Peace and Security Program
The United Nations Association of Australia, Qld Division is leading a Peace and Security Program aiming to promote UN peacebuilding and peacekeeping initiatives in Australia, the Indo-Pacific and internationally. The Program works with civil society, universities, the business community, and government to raise awareness and engagement through research, seminars, and public events. The program supports the United Nations’ vital role in the attainment of peace and genuine security for the world’s people.
In the News: March 2024
PNG Massacre At least 49 killed in massacre in PNG highlands. In short: PNG police say at least 49 people have been shot dead in an ambush in the country’s […]
In the news: February 2024
The news continues to be dominated by the conflict in Gaza, with the humanitarian crisis becoming more and more desperate. This may be the defining conflict of this generation and […]
In the News: what’s in store for 2024
Compiled by the Peace and Security Team, UNAA Queensland In many respects, it’s going to be a big year. Whether this evokes the need to ‘brace ourselves’, inspires optimism or […]
The danger of the middle road
The political division that makes a middle approach to the Israel-Gaza conflict tenuous. The article below is written as a commentary and not an official position by the UNAA, the […]
Peace and Security Program- October Report
Click on this link to see the PDF version of the Peace and Security Program Oct. Report
Human rights and mega-sporting events
By Elisabeth Haugland-Austrheim Australia has a strong, however not perfect, record on human rights (Australian Human Rights Commission 2023). The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand […]
National Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals – The Nordic Countries
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which was adopted by all UN Member states in 2015, called for urgent action for “people, planet and prosperity” (United Nations General Assembly […]
The Indigenous Voice to Parliament
By Kate Maccarone “An Indigenous Voice to Parliament is consistent with guiding principles of key human rights treaties… [which] include the rights to self-determination. Given the proposals outlined in the […]
World Refugee Day – Secretary General Message
On World Refugee Day, 20 June 2023, the UN Secretary General provided the following message. Written Message
The Cost of Economic Sanctions
Why is the definition of a successful sanction based on foreign policy results and not human rights? By Kate Maccarone Sanctions are integral to foreign policy, allowing states to achieve […]
Annual Report 2021/2022
Annual Report 2021-2022 The United Nations of Australia has released their annual report for financial year 21/22. The report itself can be view directly here To view previous years reports […]
Secretary-General Message – Message for Countering Hate Speech
Attached is a message from the Secretary-General on the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, 18 June 2022 Read message here
Secretary-General Message – World Refugee Day
Attached is the Secretary-General message for World Refugee Day, 20 June 2022 Read message here
Putin’s narrative: The mobilisation of ontological security
By John Fowler Once again, a great power and permanent member of the UN Security Council and nuclear power has invaded another sovereign state. We are reminded that war remains […]
Shifting mindsets to challenge gender roles
By: Mariel Verroya, Nola Hennessy, Nicky Panont, and Akshitha Menon. Historically, attempts at reducing violence against women and girls are often represented as a timeless and universal phenomenon (United Nations, […]
NEWSLETTER: PEACE AND SECURITY PROGRAM November 2021
Here’s what we’ve been up to… West Papua Forum On the 16th of September, the UNAA Queensland Peace and Security Program hosted the online event, ‘West Papua: Finding a way […]
Peace, Dignity and Equality on a Healthy Planet: How Australia can contribute to the UN Common Agenda
DOUG EVERINGHAM ORATION [delivered via zoom] 30 OCT 2021 Presented by LEANNE SMITH, Director of the Whitlam Institute, Western Sydney University INTRODUCTION Good morning Brisbane! I am […]
Annual Report 2020/2021
Annual Report 2020-2021 The United Nations of Australia has released their annual report for financial year 20/21. The report itself can be view directly here To view previous years reports […]
Why does the BLM movement matter in Australia?
Written by Gin Saffi Abad. Produced by the UNAA Queensland Peace and Security Program The Black Lives Matter movement has raised important questions about the prevalence […]
West Papua: Finding a Way Forward
EVENT SUMMARY On the 16th of September, the UNAA Queensland Peace and Security Program hosted the online event, ‘West Papua: Finding a way forward’. As is often the case in […]
Secretary-General Message
Secretary-General António Guterres has released a message on United Nations Day, the 24th of October. To view message, please click here.
UN Day Message from our Patron
Our Patron, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) with Mrs Hurley has recorded a special message in celebration of UN Day 2021. To view the message, […]
Covid-19 beyond borders: The impact on Human Trafficking
By Priscilla Mardini Rehayem The Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has claimed many lives without discrimination; it has relentlessly impacted numerous communities across the globe, all while exacerbating the pre-existing poverty and […]
VENEZUELA : The impact of US sanctions
Written by Ippei Kato ‘Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others’, Winston Churchill said. Democracy in Venezuela has in recent years come under siege. In […]
Open arms to designing Arms: looking into Australian’s changing image
Dr Donnell Davis June 2021 This report was presented at the June UNAAQ meeting as a preliminary investigation into the changing policies regarding preventative diplomacy, global citizenship, migration, defence mandate, […]
Time for diplomacy?
Recent years have seen a steady shift in Australia’s relationship with China, and over the last six months this shift has become dramatic as tensions continue to build. There […]
Lebanon: An outcry from the heart of the Middle East
While the world battles through a pandemic, Lebanon is simultaneously striving to survive an unprecedented economic crisis and an indiscriminate wave of famine, ultimately fuelling a political revolution. If that […]
Was there slavery in Australia? Yes. It shouldn’t even be up for debate
Thalia Anthony, University of Technology Sydney and Stephen Gray, Monash University. Prime Minister Scott Morrison asserted in a radio interview that “there was no slavery in Australia”. This is a […]
Twinkle Twinkle Little War
THE ROLE OF CHILDREN IN PROLONGING VIOLENT CONFLICT By Mariel Verroya The Covid-19 lockdown allows us to reflect on the unfortunate realities that are happening in the world. We […]
Covid-19 and Gender-based Violence
The global response to COVID-19 has seen varying degrees of lockdown and enforced isolation laws put in place by governments everywhere. However, while stay-at-home measures are safe for some, others […]
Women peace and security achievements in Colombia
Over the past few decades, Colombian women and girls have been disproportionally affected by the ravages of war. This article describes Colombia’s main advances in the area of women, […]
WEST PAPUA: THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
By: Mariel Verroya The West Papuan struggle for independence has taken the lives of over 500,000 indigenous West Papuans (Evans, 2019). Forty more casualties were added to this list as […]
Australia and the United Nations in a Changing World Order
INAUGURAL DR DOUG EVERINGHAM LECTURE GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY SOUTHBANK CAMPUS, BRISBANE 27 OCTOBER 2019 Major General Michael G Smith AO (Retd) Let me start by acknowledging our traditional owners of […]