Relevant materials can include treaties and international tribunal decisions, national constitutions and legislation, “soft law” materials such as United Nations resolutions and nongovernmental organization reports, and statistical data and news items. Documents can be voluminous and poorly organized, and may be issued by numerous different organizations around the world, some with insufficient recordkeeping and reporting mechanisms.
It is common to find the process confusing and even frustrating at times! For this reason, it’s very useful to have a clear research strategy before you begin. If you start by mapping out what information you need to answer your research question, and where and how you might be able to find that information, you can avoid wasting time and feeling lost.
Once you have a research plan in place, the resources listed in this guide are good tools for finding human rights law and reporting. If you can't find what you need through these resources, or would like additional guidance on the research process, feel free to email Gabriela Femenia, Foreign and International Librarian, at any point in your research.
If you are new to international human rights law and practice, start with one of these introductory treatises. Many more can be found by searching Biddle Law Library's catalog, LOLA.
International Human Rights in a Nutshell by 
Human Rights in the Administration of Justice by 
Contemporary Human Rights Ideas by 
The Oxford Handbook of International Human Rights Law by 
Basic Documents on Human Rights by 