Defense Against The Dark Arts:

A Model UN Resolution Guide

 

Introduction

Welcome to the Booker T. Washington Model United Nations Team.  As a member of our team, you will learn about international relations, rhetorical skills, the many problems that plague this world, and some of the things we can do about them.  If you take Model United Nations seriously, you will take an important step toward becoming a global citizen.  Years from now, you will say “I first started thinking about these things when I joined the Model UN.”  You and the planet will be the better for it!

 

The purpose of this manual is to provide you with a handy reference guide to the fine art of resolution writing and the equally fine art of resolution ratification, also known as defense against the dark arts.

 

I. How to Write a Resolution

Writing a resolution for Model United Nations is easy, once you know the tricks.  The first thing you have to do is choose an issue.  For the TU event this weekend, the issues are women’s rights, education for women, and sanitation in developing countries.  While you may think that you know nothing about these issues, that’s not true.  There’s a lot you can say about them.

 

The first thing to do is to look at the philosophical foundations of each issue.  The United Nations Charter says that all peoples have the right to self-expression, equality under the law, and access to clean and healthy facilities.  So the fundamental question in all of these issues is “how best can the United Nations help build a world in which everyone has access to these things?”

 

Here you have to understand a little about the mission of the United Nations.  Almost every country is a member of the UN, and each of these countries pays dues to the organization to help achieve its goals.  The first problem is the sheer size of the problems the world faces.  War, poverty, the abuse of human rights, the growing population crisis in the southern hemisphere, environmental decay and threats to human health all compete for attention at the United Nations.  So when you are writing a resolution to address a problem, like the lack of educational opportunities for women in Yemen, you have to make sure that the issue is important enough to deserve the attention of the UN.  My opinion is that it is important enough if it does the following:

 

  1. addresses one of the fundamental missions of the UN
  2. affects the lives of a large number of people
  3. has the potential to make a significant impact

 

The above issue, the lack of educational opportunities for women in Yemen, fits the bill in my definition.  Education access is a fundamental human right, and no one should be deprived of schooling just because of gender.  Lots of women do face this problem, and it keeps them from reaching their full potential.  So a resolution on this issue would be appropriate.  But what should you say?

 

First, do lots of research.  Find articles and statistics on both the country you represent and the problem.  The internet is your best source, but your library has books on government statistics and there are lots of good newspapers and magazines.  Your country’s embassy has a website, and may be willing to help out students (it’s part of the mission of embassies to get Americans to understand more about their countries).  Homework is essential.  Keep a file of everything you collect, preferably in a nice organized three ring binder.  The more research you do, the better.

 

Part One: Activating Clauses

Next, you have to think of what you want to say.  Before you start writing, think about who you represent.  A western, progressive state like Canada, which already has a good record on equality for women, might take a strong position, calling for states that provide public school for men to make similar guarantees for women.  A conservative Islamic state like Yemen or Saudi Arabia, however, might have a different point of view.  They might feel that universal public education for women is not in keeping with their traditions.  One of your responsibilities as a delegate is to respect and represent these points of view.  Your resolution on the issue would thus be very different from that of the Canadian delegate.

 

Let’s imagine you represent Canada.  Now you are ready to write something.  Start from the gut:

 

            “Education discrimination sucks!”

 

Now work on polishing your message.  What do you intend to say about the subject?  Why is the current situation (in which women in some countries are denied access to education) objectionable?  Why is this a violation of the UN Charter?  Your ideas on this part of the subject will go into the first part of the resolution, activating clauses.  Activating clauses use key verbs to outline the problem and lead into your proposed solution.  Examples of activating clauses include “recognizing that…,” or “understanding that…” or “aware of…”  Think of how you can express your problem in these terms:

 

 

Let it hereby be resolved that…”     

 

Part Two: The Resolution

Note the ending here.  We have finished part one of our resolution.  Now it’s time to get to the heart of your message.  What is your solution?  Think about the limitations of the UN – it doesn’t have an army, it can’t order states to do something it doesn’t want to do (most of the time), it has limited funds, and the technology does not exist to solve all of the world’s problems.  So try to understand the limitations of the group.  Next, remember that you have to communicate your thought to a large number of people, so the simplest message is generally the best.  Strip down everything you know to a simple, clean message, such as:

 

 

Now, you have a resolution that states a problem and proposes a resolution.  Congratulations!  That was the easy part.  Now you have to get it through the parliamentary process.

 

II. The Dark Arts: how to shoot down a resolution.

Once a resolution has been proposed, it has to be debated in committee.  The resolution must be explained to all present.  Delegates must have a chance to ask questions.  Then they will settle down to argue the merits of your case.  If the resolution passes in committee, it goes before the General Assembly, where the whole thing repeats itself.  Only a fraction of the resolutions discussed will make it all the way.  Don’t despair – in many ways, the process of debate in Model UN is more important than the result.  But a good understanding of the pitfalls of the process can increase the chances of your resolution’s survival and may make the process more fun for the delegates.  So pay attention carefully.

 

We delegates from the Republic of Gryffindor are problem-solvers.  We like to think positively, cooperate with other delegates and work to build a better world.  But not everyone thinks this way.  Some people live just to shoot down other peoples’ resolutions.  Here are some of their tricks:

 

  1. Playing the sovereignty card
  2. Confusing the issue
  3. Employing parliamentary tricks
  4. The equivalence fallacy
  5. The slippery slope
  6. Pleading poverty
  7. Cultural warfare
  8. Denying the problem
  9. Reductio ad absurdum
  10. Running out the clock

 

 

 

 

The following is a description of some of these tactics.

 

  1. Sovereignty.  The fundamental law of international affairs is that each recognized state is sovereign.  The state makes its own laws and is not subject to the laws of other states.  The United Nations does not have the authority to change the laws of a state, in general.  One of the best ways to torpedo a resolution you do not like is to claim that it violates sovereignty.  A resolution that calls on Yemen to allow the UN to take over its school system would be a clear violation of sovereignty.  There are exceptions to sovereignty, though.  A state’s sovereignty ends when it interferes with the sovereignty of another state.  Yemen does not have the right, for example, to apply its law inside Saudi Arabia, and Iraq had no right to invade Kuwait in 1991.  Environmental resolutions, such as the 1992 Kyoto Protocols on global warming, are based on the idea that global environmental crises transcend sovereignty, since each polluting country affects the global climate.  Another important principle is reciprocity – states should expect to be treated the way they treat other nations.  If Yemen charges a high tariff on Saudi goods coming into Yemen, they can expect to pay a high tariff to sell goods in Saudi Arabia.  Much of what the UN does is based on reciprocity.  Everyone, for example, is expected to respect the fundamental law of the UN: never commit an act of aggression against another state.  When a state violates that law (as Iraq did in 1991), they can expect a reciprocal response, such as the US-led invasion force authorized by the UN to evict Iraq from Kuwait.  Your basic UN death-eater types will cry “sovereignty” every time you put together a resolution that does something their country does not like, such as condemning the stoning of women in Nigeria.  To defend yourself against this attack, anticipate it.  Make sure your resolution:

·        does not infringe upon sovereignty by compelling a state to act, unless

·        the state in question is itself in violation of sovereignty, or

·        the action is a result of reciprocity, that is a response to something the state did; or

·        the issue on hand is important enough to override the sovereignty concerns of a state (such as Iraq’s efforts to obtain weapons of mass destruction)

 

The resolution on education above condemns unspecified countries for practices in violation of the UN charter that all members signed.  It calls upon states to improve these practices, but does not force action.  Instead, it calls for a study of the problem.  It would probably be hard to attack Canada’s resolution on sovereignty grounds.

 

  1. Confusing the issue

Opponents of your resolution who lack a better argument may try to cloud the issue through rhetorical tactics.  They may try to focus on an obscure part of your resolution, or claim that it does something it does not, or otherwise shift the debate.  Don’t let them.  If you ever feel that delegates are doing this, return to the center.  Remind the committee what the issue is, and keep the focus on that issue.  For example, suppose a delegate from Yemen claims that this resolution will enlarge a corrupt UN bureaucracy, and begins a criticism of the specialized agency that deals with education.  Canada’s response should be to remind the committee that this resolution focuses on a vital human right, one that all members recognize – equality of treatment for women in education.  That’s where the strength in the resolution lies.  Remember the Army acronym KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid.  The simpler and more elemental your resolution, the harder it will be for opponents to confuse the issue.

 

  1. Employing Parliamentary Tricks

A clever opponent may try to use the system to defeat a resolution.  Usually that occurs when the delegate senses that he cannot win a vote on the issue.  Some of the ways this can be done include motioning to table a resolution, adding an impossible amendment to the resolution, or declaring the resolution an “important question.”  Tabling a resolution ends discussion so that new business can be discussed.  Don’t let your resolution be tabled if you think you have majority support.  On the other hand, if you think you will lose a vote, consider tabling it temporarily.  That will give you time to build support for a later and more advantageous vote.  Amendments are another danger.  An opponent of Canada’s resolution might add an amendment that increases its cost, or inflicts a penalty on countries that fail to meet UN standards.  While appearing to strengthen the resolution, such a measure could doom it.  More countries will vote against a resolution if they think it is a threat to their sovereignty.  If such an amendment is proposed, again argue for the merits of your original resolution.  Finally, beware of the “important question” motion.  By declaring your resolution as such, a death-eating delegate can raise the bar for ratification of your resolution from a simple majority to a two-thirds majority.  Chances are that your opponents will only motion for this one if they think you have majority support.  Firm and strident opposition to such a motion is called for, and should be successful.

 

  1. The Equivalence Fallacy.

Another common tactic is to create an artificial equivalence.  An opponent might say that your resolution is equivalent to something else, something people might not like.  For example, Yemen might say “this resolution is like telling a father how to raise his children.”  Nobody likes that kind of intervention, so this argument might win some converts.  Again, remember the fundamental merits of your argument.  “It’s not the same,” Canada might reply, “because the state does not get to treat its citizens like they are children, and in any event all states present have signed the UN Charter on human rights, declaring that women are equal before the law.”

 

  1. The Slippery Slope

Yet another trick is to extend the implications of the resolution, so that it threatens to do something unpleasant.  “This resolution is just the camel’s nose in the tent.  Let the United Nations force us to change our school systems, and soon they will be running our schools.”  Note the variation on the sovereignty argument here.  Simply refuse to accept this kind of logic.  “Nothing in the language here calls for that, and if a future resolution were to do so, than it would be defeated by thoughtful delegates, including the Canadian representative” would be a good reply to that argument.  Note that it works best if your resolution is not open-ended, but instead has a clear definition.

 

  1. Pleading Poverty

UN funding is limited, of course.  There is never enough money to do what needs to be done, and some of the money the UN gets is wasted on its inefficient bureaucracy.  Asking for money in a resolution is tricky, as the cost of a resolution must be balanced against the other needs of the organization.  Peacekeeping, for example, is very expensive.  Humanitarian aid is another big expense for the UN.  If you ask for money, you had better be able to explain to skeptical delegates why your resolution is more important than other needs.  Its probably best if you do not ask for money.  But if what you are doing requires funds, you should be prepared.  Delegates will ask where the money is coming from.  The typical answer is “from the general fund,” but there are other answers: from the contributions of concerned states” is another good one.  One way to ease the financial burden is to call for the participation of NGOs – non-governmental organizations.  Groups like the Red Cross and Amnesty International do important work on global issues.  Use them.  If Canada was hard-pressed on the education resolution, they might accept a friendly amendment that allowed for cost-sharing with an NGO concerned with women’s rights or education issues.  Be careful about this – not everyone likes all of these organizations.  It’s best to do your research ahead of time to find out about NGOs operating in your issue-area.

 

  1. Cultural Warfare

The world is a big place, with many different cultures and sets of values.  Not everyone feels the same way about fundamental issues.  For example, Yemen and Canada might have widely varying views on women’s issues.  One of the best objections Yemen could make to the above resolution might be to say “this resolution attempts to dictate Canada’s culture on Yemenis.”  Now the issue is turned around – Canada is accused of being intolerant.  American high school students, raised on the idea of respect for diversity, are especially vulnerable to this argument.  Don’t automatically retreat because someone says you are a bigot.  Remember the heart of your argument – women deserve equality regardless of what culture they are in.  The UN charter says women are not to be subject to discrimination, and Yemen has signed that charter.  Canada should remind Yemen that the issue is not a Canadian one, but a human one.  Don’t be afraid to take a stand on what you feel is universal, and be prepared to argue the point.

 

  1. Problem?  What Problem?

Another arrow in the death-eater’s quiver is denial.  “There is no inequality in Yemen.  Men work and women stay at home.  There is no problem.”  Here is where your research comes into play.  Remind your opponents that there is a problem when women seek education, and are denied because they are women.  Remember that binder full of research you collected?  Keep statistics and anecdotes in that binder that prove that a problem exists.  Be prepared to provide proofs.  Additionally, apply logic.  “If there is no problem, than the study will find no problem.  What’s the harm in a study?”  That should put a hex on that death-eater!

 

  1. Reductio ad Absurdum

Another way to take a resolution down is to reduce it to the point of absurdity.  This is a variation on the Slippery Slope.  “This resolution attempts to declare that women are the same as men.  They are not the same.  Women bear children.  Men provide for the military and self-defense.  They have separate functions and should be treated separately.  It is absurd to declare that they are the same.”  As always, bring it back to the center of your argument.  “No, this resolution says they are equal.  A woman should have the right to pursue education if she chooses, so that she can achieve her potential.  She is still a woman.”  Never lose sight of that core argument.

 

  1. Running out the clock

We will only have a limited time for debate, and only a few issues can be resolved in a typical tournament.  Keep track of time, and don’t let arguments drag on once you believe you have enough support for a vote.  Signs that your opponents are running out the clock include motions for lengthy caucuses, frivolous amendments, etc.  Don’t let them get away with it!  When you have the strength, go for the jugular.  Recognize when it is time to smack down the ignorant.

 

Conclusion

            There are probably many more ways to defeat a resolution.  Don’t be disheartened.  The fundamental lesson is that a good, well-thought out and well-written resolution has a very good chance of success if its author remembers to keep the debate centered on the essential issues, stays aware of parliamentary tricks and works hard to build the support of other delegates.  Keep aware of the personal dynamics in the room and stick to the moral high ground.  Build a reputation as a coalition-builder instead of a death-eater, and you will be sure to win points for Gryffindor.  Never despair that you will catch the Golden Snitch of a ratified resolution, and victory will be ours!