Delivered to the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council - Interactive Dialogue with the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children.

This statement highlights the psychological and mental violence experienced by children when their parents are sentenced to death or executed. These children have been invisible in statistics, policies and programmes. The statement provides examples of the welcome increasing attention in the UN to the situation and rights of these children. FWCC (Quakers) recommends that much more is done to understand how and why these children are exposed to violence and to undertake actions that can lead to their effective protection.

To view a video recording of the oral statement by QUNO's Rachel Brett, click here.

See also:

• Written statement to the Human Rights Council 25th session: "Children of parents sentenced to death or executed: UN developments since the HRC Panel.”
• Children of Parents Sentenced to Death or Executed: How are they affected? How can they be supported
• Lightening the Load of the Parental Death Sentence on Children
• Briefing Paper: Children of Parents Sentenced to Death
• Report: Children of Parents Sentenced to Death

How can policy makers, managers and practitioners best plan in the face of complexity? Does complexity make planning an irrelevant exercise? This background note is a guide, elaborating how planning and strategy development can be carried out despite complexity.

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights call for businesses to meaningfully engage with groups who will be affected by their business activities. Businesses are increasingly aware of the importance of engaging with local communities throughout the process of a business activity, starting at the planning stages of a project. Civil society groups are advocating a shift from community ‘consultation’ to more meaningful models of community participation in planning and decision making. These approaches are particularly important in projects that affect local access to, and control of, natural resources such as land, water and food.

The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) is working with others to explore the purpose, structure and direction of the governance of trade and investment in agriculture. To do this, we are stepping back from international negotiations relating to trade and investment in agriculture and asking questions about what an ideal framework to govern trade and investment in agriculture should look like. This document outlines QUNO's NFTIA vision.

A briefing paper on food, biological diversity and intellectual property for the October 2013 UPOV sessions. It urges delegates to carefully consider their countries' objectives and realities in the area of agriculture when discussing the draft Explanatory Note on the definition of 'breeder' in the UPOV Council and Committee, particularly in relation to the role that smallholder farmers play in plant breeding.

In this written statement by Friends World Committee for Consultation, Quakers welcome the growing recognition of the right to conscientious objection to military service, highlight a number of good practices, and again call on states to “fully implement the right of conscientious objection to military service in law and practice”.

Water and land are two of the key natural resources that shape billions of peoples’ livelihoods, food security, wellbeing and identity. Developing management of water, land and food that is equitable and peaceful is an increasingly challenging task due to a multitude of factors – such as resource degradation, population growth and violent conflict – that can fuel tensions and exacerbate vulnerabilities around natural resources. Increasing climate uncertainties now lend an additional urgency to the need to develop appropriate policy and practice at international, national and local levels.

This document highlights the experiences of children with a parent(s) accused of a capital crime. From the point of arrest, to sentencing, to release or execution of the sentence, the study points out the devastating effects on these children’s physical and mental well-being. Unfortunately, these consequences are not paid much attention in criminal justice systems. The study concludes with recommendations for States.

See also

• Lightening the Load of the Parental Death Sentence on Children
• Briefing Paper: Children of Parents Sentenced to Death
• Report: Children of Parents Sentenced to Death

Remarks given by QUNO New York to a meeting of the Security Council Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa on the topic of the role of Governance and Institution-Building in Conflict Prevention.