Czech Republic
Positions for the General Assembly Plenary
I. Furthering Water and Sanitation as a Human Right
The Czech Republic has a long standing history of recognizing the rights of all individuals to have access to potable, pathogen-free water and adequate sanitation services. Currently, the Czech government services 94.2% of its populations’ need for freshwater and water sanitization as well as strong regulations to ensure safe water supplies. Among measures implemented domestically, the Czech Republic has used extensive networking for local and national oversight of waterways and still water. In addition to existing water and sanitation efforts, our government is in the process of developing and implementing plans to improve water quality through a number of methods. As our focus is on measuring pollution, curbing the aforementioned pollution in affected areas, and mitigating flood damages or drought conditions, we believe that the Czech Republic can serve as a model and leader for the rest of the world on water and sanitation rights.
In terms of priorities, the Czech Republic recognizes the impact on the quality of life of each individual who can access clean and fresh water and engage in basic hygienic functions: showering, shaving, and oral care. Without these basic effects, the standard of living and economic output drops considerably while illness and mortality rates climb in a similarly dramatic fashion. As such, we recognize several key areas of water and sanitation rights that must be addressed in order to be considered adequate process over the long term. First, the right of those in need to use public waterways in a sanitary way to maintain their hygiene using available waterways. Next, and particularly important, given increasing tension of freshwater sources, addressing the dire need of numerous states to have access to freshwater resources and sustainable water systems for drinking and sanitation. Further, the Czech Republic understands the particular strain that developing nations face when deprived of access to freshwater sources and supplies for developing nations, and believe that managing current resources while developing new resources in a sustainable fashion should be a top priority for the General Assembly. To this end, the Czech Republic reaffirms our support for previous efforts by the United Nations in its’ pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 6, clean water and sanitation; and further, notes the provisions of General Assembly Resolution 66/286 regarding involvement of African member-states and further recalls Human Rights Council Resolution 7/22 and General Assembly Resolution 64/292 in establishing the human right of access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
For addressing these purposes, the Czech Republic will propose the following four-fold plan to the General Assembly at its next convening. The first step would be introducing deep studies on local, national, and regional water policies to evaluate current systems and establish best practices for the varying circumstances of member-states. Second, the UN should undertake development of flexible strategies to provide a framework for each member-state to address its own unique needs and concerns. Next, we endorse the coordination of foreign investment and international support for constructing infrastructure to support water and sanitation rights across developing countries, particularly through established programs and in concert with local need. And finally, thorough monitoring, assessment, and revisement of plans in concert with member-states to ensure efficient use and sustainable development for governance of water resources.
II.Confronting Radiological Security Challenges with Advanced Detection Solutions
The ease of terrorist organizations to obtain materials for constructing radiologically dirty bombs is a cause of grave concern to the international community and the Czech Republic. Noting the level of power these weapons possess, capable of leveling large portions of cities, rendering attacked locations uninhabitable for considerable lengths of time, afflicting civilian populations with severe physical and psychological damage, and costing communities mass sums of money from all damage received, the Czech government strongly supports efforts on both the national and international stage to limit the ability to construct and distribute these weapons of terror. Materials used to make such devastating weapons are currently highly regulated in the Czech Republic. Nuclear power plants are among the most secure sites in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is wholly committed to ensuring the safety of its’ and neighboring citizens. As well, the Czech Republic stands by the United Nations in recognizing General Assembly Resolution 65/60 and General Assembly Resolution 65/65. The Czech Republic recognizes a need to denuclearize the entire world, and to prevent the ability of terrorists and terrorist nations to create any type of device capable of mass destruction. The Czech Republic praises the United Nations for it’s foresight in this area.
Further, the Czech Republic recognizes the dire threat of alternate radiological materials at insecure locations being utilized for weapons capable of local damage and posing a threat to all life. Materials such as Cesium 137 found in certain medical devices are often found in less than secure locations, like hospitals. The Czech Republic takes this insecurity very seriously and will posit policy restricting and monitoring materials used in the construction of dirty bombs should be instituted in every nation party to the United Nations in a pre-emptive effort to curb the use of these dangerous materials. The Czech Republic also notes, with disdain, there have been numerous attacks by secretive agencies that have used radioactive materials for the purpose of intense localized damage. The Czech Republic, as well, recalls the events in the United Kingdom, where radioactive materials were sent by UK post in an attempted assassination attempt; further, the Czech Republic condemns this outrageous act and will seek to institute policy whereby these methods will be highly condemned.
To this end, the Czech Republic recommends a triple action plan.The first action is identifying all such materials used in a dirty bomb, and noting where these often occur in day to day activity, taking care to not overlook uncommon uses of these materials. The second action is proposing nation states highly regulate and monitor the use and storage of these materials to prevent their use as weaponized materials. The third action is enforcing countries adherence to these measures with constant affirmation in the United Nations resolutions and continued persistence in our efforts to attain a global peace.
As well, the Czech Republic recommends to the United Nations that all uses of radioactive materials as weaponized devices by secretive police and spy organizations directly representing nation-states or terrorist organizations shall be untolerated. The General Assembly Plenary should seek to include mention of these agents in resolutions seeking to improve the state of radiological materials.