Mirko Fernandez is a victim advocate at the Global Fund. In this episode, he talks about the complexities of preventing and responding to sexual misconduct in the aid sector.

Mirko shares how his career was shaped by his parents, who were Chilean exiles, and their activism against human rights violations in their home country. We also hear about his work in forensic anthropology and his advocacy for marginalised communities.

He talks about the importance of allyship, the role of education in promoting rights, and the challenges faced by victims during the investigation process. The conversation also touches on the psychological and emotional demands of victim advocacy work and strategies for self-care and resilience within this field.

In this episode of the #NoExcuse podcast, host Guni Dias speaks with Harvard sociologist Frank Dobbin about the complexities of sexual harassment in the workplace, especially within international aid organizations. Dobbin examines contributing factors like power differentials and social isolation and critiques conventional harassment training for its sometimes counterproductive effects. Dobbin highlights effective alternatives such as allyship, bystander intervention training, and enhanced grievance mechanisms, including ombuds offices and dispute resolution processes. The discussion underscores the need for cultural change and proactive leadership to foster harassment-free environments.

00:00 Trigger Warning and Introduction
00:30 Interview with Frank Dobbin: Understanding Workplace Harassment
03:06 Power Differentials and Social Isolation in Aid Organizations
06:09 Challenges of Traditional Harassment Training
09:12 Effective Strategies for Allyship and Manager Training
14:23 Reporting and Grievance Mechanisms
19:20 Broader Spectrum of Workplace Misbehaviours
22:16 Creating a Culture Free of Harassment