lithuania, having experienced a history of political oppression, are immeasurably aware of the dangers and effects upon society when free and fair democratic elections are lost. having said that, we are very committed to working with the UN towards a better future for free and fair elections.

The Delegation of Lithuania recognizes the imminent threats to free and fair elections. Polling place intimidation serves as one of the largest dangers to democratic voting procedure, and we realize that it prevents minorities and people living in low-income communities from voting in their self-interest or voting at all, furthering the disparity between voting populations and ultimately leading to a loss of fairness in supposedly democratic elections. Furthermore, with the world only moving faster on the track of technological expansion and progression, new forms of cyberattacks and political propaganda that spread online serve as serious threats to the voting-age population in democratic countries, potentially affecting the votes of marginalized groups and undecided voters. Finally, Lithuania has dealt with cyberattacks and malfunctions in its voting systems in the past, and we strongly recognize the need for safety and cybersecurity within electronic voting systems to prevent blatant voting fraud going undetected by democratic governments to protect free and fair elections.

The Delegation of Lithuania recognizes the work completed by the UN and its committees and is willing to offer suggestions and political strategies for containing and diminishing the threat to free and fair elections within democratic countries. Firstly, we believe that to address the root cause of fraud and threats to a democratic electoral system, one must first address the root cause of extreme socioeconomic disenfranchisement and polarization within the country. Large wealth and class disparities within a country lead to political fighting and threats to democracy, such as polling place intimidation and cyberattacks, which disproportionately affect minority communities. Furthermore, Lithuania, having experienced this issue, feels strongly about ameliorating the cybersecurity of electronic voting machines within countries facing these threats, as cyberattacks on these machines serve to disrupt voting in what are supposed to be free and fair elections. Lithuania would be open to collaboration with other delegations to work on resolutions protecting minority groups from polling place intimidation and cyberattacks online and in electronic voting locations by decreasing the socioeconomic disparities between classes in countries facing threats to free and fair elections.

Having assessed these threats to free and fair elections in democratic countries, the Delegation of Lithuania strongly commends the work of organizations within the UN such as the OHCHR and the UNDP, and we are immensely willing to participate in efforts made by the UN and their extensions to help rectify problems which act as barriers preventing countries from carrying out free and fair elections while also looking ahead and creating resolutions to preemptively prevent democratic countries from facing these same problems we face today in the future.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Reyansh Tagore

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Reyansh Tagore
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Preserving Free and Fair Elections
United States of America
Reyansh Tagore
Greenhills School
The United States of America (USA) has highlighted the significance of a fair, corruption free election, which yields the power to forever alter the destiny of a nation. By virtue of councils such as the UN Electoral Assistance Division (UNEAD), the UN has been able to provide a variety of services, technology, and support to combat and eliminate corruption and unfair practices utilized to skew elections. Within the United States, impressive measures have been taken to defend the integrity of fair elections. Some of these include the Voting Rights Act, ruled by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which aims to maintain just electoral campaigning, and bipartisan, unbiased, election monitoring. In addition, the possibility for a recount is available, as occurred in the presidential election of 2020. This system allows for the justification that a candidate fairly won, eliminating corrupt votes. Furthermore, international agencies such as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), have been strengthening voting systems, reducing the risk of corrupt interference.
To ensure the creation of fair elections, the United States of America proposes the further enforcement of a robust election campaign financing security system. This will ensure the fairness for both parties of any election, ignoring financial background. In addition, the increase of voter participation is crucial to accurate poll results. Many underprivileged citizens are ignored and not provided adept access to voting stations, often leaving their voices unheard. Finally, an overlooked possible threat to the fairness of elections is foreign interference. Foreign connections to events related to elections must be limited significantly. These factors play a crucial role in determining the fairness of elections.

Works Cited
Sozan, Michael. “An American Democracy Built for the People: Why Democracy Matters and How to Make It Work for the 21st Century.” Center for American Progress, 26 Sept. 2024, www.americanprogress.org/article/an-american-democracy-built-for-the-people-why-democracy-matters-and-how-to-make-it-work-for-the-21st-century/.

Wikipedia Contributors. “Electoral Reform in the United States.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Jan. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_reform_in_the_United_States.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Vietnam
Delegate Name: Sophia Kaulen

We, The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, recognize the facts that criminal activity and corruption significantly impact the ability to conduct and participate in free and fair elections. That is why we uplift our principles of democracy and election integrity as foundational to our governance. While Vietnam is proud to maintain a low level of corruption within its electoral process, we recognize that voter intimidation, vote manipulation, and organized crime, among other criminal activities, are global challenges that pose serious to everyone. In Vietnam, efforts to ensure transparency and to combat corruption are vital to our electoral process. The government has implemented many measures to ensure the integrity of elections. This includes strict laws and oversight to prevent voter manipulation, vote buying, and political manipulation. Most of all, Vietnam acknowledges the global nature of criminal activity, which can impact elections in any country. Misinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and external attempts to sway electoral outcomes detriment the democratic process worldwide. Vietnam is dedicated to cooperating with international partners and is eager to aide in addressing the issue of manipulated elections globally. Vietnam reaffirms its commitment to upholding the principles of free and fair elections as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The country recognizes the need to address criminal activity and corruption in electoral processes and believes that international cooperation is crucial in achieving these goals. By enhancing infrastructure, fostering transparency, and strengthening legal frameworks, Vietnam supports a more secure and equitable electoral process. Vietnam calls upon member states to work together to combat the influence of crime and corruption in elections, while ensuring that the values of democracy and human rights are upheld for future generations.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Canada
Delegate Name: Noah Bossingham

Canada is very passionate about preserving fair and free elections and works hard day and night preserving our elections. Canada believes that ensuring a fair and free election is the only way to ensure democracy in any nation while ensuring basic human rights such as freedom of speech, assembly, and information.
Ensuring a Fair and Free election has been a problem since elections have been a thing. And is protected in the UN in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which states in Article 21 “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”
Having Fair and Free elections is important due to the fact that when elections are interfered with they can cause a figure to take power in which the people didn’t want to and in which they can cause problems inside the country.
Canada has and will continue to preserve Fair elections and will continue to suggest other countries do too by suggesting solutions such as making sure all people know how to and can vote with neutral assistance.

Works Cited
“Canada’s plan to protect democracy – Democratic Institutions.” Canada.ca, 28 January 2025, https://www.canada.ca/en/democratic-institutions/services/protecting-democracy.html. Accessed 13 February 2025.
“Free and Fair Elections.” Elections Canada, 14 January 2025, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=ele&dir=libre&document=index&lang=e. Accessed 13 February 2025.
“Preserving Free and Fair Elections.” Preserving Free and Fair Elections, 2025, https://glica.org/simun/committees/unodc-fair-elections/. Accessed 13 02 2025.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Somalia
Delegate Name: Ashu Bharath

Elections are fundamental to the success of our democracy. Holding elections, along with ensuring that power changes hands in accordance with their outcomes, is the essence of democratic self-government. By defending them, we also protect the rights and system of government.
Somalia operates under a federal system of governance. The country is divided into federal member states along with the self-declared autonomous regions. Following the collapse of Siad Barre’s military dictatorship in 1991 Somalia lost its central authority. Warlords usurped control over territory, leading to fragmented governance and instability. These events set Somali society to be structured around various clans. This division catalyzes political power to be distributed according to clan-based interests rather than national unity. These clan allegiances frequently caused conflicts in combination with triggering a number of clans to feel marginalized or excluded. This effectively hinders efforts to form a cohesive, functioning national government.
Political fragmentation along clan lines led to semi-autonomous areas such as Puntland and Somaliland, among others, complicating efforts to build a unified state. The legislative branch of the Somali government contains the Upper House made up of representatives from each federal member state. The Lower House consists of 275 members who represent various voting bodies across the country, this is predominantly where Clan participation appears. These members are selected through an indirect election process, with clan elders playing a major role in the selection of candidates.
The most recent elections in Somalia 2022 for president were widely regarded as having been the least representative and inclusive, as presidents of federal member states, the president of the federal government of Somalia, and political figures controlling militia dominated the nomination and selection process at the expense of clan elders and members of the electoral colleges. The same year, Puntland advanced a plan to hold one person, one vote elections for its parliament in areas where deemed feasible. The initiative was met with mixed reactions. Somaliland is the sole region where a semblance of direct elections are held. Somalia employs the use of their 4.5 formula as well. It is the division of the Somali population into five groups along clan lines, where four of the five groups are the “major clans”, whereas the fifth group includes all other clans and peoples not covered by the first four groups. This coalition group is worth half the value of each of the other four groups in terms of political representation. This policy was greatly unfavored by many marginalized clans, as was reflected in the 2014, local think tank published a poll of 1,633 people from across the Benadir region. The poll found that 93% of residents strongly favored democratic elections, while 72% were dissatisfied with clan-based representation and the 4.5 formula.
Al-Shabaab is the predominant terrorist group in Somalia that emerged from Somalia’s chaotic environment. It controls large parts of southern Somalia and continues to launch attacks against government forces, civilians, foreign interests. The group has established a highly authoritarian and repressive form of rule. The Islamist militia aims to control all aspects of public and private life. Threats and harsh punishments have created a general climate of fear in the areas under its control. None of the political factions in Somalia exercise the power to govern the country effectively. The Federal Government of Somalia is highly dependent on international donors and lacks the ability to implement laws in the area it controls.
Corruption is detrimental to Somalia’s political system. Weak institutions along with the lack of transparency in many government officials, military leaders, and political elites cause them to engage in illicit activities such as misuse of public funds, bribery, and kickbacks. Patronage networks based on clan loyalties influence political appointments as well as resource distribution. This makes it difficult for the government to implement policies that benefit the population as a whole. Political rewards are often given to those who belong to influential clans or support the ruling elite, undermining the principles of democratic governance. The decision to use an indirect election model further increases the risk of corruption. During the election, vote-buying, bribery and other forms of corruption and fraud were pervasive. In February 2017, former President Farmaajo started his term in office by promising to fight corruption. However, subsequent efforts to contain corruption have been modest at best. Additionally, the new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, was accused of widespread corruption during his previous term in office. Corrupt officials mostly enjoy impunity. While individual cases of dismissal due to corruption are known, there are usually no legal repercussions, irrespective of how high-level the corruption is.
This widespread corruption allows for the censorship of opposing parties and views, leading to more authoritarian governments. In areas controlled by al-Shabaab, association and assembly rights are severely restricted, and civil society organizations, aid workers and journalists are regularly victims of indiscriminate attacks and targeted killings. Journalists have been harassed and arrested and have been victims of targeted killings. Over the past 10 years, 54 Somali journalists have been killed. In 2022, a spate of assassinations of journalists prompted the head of UNESCO to express alarm and anger. Somalia continues to be ranked as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists in Africa and ranked first on the global impunity index, which highlights countries where the murder of journalists goes unpunished.
It is essential to address these issues of political fragmentation, corruption, censorship and lack of political participation. In order to accomplish this, furthuring efforts to adopt a One-person, One-Vote system would allow countries to distance themselves from indirect elections influenced by clan affiliation along with a voting system that includes all eligible citizens. Moreover, implementing education programs to encourage voter participation based on policy rather than corrupt motives would be beneficial. To eradicate corruption, strengthening election oversight is necessary, as well as enhancing law enforcement and legislation against electoral malpractice. Reevaluating policies such as the 4.5 formula that suppresses minorities and prohibits political participation, is essential to ensure equal representation. Securing free and fair elections within nations requires governmental reforms, anti-corruption policies, as well as increased political inclusivity. Solutions such as these would considerably aid in these efforts.

Works Cited (links):

https://ajamarabi.medium.com/the-4-5-formula-6f0820646cc5
https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/somalia/?utm_source
https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/SOM?utm

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Cuba
Delegate Name: Ayush Garg

As a one-party state led by the Communist Party of Cuba, we believe that fair elections should be protected, however, we acknowledge the presence of election corruption and fraud in Cuba. We use a system that grants the government full control over the elections. The government emphasizes the legitimacy of its electoral process, with official statements often highlighting the integrity of the system, particularly the idea that elections reflect the will of the people and serve to preserve the country’s socialist principles.
Historically speaking Cuba doesn’t have the cleanest record regarding non-corrupt governments. Currently, Cuba ranks 82nd out of the 180 countries following the Corruption Perceptions Index. This rank isn’t particularly good but looking at the graph the government of Cuba has gained ground in becoming a less corrupt state. In 2012 Cuba scored 48 out of 100 on the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2024 Cuba scored 41 on the Corruption Perceptions Index. This shows that the one-party system creates fewer ways for corruption to act. Currently, Cuba is higher than most other countries in Central and South America. There is a lot of tension from international organizations and opposition groups that suggest the Cuban electoral system lacks transparency, fairness, and freedom, as it does not allow for multi-party elections. As the delegate from Cuba, we disagree with this as we still allow electoral freedom and do not oppress the voter. We instead give control over the process to the government to track and monitor the status and validity of the election. By keeping the Communist Party of Cuba in power, we see fair voting that will help calm civil distress and create a more equal future in which corruption is avoided.
After the end of the 1900 Cuba saw a major change in their government as Fidel Castro’s work came to a close. Now this is seen with lower corruption rates. Fidel Castro’s lasting impact is the one-party state that has a firm grasp on the country. This works in our favor as it allows control over corruption and crime in Cuba. There are many countries who wish to do so as they do not approve of our sovereignty. Government officials handle accusations of corruption as efforts to destabilize the country.
Sources:
https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/cuba
https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/cuba/
https://www.u4.no/publications/cuba-overview-of-corruption-and-anti-corruption/fullversion
https://crd.org/2023/03/24/cubans-are-allowed-to-vote-but-not-to-choose/

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Sierra Leone
Delegate Name: Sylvia Duncan

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Free and Fair Elections
Sierra Leone
Sylvia Duncan
Groves High School

Free and Fair Elections
The delegation of Sierra Leone believes that fair and free elections should be protected. Many countries don’t have fair elections because of corrupt government leaders who want to maintain power and influence the results of those elections. Elections are important for citizens to use their voice in their representative government and taking that away can create regimes that limit fundamental rights, like freedom of speech. Countries that don’t have fair and free elections hurt their own representatives because of greed and power.

Sierra Leone has a Presidential Republic system as well as judicial, executive, and legislative branches. The constitution was adopted in 1991 and states that the Republic of Sierra Leone is based on the principles of freedom, democracy, and justice. After the 11 year civil war, the election process from 2002 to 2007 was aided by the United Nations Mission In Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to help regulate the elections and make sure that everything was fair. To make sure that elections are accessible to all, Sierra Leone has implemented the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act of 2022 (GEWE) which President Julius Maada Bio signed into law. This law implements that there is at least a 30 percent quota for women’s participation in government for both appointed positions, including cabinet, ministry, and ambassador roles, and elected rules such as parliamentary and local council seats. As a result, Sierra Leone is working to ensure there is accurate female representation and ensuring women’s participation in the political process. Making sure that there is accurate female representation in government is a principle in Sierra Lione’s mission of keeping elections free and fair. Other countries should make sure that there is accurate female representation in their government by implementing opportunities or laws like Sierra Leone has done.

In the future, Sierra Leone hopes to help maintain free and fair elections domestically and in countries abroad. Sierra Leone supports full transparency in the voting process to reduce corruption and ensure that elections are correctly counted. Election violence needs to be dealt with and resources must be given to countries to allow that this task is completed. Overall, Sierra Leone hopes to allow other countries to implement laws for women’s representation and is open to hearing other ways to deal with corruption in elections.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Slovenia
Delegate Name: Cohen Ketner

Committee: UNODC
Country: Slovenia
School: Grand Haven High School
Author: Cohen A. Ketner
Topic A: Preserving free and fair elections

As a former Yugoslav state Slovenia was left abandoned after the breakup of Yugoslavia leaving corruption and lots of organized crime in the wake. Since then Slovenia has worked to try to build up its government strength and enlarge the police force to create more stability and safety. To gain more money to help the government Slovenia started selling weapons to neighboring countries. Slovenia was the largest weapons dealer in central Europe for a very long time.
Slovenia is ranked 42nd in most corrupt governments out of 180 countries. Bribery is illegal for UK citizens in our country. In October 2024, the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) published a report concluding that there had been insufficient progress in implementing anti-corruption recommendations and that robust action is needed to strengthen integrity in government and police. Slovenia also has a National Bureau of Investigation, which operates as part of the police system, and specialises in economic and financial crime. A 2023 United States Department of State report downgraded Slovenia to a Tier 2, concluding that the country does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts to do so. Recommendations include more vigorous investigation and prosecution of crimes, including tougher penalties and prison terms and more support for victims.
One of the solutions that Slovenia needs is using their law enforcement to help to enforce laws more effectively. The bribery law is barely enforced so the government is usually run by organized crime groups. Slovenia created an anti-corruption reform which has been delayed. Slovenia has been trying to get this passed but due to the bribery in the government it has been rejected multiple times. They have been able to amend it many times in an attempt to pass it but every time it has failed. It also took a really long time to pass a code of ethics in Slovenia.

Works Cited:
“Overseas Business Risk: Slovenia.” GOV.UK, www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-slovenia/overseas-business-risk-slovenia#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20Slovenia%20was%20ranked,is%20not%20common%20in%20Slovenia. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
Zgaga, Blaž, and Blaž Zgaga. “Exposing Slovenia’s Dark History in the Yugoslav Conflict – ICIJ.” International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, 13 Oct. 2017, www.icij.org/inside-icij/2014/03/exposing-slovenias-dark-history-yugoslav-conflict/
Slovenia’s Stalled Anti-Corruption Reform: What… – Transparency.Org, www.transparency.org/en/blog/slovenias-stalled-anti-corruption-reform-what-numbers-dont-tell-us. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Delegate Name: Kari Taylor

Committee: General Assembly — UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Topic A: Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Delegate: Kari Taylor
School: Grand Haven High School

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has had its fair share of untrustworthy elections. The country has struggled to establish a stable political legitimacy through electoral processes. Recently, the DRC was able to conduct a peaceful election in 2023. However, the election came with speculation and allegations of fraud. The election underwent extensions on multiple occasions despite violating Congolese law.
Many Congolese civil society groups and churches have banded together to deploy observers, reporting on voting processes. In the last election in 2023, observer data, which included over 60,000 observers, reported that 27% of polling stations did not open with 45% of voting machines malfunctioning (Nantulya). Although groups requested full reports to validate voting results the Independent National Electoral Commission ( also referred to as CENI) has not provided further information. There was also concern surrounding the voting days. Although voting was intended to end on December 20th it extended multiple delays to some polling offices not ending till December 27. The unreliable voting procedures eventually led to public outcry. Many candidates and community leaders have called to annull and rerun the votes. One religious leader, the Catholic Archbishop of Kinshasa even called the DRC’s polls “a gigantic organized disorder” full of corruption (Nantuyla).
The DRC has attempted to create a better framework for its government but rebel groups have infiltrated the country and interfered with many elections as well as establishing humanitarian and ethical concerns. The DRC operates under a framework established by its 2006 constitution, which introduced a decentralized territorial structure and a semi-presidential system (Democratic Republic of the Congo: Government and Society). This system requires the president and the prime minister to share power, aiming to balance authority within the government. Despite these constitutional provisions, the political landscape has been fraught with challenges, including contested elections and questions about the effectiveness of decentralization efforts. Rebel groups such as the M23 and Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have interfered with governmental power while also creating a humanitarian crisis for the people living within the DRC.
The DRC needs to begin focusing on limiting resistive groups’ influence within the country and specifically their involvement within the government. To protect voting, militias must be disarmed, civilians protected and extra security forces must be deployed to protect peaceful voting procedures. Unfortunately, many 3rd world countries have corruption routed within their governments, which makes eliminating rebel groups particularly difficult. There could be potential for countries struggling with corruption to partner with 1st world countries. International supporting groups and global powers can help countries monitor electoral processes and provide technical assistance to help ensure credibility. If governments could help the Democratic Republic of the Congo, through election protection programs and humanitarian aid, the DRC can repay for their services through the metal trade assurances. Particularly in the DRC, vital metals such as cobalt and tantalum could be used in deals with other countries. This would establish a solid economic line while providing support for the DRC to move beyond its current corruption-infused government.
While working with other governments will be effective, there are other actions each country can take to ensure its own stability for free elections. Strengthening electoral institutions, like the CENI for the DRC, will involve more transparency within their electoral procedures and manage accurate voter registration. Efforts must be made to protect candidates from opposing parties and remain safe and protected from harm. Similarly, voters should be allowed to hold opposing views without fear or intimidation to conform to a singular ideology. Addressing conflict groups like M23 will also become significant if the DRC intends to create safe places for their citizens, voting and otherwise. By implementing these strategies, the DRC can work towards establishing a more transparent, inclusive, and credible electoral system, thereby strengthening its democratic institutions and promoting long-term stability.

Bibliography

United Nations. “Democratic Republic of Congo Battling Worsening Humanitarian Crisis, Armed Conflict, Despite Recent Peaceful Elections, Special Representative Tells Security Council.” United Nations Meetings Coverage and Press Releases, 27 Mar. 2024, https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15646.doc.htm
“Democratic Republic of the Congo: Government and Society.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/place/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo/Government-and-society. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
Nantulya, Paul. “Elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Persistent Crisis of Legitimacy.” Africa Center for Strategic Studies, 2 Jan. 2024, https://africacenter.org/spotlight/elections-democratic-republic-congo-drc-crisis-legitimacy/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
“DR Congo Civil Society Deploy Thousands of Observers to Monitor Upcoming Election.” France24, 19 Dec. 2023, https://www.france24.com/en/video/20231219-dr-congo-civil-society-deploy-thousands-of-observers-to-monitor-upcoming-election. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Nicaragua
Delegate Name: Monica Kovacs

Free and fair elections are the foundation of democracy. Nicaragua is committed to promoting strengthening of democracy and ensuring electoral participation with equality, equity, and parity, as seen through their election oversight committee, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE). The CSE organizes, directs and supervises Nicaraguan elections ensuring that they are free, transparent, and impartial, as well as providing training programs and civic education to inform citizens on electoral processes.
In the past Nicaragua hosted several initiatives to ensure all parties in Nicaragua have equal access to voting, in particular for peoples with disabilities. For example, in 2005 the SOLIDEZ Foundation, a NGO specializing in assistance to women with a disability, partnered with the Nicaraguan Federation of Organizations Associations for Rehabilitation and Integration (FECONORI) to improve voting for persons with a disability by building wooden ramps to facilitate access to voting centers as well as recruiting and training facilitators of the vote of the disabled.
Yet, during Nicaragua’s most recent 2021 election, terrorism was rampant, as several opposition parties called on voters to boycott the elections and committed destabilizing acts with funding from foreign powers. Nicaragua’s government defended its national integrity by detaining 36 of these terrorists, in accordance with Nicaragua’s Law for the Defense of the Rights of the People to Independence, Sovereignty and Self-determination for Peace. These charges therefore reestablished Nicaragua’s elections as both free and fair, being a necessary restriction against corruption. However, the detainments sparked outrage in the international community due to foreign governments’ wish to interfere in Nicaragua’s internal affairs, through U.S. and EU sanctions which only further put the nation at risk of anti-democratic processes.
When thinking about improving the quality of electoral processes, it is essential to ensure that future UNODC and international efforts do not inhibit a nation’s sovereignty or limit their ability to manage their own affairs. For that reason, the use of all proposed solutions should be determined by the nation in which they are being used, not enforced by any foreign entity including the UNODC, thereby respecting the national authority of all member nations. Furthermore, sanctions, including targeted sanctions, relating to “authoritarianism” or election processes should be dismissed and discouraged, as they often do not accurately reflect the state of the nation in question and limit nation’s sovereignty in prosecuting individuals who spread disinformation or who undermine national integrity. With that being said, implementing programs for people with disabilities, looking to Nicaragua as an example, will ensure equal access in the election process. In addition, programs to educate on the election process will work to restore trust in governments who have been accused of corruption, thereby increasing participation in democracy.

Works Cited:
https://feconori.org/en-el-marco-de-la-campana-en-unidad-y-solidaridad-todos-por-los-derechos-de-las-personas-con-discapacidad-se-realizaran-diferentes-actividades-a-nivel-nacional/
https://online.ucpress.edu/currenthistory/article/121/832/63/119608/History-and-Divisions-in-Nicaragua-s-Disability
https://feconori.org/category/ultimas-noticias/
https://www.ifes.org/publications/your-vote-counts-your-vote-decides-tu-voto-vale-tu-voto-decide
https://www.ifes.org/news/new-ifes-book-documents-methods-mobilize-disabled-voters
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/new-push-european-democracy/protecting-democracy_en
https://americasquarterly.org/article/another-5-years-for-daniel-ortega/
https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/democracy
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/11/03/five-reasons-why-elections-nicaragua-do-not-guarantee-human-rights
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59129894
https://freedomhouse.org/country/nicaragua/freedom-world/2022
https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/09/20/nicaragua-trumped-charges-against-critics
https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2021/11/nicaraguas-farcical-election-marks-consolidation-of-ortegas-autocracy?lang=en
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/nicaraguas-ortega-seeks-re-election-with-opposition-candidates-jail-2021-11-07/
https://unric.org/en/the-role-of-the-united-nations-in-ensuring-free-and-fair-elections/

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: United Arab Emirates
Delegate Name: Charlisa Penzak

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Preserving Free and Fair Elections
United Arab Emirates
Charlisa Penzak
Groves High School

The United Arab Emirates, while a federal elective monarchy, has consistently supported free and fair elections in various countries around the world and remains committed to providing countries with the necessary resources if they choose to offer elections to their citizens. The UAE is proudly ranked by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as one of the largest providers of developmental aid relative to national income, and contributes to various UN organizations, including ones that provide electoral assistance such as the UNDP. Although the UAE doesn’t facilitate elections domestically, the UAE recognizes the value of elections in promoting political stability and effective governance.

Broadly, democracies face various issues that threaten the integrity of elections, such as political intimidation, electoral fraud, and voter suppression. Whether interference comes from external actors or from the government itself, there are a variety of ways that elections can be unfairly swayed: vote buying, ballot stuffing, tampering with electoral voting systems, misinformation, and structural factors that limit accessibility. It is difficult to safeguard against all possible forms of election tampering, so international support can be integral to assist national election infrastructure. The UAE believes that regional organizations are best suited to offer electoral assistance because they are best able to tailor their aid to a country or region’s specific needs. For example, the UAE has endorsed the use of local programs, such as MONUSCO (UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC), UNAMI (UN Assistance Mission for Iraq), and UNMISS (UN Mission for South Sudan), which have been empirically successful and well suited to facilitate election aid to their respective countries.

The UAE has historically emphasized the need for elections to be accessible to all – including indigenous people, former combatants, and especially women. The UAE is one of the only MENA countries where gender equality is enshrined in the constitution and women make up two-thirds of the government workforce. As a result, gender equality and ensuring women’s participation in the political process is paramount to the UAE. Countries should work to implement opportunities for women in education and employment, as well as mitigate structural barriers to participation to ensure their meaningful contribution to electoral practices.

Furthermore, in cases of conflict, the UAE encourages open dialogues between opposing parties to ensure long-term stability and prevent further marginalization. The UAE also supports measures like increasing security at voting stations to combat political intimidation and protect voters’ privacy.

Ultimately, the UAE is hopeful that this committee can develop effective solutions to safeguard the integrity of elections and ensure an inclusive electoral process.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Philippines
Delegate Name: Caleb Stoner

The issue the people of the world are facing is Preserving Free and Fair Elections, such as
the issue in The People’s Republic of China, of which it was found to have over 45 members in
their legislature engaging in vote buying. These flaws in their government we The Philippines
have found very untrustworthy of China. The Philippines has also dealt with problems with
corruption. Such as the past leader, Rodrigo Duterte, has been alleged to use false information to
promote his campaign; however, Duterte has spoken publicly and claimed this issue is out of
control but did not directly admit to it, making the allegations void, which our current leader
Ferdinand Marcos Jr, has yet to address. As the delegation of the Philippines, we are fully aware
of the importance of the issue, and we believe that some immediate steps should be taken in
order to combat such a crucial problem, which is about preserving free and fair elections through
legislation to prevent cartels from influencing the elections. We are open to any and all solution
proposals that will come from other member states.

The Philippines has contributed to fixing this issue in many ways. Such as our past
legislation put a commission in place to prevent presidential corruption called The Presidential
Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has made the
Philippines election system much more regulated. For example, the implementation of Online
Voting and Counting System (OVCS) made vote tallying much more accessible. Many of the
Philippines’ past presidents have made a stable democratic government. Such as Corazon
Aquino, who started the transition to a democratic government from Ferdinand Marcos Sr’s
martial law dictatorship. There have also been measures taken to ensure that de facto leaders do
not triumph; for example, in Manila, the government is trying to take away control from local
tribes, COMLEC has also been in association with The Nation citizens Movement for Free
Elections (NAMFREL).

In conclusion, the Philippines has many ideas to tackle this issue. Such as to instate an
international anti-corruption law/clause. The Philippines PACC is a great example to follow for
such a law, except it would be more applicable to larger countries such as the United States. The
law/clause would include notions to overrule national laws to prevent the loss of democratic
autonomy. The Philippines has had its own law against corruption, so The Philippines believes it
could create many more free and fair elections.

Sources:
Romero, Alexis. “Marcos Touts “Bloodless” Drug War, No “Extermination.”” Philstar.com,
Philstar.com, 22 July 2024,
www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/07/23/2372215/marcos-touts-bloodless-drug-war-no-extermin
ation.
Hedman, Eva-Lotta E. “The Politics of “Public Opinion” in the Philippines.” Journal of Current
Southeast Asian Affairs, vol. 29, no. 4, Dec. 2010, pp. 97–118,
https://doi.org/10.1177/186810341002900405.
Facal, Gabriel. Current Electoral Processes in Southeast Asia. Regional Learnings. Institut de
Recherche Sur l’Asie Du Sud-Est Contemporaine EBooks, 1 Jan. 2023. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
Davis, Daniel Bruno. “Why Corruption Thrives in the Philippines.” Foreign Policy, 25 Apr. 2022,
foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/25/philippines-election-corruption-bongbong-marcos/.
Freedom House. “Philippines: Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report.” Freedom House,
2023, freedomhouse.org/country/philippines/freedom-world/2023.
lli. “NDI: Philippines – Embracing International and Citizen Election Observation in Defense of
the People’s Vote.” Www.ndi.org, 11 Aug. 2023,
www.ndi.org/our-stories/ndi-philippines-embracing-international-and-citizen-election-observation
-defense-people.
Human Rights Watch. “Philippines: No Letup in “Drug War” under Marcos.” Human Rights
Watch, 12 Jan. 2023,
www.hrw.org/news/2023/01/12/philippines-no-letup-drug-war-under-marcos.
Gogidze, Lasha. “The Philippines: Corruption and Anti-Corruption Efforts.” U4 Anti-Corruption
Resource Centre, 13 Sept. 2023,
www.u4.no/publications/the-philippines-corruption-and-anti-corruption-efforts.
Romero, Alexis. “Duterte Admits Vote Buying Can’t Be Controlled.” Philstar.com, 20 Apr. 2022,
www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/04/20/2175546/duterte-admits-vote-buying-cant-be-controlled.
Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
Human Rights Watch. “Philippines’ “War on Drugs.”” Human Rights Watch, 2019,
www.hrw.org/tag/philippines-war-drugs.
Valenzuela, Nikka. “Under Marcos, the Philippines Drug War Drags On.” Dw.com, 21 Mar. 2024,
www.dw.com/en/philippines-drug-war-what-changed-under-president-marcos/a-68635719.
Forsythe, Michael. “An Unlikely Crime in One-Party China: Election Fraud.” The New York
Times, 14 Sept. 2016,
www.nytimes.com/2016/09/15/world/asia/china-npc-election-fraud-liaoning.html.
Team, COMELEC Web Development. “Official COMELEC Website :: Commission on Elections.”
COMELEC, comelec.gov.ph/.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Japan
Delegate Name: Sofia Bontomasi

The delegation of Japan believes that free and fair elections should be protected throughout the world. Many countries either don’t have elections, or are ruled over by a sham of a democracy that claims to have free and fair elections, but in reality does not. It is common, however, to see more corruption in countries that do not have free and fair elections. Put shortly, when people sit in office for too long and have no threat of being ousted, they start getting involved in criminal activities usually involving money, and the structure of their government promotes an environment where that is not prohibited by any means.

Japan has been a bicameral representative democracy since the adoption of its constitution in 1947. Furthermore, the Japanese constitution is often cited as being more liberal and democratic than the constitutions of other countries such as the United States. Although some may point out that Japan still has an emperor and royal family, the emperor is simply a ceremonial position with no political power whatsoever, and therefore does not infringe on the democracy that has been instituted. Although democracy did not exactly appear organically in Japan, it is still much loved by its citizens and has proven an effective method of government. That being said, Japan has had some issues with corruption in its government. For example, the most recent scandal involved four past cabinet members who were part of the Abe faction and put millions of dollars into slush funds, not reporting it to the government as the law states; past Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was quick to dismiss all four of them. There have also been many other notable corruption scandals involving Amakudari, Japan’s version of the spoils system, as well as government regulations on business being determined through bribing by Zaibatsu or Japanese business conglomerates.

Going forward, Japan looks to help mitigate corruption both at home and abroad from interfering in democratic governments. Having experienced dealing with corruption in the past and overcoming it in order to become the 16th least corrupt country in the world, Japan has implemented many laws to combat corruption, most notably through implementing the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, the Penal Code, the Bankruptcy Law and the Financial Instruments and Exchange act. Japan would look favourably upon policies that would help protect free and fair elections throughout the world.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Mexico
Delegate Name: Marshall Czlapinski

Topic: Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Mexico
Delegate: Marshall Czlapinski

Historically Mexico has been plagued with political strife. The rise of dictators and the crushing weight of colonialism has kept the country of Mexico from thriving in society. We, however, have persevered and created a free and safe political stage. The Mexican government has a free government allowing the Mexican people to vote and run for office. Although Mexico has triumphed through hardships a new threat has risen to power in our country. Drug Cartels have run rampant throughout the great country of Mexico. Mexican political safety is under threat by these giant criminal enterprises.
Mexico has declared war on drug cartels and emphasizes the importance of preventing organized crime from influencing elections. With foreign interference in our politics now diminished, we recognize the necessity of ensuring a free and fair electoral process. During this time of crisis, Mexico believes that the United Nations should prioritize the preservation of democracy and work to undermine the power held by criminal enterprises. Also, recognizing that transnational crime affects multiple countries, Mexico advocates for a collective international response to combat it. We are interested in forming a multinational alliance to not only establish laws against crime but also to take concrete actions to dismantle these organizations. Mexico is also seeking financial aid to effectively eliminate the largest transnational crime groups in the world.
Mexico is willing to work with the UNODC to combat these criminals for the protection of democracy. Mexico has been democratic for over 100 years and has battled tyrants and coups. Mexico refuses to allow organized crime to overthrow the current democracy within Mexico. Mexico has created numerous programs to stop organized crime however, crime has gotten out of control. Crime rings have bribed and coerced government officials to look the other way in major crime instances. Mexico believes in routing out corrupt officials and cleansing the political scene.
The UN has attempted to control drug organizations to preserve free elections. Mexico recognizes the aid that the UN has given to multiple impoverished countries to support democracy in hostile environments. Mexico is ready to aid in the protection of small democratic countries as long as the UN is willing to aid in the end of cartels. Mexico is willing to aid in any efforts that are good and supportive to smaller countries as long as the action performed still allows the countries’ independence. Mexico recognizes the need to prevent crime from taking place but due to our history of being controlled by bigger countries, we must preserve developing nations’ need for independence from controlling and powerful countries.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Mongolia
Delegate Name: Harini Manikandan

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Preserving Free and Fair Elections
The State of Mongolia
Harini Manikandan
City High Middle School
The government is empowered by its duty to serve its citizens. The State of Mongolia sincerely believes in preserving and creating free and fair elections worldwide to produce excellent democracies. However, this important process in determining a country’s representation has become corrupted by many evils. Voters now seem to face a plethora of issues, from voter intimidation and suppression to the spread of misinformation. The actual process has also become diseased as electoral fraud is a severe issue throughout the world. With elections using the internet and online services increasingly, they become prone to cybersecurity attacks. According to Transparency International’s CPI 2022 of 43/100, the public sector faces a significant amount of corruption in elections. More than two-thirds of the countries scored below a 50 in this report, proving that a solution must be discovered.

The State of Mongolia takes this issue seriously due to the high amount of problems caused in our country due to unfair elections. In 1990, Mongolia transitioned to a democracy peacefully and has held elections ever since. To combat the issue of unfair elections, Mongolia amended its constitution in 2023 to expand the Parliament from 76 to 126 seats. This was to ensure a more mixed cabinet. Mongolia also held the International Democracy Forum to teach other nations about elections and democracy. While the United Nations initiatives of technical assistance for struggling nations and promoting just elections are honorable, more must be done.

Mongolia proposes a multi-faceted approach tailored to each nation’s needs. For nations with increased corruption, strengthened anti-corruption legislation is needed. For the monetary aspects of elections to remain fair, an increase in oversight for election finances is necessary. Election violence must also be addressed with better legal frameworks and increased policies in regions with a history of electoral violence. Overall, Mongolia believes that with strong guidelines proposed in the committee of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime combined with individual approaches taken by each nation to preserve sovereignty, this issue can be combated.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: India
Delegate Name: Rocco Blaisdell

India, the world’s largest democracy, has long been committed to upholding the principles of
free and fair elections. The nation’s electoral framework is designed to ensure transparency,
inclusivity, and integrity, reflecting the will of its diverse populace. This position paper outlines
India’s perspective on preserving the sanctity of its electoral process and the measures
undertaken to strengthen democratic institutions.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) serves as the autonomous constitutional authority
responsible for administering election processes in India at both the national and state levels.
Empowered by Article 324 of the Indian Constitution, the ECI is tasked with ensuring elections
are conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner. Its functions include the preparation of
electoral rolls, monitoring election campaigns, and enforcing the Model Code of Conduct, which
provides guidelines for political parties and candidates during elections.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is a set of guidelines issued by the ECI to regulate political
parties and candidates prior to elections. It aims to maintain a level playing field and prevent
actions that could vitiate the electoral process. The MCC covers aspects such as general
conduct, meetings, processions, polling day activities, and election manifestos. It prohibits
practices like vote-buying, hate speech, and the misuse of official machinery, thereby
safeguarding the integrity of elections.
India has embraced technological innovations to enhance the electoral process. The
introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails
(VVPATs) has bolstered the accuracy and transparency of vote counting. Additionally, the ECI
has developed mobile applications and online platforms to facilitate voter registration, grievance
redressal, and the dissemination of electoral information. These initiatives aim to increase
accessibility and ensure that every eligible citizen can exercise their franchise effectively.
Despite robust mechanisms, challenges persist in maintaining the purity of elections. Issues
such as the distribution of inducements to voters have been a concern. The Supreme Court of
India has criticized the practice of offering handouts, stating that it creates a “class of parasites”
and undermines the work ethic among citizens. The judiciary’s stance underscores the need for
political parties to exercise restraint and promote policies that encourage self-reliance among
the populace. Furthermore, the proposal to hold simultaneous elections for state assemblies
and the national parliament has been a topic of discussion. Proponents argue that it would
enhance governance and reduce electoral expenses, while critics express concerns about its
impact on federalism and regional representation. The government continues to engage with
stakeholders to arrive at a consensus that upholds democratic principles.
India remains committed to collaborating with international partners and organizations to share
best practices and strengthen democratic institutions globally. The nation actively participates in
dialogues and initiatives aimed at promoting electoral integrity and transparency. By engaging
with the global community, India seeks to contribute to the collective endeavor of nurturing and
sustaining democratic values worldwide.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Indonesia
Delegate Name: Ralph (Tag) Dershimer

School: Greenhills

Bhinneka Tunggal Ika – “Unity in diversity”, or, “many, yet one”. Indonesia has long understood the incredible importance of free and fair elections, for many years we knelt at the wrath of colonial powers, but no longer. The Republic of Indonesia, as the fourth-largest nation by population in 2025, is a culturally rich and diverse melting pot of peoples of all kinds and walks of life. We as a nation celebrate our diversity and have long strived for the security of all those who claim this nation as their home, as a member of MIKTA, we are bound to uphold effective global governance. A tremendous part of that means ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity and voice in electing their officials and leaders, regardless of who or how they identify, if they fly the Indonesian banner, their vote matters. Indonesia is dedicated to the understanding of the importance of this matter at this conference, and of protecting it.
The delegate from Indonesia understands that many developing countries struggle in keeping their elections fair, however there are already incredibly sufficient systems and structures in place to support these burgeoning countries in their endeavors to pursue free and fair representation of the peoples. This delegate believes that what work the United Nations is already doing to support these countries is not a system that needs to be reworked or torn down and built anew, merely supported upon and raised up. Successes in places such as recovering Liberia, where the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) played a more than critical role in Liberia’s recovery, facilitating the success of three elections in 2005, 2011, and 2017, overseeing the training of election workers, logistical support in the form of voting materials and road reconstruction, and offering media messages and training to local journalists, culminating in the country’s first peaceful transition of power in over 70 years. This delegate believes strongly that this is the work that should be continued and expanded upon, and that focus need not be set on already developed countries with set and successful systems, that these developed and successful countries should simply be under the pressure to set an example to follow, and uphold the standards and ideals set for free and fair elections. Creating policy that would police or further nitpick systems that have proven to work freely and safely would merely be a pointless expenditure of resources.
Indonesia will strongly support the continued defense of free and fair elections, and understands that these issues affect developing countries most. This is why this delegate believes that support for the further expansion of UN intervention and support of developing countries would be crucial, and would openly support and facilitate the creation of a UN body to take requests from specific member countries, security councils, or general assemblies and streamline the process of investigating and providing support for the protection of untainted elections. This body would allow for the hasty intervention of the United Nations in precarious situations, supporting the security of freedom in member nations.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Pakistan
Delegate Name: Josh Machnacki

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan recognizes that ensuring free and fair elections is of paramount importance. However, accusations of corruption do not warrant the breach of a nation’s sovereignty. The electoral system of Pakistan is governed by its Constitution, which was passed by the National Assembly on April 10, 1973. The Parliament of Pakistan is composed of the President, the National Assembly, and the Senate. General elections are held every five years when the National Assembly has completed its term or has been dissolved. Senators are elected to six year terms.
The most recent general election for Pakistan was held February 8, 2024. As a nation with a developing economy, mass events like elections have the potential to strain Pakistan’s infrastructure. During the February election, threats of terrorism necessitated blocking internet connection in some areas. Pakistan regrets having to take these measures, but maintains the importance of national security. After the election, the United States of America and the United Kingdom levied false accusations of election interference instead of coming to Pakistan’s aid. Pakistan denounces these allegations, which serve no purpose other than to disrupt internal affairs and undermine the state. Pakistani lawmakers stated, “The house deeply regrets that the subject resolution clearly reflects an incomplete and wrong understanding of the political and electoral process of Pakistan.” The U.S. House of Representatives does not know what is best for Pakistan, and has no business interpreting its internal affairs. Additionally, Pakistan is a signatory of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, a legally-binding international instrument outlining preventive and punitive measures against corruption, though it does not consider itself bound by the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 66. The signing of this critical resolution reflects Pakistan’s continued commitment to preventing corruption, and the unwillingness to compromise national sovereignty. Article 66 paragraph 2 provides that if a dispute arises between two or more States concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, and if the parties are unable to resolve it through negotiation, they may refer the dispute to arbitration or the ICJ. Pakistan is against organizations like the ICJ intervening in domestic or bilateral matters related to corruption, as external involvement can infringe upon national decision making and unnecessarily politicise issues.
Pakistan is in full support of UN efforts to technologically support nations to aid the election process, and believes the UNODC should expand in this field. Monetary assets could be allocated to individual nations for respective development of electoral systems tailored for that country’s needs. Financial support for developing economies is vital to election success. It is this area that nations like the United States, with greater financial capabilities, should focus. Pakistan
strongly urges the UNODC to condemn probes that intrude on national sovereignty, and instead turn to assisting developing nations as the best way to ensure free and fair elections.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: People’s Republic of China
Delegate Name: KenZie Low

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Preserving Free and Fair Elections
People’s Republic of China
KenZie Low
City High Middle

The United Nations established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that the will of the people should be the basis of government authority. The power of the people would be preserved through periodic and genuine elections where every voter receives equal suffrage. Many countries have made strides to create a free environment where people can select their leaders. Yet, crimes in elections remain a pressing issue for the global community. In 2023, fifty-two countries have seen a decrease in voter and election freedom and fairness while only twenty-one have seen an improvement, marking the eighteen consecutive year of declining global freedom. Unfair and unfree elections can take many forms. In countries like Zimbabwe, journalists and citizens asking for change in their government were harassed, attacked, and detained. A more common crime in elections is election fraud. Nations such as Venezuela have controlled the ballots or deprived citizens of voting resources. Venezuela has also called off the primary, further manipulating elections. Officials with an immense amount of power have also been a concern as authoritarian leaders are commonly perpetrators of election manipulation. Violence in conflict zones has also denied people the right to vote. The delegation of China is aware of the pressing issues of freedom, election manipulation, and corruption on an international scale. China is one of the oldest civilizations and has reformed its government numerous times to create the least corrupt and fair government and election system.
The People’s Republic of China has spent almost a century creating a socialist democratic system. Until one hundred years ago, China had suffered from an immense lack of freedom for many peasants. Emperors ruled the country and created an unfair monarchy that almost led the country to total poverty and destruction. After the revolution led by Mao Zedong in 1949, the government advanced away from the violent dynasty cycle into a modern authoritarian democracy that would adhere to the people’s needs. China has implemented standard elections within the National People’s Congress. Officials in the government appoint and nominate others to run for higher positions. When these officials are nominated, members of the Chinese Communist Party vote for these officials to run for office. China has cultivated this system so that there is a voice from many officials on who leads the country while ensuring that votes come from government officials who are educated on national policies. While the leadership of China remains in the Chinese Communist Party, China has implemented a way for citizens to become involved in legislative matters. China implemented grassroots democracy in 1987 which involved allowing villagers to directly elect their own representatives on a local scale. These local councils could decide and implement policies for their region. In 1998, the Chinese government formally recognized democratic procedures such as open nominations, multiple candidate options, and the use of secret ballots. China has been practicing consensus elections as well, educating villagers on candidate policies. This mitigates violence among voters and promotes electoral participation rather than competition. Additionally, the National People’s Congress is composed of deputies who are directly elected by the people. Deputies are selected directly from the Chinese people in an electoral district. Any citizen of China who is at least eighteen has the right to vote for deputies. Deputies serve on the National People’s Congress to enact and regulate the Chinese constitution, elect officials, and enact and amend basic laws. To ensure that China creates the fairest form of elections and government, current President Xi Jinping enacted the largest and one of the most effective anti-corruption campaigns in the world. It charged about four million officials with corruption from 2013 to 2021. Since then, China has seen a decrease in corrupt leaders in the government.
China supports true democracy that promotes a fair and productive government. China suggests other countries look toward one-party elections or multi-party elections. This mitigates fierce and ingenuine competition that occurs in a two-party system or in the dynasty cycle that China experienced. China also argues that corruption in elections is a large inhibitor of fair and free elections. Large-scale anti-corruption campaigns need to occur so officials in governments will not commit crimes pertaining to elections. China has enjoyed the success of its government through parliamentary elections. Keeping elections within government officials decreases the chance of violence and conflict within the general population. China encourages other countries to implement this same sort of regulated democracy. Finally, China suggests that maintaining a regulated government system but implementing grassroots democracy can offer citizens a voice in government and also allow for a credible system of government where these officials can be promoted within a structured government body.

Works Cited
China State Council Information Office. “Full Text: China: Democracy That Works_Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America.” Us.china-Embassy.gov.cn, 4 Dec. 2021, us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/zgyw/202112/t20211204_10462468.htm.
“China’s Electoral System.” English.www.gov.cn, www.gov.cn, 25 Aug. 2014, english.www.gov.cn/archive/china_abc/2014/08/23/content_281474982987216.htm.
Freedom House. “The Mounting Damage of Flawed Elections and Armed Conflict.” Freedom House, 2024, freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2024/mounting-damage-flawed-elections-and-armed-conflict.
Liu, Jingping. “Manipulation without Resistance: Consensus Elections in Rural China.” The China Quarterly, 22 Dec. 2023, pp. 1–15, www.cambridge.org/core/journals/china-quarterly/article/manipulation-without-resistance-consensus-elections-in-rural-china/7B7D8D7CC83F642B9B5C7A98B4C20F29, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305741023001765.
Qian, Jingyuan, et al. Tackling Corruption through Top-down Political Campaigns: Assessing China’s Anti-Corruption Crackdown under Xi Jinping. Dec. 2024.
United Nations. “Democracy.” United Nations, 2021, www.un.org/en/global-issues/democracy.
Zheng, Bofei, and Jiang Jiang. “Explainer | What’s China’s People’s Congress System?” Gingerriver.com, Jiang Jiang, 4 Mar. 2025, www.gingerriver.com/p/explainer-whats-chinas-peoples-congress. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Panama
Delegate Name: Abigail McKinney

History has proven it difficult to completely obliterate corruption from the political landscape.
Despite the challenge, preservation of free and fair elections and the right of the people to vote
remains an important staple for democracy. As reported by the Freedom House, Global Freedom
Scores represent sixty-seven countries and territories as not free, and another fifty-nine as only
partly free. This exemplifies that although progress has been made towards a democratic society,
lots of areas are still struggling to actually gain freedom. Even in many of the nations that are
considered free, corruption still runs rampant in their systems. The Republic of Panama believes
in taking precautions to prevent those with malicious intentions from getting into office through
questionable methods, and advocates for protections against political corruption be put into
place.
There are steps and monitoring requirements that can be implemented in order to discover and
attempt prevention of government corruption, but they must be taken early before those who are
corrupt gain power. In Panama, several former presidents and other government leaders have
been forced to stand trial after being found to have accepted bribes, along with other scandals
being present. The Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer currently has
Panama at a score of 33/100, ranking 114/180 of the measured nations. Although Panama is
considered free and has a Global Freedom Score of 83, most of the democratic weaknesses lie in
the area of corruption. Recent changes have been made to the Panamanian Electoral Code in
order to preserve fair elections, starting at the regulation of structure, campaigns, and financing.
These changes have helped to improve voting turnout and access to results with more credibility.
The efforts have been supported by The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of
American States (OAS/EOM), who sent 70 observers of 19 different nationalities to monitor the
elections in all of Panama’s provinces and regions. The OAS has been helping to recommend
ways that Panama can improve by using data from past missions towards free elections. One
main issue that the election monitoring does not address is the lack of a transparent and efficient
judicial system. Most of all government ongoing are still happening behind closed doors, lacking
any transparency.
Panama currently sees corruption and lack of transparency in the government as our nation’s
largest issue. We believe that recommendations should be made towards how outwardly the
government should function, and that making citizens feel safe should become a top priority. The
Republic of Panama would also like to suggest for more Organizations be put into place to assure
that more nations are operating their elections without corruption, as overlooked by unbiased
outside representatives. Harsh guidelines should be put into place as consequences for nations
being monitored more closely when world leaders are caught operating in a corrupt manner in
order to uphold the system and the right of the citizens to live somewhere where they feel seen.
Panama believed that in this committee, collaboration should be put forth in a way that will help
all nations to preserve their democracy and freedom with protections in place against
government corruption.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Jordan
Delegate Name: Brooklyn Odoom

The country of Jordan advocates and believes in the preservation of free and fair elections in sustaining healthy democracies in other countries. Free and fair elections allows for voters to be fully aware of where their votes are going and fairly elected people to be elected without any corruption. Elections can be threatened by many different factors which wouldn’t allow them to be accessible by everyone or reflect the voices of everyone. A large factor that is threatening the ability to have free and fair elections would be criminal activities. The country of Jordan faces many issues of criminal activity within free and fair elections especially with corruption and the lack of accountability for those in power. There are laws put in place to combat the issues of corruption and to provide more transparency such as the implication of an Anti-Corruption Commission which strived for those values to be met.
Jordan’s history highlights the efforts of the country trying to maintain balance between power and address political challenges. Many policies were passed during the history of Jordan such as Block voting and Sing Non-Transferable Vote system which were not effective and resulted in continued political instability from 1956-2016. These policies were passed to suppress Islamist representation of the people which suppressed their freedom of speech. In 2016, the introduction of the Proportional Representation policy was passed and allowed for a more representative electoral system. This became a success among most of the electoral policies that were passed in the past because of the termination of boycotts. The latest reform to the electoral system of Jordan which allowed for a more diverse electorate system was the Mixed Electoral System policy. This policy increased voter confidence, and the turnout was 32.25%. Jordan’s policy shows the reformations that can happen to increase voter confidence in their government to further create free and fair elections.
Jordan advocates for a policy that will put in place Anti-Corruption Measures. Jordan as its own country has benefited greatly with the outcome of a more balanced government and political stance due to the Anti-Corruption Commision that was put into place to combat corruption in high power holding positions. To be able to fully represent the Anti-Corruption measures in various countries, Jordan would like to mention the need for transparency and accountability within the reformation process. The need for political stability and transparency is crucial to developing a more free and fair election within countries and allows for citizens to become aware and trusting of their government.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Ghana
Delegate Name: Rafay Dar

Topic:preserving fair and free elections
Country: Ghana
Delegate name: Rafay Dar

Democratic elections are supposed to be fair across the world, and this is no exception for the country of Ghana. Criminal activities across the world are having a huge impact on the politics of many developing countries, and this can lead to a lot of unwanted corruption within a government. This problem is affecting the country of Ghana too, with a lot of corruption in its own government still being present today. With misappropriated funds and bribes for federal officials being quite common within the country, the delegation of Ghana urges the United Nations to consider the help in the establishment of new, unbiased and non corrupt governments from many developing countries across the world where these problems are widespread.

The government of Ghana is a democratic republic, with the election of a president every four years. However, these elections have the potential to be corrupt and unfair, with the many problems occurring in a relatively undeveloped country such as ghana. With organized crime always being present, as well as the money to be gained from the corruption of the government (as Ghana is one of the safer and more well-off countries in west Africa) this could lead to political officials being corrupt and elected under suspicious circumstances. In 2017, the election commission of Ghana found itself within a corruption scandal and this led to the removal of the chairperson of the EC as well as 2 deputies. Despite the fact that corruption in Ghana is relatively low compared to its West African neighbors, the corruption that is currently present within the government of Ghana is still enough to impede federal duties and businesses within the nation.

As a result of all of these problems that were previously mentioned, the delegation of ghana urges the UN to create a single body funded by the governments of more developed countries an agency in which developing countries that are prone to corruption are able to maintain the fairness of elections through a thorough investigation and evaluation of various elections across the world in developing countries by this agency. After the examination of the elections are done, a recommendation from the agency would be passed on to whatever provisions for elections of that specific country (for example, in Ghana there is the Election Commission) in order for that country to take whatever action is deemed necessary so as to not impede on national sovereignty. The delegation of Ghana believes that this could be a good method in order to help conserve the fairness and freeness of elections in developing countries where this may be a problem otherwise.

Sources: https://www.u4.no/publications/overview-of-corruption-and-anti-corruption-in-ghana-2018-update/fullversion#overview-of-corruption-in-ghana
https://www.britannica.com/place/Ghana
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Ghana#:~:text=Recent%20political%20developments,-Nana%20Akufo%2DAddo&text=Mills%20died%20of%20natural%20causes,Ghana%20was%20a%20stable%20democracy.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Nigeria
Delegate Name: Monica Delgertsogt

Nigeria faces very important challenges in making sure the fairness of its elections. Despite meaningful progress in democratic procedures, criminal activities continue to eat away the reliability of elections in the country, eroding public trust and lessening the successfulness of democratic institutions. The Republic of Nigeria remains determined to preserve free and fair elections. However the continuous threat of electoral violence, corruption, and other criminal activities keep on persisting, damaging the whole thing. The role of the United Nations and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has been very important in aiding Nigeria’s electoral system. To build upon the infrastructure even more that what is already, greater collaboration and innovation are needed very much to safeguard the democratic process.
Criminal activities that eat away the integrity of elections is a very important thing to worry about. Electoral violence is still one of the most important threats that is often backed by political interests. Where they get involved in violent things such as attacking the voters and others involved like the candidates. Because of this, many people are scared of only the lessons people want to participate in. Another thing is buying votes or bribing. Sometimes the candidates try to buy their votes by convincing the voters to vote for them if they agree on the money given to them. It really worsens the independence for voters and makes them only care about the amount of money they are getting. Sometimes other groups may even threaten others to vote for specific candidates and really ruin the fairness of the elections. Furthermore, electoral fraud continues to be a problem. The ongoing threat of terrorism disrupts elections, especially in the northeastern regions of Nigeria. Where attacks on polling stations prevents the ability of citizens to freely exercise their right to vote.
The UN and the UNODC have been involved(and still are) in addressing these challenges by supporting Nigeria through various initiatives designed to fight back electoral crimes. The UNODC has focused on helping build the amount of law enforcement agencies in hopes to respond to incidents of violence. It has helped make sure that the voters and others are safe. The UNODC has helped to assist Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission in preventing electoral fraud. It has helped promote better accountability by holding the people who started those crimes. Public awareness campaigns have helped teach Nigerians about the importance of free and fair elections. And especially the dangers of doing those types of crimes.
Even with all this trying there is still a lot to do for the elections in Nigeria to be free and fair. The infrastructure provided by the UN and UNODC has given a strong base but some places still need to be checked. Nigeria’s electoral bodies must be even stronger by more technology and help with money. This includes improving voter education programs, strengthening the integrity of voter registration systems, and making sure that the entire electoral process is easily accessible to the public. The UNODC can play a more important role in enforcing more strict regulations on political financing. By monitoring campaign financing and finding and talking about the illegal funding sources. It will help to make sure that wealthy people aren’t trying to use their money to get their way. Enhancing security at polling stations should also be an important thing to focus on. Making Nigeria’s electoral justice system stronger is very important. The UNODC can support Nigeria.
In conclusion, while Nigeria has made very important and good progress in making its electoral systems stronger, there are still some criminal activities that are still a bit of a problem. It has been trying to address these challenges through capacity-building initiatives, support for electoral integrity, and conflict resolution efforts. Although, to help preserve free and fair elections, there is a need for continued collaboration. Both within Nigeria and with the broader international community. By trying to do all this, Nigeria can make progress throughout the coming years.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Ukraine
Delegate Name: Pradham Nalam

Committee: United Nations Office On Drugs And Crimes
Topic: Preserving Free And Fair Elections
Country: Ukraine
School: Forest Hills Central High School
From the depths of democracy, one thing that represents all of its founding principles is the aspect of choice in the leader that the people choose. The ability to vote for leaders and the ability to run for leadership is the prime part of democracy that the entire world knows today. However, democracy is threatened today due to leaders with greed and forms of dictatorship in their tactics of leading. Voting has begun losing its meaning in some nations due to unfair and rigged elections, directly stripping away the leader that the people chose through the majority. Nations have been experiencing rigged elections from the deep end for many years. For example, the Turkish general election of 2015 was deemed rigged and was forced to be held again for a second round, which resulted in the victory of a different candidate, directly proving fraudulent activities. As the delegation of Ukraine, we believe we must withhold democracy in every aspect and nation of the world that participates in it. This includes assisting nations that are suspected of fraudulent activities in their elections. A plan needs to be derived from the Committee on Drugs and Crime to regulate a planned process to make sure countries have a fair election. One proposed plan is the aspect of analysis from the UN to determine whether a county’s elections have been subjected to fraud, and then send a group of qualified members to the nation to monitor and supervise an election to make sure equal and fair processes have been registered. The delegation of Ukraine believes that this committee can work together and come up with a subjective and viable plan.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Denmark
Delegate Name: Riya Patel

The topics before the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) are Preserving Free and Fair Elections and Combating Transnational Organized Crime. The Kingdom of Denmark is dedicated to upholding the principles of free and fair elections and recognizes the need for strong international cooperation to implement ideas on preserving electoral integrity, and it looks forward to sharing insight on these topics at the conference.

Safeguarding Free Elections and the Importance of Electoral Integrity
The United Nations suffers from a great deal of corruption and this often leads to criminal activity, government corruption and political instability. Over two-thirds of countries score below 50 on the CPI scale, which goes from 0 (corrupt) to 100 (clean), which indicates widespread corruption within the UN. This can lead to more crime, discrimination, and inefficient use of resources. The Kingdom of Denmark has been recognized as an advocate for full democratic governance, integrity, and transparency. Denmark is a nation with one of the least corrupt electoral systems in the world, and is committed to upholding these framework principles of fair elections in the United Nations.

There are many policies that can be implemented to ensure no criminal activities are impacting the ability of a nation’s right to conduct fair and free elections. Cybersecurity precautions should be taken to ensure that there is no foreign interference or hacking against the electoral system. It is also crucial that electoral systems are regulated by independent, non-partisan institutions that ensure full transparency and accountability. The UNODC has an extensive record for implementing a framework for preventing and combating corruption in the electoral processes. Additionally, they offer technical assistance to help strengthen legal frameworks, build institutional capacitors, and help foster international cooperation through upholding the electoral system. Furthermore, the UNODC should take extra measures to combat electoral fraud by creating international election monitoring programs, where less corrupt nations can partner with more corrupt nations and enhance credibility during elections to ensure that there are no opportunities for misconduct. There should also be policies that strengthen the legal framework against electoral fraud to help deter corrupt practices and prevent these corrupt people from getting into places of power. Lastly, there should also be safeguards for individuals who feel as though reporting electoral fraud or campaigning to encourage more accountability.

The Kingdom of Denmark is willing to contribute to combat corruption in elections through helping implement said policies. Denmark ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) which showed commitment to combat corruption and ability to cooperate on international levels. Additionally, the Fight Against Facilitation Payments Initiative (FAFPI), also launched with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Confederation of Danish industry, is used to combat facilitation payments. By leveraging these approaches in the upcoming conference, Denmark can help play a pivotal role in assisting the other United Nation member states to strengthen their election and electoral systems against corruption.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Silas Fetrow

Topic: Preserving Free and Fair elections
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate: Silas Fetrow

The Russian Federation recognizes the fundamental importance of preserving free and fair elections as a cornerstone of national sovereignty and democratic stability. Russia asserts that electoral integrity must be safeguarded through robust legal frameworks, technological advancements, and respect for national self-determination. While international cooperation on best practices is welcomed, external interference in a nation’s electoral process is a violation of state sovereignty and must be condemned. Russia advocates for the strengthening of cybersecurity measures, the enhancement of voter education programs, and the reinforcement of domestic legal frameworks to ensure transparent and credible elections tailored to each nation’s unique political and cultural landscape.

Moreover, Russia emphasizes the need for a multipolar approach to election monitoring, where international oversight is balanced with respect for national governance. Western-led organizations often impose biased electoral standards, failing to account for diverse political systems worldwide. Instead, election observation should be conducted through multilateral institutions such as the United Nations or regional alliances that respect the sovereignty and electoral methodologies of different states. Russia supports the use of advanced technologies, including blockchain and artificial intelligence, to enhance the transparency and efficiency of electoral processes while preventing cyber threats and foreign intervention.

In conclusion, Russia maintains that free and fair elections should be upheld through nationally-driven policies that prioritize sovereignty, security, and technological innovation. While promoting fair electoral practices is essential, international intervention under the pretext of election integrity must be avoided to prevent geopolitical manipulation. The Russian Federation urges the international community to support non-discriminatory electoral reforms, foster technological advancements in voting security, and uphold the principles of state sovereignty in the pursuit of democratic governance.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: South Africa
Delegate Name: Hugh Jordan

The Republic of South Africa firmly believes that free and fair elections are the cornerstone of a thriving democracy. Having emerged from a history of disenfranchisement, we understand the profound importance of safeguarding electoral integrity. We recognize the growing threats posed by criminal activities and corruption to elections globally and are committed to working with the international community, particularly through the UNODC, to address these challenges.

While South Africa has made significant strides in establishing a robust electoral system, we are not immune to these threats. In our region and within South Africa itself, we observe trends such as politically motivated violence and intimidation, which, while reduced, still occur and can deter voters. The proliferation of fake news and disinformation, amplified through social media, poses a considerable threat to informed voter choice, exacerbated by the rapid spread of information and the difficulty in verifying its accuracy. Voter buying and other forms of electoral corruption remain a concern, particularly in communities facing socioeconomic challenges, undermining the principle of one person, one vote. Finally, as electoral processes rely more on technology, the risk of cyberattacks targeting voter databases or campaign infrastructure becomes a growing concern.

South Africa commends the work of the UN and UNODC and believes several enhancements are crucial. We emphasize regional cooperation in combating transnational criminal activities impacting elections, advocating for stronger collaboration within SADC. Investing in capacity building for electoral management bodies, law enforcement, and civil society is critical. South Africa offers its expertise in these areas. We believe transparency in campaign finance and electoral processes is crucial for building trust and advocate for stronger mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable. Recognizing that poverty and inequality create vulnerabilities, addressing these socioeconomic factors is essential. While acknowledging risks, South Africa believes technology can play a positive role in enhancing electoral integrity, supporting its responsible use with robust cybersecurity safeguards. Finally, South Africa stresses protecting the rights of civil society organizations to monitor elections and expose corruption.

South Africa reaffirms its commitment to working with the UNODC and the international community to strengthen electoral integrity. Through enhanced international cooperation, capacity building, and addressing the root causes of electoral challenges, we can collectively safeguard the democratic process.

Topic: 2025-Preserving Free and Fair Elections
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Amelia Wigant

The relationship between Russia and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is multifaceted, reflecting Russia’s political, environmental, and international policy perspectives. The IUCN, as a global organization dedicated to environmental conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable development, plays a critical role in shaping global environmental policies. However, Russia’s engagement with the IUCN and its stance on preserving democratic ideals like free and fair elections often intersect with broader geopolitical considerations, both within Russia and on the global stage. This essay examines Russia’s views on the IUCN, with particular focus on its priorities related to environmental preservation, as well as the country’s complex relationship with the concept of free and fair elections.
Russia has long been an active member of international organizations related to environmental conservation, including the IUCN. The IUCN, which is the world’s largest global environmental network, includes a wide range of government, civil society, and private sector stakeholders that aim to work collaboratively for the protection of biodiversity and sustainable development. While Russia has recognized the importance of preserving natural ecosystems, its approach to environmental issues often reflects the nation’s geopolitical priorities and domestic political environment.
Russia, with its vast landmass and natural resources, is home to an array of ecosystems, from tundra to temperate forests, and is a significant player in international efforts to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. However, Russia’s commitment to global environmental initiatives often varies depending on the political landscape. Under Vladimir Putin’s leadership, Russia’s environmental policies have fluctuated between fostering international cooperation on issues like climate change and taking a more cautious stance, sometimes prioritizing economic development and energy production over environmental conservation.
The Russian government has worked with the IUCN on various conservation projects, particularly those focused on endangered species, such as the Amur tiger and the Siberian crane, and on preserving critical ecosystems. At the same time, there are instances where Russia’s policies may diverge from IUCN objectives, particularly when international pressures regarding environmental standards are seen as conflicting with Russia’s sovereignty or economic interests. For instance, Russia’s policies on oil and gas exploration, forestry, and mining sometimes face criticism from environmental groups and international actors, but these industries are vital to the country’s economy, presenting a tension between conservation efforts and economic priorities.
The preservation of free and fair elections is another area where Russia’s political system faces scrutiny from both domestic and international actors. The concept of free and fair elections is fundamental to democratic governance, ensuring that citizens can choose their leaders through transparent and accountable processes. However, Russia’s political environment has been criticized for undermining democratic principles, including the suppression of political opposition, curtailing media freedom, and stifling civil society movements.
Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russia has faced increasing international condemnation for its handling of elections, particularly in the wake of allegations of electoral fraud, voter suppression, and the lack of a level playing field for opposition parties. The 2021 parliamentary elections, for example, were widely criticized for limiting opposition participation and for alleged irregularities in the voting process. Critics argue that these practices prevent the genuine will of the people from being reflected in election outcomes, leading to questions about the legitimacy of Russia’s political system.
Despite these concerns, Russia maintains that its electoral processes are fair and legitimate, often framing criticisms of its elections as foreign interference in its domestic affairs. The Russian government asserts that its political system, with its own set of laws and regulations, ensures stability and governance that reflect the national interest, even if these processes do not always meet international democratic standards.
While the IUCN’s primary focus is on environmental protection, the intersection of Russia’s environmental policies and its approach to free and fair elections highlights broader themes of governance and international engagement. In some respects, the preservation of democratic principles like free elections can be seen as a challenge to the type of political control exercised by the Russian government. The consolidation of power in the hands of a small political elite has implications not only for domestic political freedoms but also for the broader international policies that Russia pursues, including those related to environmental conservation.
For instance, environmental advocacy groups, many of which are aligned with global organizations such as the IUCN, often face challenges in Russia, where civil society movements are tightly regulated. Restrictions on non-governmental organizations (NGOs), particularly those receiving foreign funding, have been tightened in recent years under laws that label some as “foreign agents.” This has made it difficult for independent environmental organizations to operate freely, limiting their ability to participate in discussions about Russia’s environmental policies, including those in partnership with the IUCN.
Furthermore, Russia’s approach to environmental issues in international contexts often takes on a nationalistic tone, emphasizing the country’s sovereignty over global mandates. This can complicate efforts to achieve consensus on global environmental policies, such as those related to climate change or biodiversity loss, where Russia may be reluctant to commit to binding agreements that could limit its economic growth or energy production capabilities.
In contrast, a truly democratic system that respects free and fair elections could create an environment in which environmental issues are more open to public scrutiny and debate. If Russia’s political system were to evolve towards a more transparent and accountable democratic model, it could lead to more robust discussions around environmental preservation and increase the engagement of Russian civil society in these important issues.
Russia’s views on the IUCN and the preservation of free and fair elections are inextricably linked to its broader political and governance priorities. While Russia recognizes the importance of environmental conservation and has engaged with the IUCN on various initiatives, its approach to environmental issues is often tempered by economic and geopolitical concerns. At the same time, Russia’s political system, which has been criticized for limiting democratic freedoms, particularly in the context of electoral processes, also affects its domestic and international environmental policies. In the future, a more democratic political environment that values transparency, civil society participation, and electoral integrity could create a more conducive atmosphere for meaningful environmental reforms in Russia. However, achieving this shift requires substantial political and societal changes, the outcome of which remains uncertain.

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