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Sustaining Peace and the 2030 Agenda: Opportunities for Prevention

26th January 2017

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On the occasion of the High Level Debate, “Building Sustainable Peace for All”, the Civil Society-UN Prevention Platform held an informal, off the record lunch discussion on “Sustaining Peace and the 2030 Agenda: Opportunities for Prevention” to further explore avenues for strengthening prevention at the UN through leveraging synergies between Sustaining Peace and the 2030 Agenda. The meeting sought to identify what opportunities exist for promoting civil society-UN cooperation, and how to ensure that such efforts can have a direct impact on the populations in focus. The conversation brought together CSO perspectives and experiences on the ground, UN actors and Member States. 

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A Call for Climate Action: Protect Human Rights and Decrease Military Expending

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 […]

‘Deadlock of Imagination’: QUNO Invites Reflection on Approaches to Sustainable Energy Transformation at the Forum on Democracy and Climate Change

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Lindsey Fielder Cook, QUNO’s Representative on the Human Impacts of Climate Change, pointed out clear pathways and criteria to achieve sustainable and equitable energy access at the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. In its 5th session, the Forum addressed the theme: “Democracy and Climate Change: Focusing on Solutions”, held in Geneva on the 13th and 14th of October.  Her contribution can be watched here. Joining the panel on “Interconnected Solutions to Interconnected Problems”, Lindsey emphasized that democracies prioritizing the question, “Is this best for society?” rather than “Is this best for the economy?”, are more likely to deliver a sustainable energy transition experienced as fair and effective.  In addition, energy transitions that integrate human rights-based approaches are less likely to face societal backlash. Lindsey advised asking the following questions when evaluating sustainable energy policies: Lindsey invoked the words of recently released from prison Egyptian/British human rights voice,  Alaa Abd el-Fattah, to highlight a divide in global energy transition dynamics, suggesting that we are facing a “deadlock of imagination” in the Global North and a “deadlock of possibility” in the Global South.Other panelists provided clear examples and best practices on rights-based solutions in the sectors of […]

At the Human Rights Council: Renewed Calls for Independent Human Rights Monitoring at International Borders

At the Human Rights Council: Renewed Calls for Independent Human Rights Monitoring at International Borders

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Safeguarding Conscientious Objectors Amid Rising Militarization

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Building the New Myanmar – QUNO hosts a public event with Myanmar’s National Unity Government

Building the New Myanmar – QUNO hosts a public event with Myanmar’s National Unity Government

When the UN General Assembly opens each September, all UN member states are invited to address the world body. For the past three years, this has not been true for Myanmar. Following the February 2021 military coup, no statement has been delivered on behalf of Myanmar because national leadership remains contested between the military and the people’s movement that opposes the military’s takeover. Each side claims to represent the people of Myanmar. On October 2, QUNO co-hosted a panel event with representatives of Myanmar’s opposition movement. Under the title, Building the New Myanmar: Democracy, Justice, and Peace for the People of Myanmar, the panel presentation provided an opportunity for UN diplomats, UN staff, and civil society partners to hear directly from representatives of Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) and its National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC). Moderated by QUNO Director Sarah Clarke, the panel included Zin Mar Aung, Foreign Minister; Aung Kyaw Moe, Deputy Minister for Human Rights for the NUG; plus Z Nang Raw, a civil society representative to the NUCC. Speaking to a crowd of over 50 guests, Sarah introduced the panel, noting, “The diversity of this panel reflects the diversity of Myanmar itself. Myanmar’s diversity is one of […]