Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO)

QUNO is a Quaker presence at the United Nations, sharing Friends’ concerns for global peace and justice with the international community.

The Quaker United Nations Office promotes justice, peace and sustainability at the United Nations. Priorities are based on the concerns of Quakers worldwide. Through different areas of work in Geneva and New York, QUNO seeks to ensure that the UN system and community of nations support and uphold the dignity of all, so that justice and peace can flourish, and our shared home can be nurtured.

Opportunities
QUNO’s office in Geneva is now accepting applications for Programme Assistants to join our Human Impacts of Climate Change (HICC) and Human Rights & Refugees (HRR) Programmes.

The exciting Programme Assistant opportunity challenges young professionals (typically recent graduates of undergraduate or graduate education levels) to take on active roles in QUNO’s work interacting with the United Nations. In this yearlong paid position, candidates will join with other QUNO staff to drive work on our key areas of focus, learn the landscape of administration at the QUNO offices and Quaker House, and lead the next cohort of Quaker United Nations Summer School (QUNSS) students.
Applications close 8 May 2026. Click here for more details.

Human Impacts of Climate Change

QUNO Climate Change program works to strengthen international efforts for urgent, equitable, rights-based and effective climate action and environmental protection. QUNO views climate change as a global peace and justice issue and provides a voice which recognises the impact of climate change on all countries and communities.

QUNO at the IPCC Session in Lima: Report (November 2025)

QUNO attends COP30 in Brazil: Report 1 of 2 (November 2025)
Report 2 of 2 (January 2026)

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Human Rights and Refugees

QUNO Human Rights & Refugees program works for international law, standards and processes that uphold the inherent worth of each and every person.

We work to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights through the United Nations system, with particular reference to the interface between human rights and armed conflicts, the protection of refugees, the rights of people in detention, and other Quaker concerns.

Conscientious Objection to Military Service in Wartime: Report (January 2026)

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Peace and Disarmament

QUNO Peace & Disamament program works for holistic approaches that address the seeds of war, including inequality, injustice and the proliferation of arms.

Our peace and disarmament programme grows out of a long Quaker history of working for peace, understanding that this means more than the absence of overt violence and has fundamentally to do with social and economic justice and political participation. Where these are denied, the roots of violence can be found.

Real Costs of the Push to Rearm in Europe and Beyond: Report (November 2025)

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Sustainable and Just Economic Systems

QUNO Sustainable and Just Economic Systems program works for economic systems that improve livelihoods, strengthen resilience, and ensure just transitions to sustainability. QUNO strives to foster economic systems that deliver prosperity for all.

We engage through quiet diplomacy, policy dialogue, and targeted research that bridges technical expertise with Quaker values of integrity, equality, and stewardship.

Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: Peer and Self Reviews by 7 countries (2016-2018)

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Quaker Activism is a podcast by Discovering Quakers that explores the connection between Quaker faith and social action.

For the first episode Quaker Activism spoke to Lindsey Fielder Cook, the Representative for the Human Impacts of Climate Change at the Quaker United Nations Office about how shifting our approach to environmentalism could radically change society.

This podcast is 35 minutes and is on Soundcloud. You may need to set up a free account to listen multiple times.

The link is here.