RULES OF

PROCEDURE

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The United Nations

Components of a Conference

The Role of a Delegate

The Role of an Executive Board

Basic Rules of Procedure

The Flow of Debate

Research & Preparation

Position Paper Guidelines

Sample Position Paper

Sample Working Paper

Sample Draft Resolution

Resolution Formatting Guidelines

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The United Nations
What is the United Nations?

What are its roles, powers, and functions? How is the

UN structured?

Who is a diplomat?

What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organisation that works to

promote international cooperation and serves as a forum for countries to engage
with one another. The organisation was formed on 24 th October 1945, soon after
the end of World War II, with the expressed purpose of preventing future
conflict. At its founding, the UN had fifty-one member states, which have grown
to 193 as of 2024.

The United Nations draws its powers, functions, and mandate from the UN
Charter, which is signed and accepted by all its members. The charter clearly
defines the functions of the UN as (a) international peace and security, (b)
upholding human rights, and (c) fostering international cooperation and
development.

The work of the United Nations is carried out through its agencies and the work
of its member countries. Notably, the United Nations is not a world government,
and cannot do more than advise countries on matters, apart from serving as the
flag-bearer of collective action. By enabling active dialogue between its members,
the United Nations helps governments solve global and local problems through
consensus.

The United Nations is not one single body but is comprised of various smaller
organs and specialised agencies, each of which has a specific role and function,
and differs in their membership and mandates. There are six organs and
countless specialised agencies, of which at least five are located at the
Headquarters of the United Nations in Manhattan, New York, USA.

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Components of a Conference
There are various components of a Model UN conference, each of which has a specific role and function

during the conference.

Model UN

Delegates Delegates form the bulk of the participants and are usually from high

1 school or college. They participate in the committee sessions and attend

the workshops and social events.

Executive Board The Executive Board (EB) is responsible for moderating the debate in
2 committees. The EB is usually comprised of a Director, Assistant Director
and international press.

Conference Staff
3 The Conference Staff comprises professionals or volunteers from the host
institution of the conference. They oversee conference management,
which includes organization, registrations, and venues.

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The Role of a Delegate
As a participant in the KCI Model UN conference, you will take on the role of a delegate. When you register for the conference,
you will be given a portfolio, which is the country that you will represent, along with the committee that you will be in and the
agenda or topic for your committee.

During the conference, you will take on the role of a diplomat and make speeches, engage with other delegates, write
resolutions, and vote on various matters. Overall, your committee will attempt to draft a resolution to address the agenda
through consensus and mutual agreement.

In order to be able to meaningfully participate in the committee discussions, you will need to have a thorough and deep
understanding not only of your agenda and committee, but also of the country you represent and its policies, and as such your
preparation will usually begin at least a few weeks prior to the conference.

To aid your preparation, the conference will provide you with a few learning resources, including a background guide, which is a
comprehensive research document about the agenda.

The Role of the Executive Board

The Executive Board is usually comprised of a Director and an Assistant Director, who are responsible for
managing committee proceedings, directing debate, assisting, and guiding delegates, as well as giving out
awards, if any.

In the parliamentary procedure, the executive board behaves as the Speaker of the House and oversees the
order of speakers. All speeches are directed at the Speaker, who is also responsible for recognising speakers,
i.e., giving them the floor of the House.

In the context of Model UN, the Executive Board positions are usually served by older and more experienced
students, who have extensive knowledge of Model UN, as well as of the agenda.

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Basic Rules of Procedure

The basic rules of procedure govern the most fundamental elements of the conference and are common across all the diverse
types of rules of procedure. This includes the language, dress code, schedule, etc.

Language Electronics and Internet

The official language for all Model UN conferences is
Most conferences do not allow delegates to
English. This implies that all speeches, paperwork, and
use the internet during committee sessions,
delegate engagements are to be carried out only in English,
although they may be allowed to carry a
and no other language is recognised within the committee.
laptop or other device to organise and store
It is strongly advised that the delegates adapt to
their research.
professional modes of communication and prohibit
themselves from using unparliamentary, slang and informal
terminologies. The excessive usage of these can result in
Recognition
the deduction of an individual’s marks or disqualification Delegates mayspeak only when
from the conference. recognised by the executive board to do so,
through explicit consent. Delegates may
not address the committee or other
delegates without being recognised by the
Dress Code executive board.
The dress code for Model UN is On days 1 and 2, the attire Delegate Kits
is always Western business attire. This usually includes a
During the conference, each delegate is issued
dress shirt, pants, and a Coat, with closed shoes, for men,
a delegate kit, which includes a country
and a formal dress, and/or pants and a shirt, or appropriate
placard, a delegate diary, and a delegate ID
business wear, for women. On day three, Indian traditional
card. Delegates may not be able to participate
attire is recommended.
without a placard and/or an ID card.
Communication
Delegates may only use formal, parliamentary language
during committee proceedings and must address everyone
respectfully and diplomatically. This usually means that
delegates address themselves and others in third-person
speech.

Portfolio
Each delegate is allocated a portfolio, which is the country
that he or she will be representing, along with information
about their committee and its agenda. All delegates must
assume the identity of their portfolio throughout the
conference.

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Flow of debate

The flow of debate refers to the order of committee proceedings and provides a bird’s-eye view of the entire conference. Using
the flow of debate, we can understand the rules of procedure, types of debate, and various other regulations that are needed for
you to meaningfully participate in the committee.

In a Model UN conference, student participants are organised into various committees, each of which has a specific agenda
or topic area. Over a few days, the delegates in that committee will go back and forth debating various solutions and
outputs for the problem area, before attempting to draft a resolution document, which is a formal document that lists the
actionable steps to be undertaken by the countries of the UN to solve the given problem or agenda. Finally, the resolution is
voted upon, and in case there is a majority of positive votes, the resolution passes and is adopted by the committee, bringing the
conference to a close.

The flow of debate breaks down the above process into its basic components, in the order of proceedings, as follows:

1. Roll Call: 5. Amendments and Voting:

Each committee session begins with a roll call, which is like
Finally, the resolution is made open to amendments or edits,
taking attendance, to establish the number of delegates that
after which it is voted upon by the entire committee. In case
are present and participating.
there are enough positive votes, the resolution passes, and
2. Setting the Agenda: the conference ends. In case the resolution fails, the
committee may attempt to draft another resolution, or it may
In case the committee has multiple topic areas or agendas,
choose to end the session without having passed a
the delegates must decide which agenda is to be debated
resolution.
first. This is called setting the working agenda.

3. Debate:
Once the agenda is set, the committee moves into the debate Did you know?
process, which includes formal and informal debate. The
committee moves back and forth between formal and Roll-call is taken to establish ‘quorum’ which
is the minimum number of delegates needed
informal debate until there is enough consensus (agreement) for the committee session to take place.
in the committee for the drafting of a resolution document. Quorum is usually set at 35% of the total
committee strength.
4. Resolution:
Once the resolution process is underway, the debate on the
agenda is closed. Delegates spend the remainder of their time
trying to build more support for the resolution and writing
out the entire document.

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 Roll Call

Deciding on the agenda

Debate

Formal Debate Informal Debate

General Speaker’s List,

Moderated Caucus Unmoderated Caucus

Working paper

Draft Resolution

Voting

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FORMAL AND INFORMAL DEBATE

The debate process is divided into two types: formal and informal debate.

Formal debate includes something known as the speakers list, while informal debate includes something known as caucuses. Each
type of debate has its own specific purpose and role in the flow of debate, and the committee moves between the two types as
needed.

Formal debate takes the form of long, formal speeches and allows one to address the committee as a whole, taking a broad
perspective of the agenda. On the other hand, informal debate takes the form of short, focused engagements with other
delegates and allows one to address particular delegates and/or to address only specific parts of the agenda, as well as to draft
resolution documents and other paperwork.

PARAMETER FORMAL DEBATE INFORMAL DEBATE

Description Long, formal speeches with Short, focused engagement with a specific
broad agenda

Mode Speakers List Moderated and Unmoderated Caucus

Interruptions Cannot be interrupted May be interrupted

Questions Role Provisions for answering questions No provision for answering questions

Providing direction to the debate Debate leading to solutions and resolution

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 GENERAL SPEAKERS LIST (GSL)

The Speaker’s List is a physical list of the order of speakers and constitutes the formal debate in
Model UN. At the beginning of the session, the executive board will commence with the speaker's
list, asking delegates to add their names to the list. After this is done, the delegates will make the
speakers list speeches in that order.

A speaker's list speech is about 90 seconds and does not have a specific topic. Instead, delegates may
choose to employ their speakers' list speech towards different outcomes, depending on the
progress of the committee. For instance, a speaker who is speaking in the first half of the
conference may choose to use their speech to direct the attention of the committee to the most
pressing problematic areas within the committee’s agenda, or to advocate for specific solutions.
However, a speaker speaking in the latter half of the conference may choose to use his or her
speech to comment on the draft resolution being discussed at that point.

Delegates may speak an unlimited number of times through the speaker’s list but cannot be added to
the list more than once. This means that a speaker may be re-added to the speaker's list after they
have completed their previous turn on the list. Speaking on the speakers list is completely optional,
and no delegate will be forced to make such a speech.

YIELDS
Notably, the speaker's list speech allows a delegate to engage in something called a yield. A yield is a tool to
use any remaining time from the speaker's list speech to answer questions or to invite another delegate to
speak for the remaining time.

If a delegate has at least a few seconds remaining in their speakers list speech, they may choose to yield that
time. There are several types of yields, described below:

Yield to the Executive Board:

In a yield to the executive board, the delegates choose to pass up any remaining time and simply return to
their seat at the end of the speech.

Yield to Questions or Points of Information:

In a yield to questions (which are called points of information), a delegate may respond to questions from
other delegates at the end of their speech.

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Yield to another Delegate:

In a yield to another delegate, the speaker gives up their remaining time to another delegate of his or her
choosing. However, the delegate receiving the yield may not further yield time.

Yield to Comments:

In a yield for comments, the speaker wishes to utilise the remaining time to receive comments (positive or
negative) from the fellow delegates of the committee. A delegate may express his or her opinion by
commenting on the delivered speech keeping in mind the existing time frame.

MODERATED AND UNMODERATED CAUCUS

Moderated and Unmoderated Caucuses form the bulk of the debate and constitute the informal debate in Model UN. ‘Caucus’
means ‘discussion’ in this context and allows for delegates to have a quick back-and-forth exchange of ideas through an open,
group-discussion format of debate.

Moderated Caucus Unmoderated Caucus

In a Moderated Caucus, delegates make short, focused Remember that a moderated caucus must have a pre-
speeches in a back-and-forth manner, on a predetermined determined topic, total duration, and individual speakers' time to
sub-agenda of the main committee agenda, for a specified be considered a valid caucus.
duration of time, which is shorter than the speaker's list.
Unlike during the speakers list, delegates will be called on An unmoderated caucus is an unmoderated discussion, which
one at a time during moderated caucuses, which allows means that there is no formal structure for such a caucus. In an
delegates to respond to or elaborate on comments made unmoderated caucus, delegates are free to move around the
by the previous speakers. committee for a pre-specified period, during which they may
choose to engage other delegates one-on-one or in a group to
Consider a committee with the agenda of ‘Women build consensus and draft any paperwork, including resolutions.
Empowerment.’ There are several distinct aspects of this
agenda that need to be discussed to produce a Sometimes, unmoderated caucuses are also used to
comprehensive resolution. These aspects include Women provide the committee an opportunity to consolidate its
Rights, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Women in the ideas and choose how to proceed for the rest of the
Workplace, Reservations for Women, Women session in case the executive board feels that the debate
Empowerment in Rural Areas, etc. has stagnated. Notably, an unmoderated caucus does not
feature any speeches or speakers and is one of the only
The moderated caucus allows delegates to discuss each of times during which delegates may speak without formal
these subtopics individually and comprehensively to recognition from the executive board. Remember that an
develop consensus around viable solutions and actionable unmoderated caucus only has a pre- specified total time
steps. Notably, a moderated caucus speech is 60-120 and does not have a topic or an individual speaking time.
seconds in duration.

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POINTS AND MOTIONS

Points and Motions are a system to manage committee proceedings in Model UN and allow for delegates
to direct the flow of debate, communicate with the executive board, and express any discomfort or
problems they may be facing. Motions, so called because they move the committee from one part of the
flow of debate to another, are an expression of the committee’s will to engage in a particular type of
debate or session. For instance, the moderated and unmoderated caucus may be initiated through a
motion, as is the case for breaks, recesses, resolutions, voting, roll call, and more.

Notably, all motions must be voted upon by the entire committee, and only if there are more delegates in
favour of the motion, it is passed and executed. Otherwise, the motion is deemed to have failed, and new
motions are considered. All motions are voted on in the order from the most to the least disruptive when
more than one motion has been proposed at any given time. Points, on the other hand, allow delegates to
ask questions, express personal discomfort, and communicate with the executive board. Points are not
voted upon and are usually given precedence over motions.

Types of Motions and How to Raise Them

There are countless motions in Model UN, each of which is used for an extremely specific purpose. The
most important motions are those that are used to initiate a moderated or unmoderated caucus, as well
as the motion to introduce a resolution, apart from the procedural motions that are used for recesses,
breaks, roll call, setting the agenda, etc.

To raise a motion, the executive board must first recognise a delegate. The board will ask if there are any
motions in the committee, at which point the delegate should raise their placard to indicate their interest
in raising a motion. In case they are recognised by the executive board, the delegate should state their
motion and all related details. If the motion is valid, then the executive board will call for a vote, and if
there are more delegates in favour of the motion, it is said to have passed and is then executed by the
committee chair.

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The following table provides more information about specific motions in the order of disruptiveness
(most to least disruptive):” and change the table to list out motions in the following order:

TYPE OF MOTION DESCRIPTION REQUIRED DETAILS EXAMPLE

The Delegate of Canada moves to
Adjournment Adjourn session for meal Duration of adjourn the session for a period of
breaks or at the end of the adjournment and the one hour for the purpose of lunch
day purpose

Introduce Draft Begin debate on a particular Resolution Number The Delegate of Qatar moves
Resolution resolution
to introduce resolution 1.0

Unmoderated Begin an Unmoderated Caucus Total Time The Delegate of Kenya moves
Caucus to begin an unmoderated
caucus for a total time of 15
minutes.

Moderated The Delegate of India moves to

begin a moderated caucus for a
Individual Speaking
period of 15 minutes with 30
Time
seconds per speaker, on the
topic of ‘Women in the
Workplace’.

Conducting Roll Call

None
The Delegate of Nigeria moves to
begin roll call for this session.

Opening Debate
Open Session after a break or The Delegate of Sweden
adjournment None
moves to open the debate.

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Types of Points and How to Raise Them
Points are raised in a similar manner to motions, although in the case of a point, the executive board is
obliged to recognize you. As such, to indicate that you are raising a point, you may choose to call out your
point while raising your placard or wait specifically for the executive board to ask for points from the
committee.
There are four types of points recognized by most Model UN conferences:

POINT DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE

Personal Privilege Personal discomfort and/or audibility Point of Personal Privilege:

issues The speaker is not audible

Parliamentary Seeking clarification on the Point of Parliamentary

Inquiry Parliamentary procedure Inquiry: How does a
delegate raise a motion?
Point of Order Pointing out errors in the order of Point of Order: The
proceedings Executive Board has
forgotten to conduct roll
call for this session
Point of Substantive questions to other Point of Information: Can
Information delegates in the speakers list the delegate provide an
example of the solutions
mentioned in the speech?

If your point is valid, the executive board will respond with the appropriate action, such as requesting the speaker to speak clearly
(in case of a point of personal privilege) or by providing you the necessary information (in case of a point of parliamentary inquiry),
or by allowing the speaker/delegate to respond to your question (in case of a point of information).

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RESOLUTIONS

A Resolution is the main outcome document of the United Nations (and of Model United Nations). It is a
document that lists various solutions and undertakings towards solving or addressing a particular issue or
problem and usually includes information about measures that member countries can/ must take in that
regard.

The Resolution guides the work of the UN, its agencies, and member countries, and as such, has extreme
importance. It must be carefully considered and drafted, ensuring that it is comprehensive, and effective.
Any resolution must be agreeable enough for it to be passed in the committee, which requires a simple
majority of 50% + 1 of the voting population.

In certain cases, like in the Security Council, the resolution must also have approval from all permanent
members apart from having 50% +1 approval in the committee to pass. The resolution must also have
approval from all permanent members, apart from having two-thirds approval in the committee, to pass.

The Resolution has a particular format and is divided into two sections: the preamble and the operative.
Each section comprises of various paragraphs of ‘clauses.’

The preamble is the first part of a resolution, which provides

context and helps in interpreting the rest of the document.
The operative is the second part of the resolution, which
comprises of actionable ideas, directives, and undertakings
towards solving the problem/issue at hand.

All clauses in the resolution must begin with a pre-approved

‘clause word,’ which is italicised. Clauses in the preamble are
not numbered and end with a comma, while operative
clauses are numbered and end with a semicolon. The last
clause of the resolution ends with a period.

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VOTING
The United Nations is a democratic organisation, and all decisions, including procedural decisions and
substantive decisions, are undertaken through a popular vote, in which each member gets an equal and
singular vote.
Procedural voting refers to voting on procedural matters like points and motions, while substantive voting
refers to voting on substantive matters like the resolution and amendments.
Usually, procedural votes are tallied through a show of placards, while a substantive vote is tallied by a
roll call vote.

PROCEDURAL VOTING

In the case of procedural voting, the vote is counted by a show of placards. Delegates may choose to
vote only in two ways: Yes, or No. They may not pass or abstain from the vote.
This type of voting is most used to vote on motions, especially for moderated and unmoderated caucuses.
All delegates are required to vote on procedural motions.

SUBSTANTIVE VOTING

In the case of substantive voting, the vote is counted through a roll call vote, wherein each delegate casts
their vote one at a time, in alphabetical order. Delegates may choose to vote in four ways: Yes, No, Pass
or Abstain.

The Yes and No votes are self-explanatory.

If a delegate votes to Pass, it means that they will be skipped from the alphabetical order but will be
required to vote at the end. Usually, a delegate will vote to Pass in case they are waiting to see how other
delegates vote before deciding their own vote.

If a delegate votes to Abstain, it means that they will be skipped from the vote altogether, and they will
not be counted in the total number of voters. Usually, a delegate will vote to Abstain in case they hold a
neutral position in the debate, or in case they are unable to show their support or opposition due to
political motives. Please note that delegates who marked themselves as “present and voting” during roll
call may not abstain in substantive votes.

Notably, if a delegate passes on the first round, then they must vote either yes or no in the next round
and cannot abstain.

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Research and Preparation
After learning about the United Nations and understanding the rules of procedure of Model UN, it is time for you to begin the
research process. The research process can be broken down into a series of simple steps:

IMPORTANCE OF NEWSPAPER
The newspaper is an integral part which contributes to one’s intellectual growth. A newspaper is a compilation of the current
affairs across the globe. A MUNer needs to have an intellectual approach towards various perspectives in life. A Model UN
conference has more to do with an individual’s personality development rather than just a competition. Hence, a MUNer should
carry the responsibility of being knowledgeable, logical, and well-versed in the aspects that tend to dominate the current
happenings of the world. Newspaper, regular watching of prominent news channels, reading magazines and journals that deal
with current affairs and reading books, etc., play an effective and impactful role in developing an individual’s thinking process and
his or her approach towards life. Hence, daily reading of the newspaper and keeping yourself updated with the current affairs play
a significant role in shaping a good MUNer.

COMMITTEE RESEARCH
The first step is to familiarise yourself with the committee that you will be participating in and to understand its role, powers, and
functions.

COUNTRY RESEARCH
Next, you should learn about your country and get a basic understanding of its history, geography, culture, economy, and
policies.

AGENDA RESEARCH
After that, you will have to develop a thorough understanding of your agenda or topic. You should begin by reading the
background guide. The guide will usually also have additional resources at the end, which are a useful tool in learning more about
the agenda.

PREPARING A RESEARCH FRAME

Once you have a basic understanding of your committee, country, and agenda, you should prepare a research frame. A research
frame breaks down the agenda into its fundamental sub-topics. The research frame includes the key problematic areas, the
impact and incidence of the problem, its causes, potential solutions, and an actionable way forward. You can use this research
frame to identify potential topics for your speakers list speeches and for moderated caucuses.

IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS
You should also build a comprehensive list of solutions and actionable steps that you would want to include in the resolution.
WRITE A POSITION PAPER
Most conferences require delegates to submit a position paper, which is a short essay about the delegate’s country and its
policies. More information about position papers can be found in a separate video.

MAKE A RESEARCH BINDER

Finally, you should prepare a research binder, which is a physical or virtual folder of all your research material organised in a

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simple manner. You can carry this research binder with you to help you during the conference.

Position Paper Guidelines

A position paper is a short essay written by each delegate before participating in a Model UN conference. The position paper
describes the delegates’ overall stance on the agenda and what they hope to achieve from the committee.

The position paper is submitted to the executive board. It is also a terrific way to begin preparing for the conference and can be
easily adapted into an opening speech.

The position paper is usually between 1 and 2 pages in length and includes preliminary information about the agenda and the
country being represented by the delegate.

WHAT IS A POSITION PAPER?

A position paper is an essay, which details an individual’s, organizations, or country’s stand with regards to a specific topic or
agenda. In the context of Model UN, a position paper is an essay that highlights the delegate’s country’s policies and position with
regards to the agenda.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A POSITION PAPER?

A position paper serves as a foundational tool that establishes the initial position of each country in a committee towards the
given agenda or issue. This helps delegates ascertain bloc positions and identify allies or opponents.

Furthermore, a position paper serves as an excellent foundation from which to begin substantive research. It also serves as an overall
brief of the country’s stance and can be used as a fall-back document whenever required. Lastly, a beautifully written position
paper can often be used as the opening speech on a general speaker’s list.

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WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS OF A POSITION PAPER?

A well-written position paper will include all the following:

• A brief introduction to the country, and its history with respect to the topic/agenda and the committee.
• How the agenda or issue affects the country.
• The country’s policies with regards to the issue, and the justification for these policies.
• Quotes, statistics, or other data to support the position adopted by the country.
• Actions undertaken by the country towards the issue.
• Conventions, treaties, resolutions, etc. that the country has signed.
• UN actions that the country has supported or opposed.
• What the country believes should be done to address the issue.
• What the country would like to accomplish in the committee’s resolution.
• How the position of other countries or blocs affects the country’s position.

WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF A POSITION PAPER?

• A position paper is written from the perspective of the State or country and not of the delegate. As such, avoid using ‘I’ or
‘The Delegate’ instead, use your country’s name.
Example: India believes that poverty is a global issue.
• A position paper is written in the present tense.
• The length of an advantageous position paper is between one and two pages. This corresponds to about one thousand
words.
• Use Times New Roman, Size 11, line spacing 1.5 and adequate margins.
• Try and include your country’s official seal or emblem as a watermark or a signature to create the official feeling.
• Organise the entire paper into clear paragraphs and try and use bullet points when possible.
• Keep the language simple, and do not use overly complex sentence structures.
• Cite any factual data, quotes, statistics, etc.
• Try and include at least one quote from your country’s leaders about the issue.

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HOW TO WRITE A POSITION PAPER?

• Begin by researching the country, the committee, and the topic area.
• Contextualise your research by trying to identify the country’s stance towards the topic area.
• Identify important treaties, conventions, resolutions, etc. related to the topic area or issue. Determine whether the
country is a signatory or member to these treaties, conventions, etc.
• Read interviews and speeches given by the country’s leaders in the recent past and try and identify the
common thread in all the data – this common thread will be the position that the country adopts.
• Try and understand why the country has adopted such a position. This can be gauged by looking at the history of the
country and the topic area, and its evolution.
• Identify practical solutions or next steps that the country would like to see adopted in the committee resolution. Develop
arguments for why these solutions are adequate and necessary.
• Identify the counter-position – the opposite position or the opponent’s position – and develop arguments for why your
position is better or why the counter-position is weak.
• Organise all the data and draft your position paper. Expect to write at least three drafts before finalising the paper.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A POSITION PAPER?

• Organise your paper into paragraphs. Dedicate a new paragraph to each new idea.

• The following is an example of a good flow of a position paper. Please feel free to deviate from this flow as required. There is
no fixed rule that governs the structure of a position paper. An acceptable position paper is one that includes all elements and
is easy to read.

Introduction: Begin by introducing the country and the topic area.

History: Trace the history of the country and the topic area.

Position: Identify how the issue affects your country, and describe the position adopted by the country towards the issue.
Substantiate: Elaborate on the position, and include the country’s policies, legislations, actions, etc. towards the issue.
Support: Support your claims with quotes, data, and statistics.

Action Framework: Treaties, conventions, resolutions, etc., adopted by your country towards the issue +
country’s position on the key treaties, conventions, etc. + rationale for such a position.
Way Forward: Solutions that the county wishes to adopt + What the country hopes to achieve from the committee.
Counter Positions: Identify counter positions and explain how they affect the country’s stance.

Conclusion Statement: Conclude with a statement about what the country hopes for, in the larger picture.

Sample Working Paper

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The purpose of the working paper is to clearly communicate the interests of one or more countries. Please note that there is no
set format for working papers; the below is just one example of a possible working paper. To facilitate the photocopying and
delivery, working papers should include the name and topic of the committee. After receiving the approval of the Director,
working papers may be copied and distributed to the committee.

Committee: UN Commission on Trade and Development

Topic: Generalised System of Preferences

Signatories: Algeria, United States, Colombia, United Kingdom, South Africa, Portugal, Republic of Korea, and Spain.

The authors of this working paper believe that a GSP should be set up so that Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) receive
preferential treatment from Developed Countries (DCs). To that end, we propose:

1. Each DC reduce its tariffs to the lowest level possible. This level will be determined by the subcommittee created below.
2. Bilateral trade agreements should be pursued for further reductions in tariffs.
3. Trade preferences should be granted in the following areas:
a) Agriculture
b) Manufacture
c) Semi-manufactures
d) Raw materials

1. Decisions on giving nations preference in product coverage should be made in consultation with the affected LDC. Annual re-
evaluation of coverage shall take place with the LDC, with dispute going to the below-created subcommittee.

2. A subcommittee of UNCTAD should be created with equal membership of developed and developing countries. This
subcommittee would have the following powers:
a) To mediate disputes between preference givers and receivers
b) Make recommendations that all countries should follow.
c) Serve as a forum for airing grievances relating to the GSP.
d) Report regularly to the Secretary-General.
3. Membership should be as follows:
a) Five permanent nations from the DCs
b) Five permanent nations from the LDCs
c) Ten members elected annually by UNCTAD.

The voting rights will have to be worked out, but the UN format for subcommittees seems best. Of course, we are amenable to
change.

22
Sample Draft Resolution
Committee: UN Commission on Science and Technology

Topic: International News Flow Imbalance

Signatories: Algeria, United States, Colombia, United Kingdom, South Africa, Portugal, Republic of Korea, and Spain

The Economic and Social Council

Noting its Resolution A/36/89 of 16 December 1981, “The Declaration on Fundamental Principles Concerning the Contribution of
the Mass Media to Strengthening Peace and International Understanding,”
Noting further Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to receive and impart
information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Recognising that the problem of news flow imbalance is that two-way information among countries of a region is either
non-existent or insufficient, and information exchanged between regions of the world is inadequate.

Realising the need for all sovereign nations to maintain their integrity and still play an active role in the international system;

1. Recommends that a three-level information interchange

system be established on the National, Regional, and 2. Urges the establishment of the University of
international levels to ameliorate the current problems of International Communications, with a main branch in
news flow imbalance, operating as follows: Geneva, Switzerland, and additional branches located
in each of the regions, to pursue the following aims:
a) Each region’s member nations will report their national
information and receive the information of other nations in a) The University and branches will be established with the
their region from the regional level of this interchange express purpose of bringing together world views and
system. facilitating the transfer of technology.
b) Nations will decide the character of the news flow media best b) All member nations of the United Nations will be equally
suited to the needs of their sovereign territory, be this represented at the University.
printed, audio, or audio-visual. c) Incentives will be offered to students of journalism and
c) Regional News Gathering Agencies will serve to gather communications at the University to return to their
information from the nations in their region, and these countries to teach upon the completion of instructions.
boards will have no editorial discretion and will serve to d) The instructors of the regional education centres will be
forward all information to the International Board. comprised of a multi-partisan coalition of educators from
d) Each regional agency will be composed of representatives throughout the world.
from every member nation of the region. e) Calls for the continued use of funds from the
e) The primary function of the International Board will be to International Program for the Development of
translate information accumulated from the regional news Communications, Special Account, UNES-CO, UNDP, and
gathering agencies. other sources of funding including national governments
f) The secondary purpose will be to transmit all information and private donors. Further recommends regarding the
gathered back to the member nations via the regional news distribution of funds will be decided by the IPDC.
gathering agencies.
g) In order to expedite the transfer of information from the
international to regional level the International Board will
utilize the UN frequency on an EEC (European Economic
Community) satellite.

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Resolution Formatting
Guidelines
HEADING

The title should be centred in capital letters, above the body of the draft resolution. The next two lines should list the name of
the committee and the title of the topic, left-aligned. Note that no authors should be listed, as there are no sponsors of draft
resolutions at HMUN. Do note, however, that draft resolutions require the approval of the Director and the signature of twenty-
five members in General Assembly committees, eight members in the Economic and Social Council committees and Regional
Bodies, and five members in the Security Council and Historical Security Council are also required. Signatories should be listed at
the top of the first page of the draft resolution.

BODY

The body of a resolution is written in the format of a long sentence, with the following rules:
• The committees of the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council should begin their resolutions with “The General
Assembly” and “The Economic and Social Council,” respectively. All other committees should use their names in the
introductory line. The rest of the resolution is comprised of two sets of clauses.
• The first set consists of preambulatory clauses, which describe the problem being addressed, recall past actions taken,
explain the purpose of the resolution, and offer support for the operative clauses that follow. Each clause in the preamble
begins with an italicised (or underlined, if handwritten) word or phrase and ends with a comma.
• The second set consists of operative clauses, which are numbered and state the action(s) to be taken by the body. These
clauses all begin with present tense active verbs, which are stronger words than those used to begin preambulatory clauses.
These verbs are underlined. All operative clauses, except the last, which ends with a period, are followed by semicolons.

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 PREAMBULATORY PHRASE

Accepts Deplores Further reminds Resolves

Affirms Designates Further requests Solemnly affirms

Approves Draws Attention Further resolves Strongly condemns

Authorizes Emphasizes Has resolved Supports

Calls for Encourages Notes Takes note of

Calls upon Endorses Proclaims Trusts

Condemns (SC only) Expresses its Reaffirms Urges

appreciation
Confirms Recommends Welcome
Expresses its hope
Congratulates Regrets
Further invites
Considers Reminds
Further proclaims
Declares accordingly Requests
Further recommends
Demands (SC only)

Secretary General Deputy Secretary General

Nivedh Bansal Prisha Khurana
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