1. Prepared by Danny Hirsch 14 October 2015
Rules of Procedure
Prepared by Danny Hirsch
14 October 2015

2. The Dais Honorable Chair—Oversees all aspects of the conference
Director—Guides delegates through the process of drafting, debating and voting on resolutions and amendments
Rapporteur—Calls roll, keeps time, and counts votes
Staff—Keeps notes, works the computer
Helper—Passes notes for delegates (no love notes!)

3. The Dais in Pictures

4. Roll Call and Speaker’s List
The Rapporteur will take roll
When your country is called, say “present”
Speaker’s List
Country names are written on a list
Countries speak in that order
One country must motion to open the Speaker’s list:
“Honorable Chair, (Country Name) moves to open the Speaker’s List with a speaking time of 90 seconds.”
The country that motions to open the Speaker’s List must speak first. Now, debate is OPEN.

5. Motions
A motion is a way of requesting that the debate proceed to a different stage (for example, creating the Speaker’s List)
When a country makes a motion, the Chair will ask: “Motion to […] is on the floor. Is there a second?”
One country must second (express support for the motion) by raising its placard
If there is a second, then everyone must vote on the motion. Countries can:
Vote in favor
Vote against
Abstain (not voting for either side)
To vote, raise your placard in the air
There must be a simple majority (50%) vote for the motion to open the Speaker’s List to pass

6. Speaker’s List How do you add yourself to the Speaker’s List?
Raise your placard at the beginning of the debate
What do you say?
Countries give their Opening Speeches, which explain their positions on the topic
Each country has 90 seconds to speak
What if you do not use all your time? You yield your time:
To the Chair (ends your time),
To another delegate (so an ally can speak), or
To Points of Information (so others can ask you questions)

7. Points If you have a question or comment, you must make a point:
Point of Information
Point of Personal Privilege
Point of Order
Point of Inquiry
Raise your placard and wait for the Chair to call you
“Honorable Chair, (Country Name) has a point of […].”
The Chair responds, “To what point do you arise?”
Then, you can ask your question or make your comment

8. Point of Information Picture

9. Moderated Caucus
When you hear something you disagree with or something you want to talk about more…
A country must motion to suspend debate for a Moderated Caucus:
“Honorable Chair, (Country Name) moves to suspend debate for the purpose of a Moderated Caucus for a total time of 10 minutes and a speaking time of 45 seconds.”
“total time”: complete amount of time for the Moderated Caucus
“speaking time”: amount of time for each country to speak

10. Moderated Caucus Continued
What do you do when you want to speak?
Raise your placard and wait to be called on by the Chair
Anyone can speak in any order; countries do not follow the Speaker’s List
When total time runs out, we return to the Speaker’s List and continue with formal debate
After returning to the Speaker’s List, you no longer give your prepared Opening Speech
You must adapt your speeches to what was said in Moderated Caucus
Follow the flow of debate by listening and taking notes!

11. Moderated Caucus in Pictures

12. Unmoderated Caucus
When you want to walk around the room to talk to other countries about ideas and possible resolutions
A country must motion for an Unmoderated Caucus
“Honorable Chair, (Country Name) motions to suspend debate for the purpose of an Unmoderated Caucus for a total time of 10 minutes.”
There is only a “total time,” there is no “speaking time” for each country
What do you do?
Make blocs, form alliances
Start writing resolutions

13. Unmoderated Caucus in Pictures

14. Resolutions
The final result of discussion and negotiation during the conference regarding the topic
Written suggestions for action to address the problem assigned to the conference
Each resolution has:
Sponsors—Countries that write the resolution; you can only sponsor ONE resolution draft
Signatories—Countries that want to discuss the resolution; you can be a signatory on as many drafts as you want
20% of the committee must be a sponsor or signatory of a resolution draft before the draft can be submitted to the Chair, who chooses two drafts for debate

15. Writing Resolution Drafts
Three main parts
Heading
Preamble, or Pre-ambulatory Clauses
Operative Clauses
Name of the body or organization making the statement, with the name of the committee that is meeting at the conference
Topic
Sponsors
Signatories
Resolution number (assigned only to drafts chosen by the Chair)

16. Sample Resolution Headings
Resolution GA/3/1.1
General Assembly Third Committee
Sponsors: United States, Austria and Italy
Signatories: Greece, Tajikistan, Japan, Canada, Mali, the Netherlands and Gabon
Topic: “Strengthening UN coordination of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies”
IMF3/DR1/Debt Forgiveness
Committee: International Monetary Fund
Topic: Debt Forgiveness
Sponsors: Denmark, Azerbaijan, Australia
Signatories: Japan, Austria, Botswana, Cuba, Ecuador, Bosnia-Herzegovina, El Salvador, Bolivia, Belgium, Croatia, Argentina, Algeria, Albania, Afghanistan
Committee: UN Women 1
DR# 1
Sponsors: Papua New Guinea, Uganda, Mauritania, and Madagascar
Signatories: Rwanda, United Arab Emirates, Zimbabwe, Mali, USA

17. Preamble/Pre-ambulatory Clauses
Pre-ambulatory Clauses describe the context of the topic. They explain WHY the topic is important.
You can use the clauses to reference previous resolutions, precedents and statements about the topic
How do you write Pre-ambulatory Clauses?
They form one long sentence
Clauses begin with gerunds (verbs ending in –ing)
Affirming
Acknowledging
Noting
Stressing
Reminding
When you use a new gerund, begin a new line
At the end of a line, use a comma [,]

18. Sample Pre-Ambulatory Clauses
The General Assembly,
Reminding all nations of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity, equality and inalienable rights of all global citizens,
Reaffirming its Resolution 33/1996 of 25 July 1996, which encourages Governments to work with UN bodies aimed at improving the coordination and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance,
Stressing the fact that the United Nations faces significant financial obstacles and is in need of reform, particularly in the humanitarian realm,
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind the unemployment affecting countries worldwide and the vacant jobs in numerous countries,
Concerning the difficulties of movement in between countries and the problems of the adaptation of migrants to other countries’ language and political and social structure,
Remembering the importance of youth in every country’s economy,

19. Operative Clauses
Operative Clauses describe the policies that countries want to enact to address the problem
Pre-ambulatory Clauses explain WHY the problem is important
Operative Clauses explain WHAT the countries want to do
How do you write Operative Clauses?
Begin clauses with “soft” terms, which are terms that suggest actions
Encourages
Recommends
Requests
Urges
When you use a new verb, start a new line
At the end of a line, use a semicolon [;]
Put a period at the end of the entire resolution

20. Sample Operative Clauses
Encourages the creation of an international fund, financed by the sponsors, signatories and the UN, to support adaptation programs for migrants;
Calls upon states to help in the adaptation of these migrants through programs focused on migrants; and
Stresses the importance of giving economic support to these migrants once in their destination country.
Encourages all relevant agencies of the United Nations to collaborate more closely with countries at the grassroots level to enhance the carrying out of relief efforts;
Urges member states to comply with the goals of the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs to streamline efforts of humanitarian aid;
Requests that all nations develop rapid deployment forces to better enhance the coordination of relief efforts of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies;
Calls for the development of a United Nations Trust Fund that encourages voluntary donations from the private transnational sector to aid in funding the implementation of rapid deployment forces;
Stresses the continuing need for impartial and objective information on the political, economic and social situations and events of all countries;
Calls upon states to respond quickly and generously to consolidated appeals for humanitarian assistance; and
Requests the expansion of preventive actions and assurance of post-conflict assistance through reconstruction and development.

21. Sample Resolution Draft
Resolution GA/3/1.1
General Assembly Third Committee
Sponsors: United States, Austria and Italy
Signatories: Greece, Tajikistan, Japan, Canada, Mali, the Netherlands and Gabon
Topic: “Strengthening UN coordination of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies”
The General Assembly,
Reminding all nations of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity, equality and inalienable rights of all global citizens,
Reaffirming its Resolution 33/1996 of 25 July 1996, which encourages Governments to work with UN bodies aimed at improving the coordination and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance,
Stressing the fact that the United Nations faces significant financial obstacles and is in need of reform, particularly in the humanitarian realm,
Encourages all relevant agencies of the United Nations to collaborate more closely with countries at the grassroots level to enhance the carrying out of relief efforts;
Urges member states to comply with the goals of the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs to streamline efforts of humanitarian aid;
Requests that all nations develop rapid deployment forces to better enhance the coordination of relief efforts of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies;
Calls for the development of a United Nations Trust Fund that encourages voluntary donations from the private transnational sector to aid in funding the implementation of rapid deployment forces;
Stresses the continuing need for impartial and objective information on the political, economic and social situations and events of all countries;
Calls upon states to respond quickly and generously to consolidated appeals for humanitarian assistance; and
Requests the expansion of preventive actions and assurance of post-conflict assistance through reconstruction and development.

22. Another Sample Resolution Draft
IMF3/DR1/Debt Forgiveness
Committee: International Monetary Fund
Topic: Debt Forgiveness
Sponsors: Denmark, Azerbaijan, Australia
Signatories: Japan, Austria, Botswana, Cuba, Ecuador, Bosnia-Herzegovina, El Salvador, Bolivia, Belgium, Croatia, Argentina, Algeria, Albania, Afghanistan
The General Assembly,
Noting that some borrower countries cannot pay their loans back but have more raw materials,
Emphasizing that developing and underdeveloped countries are really suffering from the economic impact of debt,
Reaffirming that borrower and lending countries’ economies affect the global market, and that if poor countries have more prosperous economies, they have the potential to improve the conditions of the global market and economy,
Considers exchanging the remaining debt with raw materials or energy sources that borrower countries have, such that 75% of the debt will be paid with raw materials and the remaining 25% with money;
Encourages borrower countries that do not have raw materials to improve themselves with the help of developed countries in order to attract investors, which will improve their economic situations and reduce their debts;
Stresses the importance of starting companies in borrower countries so that the money produced by public companies will be given to lender countries with some commissions until the loan has been paid back; and
Recommends that these resolutions be supervised by the IMF to make sure that everything is done legally.

23. Remember…
Not every country needs to write its own resolution (not every country needs to be a Sponsor)
Not every country needs to sign a resolution (not every country needs to be a Signatory)
You can only be a Sponsor on ONE resolution draft!
But, you can be a Signatory on as many drafts as you want
All resolution drafts are submitted to the Honorable Chair, and two drafts will be chosen for debate
For the chosen drafts, Sponsors read the Operative Clauses to everyone

24. Amendment Procedure
Sponsors read the Operative Clauses of the draft of Resolution #1
Sponsors take five Points of Information
Then, there is a 5-10 minute Moderated Caucus to discuss the resolution draft
Then, there is a 5-10 minute Unmoderated Caucus to write amendments
Repeat the process for the draft of Resolution #2

25. Amendments
While debating a resolution draft, you may propose an amendment
Written changes or revisions to resolution drafts
An amendment can be written by any delegation, not only by the Sponsors of the resolution draft
Friendly Amendments are amendments that all the Sponsors support
No vote is needed, because all the Sponsors support them
Unfriendly Amendments are amendments that some or none of the Sponsors support
Must be put to a vote, because some or all of the Sponsors disagree with them

26. Voting Procedure
After debating the two resolution drafts, you can vote on them
A country must motion to close the debate to move on to voting
Or, if we get to the end of the Speaker’s List, the committee goes into voting procedure
“Honorable Chair, (Country Name) motions to end debate on the topic of […].”
At least a 2/3 majority is needed to close debate

27. Voting Process
The Honorable Chair reads resolution #1 and the Delegates vote
Then the Chair reads resolution #2 and the Delegates vote again
Delegates vote on any amendments before voting on the resolution
If the amendment passes, Delegates vote on the resolution with the amendment included
If the amendment does not pass, Delegates vote on the resolution without the amendment included
It is okay for one, both or neither resolution to pass

28. Motion to Adjourn Debate
After voting, a country must motion to adjourn debate until next year’s preliminary conference.
“Honorable Chair, (Country Name) motions to adjourn debate until next year’s Madrid Global Classrooms Preliminary Conference.”
A simple majority vote in favor is required for the motion to pass
If the motion passes, the debate tournament is over!