Did you know that if a child with measles walks into a classroom, every unvaccinated child will most certainly get it? Why are measles cases increasing worldwide? Why should you be concerned about it? And is the measles vaccine safe and effective? Dr Natash Crowcroft answers these questions in a new episode of WHO's Science in 5 podcast.
“Peace is a prerequisite. It's so critical for development… for unleashing the potential of the little girls. Peace is so important for enabling mothers, widows to give the best they can.”
Having grown up in war-torn rural Zimbabwe, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda overcame extreme hardship to pursue a career at the highest levels of the United Nations. Now UN Assistant Secretary-General, and one of two deputy executive directors of UN Women, she wants little girls everywhere to aspire to the same heights.
“Never let your circumstances determine your future. They are just a stepping stone to who you truly are.”
UN Women works to uphold women’s human rights and ensure that every woman and girl lives up to her full potential. In this episode, Nyaradzayi reflects on a childhood touched by war, poverty and disease, on a lifelong love of learning, and on how a recent accident gave her a new perspective on inequality.
Photo: ©UN Women/Ryan Brown
“There are also great stories and children who I see, who you know, are so resilient, children who have hope for the future.”
Catherine Russell never forgets the children she meets. As Executive Director of UNICEF, she bears witness to the stories of tens of millions of children and young people suffering around the world, and shares causes for optimism and hope wherever she finds it.
“Children just want to be children. No matter what, the bleakest situation, the most terrible things, they still want to play right? They want to find some joy. They want to just be kids, and I think that's what we have to all work to protect.”
2024 was one of the worst years on record for children in conflict, a devastating statistic that the UN is refusing to accept as a deadly new normal. In this episode, Catherine reflects on the impacts of childhood trauma, the limits of human resilience, and looks back on a childhood spent trick-or-treating for UNICEF.
Photo: ©UNICEF/UN0733293/Truong Viet Hung
* Episode recorded end of 2024
"[T]his is another place where the UN can play a role in bringing that public private connectivity together"
Carmen Corbin dreamt of serving with the United Nations from an early age. Now head of Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Trafficking and Terrorism Prevention programmes at the Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in East Africa, she is dedicated to protecting children from shocking online exploitation.
“We won't know who is real and who is not real. We can't keep up. All of us, in some way, shape or form, will potentially suffer from the fact that we won't be able to trust anyone that we meet, because you're never sure if that person is truly who they say they are.”
The UNODC supports law enforcement efforts in tackling all transnational organized crime and counter terrorism, including cybercrime. In this episode, Carmen reflects on the challenges of overseeing a wide portfolio, on the psychological strain of prosecuting the worst kinds of cybercrimes and shares her advice for a successful international career.
Photo: ©Glory Ndaka
“We can see how many people are suffering…We can see that people are running out of food, are running out of water, and the real narrative is that this will affect everyone sooner or later.”
Celeste Saulo has always been fascinated by the weather. Now Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), she is seeing climate breakdown warp global weather systems beyond recognition, with devastating impacts on countless lives and livelihoods.
“We want to save lives. We need these early warnings to reach everyone on Earth.”
The UN Secretary-General has issued a red alert for the planet after a full decade of record-breaking heat driven by human activity. In this episode of Awake at Night, Celeste reflects on our shared responsibility to future generations, on an emotional meeting with Pope Francis, and on why she can never give up hope.
“If you work with youth, you need to have hope, because for me, it's not fair not having hope… We need to work along the lines we believe are better opportunities for them, and we need to engage them, and I would say, to follow them.”
Photo: ©WMO
In this episode from UNEP's "Resilience: The Global Adaptation Podcast", we dive into questions related to how the media covers climate adaptation. What makes a climate story go viral? Why are stories so important for making sense of the climate crisis? How can the media convey the urgency without breeding despair? Lis and Marcus sit down with The New York Times’ adaptation reporter Christopher Flavelle to explore these questions. Plus, the filmmaker and explorer Malaika Vaz shares what it’s like to capture victims of the climate crisis and tell their story to a global audience.
How do we track the Influenza virus every season to decide what strains of the virus to include in a vaccine? Is the vaccine safe and when should you get vaccinated? Shoshanna Goldin explains in this episode of WHO's Science in 5.
UNCTAD's Weekly Tradecast looks at trade, industrial policy and the role of the private sector in promoting the interests of developing countries with special guest John Denton, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
With a cascade of crises hitting the global economy, UN Trade and Development convened government leaders, top economists and other experts in Geneva earlier this year to chart a new course for development in a changing world.
For a deeper look at the forum and how the private sector can support inclusive development, listen to global business leader and advisor John Denton from the ICC.
Having overcome a childhood marked by violence, abuse and neglect, Benjamin Perks has always drawn strength from an innate sense of optimism. Now Head of Campaigns and Advocacy at UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, he helps protect young people in similar situations all over the world.
“I think it was very clear that we were in a bad spot, though, being dealt a bad hand, but I was somehow optimistic that things would be better.”
Having recently authored a book about his experiences, Trauma Proof, Benjamin Perks reflects in this episode of Awake at Night on a lifetime campaigning for all children to be safe, seen, and soothed, and on how an encounter with a special teacher put his life back on track.
Just days before, she recalled, “he kissed us goodbye, and I remember telling him in my joking way: ‘Be sure you come back.’”
UN official Laura Dolci was feeding her baby son when she heard the devastating news that her husband Jean-Sélim Kanaan had been killed in a suicide bomb attack on the UN Headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. It was August 19, 2003: the darkest day in UN history, and the darkest day in her life.
Working through tremendous trauma, Laura Dolci became a fierce advocate for terrorism victims – calling for recognition and support to those affected by what she calls a senseless crime. At the United Nations, she is now a distinguished leader in international human rights.
In this episode, Laura reflects on the meaning of the term resilience, on her late husband’s legacy, and on her hopes for their son.
“One of the first things I had to tell [my son] was, ‘Your father was killed.’ … The weight of that word in a family is big. How do you make sure that the next generation can still believe in justice, in mediation, in respect, in resolving tensions and conflicts?”
Photo: ©Laura Dolci’s personal archives
“We cannot have health without peace. Peace is the most urgent medicine.”
As a doctor, Dr. Hans Kluge helped save lives in some of the toughest places on Earth. Now the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, he is working to improve the health of hundreds of millions of people - in a region stretching from Vladivostok to Lisbon.
“My dream and my vision is that we have a culture of health [...] independent of your financial means, your sexual orientation, whether you are documented or an undocumented migrant, that you are empowered to live a healthy life, [...] we have to have universal health coverage.”
Stepping into his European role just as a global pandemic swept the earth, Hans never dreamed that his previous experience in crisis-hit sub-Saharan Africa would prove so useful. In this episode, Hans reflects on lessons learned during COVID, the mental health crisis, and on surprising methods to build trust with remote communities.
Photo: ©WHO
“We want people to scream at the top of their lungs saying enough is enough […] We as humanity will not tolerate this, regardless of what and where it is happening.”
Arif Husain has spent the past decade raising his voice on behalf of those struggling to get enough to eat. Now Chief Economist at the World Food Programme (WFP), he is calling for the world to put a stop to mass hunger.
There is no shortage of food in the world, yet WFP says the number of people going hungry has more than doubled in the past five years. In this episode of Awake at Night, Arif Husain reflects on how the deadly trio of conflict, climate change and economics conspire to breed hunger, and offers listeners hope from a surprising source.
Photo: ©WFP/Inger Marie Vennize
Industrial symbiosis is a circular economy approach where businesses collaborate to repurpose waste and by-products, conserving resources and energy. This method not only benefits the environment but also presents new business opportunities and decent jobs. However, establishing these symbiotic value chains can be challenging, and ensuring that newly created jobs are both green and decent—especially in small and medium-sized enterprises—is not guaranteed. How can we effectively apply this concept to maximize benefits for businesses, workers, economies, and the environment? Sabrina de Gobbi, an International Labour Organization (ILO) Senior Economist, joins the Future of Work podcast to discuss what potential it has to ‘green’ economies and how we can ensure that the jobs it creates are decent.
According to an International Labour Organization (ILO) report, youth unemployment figures have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, but, in apparent contradiction, young people worldwide are reporting growing anxiety and worry about unemployment and job security. So, what’s the real situation for young people entering the labour market? Listen to a new episode of ILO’s The Future of Work Podcast.
The Weekly Tradecast by UNCTAD talks to Richard Baldwin – professor at IMD Business School and an expert on globalization – for his insights on the big economic shifts from manufacturing to services and what they mean for developing countries.
Services have proven to be resilient to crises in recent years and are growing rapidly — offering opportunities to developing countries for growth in jobs, incomes, investment and trade.
Tune in for more on these big shifts from Richard Baldwin, whom the Financial Times calls "one of the most important thinkers in this era of global disruption".