General Rules of THIMUN: Preparation

and Practice –

Procedure at THIMUN Booklet 11

Conferences
By David L Williams, in collaboration with the THIMUN Foundation
Booklet 11 – General Rules of Procedure

GENERAL RULES OF PROCEDURE

AT THIMUN CONFERENCES
Every organisation has to have rules about how it conducts its meetings. These
can be very formal or very informal but they must be agreed to and abided by all
participants. Having clearly defined written rules enables the participants to make
reference to them whenever there is a disagreement about how to proceed. Rules
may be adapted or changed to suit the needs of the organisation.

So it is with Model United Nations conferences. Many international MUN

conferences use the THIMUN Rules of Procedure or adaptations of the THIMUN
Rules. This is because the THIMUN Rules have developed over a continuous
period of more than 50 years and have been very useful in facilitating good debate
and in enabling the delegates to produce resolutions worthy of publication and
distribution to the United Nations and other international organisations.

The following, therefore, are general outlines. Be familiar with the current rules and
bye-laws of each conference you attend.

For the full and current official THIMUN Rules of Procedure see:
https://thehague.thimun.org/educational/

PROGRAMME AND AGENDA

The program of events and the issues on the agenda of a MUN Conference are
usually determined beforehand by the conference organisers and published well
in advance. The issues may be subject to amendment by the participants under
certain circumstances.

STUDENT OFFICERS
Student Officers, i.e. the Secretary General, the President of the General Assembly,
the Presidents of the Councils and the Committee Chairs, as well as their Deputies
are normally appointed in advance by the conference organisers.

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Secretary General and Deputy Secretaries General

The Secretary General has authority over all student participants at the
conference and has the right to make decisions on all issues or questions vital to
the harmonious operation of the conference. In particular, the Secretary General
has the right to rule on all questions concerning the competence of a particular
forum to adopt a proposal submitted to it. Such decisions are final.

Presidents of the General Assembly, Special Conference, Councils, Com-

missions, Chairs of Committees and their Deputies
The Presidents/Chairs set the agenda for their respective assemblies, declare the
opening and closing of each meeting, decide on the order in which resolutions
are debated and direct discussions. They ensure observance of the rules, accord
the right to speak, put questions to the vote and announce decisions. They rule
on points of order and, subject to the rules, have control over the proceedings of
the assembly and over the maintenance of order at formal meetings. They may
propose limitations of debate time, a limitation on the number of times each
delegate may speak on any question and on the closure of debate. They may
also propose the adjournment of the meeting or the adjournment of the debate
on the item under discussion.

GENERAL RULES
All delegates should be aware that the rules are intended to facilitate debate and
to accord to all members their democratic right to voice an opinion. The Student
Officers will apply the rules to this end and will not tolerate the abuse or misuse
of the rules for obstructive or restrictive purposes.

United Nations Charter

Delegations should, at all times, act in accordance with the articles and principles
of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Diplomacy
Each delegate must act according to diplomatic norms, including the duty to:
- respect the decisions of the Chair at all times;
- obtain the floor before speaking;
- stand when speaking;
- yield the floor when required to do so by the Chair;
- be courteous at all times;
- avoid the use of insulting or abusive language.

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Booklet 11 – General Rules of Procedure

Opening Speeches
Opening speeches or statements given in all the forums are usually restricted
to one minute.

Right of Reply to Opening Speeches

The right of reply to an opening speech will usually be accorded to a limited
number of delegations after a specified number of opening speeches. Such
replies must refer to one of the preceding opening speeches. Rights of Reply
to opening speeches are granted at the discretion of the Chair.

Procedure for Submitting Draft Resolutions

At most conferences, before being accepted for debate, draft resolutions
have to be approved by the Student Officer concerned and by the Approval
Panel. Draft resolutions need to be co-submitted by a pre-determined
number of delegations.

The Student Officer will usually check the content to see that it is pertinent
to an issue on the agenda, within the competence of the forum to debate it
and is in accordance with the United Nations Charter. The Approval Panel will
check the format, language and logical consistency.

RULES OF PROCEDURE IN FORMAL DEBATE

Parliamentary Procedure
Except where otherwise adapted or limited by conference bye-laws, Robert’s
Rules of parliamentary procedure are used.

In general, the Student Officers know the proper procedure and how
to apply the rules. They are available to give help and information and
delegates may ask for clarification or explanation of the rules. This is most
easily done by rising to a point of order, a point of information to the Chair
or a point of parliamentary enquiry. Such points are not allowed to interrupt
a speech.

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Powers of the President/Chair during Formal Debate

The President/Chair proposes the limitation of debate time for each motion. When
debate time has been exhausted, the President/Chair proposes either the extension
of debate time or the closure of debate and subsequent vote on the question being
considered (the Previous Question).

Since a high degree of consensus is aimed at, open debate is the norm, except on
really contentious issues, where the President/Chair may propose closed debate.

The President/Chair may, in the interest of debate, or in order to work towards

consensus, call upon a particular delegation to speak, even if they have not
requested the floor. The President/Chair may also, for the same purposes, restrict
the speaking time of an individual delegate. The limitations of debate time include
the time taken for replies to points of information but do not include the time taken
for questions to the speaker or for other interruptions.

The President/Chair will announce the guillotine time (the absolute maximum
debate time for one resolution) to the assembly.

The President/Chair may call recesses or adjournments.

Decisions of the Chair may be appealed but are not debatable. A two-thirds vote
against the Chair’s decision is normally required for such an appeal to be upheld.

Quorum
A majority of the total membership of each forum constitutes a quorum.

Amendments to the Agenda and to Resolutions

Amendments can only be submitted by a speaker who has the floor.

Proposed amendments to the agenda may be submitted in each forum at the start
of business.

The purpose of proposed amendments to resolutions is to improve the resolution

with the object of achieving wider consensus.

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When an amendment is moved to a proposal, the amendment is voted on before

a vote is taken on the main motion. If a second amendment (amendment to the
amendment) is moved, it will be voted on before the vote is taken on the first
amendment. If the adoption of the second amendment necessarily implies the
acceptance or rejection of the first amendment, the first amendment is not put to
the vote.

Debate on amendments usually occurs in closed debate, with a set time for and
against the proposed amendments. Delegates may abstain during voting.

All delegates may vote on amendments.

Referring a Resolution or Question

A resolution or question may be referred to another Council, Commission or
Committee, e.g. to the Security Council. The desirability of referral is debatable. It
requires a majority vote, and is not normal procedure in most conferences.

Reconsideration and Tabling

Once a resolution has been formally adopted or rejected by a vote of the assembly
concerned, it can usually only be reconsidered after all business on the agenda
has been completed and normally requires a two-thirds majority in favor of
reconsideration.

Tabling, or laying a resolution on the table, temporarily disposes of it. A motion to

table a resolution is not debatable and requires only a simple majority in favor. A
two-thirds majority is needed to take matters from the table, however.

Yielding the Floor to other delegations

The floor may be yielded by one delegation to another only once consecutively.

Rising to Points and Interruption of Speeches

A Point of Personal Privilege must refer to the comfort and well-being of the
delegate. It may not refer to the content of any speech and may only interrupt a
speaker if the speech is inaudible.

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A Point of Order may relate to procedural matters only.

A Point of Information may be directed to the Chair or to the speaker who has the
floor if he has indicated that he is willing to yield to points of information. A point
of information must be formulated as a question, although a short introductory
statement or reference may precede the question. A follow-up question or series of
questions from the same questioner are usually not in order.

A Point of Parliamentary Enquiry is a point of information directed to the Chair

concerning the rules of procedure.

A speech may not be interrupted by any point except a point of personal privilege
referring to audibility.

All other points are dealt with only when the speaker has yielded the floor either to
points of information, to another delegate, or to the President/Chair.

The Previous Question

Moving the Previous Question calls for the closure of debate and for a vote to be
taken on the motion pending. It may be moved by the President/Chair or a speaker
who has the floor.

Voting
All delegations at THIMUN and THIMUN-affiliated conferences may vote both on
amendments and on the resolution as a whole. In the event of a close result, the
President/Chair may institute a roll-call vote in which each member’s name is called
in turn and its vote recorded.

After the President/Chair has announced the start of voting procedures, no

interruptions are allowed except for points of order connected with the actual
conduct of the voting.

Abstentions - Abstentions do not count either for or against the adoption of a

motion, i.e. a resolution passes if the number in favor exceeds the number against
regardless of the number of abstentions.

Veto Rights - The Security Council will apply the special provisions concerning voting
as stated in the UN Charter. Veto rights are not allowed in non-Security Council
committees or commissions.

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