Timeline

Past Work

These are topics and issues that were major QUNO projects in the past. For the most part, these projects are no longer active because our work in these areas resulted in the issues being addressed and recognized in the larger UN community.
May 2025

QUNO’s Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur’s Report on Intersectionality from a Racial Justice Perspective

QUNO’s Human Rights and Refugees (HRR) programme recently provided a submission in response to a call for input by the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism on the topic of intersectionality from a racial justice perspective.

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May 2025

QUNO’s Recent Work on Conscientious Objection to Military Service: Submission to OHCHR and UPR49 Recommendations

We mark International Conscientious Objector’s Day on 15 May 2025 in a context of increasing militarisation. Against this backdrop QUNO continues to work to uphold the rights of all whose conscience calls them to refuse military service.

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March 2025

QUNO Geneva Peace & Disarmament Programme at the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council

QUNO Geneva’s Peace and Disarmament programme delivered a statement during the General Debate on Agenda Item 3 at the 58th session of the Human Rights Council to welcome OHCHR’s most recent report on the negative human rights impacts of arms transfers (A/HRC/58/41). The statement was delivered by Yvette Issar, Peace and Disarmament Programme Consultant.

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March 2025

HICC statements at the Human Rights Council

QUNO’s Human Impacts of Climate Change Program (HICC) participated in the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council, delivering two statements addressing climate justice and human rights. Both statements were given on behalf of the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) and in collaboration with Soka Gakkai International (SGI).

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March 2025

Highlighting human rights of migrants at the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council

QUNO Geneva engaged with the 58th session of the Human Rights Council with particular attention to the human rights impacts of the climate crisis, the right to conscientious objection to military service, the human rights impacts of arms transfers, and the primary focus of the Human Rights and refugees Programme: human rights of migrants.

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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

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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October 2022

Transformation for Racial Justice: Nothing can be changed until it is faced

On 3 October, QUNO Geneva engaged with the work of the Human Rights Council on systemic racism.

Speaking in the first dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on Law Enforcement and Racism, Director Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge drew on her own experience of police violence in apartheid South Africa. Welcoming the work of the Expert Mechanism and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nozizwe went on to say:

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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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October 2021

QUNO Geneva presents its statement at the 48th Human Rights Council Session, calling for action on environmental injustice, the climate crisis, and highlighting inequalities for people of African descent

 

Building on the high emphasis of climate change on the High Commissioner's opening address to the 48th Human Rights Council (HRC) session, QUNO Geneva addressed the HRC under Item 9, addressing racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related forms of intolerance; and follow-up to and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

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September 2021

QUNO Geneva presents its statement at the 48th Human Rights Council Session encouraging further exchange between the Peacebuilding Commission Chair and the Human Rights Council

QUNO Geneva addressed the Human Rights Council (HRC) under Item 3 regarding the follow-up to resolutions on the contribution of the HRC to the prevention of human rights violations (HRC 38/18 and HRC 45/31).

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March 2021

Statement on hate speech and minorities at the Human Rights Council

In line with our continued efforts to strengthen the human rights of migrants, QUNO delivered an oral statement at the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council as part of the interactive dialogue with the  Special Rapporteur on minority issues. (Full statement available below)

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March 2021

The Right to a Healthy Environment at the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council

Efforts to establish a universal human right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment continue at the Human Rights Council. 

On 10th March, at the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council, QUNO's Human Impacts of Climate Change programme endorsed a joint statement by the Right to a Healthy Environment Campaign, under the General Debate on Item 3, calling for the Council to adopt the universal right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

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October 2020

Briefing Paper: Not Forgotten: Human Rights of Migrants at the 45th Session of the Human Rights Council

The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) believes in the inherent worth of every individual and is committed to working for migration justice. This includes the promotion and protection of the human rights of migrants, regardless of migration status. Migration has been an integral component of our societies throughout history; however, migrants continue to face hostility, criminalization and violence which underlines what the High Commissioner of Human Rights has described as a lethal disregard for migrant’s lives.

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October 2020

QUNO delivers oral statement on the human rights of migrants

QUNO works on the human rights of migrants at the international level to promote the protection of human rights of all regardless of migration status. As part of this work, QUNO delivered a statement at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council General Debate on the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. This declaration supports understanding of the human rights of migrants, recognizing and reaffirming the dignity and inherent worth of all.

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March 2018

A new article: Healthy Planet, Healthy People

Writing for the newsletter of New York Yearly Meeting of Quakers, Susan H. Bragdon explains how small-scale farmers are essential to food and nutrition security, climate resilience, rural livelihoods, critical ecosystem services, and the health of the global population. Innovation by small-scale farmers needs to be actively included in conversations about the future of agricultural production. Read the full article at the link below.

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