Timeline

Human Rights & Refugees

We work to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights through the United Nations system, with particular reference to migration and displacement, criminal justice and conscientious objection to military service.
March 2024

QUNO Review 2024

QUNO is proud to announce that the latest version of our annual review is now available online! This is a great opportunity to read and learn more about the work of our New York and Geneva offices during this past year, and to learn about the work ahead.

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February 2024

QUNO steps into 2024 with a firm commitment to migration justice

The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO)’ Human Rights and Refugees Programme bought its commitment to migration justice to the United Nations Network on Migration (UNNM) 5th Annual Meeting in January in Geneva. QUNO engages with these processes to meet with people working on different aspects of migration, strengthen collaboration and promote migration justice.

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December 2023

QUNO marks International Migrants Day with a practical guide to safeguarding human rights

To commemorate International Migrants Day held on 18 December annually, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) is launching a practical guide as part of its Regional Migration Reviews publication series. International Migrants Day acknowledges the important contributions of migrants globally and recognizes the challenges they continue to encounter.

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December 2023

Geneva Reporter newest edition online for download

 

Every few months, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in Geneva publishes the Geneva Reporter newsletter. In this latest December 2023 edition we share updates on our programmes, links to our latest publications and offer a message of hope. 

Geneva Reporter is freely available for download at the link further down on this page. We would appreciate it if you share it with anyone who might be interested in our work at the United Nations. Enjoy reading! 

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December 2023

Quaker United Nations Summer School 2024 - Applications Now Open

Quaker United Nations Summer School 2023 participants at their visit to the United Nations in Geneva; group photo in front of the flags

We are excited to announce the return of the Quaker United Nations Office Geneva’s Summer School (QUNSS)! Our 12-day residential programme takes place from 1-12 July 2024 at the heart of international governance in Geneva, Switzerland. Summer school brings together a diverse group of young individuals to learn about pressing international concerns, develop professional skills, and build a like-minded community.

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November 2023

Empowering Migrants: QUNO offers guidelines on meaningful migrant policy participation

The Global Compact on Migration (GCM) stands as a milestone in global governance of migration as it sets objectives and guiding principles to improve migration management. States committed to people centred migration policy and to developing national implementation plans. As part of the follow up and review process, the GCM’s Regional Reviews are set to begin in 2024, bringing countries together to discuss regional migration dynamics and assess progress towards implementation of the GCM.

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October 2023

The right to conscientious objection to military service: connecting conscientious objectors and the UN

Building on our many decades of work to ensure recognition and implementation of the right to conscientious objection to military service we welcomed the recent Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) workshop on this subject. This brought together stakeholders dedicated to ensuring protection of the right to conscientious objection including UN staff, civil society organizations, former judgers, and conscientious objectors (COs) themselves.

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August 2023

Geneva Reporter newest edition online for download

Every few months, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in Geneva publishes the Geneva Reporter newsletter. In this latest September 2023 edition we share stories about how our staff found their path to Quaker House in Geneva, report on our annual Quaker United Nations Summer School held recently, and have a Q&A with one of our programme assistants who is wrapping up a year of working with our Human Rights & Refugees programme.

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June 2023

Human Rights Council: Special Rappoerteur on Migrants Emphasises need for an International Monitoring Mechanism

On Monday 26 June, QUNO’s Laurel Townhead spoke in the in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur, calling on the Human Rights Council to respond dehumanisation of migrants leading to deaths and grave human rights violations in transit.

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June 2023

Joint call for the UN Human Rights Council to respond to the global pattern of deaths, torture and other grave human rights violations at international borders

As part of our work to end lethal disregard for people on the move, the Human Rights and Refugees Programme has collaborated to draft a joint letter calling on the Human Rights Council to undertake a global investigation into deaths, enforced disappearances, torture and other grave human rights violations faced by people in transit across international borders. Joined by 228 organizations (by 25 June), the letter highlights the global pattern of deaths and grave human rights violations in transit.

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March 2023

QUNO Review 2023

2023 is an opportunity for us to celebrate 75 years of Quaker peace and justice work at the UN. Read our newest QUNO Review to learn more about the work of our New York and Geneva offices during this past year, and to learn about the work ahead.

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March 2023

New Opportunities for Breaking the Barriers of Systemic Racism in Migration Governance

On 29 March, QUNO Geneva engaged with the work of the Human Rights Council on systemic racism. Human Rights and Refugees Programme Assistant, Yasmin Beldjelti, spoke in both the Debate in commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the General Debate Item 9 on Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related forms of intolerance.

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March 2023

Ending lethal disregard for people on the move: working through the UN for migration justice

In line with our prioritisation of ending lethal disregard for people on the move as a core element of achieving migration justice, QUNO Geneva is engaging with both the UN human rights system and the UN migration governance architecture. 

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March 2023

QUNO: 75 Years of a Trusted Presence at the United Nations

This year, 2023, marks 75 years since the Quakers United Nations Office (QUNO) was founded in 1948. QUNO represents Quakers at the United Nations (UN) and related multilateral institutions, such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

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February 2023

Webinar Series on Conscientious Objection to Military Service

The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO), Connection e.V., International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR), and War Resisters’ International (WRI) are pleased to present a new webinar series on conscientious objection to military service in war time. 

The series will include an overview on conscientious objection to military service in war time and webinars each focusing on a particular conflict with the participation of conscientious objectors and campaigners on conscientious objection to military service.

 

This series aims to: 

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January 2023

Quaker United Nations Summer School 2023 - Applications Now Open

We are excited to announce the return of summer school! This year's program will be in person for the first time since 2019. Our 12-day residential programme takes place at the heart of international governance in Geneva, Switzerland.  Summer school together a diverse group of individuals to learn about pressing international concerns, develop professional skills, and build a like-minded community. Participants will be equipped with the skills to think constructively about the value of the multilateral system and international politics while enjoying opportunities to discover Geneva.

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December 2022

The 1st session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

In August 2021, the General Assembly adopted its resolution 75/314, in which it formally operationalized the Permanent Forum as a consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders, as well as an advisory body to the Human Rights Council.  Additionally, the Permanent Forum has been tasked with contributing to the elaboration of a UN declaration on the promotion, protection, and full respect of the human rights of people of African descent.

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December 2022

Briefing paper: Using the Outcomes of the International Migration Review Forum for Migration Justice

The 2022 International Migration Review Forum was the first global reflection by States on the implementation of the GCM so far. While it succeeded in demonstrating a commitment to human rights-based multilateralism on migration within the United Nations, it did not deliver on all the demands and concerns of those working for migration justice. Further work is needed to make the best use of this steppingstone by building on its outcomes, including the progress declaration, national reviews and statements, and pledges. 

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November 2022

Geneva Peace Week 2022 (part 1/3) - QUNO Geneva believes ‘Peace is Possible’ at the Opening Ceremony

The Geneva Peace Week 2022 took place from 31st October to 4th November 2022. It is a leading annual forum in the international peacebuilding calendar where Geneva-based organizations and their international partners come together to share knowledge and practices on a diverse range of topics relating to the promotion of peace across contexts and disciplines. This year’s overarching theme was ‘Peace is Possible’.

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