MODEL UNITED NATIONS

Delegate Handbook
Key Terms

General Speaker’s List

The GSL is a form of formal consultation which, evident by its name, calls for general
discussion on the agenda. The Dais, throughout the conference, frequently asks for names to
be added to the GSL. If the names on the GSL list have been exhausted, the committee
debate is taken to have elapsed, and the committee moves into direct voting procedure on the
document that has been introduced.

Points in a Formal Debate

Points can be raised by the delegates in case they wish to request for clarification or increased
comfort in the committee room. The Dais frequently asks the committee room if there are any
Points wishing to be addressed. However, the delegates have the ability to raise their points at
any time during committee proceedings. Do note that the delegates are STRONGLY advised
NOT to interrupt a delegate’s speech with a Point unless it is a Point of Personal Privilege
pertaining to the speaker’s audibility.

Motions in a Formal Debate

Motions can be raised by delegates to focus the debate on specific topics under the agenda, to
debate or vote upon documentation, or to end debate.

Working of the committee

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The rules of procedure (ROP) are the general set of rules followed to facilitate the efficient
working of a committee. It is extremely important for each delegate to develop a thorough
knowledge of these rules.

A simplified version of the rules and the flow of the session is as follows:

1. Roll Call
In the roll call, delegates are required to state their voting stance, which affects their ability to
participate in substantive voting in the committee. Voting stance can either be “Present”, with
no voting rights or “Present and Voting”, which gives the delegates voting rights. This only
applies to substantive votes.

Delegates who join the committee late and hence miss the roll call must send a note to the Dais
acknowledging their presence in the committee, stating their voting stance, and explaining the
reason for missing the roll call.

2. Motions for the Agenda

Once roll call has been taken, the delegates must raise a motion to set the agenda. The format
of the motion is “The delegate of XYZ country would like to raise a motion to establish the agenda
on "Protection of Rights of Unskilled Labourers."

Once this motion has been recognized, the Dais ideally uses their discretion to immediately put
this motion to vote. A simple majority is required to pass the motion, after which the formal debate
is in session.

Simple Majority → Used for any non-substantial voting which stands at 50% of the
present delegates rounded up.

3. General Speakers List

Once the agenda has been set, delegates must raise a motion to open the General Speakers
List (GSL). The format of the motion is “The delegate of XYZ country would like to raise a motion
to establish the General Speakers List with each speaker’s time being 90 seconds.”

Once this motion has been recognized, the Dais ideally uses their discretion to immediately put
this motion to vote. A simple majority is required to pass the motion, after which the GSL has
been opened.
Note → Immediately after the GSL has been opened, delegates may motion to amend the

individual speaker’s time in a GSL. The speaker’s time should always lie between 30 and 120

seconds, and be a multiple of 30. The default speaker time is 90 seconds.

The format of the motion is “The delegate of XYZ country wishes to propose a motion to
set/amend the Speaker time to 60 seconds.”

This motion can only be raised before the first speech takes place in the GSL.

4. Speaking in the GSL

Once the GSL has been opened, the Dais asks for delegates wishing to add their names to the
GSL. Given the virtual setting of , the delegates would be using the raise hand option provided
by MS Teams to be recognized by the Dais.

Delegates who wish to be added in the GSL may also send their names via chit to the Dais.
Delegates also have the ability to request that their names be removed from the GSL, however
moving up or down the GSL speaking order is not permitted, unless the Dais wishes to utilize
their discretion.

Also, if any delegate still has time remaining, they have the following options to “yield” their
remaining time.
The format of the yield is “The delegate of XYZ country would like to yield their time -
I. Back to the Dais → The remaining time is returned back to the Dais, and it is deemed to be

exhausted and the next speaker is called.

II. to Points of Information (PoIs) → Points of Information refer to questions that the delegates

may have on the speaker's speech or on the general stance of their delegation on the agenda.

If the speaker yields his or her time to PoIs, the Dais states the number of PoIs that would be

entertained based on the remaining speaker time. The Dais then asks the committee if any

delegates wish to raise a Point of Information on

the speaker, and recognize their names. The delegates recognized then proceed to question the
speaker one by one in the order in which the were recognized. The speaker has the liberty to
limit the range of questions that can be asked, such as stating “yield to 2 PoIs”, or “PoIs pertaining
to the delegate’s speech”
Note → Follow up questions: Only one follow up question is granted per PoI, that too if
permissible by the Dais. A follow-up can be used if the delegate feels his or her PoI was not
sufficiently answered, however, the Dais has the final say in terms of allowing a follow-up.
III. to the Delegate of ABC→ The speaker may yield their remaining speaker’s time to another

delegate, who may come up and speak for the remaining time. The second delegate does NOT

have the ability to yield any time remaining after their speech. Yields STRICTLY cannot be used

to embarrass any other delegate.

After a few GSL Speeches have been made, the Dais may call for any Points or Motions on the
floor.

★ Points (In Order of Disruption)

I. Point of Personal Privilege → A Point of Personal Privilege is raised if the delegate

wishes for a change pertaining to his or her own comfort. Although it takes the highest

precedence, the only such point that should understandably interrupt a delegate’s speech

is for audibility, in the case that the delegate is speaking too fast or too slow, or not loud

enough.

II. Point of Order → This point is raised if a delegate feels that the speaker has made a

grave factual error in their speech. After the speech has ended, the delegate can raise

this point, after which they would have to state the exact inaccurate statement that the

speaker made, after which they would rectify it.

III. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry → This point is raised when the delegate has a question

regarding committee proceedings and/or the Rules of Procedure.

IV. Point of Information → Refers to Section 6, Sub-Section II. Do note that a Point of

Information is only admissible after a delegate has yielded their remaining speakers time

in a GSL to the same, and cannot be raised otherwise.

V. Right to Reply → Any delegate has the ability to exercise their Right to Reply if they feel

that the speaker has insulted the delegate personally or insulted the sovereignty of their

delegation. If deemed permissible by the Dais, the speaker has to formally apologize to

the delegate.
★ Motions
Motions can be raised by delegates to focus the debate on specific topics under the agenda, to
debate or vote upon documentation, or to end debate.
Order Of Procedural Motions → The motions below shall have precedence in the following

order due to their disruption to committee flow-

1. Motion for a Moderated Caucus

2. Motion for an Unmoderated Caucus
3. Introduction of a Draft Resolution
4. Motion to discuss Draft Resolution
5. Motion to move into Direct Voting Procedure
6. Motion to Adjourn Debate
7. Motion to Suspend Debate

In case two or more of the same motions have been recognized, precedence is given in the
following manner:
a. If two motions for a moderated/unmoderated caucus have been recognized, the moderated
caucus accommodating more speakers would be considered more disruptive, NOT the one with
more total speaking time. The unmoderated caucus with more total time shall be considered
more disruptive and would be given precedence. In case the motions have the same number of
speakers or total time, they are voted upon in the order in which they were recognized.

b. In general, motions of the same kind are voted upon in the order in which they were
recognized.

Format for Raising A Motion:

1. Agenda- “The delegate of XYZ country would like to raise a motion to establish the
agenda on "Protection of Rights of Unskilled Labourers."
2. General Speakers List- “The delegate of XYZ country would like to raise a motion to
establish the General Speakers List with each speaker’s time being 90 seconds.”
3. Moderated Caucus-

“The delegate of XYZ country would like to raise a motion to suspend formal debate and move
into a moderated caucus on the topic ____ for total time being ____ minutes and individual
speaker's time being ___ seconds.”

“The delegate of XYZ country wishes to propose an extension to the moderated caucus of
duration ____ minutes”

4. Unmoderated Caucus- “The delegate of XYZ country would like to raise a motion to
suspend formal debate and move into an unmoderated caucus for total time being ____
minutes.”
 5. Documentation-

“The delegate of XYZ country wishes to propose a motion to introduce a Draft Resolution /
Working Paper / Press Release, titled _______”

“The delegate of XYZ country wishes to propose a motion to discuss the Draft Resolution /
Working Paper / Press Release, titled _______”

“The delegate of XYZ country wishes to propose a motion to move into the direct voting
procedure for the Draft Resolution / Working Paper / Press Release, titled _______”

6. Adjournment- “The delegate of XYZ country would like to raise a motion to adjourn the
meeting.”
B. DOCUMENTATION

I. Working Paper → Working papers are documents that a delegate may choose to

display to the other members of the committee during a formal session. A Working

Paper is ideally a precursor to a press release or a resolution. Working Papers follow no

strict format, and the delegates can present the content of the working paper as they

see fit.

II. Draft Resolution → Draft resolutions are the most commonly produced document in UN

bodies, detailing both the discussion on the agenda as well as detailed and precise

actions that the committee wishes member states or a foreign body to undertake.

III. Press Release → A press release is a form of a communiqué produced by the

committee. Communiqués refer to documents that are used to communicate with

foreign bodies. In the case of a press release, the communiqué is addressed to the

International Press Corps. The press release, as evident by the name, is a document

detailing to the media the discussions that took place on the agenda and the solutions

that the committee wishes to undertake.

SAMPLES WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

C. VOTING PROCEDURE

Once the committee motions to move into direct voting procedure on the document, and the
aforementioned motion passes, the committee room is closed off. This means that delegates
are not allowed to enter or exit the committee room till voting on the document has been
completed.

I. The Dais takes a Roll Call vote where delegates vote on the document one at a time. Those
delegates who voted “Present and Voting” during the initial roll call have the necessity to vote
on the documents. Delegates who voted “Present” may abstain from voting as well. Members
with observer status will NOT vote on the document.

II. In case the document produced fails, the delegates have the following options
a. Revert back to the GSL and continue further debate on the agenda.

b. Motion to divide the house → Delegates can raise this motion to call for a revote on the

document. This motion requires all delegates to vote on the document, regardless of their

voting stance. Members with observer status will NOT vote on the document.
This motion requires a 2⁄3 majority to pass.

c. Motion to divide the question → Delegates can raise this motion to call for a revote on the

document. This motion requires each operative clause to be voted upon individually. Each

clause requires a 1⁄2 majority to pass. Any clause that fails to pass will automatically be
removed from the document. If more than 1⁄2 of the original operative clauses fail to pass, the

document is automatically tabled. Members with observer status will NOT vote on the

document. This motion requires a 2⁄3 majority to pass.

Documented and Drafted by-

Tanush Mittal
Chairperson