Research Guides: United Nations and International Documents Collections: Databases &amp; Documents for United Nations Research

Key Databases for UN Research

AccessUN This link opens in a new window
Index to United Nations documents including Official Records, masthead documents, draft resolutions, meeting records, UN Sales Publications, and the UN Treaty Series citations. Also included is the full-text of several thousand UN documents. 1948-present.
ODS: Official Documentation System of the United Nations This link opens in a new window
Official repository for full text PDF files of UN documents dating back to 1992 in all official languages of the United Nations - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Documents are stored in two databases, UN Documentation, which includes documents back to 1992 and UN Resolutions, which includes resolutions of the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council and Trusteeship Council since 1946.
UN-I-QUE: United Nations Info Quest This link opens in a new window
Provides quick access to document symbols/sales numbers for UN materials of a recuerrent nature: annual/sessional reports of committees/commissions; annual publications; reports periodically/irregularly issued; reports of major conferences; statements in the General Debate; etc. Information within each record is presented in reverse chronological order to facilitate identification of the most recent data.
United Nations Digital Library This link opens in a new window
The United Nations Digital Library includes UN documents, key UN publications series, and landmark collections, such as the Index to Proceedings (ITPs), and oral history interviews.

The e-resource listed below is licensed by NYU Libraries and available only to current NYU students, faculty and staff.

UN iLibrary This link opens in a new window
The United Nations iLibrary provides access to publications, journals, data, and series published by the United Nations Secretariat, and its funds and programs. The database offers features such as integrated search results, granular content, a citation tool, DOI identification, and multilingual content.

Key Online UN Documents

Charter of the United Nations
Signed at San Francisco on 26 June 1945.
Core International Human Rights Instruments (OHCHR)
Millennium Development Goal Reports
Millennium Goals The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions.
Statute of the International Court of Justice
UN Documentation Centre Includes full text PDF files of General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.
The United Nations Channel The United Nations Channel features videos on a wide range of global topics including current news, peace and security, social and economic development, human rights, climate change and more.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
UN System Chart

Treaty Databases

Council of Europe Treaty Series (CETS)
The text of all Council of Europe treaties, their explanatory reports, the status of signatures and ratifications, the declarations and reservations made by States, as well as the notifications issued by the Treaty Office since 2005, are available on this website.
UN Treaty Collection
All multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary- General of the United Nations and those formerly deposited with the League of Nations - their latest status and a link to the full texts. Bilateral and multilateral treaties registered with and published by the United Nations Secretariat in accordance with Article 102 up to a certain date - Detailed treaty references and full texts in all authentic language(s).

UN Principal Organs

Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC)
The world’s economic, social and environmental challenges are ECOSOC’s concern. A founding UN Charter body established in 1946, the Council is the place where such issues are discussed and debated, and policy recommendations issued.
General Assembly
The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policy making and representative organ of the United Nations.
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946.
Security Council
Trusteeship Council

Gateways

United Nations System of Organizations
Alphabetic Index of Websites of the United Nations System of Organizations.
ReliefWeb
Websites of international and non-governmental organizations, governments, research institutions and the media for news, reports, press releases, appeals, policy documents, analysis and maps related to humanitarian emergencies worldwide.