Stages of a resolution

STAGES OF A RESOLUTION:

WORKING PAPER

When delegates have just begun working on the document, the document is not a “resolution,” but a “working paper.” A document is a working paper from the moment it is created until it is “codified” or “approved by the dais,” which essentially means that it has been edited and meets the format rules of the conference, at which point it becomes a Draft Resolution. Prior to this approval, it is not officially property of the committee, and cannot be referred to in speeches. 

DRAFT RESOLUTION 

The Draft Resolution phase begins with being codified, at which point the code is added to the top of the document, and the sponsor and signatory lists are removed. At this point it can be voted upon by the members of the committee. It can be printed and distributed to the delegates and now it can be referred to in speeches. It is also now the “property of the body,” meaning that it is no longer “owned” by the authors but by the committee at large. The Draft Resolution phase ends when delegates move into Voting Bloc on the topic. 

A draft resolution must always gain the support of a certain number of member states in the committee before the sponsors (the delegates who created the resolution) may submit it to the committee staff. Many conferences require signatures from 20 percent of the countries present in order to submit a draft resolution. A staff member will read the draft resolution to ensure that it is relevant and in proper format. Only when a staff member formally accepts the document and assigns it a number can it be referred to in formal debate.

In some cases a delegate must make a motion to introduce the draft resolution, while in other cases the sponsors are immediately called upon to read the document. Because these procedures can vary, it is essential to find out about the resolution process for the conference you plan to attend.

RESOLUTION 

After a Draft Resolution has been voted on in voting bloc, it becomes a Resolution (if it passes).