Basic Elements and Series Symbols
The United Nations publishes many documents. Many documents were originally published in mimeographed form and are still sometimes referred to as 'mimeo docs.' This guide will explain the United Nations series symbols system which was designed to provide access to these documents. The series symbols provide access to United Nations documentation by series symbol, subject, and body responsible for the document. Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with numerals, usually Arabic.
The basic series elements of the five principal United Nations organs are:
| A/ | General Assembly |
| E/ | Economic and Social Council |
| S/ | Security Council |
| T/ | Trusteeship Council |
| ST/ | Secretariat |
Examples:
| A/RES/50/211 | Resolution of the General Assembly, 50th session |
| S/RES /1019(1995) | Resolution 1019 (1995) adopted by the Security council. |
Special basic series symbols have been established for certain bodies. For example:
| AT/ | UN Administrative Tribunal |
| CAT/ | Convention against torture |
| CEDAW/ | Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women |
| CCPR/ | International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
| CRC/ | Convention on the rights of the child |
| DP/ | UN Development Programme |
| ID/ | UN Industrial Development Organization |
| TD/ | UN Conference on Trade and Development |
| UNEP/ | UN Environment Programme |
| WFC/ | World Food Council |
Examples:
| CEDAW/C/1996 | UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Committee document, 1996 |
| CAT/C/SR.209 | Convention against torture, committee against torture. Summary record of the 209th meeting |
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