Colegio Integral El Avila |

May 31st June 1st

CIAMUN
2014
BACKGROUND GUIDE, HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL


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Dear Delegates:

It is our pleasure to welcome you to the United Nations Human Rights Council in
CIAMUN 2014. As students of sophomores this year, we became interested in the development
of technology nowadays, particularly technology used with a scientific purpose regarding
cloning. Since we, both Chair and Vice-Chair had previous MUN experience regarding a topic
that included cloning issues, we decided to create a futuristic committee that addresses what the
UN would have to decide ethically if human clones were to be created and released. The
countries participating in this committee have different opinions regarding this issue today in
2014, you will notice in the following guide that over the course of 21 years, the opinions of
some countries have changed while others have not. This knowledge will be of vital importance
for delegates to represent their assigned nation well. The debate in this topic can go many
different ways based on the position of your countries, although we encourage that you find a
way to write strong resolutions that voice not only your countrys position and beliefs, but your
own opinion on the topic at hand.

We believe that through critical and constructive debate during the conference all of
us will have a chance to think deeply about this topic. And by thinking deeply about this issue,
we will come up with innovative solutions to create a future that we would like to live in. As
such, we encourage you to take your research seriously, follow the news about relevant events
that are happening as we anticipate our conference, and come into the conference not only
informed, but also ready to innovate and to collaborate.
We are interested in a fluid and healthy debate, but we believe that serious debate should not be
boring and that good humor is an important quality in any delegate. We hope that you have a
good time here at CIAMUN and leave with minds filled with ideas and knowledge related or
not, to our topic. If you have any concerns regarding the topic or the committee, do not hesitate
in reaching out to either the Chair or Co-Chair.

Sincerely;
Gabriela Planchart Chair of The Human Rights Council
Cristina Rodrguez Co-Chair of The Human Rights Council





General Information Regarding Cloning:


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Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA
fragments (molecular cloning), cells (cell cloning), or organisms. Over the past century
scientist have been capable of developing various types of cloning methods, each one
specialized in distinct areas and all of them working with regenerative medicine, as for
example:
1. Therapeutic cloning: is the method that involves the copying of cells and it is
used to treat diseases, conditions and the creation of organs etc.
2. Genetic engineering: is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome
using biotechnology.
3. Reproductive Cloning: is the production of a genetic duplicate of an existing
organism.

An example of a cloned organism is Dolly The sheep, cloned in 1996 by the process
of somatic cell nuclear transfer, the first successfully cloned creature in history, although, this
sheep was unsuccessfully cloned 277 times with no end.

Current Situation

Many nations around the world have always seen Cloning as very delicate theme to
discuss, specially the method of Reproductive Cloning described as the result of our hubristic
quest of regenerative immortality in which they had clearly agreed on not accepting, creating
jurisdictions that prohibit the implementation of it at any cost. Even though having an exact
copy of you somewhere in the world may sound interesting and innovating, there are more
downsides that the world is not prepared to accept or solve.

However, the problem we are presented with today began in 2014 when
independent scientists with the capability of creating a human from the hands of science were
selected to work with several companies interested in cloning. One of the involved companies
was Clonaid, a company specialized on Biotechnology that has always been investigating fields
concerning cloning, specifically Reproductive Cloning. The company headquarters are
established in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is the most viable area since the state of Nevada has
no legislation on Cloning research.

February 3
rd
of this year (2035), The New York Times published an article stating
that the biotechnological company Clonaid has been keeping 75.467 clones in captivity. The
production of these clones started in 2014 and they have been working clandestinely and
illegally since then, testing vaccines, radiation, implementing deadly methods and others on said
clones. In these circumstances this committee is in charge of resolving one short but complex
question: should the Human Rights apply to these clones?

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Characteristics Presented In Clones:

They have the same DNA as the person used to create the clone
Since the clones are formed by the manipulation of science we know for a fact that
they are a better version of their human precedent.
They are infertile (cannot reproduce).
They present analytical thinking patterns.

We know for a fact that the creation of clones was not permitted before for many
clinical, scientific, social, political, economical and ethical aspects, but they exist now and it is
important to review both points of view regarding the decision of implementing human
rights or not to the clones.

1. With Human Rights:

According to the United Nations, Human rights are rights inherent to all human
beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour,
religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without
discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the forms of
treaties, customary international law , general principles and other sources of international law.
International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or
to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental
freedoms of individuals or groups.

For a lot of people, giving human rights to clones is the ethically right thing to do
since they are a creation of science but they still deserve rights in the world. Clones with human
rights would be incorporated in daily life and live as humans do. There is another alternative
that presents the option clones having rights, just not the same ones on the Human Rights
Declaration, adapting these depending on needs, characteristics, situations, among other
variables.

Benefits
If Clones feel accepted in society, they might agree to be productive in many ways
for example: if a couple cannot have children, a clone could be made with their genes, so they
have a descendant that actually has their genes. It is a common belief that clones are a better
version of ourselves, the world could develop in a huge way with their contribution to society,

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for example: helping us solve problems and even teaching the world some values, particularly
tolerance, helping humans socially.

Disadvantages
Clones would foster an understanding of children, and of people in general, society
may feel they would diminish the sense of uniqueness of an individual by taking their place in
the world and a great percentage of the world would not trust them by them having the right of
decision.

2. Without Human Rights:
If Clones didnt have human rights it is predictable that they are going to be used
for scientific and clinical research without any type of boundaries or even be eliminated from
the face of the earth.

Advantages
Having an exact same clone of any type of person is going to be useful in many
types of scientific and medical developing, from vaccines to the elimination of certain flaws on
the human gene, the cure of the cancer, Alzheimer or Parkinson and prevent the radical effects
radiation has on our bodies. Clones without rights might even be used as drones in wars, with
them being considered synthesized disposable beings.

Disadvantages
We know that human clones are a better version of the human race and we know
they may be even stronger, more intelligent and perceptive. There is a possibility they even
have a sense of rebelliousness and reasoning, if we dont give them freedom or right there is a
possibility of the idea of an uprising being implanted into their heads, which may lead to a war.
Another downfall to this is the possibility of clones being used for illegal trafficking.

To reach the decision of adding clones under the protection of human rights or not
we must consider every aspect, from social to clinical; and every advantage and disadvantage
that our decision may cause. It is highly important that the decision we reach is bearing in mind
the well being and preservation of the human race.





Country Background:

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In the following chart, you will find a series of important events that have changed
or reinforced the participating countries opinions from the year 2014 to nowadays (2035).
This chart will help you by providing information on the topic. You should know also that
this chart is just a guide to provide certain information on your futuristic positions.
Although the main focus in this committee is Reproductive cloning, Therapeutic cloning
information is provided as well to give you useful information that can complement the
debate.
Country Events
Argentina Argentinian laws used to state that cloning was banned, but research regarding
cloning was not. in 2015, Argentinian geneticist Daniel Corach managed to
clone a baby girl named Ana. Because of the laws, Ana had to be labeled an
Experiment for her not to be considered an outlaw, but reports on the facility
she grew up in show that she was treated as a normal girl. Psychologists and
pediatricians were very excited when she was born and released information
that Ana possessed every human quality that a real human presents, making her,
in argentinians eyes, an equal to human beings. However Ana died 9 month
later from genetic complications that science at the time could not solved. Due to
Anas death there wasnt any type of mayor discussion between nations.
China The law in China has never been against any type of cloning, but because of the
overpopulation in this country, there is a lack of interest for Reproductive
Cloning, although Therapeutic Cloning has been studied thoroughly throughout
the years due to the fact that there is no limit in obtainable embryonic material.
The studies paid fruit and China presented a significant amount of advances in
Therapeutic Cloning techniques between 2010 and 2030. Nowadays,
Therapeutic Cloning is a regular medical solution for patients needing organs
and such, although it is a process that requires almost the same amount of time
as Reproductive Cloning, but the results are minor.
Germany German scientists have been working with cloning techniques since before 2000,
with the law there being that no German Embryonic cells were to be used, but
the purchase and import of such cells was permitted. There used to be a ban on
Reproductive cloning in Germany until the year 2016, when the Government
made cloning legal, saying that the study of cloning technologies would be
helpful for the nation, helping them create what they believe would be
genetically superior humans. Germany has not yet produced the first human
clone, but are still researching the best ways to create such clones and have gone

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a long way in the cloning of animals such as Hubert the Horse, a reproductively
cloned horse that presents superior genes that most horses, but still presents
regular horse behavior. However, this clone is also put on questioning and as
part of the discussion in the UN.
Greece Both types of cloning were banned in Greece until 2015, when they were
removed from the European Union due to their economic crisis. This crisis
began improving in 2019 and by 2026, Greece was one of the wealthiest
independent nation in Europe. This wealth was very helpful between 2021 and
2030, years during which Greece suffered from the Red Death plague which
killed more than half of the Greek population. This plague ended as suddenly as
it started in 2030, and to this day scientists are investigating possible causes of
this disease, but to no end. Since the end of the plague, the government has been
looking for ways of raising their population numbers, but progress has been
slow. Many geneticists have said that Reproductive Cloning may be a possible
solution for the population crisis in Greece, but the government has had no
counter statement regarding this option, neither complying nor denying it.
Israel The State of Israel has never had any type of ban on cloning, preferring to
practice Therapeutic cloning and studying Reproductive cloning until 2031,
when it was revealed that Aharon Levy, a young man that had greatly served the
Israeli government in many different ways, was in fact a clone. This man turned
out to be a covert experiment that consisted in the cloning of a boy and placing
him under care of adoptive parents that cared and raised him as a normal child.
During his raising, Aharon presented human characteristics that seemed
enhanced; being the product of modified genes he had near-perfect DNA making
him a super man. Aharon Levy was the first clone placed in society and was
always seen as human, regardless of his origin.
Romania Romania has had, through time, an almost unchanging opinion on cloning. They
are not against cloning as long as it is not human reproductive cloning, which
they consider to be a violation of a humans right to safety of identity and
personality. Therapeutic cloning began being a common medical practice in the
years after 2019, but human reproductive cloning has never been practiced nor
particularly studied.
Russia Since the beginning, the Russian Federation has been against any types of
cloning for various reasons. The first of these is that Russia is a very
conservative country that has barely made any changes in its constitution, thus,

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as some believe, making it a country in which development is almost
nonexistent. Another reason for their oppositionist tendencies is that they believe
they have enough orphans and population living in the rough countryside to
worry about, they do not need fake humans around to take what real humans
work for as stated by a russian politician.
They also believe therapeutic cloning to be unnatural and so they prohibit this
practice.
South Africa South Africa has always been a country that has been against cloning. In the
early 2000s, Therapeutic cloning was made a legal practice, but a very
expensive and rare one. Beginning in 2024, the demand for synthesized organs
grew and by 2030, Therapeutic cloning of organs was a regular practice. The
South African government still does not allow Human Reproductive cloning, but
greek geneticists agree with french ones regarding the use of human clones to
obtain more organs faster.
United
Kingdom
In the UK, Therapeutic cloning has always been a safe and common alternative
to organ transplants, but Human Reproductive cloning has always been seen as a
research practice. Many English doctors protest in order to eliminate the ban on
Human Reproductive Cloning due to the fact that they believe that the study of
different diseases and possible drugs would be made easier if the patients are
only physical copies of humans. This opinion is voiced by more than half of the
UKs population, including the parliament. Due to this belief, the Government
agreed to have elections on the elimination of the Human Reproductive cloning
ban. These elections are set to happen on November 3036.
United States The United States has never had any federal law against cloning research and
due to this; most of the companies, like Clonaid, that study cloning are based and
operate on American grounds. Since Therapeutic cloning started gaining
popularity, these private companies have had the chance and resources to work
more on Human Reproductive cloning in a low profile (clandestinely), believing
that if they isolated the good genes and then made a perfect DNA chain, that
they could make the humans of the future. The thought of this being possible
helped the fatalists of America, giving them the comforting thought that the
future of their country was safe in the hands of genetically superior human
beings.



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Questions a Resolution Must Answer
1. Are clones going to have limitations or exceptions? If so, which ones?
2. Is there going to be exceptions in certain countries on the points that will provide the
resolutions regarding clones and their human rights?
3. Is it going to be permitted their participation in illegal activities as substitutes of humans?
(For example: organ trafficking)
4. Are they going to participate in the decision making of our world?
5. Is their use as lab rats going to be legal?

Bibliography
http://www.geneticsandsociety.org/section.php?id=16
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloning
http://ishumancloningmoreharmfulthanhelpful.blogspot.com/2012/05/advantages-and-
disadvantages-of.html
http://ishumancloningmoreharmfulthanhelpful.blogspot.com/2012/05/advantages-and-
disadvantages-of.html
Harvard 2014 Background Guide: Futuristic Inter-Governmental Bioethics Committee,
2030