United Nations

Have a UN doc number, title, date? Start here:

• UNBISnet This is probably the best resource for accessing all law-related UN documents and publications in electronic format. The UN Dag Hammarskjöld Library bibliographic information system, is a great starting point for finding documents as you can search by the traditional library catalog access points and UN document symbol. Most records link to full text (they are filling in). Full-text of U.N. resolutions, voting records, agendas. Seems to link to most, if not all, ODS documents.
• U.N. Official Document System (ODS) UN resolutions (from the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and Trusteeship Council) back to 1946 in PDF format. Not as easy as UNBISnet to search, the ODS does not have a browse feature but an advanced search will lead to full-text U.N. documents (Official Records) from 1993, with resolutions of the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic & Social Council from, 1946 onwards. Global search may retrieve older documents, in image format only. The ODS database does not include UN publications and sales documents, the United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS), press releases, or public information materials.
• UN Documentation Center most helpful if you know who produced the document (GA, Sec. Council e.g.) and have the date. Once you have drilled down to the appropriate section, it allows you to browse for your document.
• International Law Commission [search docs back to 1949]
• United Nations Treaty Collection & Multilateral Treaties on Deposit with the Secretary General - Also on microfiche from 1947 in the basement, Cabinet 47. Note that you cannot search by citation, but you can do an advanced search which will pull up the contents of a particular volume, and then you can scan the links for the particular treaty in the language you want. The online version includes all published volumes of the League of Nations Treaty Series (LNTS) and the United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS). There may be quite a lag between registration of a treaty and its publication, so if it's a new treaty you may have better luck via google.

Other Starting Points for UN docs:

• Official Web Site Locator for the U.N. System www.UN.org is not generally the best starting place, unless it is a featured "hot topic."
• UN's AudioVisual Library of International Law - Historic Archives; Lecture Series; Research Library. This Library, and the "International Law" section of www.un.org, are rich in links to working documents from the UN bodies and Commissions.
• United Nations Documentation: Research Guide
• Selected U.N. Resources and Research Tools: Overview and Search Tips
• U.N. Rule of Law - Includes links to Rule of Law Documents as well as other helpful databases
• International Court of Justice - Official Site
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Providing information on national legislation and international agreements concerning food and agriculture.
• The U.S. Mission to the United Nations
• UN Crime and Justice Information Network
• United Nations Yearbook - browse or search, from 1946
• United Nations Juridical Yearbook
• United Nations Scholars' Workstation at Yale University - collection of texts, finding aids, data sets, maps and pointers to U.N. information.
  The list of "Research Approaches to UN Information" is especially helpful to the internet researcher.
• WWW Virtual Library: UN links
• United Nations Department of Public Information
• United Nations Homepage - this is probably not as good a starting point as following the other more specific trails or unless you are researching in one of their Highlighted areas. A better choice would be the section on "International Law."
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has a huge website which includes discussions of issues, HR treaties, and documents from the core human rights bodies.