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International Human Rights

A guide to research sources for international human rights law created by John Bolan, Bora Laskin Law Library.

Tips for Finding Travaux Preparatoires

  • Search the catalogue and periodical indexes by combining the phrase “travaux preparatoires” with keywords identifying the instrument, e.g. “Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”. 

 

  • Search the website of any bodies established by the treaty, as well as related UN sites. Both will often contain travaux preparatoires.

 

  • Search the catalogue and periodical indexes for commentaries or analysis on the instrument, as these works will often cite travaux preparatoires as part of their analysis

 

  • If you are unsuccessful in finding any travaux preparatoires using the name of the treaty, find out if there was a conference for negotiation of the instrument, and search using the conference name instead. Sometimes the title of travaux preparatoires publications refers only to the conference name, and not the treaty name.

Search the UofT Catalogue

Guide to Travaux Preparatoires