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J. Resolutions/decisions and draft resolutions/decisions of UN bodies

Subject terms and corporate name headings
Compilations of resolutions/decisions
Single resolutions/decisions transmitted in documents
Resolutions/decisions in annual or sessional reports
Sponsors of draft resolutions/decisions
Analytic records for resolutions and decisions: document symbols

Subject terms and corporate name headings

Make entries for the main subject(s) of the resolution/decision as a whole; and for the subject(s) of each significant action requested or statement of position of the organ. In most cases, only the operative paragraphs are analyzed and routine requests should not be picked up (e.g. INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION, RESOURCES ALLOCATION, etc.). If the term REPORT PREPARATION is used as routine request, it should not be picked up (e.g., “Requests the Secretary-General to report…”).

Assign primary topical subject terms (tag 650 first indicator 1) for the resolution/decision as a whole, bearing in mind the indexing policy guidelines for geographic linkage.
Assign secondary terms (tag 650 first indicator 2) for the main subject(s) of operative paragraphs below the level of the resolution/decision as a whole. In assigning secondary terms, it is helpful to follow the order of paragraphs in which the subjects appear, so that users can more easily locate the occurrence of a particular subject in the resolution.

Assign the corporate name heading (tag 710) for the body that adopted the resolution or decision, including its sessional and year qualifiers.

Example 1: Security Council resolution 1723 (2006) [on extension of the mandate of the Multinational Force in Iraq] (S/RES/1723(2006))

089 $b B01
610 2 7 $a Multinational Force in Iraq
610 2 7 $a Development Fund for Iraq
610 2 7 $a Development Fund for Iraq. International Advisory and Monitoring Board
650 1 7 $a PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
650 1 7 $a INTERNAL SECURITY
650 1 7 $a PETROLEUM REVENUES
650 1 7 $a IRAQ
650 1 7 $a IRAQ SITUATION
650 2 7 $a FUNDS
650 2 7 $a PERIODIC REPORTS
650 2 7 $a UNITED STATES
710 2 _ $a UN. Security Council (61st year : 2006)

Example 2: Decision entitled “Evaluation of the regional cooperation framework for the Arab States, 2002-2005” (DP/DEC/2005/35)

089 $b B01
610 2 7 $a UNDP $g Programme management
650 1 7 $a REGIONAL PROGRAMMES
650 1 7 $a DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
650 1 7 $a ARAB COUNTRIES
650 1 7 $a PROGRAMME EVALUATION
650 2 7 $a PROJECT FINANCE
710 2 _ $a UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board (2005, 2nd sess. : New York)

Bear in mind that resolutions adopted by non-UN bodies are assigned Content Code A08, not B01.

If the main subject of a resolution/decision is a named working group, group of experts, trust fund, special rapporteur, declaration, treaty, set of guidelines, international year, etc., assign a primary subject term for the type of entity (WORKING GROUPS, GROUPS OF EXPERTS, TRUST FUNDS, SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS, DECLARATIONS, TREATIES, GUIDELINES, INTERNATIONAL YEARS, etc.) in addition to the main topical subject term(s) and assign the appropriate corporate, conference or title subject heading (tag 610, 611 or 630). 

Example:

089 $b B01
191 $a E/RES/2001/45
245 1 0 $a Restructuring and revitalization of the Group of Experts on the United Nations Programme in Public Administration and Finance
610 2 7 $a UN. Group of Experts on Public Administration and Finance
610 2 7 $a UN. Economic and Social Council. Committee of Experts on Public Administration
650 1 7 $a PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
650 1 7 $a GROUPS OF EXPERTS

When selecting subject terms for resolutions and decisions, indexers should be alert for the following:

a) New UN groups, conferences, experts, funds, etc., mandated or established by resolutions/decisions

Subject terms are assigned for the main topic(s) in the mandate, as well as a subject term for the type of entity (CONFERENCES, GROUPS OF EXPERTS, TRUST FUNDS, SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES, WORKING GROUPS, etc.).

If a name authority record already exists for the entity, but with the qualifier (Proposed) or in variant wording, the authority record should be updated accordingly, or a new authority record should be created if none exists.

A corporate or conference subject heading is added (tag 610 or 611) with the coordinating term Establishment in subfield $g.
If terms of reference are included, a corporate or conference name subject heading is added with the coordinating term Terms of reference in subfield $g.

Resolutions/decisions containing terms of reference are assigned Content Code B10 in addition to code B01.

b) New concepts in thematic resolutions/decisions

Often, resolutions and decisions on specific thematic topics are very similar from year to year, and existing UNBIS Thesaurus terms are adequate. However, indexers should be alert for new themes of study or new areas of concern that may require proposing new UNBIS Thesaurus terms.

Example: Resolution mandating a new study on a specific concept for which no UNBIS Thesaurus term existed; a new Thesaurus term RIGHT TO THE TRUTH was proposed and subsequently adopted

191 $a E/CN.4/RES/2005/66
245 1 0 $a Right to the truth
650 1 7 $a RIGHT TO THE TRUTH


c) Groups, bodies, funds, etc., that are abolished by resolutions/decisions

A corporate or conference subject heading is added (tag 610 or 611) with the coordinating term Dissolution in subfield $g.

d) Declarations, treaties, guidelines and other instruments that are adopted by resolutions or decisions

Subject terms are assigned for the main topic(s) of the instrument, as well as a subject term for the type of instrument (DECLARATIONS, TREATIES, CODES OF CONDUCT, PRINCIPLES, GUIDELINES, etc.).

If a name authority record already exists for the instrument, but with the qualifier (Proposed) or (Draft) or in variant wording, the authority record should be updated accordingly, or a new authority record should be created if none exists.

Resolutions/decisions containing text of an adopted instrument are assigned the appropriate Content Code for the type of instrument (A08, A19, A20) in addition to code B01.
The authorized title of the instrument is assigned in tags 630 and 730.

Resolutions/decisions containing text of adopted declarations or treaties are assigned the subject terms DECLARATIONS (TEXT) or TREATIES (TEXT).

e) Changes from text of the draft resolutions and decisions

Generally, the indexer assigns the same subject terms to an adopted resolution that were assigned to the draft resolution, except for the coordinating terms Establishment and Dissolution which are assigned only to adopted resolutions/decisions, and except for name authority-controlled corporate, conference or title subjects that existed as proposed or draft versions when the draft resolution was indexed.

Usually when changes are made to the text of draft resolutions, the draft resolutions are issued as revised documents, and indexers will adjust subject terms accordingly, depending on the changes made. Exceptionally, draft resolutions are not issued as revised documents when there are changes to text; amendments may be adopted verbally in meetings. Therefore indexers should check carefully the text of adopted Resolutions, and not automatically assign the same subjects that were assigned to draft resolutions.

f) Voting action, vote notes and related documents

Bear in mind that an Action/Vote Date (tag 992), Related Documents (tag 993) and Vote Note (tag 996) should be assigned to each record for an adopted resolution or decision, and that a reciprocal Related Documents tag 993 should be added to the record for the corresponding draft resolution or decision.
Refer to the UNBIS Reference Manual for Bibliographic Description for guidelines on tags 992, 993 and 996.

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Compilations of resolutions/decisions

If the document is a compilation of adopted UN resolutions/decisions that are indexed as individual analytic records, instead of assigning the Content code B01 (UN Resolutions and decisions), assign the Content code B19 (Miscellaneous) or another code or codes, if applicable, and add a 610 or 611 corporate or conference subject with the name of the adopting body or conference in subfield $a and the modifying term Resolutions and decisions in subfield $g. Assign the name entry for the body or conference in tag 710 or 711. Do not assign subject terms for the resolutions and decisions in the compilation if they are indexed as individual analytic records.

Note: Individual analytic records should be created for all numbered resolutions, decisions and agreed conclusions contained in sessional reports of UN bodies, if they are not issued as individual documents.

Example: Document entitled “Resolutions and decisions adopted by the General Assembly during its 60th session. Volume 1, Resolutions, 13 September–23 December 2005)” (A/60/49(Vol.I)) ; the individual resolutions have been indexed as separate analytic records.

089 $b B19
610 2 7 $a UN. General Assembly (60th sess. : 2005-2006) $g Resolutions and decisions
710 2 _ $a UN. General Assembly (60th sess. : 2005-2006)

If the document is a compilation of adopted UN resolutions/decisions that are not indexed as individual analytic records, assign the Content Code B01 (UN resolutions and decisions) and any other applicable codes, and add a 610 or 611 corporate or conference subject with the name of the adopting body or conference in subfield $a and the modifying term Resolutions and decisions in subfield $g. Assign the name entry for the body or conference in tag 710 or 711. In addition to primary subject terms for the overall main subject(s), assign secondary subject terms to cover the main topics of the resolutions and decisions in the compilation.

Example: Publication entitled "Compilation of the decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd meetings" ; the individual decisions are not indexed as separate analytic records.

089 $b B01
089 $b A08
089 $b B10
611 2 7 $a Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (1st : 2005 : Punta del Este, Uruguay) $g Resolutions and decisions
611 2 7 $a Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2nd : 2006 : Geneva) $g Resolutions and decisions
611 2 7 $a Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (3rd : 2007 : Dakar) $g Resolutions and decisions
711 2 _ $a Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (1st : 2005 : Punta del Este, Uruguay)
711 2 _ $a Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2nd : 2006 : Geneva)
711 2 _ $a Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (3rd : 2007 : Dakar)

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Single resolutions/decisions transmitted in documents

If a document transmits the full text of a single adopted resolution or decision that has been indexed separately as a resolution/decision with the Content Code B01, and the document chiefly consists of the resolution or decision, add a 610 or 611 corporate or conference subject with the name of the adopting body or conference in subfield $a and the modifying term Resolutions and decisions in subfield $g. Assign primary subject terms for the main topic of the resolution or decision. Assign the name entry for the body or conference in tag 710 or 711. Do not assign Content Code B01.

Example:
089 $b B19
245 $a Fifteenth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights : $b note / $c by the Secretary-General
500 $a Transmits General Assembly resolution 1775(XVII) adopted on 7 Dec. 1962.
610 2 7 $a UN. General Assembly (17th sess. : 1962) $g Resolutions and decisions
630 0 7 $a Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
650 1 7 $a HUMAN RIGHTS
650 1 7 $a DECLARATIONS
650 1 7 $a ANNIVERSARIES
710 2 _ UN. Secretary-General
710 2 _ UN. General Assembly (17th sess. : 1962)

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Resolutions/decisions in annual or sessional reports

If the document containing adopted resolutions/decisions is a report or draft report of a UN body or conference, and it does not consist only of the resolutions/decisions, assign the appropriate Content Code for the report (B04, A16 or B08) and a tag 610 or 611 corporate or conference subject with the name of the adopting body or conference in $a and the modifying term Resolutions and decisions in subfield $g. Assign subjects for the report, but not for the resolutions/decisions.

If the resolutions and decisions compiled in the report are sequentially numbered and they are not issued as individual documents, they are indexed analytically as monographic component part records (tag 000 position 7 = a). Each resolution and decision is assigned a document symbol in tag 191 consisting of the series symbol of the issuing body, the acronym RES or DEC, and the number of the resolution/decision.

Example 1: Sessional report of the Human Rights Council containing sequentially numbered resolutions and decisions adopted at the session (A/HRC/4/123). Subjects are assigned for the report, but not for the resolutions/decisions in the report; the individual resolutions/decisions are indexed analytically as monographic component part records.

191 $a A/HRC/4/123
089 $b B04
245 1 0 $a Report to the General Assembly on the 4th session of the Human Rights Council
505 $a Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Council at its 4th session – Adoption of the agenda and organization of the work of the session – Implementation of General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 entitled “Human Rights Council – Annexes: 1. Addenda – 2. Estimated administrative and programme budget implications of Council resolutions and decisions – 3. List of attendance – 4. List of documents issued for the 4th session of the Council.
610 2 7 $a UN. Human Rights Council (4th sess. : 2007 : Geneva)
610 2 7 $a UN. Human Rights Council (4th sess. : 2007 : Geneva) $g Resolutions and decisions
610 2 7 $a UN. Human Rights Council. Group of Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Darfur $g Financial implications
610 2 7 $a UN. Human Rights Council. High-level Task Force on Implementation of the Right to Development $g Financial implications
650 1 7 $a HUMAN RIGHTS
650 2 7 $a INSTITUTIONAL MACHINERY
650 2 7 $a SPECIAL PROCEDURES
650 2 7 $a DOCUMENTS

Example 2: A resolution analyzed as a monographic component part in the above Report

191 $a A/HRC/RES/4/3
089 $b B01
245 1 0 $a Intergovernmental Working Group on the Review of Mandates
580 $a In: Report to the General Assembly on the 4th session of the Human Rights Council. – A/HRC/4/123. – 12 June 2007. – p. 10-11.
610 2 7 $a UN. Human Rights Council. Intergovernmental Working Group on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of General Assembly Resolution 60/251
610 2 7 $a UN. Human Rights Council (5th sess. : 2007 : Geneva)
630 0 7 $a Manual for Special Rapporteurs/Representatives/Experts and Chairpersons of Working Groups of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council and of the Advisory Services Programme
630 0 7 $a Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate-holders of the Human Rights Council (2007)
650 1 7 $a HUMAN RIGHTS
650 1 7 $a SPECIAL PROCEDURES
650 1 7 $a WORKING GROUPS
650 1 7 $a MANUALS
650 1 7 $a CODES OF CONDUCT

If a resolution is divided into several parts, each part in addition to the main text should be indexed separately as analytical records.

Example 1: Resolution entitled “Questions relating to information”

(A/RES/61/121A-B)
A/RES/61/121A-B: should include subject headings for entire text.
A/RES/61/121[A]: should include subject headings for part A.
A/RES/61/121[B]: should include subject headings for part B.
[The following three separate records are indexed]

Example 2:

A/RES/60/121 (issued on the 8th of Feb. 2006)
A/RES/60/121B (issued on the 18th of Oct. 2006)
[with a note in the official document “Resolution 60/121..... becomes resolution 60/121 A”.]

A/RES/60/121
A/RES/60/121A
[The main document symbol (subfield $a of tag 191) changes to A /RES/60/121A and the previous document symbol A/RES/60/121 goes to subfield $z of tag 191 (alternate symbol). Also, tag 500 note “Symbol on document A/RES/60/121” is added.]
A/RES/60/121B
[The following three records are searchable]

Agreed conclusions adopted by the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board are included in sessional reports of the Trade and Development Board in the same numerical sequence as the Board’s resolutions and decisions. They are indexed analytically like resolutions and decisions; the acronym AGC precedes the number in the document symbol assigned to the analytic records for agreed conclusions, and Content Code B01 is assigned.

Example: Analytic record for an agreed conclusion of the Trade and Development Board contained in the report of the Board on its resumed 52nd session TD/B/52/10(Vol.I)/Add.1)

089 $b B01
191 $a TD/B/AGC/484(LII)
245 1 0 $a Economic development in Africa : $b the role of foreign direct investment in growth and development : agreed conclusions 484(LII)
580 $a In: Report of the Trade and Development Board on its resumed 52nd session, held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on 7 November 2005. Volume 1, Report to the United Nations General Assembly. – TD/B/52/10(Vol.I)/Add.1. – 9 Nov. 2005. – p. 4-6.
610 2 7 $a New Partnership for Africa’s Development
610 2 7 $a UNCTAD
611 2 7 $a South Summit (2005 : Doha)
630 0 7 $a Millennium Development Goals
630 0 7 $a Doha Plan of Action (2005)
650 1 7 $a ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
650 1 7 $a FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
650 1 7 $a DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
650 1 7 $a AFRICA
650 2 7 $a DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
650 2 7 $a DEVELOPMENT FINANCE
650 2 7 $a INVESTMENT PROMOTION

If resolutions and decisions contained in a report do not bear sequential numbering and are not indexed as individual analytic records, indexers should assign subject terms for the main subjects of the resolutions and decisions in addition to the subject terms assigned for the report.

Example: Sessional report of the Executive Committee of the UNHCR Programme containing unnumbered decisions adopted at the session (A/AC.96/1035). Subject terms are assigned not only for the report, but also for the decisions in the report, since the individual decisions are not indexed analytically as monographic component part records. Subject terms are assigned in the order in which the decisions appear in the report

089 $b B04
089 $b B01
245 1 0 $a Report of the 57th session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme
505 $a Work of the 57th session – Conclusions and decisions of the Executive Committee: A. Conclusion on women and girls at risk -- B. Conclusion on identification, prevention and reduction of statelessness and protection of stateless persons -- C. General decision on administrative, financial and programme matters – D. Decision on the programme of work of the Standing Committee in 2007 -- E. Decision on the provisional agenda of the 58th session of the Executive Committee -- F. Decision on observer participation in 2006-2007 -- Annexes: 1. Decisions adopted by the Standing Committee in 2006 -- 2. Chairman’s summary of the general debate.
610 2 7 $a UN. Executive Committee of the UNHCR Programme (57th sess. : 2006 : Geneva)
610 2 7 $a UN. Executive Committee of the UNHCR Programme (57th sess. : 2006 : Geneva) $g Resolutions and decisions
610 2 7 $a UNHCR $g Programme management
610 2 7 $a UNHCR $g Financing
610 2 7 $a UNHCR $g Budget (2007)
610 2 7 $a UNHCR $g Administration
610 2 7 $a UN. Executive Committee of the UNHCR Programme. Standing Committee $g Work programme (2007)
610 2 7 $a UN. Executive Committee of the UNHCR Programme $g Participants
610 2 7 $a UN. Executive Committee of the UNHCR Programme (58th sess. : 2007 : Geneva) $g Agenda
610 2 7 $a UN. Executive Committee of the UNHCR Programme. Standing Committee $g Resolutions and decisions
650 1 7 $a REFUGEE ASSISTANCE
650 1 7 $a REFUGEE PROTECTION
650 1 7 $a DISPLACED PERSONS
650 1 7 $a HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
650 1 7 $a PROGRAMME BUDGETING
650 2 7 $a WOMEN REFUGEES
650 2 7 $a GIRLS
650 2 7 $a STATELESSNESS
650 2 7 $a OBSERVER STATUS

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Sponsors of draft resolutions/decisions

In case of a UN draft resolution or decision (089 Content Code B02), sponsored by a UN Member State on behalf of a non-UN intergovernmental organization, only the UN Member State is assigned in tag 710, not the intergovernmental organization. Non-UN intergovernmental organizations having consultative status with the UN that may appear in statements of responsibility (245 $c) but are not assigned in tag 710 include the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the League of Arab States.

However, when a UN draft resolution/decision is sponsored by a UN Member State on behalf of a grouping of UN Member States that have grouped together as a means for countries to articulate and promote their collective interests and enhance their joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic and social issues within the UN system, both the UN Member State and the UN country grouping are assigned in tag 710. Examples of such country groupings within the UN system are the regional groups of States (Group of African States, etc.), so-called "Like-minded groups", and the Group of 77.

Examples:

089 $b B02
191 $a A/HRC/2/L.45
245 10 $a Situation of human rights in Darfur : $b draft decision / $c Finland (on behalf of the European Union)
710 2_ $a Finland

089 $b B02
191 $a A/C.3/62/L.28
245 10 $a International Year of Human Rights Learning : $b draft resolution / $c Benin [on behalf of the Group of African States]
710 2_ $a Benin
710 2_ $a UN. Group of African States
[information about the intergovernmental organization appears at the bottom of the page, therefore it can be picked up in tag 245 between square brackets]

But:

245 10 $a Jerusalem : $b draft resolution / $c Algeria, [...], Yemen, Zimbabwe and Palestine
710 2_ $a Algeria
[...]
710 2_ $a Yemen
710 2_ $a Zimbabwe
710 2_ $a Palestine
[Palestine is assigned in tag 710, since it has received a standing invitation to participate as observer in the session and the work of the General Assembly]

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Last updated: 16 October 2009