SAIIA United Nations Mini - Mun

 

This year Eco – Club was also involved in SAIIA Model United Nations Mini – Mun.

 The topic was Rhino poaching and the Mini – Mun had the structure of the United Nations Conference.

Two teams were registered and the countries we represented were India and Zambia. Being a part of this was really very exciting and informative.

The Mini – Mun was held at New West Secondary and many schools participated.

 

One of the position papers that the learners presented follows below:

 

Position Paper for Zambia

Name of Country:       Zambia

Name of Committee:  United Nations

Name of Topic:           Rhino Poaching and conservation

Name of School:         Westville Girls’ High School

Zambia once had Africa’s 3rd largest Black Rhino populations until the poaching throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

This resulted in their national extinction declared in 1998.

In the year 2003 an ambitious project to translocate black rhino back to Zambia’s North Luangwa National Park began.

This project involved mentoring, strategic protected area management and environmental education. It also involved working with the local wildlife authorities to protect this population. By the year 2011 6 calves were were born in the Luangwa  National Park  (December 2011 Paper by Chansa Chomba and Wigganson Matandiko).

 

 

Rhino poaching is a serious issue in Zambia as Rhinos play an important role in the eco – system and rhinos maintain the biodiversity. On a National level Zambia has put many plans into place such as the reintroduction of Black Rhinos in The North Luangwa National Park ( the park covers, an area of 4635 km2) . The project also includes an educational programme that aims to teach children (locals) about conservation so that they share knowledge with their family and friends about the importance of protecting the Black Rhino. Conservation experts and wildlife managers from 14 member countries of Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) gathered in Zambia’s Capital Lusaka in November 2003 to fine tune there draft Rhino policy document  ( Environmental News Services 2003). It was found that the record keeping of Zambia did not comply with the UN convention.

 

The support of the local people living close to the Rhinos is a crucial element in their protection..  Educating the local people about the importance of Black Rhinos and why they should protect them is essential. Together with support and funding of the Government this programme shows some success.