United Nations launches database of case law of Treaty Bodies

From the press release:

The UN Human Rights Office has launched a major public online database, http://juris.ohchr.org,   that contains all case law issued by the UN human rights expert committees, the Treaty Bodies.

“The database is designed to be a key reference tool for scholars, lawyers, civil society organisations, governments and civil servants, our UN partners and the general public,” said Ibrahim Salama, Director of the UN Human Rights Treaties Division. “Just as importantly, we hope it may help individuals who are preparing to submit complaints to the committees by giving them access to the views and decisions taken by the expert members on specific human rights issues.”

The database was developed using data from the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) of Utrecht University School of Law. Since the mid-1990s, the SIM had developed a comprehensive record on the jurisprudence stemming from the decisions by four Treaty Bodies on complaints brought by individuals.  Over 20 years, academics compiled and indexed Treaty Bodies’ case law, making the SIM database the most authoritative online resource on this. Due to budget restrictions, the SIM stopped updating the database  from 1 January 2014 and took it offline on 1 January 2015. However, the SIM offered its data free of charge to the UN Human Rights Office.

“This allowed us to build our own database, with an expanded remit and search capability, and we aim to continue developing it. It is an important part of our efforts to make the work of the Treaty Bodies more visible and accessible, and we hope it will benefit a range of users all over the world,” said Mr. Salama.

There are 10 Treaty Bodies that review and monitor how States that have ratified a particular treaty are implementing the rights contained in it. Eight can also consider complaints by individuals who believe their rights have been violated and who have exhausted all the legal steps in their own country. 

The site http://juris.ohchr.org contains case law indexed by various categories, including State, date, subject and keywords, which can all be used as search criteria. Users can submit their comments on the functioning of the database as part of ongoing efforts to improve it.

* The Committees that can receive and consider individual complaints are:

• Human Rights Committee (CCPR)
• Committee against Torture (CAT)
• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
• Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
• Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
• Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
• Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

The UN Human Rights Office has launched a major public online database, http://juris.ohchr.org,  http://juris.ohchr.org/ that contains all case law issued by the UN human rights expert committees, the Treaty Bodies.

“The database is designed to be a key reference tool for scholars, lawyers, civil society organisations, governments and civil servants, our UN partners and the general public,” said Ibrahim Salama, Director of the UN Human Rights Treaties Division. “Just as importantly, we hope it may help individuals who are preparing to submit complaints to the committees by giving them access to the views and decisions taken by the expert members on specific human rights issues.”

The database was developed using data from the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) of Utrecht University School of Law. Since the mid-1990s, the SIM had developed a comprehensive record on the jurisprudence stemming from the decisions by four Treaty Bodies on complaints brought by individuals.  Over 20 years, academics compiled and indexed Treaty Bodies’ case law, making the SIM database the most authoritative online resource on this. Due to budget restrictions, the SIM stopped updating the database  from 1 January 2014 and took it offline on 1 January 2015. However, the SIM offered its data free of charge to the UN Human Rights Office.

“This allowed us to build our own database, with an expanded remit and search capability, and we aim to continue developing it. It is an important part of our efforts to make the work of the Treaty Bodies more visible and accessible, and we hope it will benefit a range of users all over the world,” said Mr. Salama.

There are 10 Treaty Bodies that review and monitor how States that have ratified a particular treaty are implementing the rights contained in it. Eight* can also consider complaints by individuals who believe their rights have been violated and who have exhausted all the legal steps in their own country. 

The site http://juris.ohchr.org contains case law indexed by various categories, including State, date, subject and keywords, which can all be used as search criteria. Users can submit their comments on the functioning of the database as part of ongoing efforts to improve it.

* The Committees that can receive and consider individual complaints are:

• Human Rights Committee (CCPR)
• Committee against Torture (CAT)
• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
• Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
• Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
• Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
• Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

- See more at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15560&LangID=E#sthash.kNbW5m36.dpuf

The UN Human Rights Office has launched a major public online database, http://juris.ohchr.org,  http://juris.ohchr.org/ that contains all case law issued by the UN human rights expert committees, the Treaty Bodies.

“The database is designed to be a key reference tool for scholars, lawyers, civil society organisations, governments and civil servants, our UN partners and the general public,” said Ibrahim Salama, Director of the UN Human Rights Treaties Division. “Just as importantly, we hope it may help individuals who are preparing to submit complaints to the committees by giving them access to the views and decisions taken by the expert members on specific human rights issues.”

The database was developed using data from the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) of Utrecht University School of Law. Since the mid-1990s, the SIM had developed a comprehensive record on the jurisprudence stemming from the decisions by four Treaty Bodies on complaints brought by individuals.  Over 20 years, academics compiled and indexed Treaty Bodies’ case law, making the SIM database the most authoritative online resource on this. Due to budget restrictions, the SIM stopped updating the database  from 1 January 2014 and took it offline on 1 January 2015. However, the SIM offered its data free of charge to the UN Human Rights Office.

“This allowed us to build our own database, with an expanded remit and search capability, and we aim to continue developing it. It is an important part of our efforts to make the work of the Treaty Bodies more visible and accessible, and we hope it will benefit a range of users all over the world,” said Mr. Salama.

There are 10 Treaty Bodies that review and monitor how States that have ratified a particular treaty are implementing the rights contained in it. Eight* can also consider complaints by individuals who believe their rights have been violated and who have exhausted all the legal steps in their own country. 

The site http://juris.ohchr.org contains case law indexed by various categories, including State, date, subject and keywords, which can all be used as search criteria. Users can submit their comments on the functioning of the database as part of ongoing efforts to improve it.

* The Committees that can receive and consider individual complaints are:

• Human Rights Committee (CCPR)
• Committee against Torture (CAT)
• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
• Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
• Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
• Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
• Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

- See more at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15560&LangID=E#sthash.kNbW5m36.dpuf

The UN Human Rights Office has launched a major public online database, http://juris.ohchr.org,  http://juris.ohchr.org/ that contains all case law issued by the UN human rights expert committees, the Treaty Bodies.

“The database is designed to be a key reference tool for scholars, lawyers, civil society organisations, governments and civil servants, our UN partners and the general public,” said Ibrahim Salama, Director of the UN Human Rights Treaties Division. “Just as importantly, we hope it may help individuals who are preparing to submit complaints to the committees by giving them access to the views and decisions taken by the expert members on specific human rights issues.”

The database was developed using data from the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) of Utrecht University School of Law. Since the mid-1990s, the SIM had developed a comprehensive record on the jurisprudence stemming from the decisions by four Treaty Bodies on complaints brought by individuals.  Over 20 years, academics compiled and indexed Treaty Bodies’ case law, making the SIM database the most authoritative online resource on this. Due to budget restrictions, the SIM stopped updating the database  from 1 January 2014 and took it offline on 1 January 2015. However, the SIM offered its data free of charge to the UN Human Rights Office.

“This allowed us to build our own database, with an expanded remit and search capability, and we aim to continue developing it. It is an important part of our efforts to make the work of the Treaty Bodies more visible and accessible, and we hope it will benefit a range of users all over the world,” said Mr. Salama.

There are 10 Treaty Bodies that review and monitor how States that have ratified a particular treaty are implementing the rights contained in it. Eight* can also consider complaints by individuals who believe their rights have been violated and who have exhausted all the legal steps in their own country. 

The site http://juris.ohchr.org contains case law indexed by various categories, including State, date, subject and keywords, which can all be used as search criteria. Users can submit their comments on the functioning of the database as part of ongoing efforts to improve it.

* The Committees that can receive and consider individual complaints are:

• Human Rights Committee (CCPR)
• Committee against Torture (CAT)
• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
• Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
• Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
• Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
• Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

- See more at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15560&LangID=E#sthash.kNbW5m36.dpuf

The UN Human Rights Office has launched a major public online database, http://juris.ohchr.org,  http://juris.ohchr.org/ that contains all case law issued by the UN human rights expert committees, the Treaty Bodies.

“The database is designed to be a key reference tool for scholars, lawyers, civil society organisations, governments and civil servants, our UN partners and the general public,” said Ibrahim Salama, Director of the UN Human Rights Treaties Division. “Just as importantly, we hope it may help individuals who are preparing to submit complaints to the committees by giving them access to the views and decisions taken by the expert members on specific human rights issues.”

The database was developed using data from the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) of Utrecht University School of Law. Since the mid-1990s, the SIM had developed a comprehensive record on the jurisprudence stemming from the decisions by four Treaty Bodies on complaints brought by individuals.  Over 20 years, academics compiled and indexed Treaty Bodies’ case law, making the SIM database the most authoritative online resource on this. Due to budget restrictions, the SIM stopped updating the database  from 1 January 2014 and took it offline on 1 January 2015. However, the SIM offered its data free of charge to the UN Human Rights Office.

“This allowed us to build our own database, with an expanded remit and search capability, and we aim to continue developing it. It is an important part of our efforts to make the work of the Treaty Bodies more visible and accessible, and we hope it will benefit a range of users all over the world,” said Mr. Salama.

There are 10 Treaty Bodies that review and monitor how States that have ratified a particular treaty are implementing the rights contained in it. Eight* can also consider complaints by individuals who believe their rights have been violated and who have exhausted all the legal steps in their own country. 

The site http://juris.ohchr.org contains case law indexed by various categories, including State, date, subject and keywords, which can all be used as search criteria. Users can submit their comments on the functioning of the database as part of ongoing efforts to improve it.

* The Committees that can receive and consider individual complaints are:

• Human Rights Committee (CCPR)
• Committee against Torture (CAT)
• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
• Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
• Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
• Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
• Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

- See more at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15560&LangID=E#sthash.kNbW5m36.dpuf

WorldLII goes international

OK so it's last week's news but it's very good news.
From their press release:

The International Law Library contains over 80,000 searchable documents for free access. This includes over 25,000 decisions of International Courts and Tribunals, over 30,000 treaties and international agreements (including the League of Nations and UN Treaty Series), international law journals and law reform materials. These materials cannot be jointly searched elsewhere on the Internet. AustLII’s LawCite citator tracks where international cases, treaties and law journal articles have been cited.

Have a look.

Treaties

The World Treaty Index provides access to information on more than 50,000 bilateral and multilateral treaties formed between 1945 and 1997. When full coverage for the 20th century is complete, the database should feature in excess of 80,000 agreements. Though the WTI does not provide the full text of each agreement, it is an excellent resource for identifying when a state (or states) formed a number of international agreements of a particular type. With a list of relevant agreements (including their volume and page number), an end user interested in obtaining the full text can simply collect them using the primary source material (i.e. UNTS, LTS, etc.)
Next month look for an announcement about AustLII's new International Law Library - the highlights of which include
• Over 25,000 decisions from almost all significant International Courts and Tribunals Collection (38 databases)
• Over 30,000 documents in the Treaties & International Agreements collection (26 databases) including the League of Nations and UN Treaties Series (to 1960 so far) and the Australian Treaties Library.
• Other key international law materials such as 15,000 UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.
• Over 6,000 law journal articles and papers, and law reform reports relevant to international law.

The Law Library of Congress (US) has launched the Global Legal Information Catalog
It describes itself this:
The Global Legal Information Catalog includes information about publications which reprint the laws and regulations of multiple jurisdictions on a particular legal topic. The purpose of the database is to provide additional identifying information about titles, beyond that which is provided in the Library's online catalog. The database works as an interface with the Library of Congress's online catalog and is searchable by jurisdiction, title, subject and keyword.

Results are returned in alphabetical order.
Interesting resource for comparative law