Short answer to: What do Quakers do
apart from Sunday
meetings?
History links Quakers with work on
tolerance and
respect for all (William Penn), penal reform (Elizabeth Fry), in
developing
ethical business practices (Richard and George Cadbury), and war relief
and
reconciliation (Nobel Peace Prize 1947).
Quakers are at work on these causes today...
Human Rights
We have lawyers, researchers and go-betweens, working at
inter- governmental
level on improving human rights. We are campaigning to raise the
minimum age at
which young people are allowed to serve in the armed forces. We have
made
progress on this both at the United Nations in Geneva and by working
with
national governments. Amongst other issues we are working on world
trade
agreements to limit multinationals from patenting for profit plant and
other
material which should be a free public resource.
Criminal Justice
We work on campaigns to promote alternatives to expensive and
un-productive
prison sentences. Britain has one of the highest proportions of its
citizens in
jail of anywhere in the world as well as a high re-offending rate. Many
Quakers
work professionally in the social work, police, prison and court
systems. We
know from our own experiences the value of making spaces for
forgiveness and
reparation. We are prompting and developing sensible alternatives.
Fair Trade and Business Ethics
We work for economic justice. The struggle for economic
survival is often an
underlying factor when violent conflicts break out. We are involved in
ethical
investment projects, in monitoring multi-nationals and in promoting
truth and
integrity in public affairs.
Peace and Reconciliation
Quakers work particularly in rebuilding civil society after
wars. Major
current programmes operate in the Balkans, Middle East, Southern and
East
Africa. The work is helping people by providing community development,
advocacy
and other training. In Europe we campaign against the arms trade and
against
preparations for war. In Britain we develop and promote peace education
and
training in conflict resolution skills.
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