World Health Organization
Topic Summary
The global population’s demographic trend is undeniable: according to the United Nations’ World Social Report 2023, titled “Leaving No One Behind in an Ageing World,” there will be an estimated increase in the number of individuals older than 50 of 839 million to 1.6 billion in total by 2050, more than two-fold the number in 2021 of 761 million. While those over 60 accounted for approximately 10% of individuals in 2021, that proportion is predicted to grow to one in every six in the next 25 years. Along with these demographic trends comes an increase in chronic and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, kidney and respiratory conditions, and cancers. This trend is largely a success story: due to biomedical advancements in vaccines, treatments and therapies, and healthcare systems as a whole, people around the world are able to live longer lives while experiencing fewer health issues and illnesses. However, these changes can also present an opportunity for a shift in the approach to both the economy and workforce structure as well as to healthcare systems, chronic disease management, and preventative care in order to best adapt to the needs of a changing population makeup. It is the responsibility of this committee to foster international collaboration toward building up economic, technological, and healthcare systems that best support and can adapt to the changing population trends the world will face in the coming decades.
Sophia is a sophomore at Harvard studying Applied Mathematics and Global Health and Health Policy, originally from Massachusetts. Having been a delegate throughout high school, she was eager to staff HMUN China 2025 and both HMUN and HNMUN these past two years as well as join the Harvard Intercollegiate Model UN team on campus.
Outside of Model UN, Sophia is involved in the Harvard Political Review, MIHNUET (Music in Hospitals and Nursing Homes Using Entertainment as Therapy), and the Harvard Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative. She loves playing squash and the violin in her free time. She is incredibly excited to serve as a Director for HMUN Africa!