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Committee Profile
The United Nations Children’s Fund, colloquially UNICEF, was established in 1946 to provide emergency relief to children in post-war Europe. Today, it is a leading UN agency working in over 190 countries to protect the rights and wellbeing of every child. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF promotes access to health care, education, nutrition, clean water, and protection from violence. Through partnerships with governments, NGOs, and local communities, UNICEF develops policy, delivers direct aid, and strengthens child protection systems worldwide.
Our first topic examines global failures in ensuring due process and rehabilitation for minors in conflict with the law. In many regions, children are subjected to prolonged detention, violence, or are tried as adults, often without access to legal representation or psychological support. Delegates must address alternatives to incarceration, reintegration programs, and legal safeguards. Our second topic addresses chronic undernutrition that can irreversibly impair cognitive and physical development. Delegates will assess causes including poverty, food insecurity, poor maternal health, and climate change. Emphasis will be placed on sustainable interventions, including but not limited to nutritional aid, maternal education, early health screenings, and community-based solutions to ensure no child is left behind.
Chair Letter
Dear delegates,
My name is Nithila Chintakindi, and it is my pleasure to serve as the Chair of Novice UNICEF at BruinMUN 33. I am a second-year student double-majoring in Political Science and Psychology with a minor in Information and Media Literacy, on the pre-law track. After undergrad, I hope to get my JD and explore international law or diplomacy with the United Nations. I’m especially excited to chair Novice UNICEF as I am a dedicated member of UCLA’s own UNICEF club, and I’ve spent my time at UCLA volunteering to help children around the LA County area and advocating for global children’s rights personally. Outside of my classes and clubs, I love to rate LA matcha spots with my friends, eat way too much food (ask me for Westwood food recommendations!), go to concerts, crochet, and do winter sports.
I started participating in MUN at the start of my junior year of high school, amid my original aspirations of becoming an aerospace engineer, and immediately loved it. Model UN helped me realize that debate, policy, and international advocacy– subjects I had always been a natural at– could be a viable future, and that I had been focusing my energy on the wrong career path throughout high school. In a way, I have MUN to thank for me discovering my true passions for international relations and law and ending up where I am today. At UCLA, I truly enjoy chairing conferences and facilitating engaging committees for delegates like you.
UNICEF addresses global issues affecting children’s rights, welfare, and development, with a mission to protect every child’s health, education, safety, and future. You are encouraged to collaborate creatively and advocate for policies that uphold the dignity and potential of every child. I have lived in quite diverse communities and conversely very homogenous ones, and as such, I’m looking forward to seeing the experiences all of you have had in your own communities reflected in your committee discussions and caucuses. I hope that during this conference, you’ll have the chance to not only view the world on a global scale but also gain an understanding of how these issues may affect your own communities.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email. Welcome to UNICEF!
Sincerely,
Nithila Chintakindi
Chair | Novice UNICEF | BruinMUN 33
unicef@bruinmun.org