Workshop

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Parli Pro & Position Papers

RidgeMUN- October 7th

Attendance Form

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Opening

Decorum

Dais will call attention in order to begin the process.

Motions

Dais will ask if there are any motions on the floor.

Motion for roll call

Delegates will be called on to propose a motion to begin roll call.

Committee votes

Dais puts this to a vote and if it passes then they will begin roll call.

Begin roll call

Dais will call out each country and you’ll answer either, “Present” or “Present and Voting”

Caucuses

• Moderated
• Formal way of presenting ideas to the committee with a fixed amount of time
• Time can range from 30 seconds to 3 minutes
• Dais will decide speakers lists simply by just calling on delegates with their plackers raised at that time
• Unmoderated
• When there is no structure but is for a set period of time
• This time is used to discuss with other delegates about resolution papers, getting signatories, or discussing views on certain topic
• You may roam free in the sense that you can work any one you want

Motioning- Moderated Caucus

Motion

States: Topic and time

If dais approves then vote

Speakers list is chosen

Delegates begin speeches

Dais will call on delegate to propose the motion.

Delegate will propose a topic, speaking time, and amount of delegates to speak.

If the dais approves the stated criteria then it will be put to a vote.

Dais will choose speakers list simply by who raised their plackerds.

Delegates will speak in order and Dais will warn speakers about remaining time left to speak.

Motioning- UnModerated Caucus

Motion

States: Time

If dais approves then vote

Delegates begin discussion

Dais observes

Dais will call on delegate to propose the motion.

Delegate will propose a designated time.

If the dais approves the stated criteria then it will be put to a vote.

Delegates will be released to speak with others.

Delegates will keep time and ensure everything is running smoothly.

Yields

• Used when speaking during a moderated caucus when you have time left over
• “I yield my time to the chair”
• When you are done with speaking and have nothing else to follow up
• “I yield my time to questions”
• Dais will call on people for questions
• Speaker can only use the amount of time that is unused
• “I yield my time to [another delegation]
• Speaker gives allotted time left to another country

Blocs

• What
• Teams/ groups in MUN committees with countries that have similar views about a topic
• Work within blocks to write a resolution
• Blocks may merge later in the committee
• Why
• Having a block means more people that support the views of your country
• This can further your interests in a resolution paper
• Try your best to take a leadership role in the forming of a block so that your country’s priorities are highlighted

POSITION

PAPERS

What Should I Have?

• A brief introduction to your country and its history concerning the topic and committee
• How the issue affects your country
• Your country's policies with respect to the issue and your country's justification for these policies
• Quotes from your country's leaders about the issue
• Statistics to back up your country's position on the issue
• Actions taken by your government with regard to the issue
• Conventions and resolutions that your country has signed or ratified
• UN actions that your country supported or opposed
• What your country believes should be done to address the issue
• What your country would like to accomplish in the committee's resolution
• How the positions of other countries affect your country's position

Heading of Paper

• Name (Example: Alex Scott)
• Delegation - Country (Example: Portugal)
• Committee (Example: MUN General Assembly)
• Topic (Example: Gender Equality)

Paragraph 1: Topic Background

Delegations, we have all come here today to try and get to firm standings on promoting gender equality. Gender Inequality describes how women or men face inequality, or don't have the same rights or privileges. In this 21st Century, we face gender inequality in many areas. For example, in the government, women make up 15% of all politicians. To add on, 2/3 of women are earning less than one dollar a day, and have a third of the money that men make on a daily basis. Also, educated women are more likely to have less kids, which proves that more job opportunities and a fair amount of payment would give women a more powerful role in the world. By correcting all these issues, women could gain more equality in society. All these examples prove that gender inequality towards women prominently exists, and we have to do something about it.

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Paragraph 2: Delegation’s Positions

Women have been gaining more participation in roles over the years, due to the improvement in gender equality. Before it was only a 22% of women that received an unfair share of pay. Now, Portugal has increased their jobs over the years, with women included and getting a fair amount of pay, that is almost the same as men. Portugal has been improving their norms over the years , and continues to get better and better. In Portugal, the percentage of women that go to school was of 60% in 2007 and growing, and it has been growing a great amount its percentages each year. A challenge for Portugal has always been to give every person in Portugal a full education, so that they can have good jobs and feed their families and do everything possible for their children. In 2010, 93.6% of women could read and write. All this information proves that Portugal’s means to improve both their economy and education for women has increased over the years. With other countries support and self belief, anything can be accomplished.

Paragraph 3: Policy/Solutions

Portugal has a good education status, though not without room for improvement. We could reward the parents that take their kids to school by giving them health care, especially to those that don’t have easier access. That would encourage families that don't have health care to give their children the education necessary to succeed in life. To improve the economy we can assure equal pay to all women by fining companies that do not respect the law, which would improve the economy for both men and women, as who would want to lose money? There are solutions to a problem, and together, fellow delegations can change the inequality for women and hopefully exceed the limits to changing the world step by step.

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Your paper is from the perspective of your delegation. Anything you write should be supported by actions taken by the government/group/individual which you are representing. This means that your personal feelings about a topic should not be influencing your position paper.

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Remember to…

• Cite all sources on a Works Cited page in MLA 8 format
• Have a position paper not be longer than 1 page, single spaced

Things to Remember

Position Paper Outline

Resolutions

Formatting

Heading

Operative

Clauses

Preambulatory

Clauses

Procedures

Operative clauses

Heading

• Title of resolution
• Name of the committee in which it was formulated
• List of sponsors in alphabetical order
• List of signatories in alphabetical order

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Preambulatory Clauses

• State reasons why the committee is working on this issue
• Highlight previous international actions on the issue
• Usually 3 to 5 of these (Less than operative clauses)
• Structuring:

1. Preambulatory clause/ phrase

2. Reference to actions, UN statements, or general background regarding the significance of the topic

3. End each line with a comma

Operative Clauses

• Should address the issues specifically mentioned in the pre-ambulatory clauses above
• Include Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How
• Call for a specific action
• May be as vague as denunciation of a certain situation or a call for negotiations; or as specific as a call for a ceasefire or a monetary commitment for a particular project
• Structure:

1. NUMBER your operative clause

2. Begin with an operative clause

3. Detail the solution you intend to pursue to solve a particular issue

4. End with a semicolon (last one ends in a period)

Operative Clauses

Procedures

• Delegates will to motion to introduce the working paper
• If this passes, the sponsors of the resolution will have a chance to formally introduce and explain their working paper to the entire committee
• Q&As will be motioned for if necessary
• After each paper has been introduced, debated about, and had changes made to it, delegates can then submit the working paper as a draft resolution
• Link to Preambulatory and Operative Clause Starter Phrases

Resolution Guide

GroupMe QR Code:

Membership Form

Thanks for Coming!

Any questions?

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