Timeline

March 2023

52nd Session of the Human Rights Council – Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment

On the 9th and 10th of March, an Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment was held as part of the 52nd Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.

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March 2023

QUNO NY delivers statement on UN proposal for an Emergency Platform

QUNO New York’s UN Representative, Megan Schmidt, delivered a statement during the virtual multi-stakeholder consultation convened on 16 March by the Permanent Missions of Namibia and Germany. This is the second in a series of discussions that will inform the Summit of the Future in 2024.

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March 2023

Countries adopt landmark treaty to protect the world’s oceans

Late in the evening on 4 March 2023, the United Nations adopted a historic treaty to protect the world’s oceans. The Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, or the BBNJ, reached agreement on what is widely being referred to as the High Seas Treaty. This came after weeks of grueling negotiations that built upon over two decades of talks on the issue.

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April 2023

QUNO NY hosts ‘Youth Impact’ discussion on sidelines of Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and Youth Forum

On April 26, QUNO NY hosted a hybrid side event for the ECOSOC Youth Forum and Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The event titled, ‘Youth Impact: Building Connections to Elevate Action,’ provided a space for youth to come together at Quaker House to share experiences from within their communities as well as challenges they face when engaging with the UN during these forums.

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April 2023

Quaker work at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Away from the buzz of the UN, young Indigenous people gathered at Quaker House under the shade of the gingko tree, finding respite through casual conversation, ceremony, and friendship after two weeks of political dialogues at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), held in New York in April 2023.

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April 2023

Ireland Yearly Meeting 2023 – QUNO Geneva speaks on ‘Preparing for Peace: How can we prepare for peace?’

Florence Foster, Representative for Peace & Disarmament at QUNO Geneva, had the pleasure of joining Irish Friends in Tallaght for Ireland Yearly Meeting 2023 on ‘Building Community Together’, and was invited to speak on ‘Preparing for Peace: How can we prepare for peace?’ alongside Iain Atack.

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April 2023

Quaker Action article showcases QUNO’s 75-year history at the UN

In the final days of World War II, world leaders came together to form an international body to prevent future global catastrophes. They established the United Nations (U.N.). Its stated purpose: “To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind.”

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April 2023

QUNO Geneva leads on human rights and conventional arms discussion for the Geneva Consultations on the New Agenda for Peace

QUNO Geneva, as a founding member of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform (GPP), supported  consultations with relevant stakeholders in Geneva on the New Agenda for Peace Process (NA4P), which was organized in partnership with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs on March 16th and 17th.

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April 2023

Upcoming Event: Webinar and Quiet Diplomacy Dinner on Trade-Related Measures for a Treaty to End Plastic Pollution

We would like to inform you of an upcoming event on the 26th of April 2023, co-hosted by the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). The event will consist of a follow-up webinar from 4-6 pm CET, focusing on trade-related measures in the context of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) towards a treaty to end plastic pollution. Following the webinar, a quiet diplomacy dinner will be held at Quaker House in Geneva, starting at 7:15 pm.

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May 2023

New Climate Publication - Fair Sources of Finance for a New Loss and Damage Funding Arrangement

Last November, States that took part in COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh agreed to pass a new funding arrangement for responding to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change. Loss and damage (L&D) refers to the monetary and non-monetary losses and damages that people have experienced and will experience due to sudden and slow-onset events. Economic, or tangible, L&D includes the loss of property and livelihood, changes in labor and agricultural productivity, cost of medical treatments associated with climatic events, and so forth.

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May 2023

QUNO New York delivers a statement at the UN on civil society engagement and SDG 16

On May 2, 2023, QUNO New York Representative, Kavita Desai, delivered a statement before the UN’s Economic and Social Council on behalf of Friends World Committee on Consultation (FWCC). The special meeting titled ‘Unleashing the transformative power of SDG 16: Improving governance and reducing corruption’ considered the importance and implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) on peace, justice, and building inclusive institutions in a post-pandemic era.

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June 2023

QUNO NY delivers statement at Joint Economic Social Council and Peacebuilding Commission meeting

On June 29, Quaker Representative Kavita Desai spoke to a joint meeting of the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the UN Peacebuilding Commission. At the meeting, convened under the title of “The importance of the Sustainable Development Goals in linking peace and development on the ground”, Kavita pointed to the daily realities of communities on the ground.

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June 2023

QUNO NY hosts discussion on equal access to justice for all

On June 7, QUNO NY held a discussion on Sustainable Development Goal 16 titled “Spotlight on SDG 16: Providing Access to Justice for All’. The event brought together UN diplomats, colleagues from the UN system and civil society to unpack the ‘justice’ element of SDG 16, delving further into both reproductive and environmental justice.

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June 2023

SDG 16 Conference 2023: SDG 16 as a compass for navigating intersecting crises

From 30 May to 1 June, Kavita Desai, QUNO NY Representative, actively participated in the  fourth annual Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) Conference. The conference was organized by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy. In addition to the conference, a civil society day was observed on 29 May. 

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June 2023

QUNO NY hosted a briefing to discuss the integration of human rights approaches in conflict prevention

On June 30th, QUNO NY as co-facilitator of the Civil-Society UN Platform on Prevention, hosted a civil society briefing on the joint initiative by the African Union (AU), World Bank (WB) and Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to strengthen human rights integration into the AU Continental Early Warning systems. The discussion was a chance to reflect on the initiative, and for civil society representatives to provide input.

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June 2023

QUNO NY hosts and attends events to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Pathways to Peace Report

On June 12, civil society and UN colleagues gathered at Quaker House to reflect on the fifth anniversary of the ‘Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict’ Report. The event was co-hosted by QUNO, the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) and the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation (DHF).

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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

QUNO NY Committee Member spotlight

QUNO is governed by a Committee of Friends appointed by the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). We’re excited to spotlight the insights and experiences of a committee member and are delighted to share reflections from Cheryl Morden. Cheryl is a member of Adelphi Friends Meeting in Maryland.

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June 2023

The Second Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

QUNO NY recently attended the second session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent which took place at UN headquarters from May 30 to June 2. This newly established forum, which alternates annually between the UN in New York and Geneva, serves as a crucial platform for people of African Descent from across the globe to gather to voice their concerns regarding the persisting violence and discrimination faced by Africans and people of African Descent.

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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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