In an episode of The UN Forest Podcast, host Samata Pattinson engages with Åsa Degerman, Ben Selby, and Carlo Covini to delve into the urgent need for sustainability within the fashion and textile industry. The discussion centers on the pivotal role of forests and innovative technologies in fostering a more sustainable and circular fashion ecosystem.

With a focus on transformative practices, the conversation highlights how integrating forest-based materials and cutting-edge technologies can revolutionize the industry, promoting environmental conservation and reducing waste. The podcast aims to inspire industry stakeholders and consumers alike to embrace sustainable fashion practices for a greener future.

Photo: UNECE

Navigating the transition from education to employment is a pivotal moment for young people, but for refugees, this journey is often compounded by significant challenges. With over 50% of refugees being under 25, they face disrupted education, trauma from displacement, limited networks, and the complexities of adapting to new cultures and languages. This not only hinders their personal development but also results in a vast waste of talent for their societies, potentially trapping another generation in dependency cycles.

In this podcast episode, we hear from two inspiring young refugees, Mashimbo Rose Nafisa and Joel Amani Mafigi, who have not only overcome these hurdles but have also dedicated their careers to empowering fellow young refugees. Their advocacy extends to the global stage, as they prepare to attend the United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum in New York, where they will champion better work opportunities for young refugees on an international platform.

UNESCO’s "Leadership for Equality" podcast features inspiring discussions on gender equality. Blanca Jiménez Cisneros  (Ambassador of Mexico to France)  talks about the role of gender equality in shaping diplomatic endeavors; Tugrug Uugan-Erdene (Director of Sain Tus Development Bridge NGO, Mongolia) discusses grassroots advocacy and intergenerational dialogue; her daughter Khongorzul Batsukh highlights the importance of youth leadership training and role models, and Judith Juma presents her documentary film on women in politics in Kenya.

Why is dengue fever spreading to places where it has not been before? What are the symptoms and treatments? What about vaccines? Dr. Raman Velayudhan, of the World Health Organization's Department of Neglected Tropical Diseases, gives us the keys to the disease's spread and treatments in a new episode of the Science in 5 podcast. 

UNESCO has launched a podcast series called "Think Critically, Click Wisely" to improve people's media and information literacy skills. The series has 8 episodes on various topics such as disinformation, hate speech, digital skills, AI, and privacy. Listeners can expect to gain practical insights and skills for navigating the digital world. Today's episode focuses on learning digital skills to navigate safely in digital spaces.

Remittances, totaling over $830 billion globally, serve as a lifeline for countless families in developing nations, making substantial contributions to poverty alleviation. These funds have a direct and positive impact on household incomes, empowering recipients to fulfill basic necessities like food, shelter, and healthcare. By easing financial burdens and enhancing living standards, remittances play a pivotal role in lifting families out of poverty and building economic resilience within communities.

The importance of remittances in developing countries is underscored by UNCTAD's economist Bruno Antunes, as highlighted in the Weekly Tradecast episode. 

Photo Credit: FIDA

“Every day a woman's right is abused,” said Riya William Yuyada, who fled South Sudan when she was a baby, but decided to return more than 20 years later to create a women’s movement for peace, Crown the Woman. “When women are part of peace, it is more sustainable.”

Across the world, women and girls are leading the fight for peace and equality. Yet despite their essential role in peacebuilding, women human rights defenders still face challenges when it comes to getting a seat at the tables of power. This episode of the UN Human Rights Podcast explores how women are trying to bring peace to conflicts around the world, with grassroots activist Riya William Yuyada, Laila Alodaat, Deputy Secretary General at the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and Nicole Ameline, former chair of the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.

Mary Harvey, Chief Executive of the Centre for Sports and Human Rights, highlights the intrinsic connection between sports and human rights values when sport is healthy and vibrant. With her extensive background as a former athlete on the USA women’s football team and her involvement in bringing the FIFA World Cup to North America in 2026, Harvey brings a unique perspective to the discussion.

“If we are trying to make human rights something that is more every day, sport provides that, that connection to people in an everyday way,” she said.

In an episode of the UN Human Rights Podcast, Harvey delves into the significance of sports in making human rights more accessible to people on a daily basis.

She emphasizes the power of sports as a platform for educating individuals about human rights in a relatable and everyday manner.

“It is a wonderful way to educate people about human rights and that makes it very relevant for everyone.” she concludes.

Photo: © Getty

Productivity has been the driving force behind the five- sometimes six-day workweek, but there is a growing body of evidence that shows a shorter week is equally, if not more productive in many respects. Juliet Schor is a champion of the four-day week and led the charge in the early 90s with her book The Overworked American, which studies the pitfalls of choosing money over time. Schor is an economist and sociologist at Boston College and heads the research for global trials of companies instituting four-day workweeks. Journalist Rhoda Metcalfe spoke with Juliet Schor about her four-day week mission, as part of the IMF Podcast series about Women in Economics.

“I think the direction in which we need to go is for us to restructure education,” said Farida Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to education.

“I want it to be open. I want there to be much more appreciation of our artistic expressions. Education has to be rounded. It has to be based on human rights and it needs to explore and enable everyone to reach the full potential as human beings, whatever that may be.” Shaheed discussed the future of the human right to education and other issues as part of Voices of Dignity, a series of interviews with thought leaders and experts on the UN Human Rights Podcast. 

“I think it’s a false premise that human rights are dead. To some extent, I think its being promulgated by naysayers and people who have given up on the framework,” said Eleanor Kennedy, senior policy expert from the Open Society Foundation (OSF) in this episode of Voices of Dignity: Pathways to Justice by UN Human Rights.

Last year, OSF put out “Can Democracy Deliver?” a first of its kind look at attitudes and opinions toward all aspects of democracy and human rights. Kennedy said the report brought up many surprising and challenging attitudes regarding human rights and its mechanisms, including if current human rights frameworks actually were delivering on their promises.

But one idea that came through loud and clear in the report, Kennedy stressed, was that the rumours of the demise of human rights has been greatly exaggerated.

Gender and age are significant factors that affect how people perceive risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities. Life events such as marriage, childbearing, or retirement often put women and girls at a higher risk of poverty. Providing social protection, such as health insurance or cash transfers, can help reduce poverty and vulnerability, and support people from childhood to old age. In this podcast, three UNICEF officers: Ramya Subrahmanian, Nyasha Tirivayi, and Lauren Whitehead discuss Gender-Responsive and Age-Sensitive Social Protection.

This episode of The Weekly Tradecast looks at the impact of the Israel-Gaza crisis on the Palestinian economy with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) economist Rami Alazzeh. Since the deadly assault by Hamas militants on October 7, Israel's military response has destroyed more than 37,000 buildings and displaced most of the 2.3 million people in the tiny enclave. With so much destruction, UNCTAD says in a new report that rebuilding Gaza will be all the more difficult given the already dire state of the economy from Israel’s decades-long blockade.

The world of work is undergoing profound change. These changes are creating skills gaps, mismatches and shortages that are resulting in unfilled jobs and lost productivity. So how do we close this skills gap? In search of an answer, the International Labour Organization has adopted a new international labour standard focused on updating its approach to skills and quality apprenticeships. But how will it work in practice? In this podcast Martin Henry, Research, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator of Education International in Brussels, and Kathryn Rowan, Executive Director of GAN, the Global Apprenticeship Network based in Geneva, share their insights.

Earlier in December, the UN Department of Global Communications hosted Knowledge, History and Power, an event featuring noted journalists Nikole Hannah-Jones and Laura Trevelyan. The event was organized by the Department of Global Communications Outreach Programme on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery in collaboration with the Universities Studying Slavery Consortium.

Pauline Batista from UN News talked to both award-winning journalists about the challenges, hopes and dreams for “the future of reparations,” in the United States and globally.

Photo Credit: UN News/Pauline Batista