In December QUNO, the Baha’i International Community: United Nations Office, and ATD Fourth World partnered to host a breakfast dialogue on the topic of “Peace, poverty, and violence; interlinkages for sustainable development.” The breakfast was attended by a wide range of UN staff, Member States, and representatives from civil society. Keynote speakers included a representative from the Permanent Mission of Timor Leste, as well as Sarah Cliffe, special adviser and assistant secretary-general of Civilian Capacities to the United Nations. Sarah Cliffe stated that “The impact of violence and conflict on social and economic development is deep,” said Dr. Cliffe. “Many countries have seen their development held back by these factors.” A summary note and agenda from the meeting are available here.
														A Call for Climate Action: Protect Human Rights and Decrease Military Expending
HICC at the Human Rights Council 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. Lindsey Fielder Cook, HICC’s Representative, served as a panelist in the side event The Toxic Impact of Military Activities alongside the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, and representatives from Earthjustice, the Center for Global Nonkilling, and Dejusticia. The event discussed the findings and implications of the Special Rapporteur’s recent report on the human rights impacts of hazardous substances and waste resulting from military operations. Building on the Quakers Peace Testimony, QUNO emphasized that war is an abomination of human rights and highlighted how this report proves that military activities harm human beings and earth far beyond wartimes. Lindsey also underscored that military activities are responsible for nearly 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, countries are not required to report these emissions into their National Determined […]





