NationStates Jolt Archive

[EDIT: Since I started this topic again (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30) on the new forum, and I had no idea we'd be operating two forums simultaneously, I have elected just to stick with the new thread, and to stop updating this one. In the meantime, I will keep the master list (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835480&postcount=2) here updated (with links to the resolutions posted on the new forum), and if the new forum does not work out, I'll transfer everything back here and we can continue to use this thread as though nothing had happened.]



List of Passed World Assembly Resolutions

This topic is meant as a quick-reference guide/resource for forum users who want to refer or link to past resolutions. One note: Yes, I am fully aware that all of these are already listed on the game site. However, the list on NationStates is not as "searchable" as a forum thread, so that's the reason for this. Please scroll down to the next post to see the list. The page-number thingies assume you have your account tools set to 15 posts per page, so if you have it set to 10 or 20, they won't match. Sorry.

Another important note: This only lists resolutions passed under the World Assembly, not the old NationStates United Nations (yeah, I know, I said the name, I'm going to jail, heh-heh). Those resolutions are listed here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=357572)*; well, most of them, at any rate.

Finally, please do not post in this thread. I'll try to keep this updated in a timely manner, but if I've been neglecting it, just telegram me. Do not litter this thread.

* Users should also note that the old UN resolutions no longer apply, so if you're linking to them in an attempt to accuse a proposal-writer of duplication, or to demand action by the WA for some nations' violation of this resolution or that, don't. You're wasting your time.

List of Passed World Assembly Resolutions

Page 1 The World Assembly (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835528&postcount=3)
Rights and Duties of WA States (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835552&postcount=4)
The Right to a Fair Trial (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835581&postcount=5) [REPEALED]
Restrictions on Child Labor (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835666&postcount=6)
Coordinating Relief Aid (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835689&postcount=7) [REPEALED]
Humanitarian Transport (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835708&postcount=8)
Workplace Safety Standards Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835730&postcount=9)
World Assembly Headquarters (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835755&postcount=10)
Prevention of Torture (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835796&postcount=11)
Nuclear Arms Possession Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835811&postcount=12)
Repeal "The Right to a Fair Trial" (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835834&postcount=13)
Prevention of Terrorism (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835862&postcount=14) [REPEALED]
Fair Criminal Trial (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835887&postcount=15) [REPEALED]

Page 2


Neutrality of Nations (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13880955&postcount=16) Freedom of Marriage Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13981509&postcount=17)
Sexual Privacy Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14020797&postcount=18)
WA General Fund (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14032767&postcount=19)
The Prisoners of War Accord (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14047849&postcount=20)
Child Protection Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14065467&postcount=21)
Suppress International Piracy (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14081128&postcount=22)
Living Wage Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14096784&postcount=23)
Diplomat Protection Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14116570&postcount=24) Ban on Slavery and Trafficking (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14140556&postcount=25)
Repeal "Prevention of Terrorism" (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14231830&postcount=26)
WA Counterterrorism Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14283232&postcount=27)
World Assembly Economic Union (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14283248&postcount=28) [REPEALED]
Freedom of Assembly (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14306361&postcount=29)
Repeal "Fair Criminal Trial" (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14326660&postcount=30)

Page 3


Patient's Rights Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14370300&postcount=31)
Freedom of Expression (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14370311&postcount=32)
World Health Authority (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14370325&postcount=33)
Veterans Reform Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14529633&postcount=34) [REPEALED]
Repeal "Coordinating Relief Aid" (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14529657&postcount=35)
International Transport Safety (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14529676&postcount=36)
The Charter of Civil Rights (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14529687&postcount=37)
Repeal "Veterans Reform Act" (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14529725&postcount=38)
Fairness in Criminal Trials (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14547178&postcount=39)
Convention Against Genocide (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14587903&postcount=40)
The Right to a Lawful Divorce (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14587919&postcount=41)
The Landmine Convention (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14629406&postcount=42)
Access to Life-Saving Drugs (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14695080&postcount=43)
WA Environmental Council (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14695081&postcount=44)

New Forum (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30)
(See note (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835478&postcount=1) in OP)


WA Labor Relations Act (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30&p=428#p427)
Reduction of Abortion Act (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30&p=428#p428)
Repeal "World Assembly Economic Union" (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30&p=388#p615)
Right of Emigration (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30&p=4296#p4296) Law of the Sea (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30&p=396#p9888)

The World Assembly
A resolution to establish administrative parameters.

Category: Bookkeeping
Effect: Sweeping
Proposed by: Maxtopia

Description: The Adopted Nations of the World Assembly,

NOTING that the United Nations has spectacularly imploded in a colossal fireball of extra-dimensional inanity;

BELIEVING that there is a vital and needed role for a global organizational body;

FURTHER NOTING that there are an awful lot of United Nations Resolutions;

FURTHER BELIEVING that the demise of the United Nations may be fashioned into a grand opportunity for nations to draw a new destiny;

HEREBY

1. ESTABLISHES the World Assembly as the natural successor to the United Nations, with the full transfer of all Delegate ranks and associated endorsements;

2. ARCHIVES all previously passed UN Resolutions for historical purposes, so that citizens of today may forever look back upon the masterwork of their ancestors;

3. DECLARES the pages of international law to be blank;

4. INVITES members of the World Assembly to begin work on a new volume, which may in time exceed even the grandeur of its predecessor.

Votes For: 11,609
Votes Against: 2,259

Implemented Sun Apr 6 2008

[WAR1 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions)] [WAR1 on NSwiki (http://www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=The_World_Assembly_%28Resolution%29)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=553123)]

Rights and Duties of WA States
A resolution to restrict political freedoms in the interest of law and order.

Category: Political Stability
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Frisbeeteria

Description: World Assembly membership in NationStates is a choice, not a requirement. Those of us who chose to participate have certain responsibilities to ourselves, each other, and the entire NationStates community. At the same time, we as NationStates have certain rights and responsibilities that we do not willingly relinquish when we chose to join the World Assembly.

It is therefore vital to clearly delineate what constitutes sovereign law versus international law passed by this World Assembly. This document will attempt to enumerate those most basic of rights, as they exist within and as defined by the World Assembly of NationStates.

A Declaration on Rights and Duties of WA States:

Section I:

The Principle of National Sovereignty:

Article 1 § Every WA Member State has the right to independence and hence to exercise freely, without dictation by any other NationState, all its legal powers, including the choice of its own form of government.

Article 2 § Every WA Member State has the right to exercise jurisdiction over its territory and over all persons and things therein, subject to the immunities recognized by international law.

Article 3 § Every WA Member State has the duty to refrain from unrequested intervention in the internal or external economic, political, religious, and social affairs of any other NationState, subject to the immunities recognized by international law.

Section II:

Rights and Duties in War:

Article 4 § Every WA Member State has the right of individual or collective self-defense against armed attack.

Article 5 § War in the World of NationStates is defined as a consensual act between two or more NationStates. WA Member States may, at their discretion, intercede against declarations of war on behalf of NationStates who wish to avoid war.

Article 6 § Every WA Member State has the duty to refrain from fomenting civil strife in the territory of another NationState, and to prevent the organization within its territory of activities calculated to foment such civil strife.

Article 7 § Every WA Member State has the duty to refrain from giving assistance to any NationState which is acting in violation of Article 5 or 6. Every WA Member State has the duty to refrain from recognizing any territorial acquisition by another NationState acting in violation of Article 5 or 6.

Section III:

The Role of the World Assembly:

Article 8 § Every WA Member State has the right to equality in law with every other WA Member State.

Article 9 § Every WA Member State has the duty to carry out in good faith its obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law, including this World Assembly, and it may not invoke provisions in its constitution or its laws as an excuse for failure to perform this duty.

Article 10 § Whilst WA Member States may engage in wars, the World Assembly as a body maintains neutrality in matters of civil and international strife. As such, the WA will not engage in commanding, organising, ratifying, denouncing, or otherwise participating in armed conflicts, police actions, or military activities under the WA banner.

Article 11 § Every WA Member State has the duty to conduct its relations with other NationStates in accordance with international law and with the principle that the sovereignty of each WA Member State is subject to the supremacy of international law.

Votes For: 7,501
Votes Against: 2,511

Implemented Fri Apr 11 2008

[WAR2 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=1)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=553178]Official Debate Topic (]WAR2 on NSwiki[/url)]

The Right to a Fair Trial [Struck out by Resolution #11 (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835834&postcount=13)]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: South Oceana

Description: Observing that there is currently no guarantee of justice for those accused of criminal acts.

Noting that convictions are often unsafe due to the absence of any legal requirements for a trial under international law

Remarking that miscarriages of justice are common.

Believing that it should be everyone’s right to be protected from malicious and unfair prosecution by law.

Further believing that the more rigorous examination of evidence seen in a fair trial will lead to fewer innocent people being unfairly punished.

Hereby mandates that all WA member nations guarantee a fair trial to anyone facing prosecution in their territory, in accordance with the following requirements:

Article 1 § That the accused be seen as innocent until proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt, thus placing the onus of proof on the prosecuting authority.

Article 2 § That the defendant be given the right to present his case or to be represented by a person of his choosing.

Article 3 § That the evidence shall be considered by an impartial jury of no less than 5 people and presided over by a judge with knowledge of the laws being applied and the requirements for a trial.

Article 4 § That all persons shall have the right to remain silent when questioned, and exercising this right shall not be used as evidence against them in court.

Article 5 § That information and testimony may not be extracted under duress or using any form of physical or psychological torture.

Article 6 § That the defendant shall have the right to question any witness who provides evidence.

Article 7 § That the defendant be entitled to appeal against both the sentence and verdict that has been passed.

Article 8 § That any punitive sentence passed by a court be proportional to the crime committed.

Article 9 § That the proceedings of the trial conclude within a reasonable time period.

Votes For: 6,062
Votes Against: 4,477

Implemented Wed Apr 16 2008

[WAR3 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=2)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=554058]Official Debate Topic (]WAR3 on Nswiki[/url)]

Restrictions on Child Labor
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: The Dourian Embassy

Description: Understanding that certain nations may wish to employ or allow the employment of children;

Realizing that employment in certain industries can cause a child's well being and future to be in jeopardy;

Believing that it is morally reprehensible for any state or governing body to force children into any situation that is likely to cause them harm;

Further believing that certain basic protections should be provided to all children;

The World Assembly thus:

(A)Defines a 'minor' as a person below the legal age of majority as defined in their nation.

(B) Bans the employment of minors in:
(1) work in which they are subject to physical or psychological abuse,
(2) work in which they are required to be in physical locations that would be damaging to their health,
(3) work which involves dangerous machinery, dangerous equipment or dangerous tools,
(4) work which involves the manual transport or handling of heavy loads,
(5) work in environments exposing them to temperatures, noise levels, or vibrations damaging to their health,
(6) work in environments that may expose them to hazardous substances, agents and/or processes,
(7) work which would preclude the pursuit of a full-time education, such as work for long hours or work where they are unreasonably confined to the premises of the employer.

(C) Bans the participation of minors in armed conflict.

(D) Bans anyone under the age of consent from engaging in sexually explicit acts as a form of employment.

Votes For: 7,785
Votes Against: 2,455

Implemented Wed Apr 23 2008

[WAR4 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=3)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=554648]Official Debate Topic (]WAR4 on NSwiki[/url)]

Coordinating Relief Aid [Struck out by Resolution #33 (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14529657&postcount=35)]
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Charlotte Ryberg

Description: RECOGNIZING the existence of many specialized non-governmental organizations (abbreviated as NGOs), both at domestic and international level, focusing on providing humanitarian aid to both individuals and governments;

APPLAUDING the efforts of such NGOs for promoting international peace and strengthening the ties between nations;

OBSERVING that the World Assembly has not designated a single point of responsibility for coordinating the efforts of such NGOs;

REALIZING there are duplications of some relief efforts, and that communication problems may create inefficiencies in absence of a clear single point of responsibility;

The World Assembly,

RECOGNIZING that all citizens of member nations should be protected by such a humanitarian group.

1. ESTABLISHES the International Coordinated Relief Committee (ICRC), an organization whose sole duty is to co-ordinate of relief aid of NGOs in all member nations;

2. MANDATES that the ICRC shall be funded from the resources of the World Assembly, but;

3. PERMITS the ICRC to accept donations and grants from individual persons as a goodwill gesture;

4.1. DEFINES a major disaster as an event which may threaten lives and livelihoods, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks and war;

4.2. DEFINES the functions of the ICRC, whose role shall be to:
a) Provide international coordination of food, shelter, and humanitarian aid efforts in nations affected by a major disaster;
b) Co-ordinate the efforts of existing NGOs in member nations at an international level;
c) Provide training to volunteers of NGOs and the ICRC itself in preparedness for such disasters.

5. INSTRUCTS the ICRC to:
a) manage and prioritize the allocation of resources to specific situations or emergencies, based on the current inability of other governmental and NGOs to meet all of the needs of those situations;
b) not promote conflict or war in any way;
c) not abuse their budget, in any way that may hamper the true purpose of the organization itself.

ENCOURAGES member nations and existing NGOs to share recovery plans and aid each other through the halls of the ICRC.

Co-authored by Mikitivity.

Votes For: 7,923
Votes Against: 2,584

Implemented Thu May 1 2008

[WAR5 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=4)] [WAR5 on NSwiki (http://www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=Coordinating_Relief_Aid)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=555313)]

Humanitarian Transport
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Mikitivity

Description: The World Assembly,

CONCERNED about the absence of international standards governing the conduct of nations in international territory,

ACKNOWLEDGING that nations transport basic humanitarian supplies, including doctors and medical supplies as well as prisoners of war and other non-combatants through international territories,

CONCERNED that vessels moving humanitarian supplies or prisoners of war by land, air, sea, or space could also be used to move other cargo used in the conflict at the same time,

DEEPLY DISTURBED at the possibility that parties in a conflict could use prisoners of war or humanitarian supplies as shields for other military activities,

OBSERVING that no international standard has been established to make it easier for nations to identify and recognize other vessels used to transport prisoners, non-combatants, and humanitarian supplies,

1. CONSIDERS items and persons not being used to directly support combat operations, including prisoners of war, doctors and other medical experts, medical supplies, basic food and water supplies, sick and wounded combatants, and civilians to be humanitarian cargoes,

2. DISCOURAGES the practice of transporting humanitarian cargoes in the same vessel(s) or convoy as materials directly supporting combat operations,

3. RECOMMENDS that when possible, that exclusive vessels and convoys be used to transport humanitarian cargoes,

4. CALLS UPON nations to adopt a standard for identifying their humanitarian transports, such as painting the hull of dedicated humanitarian vessels completely white or flagging the vessels with an internationally recognized symbol associated with humanitarian aid,

5. URGES nations to follow this code of conduct and to inform the international community what standards they have adopted to identify their humanitarian transports,

6. DECLARES the right of humanitarian vessels to maintain defensive weapons and to have free and safe passage in international territories by prohibiting nations from firing upon vessels that are only carrying humanitarian cargoes,

7. REQUIRES humanitarian vessels to not initiate hostilities with any other vessel or targets unless first attacked and to not actively support offensive campaigns,

8. AUTHORIZES any national vessel within hailing distance of a humanitarian vessel to request, if there is sufficient cause, the humanitarian vessel to transmit their cargo manifest and prepare for boarding and inspection,

9. FURTHER REQUIRES humanitarian vessels to present a cargo manifest and to submit to the above inspection,

10. MANDATES that any searches conducted on humanitarian vessels must not put those vessels or their passengers or crew in any danger,

11. AUTHORIZES parties searching humanitarian vessels to seize any non-humanitarian cargoes, as defined in clause 1, including items listed on the cargo manifest,

12. PROHIBITS searching vessels from firing upon any humanitarian vessel that has provided its cargo manifest, allowed a search, and surrendered any non-humanitarian cargoes,

13. REQUESTS nations develop separate agreements to strengthen the basic goal protecting humanitarian cargoes,

14. EXPRESSES ITS HOPE that as more nations agree to standards of practice making transporting humanitarian cargoes safer, more nations will provide humanitarian aid.

Votes For: 6,757
Votes Against: 3,243

Implemented Wed May 7 2008

[WAR6 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=5)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=555876]Official Debate Topic (]WAR6 on NSwiki[/url)]

Workplace Safety Standards Act
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: The Dourian Embassy

Description: Believing that employees have the right to safe working conditions while at their workplace;

Understanding that a unified standard by which to measure workplace safety may lead to a reduction of workplace accidents, reduce health care costs, and help save lives;

The World Assembly, hereby:

1) Defines, as pertaining to this resolution:
A) An employee as any individual who performs a task or tasks for compensation that is not self employed, employed in law enforcement, or in the military.
B) A workplace as any location where an employee completes a task or tasks for compensation.

2) Guarantees the right of all employees to a safe working environment.

3) Requires that all chemicals be properly labeled, and that safety information be easily accessible in all workplaces pertaining to the chemical that include but are not limited to:
A) Physical data
B) Toxicity
C) Health effects
D) First aid instructions
E) Reactivity
F) Storage
G) Disposal
H) Protective equipment
I) Spill handling procedures
J) Flammability
K) Radioactivity

4) Requires that all workplaces establish minimum standards for Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) to ensure the safety of employees with full understanding of the hazards and environments employees may face.

5) Requires that all employees be provided with or provide their own PPE and that they be required to use them.

6) Requires that the workplace be reasonably free of safety hazards, that all equipment and tools can be safely operated, and that the workplace be maintained in such a state as long as employees are present.

7) Requires that all employees be trained to safely handle any hazardous materials they are required to work with or near.

8) Requires that proper training for tool, machine, and motorized vehicle operation be provided when employees are required to use them in the course of their work.

9) Requires a reasonable amount of emergency exits be provided that allow all employees to leave the workplace quickly.

10) Requires that emergency exits be kept accessible and clearly marked.

11) Requires that employees not enter or remain at a workplace when their ability to work safely is impaired to the point of endangering themselves or those around them.

12) Requires that all employees refrain from purposefully neglecting safety precautions in workplaces.

13) Requires that each nation ensure that within it there exist at least one adequately funded governmental body that inspects work sites and ensures compliance with this act throughout its territory.

14) Accepts that nothing in this resolution bars more stringent workplace safety standards.

Co-Authored by Yelda

Votes For: 7,675
Votes Against: 2,513

Implemented Mon May 12 2008

[WAR7 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=6)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=555877]Official Debate Topic (]WAR7 on NSwiki[/url)]

World Assembly Headquarters
A resolution to restrict political freedoms in the interest of law and order.

Category: Political Stability
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Omigodtheykilledkenny

Description: The ambassadors and observers to the NationStates World Assembly:

Laboring to pay attention after lengthy drinking binges last night at a well-known local pub (which, for purposes of this resolution, and for liability reasons, cannot be named);

Acknowledging the importance of international cooperation and understanding;

Applauding the efforts of international diplomatic organizations such as the World Assembly for their promotion of international goodwill;

Stressing the need for maintaining facilities for the furtherance of these activities;

Believing that a WA Headquarters, as a symbol of international unity and harmony, would help legitimize the World Assembly as an instrument of international law, and member states as partners in its creation;

Ignoring the findings of a recent census of WA diplomats, revealing a disturbing prevalence among international envoys of "drunks, stoners, weirdos, military fruitcakes, sex addicts, rejects, dear little kiddies, honest family types" and militant machistas;

Declaring, nonetheless, that it would be nice for these inmates to have an asylum to run;

Hereby:

Establishes the World Assembly Office of Building Management (OBM), the duties of which shall entail:
- locating suitable real estate for the establishment of international headquarters for the NationStates World Assembly
- constructing and maintaining the facilities necessary to house these headquarters
- furnishing the necessary security to protect the headquarters complex and all who use it
- selling contracts to vendors, retailers and other service providers to offer products or services, or operate local chapters, offices or franchises, within WA-controlled territory
- supplying access to available office space for WA agencies and all member and observer nations who request it, provided the requests are reasonable and appreciative of the OBM's limited time and resources
- ignoring or delaying requests for office space for weeks on end;

Declares that the headquarters for the World Assembly shall be located on international neutral territory, and that regular WA facilities shall not be subject to the jurisdiction of any nation;

Stipulates that fair compensation must be granted to nations who willingly, per international agreement, cede part of their territory for this purpose;

Determines that in addition to its regular duties the OBM, as a self-sustaining entity, shall determine fair and reasonable rental fees for all nations who maintain office space at WA Headquarters, and additional fees for nations who regularly use WA facilities;

Grants the OBM exclusive authority to increase, decrease or waive these fees as circumstances warrant;

Requires member states to respect the authority of the OBM over assigning offices at WA Headquarters, and invoicing nations for use of WA facilities.

Votes For: 4,918
Votes Against: 4,499

Implemented Sat May 17 2008

[WAR8 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=7)] [WAR8 on NSwiki (www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=World_Assembly_Headquarters)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=554540)]

Prevention of Torture
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Quintessence of Dust

Description: The World Assembly,

Recognising the universal right to freedom from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment,

Deeming torture to constitute such treatment,

Consequently moving quickly to enact strong prohibitions on torture within international law,

Declares:

1. ‘Torture’ is defined as an act of intentionally inflicting pain, severe discomfort or suffering on a person for the purposes of intimidation, coercion, personal punishment or interrogation, or to extract information, confession or concession to demands from them or any other person, where committed with the approval or assistance of a government official or person acting in such capacity.

2. Such acts include, but are not limited to:
-Physical, sexual, or psychological abuse,
-Forced maintenance of physically uncomfortable positions, such as stress positions or forced standing,
-Sensory deprivation, such as prolonged confinement to dark quarters and or use of a hood during interrogation,
-Subjection to intrusive noise, such as noise that is continuous or excessively loud,
-Sleep deprivation,
-Deprivation of adequate food and drink,
-Denial of necessary medical care,
-Denial of right to religious observance,
-Attempts to reduce physical or mental capacity, even where not causing pain or severe discomfort or suffering.

3. Torture is designated a crime against humanity, and its commission, including assistance in such commission or threats thereof, is to be designated a heinous crime under national and international law.

4. No member nation may enact or provide assistance towards the extradition, rendition, deportation, exile or other refoulement of a person to a jurisdiction where there is probable cause to believe they would be subjected to torture.

5. Member nations shall prohibit torture and attempts to commit torture, and shall treat such acts as criminal offences, including legal penalties reflecting the severity of such crimes.

6. Member nations shall take effective action to prevent acts of torture within their jurisdiction.

7. Member nations may not invoke extraordinary circumstances, such as armed conflict, state of emergency or civil unrest, to justify acts of torture.

8. An order to commit torture is a manifestly illegal order, and must be refused; such orders may be disobeyed without fear of legal penalty. Coercion may be considered as a mitigating circumstance in the prosecution of acts of torture committed by subordinates following orders.

9. The training of military and law enforcement personnel, those responsible for those held in detention, and any other persons having responsibility for persons facing interrogation, criminal investigation or detention shall include instruction on the obligation not to perform torture.

10. Any person making an accusation of torture within any member nation’s jurisdiction has the right to impartial investigation thereof.

11. If there is an accusation or probable cause exists to believe that an act of torture has been committed, the competent authorities will proceed properly and immediately to conduct an investigation into the case, and to initiate the corresponding criminal process.

12. Victims of torture have the right to suitable compensation, including the coverage of all medical expenses incurred as a result of torture.

13. Evidence obtained by torture shall be inadmissible in legal proceedings, except as evidence against persons accused of having obtained it by torture.

Votes For: 6,502
Votes Against: 4,000

Implemented Thu May 22 2008

[WAR9 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=8)] [WAR9 on NSwiki (www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=Prevention_of_Torture)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=555042)]

Nuclear Arms Possession Act
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

Category: International Security
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Flibbleites

Description: REALIZING that WA members are outnumbered by non members by about 3 to 1,

ACKNOWLEDGING the fact that only WA members are required to comply with WA resolutions,

NOTICING the fact that many non member nations are hostile towards WA members,

REALIZING that the WA members need to be able to defend themselves if attacked,

1. DECLARES that WA members are allowed to possess nuclear weapons to defend themselves from hostile nations,

2. PRESERVES the right for individual nations to decide if they want to possess nuclear weapons,

3. REQUIRES that any nation choosing to possess nuclear weapons take every available precaution to ensure that their weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.

Votes For: 6,313
Votes Against: 4,663

Implemented Fri Jun 6 2008

[WAR10 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=9)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=553614]Official Debate Topic (]WAR10 on NSwiki[/url)]

Repeal "The Right to a Fair Trial"
A proposal to repeal a previously passed resolution

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #3
Proposed by: The Dourian Embassy

Description: WA Resolution #3: The Right to a Fair Trial (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835581&postcount=5) (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Strong) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Understanding that the intended purpose of "The Right to a Fair Trial" is to provide fair trials,

Noting that the resolution fails to understand that the WA is composed of wildly divergent cultures in its description of a "Fair Trial",

Also noting that the resolution fails to take into account that certain nations have long-established non-jury judicial systems of unquestioned integrity,

Regretting that the resolution allows defendants to choose any person to represent them, despite the legal ramifications of possible conflicts of interest,

Further regretting that the resolution allows defendants any number of appeals they wish,

Noting that this flawed legislation bars a more effective resolution from passage,

Seeking the opportunity to introduce a more effective version of this resolution to the World Assembly,

The World Assembly hereby repeals "The Right to a Fair Trial".

Votes For: 7,187
Votes Against: 3,135

Implemented Thu Jun 12 2008

[WAR11 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=10)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=558359]Official Debate Topic (]WAR11 on NSwiki[/url)]

Prevention of Terrorism [Struck out by Resolution #24 (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14231830&postcount=26)]
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

Category: International Security
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Atrigea

Description: Measures to prevent international terrorism which endangers or takes innocent human lives or jeopardizes fundamental HUMAN RIGHTS and CIVIL FREEDOMS.

The World Assembly hereby,

REALIZING of the importance of expanding and improving international co-operation among WA States, on a bilateral and multilateral basis, which will contribute to the elimination of acts of international terrorism and their underlying causes and to the prevention and elimination of this criminal scourge,

NOTICING the principle of the inalienable right to self-determination and independence of all peoples under rogue regimes and other forms of alien domination, and upholding the legitimacy of their struggle, in particular the struggle of national and regional liberation movements, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Nationstates in accordance with the World Assembly,

1. Unequivocally condemns, as criminal, all acts, methods and practices of terrorism wherever and by whomever committed, including those which jeopardize friendly relations among WA States in their regions and their security;

2. Deeply deplores the loss of innocent human lives which results from such acts of terrorism, the pernicious impact of acts of international terrorism on relations of co-operation among WA States, including co-operation ;

3.Invites all WA States to take all appropriate measures at the national level with a view to the speedy and final elimination of the problem of international terrorism, such as fulfilment of assumed international obligations, and the prevention of the preparation and organization in their respective territories of acts directed against other WA States and Regions;

4.Calls upon all States to fulfil their obligations under international law to refrain from organizing, instigating, assisting or participating in terrorist acts in other WA States, or acquiescing in activities within their region directed towards the commission of such acts;

5.Urges all WA States not to allow any circumstances to obstruct the application of appropriate law enforcement measures provided for in the relevant conventions to which they are party to persons who commit acts of international terrorism covered by those conventions;

6.Further urges all WA States, unilaterally and in co-operation with other WA States, as well as World Assembly, to contribute to the progressive elimination of the causes underlying international terrorism and to pay special attention to all situations, including situations involving mass and flagrant violations of fundamental human rights and civil freedoms and those involving alien occupation, that may give rise to international terrorism and may endanger international peace and security;

Votes For: 5,660
Votes Against: 3,853

Implemented Tue Jun 17 2008

[WAR12 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=11)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=558782]Official Debate Topic (]WAR12 on NSwiki[/url)]

Fair Criminal Trial [Struck out by Resolution #28 (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14326660&postcount=30)]
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: The Narnian Council

Description: ACKNOWLEDGING that justice, free of corruption and prejudice, is a crucial factor in the wellbeing of society,

CONVINCED that an agreement upon basic legal rights will furthermore enhance synchronization in international trade, business and tourism,

ENACTS clear-cut legal standards of fairness and impartiality of trial.

PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS
1. The arrested shall have the right to be visited by and to correspond with persons of their choice, if that person in question consents, and shall be given adequate opportunity to communicate with the outside world - subject to reasonable conditions and restrictions as specified by law or lawful regulations.
2. In the knowledge of the importance of impartiality in Pre-Trial procedures, those responsible for the detainment of the arrested must provide sanitary conditions and basic living needs for the arrested.
i) ‘Basic living needs’ includes, but is not limited to, access to toilets/showers, and enough food, water, shelter and rest to keep the arrested in their normal healthy state.
3. The arrested has the right to know the reason of the arrest, with or without charges, within twenty-four hours of being arrested.
4. All persons are entitled to call upon the assistance of a lawyer, not already involved in the current trial proceedings, of their choice to protect and establish their rights and to defend them in all stages of criminal proceedings.
i) If the arrested lacks readily available finances/assets to afford legal assistance, it becomes the government’s liability to ensure that the arrested acquires a reasonably adequate defense counsel, before the trial commences - as provided by, but not limited to, government funding or a charitable organization.

THE HEARING
1. The accused must be granted, without discrimination, the right of equal access to a court.
2. The accused has the right to a trial without undue delay.
i) ‘Undue delay’ may occur between the time the accused is arrested, and the time when the judgment is passed – and may be caused by any negligence on the part of the prosecutor(s)/defendant(s) in the gathering of evidence, on the part of the government and/or on the part of the court in administering the case. The assessment of which will depend upon the circumstances of the case, which includes, but is not limited to, the case’s complexity, and the conduct of the accused and/or the authorities.
3. The accused has the right to a fair and impartial hearing.
4. The accused has the right to a public hearing.
5. The accused has the right to a competent and impartial tribunal that exercises both procedural and adjudicatorial fairness.
6. The accused has the right to adequate time, that is, enough time to have access to evidence according to the complexity of the case, and adequate facilities, that is, the accused and defense counsel must be granted appropriate information, files and documents necessary for the preparation of a defense and that the defendant must be provided with facilities enabling communication, in confidentiality, with the defense counsel.
7. The accused has the right to defend oneself in person or through legal counsel.
8. The accused has the right to have a witness examined by legal counsel on their behalf, if the witness consents.
9. The accused has the right to understand the proceedings and to be understood through means of an interpreter translating in their native form of communication.
10. The accused may waive any of the above rights.

Votes For: 6,237
Votes Against: 2,027

Implemented Sun Jun 22 2008

[WAR13 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=12)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=558466]Official Debate Topic (]WAR13 on NSwiki[/url)]

Neutrality of Nations
A resolution to slash worldwide military spending.

Category: Global Disarmament
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Charlotte Ryberg

Description: ACKNOWLEDGING that one of its roles is to promote world peace;

The World Assembly,

BELIEVES that:
- It is a right of any Member Nation that is uninvolved in a said war to make a formal claim of Neutrality, and;
- A Neutral Nation must be protected from Belligerent Nations, provided that they observe obligations to justify its neutrality.

DEFINES, for the purpose of this Resolution:
- War as a armed conflict between two or more Nations;
- A Neutral Nation as a nation that has formally declared itself neutral before the World Assembly with regard to a specific state of war or hostility existing between two or more other nations, and;
- A Belligerent Nation as a nation that is currently involved in said war or a nation that is supporting the armed forces of an existing Belligerent Nation.

1. MANDATES that Neutral Nations may not:
a) Harbour, aid or provide for armed forces of any Belligerent Nation or its military allies, including but not limited to: Air, Naval or Territorial Forces (but see §4);
b) Actively or covertly act to assist or support any armed forces or agents of an active Belligerent Nation or its military allies, through force or other means of supporting military action;
c) Conspire to influence the outcome of the said war regardless of the level of secrecy, except where efforts are made to mediate or negotiate a truce or peaceful end to the conflict;

2. MANDATES that Belligerent Nations may not:
a) Invade or occupy a Neutral Nation during the said war, unless the World Assembly is convinced that doing so will actually improve world peace.
b) Exploit a Neutral Nation for the internment of Prisoners of War, treatment of wounded, storage of dead personnel or other war-related activity without explicit and mutual consent of all involved parties;
c) Enter a Neutral Nation to resource supplies for military operations, such as weapons, personnel, armaments or agents, or;
d) Act in any other way that may threaten the neutrality of a Neutral Nation.

3. MANDATES that Neutral Nations may not, for the duration of the war in question:
a) Directly or indirectly engage in trade or exchanges, of any kind of military supplies: goods, weapons, agents, equipment and personnel with Belligerent Nations, and;
b) Acquire goods, domestic or military, obtained by Belligerent Nations through military operations.

4. CONSIDERS the status of neutrality to be invalid:
- If any part of §1 or §3 is knowingly and deliberately violated;
- If a nation wishes to end its status of neutrality at any time, or;
- If the war which neutrality is sanctioned on ceases to exist and the WA is satisfied that a similar conflict will not break out for a sensible period of time.

5. RECOGNIZES the right of neutral nations to allow Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to operate from, travel through or stage in their territory, for the purpose of delivering Relief Aid to civilian populations and the military wounded, but recommends that casualties receiving humanitarian aid should not be returned to the Belligerent Nation until after the war.

EMPHASIZES that a Neutral Nation may at their discretion, adapt any of the measures above where appropriate to protect themselves from Belligerent Nations outside the scope of the World Assembly, involving but not limited to: Diplomatic efforts and sanctions, or economic/trade sanctions.

APPLAUDS Nations that avoid armed conflicts for the purpose of world peace.

Co-Authored by Wolfish.

Votes For: 4,910
Votes Against: 2,509

Implemented Wed Jul 30 2008

[WAR14 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=wa_past_resolutions/start=13)] [WAR14 on NSwiki (http://www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=Neutrality_of_Nations)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=561577)]

Freedom of Marriage Act
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Mendosia

Description: The Nations of the World Assembly,

CONVINCED that the union of two persons should be equally protected by the State regardless of gender or sexual orientation,

CONVINCED that it is necessary to adopt worldwide standards for the protection of minorities whenever persons of these minorities decide to share a life together,

DETERMINED to further the rights of persons that have been oppressed and discriminated against for ages,

RESOLVED to provide a legal framework that enhances the social recognition of these minorities,

RECOGNIZING that religious communities have different views and are free to recognize or not such unions,

ADOPT the following resolution:

Article 1 (Object)

(a) This resolution applies to civil contracts regulating the union of two persons and its effects on the common estate and inheritance rights of the participants.

(b) This resolution does not affect the criteria and restrictions in existence for the celebration of rites within religious communities.

Article 2 (Protection of Marriage)

(a) All States shall have the minimum conditions to protect the union of two persons which shall include but are not restricted to provisions regulating the administration of the common estate and the inheritance rights acquired by those entering into such a union.

(b) The protection referred to in the previous section does not automatically confer any rights other than those that the State specifically provides for the protection of the union between two persons.

(c) The provisions of this article shall not be construed to diminish the status, rights or recognition of civil contracts already in existence.

Article 3 (Non-discrimination)

(a) No State shall restrict the right to enter into such unions to persons of a certain sex or sexual orientation, nor shall they require that they be of the same or different sex.

(b) No State shall establish different conditions, requirements or effects to unions of persons of the same or different sex.

(c) No State shall create special categories of contracts with similar goals and effects to those stated in the previous article while imposing any of the restrictions stated in the previous sections.

Votes For: 5,506
Votes Against: 4,393

Implemented Wed Sep 3 2008

[WAR15 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=14)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=563992]Official Debate Topic (]WAR15 on NSwiki[/url)]

Sexual Privacy Act
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Mendosia

Description: The Nations of the World Assembly,

CONVINCED of the need for legal limits to government interference in the private lives of individuals,

RESOLVED to create the adequate conditions for the development of sexual identity and sexual self-determination,

ADOPT the following Resolution:

Article 1 (Object)

(a) This resolution establishes a right to sexual privacy without state intervention.

(b) The provisions contained in this resolution apply to humans.

(c) Each Nation shall make all the necessary adaptations to these provisions in order to grant the same level of sexual privacy protection to any other sentient species there may exist under their jurisdiction, provided that their existence is legally recognized.

Article 2 (Definitions)

(a) Sexual Acts: any acts between two or more individuals which involve stimulation of the sexual organs.

(b) Consenting: giving full agreement by words or behavior with respect to all aspects of the sexual act or acts one is engaging in, while not being in circumstances that significantly impair judgement and seriously affect volition, including but not limited to any forms of coercion, deception, error on the identity of the partner; nor suffering from a severe mental illness.

(c) Age of consent: the age above which the consent given for the purposes of the previous paragraph is valid, being invalid below the said age.

(d) Puberty: the period of development during which physical growth and sexual maturation occurs.

Article 3 (Sexual privacy and its conditions of application)

(a) No Nation shall enact legislation prohibiting, criminalizing or otherwise regulating sexual acts between consenting individuals when practiced in the privacy of the home, or otherwise away from public exposure.

(b) Each Nation can define an age of consent. Should a Nation fail to define an age of consent, the age of majority in use in said Nation shall apply. Should a Nation fail to establish an age of majority, the individual will be considered above the age of consent for the purposes of the previous paragraph if he/she has entered puberty.

(c) All Nations shall enact and enforce legislation deeming unlawful and duly punishing all sexual acts involving or committed against non-consenting or invalidly consenting individuals, without prejudice to any immunities applicable to minors or persons otherwise incompetent for the purposes of criminal responsibility.

(d) The provisions of this article will not be construed to ban the exercise of disciplinary power by independent professional organizations should an individual be unethically involved in sexual acts with a client or with someone otherwise under his/her authority or responsibility. The penalties applied in the context of a disciplinary process may only concern the professional status of the defendant and may not have criminal consequences, except in the cases covered in the previous paragraph. The ethical rules applied for the purposes of this paragraph will make no distinction with respect to gender or sexual orientation of the defendant.

Article 4 (Non-discrimination)

(a) No Nation shall establish an age of consent according to gender of the participating individuals or the nature of the sexual act.

(b) No Nation shall construe the notion of consent in such a way as to summarily deny that capacity to heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals or transgendered individuals.

Votes For: 5,963
Votes Against: 3,138

Implemented Thu Sep 18 2008

[WAR16 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=15)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=564854]Official Debate Topic (]WAR16 on NSwiki[/url)]

WA General Fund
A resolution to increase democratic freedoms.

Category: Furtherment of Democracy
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Omigodtheykilledkenny

Description: This Assembly,

Committed to providing for a stable, reliable source of funding for the World Assembly and its operations;

Convinced, however, that a program of solicited donations from national and private benefactors would serve the WA's purpose much greater than a coerced taxation scheme;

Disappointed by the previous practice of continually establishing programs and imposing mandates upon member states without stipulating how they will be funded;

Concerned by the possibility of corruption and wasteful spending, and determined to prevent such practices in the establishment of WA funding,

1. Declares that the World Assembly shall be funded by donations from member states; the WA will not levy taxes directly upon the citizens or residents of any nation;

2. Establishes the WA General Fund, which shall be the central source for the funding of WA operations, and the monies from which shall be spent only on maintaining the administration of the WA and missions established by a vote of the World Assembly;

3. Establishes the WA General Accounting Office (GAO), to collect donations to the General Fund, calculate available and projected funds for each fiscal year, publish an annual budget for the World Assembly, and certify that all appropriations therein are disbursed and utilized in a responsible manner;

4. Provides that national donations to the General Fund shall be assessed annually by the GAO, according to donors' national wealth and ability to give;

5. Further provides that annual surpluses in the WA budget shall be returned to national donors, in equal proportion to the amount of their contribution;

6. Further instructs the GAO to submit to regular audits from outside agencies;

7. Forbids the WA from engaging in deficit spending; and,

Recognizing that donations given to the World Assembly by member nations are likely to originate from public funds,

8. Affirms the right of member nations to maintain full authority over domestic taxation policies, barring those that may include unfair discriminatory practices;

9. Strongly encourages member states to provide for an appropriate degree of public accountability and transparency in decisions made regarding budgets and taxation.

Votes For: 5,258
Votes Against: 3,273

Implemented Tue Sep 23 2008

[WAR17 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=16)] [WAR17 on NSwiki (http://www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=WA_General_Fund)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=566396)]

The Prisoners of War Accord
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Cobdenia

Description: REALISING that conflict is ongoing & unavoidable

BELIEVING that personnel of an enemy’s armed forces captured during hostilities should be treated with respect and not be subject to human rights violations

DEFINES a "Prisoner of War", henceforth “PoW”, as a member of a belligerent armed force, excluding diplomats, found in uniform or where there is other good reason to believe he or she belongs to an opposing armed force, who has been apprehended by an opposing nation

DEFINES a "civilian internee" as a civilian national of a belligerent nation present and held in an opposing belligerent nation at the outbreak of hostilities against whom no reasonable suspicion of espionage, sabotage, subversion or other criminal charges exists. The right to intern or not such persons remains the privilege of the nation in question

DEFINES a "military internee" as a member of a belligerent armed force of either hostile powers found present and held in a neutral or non-belligerent nation. This excludes escaped PoWs who have made their way to non-belligerent nations

MANDATES that all PoWs and civilian and military internees, be they held in camps or otherwise, are to be supplied, free of charge, with the following, without unreasonable discrimination:
a) Shelter, fully nutritional food, washing facilities, water, & competent medical attention
b) Replacement uniforms and/or clothing. In the case of PoWs, such uniform is to reasonably resemble the uniform with relevant insignia he is entitled to in his own force, and bear no markings to distinguish the wearer as a PoW
c) Methods by which they may contact and be contacted by relatives & friends in their homeland, although the detaining nation may censor such correspondence if desired;
d) Protection against intimidation, humiliation, insults & physical attack
e) Other facilities as a nation may deemed necessary or desirable.

PROHIBITS PoWs, and civilian & military internees, from being subject to physical or mental interrogation, coercion, medical procedures not required to ensure such person's health, killed (including the killing of unapprehended hostile troops who have surrendered), and other such violations of human rights
a) Force may be used only in cases where the person in question is resisting apprehension, following reasonable warnings that such force is to be used. Detaining nation's forces are further permitted to search and remove any weapons and other contraband
b) PoWs may be questioned to establish their name, rank, number (be it regimental, unit, service or commissioning), and pertinent medical and religious information not of military importance. Such information is to be freely given by PoWs
c) Detaining nations are permitted to use PoWs as a labour force. Such labour cannot, however, be used in industries involved either directly or indirectly in the furthering of the detaining nation's war aims. Detaining nations may not use commissioned PoWs for manual labour. Internees are not to be used as a labour force without their consent

PERMITS nations to engage in repatriation of civilian internees, PoW exchanges, or conditional repatriation of either
a) Civilian and military internees may be left at liberty, military internees under the condition that they do not attempt to leave the country in which they are currently present
b) Escaped PoWs of any belligerent force who make their way to a non belligerent nation are to repatriated

Votes For: 5,561
Votes Against: 2,500

Implemented Sun Sep 28 2008

[WAR18 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=17)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=562680]Official Debate Topic (]WAR18 on NSwiki[/url)]

Child Protection Act
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Rutianas

Description: The World Assembly
Recognizing that children are abused and neglected, and
knowing that this abuse can be international in nature,
Seeking to outlaw this abuse
Defines a child as being under the age of consent or majority as defined by their home nation,
Defines the age of consent to be an age set by the state at which it deems a child able to assent or dissent to sex
Defines the age of majority, for the purpose of this resolution, as an age set by the state to signify a child's ability to be independent from their parents or guardians,
and
Declares;
1. For this resolution, physical abuse of a child under the age of majority is defined as any act which will tend to cause a child physical harm. Emotional abuse shall be defined as any act or behavior which has the result of psychologically harming a child

a) A child is entitled to be cared for, to be given sustenance, shelter, clothing, not to be deprived of education, to receive adequate medical care, and not to be physically or emotionally abused

b) Children have the right to impartial and private investigation of their claims of neglect, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse

2. For this resolution, sexual abuse of a child under the age of consent is defined as any act of sexual intimacy, feigned or real for the purposes of sexual gratification of the adult or others, between an adult and a child, including but not confined to any acts of genital stimulation of either the child or the adult in question

a) It is illegal to sexually abuse a child

b) It is illegal to relocate a child to another country for the purpose to cause sexual abuse to the child

c) Possessing, viewing, or circulating media, including, but not limited to, photographs and video, that involves sexual abuse of a child, shall be illegal

d) Exceptions may be made where member states have given permission for these kinds of materials to be used by law enforcement agencies or for research and scientific purposes, where possession of these materials is monitored by law enforcement authorities

e) Involvement in an act that inflicts sexual abuse is also illegal, however, if it can be proven that it was an unknowing involvement, leniency may be afforded due to the discretion of the nation’s judicial system

f) Exempting law enforcement authorities and court officials that may become involved in such acts to apprehend criminals, provided the agent/s are on duty and materials are relevant to the case

3. A child has the right to remain with his or her parents or guardians, provided that articles 1 and/or 2 have not been violated.

a) WA member states are urged to set up a system in which the public is notified of a kidnapped child

b) WA member states are urged to work together if a suspect and child are believed to have left the nation of the child’s residence

Votes For: 6,426
Votes Against: 1,946

Implemented Fri Oct 3 2008

[WAR19 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=18)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=565606]Official Debate Topic (]WAR19 on NSwiki[/url)]

Suppress International Piracy
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

Category: International Security
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Mavenu

Description: The World Assembly,

Believing that people should be able to go about their lawful affairs without having to worry about theft, assault or murder,

Recognising that dealing with crimes that occur completely within specific nations and that only affect those own nations’ peoples is a matter for those nations’ own governments,

Believing, however, that any crimes that interfere with international trade and travel and/or that cross national boundaries are matters in which the WA has a legitimate interest,

1. Defines the term ‘Pirates’, for the purpose of this resolution, as meaning people who are not formally recognised agents of any government (although some of them may have informal links to governments, from whom they receive support in exchange for various considerations, or may be at least partly motivated by loyalty to a cause), unlike ‘Privateers’, and who operate in groups to use threats and force to seize vehicles and their cargos — and possibly their passengers, and/or crew, as well — for personal gain, and who may also use ships or other vehicles as transportation for raids against settlements,

2. Defines pirates as 'international pirates’ if they operate across national borders and/or attack international trade,

3. Requires that all WA member nations refrain from giving any international pirates safe haven, or markets for their plunder, or any other support for their operations;

4. Requires all WA member nations to do as much as they reasonably can to suppress international piracy within their own territories;

5. Urges and authorises all WA member nations to do as much as they reasonably can to suppress international piracy within any areas (such as ‘international waters’) that are not under any nation’s effective control, and its bases wherever those are;

6. Requires all WA member nations to treat all offences committed during acts of international piracy that occurred outside of their own territories at least as seriously, as they would treat any comparable crimes committed within those territories and against their own people, if the alleged perpetrators fall into their hands, and authorises them to try people for piratical crimes committed elsewhere;

7. Declares that anybody who is accused of having served knowingly as crew aboard any vehicle being used by international pirates, but who can not be linked to any specific offences, shall be subject to appropriate charges of criminal conspiracy and ‘accessory before the fact’; and that proof of that service shall constitute adequate proof for conviction on those charges, unless they prove that they were forced into that crew on pain of death and served only as a non-combatant in which case courts may be allowed to acquit them;

8. Defines the knowing provision of unforced support for international pirates to be an act of conspiracy to commit those pirates’ crimes, and requires all WA member nations to treat such acts as they would conspiracy to commit any other crimes of comparable seriousness, unless that support is
A/ given only to captive pirates, and within the limits of help that can legally be given to prisoners in general, or
B/ given only to ex-pirates, with whom the legal system has already dealt, and is to help them live honest lives;

9. Strongly urges all WA member nations to act at least as thoroughly against any pirates who operate solely within their own territories as they do against international pirates.

Author: St Edmund.

Votes For: 5,251
Votes Against: 3,392

Implemented Wed Oct 8 2008

[WAR20 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=19)] [WAR20 on NSwiki (http://www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=Suppress_International_Piracy)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=559313)]

Living Wage Act
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Gobbannaen WA Mission

Description: The World Assembly,

AWARE that some workers are paid so little that they can barely afford to eat;

CONSIDERING this situation little better than slavery;

DESIRING that all people should be allowed to do more than merely surviving in exchange for full-time work;

DEFINES the Basic Poverty Line as the cost of enough food and drink to keep a person healthy for a week, plus one week's rent for an average one-person dwelling, plus the cost of an average weekly commute between home and work, plus the pro-rata weekly cost of those utilities deemed appropriate, less any income or benefits provided to all workers by the nation;

DEFINES the Dependent Poverty Line as the Basic Poverty Line, substituting an average two-person dwelling for an average one-person dwelling, plus the cost of enough food and drink to keep a dependent healthy for a week, plus the pro-rata weekly cost of schooling for a dependent, less any additional income or benefits provided to all workers with dependents by the nation;

REQUIRES that power and water supply be deemed appropriate utilities;

SUGGESTS an allowance be made for primary medical care where it is not free at the point of access;

NOTES that the Poverty Lines are defined on an area basis, and sets no limits as to how any nation may define such areas save that they must lie wholly within the nation's boundaries;

REQUIRES that the Poverty Lines be re-evaluated on at least an annual basis;

CONSIDERS a person working on average 30 hours or more per week to be in full-time employment, counting paid holiday as time worked;

REQUIRES that no person in full-time employment be paid the equivalent of a weekly net wage of less than 25% over the Basic Poverty Line;

REQUIRES further that no person in full-time employment be paid the equivalent of a weekly net wage of less than 25% over the Dependent Povery Line unless that person has no dependents and explicitly waives this right;

CONSIDERS a person working on average between 10 and 30 hours per week to be in part-time employment, counting paid holiday as time worked;

REQUIRES that a person in part-time employment be subject to the same minimum weekly net wage regulations as a person in full-time employment, with the relevant wage levels pro-rated to the proportion of 30 hours per week worked.

EXEMPTS from this requirement workers in the voluntary sector, who donate their time as they choose;

EXEMPTS also from this requirement convicted criminals who are required to perform work in the course of their sentence;

CONSIDERS a person working on a contractual basis to be equivalent to a person in direct employment for the purposes of this resolution;

DECLARES void any contract specifying a lesser wage or contractual remuneration than is specified above, requiring that either that contract is revised to conform with the above requirements or that national redundancy laws be invoked;

ACCEPTS that individuals may be paid in kind as well as cash, evaluating such payments for the purposes of this act as follows:

* Items which form part of the relevant Poverty Line assessment are evaluated as that part, pro-rated to their proportion of the individual's actual requirements;
* Other goods and services are evaluated as their average market value in the area over which the Poverty Line is assessed;

and URGES nations to ensure that their welfare systems provide at least the equivalent of a weekly wage of 20% over the Poverty Line.

Votes For: 4,431
Votes Against: 3,305

Implemented Mon Oct 13 2008

[WAR21 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=20)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=564171]Official Debate Topic (]WAR21 on NSwiki[/url)]

Diplomat Protection Act
A resolution to increase democratic freedoms.

Category: Furtherment of Democracy
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Forensatha

Description: REALIZING that that nations can use a variety of methods to restrict a diplomat's ability to do their job

RECOGNIZING that diplomats are a necessary part of interaction between nations and the spread of cultural understanding

RECOGNIZING that diplomatic immunity must be agreed upon by the nation the diplomat represents and the nation the diplomat serves in

DEFINES a diplomat, for the purposes of this resolution, as any member of diplomatic, consular, and other staff serving in an embassy, consulate, consulate-general, legation, high commission, deputy high commission, or other diplomatic mission. This excludes hired personnel with local citizenship

REQUIRES that all diplomats sent to the World Assembly shall be automatically granted diplomatic immunity

REQUIRES that nations in which diplomats are serving must provide the diplomat with the best medical care on hand in cases of emergency

REQUIRES that all diplomats to other nations shall be free from physical harm, execution, sexual assault, enslavement, or use for medical experiments not necessary for medical treatment of the diplomat by the nation in which they are serving

REQUIRES that any diplomat granted diplomatic immunity be free from prosecution for crimes, search and/or seizure of personal belongings and belongings of family members and personal staff, search and/or seizure of family members and personal staff, seizure of pets, and search and/or seizure of private quarters outside any extraterritorial property by the nation in which the diplomat is serving
a) A diplomat may still be tried for crimes by the nation they serve
b) If suspected of a crime, the nation the diplomat is serving in may present the evidence to the nation the diplomat is from
c) If diplomatic immunity is revoked, the diplomat remains immune to prosecution for suspected crimes that occurred during the immunity by the nation in which they are serving
d) A diplomat may be detained for nonmedical reasons for 24 hours in cases where they serve a direct threat to the wellbeing of others, such as driving while intoxicated or other similarly dangerous activities, or longer, with the agreement of the nation they serve
e) A diplomat may be expelled from the nation in which they are serving for any reason

REQUIRES that property agreed upon as extraterritorial or as diplomatic pouches or bags be immune to search, seizure, customs, taxes, vandalism or arson by military or government officials of the nation in which the diplomat is serving, or military assaults by the nation in which the diplomat is serving

PROHIBITS nations from sending diplomats with the express intent of committing crimes of espionage, sabotage, subversion, causing harm to the civilian population, and other related crimes committed outside of a diplomats duties

Co-authored by Cobdenia

Votes For: 5,236
Votes Against: 2,226

Implemented Sat Oct 18 2008

[WAR22 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=21)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=567203]Official Debate Topic (]WAR22 on NSwiki[/url)]

Ban on Slavery and Trafficking
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Quintessence of Dust

Description: The World Assembly,

Considering slavery, forced labour and human trafficking to be violations of basic human rights,

Declares:

1. Holding under the law any person to be the possession, property, or chattel of any other person or any legal entity, or binding any person to an employer by a contract to which they have not consented, shall be considered 'slavery' and immediately prohibited in all nations;

2. Requiring any person to work, enter a work contract, or conform to terms of employment, which they have not freely agreed themselves or through a person they have freely appointed to represent them, through such means as abduction, coercion, deception, destitution, or fraud, or threats of such, to themselves or their families, including such acts as violence or criminal damage, or unlawful detention or eviction, shall be considered 'forced labour' and immediately prohibited in all nations;

3. The definition of 'forced labour' excludes:
- conscription or alternative required national service;
- prison labour or community service given as sentence in the course of a fair trial;
- required service of wartime prisoners of war and internees, in accordance with international law;
- required national emergency service;
- normal civic duties;

4. Forcing or inducing the transfer of any person against their freely given will, or assisting or financing such actions, through similar forms of coercion, for the purposes of exploitation, such as slavery or forced labour, or situations approximating to such, sexual exploitation, or unauthorised medical procedures, shall be considered 'human trafficking' and immediately prohibited in all nations;

5. Such conditions shall be collectively referred to as 'servitude';

6. All persons under condition of servitude shall be immediately freed and all contracts or conditions enforcing servitude voided;

7. Persons fleeing servitude shall be accorded refugee status, and refoulement to nations where they would be returned to such conditions or punished for escaping them prohibited;

8. Reasonable action must be taken to prevent reprisals against such persons, including the passage and enforcement of laws to criminalise such;

9. Discrimination in civil, social, economic, legal and political rights, protection under law, access to public services, travel permission and any other rights afforded by national and international law based solely on prior condition of servitude shall be prohibited, excepting any positive actions taken at the national or more local level to assist with rehabilitation, such as priority access to sheltered accommodation;

10. Goods produced, in whole or in part, through servitude shall be permanently embargoed, and all investment and material support to nations, legal entities and persons practicing servitude immediately ended, except as transition assistance or compensated manumission to free people from such conditions;

11. Nations shall take part in a concerted diplomatic effort to end servitude, and to prevent areas having abandoned such from returning to such practices;

12. Nations shall apply due scrutiny to such institutions as industries employing significant proportions of migrant workers, legal or commercial sex industries, industries employing minors, and their national organ donation systems, to identify catalysts to human trafficking, and to work, where necessary in concert with others, to eliminate such.

I'd like to thank...Yelda!

Votes For: 5,944
Votes Against: 1,319

Implemented Mon Oct 27 2008

[WAR23 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=22)] [WAR23 on NSwiki (http://www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=Ban_on_Slavery_and_Trafficking)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=564428)]

Repeal "Prevention of Terrorism"
A proposal to repeal a previously passed resolution

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #12
Proposed by: Wachichi

Description: WA Resolution #12: Prevention of Terrorism (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835862&postcount=14) (Category: International Security; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: ACKNOWLEDGING the resolution’s valiant effort to fight and eliminate both international and internal terrorism,

NOTING that the Prevention of Terrorism resolution fails to ever define or interpret what constitutes a terrorist, terrorist organization, or terrorism,

REGRETTING that the proposal allows too broad an interpretation of the controversial words mentioned above,

REALIZING that such undefined terms could lead to false accusations between member states toward possibly innocent and neutral states, which could lead to declarations of war, and endangering international peace,

NOTING that the resolution in question does not outline any specific steps or take any concrete action that would actually protect WA member states from terrorism;

FURTHER NOTING that the resolution does not bar member states from providing financial or material support for terrorist individuals or organizations;

FURTHER REGRETTING that the resolution in question prevents more effective legislation on terrorism from being introduced;

SEEKING an opportunity to establish a better, more accurate resolution to help more effectively fight global terrorism with well established definitions of those mentioned in this and former Resolutions,

The World Assembly hereby repeals the “Prevention of Terrorism” resolution.

Votes For: 5,516
Votes Against: 1,146

Implemented Sat Nov 15 2008

[WAR24 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=23)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=570063]Official Debate Topic (]WAR24 on NSwiki[/url)]

WA Counterterrorism Act
A resolution to improve world security by boosting police and military budgets.

Category: International Security
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: The Altan Steppes

Description: The World Assembly,

REALIZING the importance of expanding and improving international co-operation among WA States, on a bilateral and multilateral basis, which will contribute to the elimination of acts of international terrorism and their underlying causes and to the prevention and elimination of this criminal scourge,

RECOGNIZING terrorism as a major threat to the lives and well-being of civilians and non-combatants;

CONDEMNING the loss of life and harm that result from terrorist acts;

NOTICING the principle of the inalienable right to self-determination and independence of all peoples under rogue regimes and other forms of alien domination, and upholding the legitimacy of their struggle, in particular the struggle of national and regional liberation movements, in accordance with the World Assembly,

RESOLVING to address the danger of international terrorism, to protect the civilian populations of member states;

A) DEFINES “terrorism” as the use of violence by non-state actors for the purpose of creating fear or terror, to achieve a social, political, or religious outcome, and either committed with deliberate disregard or specific targeting of civilians or non-combatants.

B) DEFINES “civilians”, for the purpose of this resolution, as "persons who are not members of their nation's armed forces or police."

C) DEFINES “terrorist(s)” as a person or persons whose acts fall under the definition of “terrorism”.

D) DEFINES “terrorist act(s)” as an act committed by a person falling under the definition of a “terrorist” whose cause is to achieve social, political, or religious ends through violence knowingly targeted at civilians or non-combatants.

Hereby:

1) REQUIRES member states to take all effective measures at their disposal, subject to the rule of law, to prevent non-state actors from using their territory to commit terrorist acts against another nation.
(a)This shall include, but not be limited to, making it a criminal offense to conspire, aid, abet, fund, plan or carry out acts of terrorism across international borders. Member states shall prosecute those who violate such laws to the fullest extent possible within their nation.

2) BANS WA member states from providing funding, weapons, or any other form of assistance to any party committing terrorist acts against another nation, or from using other WA states or non-member states as a third party to conduct terrorist acts against another nation.

3) REQUIRES member states to freeze, or otherwise take control of without undue delay, any and all assets of terrorist individuals or organizations within their jurisdiction which may be used to support international terrorist acts, including but not limited to: equipment, facilities, and funds.

4) URGES member states to coordinate counter-terrorism activities, and share information and intelligence on individuals and organizations that practice terrorism, to combat its spread on an international level.

5) STRONGLY ENCOURAGES member states to do everything possible to address the underlying causes of terrorism within their borders, including but not limited to: poverty, racism, inequality or indoctrinated hatred.

6) CONDEMNS the use of terrorism by any member state of the World Assembly and

7) REQUIRES any member nation employing terrorism to immediately cease and desist.

Co-Author: Wachichi

Votes For: 3,451
Votes Against: 1,247

Implemented Sun Nov 30 2008

[WAR25 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=24)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=568863&highlight=counterterrorism]Official Debate Topic (]WAR25 on NSwiki[/url)]

World Assembly Economic Union [Struck out by Resolution #45 (http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30&p=388#p615)]
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: New Leicestershire

Description: The World Assembly, resolved to strengthen the special bonds of friendship and cooperation among our nations; contribute to the harmonious development and expansion of world trade; provide a catalyst to broader international cooperation; create an expanded and secure market for the goods and services produced in our nations; reduce distortions to trade and ensure a predictable commercial framework for business planning and investment;


1.ENCOURAGES the free, fair and open trade/transfer of all goods, services, raw materials, commodities and labor between member states without prejudice;

2. ESTABLISHES the World Assembly Trade Commission (WATC) to arbitrate any and all trade disputes which may arise concerning the implementation of this legislation. Such arbitration may include, but is not limited to, cases involving alleged price dumping by WA members upon WA members, disputes over the interpretation of the terms and conditions of this resolution, and any alleged violations by member states;

3. AUTHORIZES the WATC to implement a process for the gradual elimination of protectionist devices restricting the trade of all goods, services, raw materials, commodities and labor, including but not limited to tariffs, duties, subsidies, subventions and quotas employed by WA member nations.

- The process will be conducted through a series of meetings convened by the WATC at its own discretion, but at least one per decade, with the goal of eventual elimination of all protectionist devices employed by WA member nations;

- Decisions arrived at by the WATC in the scheduled meetings are binding;

4. RECOGNIZES that certain domestic programs such as fuel subsidies, government stipends and small business loans are not protectionist in nature. Authorizes the WATC to review these programs and declare any that are not in fact protectionist in nature to be outside the scope of this resolution;

5. DECLARES that nations may apply reasonable restrictions on trade in the following cases:

- to ensure the stability of industries supplying essential products (such as military equipment or other items vital to national security);
- in times of severe economic crisis, where such measures are required to ensure a stable supply of essential products;
- to collect revenue for the sole purposes of economic recovery following severe collapse;
- in other special circumstances, as determined by the WATC.

6. AFFIRMS the right of nations to impose regulations, including embargoes, for cultural, safety, environmental, human rights, ethical or other reasons, on goods and services and their manufacture, subject to WATC approval;

7. EMPHASIZES that WA member nations reserve the right to employ retaliatory tariffs towards non-WA nations to prevent price dumping and authorizes the WATC to review and rule upon alleged cases of price dumping by WA members upon WA members;

8. REQUIRES member governments to establish programs to alleviate the possible impact of this resolution on workers and their families. Examples of the services provided by such programs are job retraining, help with relocation of displaced workers and training or assistance in small business start-ups.

Votes For: 2,841
Votes Against: 1,622

Implemented Sun Dec 7 2008

[WAR26 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=25)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=574887]Official Debate Topic (]WAR26 on NSwiki[/url)]

Freedom of Assembly
A resolution to increase democratic freedoms.

Category: Furtherment of Democracy
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Cookesland

Description: Nations of the World Assembly,

BELIEVING that it is an inherent right of every individual to freely associate and assemble,

APPALLED that in some nations this right is not enjoyed by all their peoples,

APPLAUDING the use of peaceful protest as a means to bring about political discussion and/or change,

DENOUNCING violence, fear, and/or terrorism as ways of bringing about these changes as a result of restriction of these freedoms,

Hereby establishes the following:

1.) All individuals shall have the right to peacefully assemble, associate, and protest to promote, pursue, and express any goal, cause, or view.

2.) No Government, Federal Authority, Corporation, or any other political or social group may take any action to infringe upon these rights; unless the individuals organizing are trespassing on private property and/or if circumstances beyond the control of the Government threaten the safety of those organizing.

3.) These things having been ordained, states that Freedom of Assembly cannot be extended towards any call for: violence, rioting, and/or actions that would cause harm to innocent people.

Votes For: 3,636
Votes Against: 1,487

Implemented Mon Dec 15 2008

[WAR27 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=26)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=561587]Official Debate Topic (]WAR27 on NSwiki[/url)]

Repeal "Fair Criminal Trial"
A proposal to repeal a previously passed resolution

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #13
Proposed by: Gobbannaen WA Mission

Description: WA Resolution #13: Fair Criminal Trial (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835887&postcount=15) (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The World Assembly,

WORRIED that dealing with both pre-trial and at-trial rights in a single resolution leaves too little room for either,

CONCERNED that witnesses may refuse cross-examination at their whim,

AWARE that the right to face one's accusers is an essential part of a free trial,

CONCERNED that trials must be fully open, and may in no part take place in privacy,

VERY CONCERNED that jury deliberations are part of a trial, and that public deliberation will put undue pressures on jurists,

ALARMED that the defence counsel must be supplied with any documentation relevant to the case, no matter how confidential,

APPALLED that client/patient privilege, amongst other confidential arrangements, is thus wiped out at a stroke,

ALARMED that files related to national security can also be revealed and discussed in detail in open court,

OUTRAGED at the security hole that every single member nation of the World Assembly is now required to have,

Hereby repeals resolution 13, "Fair Criminal Trial".

Votes For: 2,780
Votes Against: 1,577

Implemented Mon Dec 22 2008

[WAR28 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=27)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=574328]Official Debate Topic (]WAR28 on NSwiki[/url)]

Patient's Rights Act
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: New Leicestershire

Description: The World Assembly, believing that all persons have the right to participate in the assessment of their medical needs, the development of their treatment plans and to receive information concerning their condition and treatment; asserting that medical professionals must be able to provide these services without undue government interference in the doctor/patient relationship; and further asserting that patients have the right to expect confidential treatment of all communications and records relating to their care;

Hereby declares that:

(I) Patients have the right to emergency medical treatment under circumstances requiring lifesaving procedures. A physician or qualified caregiver may provide treatment without the patient’s consent if, because of emergency circumstances, including the patient’s physical or mental state, it is not possible to obtain their consent.

(II) All persons who are lawfully present within any WA member nation have the right to undergo any non-emergency medical procedure deemed necessary and beneficial to the patient by their physician or other medical professional, which is legal for that person in the nation where the procedure is performed, and for which confirmed funding is available.

(III) Patients have the right to be involved in decisions concerning their care and to be given full and accurate information about the nature of their illnesses, diagnostic procedures, risks and necessity of alternative procedures, the proposed treatment and the costs involved, provided that such information does not violate the medical confidentiality of other persons.

(IV) Patients may refuse treatment, provided that such refusal does not endanger the health of others. In non-emergency circumstances, treatment may be given without the patient's consent only in the presence of a legal instrument issued by a court of jurisdiction stating that the patient is not competent to make decisions.

(V) Patients have the right to be given full and accurate information about the persons and institutions directly and personally involved in their care as it relates to their care.

(VI) Personal medical records and the contents of such records, including consultations between patients and physicians, shall be held in the strictest confidence and shall not be made available to any third party without the consent of the patient, with the following exceptions:
(i) Records shall be released in response to a warrant, subpoena, or similar legal instrument issued by a court of jurisdiction.
(ii) Physicians may make the patient's personal medical records and the contents of such records available to their colleagues and any healthcare professionals involved in the patient's treatment for the purpose of providing medical care to the patient and for other reasons such as morbidity study. Records entirely stripped of all personal details may be published.

(VII) The standard of care shall not be affected by religion, race, sex, nationality, country of birth, or other such grounds, except where such factors are medically relevant to the required course of action.

(VIII) For the purposes of this legislation, "patient" may also refer to a legal guardian if the patient is under the age of majority, or is an adult unable to understand their rights under this Act.

(IX) Patients shall be fully informed of their rights in a manner they can understand.

Votes For: 3,228
Votes Against: 797

Implemented Sat Dec 27 2008

WAR29 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=28)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=577360]Official Debate Topic (]WAR29 on NSwiki[/url)]

Freedom of Expression
A resolution to increase democratic freedoms.

Category: Furtherment of Democracy
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Omigodtheykilledkenny

Description: Assured that freedom of expression is an essential human right deserving of international protection;

Determined that no one should have to put their lives, families, liberty or property at risk for expressing honest dissent with, otherwise criticizing or even satirizing their leaders, governments, societies, churches or any other institutions of established power;

Chastened by the sacrifices already made by prisoners and victims of conscience throughout the world;

Nonetheless convinced that free expression does not extend to such abuses as defamation, incitements to disorder, or academic fraud;

Agreed that for purposes of this resolution defamation is defined as the use of knowingly false information, or the raising of such with reckless disregard for its truthfulness, in a deliberate attempt to impugn the character or reputation of any individual, group or organization, excepting government institutions or political leaders,

Be it therefore resolved that the World Assembly:

Affirms the right of all people to express their personal, moral, political, cultural, religious and ideological views freely and openly, without fear of reprisal;

Requires member states to respect and uphold this right in all available media to all individuals under their jurisdiction;

Expects member states to enforce this right fairly and equitably in the application of national laws;

Allows member states to set reasonable restrictions on expression in order to prevent defamation, as well as plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement, and other forms of academic fraud; incitements to widespread lawlessness and disorder, or violence against any individual, group or organization; the unauthorized disclosure of highly classified government information; the unauthorized disclosure of strictly confidential personal information; and blatant, explicit and offensive pornographic materials;

Forbids member states from abusing these restrictions in an effort to stifle free expression among law-abiding citizens.

Votes For: 3,225
Votes Against: 992

Implemented Thu Jan 1 2009

[WAR30 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=29)] [WAR30 on Nswiki (www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=Freedom_of_Expression)] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=577852)]

World Health Authority
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Belarum

Description: The World Assembly,

Believing that the nations of not only the World Assembly, but those outside WA jurisdiction should be committed to the health and well-being of their people,

Further believing that good health is a key component in socioeconomic growth, development, and progress,

Deeply concerned by the potential lack of prevention and control of disease or other threats to good health in the respective member states of the World Assembly, as well as the potential lack of coordination between agencies of nations in bringing medical advances and preventative measures to nations of the WA in fighting disease, as well as addressing overall health concerns,

Emphasizing the importance of disseminating crucial information concerning current and emerging threats to global health throughout the international community, to include nations which may not hold membership in the World Assembly,

Resolving to bring decent health standards as well as coordination and preparedness to combat threats to health to as many nations as possible, hereby:

I) Strongly encourages nations to make spending commitments to achieving decent health standards for their people;

II) Further encourages coordination between the existing health agencies of nations in order to promote decent health standards in the international community;

III) Establishes the World Health Authority (WHA), with the mission to:
-identify, assess, and communicate current and emerging threats to global health,
-actively research treatment, cures, and preventative measures concerning threats to global health,
-coordinate efforts between WA member states in preventing and controlling serious health concerns;

IV) Mandates the establishment of WHA offices in the member states of the World Assembly, as necessary in order to:
-monitor the global health situation in order to prevent and control emerging threats,
-articulate and advise governments on health matters with information that is both ethical and evidence-based,
-disseminate crucial information and research concerning health internationally in a quick and orderly fashion,
-coordinate and/or support relief efforts in WA member states in partnership with the appropriate agencies or take responsibility itself should those agencies be unable to respond;

V) Strongly encourages individual nations to:
-create agencies concerned with the health of their people,
-research ways to prevent and remedy threats to decent health,
-disseminate such information in the international community in order to impede threats to decent health.

Votes For: 3,284
Votes Against: 838

Implemented Tue Jan 6 2009

[WAR31 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=30)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=578431]Official Debate Topic (]WAR31 on NSwiki[/url)]

Veterans Reform Act [Struck out by Resolution #36 (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14529725&postcount=38)]
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Studly Penguins

Description: Co-authored by Nebulantis

The World Assembly,

DEFINING, a 'veteran' who has served, or is currently serving, in a nation’s armed services during times of peace or war, whether through conscription or by one’s own free will,

ALSO DEFINING, ‘civilian life’ as the pursuit of an existence external to a nation’s armed services

RECOGNIZING that most nations and regions have armed services,

ALARMED by the inadequate treatment of returning veterans in some nations, regarding employment, medical care, and psychiatric care,

EMPHASIZING the need for a comprehensive and updated strategy to assist returning veterans,

1. ESTABLISHES the WA Veteran Assistance Offices (WAVAO), an organization designed to carry out the actions outlined in this resolution;
a) Endorses the founding of WAVAO in all WA-member nations;
b) Proclaims the World Assembly shall finance WAVAO in its entirety, within WA-member nations;
c) Notes that the cost of WAVAO, financed by the World Assembly, shall include the establishment of offices, services, and other expenses incurred by the program;
d) Invites WA-member nations to assist non-member nations who desire to establish WAVAO in their own states, at the discretion of the former;

2. DECLARES that all returning veterans shall be guaranteed full re-instatement, conditional upon a satisfactory review to their place of employment, upon their return to civilian life;

3. URGES that this re-instatement shall include, but not be limited to, the following;
a) Current or equivalent position at time of deployment;
b) Rate of pay at time of deployment, appropriately adjusted for inflation or deflation;
c) Access to any bonus pay or monetary raise that the veteran would have achieved under typical circumstances;
d) Reasonable consideration of the veteran for promotions that they would have been eligible for;

4. ENCOURAGES that this re-instatement shall also include assistance in finding alternative employment, under the following conditions;
a) Veteran may select any employment or government agency of their choosing, should they wish to seek this assistance;
b) The selected agency shall assist in trying to find employment for the veteran that matches their current skills, technical ability, and past job history;
c) Until sufficient employment is achieved, the veteran shall receive a check equal to their monthly rate of military pay, payable monthly for a maximum of twelve months, and financed by the World Assembly through the WAVAO;
d) If acquired employment is lost, the veteran shall be subject to their jurisdiction’s unemployment laws and code.

5. SOLEMNLY AFFIRMS that all veterans shall be offered access to state-of-the-art medical and psychiatric treatment, with monetary assistance being provided by the World Assembly through the WAVAO as needed;

6. FURTHER RESOLVES that monetary insurance shall be provided for combat-related injuries and illnesses, and that the WAVAO shall work with the individual nation to determine appropriate compensation levels for different conditions;

7. REMINDS all nations that dishonorably discharged veterans may be excluded from any of the services applied by this resolution, at the individual nation’s discretion.

8. PROCLAIMS that a veteran under investigation for war crimes / already found guilty of war crimes, will be excluded.

Votes For: 2,423
Votes Against: 2,165

Implemented Thu Jan 22 2009

[WAR32 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_paqst_resolutions/start=31)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=579245]Official Debate Topic (]WAR32 on NSwiki[/url)]

Repeal "Coordinating Relief Aid"
A proposal to repeal a previously passed resolution

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #5
Proposed by: Pantherai

Description: WA Resolution #5: Coordinating Relief Aid (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13835689&postcount=7) (Category: Social Justice; Strength: Mild) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: ACKNOWLEDGING that, in principle, such a resolution is an admirable effort to better provide relief aid to areas that need it,

APPLAUDING all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that focus on providing such humanitarian aid,

NOTING that, although providing relief aid should be a fundamental part of The World Assembly, the coordinating of NGOs is not an effective way to go about it. This is because, naturally, many NGOs would prefer not to affiliate themselves with an organisation such as The World Assembly and shall continue to work independently thus making coordination of relief aid a fruitless task.

SEEKING an opportunity to establish a resolution which would put World Assembly resources to a more effective system of providing humanitarian aid,

AND HOPING that a resolution will, in the future, be put forward to create a World Assembly body that will, while working closely with NGOs in an informal capacity, shall provide its own structure of providing relief aid.

The World Assembly hereby repeals the 'Coordinating Relief Aid' Resolution.

Votes For: 2,582
Votes Against: 1,429

Implemented Tue Jan 27 2009

[WAR33 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=32)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=580744]Official Debate Topic (]WAR33 on NSwiki[/url)]

International Transport Safety
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Cobdenia

Description: UNDERSTANDING that the international transport of both passengers & cargo is a necessary part of world trade

DESIRING international transportation systems to be consistent in its safety & reliable throughout the nations of the World Assembly

CONVINCED that the international standardisation of safety features, accident investigation and communications is the best means towards greater transport safety

HEREBY

1) FOUNDS the International Transport Safety Committee (ITSC)

2) CHARGES the ITSC to enact regulations pertaining to the safety, communications, markings & signals, distress signals, loading limits, emergency protocols, the provision of life saving equipment, mechanical inspection protocol, standards of accident investigation, and search & rescue procedures for international shipping, aviation, and railways

3) FURTHER AUTHORISES the ITSC to set training and, where deemed necessary, experience requirements for internationally operating:
a) Cockpit Personnel, Flight Attendants and private pilots on aircraft
b) Masters, Deck & Navigation Officers, Chief Engineers & Engineering Officers, Stewards and Seamen on merchant vessels
c) Enginemen, Guards, and Brakemen on trains, and Signalmen & Station Staff on international railway lines
d) Maintenance Personnel & Officials involved in the upkeep & operation of transport systems

4) DECLARES that the ITSC undertake cost benefit analysis, feasibility & technological practicality studies, and other considerations before issuing regulations. Regulation will vary depending on the type, design & construction date of the aircraft, sea vessels, locomotives & rolling stock in question, as well the infrastructure surrounding such, and whether its use is classified as private or commercial

5) MANDATES that all aircraft, seagoing vessels, trains & railway routes operating internationally, and their relevant infrastructures, conform to ITSC requirements, subject to exemptions in article 6. Nations may require transport based in their own countries to conform to higher standards

6) AUTHORISES the following exemptions to article 5:
a) Domestic transport need not comply with ITSC regulations
b) Military craft & related control systems operating in peacetime need only comply with communications directives in circumstances where a threat is posed to civilian craft. Military craft operating during in wartime or involved in military operations are exempted fully from ITSC regulations
c) Military airfields & naval dockyards operating in peacetimes, and domestic transport hubs, must also comply with communications, markings, emergency equipment requirements, and avail themselves to civilian transport in distress

7) PROHIBITS nations from barring WA member state commercial transports in compliance with ITSC regulations from operating in their airspace, territory or territorial waters, or preventing such from docking, landing, or otherwise embarking/disembarking passengers & loading/unloading freight,
a) Nations are permitted to introduce reasonable requirements of prior notification and authorisation, but such are not to be refused on the grounds of the nation of the transport’s origin
b) Nations may refuse entry &c., if there are necessary practical reasons for doing so, such as limited capacity or quarantine, or in times of war or economic sanctions.

Votes For: 2,839
Votes Against: 1,070

Implemented Sun Feb 1 2009

[WAR34 on NSwiki (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=33)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=573697]Official Debate Topic (]WAR34 on NSwiki[/url)]

The Charter of Civil Rights
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Urgench

Description: Hailing the work in furtherance of personal freedom already achieved by the World Assembly and,

Recognising this work as the preeminent task of civilisation and,

Seeking to augment this,

The World Assembly,

Requires W.A. member states to fairly and equally enact and enforce the following articles,

Article 1.

a ) All inhabitants of member states are equal in status in law and under its actions, and have the right to equal treatment and protection by the nation they inhabit or in which they are currently present.

b ) All inhabitants of member states are entitled to rights secured to them in international law and the law of the nation they inhabit or in which they are currently present.

c ) All inhabitants of member states have the right not to be and indeed must not be discriminated against on grounds including sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, skin color, language, economic or cultural background, physical or mental disability or condition, religion or belief system, sexual orientation or sexual identity, or any other arbitrarily assigned and reductive categorisation which may be used for the purposes of discrimination, except for compelling practical purposes, such as hiring only female staff to work with battered women who have sought refuge from their abusers.

d ) Member states are enjoined to counteract ignorance and prejudice, and are urged to create or support education programs in ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity.

e ) The application of both emergency legal measures and Martial law during periods of national crisis must also respect the provisions of this resolution.


Article 2.

a ) Unfair and unreasonable discrimination, on the grounds outlined in clause c) of article 1 of this resolution, in private employment, housing, education, employment benefits, compensations and access to services provided to the general public shall be prohibited by all member states.

b ) Unprovoked violence against or intimidation of any person on the grounds outlined in clause c) of article 1 of this resolution shall be a civil cause and criminal offense in all member states.

c ) Member states shall actively work towards eliminating criminal incidents motivated by hatred or prejudice based on cultural or societal differences.

d ) Nothing in this article shall be construed as to deny additional or stronger protections against discrimination and abuse enacted by member states.

Votes For: 3,076
Votes Against: 1,513

Implemented Fri Feb 6 2009

WAR35 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=34)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=567124]Official Debate Topic (]WAR35 on NSwiki[/url)]

Repeal "Veterans Reform Act"
A proposal to repeal a previously passed resolution

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #32
Proposed by: Zarquon Froods

Description: WA Resolution #32: Veterans Reform Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14529633&postcount=34) (Category: Social Justice; Strength: Strong) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: SADDENED by the fact that this resolution was submitted before it was effectively refined;

OUTRAGED at the multitude of flaws this resolution holds within its body;

DISMAYED by the fact that member nations will be required to fund care for another nation's "veterans", including, but not limited to, those soldiers who have recently been at war againt them or those they will be at war with in the future;

ALARMED by this resolution’s definition of “veteran” that includes not only those citizens who have willingly joined their nation’s armed services, but also those who have been conscripted which, in certain cases, can include a vast majority of a nation's citizens;

CONCERNED that the WA Veterans Assistance Office (WAVAO) requires all member nations to incur the monetary cost of all services allocated by Section 4 of the "Veterans Reform Act" through use of the W.A. General Fund;

MORTIFIED that the expenditures incurred to the General Fund by the WAVAO are exponential, un-restricted, unregulated and extremely vulnerable to corrupt abuse, leading to a high likelihood of massive depletion of W.A. funds;

HEREBY repeals the Veterans Reform Act.

Votes For: 3,122
Votes Against: 892

Implemented Wed Feb 11 2009

[WAR36 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=35)] [WAR36 on NSwiki (www.nswiki.net/index.php?title=Repeal "Veterans Reform Act")] [Official Debate Topic (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=580661)]

Fairness in Criminal Trials
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Gobbannium

Description: The World Assembly,

UNDERSTANDING that anyone may be accused of a criminal act, whether innocent or not;

DESIRING that the innocent not be wrongly punished and that the guilty not be wrongly exonerated;

BELIEVING that rigorous examination of evidence will aid this cause;

RECOGNISING that nations have many different equally valid legal systems;

OBSERVING that persons from many nations travel to other nations for a variety of reasons;

CONVINCED that agreement amongst member states on the basic legal rights of individuals concerning trials can further protect travellers and improve relations between nations;

MANDATES that all persons charged with criminal offences in the jurisdictions of member nations shall be brought to trial with such reasonable speed as is consistent with both prosecution and defence properly assembling available relevant evidence;

DEFINES "criminal offences" as those prosecuted by the state or a state-appointed actor;

REQUIRES that such trials be directed impartially by someone competent in the area of law concerned;

REQUIRES further that such trials be adjudicated impartially by person or persons competent to understand the proceedings;

COMMENDS to the consideration of member nations a jury of the accused's peers as such trial adjudicators;

INSISTS that the accused be permitted expert representation by a professional versed in the area of law concerned;

INSISTS that the accused and their representative be permitted to confer in private as regards the facts and presentation of the case, and that no part of such a conference may be revealed to any third party without the explicit permission of the accused;

FURTHER INSISTS that governmental or charitable mechanisms be set up to provide such representation to those accused otherwise unable to afford it;

REQUIRES that the accused be capable of understanding proceedings, through the provision by the court of translators and carers as necessary;

REQUIRES that evidence-giving, any addressing of the trial adjudicators by either the prosecution or defence, and any procedural or legal directives made by the trial director shall be open and transparent, excepting that individual evidence-giving may be done with the public excluded if the trial director agrees that openness would present a risk to national security;

OBSERVES that ceremonial or religious activities of the court not related to evidence-giving, addressing the trial adjudicators, or directing the course of the trial may or may not be required to be open at the determination of member nations;

FORBIDS prejudicial public discussion of a trial and prejudicial private discussion with the trial adjudicators while the trial is in progress;

REQUIRES that the accused, through their representative, be permitted to question those who bear witness against them;

ALLOWS that the identity of witnesses may be concealed as deemed appropriate by the trial director, provided there are reasonable grounds to fear that the witnesses concerned may otherwise be endangered or unfairly coerced;

REQUIRES that the accused may not be forced to self-incrimination, and that this constitutes sufficient reason for them to refuse to answer a question put to them during the trial;

OPINES that a trial should be held reasonably locally to the place of commission of the crime;

HEARTILY RECOMMENDS the use of a verdict of "Not Proven" where the trial adjudicators think it appropriate.

Votes For: 2,905
Votes Against: 1,058

Implemented Tue Feb 24 2009

[WAR37 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=36)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=558374]Official Debate Topic (]WAR37 on NSwiki[/url)]

Convention Against Genocide
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Kelssek

Description: WHEREAS genocide is a most reprehensible crime and an affront to civilisation itself; and,

CONVINCED that no circumstance can justify the commission of genocide; and,

SEEKING to enact measures to prevent and punish acts of genocide,

NOW THEREFORE, the World Assembly enacts as follows:

1. (1) Genocide shall be defined as any act committed, or measure enacted, with the intent to destroy, in whole or partially, an identifiable group of persons on the basis of belief, ethnicity, nationality, culture, or a perceived innate characteristic, which for the purposes of this resolution shall include sexual orientation.

(2) Acts of genocide include, but are not limited to: killing or inflicting serious harm upon members of the group, creating living conditions for the group which tend to bring about its physical destruction, forcibly removing children from the group, or taking measures to prevent births within the group.

2. Member nations are prohibited from perpetrating acts of genocide, and must take action against non-state groups undertaking such activities whithin their borders.

3. Member nations must provide aid, protection and refuge to victims of genocide to the best of their ability, and must deny such aid to the perpetrators of genocide.

4. Genocide, conspiring to commit genocide, direct and public incitement to genocide, attempting to commit genocide, and complicity in genocide shall be punishable acts in all member states.

5. (1) Nations must facilitate the extradition of those suspected of the crimes specified in section 4 to the appropriate authority should they have escaped outside of the appropriate authority's control, subject to national and international law.

(2) The crimes specified in section 4 may not be considered political crimes for the purposes of preventing extradition proceedings.

6. In consideration of the gravity of the crime of genocide, member nations are strongly urged to apply the harshest penalties under their laws for the punishment of those convicted of genocide, and part of the sentence shall include measures to prevent those found guilty of genocide from repeating such acts.

7. The final goal of action against genocide is to uphold the rights of sapient beings, and actions taken against genocide should be consistent with this higher goal.

Votes For: 3,219
Votes Against: 965

Implemented Sun Mar 1 2009

[WAR38 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=37)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=578208]Official Debate Topic (]WAR38 on NSwiki[/url)]

The Right to a Lawful Divorce
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Sionis Prioratus

Description: THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD ASSEMBLED,

CELEBRATING the cultural diversity of its member states,

RECOGNIZING that legal unions of marriage vary among member nations and include civil contracts regulating the union of two or more persons including nationally recognized effects on the common estate and inheritance rights of the parties,

RECOGNIZING the fallibility of sentient desires and actions, failures which can touch aspects fundamental to a person's pursuit of happiness, among them the choice of entering in good faith in a partnership for the purpose of lasting a lifetime,

RECOGNIZING that unions of marriage may become unwanted, untenable, undesirable, harmful, and even dangerous,

APPALLED that certain member States have not desisted to devise ever subtler ways to try to ignore self-evident sentient rights, such as the right to happiness, the right to avoid harm to oneself and one's children, the right to self-determination, and the right to pursue a second chance in life,

ENACTS the following resolution:

1) Divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage, which ceases to have legal existence between the requesting party or parties to said marriage from the date the divorce is legally and finally pronounced, and shall henceforth be available to all inhabitants of the World Assembly member states without let or hindrance.

2) Any of the parties to a marriage may ask for and obtain a lawful divorce in appropriate legal systems of the member state which they inhabit, which shall resolve such dissolutions fairly, equitably, and with promptitude.

3) Legal parenthood shall never be annulled by the sole reason of a divorce. In case the divorcing parties to a marriage have children, appropriate legal systems of member states shall resolve issues of custody of and support for said children with an overriding priority of the best interests of each and every child.

4) Upon divorce proceedings, appropriate latitude shall be given in the defense of personal assets, and appropriate legal systems of member states shall determine equitable distribution of the parties’ common estate and inheritance rights.

5) No penalty of any kind shall be imposed on a party or parties seeking divorce for the sole reason of such seeking or for the sole reason there is no consent of all parties to such divorce.

6) Nothing in this Resolution shall be construed so as to dictate the beliefs or the internal, solely religious procedures and rites any religion should follow.

Votes For: 2,833
Votes Against: 1,807

Implemented Sat Mar 7 2009

[WAR39 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=38)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=582924]Official Debate Topic (]WAR39 on NSwiki[/url)]

The Landmine Convention
A resolution to slash worldwide military spending.

Category: Global Disarmament
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Quintessence of Dust

Description: The World Assembly,

Believing victim-detonated anti-personnel landmines to be weapons whose capacity for civilian casualties outweighs any security benefits,

Requires its members to:

1. Define, for the purposes of interpreting these obligations:
- 'landmines' as explosive devices placed on or under the ground and designed to cause injury or death to persons activating the device by proximity or contact,
- 'mined area' as an area in which one or more live landmines has been deployed,
- 'dispose' to be the act of destroying, permanently deactivating, or otherwise rendering non-functional, such as through conversion to command detonation, landmines;

2. Dispose of all landmines within their present stocks as soon as is practicably possible, with due regard for safety, security, and environmental consequences;

3. Immediately and permanently cease and desist the production, deployment, and transfer of landmines, including the rendering of technical assistance in their production or deployment;

4. Seize all undeployed landmine stocks within their jurisdiction for disposal as required by Article 2;

5. Take effective measures to prevent non-state actors within their jurisdiction from effecting such actions as outlawed by Article 3;

6. Conduct prompt surveys to determine the location of mined areas within their jurisdiction;

7. Institute available precautions, as they deem appropriate and safe, to prevent casualties in mined areas, such as:
- restricting access to such areas,
- signposting such areas with clear warnings, using relevant languages as well as easily understood, non-written symbols,
- indicating the limits of such mined areas on maps and charts,
- informing the public of the dangers of mined areas,
- where possible, engaging in prompt and effective mine clearance.

The World Assembly does further:

8. Exempt from these obligations:
- the transfer of landmines for the purpose of disposal, or for the research and development of mine clearance or mine safety, providing such transfers are limited to absolute necessity,
- the production, possession and deployment of limited numbers of landmines for the purposes of research and development mine clearance or mine safety, provided such actions are conducted within secure areas and with the highest regard for safety,
- the rendering of technical assistance aimed solely at reducing the danger of landmines to non-military personnel, such as through conversion to command-detonation;

9. Establish the World Assembly Demining Agency (WADA) with a charter to:
- conduct and aid mine clearance operations, where requested,
- research and develop mine clearance technology,
- instruct civilians on landmine safety and treatment of landmine-related injuries,
- further promote landmine safety awareness through educational and informational campaigns;

10. Compel the WADA to respect the territorial sovereignty of member nations, stipulating that:
- member nations may request assistance for mined areas within their jurisdiction,
- requesting nations must provide all available information on the mined area,
- storage and disposal of removed landmines and fragments is the responsibility of requesting nations, and the WADA may refuse involvement if the requesting nation is deemed incompetent to perform such tasks.

Votes For: 2,766
Votes Against: 1,405

Implemented Thu Mar 19 2009

[WAR40 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=39)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=583872]Official Debate Topic (]WAR40 on NSwiki[/url)]

Access to Life-Saving Drugs
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Sionis Prioratus

Description: THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD ASSEMBLED,

NOTING the awe-inspiring and hard-worked advancements in the pharmaceutical industry in what regards producing life-saving drugs, rescuing entire populations from despair and certain death from some of the most deadly epidemics ever known to sapientkind,

ACKNOWLEDGING that, for better or for worse, the search for financial profits and academic recognition are as of now indissociable and main driving forces for development of said life-saving drugs,

FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGING that the poorest nations most of the times only benefit from these breakthroughs after decades of their inception and after countless lives were needlessly and tragically lost, destroying families, entire communities, cities, nations, regions,

REALIZING that both concerns can be through good will and common sense be brought to a common and decent ground, balancing economic interests needed to continue the development of new life-saving drugs and the self-evident right of every sapient being to have access to the best medicines available to the cure of their ailments,

DECLARING AS OBVIOUS that no sapient being’s health should be held hostage to any nation’s ideology, notwithstanding the sacred notion that nations of all stripes are equal before this World Assembly,

RESOLVES:

1) An appropriate part of World Health Authority’s budget shall be directed for buying and distributing, when and where necessary, high-cost life-saving medications and vaccines. Negotiations shall take place between the agencies and patent holders so as to achieve a minimum acceptable price, one that does not hamper the industries affected nor further research, nor depletes the WA economic resources or otherwise adversely impacts the multitude of activities dependant on WA funding.

2) Life-saving medications’ and vaccines patents may be temporarily waivered only in the most extraordinary of situations, like in the presence of imminent or unfolding public health catastrophes, such as lethal airborne diseases with a small period of incubation, strictly for as small a period as necessary, as determined by the WHA and only after every other venue of emergency negotiations between the WA and the patent holders have been exhausted.

3) If such a waiver is to be proclaimed, patent holders shall receive financial compensation proportional to the period between such proclamation and the suspension of said waiver, after a through audit of the values disputed, done by the WHA, the WA Trade Commission, and the WA General Accounting Office, in an appropriate time frame, and always mindful of the imperative of not to adversely impact the universe of WA-funded activities.

a) Funding for such compensation shall come from the usual WA funding mechanisms. Private donations, insofar they may create a perception of bias, are strictly forbidden.

4) The WHA shall, through statistical analysis, identify diseases that affect mainly the poorest populations, diseases for which there have not been as yet serious attempts at a research for a cure or a vaccine.

a) A Health Research & Development Division is hereby created within the WHA, with the aim to research and develop cures and vaccines for said diseases. All breakthroughs arising therewith shall be put into public domain. Products arising from such breakthroughs shall be produced according to standards set by the WHA and its divisions, and distributed when and where necessary.

Votes For: 3,269
Votes Against: 1,183

Implemented Tue Apr 7 2009

[WAR41 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=40)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=587525]Official Debate Topic (]WAR41 on NSwiki[/url)]

WA Environmental Council
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: Parilisa

Description: RECOGNISING that the maintenance of a balance between the advances of modern life and the natural world is a vital but often neglected factor in the hope of the world’s continued prosperity.

REALISING that the World Assembly, as a governing body and aid to the international community as a whole, has the responsibility to help explore and protect the environment and its resources.

SECTION 1-The World Assembly Environmental Council

The World Assembly hereby creates the World Assembly Environmental Council (WAEC) as a neutral organisation for the benefit of the environment and our continued existence within it.

SECTION 2-The Aims and Activities of the WAEC

a) The WAEC shall conduct research to identify and resolve environmental problems including but not limited to: climate change, pollution, depletion of natural resources, and natural disasters, in association with experts in the respective field. Scientists shall be employed from around the world to produce detailed accounts and records for the WAEC to help them issue advice to the international community

b) The WAEC shall publish records of all its findings and activities and make them public. These shall include annual surveys of the condition of the environment and assessments of potential future dangers and damages.

c) Nations are urged to assist WAEC research within their own country. However, members must avoid putting pressure upon scientists so that WAEC work is without bias.

d) The WAEC has the authority to monitor the environment of international territory in addition to the environments of World Assembly members. All surveys and studies shall be carried out legally in accordance with international and national law.

e) Based upon the advice and suggestions of scientists and the facts made clear in WAEC scientific reports, the WAEC shall discuss and debate goals or limits to be aimed for by particular nations or by the World Assembly as a whole. The progress of nations to whom particular goals or limits have been suggested will be monitored and governments are strongly urged to cooperate with the activities of the Council.

SECTION 3- Funding of the WAEC

Funding for the WAEC shall come directly from the World Assembly; it shall receive no additional funding from other sources.

Votes For: 2,832
Votes Against: 1,390

Implemented Sun Apr 12 2009

[WAR42 on NS (www.nationstates.net/page=WA_past_resolutions/start=41)] [] [[url=http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=583347]Official Debate Topic (]WAR42 on NSwiki[/url)]

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