Model UN Position Papers

How to Write a Position Paper

Writing a position paper might appear to be a daunting task, especially for new delegates. But with enough
research, you will find that writing a position paper will be easy and useful.
Position papers are usually one to one-and-a-half pages in length. Your position paper should include a brief
introduction followed by a comprehensive breakdown of your country's position on the topics that are being
discussed by the committee. A good position paper will not only provide facts but also make proposals for
resolutions.
Many conferences will ask for specific details in a position paper, so be sure to include all the required
information. Most conferences will provide delegates a background guide to the issue. Usually, the
background guide will contain questions to consider. Make sure that your position paper answers these
questions.
A good position paper will include:

A brief introduction to your country and its history concerning the topic and committee;
How the issue affects your country;
Your country's policies with respect to the issue and your country's justification for these policies;
Quotes from your country's leaders about the issue;
Statistics to back up your country's position on the issue;
Actions taken by your government with regard to the issue;
Conventions and resolutions that your country has signed or ratified;
UN actions that your country supported or opposed;
What your country believes should be done to address the issue;
What your country would like to accomplish in the committee's resolution; and
How the positions of other countries affect your country's position.

Position Paper Tips

Keep it simple. To communicate strongly and effectively, avoid flowery wording and stick to
uncomplicated language and sentence structure.
Make it official. Try to use the seal of your country or create an "official" letterhead for your
position paper. The more realistic it looks, the more others will want to read it.
Get organized. Give each separate idea or proposal its own paragraph. Make sure each paragraph
starts with a topic sentence.
Cite your sources. Use footnotes or endnotes to show where you found your facts and statistics. If
you are unfamiliar with bibliographic form, look up the Modern Language Association (MLA)
guidelines at your school's library.
Read and reread. Leave time to edit your position paper. Ask yourself if the organization of the
paper makes sense and double-check your spelling and grammar.
Speech! Speech! Do you plan to make an opening statement at your conference? A good position
paper makes a great introductory speech. During debate, a good position paper will also help you to
stick to your country's policies.
Let the bullets fly. Try not to let your proposals become lost in a sea of information. For
speechmaking, create a bulleted list of your proposals along with your most important facts and
statistics so that you will not lose time looking for them during debate.

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Model UN Position Papers

Position Paper Outline
Paragraph One Issue and Position

Utilize this paragraph to clearly outline the main problems associated with your topic. The point of the
paragraph is to provide a basic foundation as to the current situation associated with your topic. After
generally describing the issue, give your countrys policy regarding the issue, and state specially why your
country supports that policy. Policy statements can often be as short as stating your country supports a
certain action followed by a detailed qualification regarding this policy decision. This section of your
position paper should not exceed five to six sentences.
Paragraph Two Detailed Background Information
This paragraph is an opportunity for you to show the depth of your knowledge about the past and current
situations regard your topic. Be sure to discuss:

Historical origin of the problem, particularly why the problem arose

How does the issue relate to the international community and why is it of international concern
Previous actions taken to try and solve the problem (if any)
Successes and failures of past actions and why they succeeded or failed
Problems that continue to exist or ones that have not yet been addressed

Devoting two to three sentences per item on this list should allow you to have sufficiently discussed the
topic and to set the foundations for the final paragraph of your position paper.
Paragraph Three Proposed Solutions Regarding the Issue
This paragraph is the one that will set your paper apart from the others. After identifying the problems in
paragraph two, utilize this paragraph to list your solutions to all the problems you enumerated above. The
quality of your solutions could be a great determinant in the overall evaluation of your position paper. Be
sure to discuss:

Specific proposals regarding how to solve specific issues

How each individual proposal will be implemented, including the feasibility
Global impact of solving the problem or implementing these solutions

Mechanically, your position paper should follow the guidelines set forth by the conference, such as margin width and
font size. I would recommend a few guidelines though to make your paper look and read professionally. First, limit
your position paper to one page, and do not write about both topics in the same position paper. Write one position
paper for each topic, and print each position paper on its own, separate piece of paper. Second, place a heading at the
top of your paper including your country, issue, and committee. Feel free to place a picture of your countrys flag in
the header if you so desire.

Model UN Position Papers

Sample Position Paper for Security Council1

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) has been an active member
of the United Nations Security Council from the first session held in Westminster, London
in 1946 until the present day and has provided unwavering support for its mission of
maintaining international peace and security. The UK stresses that the protection of civilians
against violence and human rights violations should remain one of the issues of paramount
importance in the forefront of all Security Council resolutions and measures, especially in
conflict areas. UK Government policy is based on the idea that the protection of civilians in
armed conflict is central to improving the effectiveness of the humanitarian system both
nationally and internationally and this message is reflected in a series of Public Service
Agreements (PSAs) created by the UK government in 2008-11.
The UK is a strong supporter of the standards set out in international humanitarian law and
international criminal law tribunals, including the International criminal court. The UK plays
a strong role in promoting the protection of civilians in armed conflict through acting as a
party to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) treaties, monetary support of organizations
operating in situations of armed conflict, and as a provider and trainer of peacekeepers. In
January 2009, the UK co-created an initiative to improve the way the SC mandates and
reviews UN peacekeeping operations. The UK stresses the importance of discourse between
member nations of the SC and governments of conflict regions in order to better provide
humanitarian aid and protect the rights of citizens.
The UK supports the SC authority to authorize short-term preventative actions or impose
measures such as sanctions as necessary as well as working towards enhancing preventative
measures such as the Mediation Support Unit. The UK recognizes the precarious situation of
children in Syria and other conflict nations around the globe and is working to create a safe
environment for these children through its active membership role in the Security Council
Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. The UK remains committed to the
protection of civilians in conflict regions and stresses the need for continued support of the
SCs creation and implementation of solutions involving cooperation and diplomatic
discourse before military force.

Johnson County Community College Model United Nations, Position Paper for Security Council. Available at:
http://blogs.jccc.edu/mun/the-model-un-conferences/nmun-xian-china/position-paper-for-security-council/ Retrieved on August
7th, 2014.