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MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE THE FOLLOWING BRIEF OUTLINE WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF ‘HOW A COMMITTEE SESSION OPERATES.’ THIS WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: 1. OVERVIEW AND STRUCTURE 2. BEGINNING THE SESSION 3. DURING THE SESSION 4. CLOSING THE SESSION 5. HOW TO WRITE A RESOLUTION 2

3 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE STRUCTURE STRUCTURE: EACH COMMITTEE WILL INCLUDE A CHAIR AND A RAPPORTEUR. THE CHAIR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP OF THE SESSION. THE RAPPORTEUR ASSISTS THE CHAIR. ALL MEMBER STATES MUST ADDRESS THE CHAIR AS ‘HONORABLE CHAIR’. THE CHAIR WILL ADDRESS THE MEMBER STATES AS ‘HONORABLE DELEGATE FROM CHINA’ OR ‘CHINA’. STRUCTURE: TWO STUDENTS PER COUNTRY. EACH COUNTRY WILL THEN LEARN THE PROTOCOL INVOLVED IN A COMMITTEE SESSION. 3

44 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE OVERVIEW 1. ROLL CALL OF MEMBER STATES 2. SETTING THE AGENDA: Topic 1, Topic 2, Topic SETTING TIME LIMIT ON SPEECHES 4. CHAIR CALLS FOR ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC TO RAISE THEIR PLACARD ONCE THE SPEAKERS LIST IS WRITTEN DOWN, THEN EACH COUNTRY GOES IN TURN TO REPRESENT ITS POLICY. 5. ONCE ALL OPINIONS ARE HEARD, ANY COUNTRY MAY ASK FOR AN INFORMAL CAUCUS AND SET A TIME-LIMIT TO IT. FOR INSTANCE, CHINA ASKS FOR 10 MINUTES OF INFORMAL CAUCUS. 4

5 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE OVERVIEW 6. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF NEGOTIATIONS OCCURS WHEN IN INFORMAL CAUCUS. HERE, DELEGATES SPEAK TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND TRY TO FORMULATE A CONSENSUS. 7. AFTER THE 10 MINS, MEMBER-STATES RECONVENE AND TAKE THEIR POSITIONS AND ANY COUNTRY CAN THEN PUT FORWARD A RESOLUTION, IN REGARDS TO THE TOPIC UNDER DISCUSSION. 8. AT THIS POINT, MEMBER STATES CAN MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOLUTION OR VOTE FOR IT. 9. ONCE VOTED, AND IF A SIMPLE MAJORITY IS ACHIEVED, THEN THE MATTER IS CLOSED AND THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED. IF THE RESOLUTION FAILS, THEN THE COMMITTEE MAY CONTINUE DISCUSSING OR MOVE TO ANOTHER TOPIC. 10. THIS IS DONE BY ASKING FOR EITHER A ‘CLOSURE’ OR ‘ADJOURNMENT’ OF DEBATE

6 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE DURING THE SESSION 1. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA OF THE COMMITTEE SESSION IS FOR THE CHAIR TO FORMALLY ANNOUNCE THE ‘BEGINNING OF THE SESSION.’ CHAIR INFORMS ALL MEMBER STATES (COUNTRIES) TO TAKE THEIR SEATS. 2. RAPPORTEUR ASKS FOR A ROLL CALL (THE RAPPORTEUR WILL CALL OUT EACH COUNTRIES’ NAME AND ASK EACH COUNTRY TO RESPOND IN ONE OF TWO WAYS: PRESENT – THIS FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE COUNTRY IS THERE AND IT MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT VOTE. PRESENT AND VOTING – THIS FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE COUNTRY IS THERE AND IT WILL DEFINITELY VOTE ON ALL MATTERS. THEY CANNOT CHANGE THEIR MIND. 6

77 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE DURING THE SESSION 3. VOTING PROCEDURES: TWO KINDS OF VOTES PROCEDURAL – EACH COUNTRY (MEMBER STATE) MAY SAY ‘YES,’ OR ‘NO’. EVERY COUNTRY MUST VOTE. SUBSTANTIVE – EACH COUNTRY MAY SAY ‘YES,’ ‘NO’ OR ‘ABSTAIN.’ 4. TWO METHODS OF COUNTING VOTES PLACARD – BY LIFTING YOUR PLACARD THAT HAS THE NAME OF YOUR COUNTRY ON IT ROLL CALL – BY OPENLY SAYING ‘YES, NO OR ABSTENTION.’ (THIS IS DONE BY THE RAPPORTEUR ) 7

888 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE DURING THE SESSION 5. TWO KINDS OF DEBATE DURING A COMMITTEE SESSION a.FORMAL (MODERATED) DEBATE/CAUCUS – EVERYONE SITTING AT THEIR CHAIRS AND SPEAKING ONLY WHEN GIVEN PERMISSION BY THE CHAIR. NO ONE SPEAKS OUT OF TURN. NO ONE INTERRUPTS ANYONE. NO ONE SPEAKS LOUDLY TO ANYONE ELSE, SO AS TO RESPECT THE TIME OF THE SPEAKER. b.INFORMAL (UNMODERATED) DEBATE/CAUCUS – A SET TIME IS GIVEN WHICH ALLOWS MEMBER STATES (COUNTRIES) TO OPENLY AND FREELY DISCUSS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES. EACH MEMBER STATE CAN ASK FOR AN INFORMAL DEBATE BY RAISING THEIR PLACARDS. 8

9999 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE DURING THE SESSION 6. RESOLUTION: THE GOAL IN EACH COMMITTEE TOPIC FOR OUR TRAINING SESSION IS TO PASS A RESOLUTION. THIS IS DONE BY ANY COUNTRY RAISING THEIR PLACARD. FRIENDLY AMENDMENT – AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE WORDING OF THE RESOLUTION, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNTRY (MEMBER STATE) THAT HAS PUT THE RESOLUTION FORWARD FOR DEBATE WITH SPONSORS. UNFRIENDLY AMENDMENT – AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE WORDING OF THE RESOLUTION THAT DOES NOT HAVE SUPPORT OF THE MAJORITY OF SPONSORS OF THE RESOLUTION. 9

10 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE DURING THE SESSION 7. ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM, THAT IS PART OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMITTEE, IS WHEN SPEAKING LENGTHS ARE DETERMINED. THIS IS DONE BY ANY MEMBER STATE RAISING THEIR PLACARD AND ASKING FOR A SET-TIME LIMIT ON SPEAKER DURATION. THIS HAPPENS IN THE BEGINNING OF A COMMITTEE SESSION AND RESTRICTS SPEAKING TIME. CLOSING THE SESSION 8. THE CHAIR CLOSES THE SESSION, THANKING ALL THE MEMBER- STATES FOR THEIR PARTCIPATION AND VALUABLE COMMENTS. 10

11 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE OVERVIEW 1. ROLL CALL OF MEMBER STATES 2. SETTING THE AGENDA: Topic 1, Topic 2, Topic SETTING TIME LIMIT ON SPEECHES 4. CHAIR CALLS FOR ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC TO RAISE THEIR PLACARD ONCE THE SPEAKERS LIST IS WRITTEN DOWN, THEN EACH COUNTRY GOES IN TURN TO REPRESENT ITS POLICY. 5. ONCE ALL OPINIONS ARE HEARD, ANY COUNTRY MAY ASK FOR AN INFORMAL CAUCUS AND SET A TIME-LIMIT TO IT. FOR INSTANCE, CHINA ASKS FOR 10 MINUTES OF INFORMAL CAUCUS. 11

12 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE OVERVIEW 6. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF NEGOTIATIONS OCCURS WHEN IN INFORMAL CAUCUS. HERE, DELEGATES SPEAK TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND TRY TO FORMULATE A CONSENSUS. 7. AFTER THE 10 MINS, MEMBER-STATES RECONVENE AND TAKE THEIR POSITIONS AND ANY COUNTRY CAN THEN PUT FORWARD A RESOLUTION, IN REGARDS TO THE TOPIC UNDER DISCUSSION. 8. AT THIS POINT, MEMBER STATES CAN MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOLUTION OR VOTE FOR IT. 9. ONCE VOTED, AND IF A SIMPLE MAJORITY IS ACHIEVED, THEN THE MATTER IS CLOSED AND THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED. IF THE RESOLUTION FAILS, THEN THE COMMITTEE MAY CONTINUE DISCUSSING OR MOVE TO ANOTHER TOPIC. 10. THIS IS DONE BY ASKING FOR EITHER A ‘CLOSURE’ OR ‘ADJOURNMENT’ OF DEBATE

13 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE HOW TO WRITE A RESOLUTION Structure UN resolutions follow a common format. Each resolution has three parts: the heading, the preambular clauses, and the operative clauses. The entire resolution consists of one long sentence, with commas and semi-colons throughout, and only one period at the very end. Working papers should be single- spaced, with each line numbered in the left-hand margin. The first word in each clause should be italicized.

14 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE SAMPLE RESOLUTION Sample Resolution Code: GA/1/19 Committee: General Assembly, First Committee/ Disarmament and International Security Subject: Eradication of Weapons of Mass Destruction 1. The General Assembly, 2. Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, 3. Reaffirming the commitment of Member States under Article 39 of the UN Charter which states ‘The Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken in accordance with Articles 41 and 42, to maintain or restore international peace and security; 4. Takes note of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540;

15 MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE SAMPLE RESOLUTION 5. Requests the Secretary-General to establish a commission that will be solely responsible for the ‘eradication of weapons of mass destruction.’ and report to the General Assembly at its sixtieth session on: a. The status of possible funding arrangements, including a financial package to be provided by the following host countries: i. United States of America; ii. Canada; iii. United Kingdom; b. […] 6. Decides to continue the consideration of this question at its fifty-eighth session

COMMITTEE TOPIC ONE Committee on Sustainable Development I: Poverty and Immigration and Sustainable Development Needs of the Middle East II: The International Water for Life Decade ( ): A Discussion of Water Resources and Management III: Eco-Tourism and Sustainable Land Management Practices 16

17 COMMITTEE TOPIC TWO Committee on Disarmament: Weapons of Mass Destruction I: Weapons Proliferation II: Nuclear Iran III: Biological/Chemical Weapons 17

18 COMMITTEE TOPIC THREE SPECPOL Committee I: Palestine: The way forward II: Kashmir: The right of self-determination III: Iraq: Creating Peace 18

19 COMMITTEE TOPIC FOUR Organization of Islamic Conference I: Regional Security II: Education bonds between OIC Countries III: Trade, tourism and transportation 19