Episodes

  • Melissa Fleming, Head of Global Communications for the United Nations

    Melissa Fleming, Head of Global Communications for the United Nations
    Oct 14 2024
    Melissa Fleming is the Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications at the United Nations. Previously, she served as the Head of Communications and Chief Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency. Melissa is the author of A Hope More Powerful than the Sea and host of the podcast Awake at Night. This month, we delve into what it takes to be the UN’s Chief Communicator at a time of rising global conflicts and backsliding women’s rights.
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    43 mins
  • Mary Maker, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

    Mary Maker, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
    Aug 26 2024
    Mary Maker is a South Sudanese refugee and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador. She is also an actress, a fashion lover, and a writer. After fleeing her war-torn country as a child, Mary found safety at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, where she was able to attend school. Today, Mary is a champion for girls’ education as a vital tool for rebuilding lives and empowering a generation of girls who are too often denied access to the classroom. Mary is a friend and a powerful voice, and today, we dug a bit deeper into her story. You can follow Mary on Instagram @marymaker_43
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    35 mins
  • Yasmine Mohammed, Human Rights Activist

    Yasmine Mohammed, Human Rights Activist
    Jun 3 2024
    Yasmine Mohammed is a Canadian human rights activist and author of Egyptian and Palestinian descent. Yasmine escaped from a forced, abusive marriage to an Al-Qaeda operative and became an advocate for women's rights through her non-profit organization Free Hearts, Free Minds. She is the author of Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam. In this episode, Yasmine shares her remarkable story and unique perspective with the world. Trigger Warning: Mention of violence against women.
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    42 mins
  • Paul O'Brien, Executive Director, Amnesty USA

    Paul O'Brien, Executive Director, Amnesty USA
    Apr 30 2024
    Paul O’Brien is the Executive Director at Amnesty International USA. Over his career, he has done human rights research and advocacy in more than 50 countries, including most recently, Mexico, Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. He lived for 10 years in Africa, working for local and international organizations, and for 5 years in Afghanistan, where he served as an advisor to the President. Before Amnesty, Paul co-led Oxfam’s advocacy efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic and led Oxfam America’s advocacy with the US government. He is the author of Power Switch: How We Can Reverse Extreme Inequality. This month, Paul and I are in conversation about the current state of human rights. Enjoy our conversation. You can follow Paul on X @dpaulobrien
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    50 mins
  • Leslie T. Chang, Journalist and Author

    Leslie T. Chang, Journalist and Author
    Mar 20 2024
    Leslie T. Chang has written about women in the developing world for two decades. Her reporting method is to immerse herself in the daily lives of ordinary women to find stories that are often unknown to the outside world. Leslie lived in China for a decade as a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, focusing on stories that explored how socioeconomic change was transforming institutions and individuals. In 2011, Leslie moved to Cairo, Egypt, where she explored the lives of the country's working women. Her new book, Egyptian Made: Women, Work, and the Promise of Liberation, follows three women who work in Egypt’s garment industry. Alongside these stories, Leslie shares her own experiences living in the country for five years. It was an honor to have Leslie on the podcast this month. You can buy her new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Egyptian-Made-Women-Promise-Liberation-ebook/dp/B0BL77GSW6
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    46 mins
  • Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, President and CEO, International Peace Institute

    Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, President and CEO, International Peace Institute
    Dec 27 2023
    Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein is a Jordanian former diplomat and the President and CEO of the International Peace Institute. He is the Perry World House Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania and served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2014-2018. Zeid is a member of The Elders, an independent group of world leaders and human rights advocates brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007. You can follow him on X @Raad_Zeid and you can follow the International Peace Institute @ipinst
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    50 mins
  • Masuma Ahuja, Head of Freeda UK

    Masuma Ahuja, Head of Freeda UK
    Dec 12 2023
    Masuma Ahuja is a journalist who calls three countries home and reports on people, power, and politics worldwide. Her work focuses primarily on women’s and girls’ lives. She is currently the Head of Freeda UK; previously, she worked at CNN and the Washington Post. She also spent years freelancing, reporting on women’s and girls’ lives worldwide for places like the BBC, The Washington Post’s The Lily, and Vice. Her debut book, Girlhood, published in 2021, depicts the everyday lives of girls around the world. You can follow Masuma on Instagram and X @masumaahuja
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    33 mins
  • Diary of A Gazan Girl

    Diary of A Gazan Girl
    Nov 15 2023
    24-year-old Shereen Sabbah from Gaza shares audio diaries for More to Her Story.
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    4 mins