GA Resolution: Missing Minors Database

[Guy]

This is the discussion thread. Please go here to cast your vote.

Missing Minors Database
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Wildeson


Description: Believing in the sovereign right of minors to their own safety and well-being;

Concerned that there are individuals who still willingly and deliberately abduct minors against their will;

Noting that the abductor can be anyone, whether a stranger, trusted parent, family member or friend;

Defines, for the purposes of this resolution:

Minor: a citizen who is under a nation's established age of majority;
Abductee: a minor who has been abducted by an individual or group of;
Abductor: an individual who has willingly and knowingly kidnapped a minor;
Abduction: the act of kidnapping of a minor or group of minors by force for any reason.

Considers runaways as missing minors, for the purpose of this resolution: such cases will be tagged as such to distinguish from abductions;

Hereby establishes the Return Home Safe Agency (RHSA) to create and maintain the missing minors database and alert system which will track the whereabouts of minors who have been reported as missing or abducted.

Mandates that each member nation shall maintain their own database that shall be accessible only to the law enforcement authorities of the nation.

Urges each member nation to make available their database to RHSA whether or not there is reasonable belief that the missing juveniles have been taken across internationally recognized borders.

Requires that where a minor has more than one parent or guardian, that the accompanying guardian or parent have an authorized notice from the other stating that they are permitted to take the minor across the international border.

Permits non-member participation and cooperation in RHSA for the benefit of safely returning home abducted minors who have been taken across international borders into non-member nations, with the mutual understanding that sovereignty will be respected.

Suggests that upon the safe return of the abductee that the case be considered resolved.

Recommends that should the abductee, unfortunately, be murdered by the abductor, efforts should be made to return the body to the family for an appropriate funeral and to bring the abductor to justice.

The database shall contain the following information but is not limited to:
- The minor's last known whereabouts; where they were kidnapped from
- A physical description of the juvenile; weight, height, unique features
- Their age, date of birth
- Languages known and/or spoken
- A recent photograph (or if unavailable, a sketch) preferably dated within the last three months before the abduction

The alert system shall include but is not limited to broadcasts across all available media (such as TV news), mass notification with alerts going out to all border crossings, transportation hubs and notification to all other legal enforcement authorities in the nation.

The notification shall contain a brief description and a recent photo or sketch of the abductee and information on the abductor if it is available.

Law enforcement authorities of the abductee's nation shall not cross the internationally recognized border without first receiving clearance from the other nation if ever they wish to conduct an investigation abroad.

Co-authored by Meekinos

[Guy]

Oops! Link fixed. Get your votes in people!

[Eireann Fae]

I vote no, for the reasons I posted at forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=3834552#p3834552 (and the reasons posted by the Monikian WA Mission above that post). This is a very flawed resolution that still has many kinks to work out. We support the spirit of it, but not the text of it. Meekinos seemed to address our concerns in the forum, but they were not addressed in the final draft, so we can't support it.

For those that don't want to follow the link, runaways may have a good reason for doing so, and shouldn't be kidnapped by police and forcibly returned to their parents. Once the minor is returned, this resolution would consider the case 'closed', with no investigation into the identity of the abductor or the reason for the running away. Also, this gives the government the ability to take over private media, which we cannot allow. And as the Monikian delegate pointed out, there are problems inherent with the legislation when dealing with other international issues.

Again, the heart of the legislation is in the right place, but its 'brain' certainly is not. Opposed.

[Walabamba]

I think you missed a few key points, it says that Runaways are under a different category then it goes on to say "abductee" wherever it mentions the database, return of child, no case after return etc. for this reason, I'm FOR.

[Gilnas]

I vote for, for the same reasons as Wala.

[Eist]

I don't really see the significance. I believe that the database information is pretty standard for any nation, and that the alert systems is a bit overkill - besides, news loves stories of missing peoples anyway.
I believe that the increased bureaucracy and cost in setting up the Return Home Safe Agency (RHSA) outweighs the benefits.
I haven't really made up my mind, but at the moment I'm leaning against.

[Cerb]

Surely this is all covered under laws in each nation for kidnapping? This seems like totally superfluous meddling in something that already happens.

[Woonsocket]

Looks like a feel-good resolution to me, more than one of substance. Having said that, I don't have a serious objection -

[Glen-Rhodes]

I hope some of you will change your mind, in case 10KI's internal poll shifts in the next two days.

I find one major problem with the resolution: it suggests that nations don't prosecute kidnappers. Although this is a suggestion, WA resolution, like real UN resolutions, do carry political weight. By saying that cases should be resolved once an abductee is returned, the World Assembly is saying that it's okay for nations to give kidnappers a free ride home.

This is not only dangerous for nations with their own kidnappers, but also for everybody. If a nation doesn't arrest the kidnappers, they could travel abroad and kidnap people in your nation or mine. The World Assembly should not be legitimizing this insane idea.

Furthermore, the resolution is completely _optional_. It says that nations must maintain a database, but so what? What good is the RHSA if it's up to nations to willingly submit kidnapping information? It's pretty much a wasteful committee, when it's set up that way.

[Guy]

Thanks G-R.

My vote is still against since it leads on the poll.