In a clear demonstration of global Mercy action, Sisters and colleagues worldwide have in the past several months taken action on three key concerns of Mercy Global Action at the UN: 1) addressing injustices related to oil, gas and mining industries; 2) following up on Rio +20 implementation, including the process for the development of Sustainable Development Goals; and, 3) formal interventions on mining injustices and human trafficking.

Mining

Mercy Global Action at the UN and colleagues in the Mining Working Group continue to identify and pursue entry points into the United Nations system in order to influence Member States to address roots causes of extractives injustice. These actions build on the interventions of MGA and colleagues at Rio+20 for a just, regulated and sustainable extractive industry, with human rights at its core. The specific focus is advocacy for just and sustainable extractive practices in the conversation on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Needless to say, these efforts have a profound impact on the future sustainability of the planet itself.

In collaboration with Franciscans International and VIVAT International, Mercy International Association at the UN is utilizing the Special Procedures of the UN human rights mechanism to report on violations brought to us by members on the ground in various parts of the Mercy world. We are especially indebted to Sisters of Mercy, Marion Collins, Lily Ferrero Butters, Moira Flynn, and other colleagues in mining hot spots for their ongoing collaboration and testimonies from the ground.

Rio+20

At the UN, during this 67th session of the General Assembly Members States are determining the architecture of the twelve inter-governmental processes mandated to implement Rio+20 outcomes. Of critical concern to MGA at the UN is how Major Groups and civil society will be formally engaged in these processes, most notably in the work of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) and the Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals (OWG).

Together with our colleagues and members of civil society, we are pressing Member States to continue to recognize the import and value of engaging Major Groups and civil society in these processes. This includes provision for funding, capacity building, and guaranteed access.
We are particularly grateful to the members of the Mercy Global Action Network for raising this concern at the national level as well.

In the arena of the NGO committees and working groups, we are preparing our positions on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and on the Sustainable Development Goals process. We are grateful to Sr. Mary Bilderback of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas for her ongoing collaboration with Sr. Áine O’Connor at the UN to advance our Rio+20 follow-up agenda on sustainable development.

Mercy Global Action at the UN is very appreciative of the work of two student interns, Shealyn Sullivan from Georgian Court University in New Jersey and Flannery McArdle from Carleton College in Minnesota. We thank them for their work on sustainable development and extractives, particularly in relation to the human rights mechanisms and the Rio+20 follow-up processes.

Mercy Global Action Formal Interventions

On addressing both extractive injustices and human trafficking concerns, Sisters of Mercy from both working groups joined members of the Mercy Global Action team to prepare formal written statements for the UN Commission on Social Development (CSocD) in February 2013, and for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March 2013.

We are grateful to Sr. Mary Tinney of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy Australia and Papua New Guinea, Sr. Mary Tee of the Sisters of Mercy Newfoundland, and to Jean Stokan and Marianne Comfort from the Institute Justice Team of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas for the significant contributions to the mining intervention for CSocD.

We also thank Sr Lynda Dearlove of the Institute of our Lady of Mercy United Kingdom, Srs. Sheila O’Gorman and Mary Ryan of the Irish Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, Sr Carole McDonald of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea, and Pat Zerega of Mercy Investment Services for their collective input to the formal intervention on human trafficking for CSW. And we acknowledge Sr. Rita Parks of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas for her careful preparation of statements on mining and trafficking for formal submission to the Commissions. When these two statements have been officially accepted and published by the United Nations, they will be available to members at large though Mercy World E News.

All in all, these efforts truly display global Mercy at its best – speaking truth to power in the arena of the United Nations.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and grateful to each one of you for enabling the work of Mercy Global Action at the UN this past year.

Aine O’Connor rsm - Mercy Global Action Coordinator at the UN