Resolution Calls Upon Clause

In Model UN drafting, "Calls upon" is a standard operative phrase used to address Member States, parties to a conflict, or other actors and ask them to undertake a particular course of action. It sits in the middle of the conventional hierarchy of operative verbs: softer than Demands or Decides (which carry binding or near-binding weight, especially under Chapter VII of the UN Charter) and firmer than Recommends, Encourages, or Invites.

The phrase is italicized and followed by the actor and the action, for example: Calls upon all Member States to cooperate fully with the Special Envoy in implementing the ceasefire arrangements. Each operative clause is numbered, ends with a semicolon, and begins with the verb in the present tense.

In actual UN practice, "Calls upon" is used heavily by the General Assembly, ECOSOC, and the Security Council when acting outside Chapter VII. It carries political and moral weight but, in itself, does not create a binding legal obligation; binding force in the Security Council typically arises from Decides clauses adopted under Chapter VII, per Article 25 of the UN Charter. The International Court of Justice's 1971 Namibia advisory opinion noted that the binding character of a Council decision depends on the language, intent, and context of the resolution, not solely on which verb is used.

For MUN delegates, useful drafting tips:

• Match the verb to the committee's powers. The Human Rights Council or GA Third Committee cannot Demand in a binding sense; Calls upon is more realistic.
• Specify who is called upon (all Member States, parties to the conflict, the Secretary-General) and what concrete action is sought.
• Avoid stacking vague "Calls upon" clauses without measurable outcomes; chairs often reward specificity.
• Pair with a follow-up clause (Requests the Secretary-General to report…) to create an accountability mechanism.

Misuse — such as "Calls upon" a non-state actor the body cannot legally address, or pairing it with enforcement language — is a common drafting error flagged in committee review.