Editing United Nations General Assembly (section)

== Sessions ==
=== Regular sessions ===
The General Assembly meets annually in a regular [[Meeting (parliamentary procedure)#Session|session]] that opens on the third Tuesday of September, and runs until the following September. Sessions are held at United Nations Headquarters in New York unless changed by the General Assembly by a majority vote.<ref name="RULES/PROCEDURE"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/ga/sessions/regular.shtml |title=Ordinary sessions |date=n.d. |website=United Nations General Assembly |publisher=United Nations |access-date=17 January 2020 |archive-date=16 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216172421/https://www.un.org/en/ga/sessions/regular.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

The regular session is split into two distinct periods, the main and resumed parts of the session. During the main part of the session, which runs from the opening of the session until Christmas break in December, most of the work of the Assembly is done. This period is the Assembly's most intense period of work and includes the general debate and the bulk of the work of the six Main Committees. The resumed part of the session, however, which runs from January until the beginning of the new session, includes more thematic debates, consultation processes and working group meetings.<ref name="Swiss Handbook"/>

==== General debate ====
[[File:General Assembly of the United Nations.jpg|thumb|Spanish Prime Minister [[José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero]] addressing the General Assembly in New York, 20 September 2005]]

[[File:President Barack Obama addresses the United Nations General Assembly (6170938103).jpg|thumb|United States President [[Barack Obama]] addresses the UN General Assembly in 2011.]]
[[File:Rousseff UN General Debate.jpg|thumb|Brazilian President [[Dilma Rousseff]] delivers the opening speech at the 66th Session of the General Assembly on 21 September 2011, marking the first time a woman opened a United Nations session.<ref>{{cite news |last=Llenas |first=Bryan |date=4 January 2017 |title=Brazil's President Rousseff to be First Woman to Open United Nations |url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazils-president-rousseff-to-be-first-woman-to-open-united-nations |work=Fox News |location=New York |access-date=29 September 2015 |archive-date=6 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106001639/https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazils-president-rousseff-to-be-first-woman-to-open-united-nations |url-status=live }}</ref>]]
The general debate of each new session of the General Assembly is held the week following the official opening of the session, typically the following Tuesday, and is held without interruption for nine working days. The general debate is a high-level event, typically attended by Member States' [[heads of state]] or [[Head of government|government]], government ministers and United Nations delegates. At the general debate, Member States are given the opportunity to raise attention to topics or issues that they feel are important. In addition to the general debate, there are also many other high-level thematic meetings, summits and informal events held during general debate week.<ref name="UN HANDBOOK">{{cite journal |editor1-last=Manhire |editor1-first=Vanessa |date=2019 |title=United Nations Handbook 2019–20 |journal=United Nations Handbook (Wellington, N.z.). |url=https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/Peace-Rights-and-Security/Our-work-with-the-UN/UN-Handbook-2019-20.pdf |edition=57th |location=Wellington |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand |page=17 |issn=0110-1951 |access-date=18 January 2020 |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308131305/https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/Peace-Rights-and-Security/Our-work-with-the-UN/UN-Handbook-2019-20.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ask.un.org/faq/154658 |title=What is the general debate of the General Assembly? What is the order of speakers at the general debate? |date=10 July 2019 |website=Dag Hammarskjöld Library |publisher=United Nations |access-date=17 January 2020 |archive-date=23 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523100429/http://ask.un.org/faq/154658 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://gadebate.un.org/en/faq |title=Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |date=n.d. |website=United Nations General Assembly |publisher=United Nations |access-date=17 January 2020 |archive-date=27 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927205513/https://gadebate.un.org/en/faq |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Special sessions ===
{{Main|Special session of the United Nations General Assembly}}

Special sessions, or UNGASS, may be convened in three different ways, at the request of the Security Council, at the request of a majority of United Nations member States or by a single member, as long as a majority concurs. Special sessions typically cover one single topic and end with the adoption of one or two outcome documents, such as a political declaration, action plan or strategy to combat said topic. They are also typically high-level events with participation from heads of state and government, as well as by government ministers. There have been 32 special sessions in the history of the United Nations.<ref name="Swiss Handbook">{{cite book |last1=Ruder |first1=Nicole |last2=Nakano |first2=Kenji |last3=Aeschlimann |first3=Johann |editor1-last=Aeschlimann |editor1-first=Johann |editor2-last=Regan |editor2-first=Mary |date=2017 |title=The GA Handbook: A practical guide to the United Nations General Assembly |url=https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/mission-new-york/en/documents/UN_GA__Final.pdf |edition=2nd |location=New York |publisher=Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations |pages=14–15 |isbn=978-0-615-49660-3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122005435/https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/mission-new-york/en/documents/UN_GA__Final.pdf |archive-date=22 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CHARTER">{{cite wikisource |title=Charter of the United Nations |wslink=Charter of the United Nations |date=26 June 1945 |publisher=United Nations |location=San Francisco}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/ga/sessions/special.shtml |title=Special sessions |date=n.d. |website=United Nations General Assembly |publisher=United Nations |access-date=17 January 2020 |archive-date=8 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408163620/https://www.un.org/en/ga/sessions/special.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Emergency special sessions ===
{{Main|Emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly}}

If the Security Council is unable, usually due to disagreement among the permanent members, to come to a decision on a threat to international peace and security, then emergency special sessions can be convened in order to make appropriate recommendations to member states for collective measures. This power was given to the Assembly in [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution 377|Resolution 377(V)]] of 3 November 1950.<ref name="Swiss Handbook"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/ga/sessions/emergency.shtml |title=Emergency Special sessions |date=n.d. |website=United Nations General Assembly |publisher=United Nations |access-date=17 January 2020 |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228023148/https://www.un.org/en/ga/sessions/emergency.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{UN doc |docid=A/RES/377(V) |body=A |session=5 |type=R |resolution_number=377 |title=Uniting for Peace |date=3 November 1950 |access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref>

Emergency special sessions can be called by the Security Council if supported by at least seven members, or by a majority of Member States of the United Nations. If enough votes are had, the Assembly must meet within 24 hours, with Members being notified at least twelve hours before the opening of the session. There have been 11 emergency special sessions in the history of the United Nations.<ref name="RULES/PROCEDURE">{{Cite web |title=General Assembly of the United Nations |url=https://www.un.org/en/ga/about/ropga/prez.shtml |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=United Nations |language=EN |archive-date=26 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726221234/https://www.un.org/en/ga/about/ropga/prez.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>