RULES O

F PR

OCEDURE

BA

SI C

S A

ND

AP

PL I C

AT

I ON

S

BASIC VOCAB

Delegate An individual representing a country or organisation during the debate: “The delegate from Australia”

Chair An individual in charge of regulating the flow of debate, the chair’s decision is final in all matters

Placard The card which is inscribed with the name of the country or organisation a delegate is representing. A delegate raises his/her placard to ask to speak.

ASKING T

O SPE

AK:

PLACARD

RAISIN

G

RIGHT

TO R

EPLY Your momma’s

so fat she don’t even need a placard to be

seen!

This delegate requests a right to reply to this gross

insult!!!

POIN

T OF

PERSONAL

PRIV

ILEGE

To p

oint o

ut any

perso

nal

discom

fort

or is

sue

that

is

preve

nting y

our f

ull

partic

ipat

ion in

the

debat

e

POIN

T OF

PARLIA

MENTARY

ENQUIRY

To a

sk a

bout

Rul

es o

f

Proc

edur

e or

how

you

go

abou

t som

ethi

ng

POIN

T OF

ORDER

To p

oint o

ut the

use o

f

impro

per p

arlia

men

tary

proce

dure

START OF THE DEBATE: ROLL CALL

All member states due to attend the debate will have their name called out in alphabetical order and have to reply, this is to:

• Determine who has come to the session• Determine how they will be voting

Possible answers are:

• “Present”- the state is present at the debate and may choose to vote “yes”, “no” or may choose to “abstain”

• “Present and voting”- the state is present at the debate and commits to voting either “yes” or “no”

• No answer- the state is not present at the debate

BEGINNING THE DEBATE: SETTING THE AGENDAThis must be the first motion at the opening of a session. It helps

to:

• Choose which topic is to be debated first

• Lets the majority decide

How this happens:

• A delegate raises his/her placard and motions to set the Agenda

• Another delegate must express support for the motion by raising his/her placard and offering to “second” it

• If a there is a “second”, the committee votes on the motion

• A majority is needed for it to pass, if a majority is not achieved the 2nd topic that was to be debated will be covered first

THE SPEAKERS LIST

• Starts after the Agenda has been set and stays continually open throughout the debate

• The chair(s) will ask if anyone wants to be added to the speakers list

• Delegates can add their names to it by raising their placard at this time

• Delegates whose turn it is to speak can talk about anything so long as it remains related to the topic being discussed

Time left over?• “Yield my time to

questions from the floor”

• “Yield my time to the delegate of XXX”

• “Yield my time to the chair”

INTRODUCING A FOCUS: MODERATED CAUCUSESA moderated caucus can be introduced at any time and can

help to focus the debate on a specific part of the topic.

How to introduce a moderated Caucus:

• The chair asks “Are there any points or motions on the floor”

• A delegate can raise then his/her placard and motion for a moderated caucus. He/she must specify:• The topic of the caucus• The total length he/she would like it to last• How much time he/she would like each speaker to have for their

speeches

INFORMAL DISCUSSION: UN-MODERATED CAUCUSES

Un-moderated caucuses are used to facilitate informal

discussion, negotiation and resolution writing.

How to introduce an un-moderated caucus:

• The chair asks “Are there any points or motions on the

floor”

• A delegate can raise then his/her placard and motion for a

moderated caucus:

• No specific topic idea is needed

• A total time must be specified

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE

Un-moderated Caucus (7 mins)

Un-moderated Caucus (5 mins)

Moderated Caucus (7 mins, 45s speakers time)

Moderated Caucus (5 mins, 45s speakers time)

Moderated Caucus (5 mins, 45s speakers time) proposed after the above

WRITING THINGS DOWN: WORKING PAPERSWorking papers are like a resolution in its early stages, they can be:

• Written by a single delegate

• Written by several delegates (perhaps during an un-moderated caucus)

• Relatively informal: No specific structure needs to be employed in writing one

• Discussed with the whole committee after the chair has granted their approval

How to introduce a working paper:

• The chair asks “Are there any points or motions on the floor”

• A delegate can then raise his/her placard and motion for the introduction of

Working paper 1.1

• Specific discussion about the working paper can be achieved by asking for a

moderated caucus about the working paper

FROM WORKING PAPER TO DRAFT RESOLUTION

Transforming your working paper:

• Must have pre-ambulatory clauses

• Must have operative clauses

• Must have signatories (up to 3)

• Must have sponsors (at least 1/5th of the committee)

• Must be formally written

SPONSORS

These are:

• Delegates who have directly contributed towards writing the resolution and fully support it

• If you sponsor a resolution you must vote for it no matter what amendments are made to it.

Up to 3

peo

ple

SIGNAT

ORIES

Signatories are:

• Delegates which would like to see the resolution discussed

• Not obliged to vote in favour of the resolution

AT LE

AST 1/5

TH OF

THE

COMM

ITTE

E

PRE-AMBULATORY CLAUSES

Pre-ambles should:

• Begin with an appropriate prefix (in italics)

• Be separated from each other by a comma

• Highlight the main problems to be addressed

• Mention prior efforts at addressing them (resolutions, treaties etc.)

EXAMPLES OF PRE-AMBULATORY CLAUSESRecognising that illegal hazardous waste traffic is criminal,

Referring to the points made by the ‘Basel Convention on the Control

of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and Their

Disposal’ signed in 1989,

Keeping in mind that we live in a global inter-dependent community

where the actions of one nation can have serious environmental

consequences on another;

OPERATIVE CLAUSES

These should:

• Outline how you believe UN member states should act in relation to the issue

• Propose detailed measures to be adopted

• Be numbered

• Begin with an appropriate prefix (in italics)

• Be separated by a semi-colon (except the final clause, which ends with a full stop)

EXAMPLES OF OPERATIVE CLAUSES

1. Urges measures to be taken to assist developing countries, under a waste treatment plan, in their efforts to combat hazardous waste by setting up partnerships with developed countries which would share their expertise in waste management and reduction;

2. Further recommends interagency cooperation between developing and developed countries to advance hazardous waste removal with the assistance of remediation technology including waste screening, sampling and analysis matrices;

3. Calls for companies to modify their processes and aims to cleaner disposal and production in accordance with their national environment laws.

PRE-AMBULATORY PREFIXES OPERATIVE PREFIXES

Acknowledging

Affirming

Alarmed by

Approving

Aware of

Believing

Bearing in mind

Confident

Congratulating

Contemplating

Convinced

Declaring

Deeply concerned

Deeply conscious

Deeply convinced

Deeply disturbed

Deeply regretting

Fully aware

Fully believing

Further developing

Further recalling

Guided by

Having adopted

Having considered

Having examined

Noting further

Noting with approval

Noting with deep concern

Noting with regret

Noting with satisfaction

Observing

Pointing out

Reaffirming

Realizing

Recalling

Recognising

Accepts

Affirms

Approves

Asks

Authorises

Calls for

Calls upon

Condemns

Congratulates

Confirms

Declares accordingly

Deplores

Designates

Encourages

Endorses

Expresses its appreciation

Expresses its hope

Further invites

Further proclaims

Further recommends

Further requests

Further resolves

Hopes

Invites

Proposes

Recommends

Regrets

Requests

Resolves

Seeks

Strongly affirms

Strongly condemns

Strongly urges

Suggests

Supports

Urges

 

AMENDMENTS

These must:

• Add to, revise or delete part of the draft resolution

• Be submitted to the chair in writing

• Be sponsored by at least 1/8th of delegates present and voting

• Have a simple majority to pass

YOU C

ANNNOT

AMEND AN

AMENDMENT!!!Friendly amendments:

An amendment that

does not alter the substance of the

debate. These can be

added with the consent

of the sponsers and the chair.

CLOSING DEBATE AND MOVING INTO VOTING PROCEDURE

To vote on a resolution, a delegate must motion to “close debate and begin voting procedures”.

Different kinds of voting:

• Normal vote- by raising placard

• Role-call vote (in alphabetical order)• Members can vote “yes”, “no”, “abstain” or can “pass”• If a delegate says “pass”, the chair will return to them after

the list is completed and they have to then vote “yes” or “no

• Division of the question• Operative clauses can be voted on separately• Sub-clauses cannot be voted on separately • Different divisions are possible