How can non-members of the Security Council participate in the proceedings of the Security Council?

Invitations to participate in the proceedings of the Security Council can be extended from Security Council members to non-members of the Security Council. The basis for these invitations can be found:

• in the United Nations Charter
  • Article 31
  • Article 32
• in the Provisional Rules of Procedure:
  • Rule 37 (generally for Member States)
  • Rule 39 (generally for other UN Organs, funds or agencies, experts, representatives from other organizations or individuals invited in their personal capacity) 

The Repertoire of Practice of the Security Council provides a more detailed explanation of this under the section entitled Procedural Issues, Provisional Rules of Procedure. In addition, you can select a particular time period and see the actions of the Security Council under these articles and rules for that time period. For example, if you want to see more detail of who was invited to a meeting, and why, for 1964-1965, you click on the 1964-1965 link:

This opens a pdf of the entry under this topic for 1964-1965:

The Repertoire of Practice of the Security Council is prepared by the Security Council Practices and Charter Research Branch in the Security Council Division of the Department of Political Affairs in the UN Secretariat. 

Open debates of the Security Council are announced in the Journal and detailed instructions on how to inscribe on the list of speakers are given.  

Additional information can be found in the Working Methods Handbook on the Security Council website.