At the heart of every Model United Nations (MUN) conference is not just the power of speeches,
it’s the power of what gets written down. In real diplomacy, the decisions that shape the world are
not only spoken in grand halls; they are recorded in documents that capture consensus,
compromise, and even conflict. MUN follows the same principle. The documents produced in
committee are more than paperwork, they are the bridge between debate and action.
Every paper, draft, and release in a committee serves a purpose. Some define a nation’s stance,
others lay out solutions, and some mark the culmination of days of negotiation and collaboration.
To truly master MUN, a delegate must go beyond debating skills and understand how these
documents work, because that’s where words become policy.

Position Paper

Before the first speech is delivered or the first motion is raised, every delegate’s journey begins with
a document known as the Position Paper. Think of it as your personal compass, a guide you
prepare before the conference that shows you, your Executive Board, and your fellow delegates
exactly where your country stands on the agenda.

A position paper lays out your nation’s priorities, explains how it views the issue, and signals the
strategies or alliances you might pursue. It’s often the first impression the Executive Board gets of
your preparation, depth of research, and understanding of the Agenda.

While some MUNs today place less emphasis on formal position papers, with many delegates using
opening speeches or General Speakers List (GSL) speeches to convey the same points, the value of
writing one hasn’t faded. A well-crafted position paper keeps you anchored to your country’s
policies and helps ensure consistency throughout debate, lobbying, and negotiation. Without it,
delegates often struggle to stay aligned with their nation’s real-world stance.

Format to Write a Position Paper:

Position Paper
Committee: [Full committee name]
Agenda: [Agenda]
Country: [Country name]

Content

Ending

Draft Resolution (DR)

Imagine this: you’ve delivered powerful speeches, built alliances, and spent hours debating. But
what happens if, at the end of it all, nothing is written down? In diplomacy, and in MUN, that
means nothing really happened.

That’s why the Draft Resolution (DR) is often called the final word of a committee. It’s the
tangible outcome of all your work: the document that captures the solutions delegates have argued
over, negotiated, and refined. In real UN terms, some resolutions are legally binding, like those of
the Security Council, while others in bodies like the General Assembly or ECOSOC carry political
weight or set important global precedents.

In MUN, the DR is the yardstick of success. Without it, even the most brilliant speeches fade into
thin air. With it, the committee leaves behind a decision, a roadmap for real change.

Who Can Be Involved and How?

Draft resolutions don’t just appear out of nowhere, they’re built by coalitions of countries. Here’s
who plays a role:

● Sponsors (Authors): These are the nations that write the DR. They defend it during debate
and cannot vote against their own draft. More sponsors often make a draft appear stronger and
more inclusive, but having too many can also complicate negotiations.
● Signatories (Supporters of Debate): These countries are not necessarily in full agreement with
the draft but believe it deserves discussion. Signing doesn’t mean supporting the content, it just
means, “Let’s talk about this.” Signatories can still propose amendments, oppose the
resolution later, or abstain during the vote.
Most MUN rules require a minimum number of signatories (often about 1/5th of the committee
or 5-10 countries) for a draft resolution to be accepted for debate; sponsors are always counted
towards this minimum number.

Structure of a Draft Resolution
A DR always mirrors real UN format.

1. Heading: Committee, Agenda, sponsors, signatories.

2. Preambulatory Clauses: Background, justification, references to treaties/charters.
○ Begin with italicized participles (e.g., Recalling, Acknowledging, Recognizing, Guided by).
○ Never numbered. Always end with a comma.

3. Operative Clauses: Concrete actions the committee decides.
○ Numbered (1, 2, 3…).
○ Begin with action verbs (Calls upon, Requests, Decides, Encourages).
○ End with a semicolon, except the last clause which ends with a period.
○ May contain sub-clauses (a), (b), (c) for detail.

Example:
● Preambulatory: Recognizing the threat posed by nuclear proliferation,
● Operative: 1. Calls upon Member States to ratify and implement the NPT;

Debate and Amendments: Where the real negotiations happen
Once a DR is introduced, the committee’s focus shifts almost entirely to it. This is where lobbying,
persuasion, and negotiation reach their peak. But remember, a DR is not carved in stone. Delegates
can propose amendments to change or refine it.

There are two main types of amendments:
● Friendly Amendment: All sponsors agree to it, so it’s automatically added to the draft without
a vote.
● Unfriendly Amendment: One or more sponsors oppose it, so it’s debated and voted on
separately.

Amendments are crucial. There are four types of amendments when you write and propose them in
a committee – Addition to a clause/sub-clause (Adding a word/statement to any clause/sub-clause);
Deletion from a clause/sub-clause (Removing a word/statement from any clause/sub-clause);
Modification of a clause/sub-clause (Exchanging specific words/statements from the
clause/sub-clause, rather than deleting it or substituting it completely from something else);
Substitution of a clause/sub-clause/multiple clauses/all clauses (Substituting/Exchanging – one
clause/one sub-clause/multiple clauses/all clauses from a DR to something else you propose)

They often turn a controversial draft into something more widely acceptable, or at least tolerable,
for the entire committee.

Voting: Yes, No, Abstain
When voting bloc begins:

● Yes: Support adoption.
● No: Oppose adoption.
● Abstain: Neither yes nor no, often used by countries that disagree but do not want to openly
oppose (e.g., due to alliances, neutrality, or political calculations).
● Abstentions lower the number of votes needed to pass since only “Yes” and “No” are counted.
Example: In a 20-member committee, if 5 abstain, only 15 count, setting the majority at 8.

What It Takes for a Resolution to Pass
Every committee type has its own voting rules. Here’s a quick guide:

● General Assembly / GA-style committees: Usually a simple majority (50% +1). For “Motions”
(like peace and security, budgets, or new member admissions), a two-thirds majority is needed.
● Security Council: Needs at least 9 out of 15 votes and no veto from any of the P5 members
(China, France, Russia, the UK, the USA). A P5 abstention does not count as a veto.
● Specialized Bodies (ECOSOC, regional agencies): Typically follow a simple majority, unless
stated otherwise.
Full Example (Draft Resolution)

Draft Resolution
Committee: UN General Assembly
Agenda: Climate Change and Global Security
Sponsors: France, Brazil, Kenya
Signatories: Germany, India, Canada, Nigeria, Japan, Chile, Indonesia, Sweden, Mexico
The General Assembly,

Recalling the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992) and the Paris Agreement
(2015),

Alarmed by the security risks arising from extreme weather, forced migration, and resource
scarcity,

Recognizing the disproportionate impact on Small Island Developing States (SIDS),

1. Calls upon Member States to allocate 1% of annual GDP toward renewable energy investment
by 2030;
2. Requests the Security Council to assess climate-related security risks in conflict-prone regions
annually;
3. Encourages the creation of regional “Climate Security Task Forces” under UN supervision to
coordinate disaster relief;
4. Urges developed nations to expand the Green Climate Fund, prioritizing SIDS and least
developed countries;
5. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Working Paper

If the Draft Resolution is the star of committee documentation, polished, formal, and structured,
then the Working Paper (WP) is its informal twin. It might not have the same ceremonial weight,
but it often plays a very similar role in practice.

If we go strictly “by the book,” a Working Paper is officially the preliminary draft of a resolution.
It is meant to be a rough outline of ideas and proposed solutions that must be transformed
into the structured Draft Resolution format to be formally debated and voted upon. But in
the way most Model UN committees actually function, the WP has become much more than that.
It’s often treated as an informal version of a resolution, carrying the same purpose of outlining
solutions and guiding committee action, but without the rigid structure or the heavy formalities.
This shift reflects how real diplomacy works too: not every negotiation ends in a formal treaty.
Sometimes, an informal document, easier to agree on and quicker to produce, can capture the
essence of cooperation just as effectively.

Purpose: Informal Yet Impactful

A Working Paper gives delegates the freedom to present ideas, build coalitions, and put forward
proposed solutions without worrying about strict formatting or procedural hurdles. It’s usually
written by blocs of countries that share similar views, but it can also be produced by the whole
committee if there’s broad consensus.

And unlike a Draft Resolution, which must follow a formal structure and pass through voting, a
WP is lightweight and flexible. It doesn’t need to be adopted formally, and it can be shared and
debated more freely. That’s why many committees, especially technical or academic ones like the
UNHRC or UNEP, rely heavily on Working Papers as the main written outcome of their sessions.
In fact, in several conferences, WPs are used as replacements for resolutions altogether,
especially when the Executive Board wants to prioritize debate over documentation or when the
committee’s work is more collaborative than legislative.

Function and Participation: How WPs Work
Here’s how Working Papers function in most committees:

● Submission and Circulation: A WP must be approved by the Chair to be circulated, but it
doesn’t require formal sponsors or signatories.
● Debate and Influence: Once introduced, it shapes the flow of debate by showing where
different blocs stand and what solutions they’re proposing.
● Flexibility Over Formality: Since WPs are not subject to formal voting, they can be edited,
merged, or rewritten at any point. This allows delegates to remain creative and adaptable.
Because of their informal nature, WPs can take many forms, from bullet points and short
statements to detailed proposals, principles, or even visual elements like flowcharts and tables.
Working Paper vs. Draft Resolution: The Key Difference
The easiest way to understand the difference is this:
● Draft Resolution: A formal, structured document with preambulatory and operative clauses,
requiring sponsors, signatories, debate, and a final vote.
● Working Paper: An informal version of the same thing, free-form in style, flexible in content,
and often used as a substitute rather than a stepping stone. You can think of it as two ways of expressing the same message: one is written like a legal document, the other like a collaborative proposal.

Format of a Working Paper (Example)

Working Paper 1.O

Committee: World Health Assembly
Agenda: Equitable Vaccine Distribution
Authors: South Africa, India, Argentina, Indonesia

Proposals:
● Creation of Regional Vaccine Hubs
○ Three pilot hubs in Africa (Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg).
○ Supported through WHO funding and private partnerships.

● Technology Transfer Mechanisms

○ Sharing of mRNA technology under compulsory licensing in public health emergencies.

○ Training programs for local scientists by donor states.