Commission on the Status of Women

Dear Delegates of the Commission on the Status of Women,

Welcome to KAMUN'27 and to the Commission on the Status of Women under this year's theme, 'Fracture the Foundation.'

My name is Raya Khalifa. I'm a Senior at King's Academy, and getting to be your President of CSW means a lot to me. If there's one thing my time doing MUN has taught me, it's that the committees I remember aren't the ones with the most polished resolutions. They're the ones that made me stop and think about the actual people behind the clauses we were writing. I want CSW to be that kind of room.

As someone who sat where you are now, not too long ago, I can tell you that this committee will make you think deeply, argue sharply, and see perspectives you never expected. And I am eternally grateful that I get to be a part of your MUN journey, whether it's your first experience or your tenth.

We'll be covering two topics this year. The first topic is 'Strengthening International Responses to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Sudan.' We'll be looking at how to support survivors, secure humanitarian access during an active conflict, and hold perpetrators accountable while the conflict continues. The second topic is 'Ensuring the Protection and Advancement of Women's and Girls' Rights in Afghanistan under the Current Humanitarian and Political Crisis.' It will ask us to weigh the protection of human rights against humanitarian needs and the practical realities of engaging with the current authorities.

One thing I'd ask you to keep in mind while we debate: women in Sudan and Afghanistan are not just victims in this story. They're organizing. They're documenting abuses. They're finding ways to advocate and rebuild within their own communities, often at real risk to themselves. Any solution we come up with in this room should have their voices at the center of it, not as an afterthought.

So come prepared to push back on the people around you, to hold your ground on your country's position, and to let your own opinions be challenged, too. A good debate isn't one where everybody agrees by the end. It's one that leaves you thinking about something differently than you did walking in. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: 'It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.'

I'm looking forward to seeing what you all bring to this committee.

Kind regards,

President of the Commission on the Status of Women

KAMUN'27