MUN Rules of Procedure - PPT.pptx

Model United States Procedures

1. MODEL UNITED NATIONS RULES OF PROCEDURE

2. ALLOTMENT Once you register for the MUN, you will be allotted a country and a committee. There will be an agenda (one or more).  Agenda is the issue (mostly a global issue) you will discuss in the conference.  As a delegate, you will be representing the country allotted to you.  The committee is a particular UN body under whose mandate the given agenda is discussed.

3. RESEARCH After the allotment, comes the time for research! You will receive a study guide which will give you an overall picture of the agenda. However, it is only the beginning of your research.  Research  Country Specific – Related to the country you represent Committee Specific – Associated with the committee you are a part of. Agenda Specific - Related to the agendas that are to be discussed. Basically, topic specific. 

4. LOBBYING Lobbying is the informal talks with the other delegates to find out their opinion and stand point.  Lobbying takes place before the MUN conference begins and during the breaks. Know your enemies and allies (countries) before you start lobbying.  Try and convince other delegates about your opinions and get them to join your group. The trick is to give little information and extract as much as possible from them.

5. ATTENDENCE Once the conference begins, there is roll call attendance. It is also done at the start of every session. All the delegates will be called out one by one and each of them have to respond either saying 'Present' or 'Present and Voting'.  If you say 'present', you can abstain from voting for the draft resolution and if you say 'present and voting' you can't abstain from voting. 

6. SET UP OF AN MUN 1. Delegates 2. The Executive Board     (i)  Chairperson or Chair – Heads the committee     (ii)  Vice-Chairperrson – Assists the Chair and takes over during the Chair's absence.       (iii)  Rapporteur – Handles the procedural and administrative responsibilities.

7. MOTIONS

8. Motions are raised to move forward in a committee through a consensus or a simple majority.  Any delegate can raise a motion. There are different types of motions. WHAT ARE MOTIONS?

9. THE 6 BASIC MOTIONS

10. HOW TO RAISE A MOTION?

11. DEBATING IN AN MUN

12. Debating can be carried out formally or informally in an MUN. Formal Debate -  GSL & SSL   Informal Debate -  Moderated and Unmoderated Caucuses    

13. FORMAL DEBATE - GENERAL SPEAKER'S LIST (GSL) Any delegate can raise a motion to open the GSL. Delegates can speak after being recognized by the chair. GSL can never elapse , if it does the MUN is over. GSL speeches are generalized , mentions a country's basic stance and the direction in which the delegate wants the committee to move forward. 

14. GSL Procedure Each speaker gets 90 seconds to speak. If 90 seconds is not fully used, the delegate can yield the remaining time.  There are four types of yield which are as follows: Yield to another delegate – Remaining time goes to another delegate (speaker has to mention the delegate) to speak if he/she wishes to.  Yield to points of information – Remaining time is given to 1, 2 or 3 delegates who wish to ask questions to the speaker. The chair chooses these delegates.  Yield to comments – Remaining time is used by 1, 2 or 3 delegates to comment on the speech given by the speaker.  Yield to the Chair – Time goes to the chair. Chair decides what happens in that time.

15. INFORMAL DEBATE - MODERATED CAUCUS

16. INFORMAL DEBATE - UNMODERATED CAUCUS

17. POINTS & RIGHTS

18. POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVELEGE A Point of Personal Privilege is used when a delegate's privileges in the committee are not being upheld.  Example: If s/he is uncomfortable or cannot hear what another speaker is saying.  This point  can interrupt a speaker.

19. POINT OF PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY A point of Parliamentary Inquiry is raised by a delegate at any point during the committee proceedings to c larify any procedural doubts .  This point cannot interrupt a speaker.

20. POINT OF ORDER A Point of Order is raised if the delegate believes that the chair or any other delegate is procedurally or factually incorrect.  It may or may not be ruled in order by the chair. Points of order cannot interrupt a speaker.

21. POINT OF INFORMATION A Point of Information is raised when a delegate wants to clarify some factual doubt related to the agenda or some other information.  It is always addressed in the form of a question .  This point cannot interrupt a speaker. 

22. RIGHT TO REPLY Right to Reply is raised when any delegate impugns your country's sovereignty or borders, insults you as a delegate or your country in any way during his/her speech.  In such a case a verbal or written apology can be demanded from the speaker. In the absence of such an apology, the delegate's privileges are suspended. 

23. Difference between Point of Order and Right to Reply There is a fine line of difference between a point of order and a right to reply.  Both of them are very strong procedural weapons and must be used wisely.  Example: Delegate of South Africa says Bihar is a part of japan.             - Any delegate in the committee can raise a point of order.             - Only the delegate of India can raise a right   to reply.  

24. REMEMBER

25. DOCUMENTATION Documentation in an MUN is of two types – Working Papers and Draft Resolutions

26. Working Paper A working paper is an overview of the points discussed by all delegates, and a precursor to draft resolutions.  A working paper is  formulated by one or more delegates after substantive discussions through GSLs, moderated and unmoderated caucuses.  It does not have any fixed format  and is presented to show the direction and progress of the committee.  It is introduced in the committee by raising a motion after getting it ratified by the chair , it is then discussed through a caucus and voted upon through a procedural vote.  If a working paper is passed , it becomes a part of the committee records. 

27. Draft Resolution

28. Draft Resolution - Format Draft Resolution has a particular format. It has authors/sponsors and signatories. It has two clauses – Preambulatory clause and Operative Clause Preambulatory clause highlights the intentions of the committee. Operative clause covers the solutions and major points discussed in the conference.  The draft resolution is introduced through a motion after the chair ratifies it. 

29. Amendments Amendments are changes that delegates would like to make to the Draft resolution after it is presented.  Amendments are of three types – Addition, Deletion & Modification Motion to amend is automatically passed i.e. committee cannot refuse to entertain amendments. Amendments are proposed in writing with a sponsor and 2 to 3 signatories.  Once the amendment is introduced it becomes a friendly or an unfriendly amendment. Unfriendly amendments are passed through substantive votes.

30. VOTING

31. There are two types of voting in an MUN – Procedural and Substantive

32. Procedural Voting Procedural voting is followed for various procedural motions like caucuses, setting of agenda, etc.,  Votes are taken by a simple show of hands or placards. A procedural vote requires simple majority i.e. 50% + 1

33. Substantive voting Substantive voting is followed for Draft Resolutions and also for Unfriendly Amendments to the Draft Resolution.  A substantive vote requires two - thirds majority.

34. FORMAL ROLL CALL Voting for the Draft Resolution takes place in three rounds.  Round 1 – Yes, No, Yes with Rights, No with Rights, Pass, Abstain Round 2 – Delegates state their rights Round 3 – Yes, No, Abstain for all the Delegates who said 'Pass' in Round 1

35. OTHER POINTS TO REMEMBER All rules are subject to the discretion of the Chair. There could be a slight variation in procedure from Chair to Chair – but the underlying principles remain the same. A Chair's decision is binding but you can appeal against it, in exceptional circumstances, by writing to the USG (Undersecretaries – General). 

36. ALL THE BEST!