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Our Mission |
Each of us commits her one and only life to work with others to create justice and peace for all.
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Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur is an accredited
NGO (non-governmental organization) at the United Nations since 2001; in our
UN efforts we collaborate closely with the Sisters of Notre Dame of Coesfeld.
Sister Jean Stoner represents the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur at the United Nations, working primarily in the areas of poverty eradication, social development, financing for development, and climate change.
 Sister Mary Jo Toll represents the Sisters of Notre Dame of Coesfeld at the United Nations, working principally in the areas of education, migration, human trafficking, and sustainable development. ________________________ |
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Links to Notre Dame
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UN CONFERENCE ON ARMS TRADE TREATY: CONTROL ARMS NOW!
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 We all know that war and armed violence divides countries and destroys lives. And the $55 billion-a-year global trade in conventional arms and ammunition fuels conflict, poverty, gender-based violence, and human rights abuses. In 2006 discussion on controlling arms began at the United Nations and in 2009 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that mandated a negotiated Arms Trade Treaty. Preparatory committee meetings were held in 2010 and 2011, and now a four-week conference will be held in July at UN Headquarters in New York City to finalize a legally binding treaty. We look forward to an end to unregulated transfers of arms and an agreement that is transparent, effective, and enforceable.
What we can do: Speak Out in support of an effective Arms Trade Treaty. Add your voice through a wide range of actions. Pressure does work - efforts stimulated the start of treaty-related discussions in 2006.
www.controlarms.org/speak-out www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ATTPrepCom/index.htm
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY UN WOMEN: PRIORITIZING GENDER EQUALITY
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One year after the historic establishment of UN Women, a United Nations Organization working for women's empowerment and gender equality, Michelle Bachelet, Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women, reported on the accomplishments of their first year and called on all of us to make the changes still needed:
"These are among the bold actions we must take to achieve equality between women and men. These are the priorities of UN Women. Now is the time. All of us need to say:
- YES to more women leaders
- YES to unleashing women's economic potential
- YES to ending violence against women and girls
- YES to human rights for all
- YES to women's full participation in peacebuilding
- YES to budgets and plans that work for women and men"
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CORPORATE CAPTURE OF THE UNITED NATIONS: THE BOTTOM LINE
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 Vale Corporation, based in Brazil and operating in 37 other countries, was named the "Worst Company in the World" in January 2012 by the Public Eye Awards for its maltreatment of human lives and its destruction of Mother Earth. Our Sisters in Brazil are eyewitnesses to this. Vale is part of the United Nations Global Compact and the International Council on Mining and Metals which both promise to be socially and environmentally responsible. Claiming interest in the green economy and sustainable development, Vale is bringing influence to bear on the preparations for Rio+20. Through its Technology Institute, Vale pledges to "make responsible and respectful approaches to environmental, scientific and technological development a matter of course," but its record shows just the opposite. Vale is a sponsor of the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum, where sustainability is defined as "a company's delivery of long-term value in financial, social, environmental and ethical terms." Too many companies like Valeare using sustainable development language to benefit their bottom line.
www.pambazuka.org/en/category/advocacy/81656
www.foei.org/en/resources/publications/pdfs/2012/how-corporations-rule-vale
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GOOD BOOKS: WHAT OTHERS ARE READING
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Jean Stoner, SNDdeN
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
Congregational Representative at the United Nations
SNDatUN NGO Office
211 E 43rd St Suite 504
New York, NY 10017-8811 USA
1-650-245-7127 ________________________ |
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