Geneva

October 2022

Quaker Statement on the Peace Testimony and Ukraine

Quakers are a people who follow after peace, love and unity. Our peace testimony is our witness to the Truth as we experience it. 

Our testimony manifests as a cumulative set of actions, continually tested and added to over centuries.  These actions are diverse in form, but have been broadly united by: 1) Refusal to kill, 2) Relief of suffering, 3) Building the institutions of peace, and 4) Supporting peacebuilding and removing the causes of war. 

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October 2022

Financing Climate Solutions via Sovereign Debt Reduction: A webinar raising awareness on a key issue for COP27

On 25 October 2022, QUNO and the Catholic Climate Covenant co-hosted a webinar on sovereign debt reduction. COP27 is promising to be heavily focused on concerns about financing climate change mitigation and adaptation. Sovereign debt reduction is increasingly being spoken about as a "solution" to climate financing. Experts spoke on important questions that must be considered when discussing this subject.

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September 2022

QUNO delivers intervention at the 57th session of the IPCC

QUNO attended the 57th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which met from 27-30 September, in Geneva.  Climate scientists and Government Representatives discussed the organization’s budget and work programme, and complications due to the delayed production of the 6th Assessment Synthesis Report and elections of a new IPCC Chair.

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September 2022

Our latest Geneva Reporter newsletter is now available online

QUNO's September 2022 issue of the Geneva Reporter newsletter is available below. This issue includes a welcome letter from our Director Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, reporting on the International Migration Review Forum as well as updates from our programmes Peace and Disarmament (P&D), Human Impacts of Climate Change (HICC) and Sustainable and Just Economic Systems (SJES).

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September 2022

Building Toward Migration Justice with all the Tools in the Toolbox: Complementarity Between the Global Compact for Migration and the Convention on Migrant Workers

On 27 September, speaking at the Committee on Migrant Workers Day of General Discussion on the convergence between the Global Compact for Migration and the Convention on Migrant Workers, our Human Rights and Refugees Representative, Laurel Townhead, highlighted the value of using the respective strengths of these instruments and their follow up mechanisms. Laurel said: 

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August 2022

Submission to the Human Rights Advisory Committee on human rights abuse concerns related to geo and climate engineering technologies

The following brief was submitted to the Human Rights Advisory Committee in response to a questionnaire on the impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights. The submission outlines the human rights abuse concerns linked to geo and climate engineering technologies and includes detailed references to findings from the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) AR6 Report.

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August 2022

Brief analysis of the International Migration Review Forum Progress Declaration

The International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) Progress Declaration was adopted by consensus on 20 May 2022. It was then endorsed by the UN General Assembly by consensus. This consensus adoption demonstrates a significant maturing in migration multilateralism in the UN grounded in human rights.  There were a series of Explanations of Position at the time of the adoption including from Members States that made clear that they wanted more from the Progress Declaration in terms of human rights.

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June 2022

QUNO's presence at the June Climate Meetings in Bonn

The first in-person climate negotiations this year – and the precursor to COP27 in Egypt - took place in Bonn from 6th June to 16th June. QUNO’s Human Impacts of Climate Change programme was present as part of the RINGO constituency, joining the two-week meeting of Member States and representatives of civil society, Indigenous Peoples, business, and youth from around the world.

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May 2022

QUNO joins talk on "How are Quakers supporting climate action at the UN?"

QUNO's Representative for Human Impacts of Climate Change, Lindsey Fielder Cook, gave a presentation on Quaker work at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), hosted by the world Quaker body Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC). In her talk, Lindsey explained the work of the IPCC and how Quakers participate in the negotiations.

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May 2022

QUNO Geneva speaks at “Building the Bridge: Virtual Launch Event for UNIDIR’s Arms-Related Risk Analysis Toolkit”

On 5th May 2022, QUNO Geneva’s Representative for Peace and Disarmament, Florence Foster, was an expert speaker at the virtual launch of UNIDIR’s Arms-Related Risk Analysis Toolkit. The Toolkit is designed to guide efforts to integrate conventional arms and ammunition-related risks into conflict analysis and conflict prevention, management, and resolution efforts.

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April 2022

QUNO delivers interventions at the 56th session of the IPCC

QUNO, speaking as the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), made 35 oral interventions and 11 written submissions at the 56th session of the IPCC, which can be read here.  From 21 March to 4 April, government delegations and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) met virtually to approve the Summary for Policy Makers (SPM) of the Climate Change 2022: Mitigation. The

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March 2022

The Crisis in Ukraine: A Brief UN Overview

Dear Friends,

Like us, you have undoubtedly been watching in horror the unfolding events in Ukraine. When we accepted responsibilities as the Directors of the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in Geneva and New York this past November, the possibility of such a war was little imagined by us or by the millions of people in Ukraine and Russia. We pray for Friends in Ukraine and Russia, and all impacted by this conflict. We are deeply grateful to hear of the efforts being carried out by Friends in Poland, Estonia and Georgia to provide much needed humanitarian relief.

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March 2022

The Crisis in Ukraine: A brief UN overview

Following weeks of speculation and intelligence reports, the Russian government initiated new military operations in Ukraine beginning on 24 February. This military attack has had immediate far-reaching impacts, sparked a massive humanitarian crisis, and raised serious concern about potential ecological damage. On the global stage, a range of actions have been taken in response, including measures within the United Nations (UN).

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March 2022

QUNO's Interventions at IPCC 55th Session - Impacts , Adaptation, and Vulnerability

The Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva, under the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), is the only accredited faith-based observer organisation actively engaged at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  From 14-27 February, the IPCC held an intergovernmental meeting to finalise a Summary for Policy Makers (SPM) of its report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.

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March 2022

QUNO welcomes OHCHRs report on the ‘Impact of the civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms by children and youth’ – HRC49

QUNO’s director in Geneva, Nozizwe MADLALA ROUTLEDGE, took the floor at the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council to emphasize that arms proliferation in society contributes to its increased militarisation, legitimizing and perpetuating the use of violence.

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March 2022

QUNO welcomes OHCHRs report on delivery and financing of capacity building, technical assistance and prevention – HRC49

Florence Foster, Representative for Peace and Disarmament, delivered a statement at the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council to welcome the OHCHR report 49/68 on [...] technical assistance and capacity-building that support the implementation by States of their international human rights obligations and commitments’ pursuant to the so called ‘prevention’ resolution 45/31.

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March 2022

QUNO Delivers Statement at an informal discussion with stakeholders engaged in the work of the Informal Dialogue on Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP).

Acknowledging the strong momentum and action around issues of plastics pollution and marine plastics litter, QUNO participated in an informal discussion with stakeholders engaged in the work of the WTO's Informal Dialogue on Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP). The meeting was convened by the IDP co-coordinators, and facilitated by Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs.

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March 2022

Quaker Work on International Conciliation

The Quaker United Nations Office was invited to take part in an intergenerational discussion in September 2019, at which experienced conciliators and younger peace activists came together to share learning and consider how to take the work forward with renewed energy. A taster of who was at the event can be found in this video.

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