PROCEEDINGS

The Proceedings at JPHMUN

Sessions at the JPHMUN begin with a moment of silence, followed by a roll call. The Moderator will then announce the number of countries present and the quorum, after which he/she will declare the Speakers' List to be open. Delegates are invited to deliver their opening speeches. These speeches are a maximum of two minutes and serve to outline the position of the delegate's country on the issue being discussed.

Once the delegates have had a chance to deliver their opening speeches, the Moderator will entertain a motion to caucus for a specified period of time on a specific topic. Caucusing will allow the delegates to get together informally with like-minded delegates to prepare working papers and discuss strategy. There will be time for multiple caucuses that will allow for the discussion of a wide range of issues.

When the session reconvenes, delegates will debate the ideas expressed in the working papers. These debates will lead to the proposal of a draft resolution. Proposals will be made and discussed for amending the draft resolution. The committee will have finished its work when it has approved one or more draft resolutions for presentation to the plenary session at the end of the conference. This is a gathering of all of the JPHMUN delegates in one chamber to vote on the draft resolutions prepared by the General Assembly committees.

Rules of Procedure

In order to ensure that the proceedings run in a smooth and productive fashion, JPHMUN sessions are based on the following rules of procedure. Delegates should be familiar with these rules before they arrive at the conference.

1. Speeches

1. Speeches may be delivered in either French or English, both of which are official languages of JPHMUN.

1. In order to be able to speak, delegates must have their names on the Speakers' List. To register on the Speakers' List, pass a note to the Director. When your name is at the top of the list, the Moderator will invite you to approach the podium and speak for a specified amount of time.

1. When speakers have finished, they typically say "thank you, and I yield the floor to the Moderator." If they have time remaining, they may choose to yield it to another specific delegate, normally an ally who will speak in support of their position. In this case, a delegate would end by saying “thank you, and I yield the remaining of my time to…”

1. Speeches must be directed to the Moderator, not to other delegates. The Moderator and Director should be addressed as Mr/Madame Moderator or Mr/Madame Director. Other delegates must always be referred to as "the honorable delegate from..."

1. Speeches must be relevant to the subject before the committee. If there is a specific motion on the floor, the speech must deal only with that motion. In such cases, speakers must indicate at the outset whether they wish to speak in favor of the motion or against it.

2. Motions

1. To propose that something be done by the committee, a delegate must make a motion. One does this by waiting until the speaker at the podium has finished, raising one's placard, and, after having been recognized by the Moderator, standing up and saying "Mr/Madame Moderator, I move that...." Motions must be seconded by another delegate. The Moderator has the authority to rule any motion out of order.

1. A delegate may make the following motions:
   i) that the session break for a caucus of x minutes
   ii)that a recess of x minutes be taken
   iii)that the session adjourn for lunch or for the day
   iv)that a duly introduced draft resolution or amendment be voted on
   v) that a motion on the floor at a plenary session of the General Assembly be declared an Important Question, requiring a two-thirds majority for adoption.

The first three of these motions (i through iii) are non-debatable. In the case of (iv) and (v), the Moderator will invite two delegates to speak in favor of the motion and then two to speak against it.

3. Working Papers and Resolutions

1. A working paper is a collection of possible clauses that serves as a vehicle for the discussion and formulation of a resolution. Working papers must be approved by the Director who will circulate copies to all delegates. There is no need to move formal adoption of a working paper. Delegates shall not refer to a specific working paper in their speeches until it has been circulated.

1. A delegate who wishes to introduce a draft resolution must first have it authorized by the Director, who will distribute copies to all delegates. The text of a draft resolution must be typed. It must include the signatures of at least two members who are its sponsors as well as other members who endorse it as signatories. For a resolution to be eligible for introduction, the number of sponsors and signatories combined must be at least 20 percent of the total number of delegations as determined by the initial roll call at the first meeting of the session.

1. To place a draft resolution before the committee for its consideration, one of the sponsors must introduce it from the podium.

4. Amendments

1. Amendments to draft resolutions may be introduced only after they have been authorized by the Director. Proposed amendments must be typed.

1. If the amendment has the signed approval of the sponsors of the draft resolution, the Director may declare it a friendly amendment. (Approval from the signatories is not required). In the case of a friendly amendment, the Director shall incorporate the amendment directly into the draft resolution under consideration and advise the meeting immediately.

1. If the amendment does not have the approval of the sponsors of the original motion, it is considered an unfriendly amendment. In this case, the Director will authorize the amendment for discussion only if it is endorsed in writing by 20 percent of the total number of delegates. Discussion of an amendment may take place only after it has been circulated by the Director and introduced from the podium.

1. If, in the judgment of the Director, an amendment fundamentally negates the basic intention behind the motion or resolution on the floor, the Director will refuse to authorize the amendment. (Delegates who wish to negate the motion or resolution on the floor have the opportunity to do so simply by voting against it.)

1. If the Director receives multiple proposals for amendments of a similar nature, he or she may recommend to the Moderator that a brief recess be held to enable delegates to consolidate the multiple proposals into a single proposal.

5. Parliamentary Points

1. Point of Inquiry. A delegate who is not sure what procedure to follow in a given situation may use a point of inquiry. For this point, the delegate must wait until the speaker at the podium has finished, raise his or her placard, wait to be recognized by the Moderator and then stand and state his or her question.

1. Point of Order. A delegate who believes that the rules of order are not being followed may raise a point of order. In this case, the delegate may raise his or her placard at any time, but may not stand and make the point until recognized by the Moderator. Points of order will be ruled on by the Moderator in consultation with the Director. The Moderator's ruling is final.

1. Right of Reply. A delegate who believes that the integrity of his or her state has been impugned by another speaker may raise his or her placard at any point and, once recognized by the Moderator, request a right of reply. If the Moderator decides that the request is justified, the offending speaker will be asked to sit down. The delegate who has been granted the right of reply will be invited to take the podium and will be permitted one minute to respond.

1. Point of Notice. Delegates may disagree with each other about policy but must refrain from making derogatory comments of a personal nature. They must also refrain from making comments that are racist, sexist, or offensive in some generally understood way. The Moderator may deliver a point of notice to a delegate who is clearly and persistently out of order or who makes inappropriate comments. For a first point of notice, a delegate loses his or her speaking privileges for an hour. For a second point of notice, the Moderator may suspend a delegate's speaking privileges for whatever length of time is deemed appropriate. The Secretary General will normally be consulted on the length of the suspension.