External Resources
A collection of official UN websites, reference materials and other external resources relevant to understanding and engaging with General Assembly practice.
UN reference sources and guides
UN Charter (opens in new tab)
Founding treaty of the United Nations, setting out the powers and functions of its principal organs.
Yearbook of the United Nations (opens in new tab)
Annual reference providing narrative coverage of the UN’s principal activities, deliberations and decisions across major areas of its work.
UN Documentation and Research Guides (opens in new tab)
Guides and resources for locating and researching UN documents, including by principal organ, document type and subject.
Dag Hammarskjöld Library Resources & Collections (opens in new tab)
UN research resources and guidance for locating documents, resolutions, voting records and other information.
Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council (opens in new tab)
Reference on SC practice, including its interpretation and application of the UN Charter and its Provisional Rules of Procedure.
Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs (opens in new tab)
Analytical studies of the decisions of the UN’s principal organs, providing a legislative history and understanding of the practice associated with each Article of the Charter. Mandated by the GA in 1953.
United Nations Juridical Yearbook (opens in new tab)
Annual reference compiling legal materials and developments concerning the UN and related organizations, including legal opinions, treaties and judicial decisions.
Other UN bodies
Handbooks, databases, and other reference materials
Selected UN and external handbooks, databases and reference tools for readers seeking further information on the peace and security issues, situations and areas of practice covered in this Handbook.
The GA Handbook: a practical guide to the United Nations General Assembly
Practical guide to the GA’s procedures, working methods and institutional practice, current up to the 78th session. Produced by the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN.
UN Sanctions App
A regularly updated reference tool on UN sanctions, with overviews of the evolution of sanctions regimes over time and information on types of sanctions and assessments of their effectiveness. Developed and maintained by scholars affiliated with the Graduate Institute of Geneva.
ICRC Customary International Law Study
Reference database on rules of customary international humanitarian law and the international practice underlying them. Developed and regularly updated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
UN Peace Mission Mandates
Searchable data on the mandates of UN peacekeeping operations, special political missions and good offices engagements since 1948. Developed by researchers at the Geneva Graduate Institute and ETH Zürich
United Nations Handbook 2025-26 (opens in new tab)
A comprehensive reference guide to the structure, membership and mandates of UN organs, agencies and bodies. Produced annually by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade since 1961.
UN Special Political Missions 1945-2025: An Overview (opens in new tab)
Overview of UN special political missions from 1945 to 2025, documenting the evolution of their mandates, functions and forms across eight decades of UN practice. Developed by the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
General Assembly sites and resources
Tables of General Assembly resolutions by session (opens in new tab)
Overview of emergency special sessions (opens in new tab)
Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly (opens in new tab)
Ongoing processes
UN80 Initiative (opens in new tab)
Selection and appointment of the next Secretary-General (opens in new tab)
Office of the President of the General Assembly
The OPGA for the 80th Session (opens in new tab)
UN research and learning
UN University(opens in new tab)
UNU Centre for Policy Research(opens in new tab)
UN System Staff College (opens in new tab)
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) (opens in new tab)