Position Paper

What is a Position Paper?

A position paper is a document that delegates submit to the Committee Chair in advance to the conference, providing a general overview of the topic from the point of view of the country or person that the delegate is representing.

Structure:

Position papers generally follow the following structure (look below for more specifics):

● Topic background with relation to the country (or individual) being represented.

● Country’s official position or stance on the topic.

● Potential solutions the country would support - this should not be in a resolution format, but should be written in the same essay style and format as the rest of the paper.

Again, this is a suggested format and your position paper may deviate from this format as long as it still provides all of the necessary information listed above.

Additionally, when addressing and expressing an opinion of your country in the position paper, you should not write in first person (by using phrases such as “I believe...”, “I feel...”, “We think...”, etc.). Instead, you should write the position paper from the point of view of your country or the individual you are representing (by using phrases such as “The Russian Federation feels...”, “Russia strongly believes...”, etc.).

The following information is an excerpt from the NAIMUN position paper guide, but can be applied to ALL CONFERENCES:

Header:

Header with committee name, delegate name, position, school, and topic.

First Paragraph:

The first paragraph should be an introduction to the topic from the perspective of your position. Consider the following questions:

What is the history of the issue according to your nation?

- Why is this issue important?
- This is the shortest and least important section of the position paper.

Second Paragraph:

The second paragraph should be an analysis of the topic from your country’s perspective as well as a multilateral perspective. This is most likely the longest part of the position paper and the place in which you will utilize most of your research. Consider the following questions:
- What does your position generally think about the issue?
- What policies have worked and not worked in the past on a national and international scale?

Third Paragraph:

The third paragraph should be a discussion of solutions that you are proposing to solve the problem. This is where you can let your creativity and research combine, and begin formulating the kinds of proposals that will later come to fruition in your resolutions. These solutions do not necessarily have to come directly from your nation or position, though it is encouraged. Consider the following questions:
- What solutions would your position propose to the situation at hand? Why and how would they work?
- How will you solve any problems that might arise in implementing these solutions?

Page updated

Report abuse