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Areas of Work

The Quaker United Nations Office is currently focusing on five main areas of work:

• Peacebuilding [New York]

  QUNO seeks to support the work of the UN and member states in peacebuilding by upholding an approach that emphasizes rebuilding relationships at the community and national level through restorative processes including reconciliation and dialogue and the inclusion of civil society.   

• Disarmament & Peace [Geneva]

Since the Quaker UN Offices were established in the early days of the UN, issues concerning the maintenance of peace and security have been at the forefront of our work. Although the particular initiatives have changed over the decades, QUNO continues the struggle to rid the world of weapons and promote the peaceful prevention and resolution of armed conflict. QUNO's work on peacebuilding and disarmament is grounded in the historic Peace Testimony of Friends.

• Human Rights & Refugees (HRR) [Geneva]

QUNO works to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights through the United Nations system, with particular reference to the interface between human rights and armed conflicts, the protection of refugees and other Quaker concerns. The questions of the rights of indigenous peoples, gender, violence against children and the impact of the “war on terror” are included in all programme areas.

• Global Economic Issues (GEI) [Geneva]

  The GEI programme works to encourage processes and outcomes relating to economic development and environmental policy that promote long-term equity, justice and peace, both amongst countries and within countries. The current priorities of the GEI Programme are Food & Sustainability, and Climate Change. Prior to 2008 the GEI programme focused on Lanour Movement and Intellectual Property, mainly in the context of trade policy  Read more about past GEI work

• Prevention of Violent Conflict [New York]

  QUNO seeks to support the UN and UN member states to move away from a culture of crisis management and reaction towards strengthening capacities to prevent violent conflict. Key areas of focus in this work are the inclusion of key relevant stakeholders, and constructive engagement with rising centers of power. QUNO’s current work also includes a focus on the prevention of election-related violence.

Our work priorities are based on the concerns of Quakers worldwide and are determined, in part, by the agendas of the organisations with which QUNO works. Due to limitations on staff time and resources, we cannot cover any more issues than the ones described in this section.