QUNO

In September the United Nations marked the opening of its landmark 80th session of the General Assembly. As this new chapter began for the organization, the Quaker United Nations Office welcomed new members to our team to take part in the year to come. In both of our offices, QUNO welcomed new Programme Assistants: Daniela Campos and Naya Hassan in Geneva, and Ben Tomas-Morgan and Nina Saaty in New York. 

September 2025 marked the opening of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and highlights the final stretch to achieve the 2030 Agenda. As world leaders convened in New York, QUNO NY joined the Accountability Lab, CIVICUS, the Ford Foundation, Forus, and the Transparency, Accountability & Participation (TAP) Network to co-host “Civic Space Under Threat: An Interactive Workshop on Existential Challenges to Civil Society and Strengthening Resilience” virtually on 25 September.

In a world of accelerating militarization, the act of refusing to fight is bold and powerful. States justify mass conscription in the name of security and those who object are portrayed as traitors. Yet international law is clear: conscientious objection to military service is a protected human right.

QUNO participated in the climate and environmental discussions held in the 60th session Human Rights Council in Geneva. Through its Human Impacts of Climate Change (HICC) programme, QUNO delivered an oral statement on the critical role of human rights in climate action. Additionally, HICC contributed to a discussion on how military activities undermine the right to a healthy environment through their toxic and hazardous impacts.