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United Nations

Introduction

Background information about the UN is essential because the documentation systems and research strategies vary based on how the publishing body functions within the UN.

Main Organs

The main bodies of the United Nations are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established under the UN Charter when the Organization was founded in 1945. Except for the International Court of Justice which is located in the Hague, all bodies are in New York City.

Each main organ of the UN publishes its own documents and publication methods can vary. Furthermore, there are many subsidiary organizations within the UN, which publish their own documents. Subsidiary organizations are located throughout the world, many in Geneva.

Founding Documents

The founding documents of the United Nations include the UN Charter (1945), The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), and the Statute of the International Court of Justice. Beyond that, the United Nations has participated in and facilitated numerous treaties and conventions. Treaty research is not covered in this guide. Go to the library's Guide to Treaty Research.

Understanding the UN Charter is particularly important for research because some research databases are divided into two categories: Charter-based and Treaty-based. For example, one would use a Charter-based database to search for documents from a subsidiary organization that was founded in the UN Charter, such as the UN Commission on Human Rights. However, one would use a Treaty-based database to search for documents from a subsidiary organization that was founded by a treaty. For example, the Human Rights Committee was created by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Additional Sources about the UN