United Nations and other international organizations

Recent publications selected from those issued or purchased from international governmental organizations (IGOs) this past year reflect many interesting topics and developments. First and foremost was the area of human rights ranging from the compilation of the summary records and documents of the UN Human Rights Committee from 1977 and 1978 to the report of the World Conference on Sanctions against South Africa, public hearings on the activities of transnational corporations in South Africa and Namibia, and the report of the International Conference for Independence of Namibia. The official map of Namibia was issued by the United Nations in 1986. Employment, another area of interest, had reports on indirect remuneration or finge benefits, reduction of working time, workers’ participation in management decisions, collective bargaining, use of quality circles in the service sector, and the effect of micro-electronics on employment. Two major publications by the International Labour Office on job evaluation and management consulting were revised in 1986. An interest in health and safety at the workplace was reflected in documents on the psychological stress at work brought on by automation and rapid industrialization and on the early detection of occupational diseases. Continuing concern for the disabled was shown in publications on the development of statistics for the disabled and on equalization of opportunities. Other documents concentrated on energy conservation, alternative energy sources, and environmental concerns such as environmental effects of automotive transport, hazardous chemicals, noise abatement, and European environmental policy. National security and nuclear weapons policy, the importance of women in development, and new religious movements were other topics of interest. Outstanding bibliographies covered child labor, Indians of South America, and the archival records of the European Coal and Steel Community High Authority in 1952. Also this year the summary report by the International Atomic Energy Agency on the Chernobyl nuclear power accident was published. Another important IGO release in 1986 was UNIFO’s microfiche edition of the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders, Milan, 198.5, which contains basic background documents, the final report of the Congress, and national and regional reports. The price of the microfiche with printed index is $165.00. The International Monetary Fund is now providing a standing order for all publications (except subscriptions) with a 10 percent discount. Items costing $50 and over will not be sent automatically and instead a notice of its publication will be sent. If ordered, the 10 percent discount will still apply. The International Labour Office, Washington Branch, has a new publications newsletter, SPOTLITE on Publications, Vol. 1, No. I, Spring 1987. In addition to listing recent items published in Geneva, usually focusing on one or two topics, the newsletter will also list new titles issued free by the Washington Office. United States distributors for many of the publications cited in the column are European Communities Information Service, 2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 707, Washington, DC 20037; International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank Publications, Department 0552, Washington, DC 20073-0552; International Labour Office, Washington Branch, 1750 New York Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20006; Manhattan Publishing Co., 80 Brook Street, Croton-on-Hudson, New York,