Writing a Position Paper
Before the conference, most MUNs make you write an essay called a position paper. The position paper shows the Dais that you have done your research as a delegate.
Position papers usually have three sections. These sections may not need to be distinct.
- Background information
- Stance
- Proposed solutions
Position papers, at least in Singapore, usually have a 500-word limit.
Background information
Give sufficient context to the issue at hand. This should be more than a summary of the topic, as the topic guide would already contain information about the topic. Rather, aim to include country-specific information where possible, including past actions, statements and situations in your country.
Stance
State your stance and back it up with proper sources and citations. Why do you say that your allocated country holds this stance? Was it a ministerial statement? A past action? A law that was passed?
The wider the variety of sources that point to your stance, the more convincing it is that your stance is similar to the country’s actual stance.
Proposed solutions
Share your proposed solutions that you plan on introducing during the debate. Analyse its feasibility and the impact that it would have if enacted. In addition, share how you would garner support from the council for your solution, and how the countries in the council would benefit from your proposed solution.
Following the suggested format:
This was an actual position paper from my council in 2022, submitted by the delegates of China for the topic of press freedom in the UNESCO council.
The sample also includes my feedback for the position paper.
Sample Position Paper: China - UNESCO.docx
As seen by the feedback given, this position paper is well-written but not perfect. That being said, this was one of the contenders for the Best Position Paper award. This sample position paper is included to give you an idea of what position papers look like.
Going beyond the suggested format:
Position papers need not follow the three-section format. In my opinion, the three-section format can be creatively restrictive and disrupt the flow of what you are trying to put across through the essay.
This was the actual position paper that my friend and I wrote for SMUN 2025 for the United Nations Security Council. I have highlighted the sections according to background information, stance, and proposed solutions.
Sample Position Paper: United Kingdom - UNSC
This position paper is not perfect and we had written it under a time crunch. However, I think it serves as a decent example of how position papers need not follow the three-section format to still convey the information that you’d expect from a position paper.