Explanation & Examples of Amendments in THIMUN

on


Hi delegates!

It was great getting to meet so many of you at Office Hours last week! We hope our OH discussions were helpful for answering any questions you had about position paper feedback, solutions, THIMUN procedure, and speeches.


Amendments are key to a successful THIMUN debate on resolutions. In this blog, we’ll be giving an overview of first and second degree amendments, as well as providing a few examples of amendments from previous BMUN conferences. We'll also be going over amendments at our THIMUN workshop (March 4th, 2:30 to 3:30 pm), so be sure to drop by Anna Head Alumnae Hall if you have any questions or want to become more familiar with writing and submitting them in committee!


Amendments are changes to a resolution, proposed by delegates. Following your submission of an amendment, the head chair may choose to entertain your amendment during debate. Once the head chair sets a debate time for your amendment, be prepared to give a speech on why it should apply to the resolution being debated. Please note that any time spent debating amendments counts as part of the debate time for the resolution as well.


Amendments can do one of the following to the resolution:

  • Add: To add a specific element, clause, subclause, etc.

  • Modify: To change the wording of a specific element, clause, subclause, etc.

  • Strike: To delete a specific element, clause, subclause, etc.


There are two types of amendments:

  • Amendment to the first degree, which proposes a change to the original resolution. When the Chair calls for speakers on the resolution, raise your placard, wait to be recognized, and state, “The delegate has submitted an amendment.” Discussion on this amendment will begin after the chair sets a debate time. If an amendment to the first degree passes in a simple majority vote, it will be applied to the resolution discussed. 

  • Amendment to the second degree, which proposes a change to an amendment being debated (typically an amendment to the first degree). Once the amendment to the second degree is entertained, it goes through the same procedures for debate and voting. If an amendment to the second degree passes, changes will be made to the original amendment, and the original amendment will automatically pass.


Below are a few examples of the amendments discussed in this blog. Please note that because these examples are from UNODC, BMUN LXIX, the topic in the resolution (A/2) discusses money laundering.


Add:



Modify:



Strike:



Amendment to the Second Degree (preceded by its corresponding Amendment to the First Degree). Note that the amendment to the second degree (Spain) modifies the supervising authority of the committee in the previous amendment (Egypt).



As you can see, amendments vary in length and subject. Take Spain's amendments for example — one is quite extensive, while the other is only one sentence. There is no "right" way to write all amendments, as different amendments serve different purposes. 

Again, if you have any questions about amendments and how to write them, be sure to drop by BMUN's THIMUN workshop before conference (2:30 to 3:30 pm at Anna Head Alumnae Hall)!

Comments

Post a Comment