A resolution is a proposal put forward by members of the Security Council to address an issue. It’s typically based on a report or analysis of the situation by a panel of experts, which the penholder then circulates for comments. Once the draft has been negotiated, it is put to the full Council for consideration and voting. When a majority of the Council supports the draft, it becomes a resolution.
When a resolution is adopted, it sets out specific steps to be taken to address the issue. It often includes calls for specific measures or specific individuals to be held accountable. Resolutions can also contain recommendations and calls for further action by the Security Council or the wider United Nations membership.
Resolutions may be accompanied by non-binding presidential statements that are released alongside the resolution, or on their own. These statements do not carry the same legal weight as a resolution, but they are still meant to apply political pressure and serve as a warning that further action is coming.
Since the UN’s founding in 1945, the Security Council has voted over 300 times on resolutions that address issues ranging from genocide to war crimes. During the Cold War period, the use of the veto was concentrated among just a few countries, with the United States and Soviet Union (or Russia) blocking many resolutions they viewed as unfavorable. In the ensuing decades, the number of vetoes has diminished, and most current members have joined in a voluntary code of conduct for the Council not to block resolutions addressing mass atrocity crimes.
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