Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO)

The Quaker UN Office (QUNO) in Geneva organizes its work around three general areas: disarmament and peace, human rights and refugees, and trade and development. QUNO facilitates a range of styles of encounter between key actors--representatives of Missions to the UN, UN and other international bodies, and civil society organizations. These take the form of seminars and focused discussions, many off-the-record, with the aim of reducing differences and building consensus towards more effective international policy and action. QUNO also sponsors policy-oriented research and produces a range of relevant publications. QUNO also seeks to provide an interface for those working at the community, national, and regional levels with key actors in the Geneva setting. Quaker work at the UN is closely linked to the work of a range of Quaker service bodies at work in many different settings around the world.

The Quaker UN Office in Geneva (along with the Quaker United Nations Office in New York) seeks to represent the interests of Quakers world-wide at the United Nations. The main function of the Office is to facilitate dialogue and understanding around core peace and justice issues where strengthened international institutions and practices can be seen as necessary.

  • Armed violence reduction and development linkages
  • Civil Society
  • Civilian Small Arms Control
  • Community Conflict Resolution
  • DDR
  • Economic Foundations for Growth and Development
  • Employment Generation
  • Gender
  • Good Offices and Peace Support
  • Human Rights
  • Humanitarian Assistance
  • Law Enforcement Institutions
  • Non-Violence Training
  • Restorative Justice approaches
  • Security Sector Governance
  • Transitional Justice

Community Conflict Resolution
Quakers have extensive experience in doing community-level conflict resolution (etc.) work. So far this has not been widely brought to other levels. The fundamental belief in and practice of non-violence has informed the work of Quaker service agencies in supporting initiatives aimed at reducing the likelihood of violence in conflict settings and at providing skills for alternative, non-violent means for managing, transforming, and hopefully resolving conflict and fostering reconciliation.
Between 50.000 to 1 million CHF per annum
  • Advocacy
  • Capacity and development training
  • Direct project implementation
  • Financial support
  • Policy advice
  • Project support services
  • Research and policy development
Description of activities
Quaker programmes focusing on community-level conflict resolution work are undertaken principally, but not exclusively, by Quaker Service Agencies based largely in UK, USA, Canada, Norway, Australia. National Quaker bodies in Rwanda, Kenya, DRC, and Burundi are also actively involved in project implementation. This work includes extensive work on trauma healing and in the work of AVP ("Alternatives to Violence") / Burundi, Uganda, countries of the Former Yugoslavia, South Africa, Colombia, N. Ireland, Naga region of India. These are generally small scale projects, some involving direct projects, so involving grants to local organizations.
Quaker programmes focusing on community-level conflict resolution work are undertaken principally, but not exclusively, by Quaker Service Agencies based largely in UK, USA, Canada, Norway, Australia. National Quaker bodies in Rwanda, Kenya, DRC, and Burundi are also actively involved in project implementation. This work includes extensive work on trauma healing and in the work of AVP ("Alternatives to Violence") / Burundi, Uganda, countries of the Former Yugoslavia, South Africa, Colombia, N. Ireland, Naga region of India. These are generally small scale projects, some involving direct projects, so involving grants to local organizations.
Quaker programmes focusing on community-level conflict resolution work are undertaken principally, but not exclusively, by Quaker Service Agencies based largely in UK, USA, Canada, Norway, Australia. National Quaker bodies in Rwanda, Kenya, DRC, and Burundi are also actively involved in project implementation. This work includes extensive work on trauma healing and in the work of AVP ("Alternatives to Violence") / Burundi, Uganda, countries of the Former Yugoslavia, South Africa, Colombia, N. Ireland, Naga region of India. These are generally small scale projects, some involving direct projects, so involving grants to local organizations
Quaker programmes focusing on community-level conflict resolution work are undertaken principally, but not exclusively, by Quaker Service Agencies based largely in UK, USA, Canada, Norway, Australia. National Quaker bodies in Rwanda, Kenya, DRC, and Burundi are also actively involved in project implementation. This work includes extensive work on trauma healing and in the work of AVP ("Alternatives to Violence") / Burundi, Uganda, countries of the Former Yugoslavia, South Africa, Colombia, N. Ireland, Naga region of India. These are generally small scale projects, some involving direct projects, so involving grants to local organizations.
Quaker organisations have experience of many years in conflict resolution (etc.) practice. The Quaker organizations seek to bring this to bear on international thinking at the international level via the Quaker UN Offices in NY and Geneva and the Quaker Council on European Affairs through the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office in Brussels / USA, UK, Belgium, Switzerland.
Quaker programmes focusing on community-level conflict resolution work are undertaken principally, but not exclusively, by Quaker Service Agencies based largely in UK, USA, Canada, Norway, Australia. National Quaker bodies in Rwanda, Kenya, DRC, and Burundi are also actively involved in project implementation. This work includes extensive work on trauma healing and in the work of AVP ("Alternatives to Violence") / Burundi, Uganda, countries of the Former Yugoslavia, South Africa, Colombia, N. Ireland, Naga region of India. These are generally small scale projects, some involving direct projects, so involving grants to local organizations.

Good Offices and Peace Support
Quaker mediation practice, non-violence training, community organizing experience--all based on the Quaker support for alternatives to violence--has been at the heart of much of the development of work in these areas over the last 50 years or so. Currently, this is less prominent in the work of Quaker organizations than it once was, but through Quaker organizations and individual Quakers remains an important actual or potential resource to peacebuilding practice.
    Description of activities
    Quakers have extensive experience in the past in "track II"-type mediation and in training in 3d party skills. Today, this is less a part of formal Quaker organization work, but many individual Quakers remain much involved in this type of work. Thus, Quaker experience remains an actual or potential source of support to this type of work from the local to the national levels. Quaker UN work also has this "support" character to it.. Previous work of this nature has included: N. Ireland; Nigeria; Zimbabwe, among others. Currently, informal mediation being undertaken in Naga region in NE India, in Northern Uganda, and in the reconciliation programmes in former Yugoslavia. Track II work has also been evident in programming in relation to N. Korea and Iran.
    Quakers have extensive experience in the past in "track II"-type mediation and in training in 3d party skills. Today, this is less a part of formal Quaker organization work, but many individual Quakers remain much involved in this type of work. Thus, Quaker experience remains an actual or potential source of support to this type of work from the local to the national levels. Quaker UN work also has this "support" character to it.. Previous work of this nature has included: N. Ireland; Nigeria; Zimbabwe, among others. Currently, informal mediation being undertaken in Naga region in NE India, in Northern Uganda, and in the reconciliation programmes in former Yugoslavia. Track II work has also been evident in programming in relation to N. Korea and Iran.

    Civilian Small Arms Control
    We provide useful interface activities between UN Mission representatives, UN and international agency representatives, and representatives of civil society organizations as part of the development of international policy related to small arms concerns and fostering the implementation of existing agreements. In our armed violence and development work we seek to enhance the involvement of civil society organizations in national, regional, and international policy settings and to bring a broad range of relevant civil society actors (development, human rights, security, justice sector) into more active engagement at the project level as well as at the policy level.
    Between 50.000 to 1 million CHF per annum
    • Advocacy
    • Policy advice
    • Research and policy development
    Description of activities
    This work is undertaken at a modest scale by Quaker groups in Burundi / Burundi.
    The Quaker UN Office organizes a range of seminars, meetings, dialogues, etc., in relation to issues related to the small arms area. Much of this work takes place in Geneva through the Geneva Forum partnership (with UNIDIR and the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding.
    The Quaker UN Office has a long history in small arms related work, particularly with regard to small arms "demand" concerns This is currently particularly manifested in QUNO’s work as part of the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development process.
    This work is undertaken at a modest scale by Quaker groups in Burundi / Burundi.
    • Africa
      • Central Africa
        • Democratic Republic of the Congo
      • Eastern Africa
        • Zimbabwe
        • Uganda
        • Somalia
        • Burundi
        • Rwanda
        • Kenya
      • Southern Africa
        • South Africa
    • Americas
      • Caribbean
        • Haiti
        • Cuba
      • Central America
        • Nicaragua
      • North America
        • Mexico
        • United States of America
        • Canada
      • South America
        • Colombia
    • Asia
      • Central Asia
      • East Asia
        • China
        • Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
      • South Asia
        • Afghanistan
        • India
        • Sri Lanka
        • Bangladesh
      • South East Asia
        • Cambodia
        • Indonesia
        • Myanmar
        • Viet Nam
      • Western Asia
        • Lebanon
        • Palestine
        • Jordan
        • Iraq
    • Europe
      • Northern Europe
        • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
        • Sweden
        • Norway
      • Western Europe
        • Switzerland
        • Belgium
        • Netherlands
        • Germany
      • Southern Europe
        • Bosnia and Herzegovina
        • Serbia
    • Oceania

    Burundi

    Sectors of activity: 
    Civilian Small Arms Control
    Transitional Justice
    Community Conflict Resolution
    Trauma healing workshops
    Good Offices and Peace Support
    Types of activity: 
    Research and policy development
    Technical assistance
    Policy advice
    Direct project implementation
    Financial support
    Capacity and development training
    Project support services
    Other
    Other: 
    Transnational learning
    Description: 

    Seeking to make practice in Burundi known to PBC,

    American Friends Service Committee, Quaker Service Norway, and Canadian Friends Service Committee have assisted local Quaker groups in Burundi

    Local Quaker programmes seeking to engage Burundi government in implementation of Peacebuilding Framework for Burundi

    Fostering exchange of Quaker local practice across Great Lakes region and more widely in Africa

    Support to bring Quaker practice successfully to bear on implementation of Burundi Peacebuilding Framework document

    Support to local Quaker projects in Burundi.

    Burundi

    Sectors of activity: 
    Civilian Small Arms Control
    Transitional Justice
    Community Conflict Resolution
    Trauma healing workshops
    Good Offices and Peace Support
    Types of activity: 
    Research and policy development
    Technical assistance
    Policy advice
    Direct project implementation
    Financial support
    Capacity and development training
    Project support services
    Other
    Other: 
    Transnational learning
    Description: 

    Seeking to make practice in Burundi known to PBC,

    American Friends Service Committee, Quaker Service Norway, and Canadian Friends Service Committee have assisted local Quaker groups in Burundi

    Local Quaker programmes seeking to engage Burundi government in implementation of Peacebuilding Framework for Burundi

    Fostering exchange of Quaker local practice across Great Lakes region and more widely in Africa

    Support to bring Quaker practice successfully to bear on implementation of Burundi Peacebuilding Framework document

    Support to local Quaker projects in Burundi.

    Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO)
    Avenue du Mervelet 13
    Geneva CH-1209
    See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
    http://www.quno.org
    Non-governmental organisation
    London, UK (This is the location of the Friends World Committee for Consultation, the umbrella body through with QUNO has consultative status at the UN).
    More than 10 years
    Between 1 million to 50 million CHF per annum
    There is a diversity of Quaker bodies doing peacebuilding work. The total number of persons working under the banner of QUNO is 12.5 (6.5 in Geneva and 6 in New york, with another 2 in London).
    Avenue du Mervelet 13
    Geneva CH-1209
    See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
    Other

    QUNO seeks to represent the interests of Friends around the world. Described below are the peacebuilding areas and country settings of a diverse range of Quaker organizations rather than one single Quaker body.

    6.5
    Mr
    David C. Atwood
    Director
    David C. Atwood
    Director
    3
    2

    Network

    European Peacebuilding Liaison Office

    Type: 
    Formal
    Type: 
    Other
    Other: 
    Practitioner
    Main purpose: 
    Policy
    Geographical scope: 
    Other
    Other: 
    EU focused
    Description: 

    Network of practitioner organizations working together to liaise with the European Union

    Relevant Peacebuilding sectors include: Security sector governance, DDR, Civilian Small arms Control, Transitional justice, Community conflict resolution, good offices and peace support, humanitarian protection, and judicial and legal reform.

    Geneva Forum

    Type: 
    NGO
    Description: 

    Made up of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, the Programme on Strategic and International Policy Studies of the Graduate Institute of International Studies and the Quaker UN Office holds a central place in Geneva in the fostering of international policy level work on small arms related issues.

    International Action Network on Small Arms

    Type: 
    Formal
    Type: 
    NGO
    Main purpose: 
    Policy
    Geographical scope: 
    Other
    Other: 
    Global (based in London)
    Description: 

    Global network of more than 600 organizations doing work at global, national, and local levels.

    DDR, civilian small arms control, security sector governance, judicial and legal reform, humanitarian projection, human rights, gender.

    International Action Network on Small Arms

    Type: 
    NGO
    Description: 

    Global advocacy network on small arms related issues

    Quaker Africa Peace Network

    Type: 
    Informal
    Type: 
    Other
    Other: 
    Practitioner
    Main purpose: 
    Project Implementation
    Geographical scope: 
    Other
    Other: 
    Local (field), based primarily in the Great Lakes
    Description: 

    Local Quaker programmes in Great Lakes and more widely in Africa / A "network" of Quaker peacebuilding programmes in Africa, with links to support programmes from Quaker service agencies outside Africa

    Community conflict resolution, civilian small arms control, DDR.

    Partnership

    Geneva Forum (QUNO, UNIDIR, CCDP)

    Type: 
    Formal
    Location: 
    Geneva partnership
    Main purpose: 
    Policy
    Description: 

    The Geneva Forum is a partnership which aims organizatioins a range of for a for dialogue among governments, NGOs, and international agencies with the chief aim of policy development and institution strengthening in the disarmament and security sector.

    DDR, civilian small arms control, security sector governance.

    Partner organisations: 
    United Nations
    NGOs
    Academic.

    Geneva Peacebuilding Platform

    Main purpose: 
    Other
    Other: 
    Geneva partnership
    Description: 

    Founded in 2008, the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform is an action-oriented forum where stakeholders can build upon the contributions of Geneva to peacebuilding worldwide. It is led and operated by its stakeholders through an Advisory Board, serving the needs they determine, and working to showcase their policy, research, problems and successes in peacebuilding activities. The Platform facilitates cooperation and dialogue among peacebuilding actors in Geneva through a number of structured activities as well as informal discussions and debates.

    The Platform works to consolidate the critical mass of peacebuilding actors, resources and expertise in Geneva. In particular, it plays a creative role in facilitating interaction with the Peacebuilding Commission, to which International Geneva can add much expertise, field experience, and a vibrant network of civil society organisations. Geneva is also an ideal location to strengthen stakeholder relations. The Platform thus acts as a Knowledge Platform, an Interface, and a Neutral Forum for Dialogue.