Model United Nations Youth Simulation Brussels RULES OF PROCEDURE iou
#1: Courtesy Every delegate will be courteous and respectful to the Committee staff and to other delegates. The Chair will immediately call to order any delegate who does not abide by this rule. Any delegate who feels that he or she is not treated respectfully is encouraged to speak to the Chair, who will then take appropriate action.
#2: Roll call When all delegates have taken their seats, the Chair will call the session to order, at which point you can only speak by raising your placard and being recognized by the Chair. The first order of business is the Roll Call which consists of the Chair calling out all countries alphabetically at which point delegates state they are either “present” or “present and voting”. If a delegate states that he or she is present and voting, then they can not abstain.
#3: Quorum Quorum is the minimum number of delegates who need to be present in order to open debate. When at least half of the members of the Committee are present, quorum is met, and the Committee can be opened to proceed with debate. The Quorum will be assumed by the Chair, unless it is challenged by a member of the Committee.
#4: Electronic Aids Delegates are allowed to use electronic devices. Delegates are strongly encouraged to bring a laptop and a USB stick for writing draft resolutions. #5: Absences If a delegate is not present during roll call, he or she is considered absent until a note is sent to the Chair.
#6: Speakers List The Committee session begins with the opening of a continuous Speakers List. This Speakers List will determine the order in which delegates will speak during general debate, and will be interrupted by motions (see further). All speeches must be made from the 3rd person perspective.
#7: Motion for Unmoderated Caucus An unmoderated caucus is a free-for-all discussion, with no rules or organisation. Formal rules and procedures are put on hold and delegates are free to do whatever they wish. An unmoderated caucus is an ideal opportunity for rapid discussion and resolution writing. The Motion for Unmoderated Caucus can be raised at any time when the floor is open. The delegate raising the
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motion must specify a time limit and a topic of discussion. The motion is then immediately put to a vote, and needs a simple majority to pass. In the case of multiple motions for unmoderated caucus being raised at the same time, the motions are ranked in descending order of length, and the Committee members will vote in that order. An unmoderated caucus can also be extended. Example: “The delegate of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would like to raise a motion for unmoderated caucus of 15 minutes to discuss the greatness of its supreme leader.”
#8: Motion for Moderated Caucus When the debate is centering around a particular aspect or issue, it is a good time to raise a motion for Moderated Caucus. During the Moderated Caucus the Speakers List is put on hold, and delegates raise their placards and wait for the Chair to recognize them in order to speak. When that delegate has finished speaking or when their time has elapsed, the Chair will recognize another delegate. The delegate raising the motion briefly explains its purpose and sets a time limit both for the entire Moderated Caucus as well as for the time limit for each speaker. After being raised, the motion will be voted on and needs a simple majority to pass. If multiple motions for moderated caucus are raised at the same time, they are ranked in descending order of length, and voted on accordingly. The moderated caucus can also be extended. Example: “The delegate of the Russian Federation would like to raise a motion for a moderated caucus to discuss state borders, for a total of 20 minutes, with 1 minute speakers time.”
#9: Motion for Suspension of the Meeting The Suspension of the Meeting means that the Committee will be postponed until the next meeting. In simple terms, this motion is raised at the end of the committee when debate on the topic is over. This motion requires a simple majority to pass.
#10: Yields If a delegate finishes his or her speech before the time limit is reached, they can yield the remaining time in three ways: Yield to Another Delegate: You may yield the remainder of your valuable speaking time to another delegate. You can use this for example to yield to an ally to back you up or to catch another delegate off-guard. Yield to Questions: The Questioners will be selected by the chair. This may work out in your favour or against you. Yield to the Chair: If you have finished your speech and have time left you should “Yield to the chair”.
#11: Right of Reply If you feel your personal or national dignity has been insulted, you may motion for a right of reply. This motion may interrupt a speaker. If the Chair recognizes your Right of Reply, you will immediately be given the opportunity to address the offending remarks.
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#12: Point of Parliamentary Inquiry This will be a very important point. If you have a question regarding the rules of procedure, or are unsure of what is going on, you may raise this point to ask for clarification. This might also be a good point to raise if you want to raise a point or motion but are unsure of what the procedure is.
#13: Point of Personal Privilege You may raise this if you experience personal discomfort which impairs your ability to participate. Examples that can lead to a Point of Personal Privilege are: inability to hear the speaker, technical issues,etc.
#14: Draft Resolutions The aim of any United Nations Committee is to write a Resolution. A Resolution is a guideline to be followed by all member nations. Any Resolution first starts out as a draft resolution. The draft resolution needs to have 10 signatories to be introduced to the chair. Signing a draft resolution does not mean that you support it, but merely that you are open to discuss it. A draft resolution needs a simple majority of members present to pass, at which point the Draft Resolution will be “on the floor�, and can be amended.
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