United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law

The United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law is a free online international law research and training tool. It was created and is maintained by the Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs as a part of its mandate under the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law.^[1]

Background

The United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law was established in 2008^[2] under the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law^[3] as a tool for promoting knowledge of international law.

Faculty

Over 240 international law experts from different regions, legal systems and sectors of the legal profession have recorded lectures for the Lecture Series, prepared introductory notes for the Historic Archives and contributed their scholarly writings to the Research Library.

Notable faculty members as of 1 July 2016:^[4]

Description and contents

The Audiovisual Library is divided into three sections: the Historic Archives, the Lecture Series and the Research Library.^[5] While the Library's main language is English, many lectures are in other languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) and all entries in the Historic Archives are translated into the six official languages of the United Nations.

Historic archives

The Historic Archives provides detailed information on the negotiation process and significance of major international legal instruments. Each entry is accompanied by an introductory note prepared by an internationally recognized legal expert, a summary of the instrument's procedural history that led to its adoption and a list of all relevant preparatory documents. In some cases, audiovisual materials, including film footage, audio recordings and photos, of the negotiations^[6] are also available. The Historic Archives covers the following overarching subject areas:^[7]

Lecture series

The Lecture series contains lectures recorded by members of the international legal community. Individuals who have participated in the Lecture Series include scholars, judges of international and regional judicial bodies, senior officials of international and regional organizations, and other international law practitioners. The themes covered by the Series are:^[8]

Antarctica
Arctic
Arms Control and Disarmament
Boundary Delimitation
Courts and Tribunals
Criminal Law and Procedure
Cultural Heritage
Development
Diplomatic and Consular Relations
Diplomatic Protection
Disaster Prevention and Relief
Environmental Law
Health and Science
Human Rights
Human Security
International Civil Aviation
International Economic Law
International Labour Law
International Law
International Migration Law
International Organizations
International Watercourses
Law of Armed Conflict
Law of Outer Space
Law of the Sea
Law of Treaties
Peace and Security
Peaceful Settlement of Disputes
Regional Organizations
Rule of Law, Democracy and Good Governance
Specialized Agencies and Related Organizations
States
United Nations

Research Library

The Research Library consists of an extensive online catalog of international law materials. The Library provides links to online collections of treaties, jurisprudence of courts and tribunals, official publications and documents of the United Nations and related international organizations, scholarly writings and other research materials including international law journals and yearbooks, as well as other training materials.

References

External links

[1] "United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law".

[2] General Assembly resolution 62/62

[3] General Assembly resolution 52/152

[4] "United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law".

[5] "UN Audiovisual Library of International Law".

[6] E.g. the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Genocide Convention and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

[7] "United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law".

[8] "United Nations General Assembly and Security Council proceed to the election of five Members of the Court". Archived from the original on November 12, 2006. Retrieved July 9, 2013.

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