United Nations

Researching the United Nations: finding the organization's internal resource trails

Online guide to United Nations resources compiled by Linda Tashbook who is Foreign International Comparative Law Librarian at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law's Barco Law Library. The guide was published in 2005 and updated in 2022 on the Globalex website and made freely available by the Hauser Global Law School at the New York University School of Law. The author suggests search strategies for finding information by and about the UN and covers the use of different types of research tools available such as directories, databases and research guides.

Refworld (UNHCR)

A large collection of law and policy documentation relating to refugees and statelessness, provided free by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2007 as a resource for decision-making on refugee status. The database includes country reports sourced from the UN, NGOs, governments, international organisations, academic institutions and judicial bodies, focusing on the country situation and human rights issues.

Iraq : Research Guide to Legal Documents, Legal News and International Law

Collection of links to online news stories, and other material, relating to legal issues in Iraq. Resources have been compiled by Vincent Moyer at the University of California, Hastings Law Library. Links to Iraq news stories come from sources around the world along with selected online articles discussing international legal issues in Iraq. There are links to information on inspections and sanctions, human rights issues, the treatment of prisoners and resources dealing with the law of war. Links to various document collections and related research websites are also provided.

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) is a judicial body established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It is based in the German city of Hamburg. The website provides proceedings and judgments from the first case onwards, together with statutes, rules, regulations, the text of the Convention and other agreements and press releases. Background information about the Tribunal is available, as are profiles of the judges and information about procedure. The site is in English and French.

International Space Law

This section of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) website provides access to legal materials and background documents about international space law. These include treaties (bilateral and multilateral); General Assembly resolutions; a database of national laws and official documents relating to outer space (including a directory of space law courses, 'Educational opportunities in space law'); and studies by UNOOSA.

Special Residual Court For Sierra Leone

The Special Residual Court For Sierra Leone was established by the United Nations and the government of Sierra Leone to oversee the legal obligations of the Special Court after it closed in 2013.The Special Court of Sierra Leone was set up to deal with serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law. The website provides background information on the structure and organisation of the Court and its current activities. It includes the full-text of its rules of procedure, judgements of the Court and United Nations documents about its operation.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is involved in combating illicit drugs and international crime. The website describes its work, which encompasses areas such as the reform of criminal justice systems and prisons as well as fighting marine piracy, corruption, human trafficking, terrorism and money laundering. A database of national legislation on drug control, the Legal Library, can be found on the site, together with a collection of model laws and a page of treaties related to drugs, crime and terrorism.

Iraq Military Law

List of online legal resources covering aspects of Iraq's military law, produced by Worldlii (World Legal Information Institute) a legal information portal. Includes links to all UN Security Council Resolutions, resources dealing with the legal issues surrounding an attack on Iraq, links to information about weapons inspections, Iraq military related websites and to United Nations Special Commissions websites like UNMOVIC and UNSCOM.

Minority Rights Information System

Website of the Minority Rights Information System (MIRIS), hosted by the European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC), a research institute established in Italy in 1992. The database provides information on the implementation of minority rights in the member states of the Council of Europe and includes national legislation and case-law, international treaties and agreements of the UN, Council of Europe and the OSCE, case studies and specific documents on minority groups. Texts are made available in English and the official language of the state concerned.

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