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Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns

United Nations

In our often divided world, one place where all of humankind is invited to come together to work for the common good is the United Nations. Despite its limitations, the UN system is our most effective tool for uniting with others in order to create and implement policies that secure a life of dignity for all of God’s children.

ECOSOC Membership

Article 71 of the Charter of the United Nations reads: “The Economic and Social Council [ECOSOC] may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence.”

Based on this article, two of the Maryknoll branches (the Maryknoll Sisters and the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers) have Consultative Status with ECOSOC, and the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns carries out the work of implementing this status. Our work with the UN aims to influence its agenda and is done by:

  • participating in NGOs committees and working groups
  • presenting oral and writing statements
  • participating in global UN conferences and regular sessions
  • participating in the monitoring process of UN treaties
    networking with other NGOs, and
  • facilitating the voice of local people in the UN and NGOs gatherings.

Maryknoll missioners serve as NGO representatives to the United Nations in New York where they bring the Maryknoll mission experience to important conversations with policymakers and civil society members from around the world.

Sustainable Development Goals

The UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which set out a 15-year plan to achieve the goals. The SDGs focus global efforts on lifting people out of extreme poverty, while also addressing the challenges of ensuring more equitable development and environmental sustainability, especially the key goal of curbing the dangers of human-induced climate change. Today, progress is being made in many places, but, overall, action to meet the goals is not yet advancing at the speed or scale required. At the core of the 2020-2030 decade is the need for action to tackle growing poverty, empower women and girls, and address the climate emergency.

Maryknoll representatives to the UN work to promote peace, social justice and the integrity of creation by organizing their UN participation around the following topics:

  • Ecology (climate change, oceans, forests, agroecology, sustainable agriculture)
  • Mining and Extractivism
  • Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples
  • Migration and Human Trafficking
  • Social Development
  • Financing for Sustainable Development
  • Nuclear Disarmament
  • Women and Children

In the News:

  • Catholic sisters at COP29 uplift unequal ways climate change impacts women, Global Sisters Report, Nov. 22, 2024
  • Catholics head to COP29 climate summit seeking new finance, end of fossil fuels, National Catholic Reporter, November 11, 2024
  • Dozens of Catholic sisters advocate for women at United Nations gathering, Global Sisters Report, March 27, 2024
  • Africa cries out for ‘loss and damage’ funds to combat effects of climate change, Global Sisters Report, Dec.1, 2023
  • Increased nuclear threat may renew interest in disarmament, advocates say, Global Sisters Report, Sept. 22, 2022
  • After COP26, sisters pledge continued activism as ‘an act of care’, Global Sisters Report, Nov.19, 2021
  • Inequities in world’s food system have only worsened during pandemic, Global Sisters Report, Oct. 15, 2021
  • The U.S. Should Raise its International Climate Finance to $12 Billion Per Year, NRDC, Sept. 20, 2021
  • Africa: Open Letter – the Green Revolution in Africa Has Unequivocally Failed, All Africa, Sept. 15, 2021
  • Pope Francis, in Earth Day messages, warns ‘we are at the edge’ on climate change, National Catholic Reporter, April 22, 2021
  • Sister reps at UN hope Biden will put US ‘back on track’ globally, Global Sisters Report, Nov. 12, 2020
  • Online sexual exploitation of children increased during pandemic, Global Sisters Report, July 20, 2020
  • Affirming the dignity of those forgotten, shunned, ignored, Global Sisters Report, Feb. 17, 2020
  • Women and Earth are ‘on receiving end of patriarchy’ when it comes to profit, Global Sisters Report, April 22, 2019
  • UN Commission on the Status of Women to focus on social protections, Global Sisters Report, March 11, 2019
  • Sisters, leaders applaud adoption of UN migration compact, despite US refusal to sign, Global Sisters Report, Dec. 18, 2018
  • A path to resilience amid climate change, Global Sisters Report, Oct. 23, 2018
  • UN moves forward on compacts to manage migration, refugees, Global Sisters Report, July 20, 2018
  • How would foreign policy change if women held the reins of diplomacy?, Global Sisters Report, June 7, 2018
  • Violence begets violence, Catholic sisters say, about airstrikes on Syria, Global Sisters Report, April 16, 2018
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UN: Family farming in the future

March 10, 2014

The following article by Dave Kane appeared in the March-April 2014 NewsNotes.

Read More UN: Family farming in the futureContinue

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Threat of growing inequalities

March 10, 2014

The following article was published in the March-April 2014 NewsNotes.

Read More Threat of growing inequalitiesContinue

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World Water Day 2014

March 22 is World Water Day.

Read More World Water Day 2014Continue

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UN: “The World We Want” platform

January 7, 2014

The following piece was published in the January-February 2014 NewsNotes.

Read More UN: “The World We Want” platformContinue

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COP19, Warsaw: An invitation to fast in solidarity with victims of climate change

November 15, 2013

The following message was sent by two staff members of the United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society (UMC-GBCS) who are attending the UN climate change meeting in Warsaw, Poland (COP19), November 2013.

Read More COP19, Warsaw: An invitation to fast in solidarity with victims of climate changeContinue

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UN: Renewed partnership for development

November 3, 2013

The following article was published in the November-December 2013 NewsNotes.

Read More UN: Renewed partnership for developmentContinue

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Ensure that UN doesn’t jeopardize efforts to prevent sex trafficking

The following alert is circulated by the human rights, anti-trafficking group Equality Now.

Read More Ensure that UN doesn’t jeopardize efforts to prevent sex traffickingContinue

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MOGC signs letter to GCF for environmental, social protections

October 7, 2013

The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns was one of many signatories on the following letter to the board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which expresses our unified call for the adoption of the most robust environmental and social protections possible at the GCF.

Read More MOGC signs letter to GCF for environmental, social protectionsContinue

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International Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day — December 10 — presents an opportunity, every year, to celebrate human rights, highlight a specific issue, and advocate for the full enjoyment of all human rights by everyone everywhere.

Read More International Human Rights DayContinue

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UN: Voice of youth

September 4, 2013

At the UN, July 12 was designated Malala Day in honor of Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani woman who was attacked in October 2012 for her efforts to gain an education.

Read More UN: Voice of youthContinue

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New efforts on nuclear disarmament

September 3, 2013

For years after the end of the Cold War, the extreme danger of nuclear weapons and the moral obligation to achieve “nuclear zero” seemed to command little serious attention from governments or from the public at large.

Read More New efforts on nuclear disarmamentContinue

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Arms Trade Treaty: Hope for vulnerable peoples

July 2, 2013

On June 3 representatives of more than 60 countries signed the historic Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the United Nations in New York.

Read More Arms Trade Treaty: Hope for vulnerable peoplesContinue

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Peace, human security key to post-2015 agenda

July 2, 2013

On May 30, the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda presented its final report, “A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development.”

Read More Peace, human security key to post-2015 agendaContinue

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Arms Trade Treaty action update

On April 2, the Arms Trade Treaty passed; June 3 is the first day that UN member states can ratify the treaty.

Read More Arms Trade Treaty action updateContinue

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UN: Promoting people’s empowerment

March 18, 2013

The following report onthe February 2013 meeting of the UN Commission on Social Development was written by Sr. Elizabeth (Claris) Zwareva, MM, who represents Maryknoll at the UN.

Read More UN: Promoting people’s empowermentContinue

ATT
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Arms Trade Treaty: Pray for passage

March 7, 2013

From March 18-28, the United Nations will hold the final talks on the Arms Trade Treaty.

Read More Arms Trade Treaty: Pray for passageContinue

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Urgent: Ask senators to sign “dear colleague” letter on Arms Trade Treaty

Urge your senators to sign letter to President Obama in support of a strong Arms Trade Treaty

Read More Urgent: Ask senators to sign “dear colleague” letter on Arms Trade TreatyContinue

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Urge Senate to ratify CEDAW, the women’s rights treaty

The Women’s Rights Treaty [the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, also known as CEDAW] is a strong tool that the international community used to protect women and girls from violence, end injustices such as forced marriage and trafficking, and provide access to education and vocational training.

Read More Urge Senate to ratify CEDAW, the women’s rights treatyContinue

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Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Representing Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers, Maryknoll Sisters, and Maryknoll Lay Missioners

200 New York Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
phone: (202) 832-1780
email: ogc@maryknollogc.org

P.O. Box 311
Maryknoll, N.Y. 10545-0311
phone: (914) 941-7575
fax: (914) 923-0733
email: ogc@maryknollogc.org

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  • Act
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