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
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.
Article 71 of the Charter of the United Nations reads: “The Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with national organizations after consultation with the members of the United Nations concerned.”
Based on this article, two of the Maryknoll branches have Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the MOGC carries out the work of implementing this status. Maryknoll’s work at country level, and the MOGC’s work for peace, social justice and integrity of creation, relates closely with the concerns and work of the UN and its committees, agencies and field offices. Our work with the UN aims to influence its agenda and is done by:
Urge your senators to sign letter to President Obama in support of a strong Arms Trade 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.
The following bulletin is distributed by our colleagues at Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement.
The following article was published in the November-December 2012 NewsNotes.
As we pray for those affected by the terrible devastation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy at the end of October -- a storm whose size and ferocity can be attributed to climate change -- we are faced with the dire need to respond as one Earth community. The following article was published in the November-December 2012 NewsNotes.
The following reflection on the readings for World AIDS Day, December 1, was prepared by Susan Weissert, a former lay missioner who coordinated the Maryknoll AIDS Task Force.