Paperwork behind every MUN
So after you have been assigned your country, committee and topic; all geared up to grab that best delegate award. Before you walk into that conference there are typically 2 items to prepare: a Position Paper and an opening GSL Speech (General Speakers List). Of course, these two documents are not going to be the only items requiring you to research the agenda but this is the bare minimum that’s expected from a delegate attending a conference. There’s essentially no limit to how much you can research on the agenda so go wild!
The utmost aim of a MUN is to discuss a given problem statement and to find solutions. Solutions need to be documented very well, so as an outsider can know about it from scratch. The paperwork will mainly deal with documenting solutions to the agenda. The paperwork and debate will be evaluated by the Executive Board Members and will decide the prize in accordance. The best way to win prizes is to be involved in paperwork and also to present and pass the resolution. Even if you spoke less but had drafted a resolution, then it’s indeed a big achievement.
Position Paper
A Position Paper also called Policy Paper is a one or two-page document that summarises your understanding of the agenda and your country’s stance on the same. You may have to prepare this well in advance before you come to the event.
A Position Paper consists of three parts ( paragraphs) :
1.Your country’s unique understanding of the agenda.
2.Your country relation or stance on the agenda.
3.Policies, ideas or solutions that you would like to see in the resolution.
Heres an example of a Position Paper which shows the basic format to be used:
Country: Nigeria
Committee: World Health Organization
Topic: Combating Global Hunger
(Paragraph Ⅰ)
(Paragraph ⅠⅠ)
(Paragraph ⅠⅠⅠ)
Since a Position Paper is a public document that every delegate in the committee can read, use it to your advantage to best strategize your course of action during committee sessions.
Working Paper
Working papers can be roughly termed as a precursor to a draft resolution. Working paper is just a document containing all your solutions, but without any formalities and great flexibility in the way, it can be written. Also, there exists no rigid format for a working paper. It consists of both preambulatory and operative clauses. What are preambulatory and operative clauses? Basically, Preambulatory clauses are words which call upon previous UN resolutions, locate the situation in a certain context, and are separated by commas.
Operative clauses, on the other hand, contain specific verbs and phrases which call for a specific course of action. Those clauses are separated by semicolons. The final clause ends with a period.
Some examples include:
Preambulatory Phrases:
Operative Phrases:
The submitter of the Working Paper must be prepared to explain and defend the views expressed and the action requested in the Working Paper.
Draft Resolution
A resolution is a document that contains all the issues that the committee discussed and the proposed solutions to that issue. It’s called a resolution because that’s what the United Nations calls the documents they produce. The ultimate goal of the committee sessions is for delegates to come up with written solutions to the problems they are trying to solve only then does the committee become a success. If no resolutions are voted upon and passed the committee fails.
The resolution is called a draft resolution before it is voted upon and then called a resolution after it is successfully passed during the voting phase.
Any delegate in the committee can write a resolution. The author of a resolution is called a sponsor. Most resolutions have multiple sponsors because it takes a group of countries to share good ideas and agree to a general consensus. The signatories are other delegates in the committee who do not necessarily agree with the resolution but would like to see it debated. Depending on the committee, a minimum number of sponsors and signatories are required before a resolution can be presented.
Resolutions are written during unmoderated caucus where delegates are free to roam around the committee to collaborate on ideas with each other.
A Resolution must contain the following entities:
1. A concise title (or number)
2. A list of Signatories
3. The name of the committee like the General Assembly
4. A set of PREAMBULATORY CLAUSES punctuated by comma (,)
5. An address to the Member states or voting parties
6. A set of OPERATIVE CLAUSES punctuated by semicolons (;)
7. A concluding clause punctuated by a period (.)
Heres a sample Draft Resolution
Committee: General Assembly Plenary
Subject: Democratic Breakdown in Honduras
Sponsors: France, Germany, United Kingdom
Signatories: Algeria, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, India, Italy, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain Sweden, Turkey, United States
The General Assembly,
Deeply concerned by the coup d’état that took place in the Republic of Honduras on 28 June 2009,
Deeply concerned also by the acts of violence against diplomatic personnel and accredited officials in the Republic of Honduras in violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,
Recalling the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and conventions on international peace and security,
Gravely concerned by the breakdown in the constitutional and democratic order that has led to the endangerment of security, democracy and the rule of law, which has jeopardized the security of Honduran and foreign citizens,
1. Condemns the coup d’état in the Republic of Honduras that has interrupted the democratic and constitutional order and the legitimate exercise of power in Honduras, and resulted in the removal of the democratically elected President of that country, Mr José Manuel Zelaya Rosales;
2. Demands the immediate and unconditional restoration of the legitimate and Constitutional Government of the President of the Republic of Honduras, Mr José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, and of the legally constituted authority in Honduras, so that he may fulfil the mandate for which he was democratically elected by the Honduran people;
3. Decides to call firmly and unequivocally upon States to recognize no Government other than that of the Constitutional President, Mr José Manuel Zelaya Rosales;
4. Expresses its firm support for the regional efforts being undertaken pursuant to Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations to resolve the political crisis in Honduras.
Few points to be noted:
The first word of each preambulatory clause must be italicized.
Each preambulatory clause must end with a comma.
Each operative clause should be numbered.
Italicize the first word of each operative clause.
Each operative clause should end in a semicolon.
The last operative clause should end with a period.
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