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2025 Handbook Introduction to ECOSOC and Report-Writing Bodies
Topics
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
ECOSOC is the primary body that addresses the economic, social, humanitarian and cultural work of the United Nations system. It also has a mandate to coordinate the activities of United Nations technical and specialized agencies and programs. ECOSOC oversees five regional economic commissions and eight functional commissions. ECOSOC is composed of 54 Member States elected by the General Assembly for three-year renewable terms.
ECOSOC at AMUN ECOSOC at AMUN
AMUN simulates ECOSOC as a special committee on a rotating basis. Much like the General Assembly bodies and unlike the ECOSOC report-writing bodies (discussed below), ECOSOC’s primary initiative is to discuss the designated topics and produce resolutions, preferably by consensus. A resolution will often provide historical context for a topic or issue as well as present a path forward for Member States and international institutions. A resolution must be in the purview of the committee that passes it, and it must contain at least one preambular clause and one operative clause. For more information on resolution formatting, requirements and best practices, please reference this chapter of the handbook or speak with the committee rapporteurs at Conference.
As a way to preserve students’ productive time and experience, AMUN has chosen to forgo ECOSOC plenary sessions. Similarly, AMUN has also chosen to provide a streamlined set of report-writing rules meant to better facilitate the work of the body.
A Note About AMUN’s Simulation Philosophy A Note About AMUN’s Simulation Philosophy
The Conference exists to provide a safe and educational environment where both representatives and AMUN Secretariat members can grow and learn. At the core of this is one of AMUN’s founding principles—to create the most realistic simulation possible by mirroring the beliefs and processes of the United Nations. Diplomacy is a tool with the power to change lives for the better. Our report-writing bodies (RWBs) offer another perspective on diplomacy as representatives work in small groups throughout Conference to build not resolutions, but entire reports. Report-writing leads to a non-competitive and free-flowing exchange of ideas that ultimately builds an intensely collaborative environment and informs ECOSOC on the actions it should take regarding the complex international issues that make up the topics.
Report-writing Bodies and their Role at AMUN Report-writing Bodies and their Role at AMUN
Each year, AMUN simulates one or more bodies that write reports rather than resolutions. These bodies—which can be committees, councils or commissions and which have various relationships to ECOSOC—are generally referred to as “report-writing bodies” (RWBs). These bodies have a unique function within the United Nations system, and delegates to these bodies are often subject matter experts. Their role is to inform the broader ECOSOC body and the international community by collaboratively producing reports on topics in their expertise rather than to produce resolutions that define a specific course of action. These reports are the foundation for the United Nations’ later policy decisions.
Each body produces one report on each of its topics, so collaboration and consensus building in these committees are essential. Producing only one report also means that dissenting or minority opinions may be recorded within the text of the document capturing deliberations on the topic. Reports follow a specified format, but the length, content and complexity of each report varies. AMUN has adapted the format for annual reports for use in these reporting bodies. The time constraints of the simulation necessitate the use of a format that bears many similarities to those of the United Nations, but is not identical. Just as representatives familiarize themselves with their State’s positions, they must also do the same with the AMUN report format.
All reports at AMUN consist of four chapters, each of which serves a specific function. Chapter I contains the text of any resolutions passed by the commission that are recommended for subsequent adoption by ECOSOC. Chapter II contains an account of the deliberations that the commission considers essential to understand the recommendations that the commission makes. Chapter III details all decisions made by the commission that do not require further action from ECOSOC. The final chapter, titled “Adoption of the Report,” details how the commission adopted the report, including the voting record, if any—this chapter is generated by your simulation’s Rapporteurs after the report is adopted. Additionally, all reports must contain a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary. More information on report components and the report-writing process can be found here and in the United Nations Documents section of the Handbook.
While RWBs are empowered to author resolutions, they are rarely empowered to make decisions in their own name; that work remains for plenary bodies. The main focus of an RWB is to create a report which functions as a recommendation for actions that may be subsequently taken by ECOSOC. Thus, it is important that the report contains a record of how the body came to its conclusions. This is the primary function of the report’s Deliberations section, without which a report cannot exist. The nature of a report often leads to a process that is highly collaborative and inclusive of all Members of the body. If the body disagrees on an issue, it is common to include all sides of the discussion in the final report, thus allowing for consensus even if not all parties agree on specific recommendations.
Consultative Session Consultative Session
Both ECOSOC and reporting bodies have available to them a special rule intended to facilitate their work: Consultative Session. Consultative Session is a designated period of time in which the committee is still in session but the formal rules of debate, with the exception of Rule 2.2 Diplomatic Courtesy, are suspended. It is moderated by whomever the body chooses for the role, with the first Consultative Session usually being moderated by a member of the dais staff. Consultative Sessions allow for free and open exchange between representatives in a less-formal setting than is created in formal debate. It is an expedient method of accomplishing many of the report-writing processes and is typically also used to pass the Executive Summary, which is the final piece of a report.
Research and Resources Available Research and Resources Available
One of the most important responsibilities of a representative is to complete research before Conference. This research can greatly affect a representative’s experience in the simulation. AMUN has several suggestions for how to go about researching a State’s position, history and culture. These can be found in the Research and Preparation Section. AMUN also publishes research briefs specific to each simulation in the AMUN Handbook. These briefs are designed to provide an overview of each topic area and should be used to craft your delegation’s position on each topic at Conference.
Two types of staff are readily available to assist participants within a simulation: committee presidents and rapporteurs.
The committee presidents preside over the room and facilitate debate in each General Assembly simulation. They are experts on AMUN’s Rules of Procedure and are more than willing to help representatives understand and use the rules throughout the simulation. Presidents also observe substantive debate and keep track of the committee’s proceedings.
Rapporteurs review the written content produced in General Assembly simulations. They work with representatives to generate high-quality written work that meets the standards set by both AMUN and the United Nations. They also provide guidance on committee purview and will help representatives work resolutions into purview, should it be necessary.
Home Government is available to help representatives with several tasks. If a representative wants an in-depth review of their country’s position on the topics being covered in a committee, Home Government can conduct briefings to provide them the information they need to participate more fully in the simulation. Home Government also has the ability to furnish committees with roleplayers who provide information to the entire body as opposed to an individual representative. Secretariat members in each simulation can assist representatives in submitting an information request.
AMUN encourages representatives to publish written content to the rest of the Conference. The International Press Delegation (IPD) fields a team of student reporters that publish regular articles in the AMUN Chronicle, a periodical distributed to all Conference participants. Representatives may also submit letters to IPD editors that may be published in the Chronicle, give interviews to student reporters, or utilize IPD to host press conferences to spread information about their simulation’s work.
Topics
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
ECOSOC is the primary body that addresses the economic, social, humanitarian and cultural work of the United Nations system. It also has a mandate to coordinate the activities of United Nations technical and specialized agencies and programs. ECOSOC oversees five regional economic commissions and eight functional commissions. ECOSOC is composed of 54 Member States elected by the General Assembly for three-year renewable terms.
ECOSOC at AMUN ECOSOC at AMUN
AMUN simulates ECOSOC as a special committee on a rotating basis. Much like the General Assembly bodies and unlike the ECOSOC report-writing bodies (discussed below), ECOSOC’s primary initiative is to discuss the designated topics and produce resolutions, preferably by consensus. A resolution will often provide historical context for a topic or issue as well as present a path forward for Member States and international institutions. A resolution must be in the purview of the committee that passes it, and it must contain at least one preambular clause and one operative clause. For more information on resolution formatting, requirements and best practices, please reference this chapter of the handbook or speak with the committee rapporteurs at Conference.
As a way to preserve students’ productive time and experience, AMUN has chosen to forgo ECOSOC plenary sessions. Similarly, AMUN has also chosen to provide a streamlined set of report-writing rules meant to better facilitate the work of the body.
A Note About AMUN’s Simulation Philosophy A Note About AMUN’s Simulation Philosophy
The Conference exists to provide a safe and educational environment where both representatives and AMUN Secretariat members can grow and learn. At the core of this is one of AMUN’s founding principles—to create the most realistic simulation possible by mirroring the beliefs and processes of the United Nations. Diplomacy is a tool with the power to change lives for the better. Our report-writing bodies (RWBs) offer another perspective on diplomacy as representatives work in small groups throughout Conference to build not resolutions, but entire reports. Report-writing leads to a non-competitive and free-flowing exchange of ideas that ultimately builds an intensely collaborative environment and informs ECOSOC on the actions it should take regarding the complex international issues that make up the topics.
Report-writing Bodies and their Role at AMUN Report-writing Bodies and their Role at AMUN
Each year, AMUN simulates one or more bodies that write reports rather than resolutions. These bodies—which can be committees, councils or commissions and which have various relationships to ECOSOC—are generally referred to as “report-writing bodies” (RWBs). These bodies have a unique function within the United Nations system, and delegates to these bodies are often subject matter experts. Their role is to inform the broader ECOSOC body and the international community by collaboratively producing reports on topics in their expertise rather than to produce resolutions that define a specific course of action. These reports are the foundation for the United Nations’ later policy decisions.
Each body produces one report on each of its topics, so collaboration and consensus building in these committees are essential. Producing only one report also means that dissenting or minority opinions may be recorded within the text of the document capturing deliberations on the topic. Reports follow a specified format, but the length, content and complexity of each report varies. AMUN has adapted the format for annual reports for use in these reporting bodies. The time constraints of the simulation necessitate the use of a format that bears many similarities to those of the United Nations, but is not identical. Just as representatives familiarize themselves with their State’s positions, they must also do the same with the AMUN report format.
All reports at AMUN consist of four chapters, each of which serves a specific function. Chapter I contains the text of any resolutions passed by the commission that are recommended for subsequent adoption by ECOSOC. Chapter II contains an account of the deliberations that the commission considers essential to understand the recommendations that the commission makes. Chapter III details all decisions made by the commission that do not require further action from ECOSOC. The final chapter, titled “Adoption of the Report,” details how the commission adopted the report, including the voting record, if any—this chapter is generated by your simulation’s Rapporteurs after the report is adopted. Additionally, all reports must contain a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary. More information on report components and the report-writing process can be found here and in the United Nations Documents section of the Handbook.
While RWBs are empowered to author resolutions, they are rarely empowered to make decisions in their own name; that work remains for plenary bodies. The main focus of an RWB is to create a report which functions as a recommendation for actions that may be subsequently taken by ECOSOC. Thus, it is important that the report contains a record of how the body came to its conclusions. This is the primary function of the report’s Deliberations section, without which a report cannot exist. The nature of a report often leads to a process that is highly collaborative and inclusive of all Members of the body. If the body disagrees on an issue, it is common to include all sides of the discussion in the final report, thus allowing for consensus even if not all parties agree on specific recommendations.
Consultative Session Consultative Session
Both ECOSOC and reporting bodies have available to them a special rule intended to facilitate their work: Consultative Session. Consultative Session is a designated period of time in which the committee is still in session but the formal rules of debate, with the exception of Rule 2.2 Diplomatic Courtesy, are suspended. It is moderated by whomever the body chooses for the role, with the first Consultative Session usually being moderated by a member of the dais staff. Consultative Sessions allow for free and open exchange between representatives in a less-formal setting than is created in formal debate. It is an expedient method of accomplishing many of the report-writing processes and is typically also used to pass the Executive Summary, which is the final piece of a report.
Research and Resources Available Research and Resources Available
One of the most important responsibilities of a representative is to complete research before Conference. This research can greatly affect a representative’s experience in the simulation. AMUN has several suggestions for how to go about researching a State’s position, history and culture. These can be found in the Research and Preparation Section. AMUN also publishes research briefs specific to each simulation in the AMUN Handbook. These briefs are designed to provide an overview of each topic area and should be used to craft your delegation’s position on each topic at Conference.
Two types of staff are readily available to assist participants within a simulation: committee presidents and rapporteurs.
The committee presidents preside over the room and facilitate debate in each General Assembly simulation. They are experts on AMUN’s Rules of Procedure and are more than willing to help representatives understand and use the rules throughout the simulation. Presidents also observe substantive debate and keep track of the committee’s proceedings.
Rapporteurs review the written content produced in General Assembly simulations. They work with representatives to generate high-quality written work that meets the standards set by both AMUN and the United Nations. They also provide guidance on committee purview and will help representatives work resolutions into purview, should it be necessary.
Home Government is available to help representatives with several tasks. If a representative wants an in-depth review of their country’s position on the topics being covered in a committee, Home Government can conduct briefings to provide them the information they need to participate more fully in the simulation. Home Government also has the ability to furnish committees with roleplayers who provide information to the entire body as opposed to an individual representative. Secretariat members in each simulation can assist representatives in submitting an information request.
AMUN encourages representatives to publish written content to the rest of the Conference. The International Press Delegation (IPD) fields a team of student reporters that publish regular articles in the AMUN Chronicle, a periodical distributed to all Conference participants. Representatives may also submit letters to IPD editors that may be published in the Chronicle, give interviews to student reporters, or utilize IPD to host press conferences to spread information about their simulation’s work.