International Legal Research: Human Rights Research

Starting Points

• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: https://www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/high-commissioner
• University of Minnesota Human Rights Library: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/
• Globalex's "Researching International Human Rights" by Susan M. Boland and James Hart - this research guide provides a great overview of the area of law, explains the research tools, and provides background information. 


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Human Rights Treaties

• Core International Human Rights Instruments (OHCHR):  http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/index.htm#core
• Bayefsky: http://www.bayefsky.com - This incredible megasite links to reports, concluding observations, ratifications, reservations and declarations, jurisprudence, and other documents on the major U.N. human rights treaties. It is searchable by type of document, country, or subject matter. 
• The Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS): https://documents.un.org/

Reports by Country

• U.S. State Department's Travel Information - Country-Specific Information:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

U.S. Department of State

• Trafficking in Persons Reports:  http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/
• International Religious Freedom Reports: https://www.state.gov/international-religious-freedom-reports/

 

Amnesty International

• Human Rights Reports By County and Topic:  https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/
• Amnesty International Topical Research: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/