Tutorial MUN Rules of Procedures

MUN Rules of Procedures

Stras'Diplomacy

Angelo Mary & Charlotte Massol

How to use this interactive power point

01

Click on this super nice button to go back to the table of contents

Click on this happy little man to have more information

Click on this astonishing rectangle to explore a chapter

BaSIc rules

01

More information !!!

Basic Rules

01

02

SpEEches

03

Points and motions

04

Caucuses

05

Summary of the procedure

10

Working papers

06

DRaft resolutions

07

Amendments

08

Voting

09

Position papers

02

Basic rules

01

Quorum

Courtesy

Pronouns

All your speeches and written documents must be in english

At least 20% of registered delegates must be present to start the debate.

After the roll call, the Chair annouces how many votes are required to get a simple and a two-third majority.

You must be polite with the other delegates and obey the Chair (« Honourable Chairs, fellow Delegates... »).

If another delegate directly insults your country, you can ask a Right of Reply to the Chair.

Please be on time and stay until the end of the session.

You are here to represent your country, so never use the first person. What you personally think doesn't matter.

Therefore, make sure to always use the "The French delegation", "The delegation of France" or simply "France" when you speak.

position Papers

02

How to write a position paper ?

A Position paper is a one-page document that summarizes your coutry's position toward the topic.

You have to send it to send it to the Staff organizing at least 1 week before the conference.

Introduce the topic

Your country's solutions

Remarks

Your country's position

Conclusion

Next

Back

In few sentences, explain the context of the topic : what is it about ? what are the consequencies ? why actions must be taken ?

In this second paragraph, explain how your state is related to the topic / how it has been affected.

You can insist on the changes that the issue discussed here has caused in your country.

Here you can expose what your country has already done toward the issue. Don't hesitate to cite the advantages and the drawbacks of your government's policy.

What's more, you need to say what your country wishes to be done internationally and support those measures.

You can also focus on one area of particular concern for your country, where your delegation wants a specific action, and then justify it.

In the conclusion you have to summarize what you have said before so that your position is cleary understandable.

You can also express your expectations and goals for the upcoming debate.

The Staff is here looking for realism, originality and critical thinking.

You must give the impression that you truly understood your country's problmatics and ways of thinking.

Speeches

03

Yielding

The GSL is the background of the debate : it determines who is the next speaker. The GSL is "suspended" each time a specific procedure is lunched (caucus, amendment etc.) and we always go back to it after a procedures is completed until the end of the debate.

When you have finished your speech and have time left, you can "yield" (give) your remaining time. You can give it to another delegate or to the Chair.

If the time is yielded to another delegate he may directly start speaking.

If the time is yielded to the Chair, he or she may use it to make any statement he or she deems appropriate, or simply delete it (that is what happens most of the time).

The Opening Speech generally follows the same structure as the Position Paper.

Thus, be sure your Opening Speech follow these steps :

1. Problem : Establish the issue the committee should focus on solving.

2. Facts/Research : Backup your views on the issue and solutions with research.

3. Solution : Propose the outline of your country's solution to the issue.

Add as much facts as you can to show right your country's position is.

Usually, you have 1 minute to say your Opening Speech.

Here is an example of Opening Speech (watch from 1'10 to 2'31)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChnjJM7nH_U&t=401s

When your country is called you must state wether you are present or present and voting.

Points and motions

04

• Point of personal privilege (discomfort)
• Point of inquiry (question to the Chair about the ROP)
• Point of Order (pointing out a disrespect of the ROP)
• Point of information

• Motions to open debate, caucuses, amendments, suspensions, adjournments of the debate etc.
• Majority required, to divide the house

• « The Russia delegation motions for...»

If there is no opposition to a motion it will pass. If there is an oppositon, the motion must be approuved by a majority to pass (simple or two third majority).

Non-exhaustive list of possible motions :

Caucuses

05

• Discussion on a specific aspect of the topic
• 20 minutes max
• One speaker after another
• Yielding is NOT possible here

• Discussion on a specific aspect of the topic
• Unformal debate
  
• 20 minutes max
• Lobbying phase

A motion is required to start any type of caucus.

Alliance time ! You can stand up and discuss with any other delegate.

Working papers

06

Share your propositions and work with other delegates

Write down your ideas and arguments

Use it to convince other delegates to join you

Working paper 1.1

►Australia :

• we should fix a date when every nuclear owning state should reduce their amount of nuclear warheads

• ratification issue

• risk of “underground trade” of nuclear weapons

• any signatory country must be transparent on its military stocks

• sanctions must not be based on ideology / political aspects

• if at least one country refuses to sign the treaty, the other should not sign it neither

• need of unanimity

►Russia :

• wants regionalized agencies to discuss free from the big powers

• benchmark of dates and amounts of nuclear warheads

• we need to focus on technical details

• need of a new treaty including all nuclear powers

• 
  

• punishing for countries that does not respect the treaty

• independent commission in each country

• A “Council” to judge if the countries respect the NPT and to establish appropriate sanctions

• even non nuclear powers should have a voice in the deliberations (Observer status)

• empathize the different amount of nuclear weapon of each country and point out the threat of the USA

• every country cannot be in the treaty

►Iran :

• nuclear owning states should talk between them

• agrees for the benchmark if done steadily, step by step

• “nuclear power club” issue

• wants to reaffirm the role of the International Atomic Agency

• sanctions only if ⅔ majorities

• the “Council” could be the International Court of Justice

• beware of countries like Italy, Germany or Japan

• wants that any country has the possibility join the treaty

Supporters :

Signatories :

The Working paper is an informal document, there are no presentation rules.

You can create a Google docs and write with other delegates at the same time.

You may motion to introduce a Working paper so that everyone can have access to it. This allows your ideas to be accessible to all, which may encourage some to join you. But this is not mendatory.

Draft resolutions

07

• A formal writing
• A submitter
• A second
• Sponsors
• Signature of 20% of the committee members
• Approuval of the Chair
• A motion to introduce a Draft Resolution

Sponsors: Republic of Mali, France, Argentina

Signatories: Canada, USA, UK, Bulgaria, South Africa, Poland, India, Japan, Czech Republic, Afghanistan, Malta

The Human Rights Council:

Acknowledging the importance of guaranteeing freedom of religion and thought.

Believing that dialogue constitutes the most legitimate and sustainable way to protect freedom of religion and freedom of thought, inasmuch as it creates room for mutual understanding, which is the best antidote to conflict.

Noting that, in some instances, military intervention might be the only solution to ensure freedom of religion and freedom of thought, for several extremist groups use violent means which are likely to compromise the well-being and the physical integrity of other world citizens.

Considering that the issue of religion needs to be tackled through a social lens, for they generate few objective political problems when they are practiced within the private sphere.

Keeping in mind the value and the role of sovereignty.

1. Advises states to implement legal and/or constitutional clauses promising the protection of all religions in their country as this would prevent future backsliding on human rights and democracy in unstable regimes.

2a. Decides to allow and encourage military intervention as a last case resort in states whose very sovereignty would be threatened by extremist religious groups proselytizing in violent and noxious ways or if a genocide has to be stopped. Countries at the receiving end of such help would have to motivate their request, give their consent to the intervention and certify their intent to move towards greater individual emancipation within the conceptual framework given by the notions of “freedom of thought” and “freedom of religion”.

2b. Fosters the creation of regulatory committees whose function would be to determine the legitimate types of military interventions. The focus would not so much be on adjudication rather than regulation, for the fundamental stake is to set a limitative framework in order to prevent states from prying into the others’ affairs. Legitimacy includes: the consent of the country in need, the respect of the constitutional law of the country intervening on the territory, the exceptionality of the situation in terms of lack of security and safety.

3a. Supports the foundation of interfaith committees with the intent to promote dialogue as well as education about different religions.

3b. The permanent committee would have a preventive and educative purpose. In that context, qualifies as a religion a sacred worldview having provided the opportunity to profess their faith to at least one million individuals. If less demographically important movements would like to integrate this committee, they could make a request to the permanent committee, which would be in charge of the adjudicative process.

3c. Nonpermanent committees would be created in the context of imminent crises at the initiative of the permanent committee or vulpine countries and would mainly play a diplomatic role. The idea would be to negotiate on the grounds of interreligious conversation rather than mere political interests.

4. Recommends the sanction of blasphemy to avoid stigmatizing religious groups but stands against its criminalization. The maximum advisable punishment should be a fine. The right of sanctioning blasphemy has to be available to every religious community or minority.

A sponsor is a delegate that actively participated to the writing of the Draft Resolution and support it.

A signatory is a delegate who wants the draft resolution to be discussed with the rest of the committee. To sign a working paper doesn't mean you agree with everything that is written on it (a signatory is not a sponsor). It only means that you want a debate about it (you may then use the amendment procedure to modify it).

A motion for a Panel of Authors - if passed - allows four sponsors of a Draft Resolution to come in the front of the room to present their text.

Amendments

08

• Signature of every sponsor of the amended Draft Resolution
  
• Approuval of the Chair needed
• Motion to introduce an Amendment

• Immediately introduced and added to the DR

• Approuval of the Chair needed
• Motion to introduce an Amendment
• Reading of the Amendment
• Seconds and Objections

• Speakers for and against the Amendment
• Substantive vote

If an amendment have more than one operative clause, a delegate can introduce a Motion to divide the question (to have a debate on each part of the text)

Voting

09

• Simple majority
• Two-third majority

Substantive votes are used to pass Amendments or Draft Resolutions.

If a delegate said he or she was was present and voting during the Roll Call, he or she cannot abstain.

If a delegate said she or he was present during the Roll Call, she or he can abstain.

Obsever States cannot vote in substantive votes.

Once a substantive vote procedure has began, no Delegate can interrupt it or leave the room (in real UN votes, the Chair can even request the doors to be locked to prevent any intrusion in the room), the Chair may also prohibit the use of eletronic device.

Everyone, even Observer states, must vote in procedural votes (you can't abstain).

Summary of the procedure

10

The floor is yours !