In short
- Committees differ in size, pace, and powers.
- General Assembly committees are large and a good choice for beginners.
- The Security Council is small, and its five permanent members hold a veto.
- Crisis committees move fast and suit experienced delegates.
General Assembly committees
The General Assembly includes all 193 UN member states, so its committees are usually the largest at a conference. They make recommendations rather than binding decisions, and debate follows the standard flow of speeches, caucuses, and resolutions. Many conferences simulate its six main committees:
| Committee | Often called | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| First Committee | DISEC | Disarmament and international security |
| Second Committee | ECOFIN | Economic and financial questions |
| Third Committee | SOCHUM | Social, humanitarian, and cultural issues |
| Fourth Committee | SPECPOL | Special political questions and decolonization |
| Fifth Committee | Fifth | Administrative and budgetary questions |
| Sixth Committee | Legal | International law |
The Security Council
The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and ten members elected for two-year terms. Its decisions can bind member states, and a no vote from any permanent member blocks a substantive resolution.
Because it is small, every delegate speaks often, and debate is fast and strategic. It rewards delegates who know their country’s alliances and red lines well.
Specialized agencies and other bodies
Many conferences simulate bodies with a focused mandate, such as the World Health Organization, UNESCO, the UN Environment Programme, the Human Rights Council, or the Commission on the Status of Women. Topics go deep into one field, which suits students with a passion for health, education, the environment, or human rights.
Crisis committees
A crisis committee simulates a fast-moving situation: a historical event, a fictional emergency, or a government cabinet. Delegates often play individual people rather than countries, write short orders called directives instead of long resolutions, and react to surprise updates from a crisis team.
Crisis committees are exciting, but the rules and pace differ from standard committees, so most students try them after a conference or two.
Other formats
- Historical committees are set in a past year, and delegates may only use knowledge from that time.
- Regional bodies, such as the African Union or the Organization of American States, focus on one region.
- Court simulations, such as the International Court of Justice, use advocates and judges instead of delegates.
- Press corps members report on the conference as journalists.
How to choose a committee
| If you… | Try… |
|---|---|
| Are new to Model UN | A General Assembly committee |
| Love a specific field, such as health or the environment | A specialized agency |
| Enjoy strategy and know world politics well | The Security Council |
| Think fast and like surprises | A crisis committee, after some experience |
Whatever you choose, read the conference’s rules for that committee, learn what it can and cannot do, and start with our guides to position papers and resolutions.