Rules of procedure

Rules of procedure basics and applications

Basic vocab

Asking to speak: placard raising

Right to reply 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!!!

Point of personal privilege To point out any personal discomfort or issue that is preventing your full participation in the debate

Point of parliamentary enquiry To ask about Rules of Procedure or how you go about something

Point of order To point out the use of improper parliamentary procedure

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 agenda • This 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 caucuses • A 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

Writing things down: Working papers • Working 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 Up to 3 people • 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.

SIGNATORIES AT LEAST 1/5TH OF THE COMMITTEE • Signatories are: • Delegates which would like to see the resolution discussed • Not obliged to vote in favour of the resolution

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 clauses • Recognising 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 • 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; • 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; • 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 CANNNOT 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

Rules of procedure