Guide to Resolution Writing 11th – 17th July 2011
Writing a resolution The substantive output of TEIMUN takes the form of a Resolution. In order to make participants familiar with this concept, this section describes the writing process in detail. Resolutions can have multiple purposes; they can either simply register an opinion or recommend actions to be taken by an UN organ or related agency. The following points are to be kept in mind when drafting a resolution:
• A resolution is a UN body’s 'answer' to a current problem that falls into its competence. • Once a resolution is passed, it accounts as an official policy of the body that passed it. • When writing a resolution, it is important to be aware of the committee’s competence and authority to call for certain actions. • Resolutions can be either general statements or directives to specific organizations, UN bodies, or states. • Resolutions can, for example, call for collective actions, or as is the case of the Security Council, require economic or military sanctions.
Resolution A resolution is the most appropriate means of applying political pressure on member states, expressing an opinion on an important issue, or recommending action to be taken by the United Nations. Most UN resolutions are not binding “law”; the only body that may produce resolutions that are binding upon the member states of the United Nations is the Security Council. The goal of formal debate and caucusing (moderated or unmoderated caucus) is to persuade enough states to support a particular solution regarding the topic under discussion. Resolutions, formally state the agreed-upon solution by outlining the relevant precedents and describing the proposed actions.
Life of a resolution As a given agenda topic is debated in both formal and informal debate, delegates (in groups or not) will begin to work on drafting a resolution. During the initial writing and revision stages, delegates produce documents referred to as working papers. A working paper is an informal document used by the Delegates to work on building a draft Resolution. It contains general ideas and proposals on the topic discussed and its purpose is to facilitate the proceedings by outlining a more concrete framework for discussion. A working paper is a suitable basis to work towards a draft resolution as it does not have to be written in the resolution format or be formally introduced to the committee to be mentioned or discussed during debate. Working papers are drafted by a relatively small group of delegates, who will most likely be the future draft resolution’s sponsors. They are then discussed with a larger number of delegations and revised as needed according to their input. These delegates may become signatories to the draft resolution to be produced later on. Once there is sufficient agreement, a working paper may be upgraded into a draft Resolution. It is important to note that, the sponsors of a draft resolution are generally the states that contributed to writing the draft document. However, sponsors are also those states who not only agree to see the draft resolution to put before the committee but also commit themselves to supporting it. Signatories on the other hand, only wish to see the draft resolution debated and so do not necessarily commit themselves to supporting it. For instance, a state might be against a draft resolution but still want to see it debated to be able to convince other states to find new avenues of compromise. To be upgraded to a Draft Resolution, the working paper must be reformatted, and must have gathered enough sponsors and signatories. Only following that can the draft resolution be submitted to the chairpersons, who will examine the draft resolution and may require format changes before it can be distributed to the committee at large. After approval by the chairperson, the draft resolution is sent to secretariat, which will number it and print it for dissemination. Drafting a resolution When drafting a resolution, keep in mind that the wording will greatly influence the appeal of the resolution, or lack thereof. The resolution should be clear, concise, and specific; vague resolutions that do not really say or propose much, may be seen as documents created by delegates who did not prepare themselves a great
deal for the conference. The substance should be well researched. Sponsors should have convincing arguments to defend their resolution during debate. Structure The entire resolution consists of one long sentence, with commas and semi-colons throughout, and only one period at the very end. Working papers should be singlespaced, with each line numbered in the left-hand margin. The first word in each clause should be capitalized. The font must be 'Times New Roman' at a 12 point size. Resolutions consist of three main parts: 1. The Heading The required heading includes the topic of the resolution, the committee in which it is introduced and the number of the agenda item concerned. A document number will be assigned to the resolution as part of the heading by the secretariat and it will then be referred to by this number for the remainder of the simulation.
2. Preambulatory Clauses Within the preamble of a resolution, one will not find clauses proposing action or making substantive statements. The preambulatory clauses explain the purpose of the policy paper and state the main reasons for the suggestions to follow. This is where previous UN resolutions are referred to and relevant precedents of international law are cited. Preambulatory clauses should specifically refer to factual situations or incidents regarding the topic at hand. The preamble may also include altruistic appeals to the common sense or humanitarian instincts of member states with reference to the Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, etc. The preamble remains critical since it reflects the general context of the problem treated in the policy paper. Remember that preambulatory clauses begin with participles (in italic), and are always followed by a comma.
Some common preambulatory clause beginnings are:
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Affirming
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Fulfilling
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Alarmed by
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Fully alarmed
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Approving
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Fully aware
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Aware of
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Fully believing
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Believing
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Further deploring
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Bearing in mind
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Further recalling
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Confident
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Guided by
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Contemplating
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Having adopted
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Convinced
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Having considered
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Declaring
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Having considered
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Deeply concerned
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Having devoted attention
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Deeply convinced
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Having examined
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Deeply conscious
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Having heard
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Deeply disturbed
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Having received
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Deeply regretting
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Having studied
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Desiring
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Keeping in mind
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Emphasizing
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Noting with regret
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Expecting
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Noting with satisfaction
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Expressing its satisfaction
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Noting with deep concern
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Noting with approval
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Observing
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Recognizing
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Referring
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Seeking
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Taking into account
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Welcoming
Noting further
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•
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Realizing Recalling
3. Operative Clauses The main part of a resolution is a logical progression of sequentially numbered operative clauses. These clauses may recommend, urge, encourage, request certain actions, or state an opinion regarding an existing situation. Each operative clause calls for a specific action by member states, by the Secretariat, or by any UN bodies or related agencies. The action may be as vague as denouncing a certain situation or calling for negotiations, or as specific as, for example, a call for a cease-fire or a monetary commitment for a particular project. Keep in mind that only Security Council resolutions are legally binding upon the international community. The competence of a committee, as specified in its constitutional treaty, determines what may be included in the operative clause. Resolutions are seldom complete solutions to a problem; they are usually only one step in the process of developing a solution. Operative clauses are numbered, begin with an active, present tense verb (in italic) and are followed by a semi-colon, with a period placed after the final clause.
Some common operative clause beginnings are:
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Accepts
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Affirms
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Further recommends Further reminds
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Approves
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Further requests
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Authorizes
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Further resolves
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Calls
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Has resolved
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Calls upon
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Notes
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Condemns
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Proclaims
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Confirms
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Reaffirms
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Considers
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Recommends
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Declares accordingly
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Regrets
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Deplores
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Reminds
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Designate
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Requests
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Draws attention
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Resolves
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Emphasizes
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Solemnly affirms
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Encourages
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Supports
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Endorses
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Takes note of
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Expresses its hope
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Urges
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Further invites
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Further proclaims