A UN resolution is a document expressing the will of the United Nations General Assembly or Security Council on how a specific issue should be handled. Resolutions can be substantive or procedural in nature. Substantive resolutions comprise the “what” and the “why”, while procedural resolutions outline how issues are to be addressed.
The first item in a resolution gives the date of adoption and an alphabetical list of countries that have contributed to it (sponsors). Following this are the preambular clauses, which include the reasons for drafting the resolution; and the operative clauses, which comprise the specific actions the body wishes to take. The operative clauses begin with verbs, and the preambular clauses often start with adjectives. A resolution ends with the name of its issuing body, which may be moved above or below the preambular clauses for stylistic purposes; however, a resolution still comprises a coherent sentence.
For example, this resolution called for a ceasefire in Gaza and a permanent end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories; it also urged Iran to comply with international demands for nuclear disarmament. It required states to obligate their citizens and corporations to exercise caution when dealing with entities in Iran that contribute to proliferation, and expanded the list of individuals that are subject to the sanctions regime.
When a member of the Security Council is unable to reach consensus or a passing vote on a resolution, it can choose to produce a non-binding presidential statement instead, which will usually carry a more general message but some of the same text as a resolution. A press release typically accompanies both resolutions and presidential statements.