TMF Guides · Model UN
MUN Position Paper Format
A position paper is a one-page statement of what your country believes and what it will do about the agenda. Chairs read it before committee starts, and at many conferences it is a hard requirement for award eligibility.
The standard structure
Almost every Indian conference uses the same four-part format. Keep it to one page, single-spaced, in a serif font at 11 or 12 point.
- Header: committee, agenda, country, delegate name, school.
- Paragraph 1 — Background: the problem, framed the way your country frames it.
- Paragraph 2 — Country position: your record, votes, treaties, and domestic constraints.
- Paragraph 3 — Past action: what the UN and your country have already tried.
- Paragraph 4 — Proposed solutions: two to four concrete, fundable, enforceable measures.
Tone and voice
Write in third person as the delegation, never as yourself: "The Republic of India maintains…" rather than "I think…".
Cite real instruments by name and number. A single accurate resolution citation does more for credibility than a paragraph of adjectives.
Why most papers get ignored
The two fatal errors are a paper that describes the problem without stating a position, and a paper that proposes solutions your country would never actually fund or accept.
The second is worse, because it tells the chair you researched the agenda but not your delegation.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a MUN position paper be?
One page, roughly 400 to 600 words. A few conferences allow two pages for double-delegate committees.
Is a position paper mandatory?
At most Indian conferences yes, and at many it is a prerequisite for award eligibility, including at The MUN Factory.
Can I use first person in a position paper?
No. Write as the delegation in third person throughout.
Keep reading
How to Prepare for a MUN in Seven Days
A day-by-day preparation plan for a Model UN conference — research, position paper, speeches, bloc strategy and what to carry into committee.
MUN Research That Actually Wins Committees
How to research for a Model UN committee — primary sources, voting records, treaty status, agenda history, and turning research into usable committee arguments.
How to Write a MUN Resolution
MUN resolution format explained — preambulatory and operative clauses, phrase lists, sponsors and signatories, amendments and how resolutions actually pass.
Put it into practice
The MUN Factory 3.0 — registrations open
Fifteen committees across UN, Indian, Special and Event formats. Individual and delegation tracks, with tiered discounts from five delegates.