SUNSHINE MODEL UNITED NATIONS

17th October 2024

Rules of Procedure
Table of Contents
Introduction
What is MUN?
Rules Of Procedure (RoP) - Explained
Flow Of Debate: An Overview
Important MUN Terms

MUN RoP
Roll Call
Setting the Agenda
Debate
Opening Statements
Formal Debate – General Speaker’s List
Informal Debate (Moderated And Unmoderated Caucuses)
Seconds and Objections
Moderated Caucus
Unmoderated Caucus
Working Papers & Draft Resolutions
Working Papers
Draft Resolutions
Amendments
Voting Procedure
Closure Of Debate
Voting Procedure
Adjournment

Appendix
Points
Motions
Voting Terms

Reference Chart
Introduction
Whether this is your first MUN, or been doing MUN for years, this Rules of Procedure (RoP)
guide will give you the information needed to understand the rules and flow of MUN.

What is MUN?

Model United Nations (MUN) is an academic simulation that emulates the procedures of the
United Nations (UN) to find solutions for real-world issues.

In MUN, learners participate as “delegates” of UN Member States and simulate UN committees.

MUN aims to educate learners about current events, international relations, diplomacy, and the
United Nations agenda. Along with knowledge of the world we live in, participants will develop
skills including public speaking, presentation, persuasion, situation analysis, research, and
critical thinking.

The debate is a formal event, with specific rules, which delegates should know and follow, in
order to effectively represent their assigned country in the best way possible.

The following MUN Rules of Procedure (RoP) is meant to help you, the delegate, get an idea of
what to do at a MUN conference.
Learn more about MUN Here

Rules Of Procedure (RoP) - Explained

The MUN RoP is followed to maintain decorum and order during the course of a MUN
conference. These rules and procedures are put in place to facilitate an effective and structured
debate. It is very important for each and every delegate to understand the rules and procedures
in order to make the most of their MUN conference experience.

Don’t worry, if you find the rules and procedures seem a tad confusing. It’s ok.
Everything will become more clear as the committee session progresses. Practice makes
perfect, and if you have any questions along the way, your chairs are always there to clarify the
RoP.

Full intro to MUN ROP

Flow Of Debate: An Overview

Each of the Rules of Procedure relates to a different part of the MUN committee session which
will be explained in detail in the upcoming sections of this RoP.
We can see this in an overview of the sequence of events in the committee which is called the
“Flow of Debate”.

TIP - When you want to ask the chair a question about the RoP during the conference, raise a
“Point of parliamentary inquiry”.
Important MUN Terms

Delegate - A participant who represented a country in a MUN committee

Chair - The facilitator of a MUN committee

Motion - To propose something. Most motions are specific to certain parts of the MUN
committee session.

Caucus - A meeting of supporters.

Clause - A specific section within a working paper or draft resolution

Working Paper - A written collection of policies proposed by one or more delegates

Draft Resolution - A written collection of policy ideas, formatted according to UN specifications.

Full MUN Glossary of Terms can be found here

MUN RoP
Roll Call

Roll Call is when the Chair calls each country to determine if they are present in the room. This is
done in alphabetical order. When you hear your country called, you should raise your placard and
answer “Present” or “Present and voting”.
● “Present’' - You can abstain when voting on a draft resolution.
● “Present and Voting” You have to vote either “Yes” or “No” for every draft resolution
that is voted on.

Roll Call is done at the start of every committee session to make sure there is a quorum.
Quorum refers to how many Member States are needed for the Chair to open debate. ⅓ of the
committee members are needed to open the committee, and a simple majority (½ +1) is needed
to pass a draft resolution.

TIP - If you miss Roll Call, you can pass a note to the Chair when you arrive to let the chair
know if your country is present or present and voting.
Setting the Agenda

Setting the agenda is done when there is more than one topic in the study guide. In such cases
the committee would need to determine which topic would be discussed first.

If there is only one topic in the study guide, the agenda-setting phase is skipped and the
committee will go directly into opening statements.

When there is more than one topic, 2/3 is needed to set the agenda. If 2/3 are not reached, the
committee can open a General Speaker's list for the delegates to explain why one topic is
preferable. After this, another vote should be taken. If 2/3 is still not reached, the chair can
return to the speaker’s list and allow for moderated and unmoderated caucuses, until such time
as the ⅔ majority is reached.

After the Agenda has been set, a “Motion to open debate” should be offered and the debate will
officially start.

Debate
Opening Statements
Opening statements are the first speeches on a new topic. Each delegate will introduce their
position on the topic and, ideally, outline their policy proposals. Delegates must give an opening
statement. The opening statements are made in alphabetical order (the speaking order can
change at the chair’s discretion). Once each country has given their opening statement the
General Speaker’s list is opened.

Formal Debate – General Speaker’s List

The formal debate of a MUN simulation is centered around the General Speakers List (GSL).

How does the General Speaker’s list work?

1. Chair will ask if any delegates are interested in being added to the GSL.
2. Delegates show their interest by raising their placards.
3. Chair will recognize delegates by calling their country name, after which the delegate is
placed on the GSL.
4. If no delegates raise their placards to get on the list, the Chair may choose delegates to
be added to the GSL.

The order of delegates on the speaker’s list is not open to modification.

TIP - Get on the GSL as early as possible, even if you aren’t sure what to say. There will likely
be other speakers before you, and you will have additional time to prepare before it is your turn
to speak.

MUN Opening Speech Guide

Speeches during the course of the GSL you be about whatever anything in relation to the topic.
For example, at the beginning of the simulation, delegates often elaborate on the ideas
presented in their opening speech, as well as addressing what other delegates said in their
speeches. Later on in the simulation, after the writing of draft resolutions has started, speeches
describe the bloc positions and policy proposals to the rest of the committee.

The GSL is the default state of a committee when the debate is open, and when caucuses are
concluded, the committee reverts back to the GSL.

TIP - The default GSL speaker’s time is 60 seconds. If you want the speaker’s time to be longer
or shorter, you are one motion away.

GSL Rules
You can only be on the GSL once at a time. However, when you finish your speech you can get
right back on the GSL.

You can get back on the GSL by sending a note to the Chair asking to get back on the list or
waiting for the Chair to ask if any delegates wish to be added to the GSL.

There must always be a delegate on the GSL at any given time. If the GSL has no one on it, it is
considered that there is nothing left to say and the committee automatically moves to voting
procedure.

Tip - It's a good thing to always be on the GSL.

Yielding Time

During the GSL a delegate can yield their time to the chair, to another delegate or to questions.
● Yield time to comments – If you have 10 seconds or more left to your speech, and
decide not to yield time to another delegate or questions, your remaining speech time
should be yielded to the comments.

● Yield time to another Delegate – If you have over 10 seconds, you can yield your time
to anyone. There is no double yield. If you yield your time to a delegate who does up the
remainder of speakers’ time they must yield it to the chair.
 ● Yield time to Questions – Yielding to questions allows other delegates to ask you a
question (15 seconds each).
○ The remaining speaker’s time is allocated to the answer. You get to use the
remainder of your time to answer it.
○ You can answer multiple questions during a ‘yield to question’, as long as you
have additional speaker’s time.

Point of Information
After a GSL speech, other delegates can ask the previous speaker a question, called a Point of
Information (POI).
The delegate who finished speaking can choose whether to accept POI’s.
A delegate can receive up to two POI’s.

Point of Information (POI) Process

● A delegate raises a POI after a speech
● The chair asks the delegate who finished speaking accept POI’s
○ If yes - POI is accepted
○ If no - Return to GSL
● The delegate who asked for the POI has 15 seconds to ask the POI
● The delegate answering gets 30 seconds to answer the POI
● END of POI and Return to GSL

Learn how to strategically use a MUN POI

Informal Debate (Moderated And Unmoderated Caucuses)

The informal debate includes all discussions outside of the General Speaker’s list. This begins
when the Chair decides to open the floor to motions (Motion = proposal).
The informal debate takes place when you pass a motion for a Moderated Caucus, an
Unmoderated Caucus or an extension of a previously passed caucus. Once a motion for a
caucus is raised, the Chair asks for seconds and objections.

To enter an informal debate, you need to offer a motion for the type of caucus you would like,
and for how long you would like the caucus to take place. When you motion for a moderated
caucus, you need to give a topic for the moderated caucus discussion. Caucuses cannot
exceed 20 minutes.

Seconds and Objections

Second - When a delegate formally shows support for the motion that was raised.
Almost every motion needs at least one second in order to be considered.

Objection - When a delegate does not support a motion.

Delegates can’t Second or Object a motion they raised themselves.

If there are no seconds, the motion automatically fails. If a motion has a second, the Chair will
ask for objections. If no objections are raised, the motion will pass without further voting. When
a motion gets seconds and objections, the motion gets put on a list with other motions that also
received seconds and objections. When the chair decides they have received enough motions,
the committee proceeds to vote on the motions. Voting on all motions is mandatory for
delegates.

Which motion is voted on first?

Whichever motion is the most disruptive to the GSL gets voted on first.
Unmoderated caucuses disrupt the flow of debate more than moderated caucuses.
A longer caucus is voted on before a shorter one.
Longer speaker time is voted on before shorter.

Order of voting
- Extension of a previous caucus
- Unmoderated caucus
- Moderated caucus

Moderated Caucus
A moderated caucus is for delegates to discuss subtopics related to the main topic. The
committee topic is usually very broad, so moderated caucuses are used to narrow the
discussion and go into more detail on certain aspects.

TIP - Even if the topic suggested is phrased as the opposite of your country’s position, you
could support the motion: after all, it’s an opportunity to argue AGAINST that position and in
favor of your own!

The length and topic of a moderated caucus are chosen by the delegate who offers the motion.
For example: “Venezuela motions for a 10 minute moderated caucus, 45 seconds speakers
time on the topic of ‘How we can protect people from rising sea levels’”.

TIP
A moderated caucus should be about what serves your purpose at a given time. You can use
your caucus to present a new idea, further expand on what was said, discuss what took place in
other parts of the debate, compare policies, compare draft resolutions and much more!
Once a moderated caucus passes with a majority, the Chair chooses delegates to speak one at
a time. The moderated caucuses are less formal than the GSL. Delegates who finish speaking
sit down, and the next delegate speaks. There is no yielding time or POI’s during a moderated
caucus.

Unmoderated Caucus
An unmoderated caucus, informally called unmod or lobbying time, is when delegates get out of
their seats, meet, form blocs, discuss ideas, negotiate, start writing their working papers/draft
resolutions and finding support for their draft resolutions.

When the unmoderated caucus finishes, delegates return to their seats. The Chair will then
decide whether to open the floor to motions or return to the GSL.

Moderated Caucus Unmoderated Caucus

● Delegated remain in their seats. ● Delegates can walk around freely.

● Decorum is maintained during a ● Delegates can engage with each
delegate’s speech. ● other in groups and individually.
● Speakers are chosen by the chair. Delegates can write working papers
● Delegates sit down when they finish and draft resolutions.
their speech/speaker time has ● Blocs are formed.
elapsed. ● Lobbying and negotiation take place
● Delegates do not yield time, not to the ● between blocs and within them.
chair or each other. Can be extended twice.
● Points of Information are not raised. ● Extension time cannot exceed the
Delegates can respond to each time of the original motion.
other’s comments in their own
speeches.
● Can be extended twice.
● Extension time cannot exceed the
time of the original motion.

Working Papers & Draft Resolutions

Working papers, which turn into draft resolutions, are written during an unmoderated caucus.
Working Papers Informal documents containing policy proposals by one or more delegates.
Working Papers do not need to be formatted according to the United Nations specification in the
same way a draft resolution does.
A working paper can be submitted to the Chair to be put on a screen and discussed, either
during an unmoderated caucus or during a moderated caucus dedicated to discussing a
working paper.

TIP - A moderated caucus discussing your working paper/draft resolution ideas is a great way to
learn which delegates support your ideas!

Guide to Effective Working Papers

Draft Resolutions
Draft resolutions are formal documents which contain your policy ideas, and those of other
delegates, written according to United Nations formatting rules.

In order to get a draft resolution approved by the Chairs, the content needs to be sound, the
formatting needs to be correct, and you need a minimum amount of supporters (10% of the
delegates in the committee as Sponsors or Signatories). The draft resolutions which are
approved by the chair are the documents the committee will vote on after the closure of the
debate.

a) Sponsors – Delegates who wrote the resolution or played a key roll in the resolution
(Minimum 2, Maximum 4)

b) Signatories – Delegates who support the draft resolution, or at least want to see the ideas
discussed. (No limit on the number of Delegates listed as Signatories)

The Chair has to approve the text in the document for a draft resolution to be introduced. After
approval, the draft resolution will be given a number by the chair and can then be addressed
and discussed.

TIP -Sometimes the Chairs take time reviewing the draft resolution. In those cases, you can
bring up your policy ideas in moderated caucuses without officially referring to the document.
That way, the ideas are already familiar to other delegates by the time the draft resolution is
approved.
Amendments

After a draft resolution has been introduced, delegates are able to propose changes to the draft
resolution, called amendments. Amendments include adding a new clause, striking out a clause or
changing the text of an existing clause.
To submit an amendment to the Chair, you have to get at least 5% of the committee to sign the
amendment. Amendments are voted upon during voting procedure, before the draft resolutions
are voted on as a whole. Each amendment is introduced and voted on separately.

How to Write a MUN Resolution

Voting Procedure

Closure Of Debate

A motion to close debate can be brought up during the GSL. Once enough delegates feel their
positions are represented and there are enough draft resolutions on the floor, delegates can
motion to close debate.

Closure of debate requires two speakers in favor and two speakers against, with a speaking
time of 30 seconds each.

A two-thirds majority is required to close debate and move on to the voting procedure.

Voting Procedure
The committee goes into voting procedure once the debate is closed. The committee will be
closed until voting procedure is concluded or there is a motion to reopen debate.

Roll call Present vs Present & Voting

● Present
Can abstain from voting on the resolution.
● Present & Voting
Can’t abstain from voting on the resolution.

These rules apply to voting on amendments and draft resolutions.

Order of the voting procedure

First all of the amendments are voted on. After that, the floor is open to motions which
specifically deal with the draft resolutions.

- Amendments
Only unfriendly amendments are voted on at this time.

Unfriendly amendments - Amendments that are not supported by at least one sponsor of the
draft resolution.
Friendly amendments - supported by all the sponsors and automatically added to the draft
resolution.

Voting Procedure Motions

After all the amendments are voted on, the delegates can offer the following motions in relation
to the draft resolutions.

Motion to reorder draft resolutions

When there is more than one draft resolution on the floor, a delegate can motion to reorder the
draft resolutions by proposing an order different from the default, which is the order in which
they were recognized by the Chair. If the motion passes, the draft resolutions are voted upon in
the new order.

Motion to divide the question

A motion to “divide out” some of the operative clauses into a new draft resolution, to be voted
upon separately. If the motion passes, the two draft resolutions are voted on separately.

Motion to vote clause by clause

Each clause in the draft resolution is voted on separately.

Motion to vote roll call

Roll Call vote means each delegate says their vote out loud, instead of raising placards and a
majority being counted. Roll Call vote adds excitement to the voting process.

Motion to adopt a draft resolution by acclamation

Adopting a draft resolution by acclamation is when the committee feels there is consensus. If
the motion passes, the Chair will then ask if there is any objection to the adoption by
acclamation. If there is no objection, the draft resolution passes. If even one delegate votes
against adopting by acclamation, the draft gets voted on by the regular majority.

After some, all or none of the above motions are raised and pass, or fail, the drafts resolutions
are voted on. Draft resolutions are voted on until one passes. Only one draft resolution can
pass. If no draft resolution gets a majority all the draft resolutions fail.

TIP - If you don’t think you’ll have a majority for your draft resolution, you can merge your
document with another draft resolution. As long as your ideas don’t oppose, combining your
clauses (some of which might be similar) is a way to get the majority you need!
Adjournment
After the draft resolution passes you can motion to adjourn, which closes the committee and
conference as a whole.
Appendix
Points

A point is something you raise when it concerns something you'd like to address for yourself.
There are four points.

Point of inquiry
When a delegate is unsure of the rules and would like an explanation from the chair.

Point of personal privilege

When the delegates experience is impacted. Going to the bathroom or turning on the air
conditioner are points of personal privilege. Other PoPP are that a delegate can’t hear the
speaker or read the projected draft resolution.

Point of information
Asking another delegate a question about their speech after their speech concludes. This is
done during the GSL.
POI’s can only be asked after a GSL speech of the delegate who finished speaking.
POI’s cannot be asked of a delegate who has received yielded time.

Point of order
When a delegate believes the Chair has made an error made in the formal procedure.

Motions
Motions are collected by the chair and put to vote. The chair has discretion as to when to allow
motions to be offered and which to consider out of order at a given time.

Motion to open debate - To begin discussion at the beginning of the first session.

Motion to suspend debate - To break for lunch, coffee break, end of committee session at the
end of the day but not the conference as a whole.

Motion to adjourn the debate - To close the committee as a whole.

Motion to change speakers time - This motion changes the default time on the GSL.

Motion to set the agenda - To set one topic before the other at the agenda-setting stage.
Motion for moderated caucus - “The delegate of Vanuatu motions for a moderated caucus of
8 minutes, individual speaking time 45 seconds, to discuss issue/outcome of the previous
caucus / working paper/draft resolution 1,2,3, etc.”

Motion for unmoderated caucus - “Egypt motions for an unmoderated caucus of 12 minutes.”
You do not need to give a reason for an unmoderated caucus.

Motion to close the debate/move to the voting procedure - “The delegate of Canada moves
to close debate /move into voting procedure.”

Motion to introduce working paper/draft resolution/amendment - “The delegate of Spain

motions to introduce Draft Resolution 1.2.”

Right of Reply
If a delegate feels offended by the content of the other delegates speech during the GSL they
can ask for a Right of Reply (RoR). If the chair accepts the reason, the delegate gets to give a
30-second speech to respond to the offense.

Voting Terms

Procedural votes - Voting on what happens in the committee. Procedural votes are everything
that is not voting on an amendment or draft resolution. The only options are “yes” and “no”. No
abstentions are allowed.

Substantive votes - Voting on something that is legally binding and can have real-world
impact. In MUN this is draft resolutions and amendments. Member States may vote “yes”, “no”,
“abstain” or “pass” (The last two are only applicable to Member States who say “Present” during
Roll Call).

Placard vote - When all delegates raise their placards in favor or against the motion. The Chair
counts the votes and the winner is the side with a simple majority. All procedural votes are taken
by placard vote.

Roll call vote - The Chair reads the roll and each country answers “yes”, “no”, “abstain” or
“pass” (The last two are only applicable to Member States who say “Present” during Roll Call).
Roll call vote is only relevant after debate is closed. When offered, this motion automatically
passes.
Countries who say pass wait out the roll call, but need to vote for or against when asked in the
second round of voting.
Reference Chart

Motion/Point Debate Who initiates Vote

Setting the Agenda No Delegate Simple majority (50%+1)

Quorum No Chair No

Motion to Open General No Delegate Simple majority

Speakers List

Adding countries to the GSL No Chair No

Open the floor to motions No Chair No

Motion for a moderated No Delegate Simple majority

caucus

Motion for an unmoderated No Delegate Simple majority

caucus

Motion for suspension or No Delegate ⅓ majority

adjournment of a meeting

Motion to close debate 1 for /1 against before vote or Delegate ⅔ majority

none if none want to speak

Motion to introduce working No Delegate Simple majority vote

paper/draft
resolution/amendment

Motion to vote roll call No Delegate Automatically passes

Point of Parliamentary Inquiry No Delegate No Vote

Point of Personal Privilege No Delegate No vote

Point of Information No Delegate Decision of the speaker

Point of order No Delegate Chairs decision

Right to reply No Delegate Decision of the Chair