We, civil society groups from the five continents of the world working together for a just, peaceful, sustainable and prosperous world, jointly call for a negotiated solution to end the war in Ukraine as promptly and swiftly as possible. This must include an immediate cessation of hostilities against civilians and the removal of Russian military forces and weaponry from Ukraine, coupled with an agreed statement and provision of security assurances by and for all parties.
In a world that is already wracked by multiple crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating climate change, this conflict is tearing through already fragile communities and millions of individuals face war, displacement, loss of homes and livelihoods.
A month has already passed but the longer this conflict lasts the more devastating it is likely to be for the people living in Ukraine, Russia, and all over the world. It must be stopped now.
1) Stop the war
The attack on Ukraine by the Russian army and the invasion of a sovereign country marks an unacceptable breach of international law. We call for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine, a ceasefire and a withdrawal of Russian forces, and the phased removal of all sanctions according to an agreed timeline. The devastation of many cities and the killing of innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure cannot be justified.
We call on third parties to prevent a further military escalation of the conflict and help in facilitating peace negotiations.
Furthermore, it is unacceptable and insufficient that so far only a handful of men have been involved in the peace negotiations.
We call for the peace negotiations to include civil society and representatives of those who are directly affected, particularly women, especially from Ukraine and Russia.
2) Respect international human rights
We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. The rights of civilians must be respected, after one month of conflict, the humanitarian impacts are leading to massive displacement of people, loss of lives and livelihoods. We are very concerned that this grave violation of international law will have an extremely adverse impact on security and democracy in Europe and the World.
We also call for respect for human rights in Russia, many Russian people have stood up to condemn violence and their voices must be heard. Peaceful protest must be recognised as a legitimate form of expression.
We call for human rights and the rule of law to be respected.
3) Stop militarism and aggression around the world
Tragically, this is not the first time that such conflicts and wars have occurred, far from it, it is crucial to reduce militarization and authoritarianism all around the world.
The current situation in Ukraine comes in a human context where armed conflict, violence in all its forms, authoritarianism, corruption and indiscriminate repression affects the lives of millions of people around the globe and violates the human rights of people young and old in countries including: Myanmar, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and others.
All conflicts must be treated with the same level of concern, all lives affected by conflict are of equal value.
We call for the same level of support to end conflicts and ensure financial support for displaced peoples and refugees from other conflicts.
4) Shift military funds to a just and sustainable future
The war in Ukraine has already had a devastating impact on the world economy, especially on the Global South. There are likely to be major disruptions and significant increases in the cost of energy and production, increased food costs and at the same time budgets are being re-directed towards military spending.
The militarism of Russia is fueled by fossil fuels and it is therefore critical to stop investment in fossil fuels and shift immediately to clean forms of energy. It is crucially important that we reduce oil and gas consumption and rapidly upscale investments in renewables in order to combat the climate crisis beginning now.
We call for a specific commitment at the UN to reduce spending on military conflicts and to re-invest this spending on social protection and clean energy.
5) Establish a global peace fund
We call on member states to remember the founding vision of the United Nations and its Security Council, to deliver on the main reason it was created: to avoid any kind of war and the suffering of human kind.
The 2030 Agenda sets out a path towards a peaceful, just, sustainable and prosperous world; and much more ambitious steps and actions must be undertaken to ensure that the targets and goals are met.
We call on member states to establish a global peace fund to strengthen the role of international mediators and peace-keepers, the UN must act!
191 current signatories (sign the statement)
Global
- Action for Sustainable Development
- CIVICUS
- GCAP
- SDG Watch Europe
- SHERPA Institute
- Vivat International
- Academics Stand Against Poverty
- Gaia U International, Global Ecovillage Network US
- VIVAT International
- International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) Pax Romana, Asia Pacific.
- Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs
Asia
- Farmers’ Voice (Krisoker Sor), Bangladesh
- Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights(BIHR), Bangladesh
- JusticeMakers Bangladesh, Bangladesh
- Circular Economy Alliance India, India
- Kethoseno Peseyie, India
- CHIKKA FEDERATION OF INDIA, India
- Independent Individual freelancer named Hitesh BHATT & MS JALPA PATEL-INDIA., India
- Sikshasandhan, India
- Sustainable Development Council, India
- Association For Promotion Sustainable Development, India
- Peace in Education, India
- THE CATALYSTS CO, India
- SOCIETY FOR ORPHAN, NEGLECTED AND YOUTHS (SONY), India
- FAUDAR RURAL EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY FOR HARIJANS, India
- GIRL UP CHIKKA, India
- International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development, Indonesia
- Sustainable agriculture and environment, Iran
- Japan Youth Platform for Sustainability(JYPS), Japan
- UNISC International, Japan
- Silambam Asia, Malaysia
- World Yoga Association, Malaysia
- World Silambam Association (WSA), Malaysia
- Climate Change Working Group, Myanmar
- COMMUNITY SUPPORT ASSOCIATION OF NEPAL, Nepal
- Sheni legal Service and Research Center, Nepal
- SATHI SAMUHA (Friends Group), Nepal
- Youth Advocacy Nepal (YAN), Nepal
- Restructuring Nepal, Nepal
- Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), Pakistan
- Haakro Welfare Association, Pakistan
- SSpS, Philippines
- Lanka Fundamental Rights Organization, Sri Lanka
- Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit, Viet Nam
- AwazCDS, Pakistan
- Korean Advocates for Global Health, Korea
- National Campaign For Sustainable Development (NACASUD-Nepal), Nepal
- Tarayana Foundation, Bhutan
- General Secretary Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee, Pakistan
- Think Centre Singapore, Singapore
Europe
- Missionsprokur St. Gabriel International, Austria
- Greenskills, Austria
- Mikel Díez Sarasola, España
- Circular Initiatives Roadmap (CIR), Estonia
- Pekka Kuusi Ecofoundation, Finland
- World Family Organization, France
- ONG (Nouveau Point de vue ), France outre-mer
- Association for Farmers Rights Defense, AFRD, Georgia
- Global Ecovillage Network, Germany
- Forum on Environment and Development, Germany
- IAHV, Germany
- Patrick Paul Walsh, Ireland
- International Presentation Association, Ireland
- DMDA, Ireland
- Jan Martin Bang, Norway
- Norwegian Forum for Development and Environment, Norway
- Moray Carshare, Scotland
- Salisbury centre Edinburgh, Scotland UK
- Drustvo Soncni gric, Slovenija
- Alfonso Flaquer, Spain
- Centro de Transformacion del Conflicto Humano, Spain
- Findhorn Foundation Fellows, Sweden
- Justice for Prosperity Foundation, The Netherlands
- British Autism Advocates, U.K.
- Integral City Meshworks Inc., UK
- BPWUK, Uk
- Findhorn Fellows, UK
- Emerson College, Forest Row, East Sussex, UK., UK
- Barnaby Green, United Kingdom
- Dr. Colin Thomas Barnes, United Kingdom
- Development Alternatives, United Kingdom
- NAWO and the Judith Trust, United Kingdom
- Victor S Ient, United Kingdom
- Findhorn Foundation & Park Ecovillage Trust, United Kingdom
- InnerLinks, United Kingdom
- Alan Watson Featherstone, United Kingdom
- Open Circle Consulting Ltd, United Kingdom
- Poems for Parliament, United Kingdom
- Northern Ireland Women’s European Platform, United Kingdom
- Ecologia Youth Trust, United Kingdom
- Soroptimist International, United Kingdom
- Commonwealth Medical Trust, United Kingdom
- Widows for Peace through Democracy (WPD), United Kingdom
- SecurityWomen, United Kingdom
Middle East and Northern Africa
- Gatef, Egypt
- Junior enterprise, Tunisia
Pacific
- Plowright Studios, Australia
- Aaron Owen, Australia
- PIANGO, Fiji
- Deepti Karan Weiss, Fiji
- The New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women, New Zealand
- GENOA, Oceania and Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
- RESEAU SOS FEMMES EN DETRESSE – SOS FED, BURUNDI
- YUNIBF (Youth United for a Brighter Future), Cameroon
- Action pour le Développement (A4D), Cameroun
- Centre Oecuménique pour la Promotion du Monde Rural, Congo-Kinshasa
- AGIR POUR LA SÉCURITÉ ET LA SOUVERAINETÉ ALIMENTAIRE ASSA, Congo-Kinshasa( RDCONGO)
- Save the Climat, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Locate software, Ethiopia
- Michael Girimay Gebremedhine, Ethiopia
- New English private school, Ethiopia
- Taminnova, Ethiopian
- Apostolic Ministerial International Network, Ghana
- Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, Ghana
- Abundant Grace Female Foundation, Ghana
- Elizka Relief Foundation, Ghana
- Parlement des Jeunes Leaders de la Société Civile Guinéenne, Guinée
- BASO, Kenya
- The Social Justice Centers Working Group, Kenya
- New Generation Outreach, Kenya
- Thomas Kaydor, Jr., LIBERIA
- Innovations for change, Malawi
- Action for Environmental Sustainability, Malawi
- Peoples Federation for National Peace and Development (PEFENAP), Malawi
- Association du Développement et de la Promotion de Droits de l’Homme, Mauritanie
- Dieumax Ventures, Nigeria
- Leadership Watch, Nigeria
- Initiative For Peace And Stability ( IPAS), Nigeria
- HETAVED SKILLS ACADEMY AND NETWORKS INTERNATIONAL, Nigeria
- Environment and Development Advocates (EDA), Nigeria
- ASSOCIATION COMMUNAUTAIRE POUR LE BIEN ETRE ET LA PROTECTION ENVIRONNEMENTALE /ACOBEPE ONGD, REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO
- Nouveaux Droits de l’homme Congo Brazzaville, République du Congo
- GCAP-SENGAL, Senegal
- EARTH REGENERATIVE PROJECT SIERRA LEONE-NGO, SIERRA LEONE
- Volunteers Involving Organisations Network, Sierra Leone
- Mahawa Foundation, Sierra Leone
- Waste For Change NPC, South Africa
- Kadesh International, South Africa
- African Monitor Trust, South Africa
- Community Health Organization(CH), Tanzania
- VEILLE CITOYENNE TOGO, TOGO
- Espace Vie et Action-Togo (EVA-T), Togo
- Sugur Development Agency (SDA), Uganda
- Vision Centre Africa, Uganda
- Human Nature Projets Uganda, Uganda
- Step Up Youth Initiative, Uganda
- Development Education Community Project, Zambia
The Americas
- AidWatch Canada, Canada
- Vision GRAM-International, Canada and D R Congo
- Gloria Rodríguez, Colombia
- Movimiento Nacional Cimarrón, Colombia
- Alianza ONG, Dominican Republic
- Christian Acosta, Ecuador
- CECADE, El Salvador
- Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Developpement (UNASCAD), Haiti
- Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council, Jamaica
- Uso Inteligente ASV AC, México
- MY World México, México
- Humberto Soto, México
- Coordinadora por los Derechos de la Infancia y la Adolescencia de Paraguay, Paraguay
- Consorcio Agroecológico Peruano, Perú
- Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc, Saint Lucia
- UNANIMA International, United States
- Congregation of the Mission, United States
- World Union for Progressive Judaism, United States
- Transdiaspora Network, United States
- Sustainably Wise, United States
- Hawai’i Institute for Human Rights, United States
- The GOOD Group, United States
- Let There Be Light International, United States
- ALICIA STAMMER, United States
- Andrea Ruiz, United States
- TRIPPINZ CARE INC, United States
- Pleading for the Widows International Foundation, United States
- Missionary Oblates of Immaculate, United States
- Oblate Ecological Initiative, United States
- United Nations Association of the National Capital Area, United States
- New Future Foundation, United States
- World Roma Federation, US
- Kosmos Journal; Unity Earth, USA
- NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, USA
- Volunteer Groups Alliance, USA
- Findhorn Foundation, USA
- TAP Network, USA
- Global Choices, USA/ UK
- REDHNNA, Venezuela
- OMEP World Organization for Early Childhood Education, Argentina
- Fundación para la Democracia Internacional, Argentina
- Fundacion para Estudio e investigacion de la Mujer, Argentina
- Reaccion Climatica, Bolivia
- Viviane Weingärtner, Brazil