Research Guides: UN Security Council Documentation: Introduction

UN Documentation Research Guides

Delegates voting with raised hands around the circular table in the Security Council.

Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 2651 (2022) extending the mandate of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) until 17 September 2023. September 2022. UN Photo UN7949064.

A wide view of the Security Council meeting on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.

Security Council meets on maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine. July 2022. UN Photo UN7945666.

A view of Albana Dautllari speaking at a Security Council meeting.

Albana Dautllari, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Albania to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of June, chairs the Security Council meeting on the situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo. June 2022. UN Photo UN7942163.

Security Council Documentation

UN Digital Library collection: Security Council

The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Chapters V-VII, Articles 23-54, of the UN Charter concern the Security Council.

The Security Council has 15 members:

Five permanent members with veto power:
- China
- France
- Russian Federation
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United States of America
Ten non-permanent members, five of which are elected each year by the General Assembly for a two-year term.

The Security Council does not meet seasonally but stands ready to convene at any time as the need arises.

The Provisional Rules of Procedure of the Security Council are contained in document S/96/Rev.7 (Sales number 83.I.4).

Background information about the work of the Council can be retrieved from the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council as well as from the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs.

The basic format for the symbols of Security Council documents is:

S/year/sequential number:
- Example: S/2012/33
From 1946 to 1993, the format was S/sequential number:
- Example: S/24111

All plenary documents of the Security Council, 1946-present, are available online.

Key UN Charter Provisions Related to the Security Council

Chapter V : Articles 23-32 : The Security Council

Article 23 : Composition
Article 24-26 : Functions and Powers
Article 27 : Voting
Articles 28-32 : Procedure

Chapter VI : Articles 33-38 : Pacific Settlement of Disputes

Chapter VII : Articles 39-51: Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression

Article 41 : concerns "measures not involving the use of armed force"
Article 51 : concerns "the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence"

Chapter VIII : Articles 52-54 : Regional Arrangements

Charter of the United Nations website The Charter of the United Nations on the UN website, organized by chapter, with an introduction that explains the amendments to the text. Links to the text of the Charter in other official UN languages.
Provisional Rules of Procedure of the Security Council website UN website,with text of latest revision of the Provisional Rules.
Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council Provides comprehensive coverage of the Security Council’s interpretation and application of the United Nations Charter and its own Provisional Rules of Procedure since 1946.
Search for the Provisional Rules of Procedure of the Security Council Search for documentsymbol:"S/96" AND subject:rules in the UN Digital Library, returns revisions of the Provisional Rules of Procedure of the Security Council