United Nations Global Justice Committee

The United Nations Global Justice Committee (UNGJC)of UUCAFocuses on local, national and international efforts to make the UN a strong, effective actor in international life on behalf of all the world’s peoples.  The UUCA UNGJC works to create an awareness of the structure, function, achievements, and challenges of the UN.  The Committee promotes peace, freedom, and environmental responsibility as well as social, civil, and economic justice for all.   Activities include: 

• Annual United Nations Weekend
• Great Decisions Discussion Group on international issues which meets on the fourth Sunday after the last service from 2/26—9/23 (contact Kay Cave at kmcave@comcast.net  
• Women’s Rights Worldwide (WRW) including the Buhata Pinay project
• Microcredit which provides short-term small loans so that people in poor countries      can build on their skills to establish and run their own business
• Coordinating Darfur actions (alerts, attending rallies, educational tables, helping with a Darfur Sunday, collecting advocacy post cards and petitions); and other collaborative international programs and activities. 
• The Committee has events, displays, and literature available.
• The UNGJC collaborates with other organizations especially the UU-United Nations Office, Buhata Pinay, the UUCA Partner Church Committee on international and UN issues, and the UUCA Legislative Action Team on public policy issues

The 2007 United Nations Weekend will be 11/3 & 11/4.   An International Potluck Supper in conjunction with the Green Sanctuary guidelines will be on Saturday 11/3 and people are invited to wear international clothing.  “Taking Action for Peacebuilding: Women’s Rights Worldwide and Buhata Pinay” will be an educational program after the dinner.  Rev. Muir’s sermon and the service will continue the celebration of the founding of the UN.  The All Children’s Chorus of Annapolis will be singing at the 9 a.m. service and the UUCA choir is singing at the 11 a.m. service.  Committee members participate in the service, provide refreshments, and international music will be featured.  Displays and educational resources will be at both events.

Women’s Rights Worldwide (WRW) is a congregational initiative and the priority of the UUCA UNGJC.   The WRW program is working to end gender-based discrimination and violence, build peace and security, improve health care, obtain equity in education, ensure economic and environmental justice, and expand political participation. The WRW website is:  www.womensrightsworldwide.com and email:  info@womensrightsworldwide.com .


The program is built on a 2005 proposed General Assembly Study Action Issue on WRW.    Projects have included sponsoring the first UU Collaboration Convocation for Women's Rights Worldwide and the Philippines at UUCA on 11/25/06 to share information about current initiatives for WRW and development programs in the Philippines and to explore ways to work together to achieve common goals.   WRW has been featured in UU General Assembly (GA) workshops and UUCA members have made major presentations.  One session was a UUCA Workshop at the 2006 GA on “Supporting Women’s Rights Worldwide: Model Programs for Empowerment.”  Chris Nielsen is on the Advisory Panel planning the International Convocation of UU Women on 2/27-3/2/09.  Their website is:  www.icuuw.com. A WRW t-shirt was sold at General Assembly and is available for $15 from Debbie Cole, debcole.email@yahoo.com.  Co-Chairs of the Committee are Chris Nielsen, chrisrkr@erols.com, and Phyllis Marsh, pnmarsh@aol.com.

Buhata Pinay is designed as a model program of Women’s Rights Worldwide (WRW).   UUA General Assembly Study/Action initiatives in 2004 and 2005 on Women’s Rights Worldwide, in which UUCA was a lead sponsor, continues to be a major priority of the UUCA UNGJC and other organizations.  Buhata Pinay is a comprehensive women’s development program to enable and empower Philippine women and their families in the areas of economic participation within a sustainable environment, education, health and safety, and building leadership.  Buhata Pinay is translated as Do It, Filipina. The foundation is being built on priority goals determined by the women themselves.  The UNGJC is working with the UU Church of the Philippines (UUCP) and its Women’s Association.  UUCA has produced background materials and assisted Buhata Pinay with successful grant proposals to the UUCA Endowment Fund and the UU Women’s Federation.  UUCA Endowment Fund awarded a grant for Congregational Organization and Identification of Needs (COIN) which supported four members of UUCP to conduct community meetings in villages with UU churches on Negros Island to assess the needs and concerns of the women.  UUCA Endowment funds were also awarded to establish the NGO, hire an Executive Director, and set-up a communications network linking the communities.   Five UUCA members went in August 2006 to six UU Congregations and other villages in Negros Island and Manila in the Philippines on a fact finding mission and to follow-up on COIN with several days of planning sessions for moving the project forward.  UUCA UNGJC members, Phyllis Marsh and Debbie Cole, are going on a follow-up trip in September 2007 and Chris Nielsen will also be there delivering a series of lectures as a recipient of the Fulbright Distinguished Lecturer Award.   A UUCA member has donated $10,000 to establish a fund for Buhata Pinay outreach efforts.

Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) promotes the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all as reflected in the UN Charter thru targeted education, advocacy and outreach which engages UUs to support international cooperation. Their website is www.uu-uno-org   The UU-UNO is a separate membership organization of individuals, congregations, and institutions in the US and Canada which bears witness on behalf of UUs at the UN and within the US and Canadian governments.  UUCA is a member and a special split collection will be held for the Office on 11/4.  UUCA individuals are members, participate in the UU-UNO Spring Seminar and GA programs, and are envoys to the office.  A UUCA UNGJC member has been a leader in setting up their microcredit network. 

Other Websites:   The UU Service Committee Drumbeat for Darfur: www.uusc.org/drumbeatfordarfur; United Nations:  www.un.org;   UN Association of the USA: www.unausa.org;  UN Association of the National Capital Area:  http://www.unanca.org; and  UN Millennium Goals Project:  www.unmillenniumproject.org

For further information or to volunteer:  Contact the Co-Chairs of the UUCA UNGJC:  
Betty McGarvie Crowley, bettycrowley@comcast.net
Olivia Stewart, OliviaStewart@verizon.net.