United Nations
The UN was founded in 1945, and is currently composed of 193 member states. Most of the UN headquarters are based in New York City. The Secretary General is the chief executive officer of the UN, and serves a 5 year, renewable term. The General Assembly is composed of representatives of all the member states, and is the main policy making organization in the UN. The Security Council (composed of 15 members) is responsible for international peace and security, while the Economic and Social Council (composed of 54 members) is responsible for economic, social and environmental supervision.
The International Court of Justice meets in the Hague, Netherlands where it settles legal disputes submitted by States. The ICJ also gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by UN organs or specialized agencies.
- United Nations System DocumentationGuide to UN organizations, publications, and documentation systems produced by the Dag Hammarskjöld Library.
- United Nations Research GuidesResearch guides on the UN archives, League of Nations & map collections.
General Resources
- Case Law Database UN Mechanism for International Criminal TribunalsAccess to the jurisprudence of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals.
- ECOLEXFree database of environmental law jointly operated by 2 UN organizations and the IUCN.
- International Court of Justice (ICJ)Court website includes publications of the court.
- International Law CommissionWorks to encourage the progressive development of international law & its codification.
- United Nations Digital LibraryUN-produced materials in digital format, including votes, speeches, images, and more. Organized by UN body, agency, and type of document.
- United Nations iLibraryA single portal for publications, journals, data, and series published by the United Nations Secretariat, and its funds and programs.
Treaties
- Hein OnlineSubscription database with UN and League of Nations Treaty Series.
Law Student & Faculty Resources
- Lexis+Law students & faculty only.
Includes International Court of Justice Advisory Opinions, Filings, and Judgments.