Research Guides: Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs): The United Nations

Overview of the UN Structure

The United Nations is a complex organization. It is comprised of main organs, specialized agencies, programmes and funds, research and training institutes, and a variety of related bodies. The main organs of the UN are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. Clicking on the image of the chart above will bring you to a full screen PDF.

United Nations Handbook
Published annually since 1961 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand, the United Nations Handbook is a clearly ordered guide to the organizations that make up the United Nations, the basis of their structure, their aims and their membership.

Sources for UN Documents

General UN Document Resources

Official Documents System (UN) (ODS)
The full text of official records, speeches, and background documents from 1993 forward are available.
United Nations Digital Library
The new United Nations Digital Library provides access to documents, maps and voting data, as well as non-sales publications. It provides one global point of access to UN information – current and historical; content is updated daily. You can find UN documents and open access publications, UN voting data and speeches, UN maps, UN content freely available around the world, Content in 6+ languages.
Dag Hammarskjöld Library Research Guides
Research guides on International and Foreign Law research produced by the Dag Hammarskjold library.
United Nations Treaty Collection
Status and text of multilateral treaties deposited with the UN Secretary-General and those formerly deposited with the League of Nations. Contains bilateral and multilateral treaties.
United Nations Law Collection on HeinOnline
This collection contains treaties including the United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS), and the League of Nations Treaty Series (LNTS). It also has publications of the International Court of Justice, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, UN yearbooks, UN serials, and more.

UN Web Sites

The UN supports an enormous network of interconnected web sites. The main organs of the UN with links to their website are the following:

Main UN Organs

UN General Assembly
The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations composed of representatives of all member states, each of which has one vote. Votes taken on designated important issues— such as recommendations on peace and security, the election of Security Council and Economic and Social Council members, and budgetary questions—require a two-thirds majority of Member States, but other questions are decided by a simple majority. The President, after having consulted and reached agreement with delegations, can propose that a resolution be adopted without a vote. The Assembly meets from September to December each year, and thereafter from January to September, as required.
UN Secretariat
This is the agency which carries out the day-to-day work of the organization, servicing other principal organs of the United Nations and administering programmes laid down by them. At its head is the Secretary-General.
UN Security Council
This is the UN agency with responsibility for maintenance of international peace and security. The Council has 15 members-- five permanent and 10 elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. Each Member has one vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.
UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
The Economic and Social Counsil is the principal United Nations body dealing with economic, social, and environmental matters. Each year, ECOSOC structures its work around an annual theme of global importance to sustainable development.
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
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. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. It is assisted by a Registry, its administrative organ. Its official languages are English and French.
UN Trusteeship Council
In setting up an International Trusteeship System, the Charter established the Trusteeship Council as one of the main organs of the United Nations and assigned to it the task of supervising the administration of Trust Territories placed under the Trusteeship System. The main goals of the System were to promote the advancement of the inhabitants of Trust Territories and their progressive development towards self-government or independence. It suspended operation in 1994, with the independence of Palau, the last remaining UN trust territory.

Regional Commissions

The UN Regional Economic Commissions are responsible for coordinating economic and social activities in their respective regions. They report to the Economic & Social Council but operate with a great deal of autonomy.

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
ECA's mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development. It is made up of 54 member States and it plays a dual role as a regional arm of the UN and as a key component of the African institutional landscape.
Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)
ECE's major aim is to promote pan-European economic integration. ECE includes 56 member States in Europe, North America and Asia.
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
ECLAC was founded in 1948 by ECOSOC res. 106 (VI) to coordinate policies for the promotion of sustainable Latin American economic development and to foster regional and international trade. Later, its work was extended to the Caribbean countries and its programme of action expanded to promote sustainable social development.
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) serves as the regional arm of the UN in economic, social and related fields. Its work includes norm-setting, dissemination of information, analytical and operational functions, as well as providing an important forum for articulating regional perspectives on global issues and for building consensus within the Asia-Pacific region. The ESCAP programme promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific, with particular focus on reducing social and economic disparities within and among countries in the region.
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
ESCWA supports inclusive and sustainable development in its member States, advancing regional integration and providing advocacy for the region’s needs and concerns on the global stage. Through research and analysis, ESCWA links knowledge on economic and social issues to policy. It brings together policymakers, researchers, experts and other stakeholders in intergovernmental and expert group meetings in the pursuit of constructive dialogue and concerted action. On the ground, ESCWA provides targeted technical cooperation and advisory services to member States upon their request.

Funds, Programmes, Specialized Agencies and Others

There are many UN programmes, funds, and specialized agencies, all with their own leadership and budget. The programmes and funds are financed through voluntary rather than assessed contributions. The Specialized Agencies are independent international organizations funded by both voluntary and assessed contributions.

UN Funds, Programmes, Specialized Agencies and Others The UN system, also known unofficially as the 'UN family', is made up of the UN itself and many programmes, funds, and specialized agencies, all with their own leadership and budget. The programmes and funds are financed through voluntary rather than assessed contributions. The Specialized Agencies are independent international organizations funded by both voluntary and assessed contributions. This site lists and links to the various programmes, funds, and specialized agencies.

Help on Researching the UN

The Dag Hammersjold Library at the UN Headquarters in NY provides research and information to support the work of United Nations Member States. As an integral part of the UN Organization, the Library also aids in the dissemination of UN information to a wider public audience through online services, and a global depository library network. As part of this mission, it provides training materials to ensure researchers can make effective use of UN documentation.

Dag Hammersjold Library The Dag Hammarskjöld Library provides research and information to support the work of United Nations Member States. As an integral part of the UN Organization, the Library also aids in the dissemination of UN information to a wider public audience through online services, and a global depository library network.
Dag Hammersjold Library Research Guides
Susan Goard, Navigating the Labyrinth of UN Documentation
This webinar covers what types of documentation the UN produces and how the documentation system is structured. It looks at the main bodies (General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, and the Secretariat) and the main types of documents of the UN, such as resolutions, meeting records and reports. It highlights tools produced by the UN for finding documentation and where to turn to when you get stuck. Resources covered include the UN Digital Library, AskDAG, Research Guides, and support for researchers and depository libraries.
United Nations Terminology Database (UNTERM)
UNTERM is a multilingual terminology database which provides United Nations nomenclature, technical or specialized terms and common phrases in all six official UN languages - English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic. The database is mainly intended for use by the language staff of the United Nations to ensure accurate and consistent usage in documents published by the Organization.