How to Write a MUN Resolution — Clauses, Format & Examples

A Model UN resolution is the formal output of a committee's work. It is the document that delegates spend hours debating, amending, and eventually voting on. Writing one that is both substantive and passable requires understanding the format, choosing the right language, and building a coalition wide enough to get it across the line. This guide covers everything from your first clause to the final vote.

Working Paper vs. Draft Resolution

The terms are often used interchangeably but technically mean different things. A working paper is an informal document used to develop ideas — it does not need to follow strict resolution format and is not voted on directly. A draft resolution is a formally formatted document submitted to the committee for debate and a vote. Most conferences require a draft resolution to have a minimum number of sponsors before it can be introduced.

Resolution Structure

Every MUN resolution has the same structure: a header, preambulatory clauses, and operative clauses.

The Header

The header identifies the document: Committee name, Topic, Sponsors (countries that wrote it), and Signatories (countries that want it debated but may not support it). The format is:

Committee: General Assembly Third Committee | Topic: Protection of Refugees | Sponsors: Germany, Canada, Kenya | Signatories: Brazil, India, Sweden...

Preambulatory Clauses

Preambulatory clauses come first and provide context and justification. They begin with a present participle (a gerund) and end with a comma. They explain why the committee is acting — citing previous resolutions, existing international law, or recognising the scale of the problem.

Common preambulatory phrases:

• Recalling — past UN resolutions on this topic
• Recognising — the severity or importance of the issue
• Noting with concern — a troubling trend or statistic
• Affirming — a principle or right already established in international law
• Deeply concerned — strong urgency
• Welcoming — positive recent developments

Operative Clauses

Operative clauses are the resolution's actual content. They begin with a strong verb in the third person and end with a semicolon, except the final one which ends with a period. They are numbered and are what gets debated, amended, and voted on.

Common operative phrases:

• Calls upon — requests but does not require action
• Urges — stronger than calls upon
• Strongly urges — even stronger
• Decides — binding, used when the body has authority to mandate
• Requests — asks another body (e.g. Secretary-General) to take action
• Encourages — soft language for sensitive topics
• Establishes — creates a new mechanism or body
• Recommends — suggests action without requiring it

Writing Good Operative Clauses

The most common mistake in resolution writing is vagueness. "Encourages member states to cooperate on climate change" is not a clause — it is a platitude. A well-written operative clause specifies who does what, how, by when, and with what resources.

Compare:

• Weak: Urges member states to address the refugee crisis;
• Strong: Urges member states to increase annual refugee resettlement quotas by a minimum of 10% and to report progress to the High Commissioner for Refugees by December 2027;

Sub-clauses and Nested Structure

Operative clauses can have sub-clauses, labelled (a), (b), (c). Use them when a clause has several component parts. Sub-clauses end with a comma except the last, which ends with the semicolon that closes the parent clause.

Getting Your Resolution Passed

A brilliantly written resolution that cannot get a majority is useless. Draft with coalition-building in mind from the start:

• Invite opposing bloc delegates to contribute language on operative clauses where you can find common ground.
• Use "calls upon" and "encourages" for politically sensitive clauses that might lose votes if worded more strongly.
• Be willing to accept friendly amendments that broaden support without gutting your resolution's substance.