Resources

The United Nations

The United Nations website itself is the perfect place to start - it contains great information not only about the current work of the organisation but also of the history and past achievements of the UN.

Firstly, check out the United Nations homepage - www.un.org which should always be your first port of call. Following are more specific websites containing information about the United Nations:

• History of the UN - http://www.un.org/aboutun/unhistory/
• UN in Brief - http://www.un.org/Overview/uninbrief/ (this website gives a great general introduction to the many different ways in which the United Nations impacts on our lives)
• Members of the UN - http://www.un.org/Overview/unmember.html
• Permanent Missions to the UN - http://www.un.int/index-en/webs.html (if you are researching a country, this page contains links to all Members State's Permanent Missions to the UN)
• Charter of the United Nations - http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/index.html
• News at the United Nations - http://www.un.org/News/ (this site gives you up-to-date information about the activities of the UN and also has a great search feature which allows you to access older news stories on particular issues)
• Issues being addressed by the UN - http://www.un.org/issues/ (this site contains links to hundreds of specific topics which the UN is currently working on)
• UN Cyber School Bus - http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/ (this site is aimed to educate young people about the UN and is very easy to use with access to much general information about the organisation)
  
  Main Bodies of the United Nations
• Security Council - http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/
• General Assembly - http://www.un.org/ga/60/
• Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) - http://www.un.org/docs/ecosoc/
• International Court of Justice - http://www.icj-cij.org/
• Secetary-General (Ban Ki Moon) - http://www.un.org/News/ossg/sg/pages/sg_biography.html

The Environment

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Home Page: http://www.unep.org/
Climate Change: http://www.unep.org/themes/climatechange/

Climate Change:
WWF Australia on Climate Change: http://www.unep.org/themes/climatechange/
Climate Change from BBC World Weather Centre: http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/
Australian Greenhouse Office – Climate Change Impact and Adaptation: http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/impacts/overview.html
DFAT on Climate Change: http://www.dfat.gov.au/environment/climate/

Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol (html document): http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.html
BBC Q&A – The Kyoto Protocol: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4269921.stm        

Greenhouse Effect
Animated Guide to the Greenhouse Effect: http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/greenhouse/

The Greenhouse Effect: ttp://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Article/the-greenhouse-effect

DEWR ‘Greenhouse, What’s That?’ Fact Sheet: http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/education/factsheets/what.html
PEW Centre on Global Climate Change: http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/facts_and_figures/index.cfm           

El Nino
El Nino – An Introduction (NASA): http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/nino/intro.html
Climate Glossary – El Nina: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/glossary/lanina.shtml

Non-Governmental Organisations

NGO Global Network www.ngo.org

Amnesty International
Amnesty International – www.amnesty.org
Amnesty International Australia – www.amnesty.org.au
Amnesty International Volunteer Homepage – www.amnesty-volunteer.org
Make Some Noise (Amnesty International) – noise.amnesty.org
Amnesty Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Concerns - http://www.ai-lgbt.org/eng.htm

Oxfam
Oxfam International - www.oxfam.org
Oxfam Australia – www.oxfam.org.au
Make Fair Trade – www.makefairtrade.com
Oxfam Unwrapped AU – www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au
Oxfam International Youth Partnerships - http://www.iyp.oxfam.org/

The Oaktree Foundation
The Oaktree Foundation – www.theoaktree.org
Oaktree Myspace Profile - http://www.myspace.com/oaktreefoundation
Hugh Evans Homepage - http://www.hughevans.com.au/index.php/home

Vision Generation
Stir: Vision Generation - http://stir.org.au/stir/Content.aspx?topicID=4
VGen WA - http://stir.org.au/stir/Content.aspx?topicID=42

Red Cross & Red Crescent
Australian Red Cross – www.redcross.org.au
International Committee of the Red Cross - http://www.icrc.org/
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement - http://www.redcross.int/
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum - http://www.micr.ch/index_e.html

Third World Network - http://www.twnside.org.sg/

The Earth Charter – www.earthcharter.org

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia – www.wwf.org.au

Global Policy Forum - http://www.globalpolicy.org/

Pathways to Peace Mission – www.pathwaystopeace.org

Education International - http://www.ei-ie.org/en/index.php

Millennium Campaign – www.milleniumcampaign.org

International Issues

• Security Council Reform
• Middle East Conflict
• Terrorism
• International Drug Trade
• Refugees
• Climate Change
• Nuclear Disarmament
• East Timor
• Iraq Conflict
• Situation in Iran
• Situation in North Korea

Human Rights

General
International Federation for Human Rights: http://www.fidh.org/
Human Rights Watch: http://www.humanrightswatch.org/
The UN Refugee Agency: www.unhcr.org

Child Exploitation
UNICEF: Child Trafficking: http://www.cambodia.gov.kh/krt/english/introduction_eng/index.htm
World Vision: Sexual Exploitation of Children: http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/wvususfo.nsf/stable/globalissues_childprotection_sexexploit
ChildWise: http://www.ecpat.org/about-child-sexual-exploitation.php
World Vision: Child Labour - http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/wvususfo.nsf/stable/globalissues_childprotection
HRW: Sexual Abuse and Exploitation - http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/crp/promises/abuse.html
The Facts About Child Sex Tourism - http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/fs/2005/51351.htm
Committee on the Rights of the Child - http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/index.htm
Child Rights Information Network - http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=1456

Child Soldiers
Child Soldies - Children of Conflict - BBC World Service: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/childrensrights/childrenofconflict/soldier.shtml
Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers: http://www.child-soldiers.org/
Amnesty International Site on Child Soldiers: www.amnestyusa.org/children/soldiers/
Child Soldiers Resources Site - www.vachss.com/help_text/child_soldiers.html

Death Penalty
Amnesty International: www.amnesty.org/deathpenalty
Australian Coalition Against Death Penalty (ACADP): http://acadp.com/
No To Death Penalty: www.santegidio.org/en/pdm/index.htm
World Coalition Against Death Penalty: www.worldcoalition.org
Death Penalty Information, High School Curriculum (US): http://deathpenaltyinfo.msu.edu/
Pro-Death Penalty: www.prodeathpenalty.com/

Female Genital Mutilation
World Health Organisation – Facts about FGM: www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/
Amnesty International on FGM: www.amnesty.org/actforwomen
A UNICEF article about the effects of FGM: http://www.unicef.org/pon96/womfgm.htm

Freedom of Religion
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Website - HR and Religion: www.hreoc.gov.au/Human_Rights/religion/index.html
Universal Declaration of Human Rights:- http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

Genocide
Darfur: A Genocide We Can Stop: http://www.darfurgenocide.org/
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda: http://69.94.11.53/
Genocide in Rwanda: Human Rights Watch Report: http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/rwanda/
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/p_genoci.htm
Web Genocide Documentation Centre: http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide.htm
Genocide Watch: http://www.genocidewatch.org/
Prevent Genocide International: http://www.preventgenocide.org/
Armenian National Institute: http://www.armenian-genocide.org/
African Action: Campaign to Stop Genocide in Darfur: http://www.africaaction.org/campaign_new/darfur.php
Save Darfur: http://www.savedarfur.org/content
UNICEF – Darfur Overview: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/sudan_darfuroverview.html
Genocide Intervention Network - Darfur:  http://www.genocideintervention.net/educate/darfurinfo/
Cambodian Genocide Group: http://www.cambodiangenocide.org/front.htm
Pledge Peace Union Information: http://www.ppu.org.uk/genocide/g_cambodia.html
An Introduction to the Khmer Rouge Trials: http://www.cambodia.gov.kh/krt/english/introduction_eng/index.html

Poverty
World Bank – Provides key facts about Poverty related issues: www.worldbank.org/poverty/
Make Poverty History Official Site: www.makepovertyhistory.org
United Nations Millennium Development Goals: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
Global Issues: Causes of Poverty - http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Poverty.asp
Institute for Research on Poverty - http://www.irp.wisc.edu/
The ONE Campaign - http://www.one.org/
Poverty Indicators: the Poverty Site - http://www.poverty.org.uk/
UN CyberSchoolBus: Poverty Curriculum - http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/poverty2000/index.asp
UNDP Poverty Reduction - http://www.undp.org/poverty/
STAND UP Against Poverty - http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/
CNN/Money: Poverty in America - http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/poverty/
Rural Poverty in Africa - http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/english/regions/africa/index.htm
AIDS and Poverty in Africa - http://www.thenation.com/doc/20010521/stillwaggon
Rural Poverty in Asia - http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/english/regions/asia/index.htm
Regional Assessment of Rural Poverty in Asia and the Pacific - http://www.ifad.org/poverty/region/pi/index.htm
PLAN in Asia - http://www.plan-international.org/wherewework/asia/GrowingUpInAsia/

Torture
UN Convention Against Torture: http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html
OHCHR Special Rapporteur on Torture:  http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/torture/rapporteur/
Witness Against Torture: http://www.witnesstorture.org/
The Torture Reporting Handbook: http://www.essex.ac.uk/torturehandbook/