Cal High Position Paper Format & Sample
Basic Format:
Times New Roman, size 12 Font, single spaced for the Heading, Country Profile, & Works Cited
(sections I & V only).
Sections II, III, and IV should be at 1.5 spacing, and these sections should not be more than 2 pages
total. Including the country profile and works cited, the total shouldn’t be more than 4 pages. There is a
sample below these explanations.
Heading: single spaced, on the top left
Committee Name (full name, not FAO or GA 5 or Sec. Co.)
Country (the one you’re representing)
Topic
{You DO NOT NEED your name, the date, or the title, “Position Paper”.}
Paper: NO FLUFF! This is not a 5-paragraph essay - you don’t have space for a long introduction.
Keep everything concise and relevant.
The 5 body sections of your paper should have the following titles before each section. Sections III, III,
and IV should be about 1 or 2 paragraphs each.
{Notice how sections I & V are single spaced; II – IV are spaced at 1.5}
I. Country Profile - The purpose of a country profile is to help you get to know your country better.
Most of this can be found on the CIA’s World Factbook, but for some you will need to do more indepth research.
II. Topic Background – How does your topic affect various locations in the world? Explain the
history of the problem, significant (catchy) examples, statistics, etc. Keep it straight to the point!
III. Past Actions – This can be UN resolutions, or other IGO or NGO attempts to improve the
problem, or statements from relevant world governments &/or leaders. Be specific when citing them,
including dates of statements.
IV. Country Policy – This should be full of solutions your nation feels would improve the situation. It
is sometimes hard to come up with good solutions, and also frequently challenging to figure out your
country’s policy toward some issues. Experience makes this easier, but remember to just stick to your
country’s policy and decide how your country would solve the situation!
V. Works Cited – A list of sources, should be about 5-10 for Novice; for websites, just give the link;
for other sources, use MLA format. Single Spaced - Remember to cite the host school’s website as
well, if you used info straight from your Topic Synopsis.
NOTE: A typical Novice delegate (beginner) has a longer background section, and very short country
policy. A more Advanced position paper, and a great opening speech, spends more time dealing with
solutions (country policy) than with the background of the topic.
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Country Profile Format ( Section I )
* Your country profile should include (in this order, and with these headings):
Title: Official country name & FLAG (color copy, or B/W with description of colors)
A. Geography
1) Political: region, as well as neighboring nations (copy/paste a map here)
2) Physical: a) main geographic features (any large rivers, lakes, oceans, mountains, % arable land, etc)
b) approximate size (roughly size of Texas, Costa Rica?)
B. Gov’t & Economy
3) Current leader(s) title & name (both in Pres & Prime Minister and in this case figure out who does
what).
4) Timeline of major events (4-7) in nation’s history (include any recent wars or other military
activities)
5) Immigration issues – where do their people go, or come from?
6) Inflation & unemployment rates
C. Development
7) Total Population
8) GDP/capita
9) Their most recent HDI ranking – as well as a description of whether they rank near the best in their
region, lowest, about average compared to their neighbors, etc (Ex: Norway ranks #1 globally)
10) At least 4 other helpful development factors. Examples include: literacy rate, life expectancy, % of
households with internet/TV, infant mortality, % living below poverty line, HIV/AIDS rate (or other
major health problems), % of population completing 6th grade, 12th grade, Bachelor degree, etc
D. Allies
11) Main trading partners
12) Major IGO’s they’re a part of - only list the well-known ones, skipping parts of the UN (UNESCO,
UNICEF, WHO, IAEA, etc).
E. Culture
13) Main languages - include official one(s)
14) Main Religions (include % if possible), “ “ “ “ “
15) Main Ethnicities (%), “ “ “ “ “ “ “
“ “
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*Sample Position Paper*
Economic and Social Council
Republic of Ghana
Mexican Drug Trafficking
I. Country Profile
A. Geography
1) Political: see map above
2) Physical:
a) Lake Volta, Black Volta River, White Volta River, Tano River, Gulf of Guinea is south of
the country, to the right of the Atlantic Ocean, 20.12% arable land
b) slightly smaller than Oregon
B. Gov’t & Economy
3) President- John Dramani MAHAMA , Vice President- Kwesi Bekoe AMISSAH-ARTHUR
4) Timeline of Major Events:
March 2007- Ghana celebrates 50 yrs of being the first independent sub-saharan African nation
June 2007- Oil is discovered in Ghana & began to be pumped and distributed in December
2009- Drug war in Ghana escalated greatly with growing American involvement
October 2013- Tensions over trade arise between Ghana and Ivory Coast, however Ghana
refuses military intervention
5) Immigration: individuals coming into Ghana are mainly of Chinese, French, British and Indian
origin
6) Inflation rate: 11%
Unemployment rate: 16.6%
C. Development
7) Total population: 25,758,108
8) GDP/capita: $3,500
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9) HDI rank: 138th globally, but is average compared to its neighbors
10) Literacy rate: 71.5% ( Total population)
HIV/AIDS prevalence in adults: 1.4%
Obesity rate: 7.5%
Population growth rate: 2.19%
D. Allies
11) Main trading partners: China, France, Italy, Nigeria, USA, Netherlands
12) Major IGOs involved in: FAO, G-77, IMF, IMO, Interpol, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS
(observer), WCO
E. Culture
13) Main languages: English (official ) 36.1%, Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron 4.6%
14) Main religions: Christian 71.2% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 28.3%, Protestant 18.4%, Catholic
13.1%, other 11.4%), Muslim 17.6%, traditional 5.2%, other 0.8%, none 5.2%
15) Main ethnicities: Akan 47.5%, Mole-Dagbon 16.6%, Ewe 13.9%, Ga-Dangme 7.4%, Gurma
5.7%, Guan 3.7%, Grusi 2.5%, Mande-Busanga 1.1%, other 1.6%
II. Background:
Mexican drug trading has been an issue since the beginning of the 19th century, predominantly occurring over
the United States border, which has been, since 1968, under strict patrolling by U.S. Customs and Border
Protection agents. In the past, Marijuana, Cocaine, and opiates, common in Mexico, had been consumed for
pharmaceutical purposes; morphine and heroin could easily be prescribed by doctors. Addicts found a way to
take advantage of the accessible substances and began their own marketing of these products outside of medical
purposes; by 1870 people had brainstormed ways to limit these non prescription sales. Those involved in illicit
trading of these drugs were composed of small numbers of people in Mexico, predominantly made up of the
lower class. In 1994, the same year the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed between
Mexico, Canada, and the United States, Mexico faced an economic crisis which resulted in 7% contraction of
real GDP in 1995; the peso was devalued by 15% and later this crisis was informally referred to as the Tequila
Effect. Many financially struggling families or groups in Mexico may feel their choices to be limited in
supporting themselves, and consequently turn to involvement in drug cartels. It is unfortunate to say that it was
estimated that 40,000 people died due to drug violence in the past five years of Calderon’s reign. Mexico’s
police forces have been patrolling many of the areas of turmoil; however, their accountability is also
questionable as police forces have been discovered to engage in trafficking as well.
III. Past UN Actions:
In the 36th plenary meeting, on July 22, 2005, UNESCO passed resolution 2005/27 which addressed drug abuse
and transit; alongside with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Commission on
Narcotic Drugs (CND), UNESCO requested funds to assist in solving the problem. UNESCO recognizes the
correlation between bad economies and drug affiliation, proposing that if countries involved were to receive aid
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there would be a substantial decrease in the problem. UNODC continues their efforts and partnerships with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as CND and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice (CCPCJ). NGOs have returned their support by participating in discussions with the United Nations
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the United Nations Convention against Corruption
(UNCAC).
IV. Country Policy:
Ghana, located on the coast of Western Sub-Saharan Africa, is currently combating illicit drug trading of
cocaine and cannabis, consequently understanding the vitality of the issues in Mexico. With 30% of Ghana’s
population living in poverty, we realize that unemployment rates and economic standing are directly linked to
those who participate in drug trafficking. Ghana feels that increased education can significantly decrease future
drug involvement. RAND is a non-profit research company which did a lengthy study in 2005 of Mexico’s
education system and the opportunities available to improve it. Mexico has NGOs like Oportunidades
(PROGRESA) and Enciclomedia that financially assist low income Mexican families in areas of education and
health, and distribute new technologies to assist youths’ learning at home. Furthermore, International
organizations like World Bank have been heavy contributors to Mexico’s compulsory education system which
consists of grades K-9 and the secondary education system, grades 10 through 12, which is not enforced. Ghana
believes that if measures were to be taken by the UN to offer and recommend measures that could decrease the
dropout rate and encourage reform of school systems in low budget rural areas, many of Mexico’s problems
related to drug trafficking can be improved. If the number of educated individuals in Mexico, or any country
battling transnational illicit cartels, rises, the unemployment rate will consequently drop. And if the
unemployment rate drops, more people find themselves in work, and they are less likely to resort to illegal
commerce. Ghana understands that, with proper funding, further border control, law enforcements, and
increased communication among nations is possible and can assist all future efforts taken towards lowering drug
trafficking in Mexico.
V. Works Cited:
1. http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/tequilaeffect.asp#axzz1YNI5dD9H
2. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30232095/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-mexico-drug-war-sowing-chaos/
3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10681249
4. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/oct/20/dogs-help-sniff-out-drug-smugglers-pedestrain-bord/
5. http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/govpubs/gao/pdf24.pdf
6. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39726&Cr=&Cr1=
7. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/drug-trafficking/index.html
8. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/ngos/index.html?ref=menuside
9. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html
10. http://www.tcd.ie/Economics/SER/archive/1999/essay14.html
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