Global perspective Human stories

The Lid is On

© UNICEF/Georges Harry Rouzier

PODCAST: Humanitarian Leadership Stories – Development

In the final episode of Humanitarian Leadership Stories, a mini-series produced in collaboration with the UN Humanitarian Office, OCHA, we find out why there’s so much more to relief work than just delivering emergency assistance.

Daniel Johnson hears from humanitarians in hotspots such as Gaza, Haiti, and Libya, on why it’s essential to help those in chronic conflict zones to become more resilient.

  • Post-production: Srdan Slavkovic
  • Voice artist: Alex Williams
  • Music: Ketsa, Night Whispers
Audio
20'52"
© UNICEF/Baker Kasem

PODCAST: Humanitarian Leadership Stories – Principles

For veteran UN Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza, holding the line on impartiality is key in emergencies. And he should know, having served as the Organization’s top relief official in Damascus, Syria.

Hear Imran’s story in episode five of Humanitarian Leadership Stories, a mini-series produced in collaboration with the UN Humanitarian Office, OCHA, which also includes fascinating insights from top UN top aid coordinators reflecting on their engagement in Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, South Sudan and Somalia.

Audio
20'53"
© UNICEF/Ashley Gilbertson

PODCAST: Humanitarian Leadership Stories – Integrity

In episode four of Humanitarian Leadership Stories, a mini-series produced in collaboration with the UN Humanitarian Office, OCHA, we hear how tough discussions with warring sides are part and parcel of being a top UN relief coordinator.

This podcast also takes us to Nigeria, South Sudan, Jordan and Lebanon, where we’ll find out how the work of the UN’s relief chiefs is driven by putting vulnerable people first.

  • Post-production: Srdan Slavkovic
  • Voice artist: Alex Williams
  • Music: Ketsa, Night Whispers
Audio Duration
16'27"
© UNHCR/Sahat Zia Hero

PODCAST: Humanitarian Leadership Stories – Standing up for people in crisis

In the second episode of Humanitarian Leadership Stories, our co-production with OCHA, the UN Humanitarian Office, top UN relief officials explain how the key humanitarian principle of putting people in crisis first – and remaining accountable to them – guides their work.

Daniel Johnson hears how UN humanitarian coordinators go about their work, taking calculated risks where armed groups are concerned, and not shying away from standing up to authority either.

  • Post-production: Srdan Slavkovic
  • Music: Ketsa, Night Whispers
Audio
16'17"
© UNICEF/Giacomo Pirozzi

PODCAST: Humanitarian Leadership Stories - Eritrea

What makes a good aid chief? That’s the question we set out to answer in Humanitarian Leadership Stories, a mini-series produced in collaboration with the UN Humanitarian Office, OCHA.

Helping people in emergencies is part and parcel of being a humanitarian, but there’s a lot more to helping vulnerable communities than you might think, as we’ll hear, in this compelling podcast series.

In this first episode, Daniel Johnson from UN News talks to Susan Namondo-Ngongi on her time as UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Eritrea.

Audio
19'48"
UNDP Chad/Jean Damascene Hakuzim

PODCAST: The future of water

Unless drastic changes are made the future of water looks bleak.

On World Meteorological Day, held on 23 March, Conor Lennon spoke to Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation, Lindsey Blodgétt, Former President of the World Youth Parliament for Water, and Maarten van Aalst, Director of the Dutch Royal Meteorological Institute, about the changes that societies need to make, in order to cope with the changing climate in the coming years.

Audio
15'22"
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

PODCAST: Keeping cross-border water cooperation flowing

Water doesn’t respect borders, and 153 countries share basins. Water scarcity is increasing, and so is the potential for conflict: “Water for Cooperation” is one of the key themes of this year’s conference.

On this week’s episode Conor Lennon from UN News speaks to Suleiman Adamu, Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Water Resources, and Sonja Köppel, the Secretary to the UN Water Convention.

Audio
16'37"
UNDP Chad/Jean Damascene Hakuzim

PODCAST: Working together to halt the global water crisis

This year’s UN World Water Development Report warned of a global water crisis, unless international cooperation is rapidly stepped up.

On this week’s episode of The Lid Is On, recorded the day after the release of the study on 21 March, Conor Lennon speaks to Richard Connor, the editor-in-chief of the report, Kristin Meyer from the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and Neil Dhot, from the International Federation of private water operators.

Audio
19'12"