JOIN FORCES WITH US TO PREVENT MASS ATROCITIES
WFUNA is building an "ARMY" of people, organisations and governments who CARE about PREVENTING MASS ATROCITIES and want to TAKE ACTION. In 2012, WFUNA hopes to deliver its R2P curriculum and distribute its R2P toolkits to more UNAs.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED - Capacity Building Training in 2011
In May-June 2011, WFUNA was busy building the capacity of UNA members on R2P. The training in both countries, as part of collaborative efforts to raise awareness on R2P, included five modules. On the first day, through a number of activities including a debate, a mock government meeting, brainstorming and discussions, participants developed a strong understanding of R2P and the surrounding debates. They also developed knowledge of the role of the UN and support of governments on R2P, and recommended steps for implementation.
The second and third day focused on how the UNA could work with civil society, academics, media and politicians to raise awareness on R2P. Discussions included holding seminars and conferences with students, incorporating the topic of R2P in course work as well as their national and regional model UN's, developing different information materials packs and policy briefs. This was follow by a one day workshop to develop a plan on how to implement the creative and innovation ideas for raising awareness on R2P brainstormed throughout the training. The participants now feel well equipped to become a part of a team of advocates motivated to prevent mass atrocities.
UNA-Armenia and UNA-Georgia
8 participants including the UNA-Armenia President, the Executive Director, the National Responsibility to Protect Project Coordinator and key volunteers of UNA-Armenia, participated in four days training on the R2P in Yerevan, Armenia in May. A member from UNA-Georgia also attended to learn about R2P, and how UNA-Georgia could work with WFUNA to raise awareness on R2P within Georgia and the region. After developing an extensive action plan UNA-Armenia are now working hard to raise awareness on R2P in Armenia. See the photo gallery of the workshop.
UNA-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The following week WFUNA headed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the UNA-DRC Secretary-General, 6 staff members and volunteers from UNA-DRC including the two National Responsibility to Protect Project Coordinators and two members from Droits Humains Sans Frontieres, participated in four days training on R2P. In DRC, WFUNA's efforts lead to gaining press coverage from two media outlets, an article was published in Agence Congolaise de Presse and spoke on MONUSCO radio. UNA-DRC is now working on further outreach to the key target groups to prevent mass atrocities continuing within their border.
Read more here for a timeline of WFUNA and UNA R2P Activities
UNA-UK’s R2P Programme – funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust – seeks to galvanise political support for R2P and foster understanding of the concept within the public domain. It aims to do this in four ways:
- Consolidate a national R2P policy support network in the UK
- Build support for R2P within the UK Government, national and regional political parties
- Establish greater international political constituency for R2P
- Foster grassroots support in the UK.
The first year of the programme will culminate in the publication of a number of policy reports aimed at decision makers, as well as high-level round-tables bringing together policy makers and policy informers to discuss the practical implementation of the concept. At the grassroots level, UNA-UK will engage the public on the debates surrounding the R2P principle, providing lectures throughout the country, and utilise its website and social media platforms to interact with people of all ages around the UK in discussions on preventing mass atrocity crimes. Through such activities, UNA-UK will seek to place R2P firmly on the country’s political agenda.
UNA-Wales launched a campaign on R2P creating lesson plans on R2P for secondary schools in Wales, holding UN school awareness competitions, and establishing student group.
As a followup to WFUNA's R2P Dag Hammarskjold Symposium in Kenya, UNA-Tanzania presents on R2P at their event to mark the International Day of Youth. Read up on what else UNA-Tanzania are doing on issues of Peace and Security
UNA-Uganda's Makerere University Chapter, inspired by WFUNA's R2P Dag Hammarskjold Symposium in Kenya, is holding a inter-University workshop under the theme - "The role of the United Nations agencies in protecting civilians, stopping violence and promoting solutions". The workshop aims to raise awareness on what the adoption of R2P means for UN's role in peace and security amongst young adults and university students. UNA-Uganda has also began disseminating information on R2P through its newsletters; calling for action and outlining ways individuals can get involved in the movement to prevent mass atrocities and discussing the role of the UN in Libya.
Since WFUNA's R2P Conference in 2011, members of UNA-Uganda have set up an East African Coalition for R2P which seeks to promote R2P among students and people in East Africa through education and awareness raising. They have already held a number of simulations on the security issues in Africa - check out their work on facebook
UNA-AUSTRALIA AND UNA-NEW ZEALAND
Youth from UNA-Australia and UNA-New Zealand attended WFUNA Dag Hammarskjold Symposium in Beijing in December 2011 which reflected on R2P and the UN's role in mass atrocity prevention. Their work didn't stop there - both representatives at the conference have gone on to write articles and reports on their thoughts on R2P and how it relates to China's ideas on conflict prevention and military intervention.
