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International Standards on Conscientious Objection to Military Service

12th February 2021

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This updated paper lays out the ways in which conscientious objection has been recognized and is protected under human rights treaties and mechanisms, taking into account developments in international standards that have occurred since 2015. These strengthened standards can be used by frontline organizations as a tool to limit suffering, improve lives and challenge root causes of injustice. 

Areas of work: Conscientious Objection to Military Service
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QUNO Conscientious Objection - International Standards_Revised 2021_FINAL

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The 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review: Progress, Omissions, andย Whatโ€™sย at Stake

The 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review: Progress, Omissions, andย Whatโ€™sย at Stake

The United Nationsโ€™ Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR) takes place every five years, providing UN actors and other stakeholders with an opportunity to review and improve the implementation and impact of the UNโ€™s peacebuilding efforts. The year 2025 marked the fourth review since the creation of the UN peacebuilding architecture, comprised of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), and the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO). This most recent review occurred within a global context of notably pervasive conflict, high military expenditures, widespread political instability, and apprehension towards multilateralism. While the 2025 PBAR was more comprehensive than past PBARs, it also saw unprecedented acts of language dilution and omission, revealing disagreements among member states on key issues.   The 2025 review features changes in language and introduces new provisions that set it apart from earlier reviews. Notable omissions include references to multilateralism, gender, The Pact for the Future, The PBC Action Plan on Youth, and provisions for a PBC annual review of the Security Council agenda. Language on sustained financing for peacebuilding was also omitted. These shifts expose new gaps, making it harder for member states to prioritize these essential areas in the peacebuilding architectureโ€™s objectives and implementation. Simultaneously, the twin […]

Applications Now Open for QUNO New Yorkย Programmeย Assistantsย 

Applications Now Open for QUNO New Yorkย Programmeย Assistantsย 

The Quaker United Nations Office in New York is now acceptingย Programmeย Assistant applications for the 2026-2027 year. This is an exciting opportunity for young professionals to gain experience at the United Nations, and toย bothย learnย aboutย andย contributeย toย Quaker work at the UN. The application is open to both Quakers and those who align with Quaker values. QUNO highly encourages those interested in international affairs, peacebuilding, and quiet diplomacy to apply. The application period closesย Februaryย 16th, 2026.ย ย  Status: Full โ€“ Time, Specific Term (12 months) Beginning September 1, 2026ย Location: New York, NYย Application Deadline:ย February 16th, 2026, 11:59pm Eastern Timeย For consideration, please attach your Cover Letter and Resume to the online application here in addition to answering the Application Questions.

QUNO attends COP30 in Brazil: Report 2 of 2

QUNO attends COP30 in Brazil: Report 2 of 2

QUNO participated in the Conference of the Parties (COP30), held from 9โ€“23 November in Belรฉm, Brazil. Following the first report on QUNOโ€™s activities at COP30 (available here), this second report provides an analysis of key areas of concern as well as positive outcomes observed during the conference. This report explains why COP30 was far from an uneventful COP. Hosted in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, COP30 witnessed a renewed presence of civil society and Indigenous Peoples, intense protests spilling into the venue, and even a fire incident. Within the negotiation rooms, coordinated strategies of denial tried to silence language on fossil fuels, the latest climate science, the major drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, and even the recognition of human rights. However, at COP30, that thick wall of denial began to show cracks, emerging from different negotiation groups. By the end of the conference, participants observed early flowers blooming from these cracks in the form of emerging coalitions bringing together developed, developing, and least developed countries. To read the full report, please download the document below.

Applications are Now Open: Quaker United Nations Summer School 2026

Applications are Now Open: Quaker United Nations Summer School 2026

We are excited to announce that the applications for the Quaker United Nations Office Summer School (QUNSS) 2026 are now open!  QUNSS is a two-week programme where young changemakers are introduced to the United Nations and the vibrant international community in Geneva to deepen their understanding of multilateralism, strengthen their policy, negotiation, and advocacy skills, and connect with a supportive international youth network rooted in Quaker values to promote peace, justice, and the protection of Earth.  This yearโ€™s themed edition will explore todayโ€™s debates on the value and challenges of multilateralism, supporting participants to accurately understand, critically question, and humanize the United Nations.  Over the course of the programme, participants will:  We welcome applications from young people aged 20โ€“26 from all regions and backgrounds who are globally minded, locally rooted, and involved in areas such as social justice, community engagement, climate action, advocacy, or policy, among others.  The deadline for applications is January 25th, 2026 at 23:59 Central European Time (CET).  For the full description of QUNSS 2026, please see the document below. To apply, please accessย this application form.

At a critical moment, Security Council Resolution on Gaza falls short

At a critical moment, Security Council Resolution on Gaza falls short

On Monday, November 17, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2803 (2025) authorizing the creation of an โ€œInternational Stabilization Forceโ€ and a โ€œBoard of Peaceโ€ aimed at addressing the critical security, humanitarian, and reconstruction needs in Gaza. The resolution affirms the importance of enabling humanitarian aid, maintaining a ceasefire, and the goal of working towards โ€œa horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence.โ€ However, QUNO notes with concern the resolutionโ€™s disregard for the consent or agency of Palestinians within the mechanisms proposed by the resolution. Furthermore, the resolution fails to establish clear mechanisms for transparency, accountability, and effective humanitarian aid and reconstruction. Both observers and UN member states have pointed out that the resolutionโ€™s unilateral approach could sideline the United Nations and risk repeating colonial actions and ideologies that lie at the heart of the conflict. ย  At its core, the Security Council resolution gives UN backing to the โ€œComprehensive Peace Plan,โ€ also known as the โ€œ20-point plan,โ€ proposed by US President Donald Trump earlier this year. The United States proposed the resolution and lobbied strenuously to push it through the Security Council on an expedited timeline. The resolution gives a green light to main tenets of the Presidentโ€™s plan, principally, […]

Drawing Hope: Children Reimagining Peace Across Borders

Drawing Hope: Children Reimagining Peace Across Borders

In a world often divided, Drawing Hope is a trans-local peace project that uses children’s art to remind us of our shared humanity. Through artwork created by children, the exhibit sends messages of hope, peace, and reconciliation. After being displayed in venues around the world, Drawing Hope arrived at the United Nations in New York City in early November. QUNO worked closely with the American Friends Service Committee, Okedongmu Children, and the Permanent Mission of Ireland to ensure the exhibit could be displayed inside the UN. From 10 to 21 November, diplomats, UN officials, and guests were able to view drawings created by children in eight countries: North Korea, South Korea, Japan, South Africa, Colombia, Cambodia, Ireland, and the United States. Visitors were inspired by the simple example of children working to connect, transcend barriers, and use creativity to build understanding and empathy across divides. Drawing Hope began on the Korean Peninsula, which in 2025 marks 80 years of division between North and South Korea. Over the past eight decades, cross-border interactions have been strictly prohibited, with both sides dehumanizing the other through propaganda, influencing adults and children alike. As a result, many children grew up surrounded by narratives of […]