Resolutions

Understanding Resolutions in Model United Nations

A resolution is the final product of your hard work in a Model United Nations (MUN) committee. It’s a formal document that presents the solutions your committee has developed to address the issue at hand. In MUN, writing, debating, and passing resolutions is how we simulate the real work of the United Nations.

The evolution of a resolution is as follows:

  1. A resolution is a working paper when it is a set of ideas/rough draft.
  2. The working paper becomes a draft resolution once it has been submitted, approved by the Chair, and presented to the committee.
  3. A draft resolution becomes a resolution once it has been voted on and passess.

Why Are Resolutions Important?

  • They Propose Solutions: Resolutions outline what actions the UN or member states should take to solve the problem you’re discussing.

  • They Guide Debate: The content of a resolution shapes the flow of debate, amendments, and voting in committee sessions.

  • They Show Consensus: A passed resolution represents the collective agreement and compromise reached by delegates.

What Does a Resolution Look Like?

A resolution is divided into three main parts:

  1. Header
        • Includes the committee name, the topic, the list of sponsors (main authors), and signatories (delegates who support discussing the resolution).
  2. Preambulatory Clauses
        • These clasuses set the scene by explaining the background of the issue, referencing previous UN actions, and stating why the issue is important.
        • Each clause begins with a preambulatory phrase (like “Recognizing,” “Alarmed by,” or “Recalling”) and ends with a comma.
  3. Operative Clauses
        • These are the heart of the resolution, spelling out the specific actions or recommendations your committee wants to make.
        • Each clause starts with an action word (such as “Encourages,” “Requests,” or “Decides”) and ends with a semicolon, except for the last one, which ends with a period.