Joint NGO Statement: The time is now: Re-commit to Peace

Joint NGO Statement: The time is now: Re-commit to Peace

21 September 2020

A shared statement by peacebuilding organizations

Peace is under threat. In 1945, the United Nations was founded to ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.’ But the steady progress that has been made towards building, keeping and sustaining peace is now threatened. While COVID-19 and its economic effects have had a direct impact on human lives, some actions by governments and others are making things worse. Responses to crisis that increase violence, injustice and exclusion, that set aside ‘the dignity and worth of the human person’ and ‘the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,’ will exacerbate development losses and human suffering, leaving many behind. The lessons of the UN Charter are being forgotten.

Our hearts go out to those suffering today, in the sober knowledge that this may turn out to be but a foretaste of the disruptions that may arise in the years to come, including from climate change and environmental degradation, and growing inequalities and exclusion. If we are to meet the challenges of tomorrow, we must recommit to peace today.

Focus on peace, justice and inclusion, both during crises and longer-term. We must re-dedicate ourselves to the vision of a global partnership of all stakeholders to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies, so clearly articulated in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This approach is not only the route to lasting gains in development, human rights and peace, but must be embraced as the foundation of an effective humanitarian and security response in times of crisis.

As organizations devoted to building peace around the world, we call on the international community to take these steps:

      • Mainstream peace in the response to COVID-19. It is time to explicitly embed people-centered and sustainable strategies for peace at the heart of the response to COVID-19. We call on the Secretary-General to issue guidance for the UN system to prioritize conflict-sensitive and risk-informed approaches in the planning and monitoring of all activities taken to address COVID-19, and to align these efforts with the relevant longer-term plans to foster peace, justice and inclusion within development frameworks. Furthermore, Member States should support allocating 5% of the funding for the COVID-19 response to ensuring that conflict sensitive and risk-informed approaches are mainstreamed. It is particularly important that support is given to fostering social resilience, including strengthening local, national and international mechanisms for addressing difference and grievances. Building peace is never more important than at times of crisis.
      • Prioritize inclusion in analysis and action. Prioritizing the meaningful inclusion and public participation of all groups, including women and girls, youth, and local communities, is vital to our peace and development efforts. Recent months have starkly demonstrated the disproportionate impact of entrenched and systemic patterns of exclusion at times of crisis. Increases in gender-based violence and race-based abuses (as highlighted in the recent Human Rights Council resolution on people of African descent), are evidence of this. Additionally, civic space must be protected and guaranteed. Inclusion is just as important in the midst of crisis as in longer term efforts, and critical to developing more effective approaches that can have a lasting impact.
      • Make space for building peace. We support the Secretary-General’s call for a global cease-fire to enable humanitarian access and make space for building peace. But governments and other international actors can do more to step aside from the machinery of war. Cease-fire efforts can be expanded to make the choice to avoid all forms of violent coercion. Military spending should be reduced, and nuclear weapons eliminated, freeing up critical resources to save lives and support the most vulnerable. Within countries, governments must avoid using state violence as a response to large-scale unemployment and displacement, and state and nonstate actors alike should eschew violence as a shortcut to achieving political and economic ends.
      • Reaffirm multilateralism and international norms as a safeguard for the most vulnerable. At times of global crisis, in an environment of increasing fragility and fragmentation, it is vital to reaffirm international norms, to support responsible trade, reduce arms flows, promote constructive financial, tax and investment practices and bolster adherence to international human rights and humanitarian law. In crisis, more than ever, states should seek to uphold a rules-based system, the underpinning of an enabling environment that privileges the long-term development, peace and dignity of all people and communities.
  1. +Peace
  2. ACCORD
  3. ACT Alliance
  4. AFRICAN YOUTH ACTION NETWORK-AYAN
  5. Africans Rising for Justice, Peace and Dignity
  6. Agrupación de Familiares de Ejecutados Políticos – Chile
  7. All Anglophone Union for Peace and Development (AAUPD)
  8. Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT)
  9. Alliance for Peacebuilding
  10. Alyansa ng Kabataang Mindanao para sa Kapayapaan (AKMK)
  11. American Friends Service Committee – AFSC
  12. Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos
  13. associat.tunisienne des droits de l enfant
  14. Association For Promotion Sustainable Development
  15. ASSOCIATION RAYONS DE SOLEIL
  16. Badhon Manob Unnayan Sangstha
  17. CAFSO-WRAG for Development
  18. Camp for Peace Liberia
  19. Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
  20. Care and Development Centre
  21. Carrefour Développement (CAR.D)
  22. Casa Generalizia della Societa del Sacro Cuore
  23. CENADEP
  24. Center on Conscience & War
  25. Centre de Défense des Droits de l’Homme et Démocratie
  26. centre des jeunes bolingo, CJB
  27. Centre d’études stratégiques et de sécurité internationale (CESSI)
  28. Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies
  29. Centre for Sustainable Development and Education in Africa
  30. Centre for Youth and Development
  31. Centre pour la Gouvernance (CEGO)
  32. CESAMORG
  33. CESSI
  34. CHARI-CONGO
  35. Church of the Brethren, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy
  36. Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS)
  37. Community Empowerment for Progress Organization-CEPO
  38. Community Empowerment for Progress Organization-CEPO, South Sudan
  39. Community of Christ (British Isles)
  40. Community of Christ Europe
  41. Comunidad Ecuménica Martin Luther King
  42. Conciliation Resources
  43. Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
  44. Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation
  45. Denver Justice and Peace Committee (DJPC)
  46. Dirigentes de mi Comunidad (DICOMU)
  47. Epikeia Observatorio Universitario de Derechos Humanos
  48. Female Prisoners Support Trust
  49. Femme Affranchie pour le Développement Durable et la Protection de l’Environnement (FADPE)
  50. Forum des femmes oeuvrant pour la gouvernance des ressources naturelles en RDC “FFGRN”
  51. Forum National sur la Dette et la Pauvreté (FNDP)
  52. Franciscans International
  53. Friends Committee on National Legislation
  54. Friends World Committee for Consultation – World Office (Quakers)
  55. FriEnt-Working Group on Peace and Development
  56. Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa
  57. Gender Network and women’s rights “GEDROFE”
  58. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
  59. Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ
  60. Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)
  61. Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)
  62. Global Peace and Development Organization
  63. Globethics.net
  64. Glokala Sjuhärad Association, Sweden
  65. Great Lakes Peacebuilding Initiative -GLPI
  66. Greenspring Development Initiative
  67. Helping Hand for Survivors
  68. Interfaith Forum for Peace Harmony and Solidarity International Alert
  69. International Center on Conflict & Negotiation
  70. International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
  71. International Federation for Peace and Sustainable Development
  72. Interpeace
  73. Inwelle Study and Resource Centre
  74. Jerusalem Peacebuilders
  75. Just Peace Advocates
  76. KENYA ECONOMIC YOUTH NETWORK (KEYNET)
  77. Loretto Community (Sisters of Loretto)
  78. Maison des Organisations de la Société Civile (MOSC)
  79. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
  80. Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office
  81. Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute Foundation, Inc.
  82. Minnesota Peace Project
  83. MISERE, SORS!
  84. Modern Advocacy Humanitarian Social and Rehabilitation Association (MAHSRA)
  85. Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
  86. MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology
  87. Nigerian Women Agro Allied Farmers Association
  88. Nonviolent Peaceforce
  89. North Country Access to Health Care Committee
  90. Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace
  91. NYU Center on International Cooperation
  92. NYU Peace Research and Education Program
  93. Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de Los Andes
  94. Observatorio por el Cierre de la Escuela de las Américas – SOAW Chile
  95. Odbor za ljudska prava
  96. Office of Peace, Justice, and Ecological Integrity/Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
  97. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Initiative (OLPHI)
  98. Pacific Conference of Churches
  99. PartnersGlobal
  100. Pax Christi International
  101. Peace And Justice Alliance
  102. Peace Direct
  103. Peace Initiative Network
  104. PEACE WARRIORS ORGANISATION
  105. Peacifica
  106. Peckham Rights!
  107. Phoenix Nonviolence TruthForce
  108. Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA)
  109. Quaker Peace & Social Witness
  110. Quaker Service Australia
  111. Quaker Service Norway
  112. Quaker United Nations Office
  113. Quäker-Hilfe Stiftung
  114. REFADEC
  115. Regina Peace Council
  116. Regional Center for International Development Cooperation (RCIDC)
  117. Religions for Peace
  118. Religions for Peace International
  119. REPAOC
  120. Réseau “Jeunes dans le Monde pour la Paix” – RJMP/ASBL-
  121. RESEAU FEMMES ET PAIX
  122. RIKO (Council for International Conflict Resolution)
  123. Saferworld
  124. School of the Americas Watch (SOAWatch)
  125. Science for Peace Canada
  126. SCOFIELD ASSOCIATES
  127. SearchforCommonGround
  128. SECURITAS CONGO
  129. SecurityWomen
  130. SEMA
  131. Sisters of Charity Federation
  132. Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Congregational Leadership
  133. Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Western Province Leadership
  134. Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy
  135. Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace
  136. Social Economic and Governance Promotion Centre (SEGP)
  137. Solidarité avec les Victimes et pour la Paix-SOVIP
  138. SolutionsforHumanityInternational (SFH)
  139. STOP FUELLING WAR
  140. swisspeace
  141. Talitha Project, Tonga
  142. The Anglican Communion
  143. The Carter Center
  144. The Cora di Brazzà Foundation
  145. The Graduate Institute of Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University (S. Korea)
  146. The Lutheran World Federation
  147. The Metta Center for Nonviolence
  148. The Peacebuilding Project
  149. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Australia
  150. The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
  151. Transparency, Accountability & Participation (TAP) Network
  152. Trippinz Care Inc
  153. Trippinz Care International Foundation
  154. Ukana West 2 Community Based Health Initiative (CBHI)
  155. Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Développement (UNASCAD)
  156. Unitarian Universalist Association
  157. United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
  158. United Network of Youth for Peace and Diplomacy UNYPD
  159. Universal Rights Network
  160. VIVAT International
  161. War Prevention Initiative
  162. WASH-Net Sierra Leone
  163. Win Without War
  164. Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative
  165. Women in Alternative Action-WAA Cameroon
  166. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom WILPF/DRC
  167. World Federalist Movement – Canada
  168. World Federalist Movement/Institute for Global Policy (WFM/IGP)
  169. Youth and Small Holder Farmers Association
  170. Youth for change initiative YOFCI
  171. Youth Partnership for Peace and Development
Source
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect and other NGOs

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