The Insiders' Vault

Open-access Engines That Unlock World-Class Research

Navigating the open web can be overwhelming when writing a research paper. To find the ‘Gold Standard’ evidence you need without wasting hours, simply select your track below: Law, Policy, or International Relations. We haven’t just listed websites; we have curated the specific databases that we, and other elite professionals use to validate their arguments. Look for the ‘JusGov Pro-Tip’ under each resource to learn exactly how to make the best use of an institution’s data and turn raw data into a winning citation for your next paper.

GOALI (ILO & Yale)

Best for: Developing Countries
An initiative by the ILO and Yale Law School specifically designed for researchers in the Global South.
💎 Hidden Gem Eligible institutions in countries like Pakistan or India get free access to top-tier legal journals that usually cost thousands.
Explore

CommonLII

Best for: Commonwealth Law
The central repository for the laws of all Commonwealth nations (UK, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, etc.).
💎 Hidden Gem Instead of searching country by country, perform a comparative case law search across 60 jurisdictions at once.
Explore

WorldLII

Best for: Global Case Law
A free, independent and non-profit global legal research facility. Great for obscure jurisdictions.
💎 Hidden Gem Excellent for finding case law from jurisdictions not covered by paid databases like Westlaw.
Explore

UN Treaty Collection

Best for: International Law
The official repository of every treaty registered with the UN. The primary source for conventions.
💎 Hidden Gem Essential for researchers needing the exact, authentic text of a convention rather than a secondary summary.
Explore

HUDOC

Best for: Human Rights
The official database of the European Court of Human Rights. Access to judgments and decisions.
💎 Hidden Gem The most authoritative source for ECHR communicated cases and legal summaries.
Explore

EUR-Lex

Best for: EU Law
Access to European Union law, including treaties, legal acts, and international agreements.
💎 Hidden Gem Use the "Legislative Procedures" tab to track the exact status of a draft law in real-time.
Explore

Policy Commons

Best for: Grey Literature
The world's largest search engine for reports from NGOs, Think Tanks, and Governments.
💎 Hidden Gem Find the "ground reality" from small local organizations that Google often ignores.
Explore

World Bank Open Data

Best for: Hard Numbers
Massive datasets on development, economy, and society. A key source for economic indicators.
💎 Hidden Gem The best place to find official GDP, Poverty Rates, and Rule of Law Index stats to back up your arguments.
Explore

Harvard Dataverse

Best for: Academic Datasets
An open-source repository for research data from universities worldwide.
💎 Hidden Gem Excellent for finding datasets uploaded by other researchers in Social Sciences and Political Science.
Explore

HDX Data

Best for: Raw Field Data
The Humanitarian Data Exchange. An open platform managed by OCHA (UN) but fed by NGOs.
💎 Hidden Gem Get the actual Excel sheets NGOs use on the ground (e.g., Flood impact) for impact analysis.
Explore

OECD iLibrary

Best for: Hard Data
The online library of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
💎 Hidden Gem Unbeatable for verifying economic and social statistical data for governance papers.
Explore

SSRN

Best for: Pre-prints
Social Science Research Network. Access tomorrow's leading research papers today.
💎 Hidden Gem Read cutting-edge arguments months before they are officially published in journals.
Explore

ACLED Data

Best for: Conflict Tracking
The world's most reliable database for tracking political violence and protests in real-time.
💎 Hidden Gem Allows you to cite specific numbers (e.g., "45 protests in Region X") instead of vague claims.
Explore

Chatham House

Best for: Speeches & Briefs
Publications and speeches from a world-leading think tank on international affairs.
💎 Hidden Gem Excellent for analyzing historical geopolitical trends through their archive.
Explore

UN Data

Best for: Humanitarian Stats
A single entry point for 30+ UN databases including UNESCO, UNICEF, and WHO.
💎 Hidden Gem The most trusted source for education metrics and official refugee data.
Explore

CFR

Best for: Global Affairs
Backgrounders and expert analysis on global affairs from the Council on Foreign Relations.
💎 Hidden Gem Best for understanding the "State of Play" on current conflicts and foreign policy.
Explore

CEOBS

Best for: Envr. Security
Conflict and Environment Observatory. Monitors the environmental impact of war.
💎 Hidden Gem Perfect for original papers crossing Environmental Law with International Security.
Explore

ReliefWeb

Best for: Crisis Situations
The global 24/7 humanitarian information portal providing real-time updates.
💎 Hidden Gem The best source for official "Situation Reports" (SitReps) during crises.
Explore

JusGov Inner Circle. A World of Opportunities.

Unlock lifetime access to exclusive content, private events, and a prestigious global network of professionals at your fingertips.

Learn More