Interviews

Around the world, education is under attack, impacting millions of children. In Ukraine alone, more than 1,800 schools have been damaged or destroyed since 2022, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), depriving countless children of their right to safe learning.But the crisis goes beyond damaged buildings. Nelson Rodrigues, Education Specialist for UNICEF Ukraine, told UN News that children's well-being has been severely damaged by constant air raid alerts, living underground in shelters – and the psychological toll of uncertainty.He told UN News's Nargiz Shekinskaya the disruption is not only about shattered classrooms – it's also about the daily resilience children must show just to keep learning under fire.

Following the Nepalese government's ban on social media platforms due to non-registration and concerns about misinformation, large youth-led protests erupted across the capital Kathmandu and other cities on Monday.The demonstrations are escalating rapidly, with at least 15 people killed and more than 100 injured amid clashes, curfews, and reports of police using tear gas and possibly live ammunition.UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, described the events as “unlike Nepal,” expressing deep concern for civilian safety and stressing the urgent need to ensure unrestricted medical access for the injured.UN News's Anshu Sharma began by asking her to describe the situation on the ground.

Nearly four years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and 11 years since conflict began, the toll on people's mental health is severe.Women and girls are disproportionately affected, facing displacement, economic uncertainty, heightened risks of gender-based violence, and the constant pressure of protecting their families during repeated attacks.Speaking from the capital Kyiv, which suffered deadly strikes last week, and following a visit to the frontline region of Sumy, UN Women's Representative in Ukraine Sabine Freizer Gunes described both the emotional exhaustion and resilience of women.She told UN News's Nathalie Minard that empowering women and restoring a sense of normalcy are crucial steps to help relieve the stress of war.

The numbers of dead and wounded following the deadly earthquake in remote eastern Afghanistan – as well as the needs of survivors – are going to climb in the days ahead, the UN warned on Tuesday.The head of the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) in Afghanistan, Amy Martin, told UN News's Sachin Gaur that at least 20 emergency rapid assessment teams have been deployed, amid major access challenges, a disastrous drought – and shrinking aid budgets.

The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has renewed his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza, warning that civilians face death not only from bombardment but also from mass starvation and lack of aid.Despite severe restrictions on humanitarian access, UNRWA continues to provide medical care, clean water, and shelter to hundreds of thousands. But Israel continues to severely impede food distribution – despite international food experts' assessment that famine will spread.“Every hour today counts, the more we wait, the more people will die,” the UNRWA Commissioner-General said in an interview with UN News's Daniel Johnson.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, has operated since the late 1970s, tasked with monitoring the demilitarisation of the south of the country, supporting the Lebanese army, and ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need.Every year, the mandate has to be renewed by the Security Council, but powerful voices have been raised against extending it, which could spell either its closure, or lead to budget cuts that reduce its ability to operate effectively.With the Security Council deadline just a few days away, Nancy Sarkis from UN News spoke to Andrea Tenenti, UNIFIL's long-time spokesperson, and began by asking him to explain why it's still needed.

An education specialist who left Somalia as a child when the civil war broke out in 1991 has now returned to support the Ministry of Education as they expand national testing.  The programme which enabled this specialist, named Shire Salad, to return — Migration for Development in Africa or MIDA — is run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and recruits diaspora experts who have  a “personal desire to give back."MIDA then pairs these experts with local professionals who work together to advance the development of hospitals, schools and other institutions. While the diaspora experts ultimately leave, the hope is that their skills will remain.  UN News' Naima Sawaya spoke with Mr. Salad about his experience returning to Somalia after so many years.

People in Haiti are living through “hell on earth,” according to William O'Neill, the UN's designated expert on human rights in Haiti.  Armed gangs – predominantly in the capital Port-au-Prince – are parasitically extracting financial resources from the population and perpetrating horrific acts of violence, he says – but they're just one cog in a larger cycle of impunity, corruption and violence.Following the release of the most recent report on human rights in Haiti, UN News' Naima Sawaya spoke to Mr. O'Neill about whether a path forward to peace even exists. She began by asking if he had ever met a gang leader. 

In Gaza, women and girls have been bearing the brunt of the catastrophic humanitarian situation for the past 22 months.  In addition to the constant threat of sexual violence, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in the enclave face a daily struggle to get the help they need.  Despite the continuing devastation – as Israel moves to assert more military control over the enclave – the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and partners are mobilised and working around the clock to provide life-saving services on the ground, as UN News's Nathalie Minard has been hearing from Laila Baker, Regional Director for Arab States for UNFPA.  

In Sudan, as violent conflict between forces of the Sudanese military and their rival Rapid Support Forces militia rages for its third year, women are facing the brunt of the humanitarian crisis.Female-led households struggle to access food, girls and women face high risks of exploitation and abuse when trying to access humanitarian aid, and all the while, A accessible women-run organizations are vastly under-resourced.Salvator Nkurunziza, the UN Women representative in Sudan, sat down with UN News's Abdelmonem Makki to discuss the struggles women face in Sudan and the solutions that should be implemented.

Some 1.3 million people displaced. 5.7 million people not getting enough food. How do you even begin to conceive of the magnitude of Haiti's crisis, borne from years of political insecurity, gang violence and climate shocks? And how do you begin to feed the country?For Pierre Vauthier, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in Haiti, hope lies in smaller, locally-driven solutions which empower communities to take control of their own food production.  A school feeding programme, for example, which instead of financing imported food, uses funds to expand the capacities of local farmers, not only feeds children but also generates rural self-sufficiency.UN News' Naima Sawaya spoke with Mr. Vauthier to learn more about FAO's work in Haiti and why he remains hopeful for Haiti's future.  

More than 30 landlocked developing countries – from Bolivia to Bhutan and Burkina Faso – face some of the world's highest trading costs, deepest poverty and weakest investment flows.Rebeca Grynspan, head of the UN's trade and development agency, UNCTAD, has told UN News that they are "invisible to much of the world", prisoners of outdated structural constraints.Speaking on the sidelines of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, in Awaza, Turkmenistan, she explained to Nargiz Shekinskaya why digital trade, regional integration and long-term investment are critical to unlocking their potential.

If ever the world needed to agree on stopping plastic pollution, it's now, supporters of a deal say.According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), plastic production and waste is due to triple by 2060.In Geneva, where international talks are underway this week for a legally binding deal to stop plastic pollution, campaigners are also having their say.They include Shellan Saling, from California, who's the interim chair of the Youth Plastic Action Network (YPAN). Achieving an ambitious treaty is critical today because plastic impacts everything from climate change to people's health and much more besides, she explains.

Human trafficking is a global threat driven by organised crime and each year, more and more women, children and men are being exploited, including for forced labour and sex.That's according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which works to provide humanitarian, legal and economic assistance to survivors.  Through the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons (UNVTF), the UN prioritises working with grassroot organisations carrying out survivor-led initiatives, facilitating on-the-ground assistance and protection to victims of trafficking.On the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, UN News's Emma Trager-Lewis met with Mira Sorvino, Oscar-winning actress and UNODC's Goodwill Ambassador for the global fight against human trafficking.

UN agencies continue to draw attention to the dire conditions in Gaza, where food security experts warned this week of mounting evidence of famine and widespread starvation due to conflict, displacement and the near-total collapse of essential services.Ricardo Pires, Communication Manager with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), is fresh from a mission to the enclave, where a man-made drought is also looming.He told UN News' Daniel Johnson that lack of drinking water means children are dehydrated and at risk of disease as families resort to using contaminated water sources.

Around the world, women and girls of African Descent continue to face the double burden of racism and sexism, often navigating systemic barriers that hinder their development and violate their rights, according to the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA.Last year, the UN General Assembly voted to recognise 25 July as the International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent as they continue to face multiple and overlapping forms of discrimination, manifesting in higher rates of poverty, barriers to education, limited access to quality healthcare, and underrepresentation in decision-making.UNFPA's “Leave No One Behind" commitment focuses on dismantling systemic barriers and ensuring equal access to rights, services, and health outcomes for all women and girls.UN News's Emma Trager-Lewis sat down with Patricia DaSilva, UNFPA Senior Programme Adviser and Global Coordinator for “Leave No One Behind” to discuss how the agency is working to uplift women and girls across the African diaspora. 

Over one billion people live in slums and informal settlements globally, with that number expected to triple by 2050. And yet, in official data and national censuses, these people are often invisible.  Denis Jobin, a senior evaluation officer at UN children's agency, UNICEF, visited multiple slums across four countries in order to change this, collecting quantitative and qualitative data to illuminate the challenges informal settlements face.  UN News' Naima Sawaya sat down with Mr. Jobin following a side-event at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York to better understand the conditions of people living in informal settlements.  

Regulations to govern the exploration and extraction of rare earth minerals on the seabed of international waters are being hammered out by the UN's International Seabed Authority (ISA) despite the reported decision by the US government to go “alone”.The demand for rare earth minerals, which are needed to make batteries and other technology, is on the increase globally. Jamaica-based ISA is a specialised agency mandated to regulate the deep seabed of international waters, which makes up over 50 per cent of the world's underwater surface area.Its 170 Member States are developing a code of conduct to mine for minerals in a sustainable and equitable way which benefits all nations, not just technologically advanced ones. Eileen Travers spoke to the organization's Secretary-General, Leticia Carvalho, and began by asking her about the status of the code.Read our explainer on ISA and why it matters now here.

Greater political will is needed to change patriarchal norms in the face of the backlash against gender equality, an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council has said.Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development, participated in a major meeting at the UN in New York to review progress towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), many of which are off track as the 2030 deadline approaches.Gender equality, SDG 5, was among a handful of Goals in the spotlight at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), which concludes on Wednesday.UN News' Mehboob Khan spoke to Mr. Deva, who began by explaining why the SDGs are at risk. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeated its call for the release of an employee detained by the Israeli military following attacks on a WHO guesthouse and its main warehouse in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, on Monday. Substantial amounts of medical supplies and medicines have been lost, while the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate rapidly, said WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, Dr. Rik Peeperkorn. Despite the “huge blow” to Gaza's already crippled health system, the veteran emergency medic insisted that WHO will stay and deliver for the people of Gaza, despite the increasing challenges. Here he is now, with UN News's Daniel Johnson. 

Amid reports of a fragile calm in Syria's Sweida governorate, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed on Monday that it is helping to provide assistance to those displaced by the violence – and the country's many returnees.The development follows deadly clashes between Bedouin and Druze communities in Sweida that has drawn in Syrian government forces and the Israeli military, highlighting the regional implications of unresolved tensions inside Syria.With more on the crisis and the challenges facing Syrians returning home after well over a decade of civil war, here's WFP's head of emergency communications, Jonathan Dumont, with UN News's Daniel Johnson in Geneva. 

Natalia Kanem, the head of the UN sexual and reproductive rights agency, UNFPA, is stepping down, after a tumultuous eight-year tenure that has seen her, and her colleagues, uphold the rights of women and girls in the face of a global pandemic, ideological pushback and political instability.Ahead of her departure, Mita Hosali from UN News sat down with Dr. Kanem and looked back at some of the key achievements of UNFPA during her time in charge and reflect on the kinds of support that young women will need from the agency in years to come.

When Aideé Zamorano González had her second child, her boss and colleagues all asked when she would leave her job in Mexico's automotive industry. Presumably, now that she had two boys to care for, she would stop working.Ms. Zamorano González didn't want to quit, but she did leave her job to found Mamá Godín, a social enterprise which evaluates care policies in private sector businesses and advocates for new frameworks to better support mothers in the workplace.UN News's Naima Sawaya sat down with Ms. Zamorano González a day after she took part in a panel at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, underway at UN Headquarters in New York.

Collective action can take many forms – cooperatives, for example. But for the millions of youth engaged in agrifood systems, sometimes Instagram or TikTok is more effective.Of the 1.3 billion people aged 15 to 24, 44 per cent rely on agrifood systems for employment. But their unique challenges are not always represented, and their voices are not always heard. This is why collective action is so important. A recent report on youth in agrifood systems went further than just encouraging collective action – it actually consulted youth stakeholders in the editing of the report, as Lauren Phillips, a deputy director at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told UN News's Naima Sawaya – as the UN's top political forum on sustainable development continues. 

The current global health system, which has achieved “tremendous” gains over the past decades, is a bit like a bowl of spaghetti, according to Mandeep Dhaliwal, the Director of Health at the UN Development Programme (UNDP).The intertwining noodles of pasta have – in some ways – produced a siloed health system, if you run with the metaphor: separate strands never quite connect.But public health is not a silo, Ms. Dhaliwal told UN News's Naima Sawaya, ahead of the High-Level Political Forum being held in New York over the next two weeks, which will discuss the world's commitment to accessible healthcare and well-being for all.

When young South Sudanese have guns, which they do, and are raiding other people's cattle and produce for their livelihood, which they are, how do you get them to lay down their guns? The answer is an alternative form of income, another livelihood.  And the path to income is cooperatives according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).Cooperatives, economic organizations in which work and risk are shared by members, are forming in more and more corners of South Sudan.  They are an acknowledgement that it is easier to surmount livelihood challenges, specifically food insecurity and climate crises, together as a community as opposed to alone as individuals.  But they may be more than just a path towards economic empowerment, they may also bring peace and security to the world's youngest nation.  Ahead of the International Day of Cooperatives, which is marked annually on 5 July, UN News' Naima Sawaya sat down with FAO's Louis Bagare, who's based in South Sudan, and began by asking him to explain what role cooperatives play there.  

The president of the world's second largest multilateral development bank has lauded progress made during the pivotal UN financing for sustainable development conference in Sevilla, saying the commitment by countries to work together is “positive, encouraging – and we need to do better.”Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) chief Jin Liqun told Matt Wells who's in Sevilla for UN News that amid “formidable” global challenges, no one country or institution can stay on the path to sustainability on their own.He said there was no reason to be intimidated by uncertainties roiling the global economy and partnering with institutions and the private sector is “crucially important”. Click here for UN News' Special Coverage of FFD4 Conference

Education is not only a fundamental human right that must be protected and promoted, but also a cornerstone of sustainable development.Every dollar invested in education yields up to $15 in return. Meanwhile, the cost of inaction is staggering. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that children being out of school and a lack of relevant skills among today's generation could cost the global economy $10 trillion over the next decade.Speaking at the Sustainable Development Conference in Sevilla, Spain, where global experts are discussing financing and reforming the international financial architecture, UNESCO emphasized that education must be recognized as a key driver of economic growth.That's according to Stefania Giannini, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Education, who spoke with UN News' Matt Wells in Sevilla about the transformative power of education around the world.

Spain's head of international financing has told UN News that after deep uncertainty at the beginning of the year when power changed hands in Washington, the financing for development conference taking place in Sevilla has shown than multilateralism is “back on track.”Inés Carpio told Matt Wells in the southern Spanish city that she was very optimistic coming out of the conference, when a platform for action was a major part of the outcome document, adopted on day one.She explained how Spain and other countries were coming together to help relieve the developing world of its crushing debt burden and taking other immediate steps to accelerate action towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Investing in the future of communities that are most likely to migrate to other countries is more effective than spending money on reinforcing border security according to Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).Ms. Pope was speaking on the sidelines of the UN's Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.  Taking place this week in Sevilla, the Conference is a crucial opportunity to push for financial reforms and boost investment in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 17 global goals adopted by all UN Member States to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure healthy lives for all by 2030, including Goal 10.7 on the orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people.UN News' Matt Wells spoke to Ms. Pope and began by asking her how sustainable development is linked to migration issues.  Click here for UN News' Special Coverage of FFD4 Conference

Every day, buses arrive at the Afghanistan-Iran border, carrying exhausted and desperate Afghan refugee families with all their belongings. Many are returning to a country they barely know, forced to leave Iran after decades of living there.Following a recent visit to the Islam Qala border area, Arafat Jamal, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) Representative in Afghanistan, told UN News that the number of returnees has surged amid rising tensions following the recent Israel-Iran war.Together with its partners, the UN agency is working to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of returnees, providing food, water, shelter, protection, financial support, and access to health care, legal aid and reintegration services.However, severe funding cuts have had a “brutal impact” on these efforts. “The level of cash assistance has dropped dramatically, from $2,000 per family to just $156, making it far more difficult for people to rebuild their lives,” Mr. Jamal told UN News' Sachin Gaur.

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, the Organization is undertaking a wide-ranging reform effort aimed at strengthening how it delivers for people around the world. The UN80 Initiative seeks to make the UN more nimble, efficient and responsive — at a time when global needs are rising and trust in multilateral institutions is being tested.To better understand what's behind the initiative and where it's headed, UN News' Laura Quiñones spoke with Guy Ryder, the UN's Under-Secretary-General for Policy and Chair of the UN80 Task Force.

With over 5.5 billion people online - nearly all of them active on social media - digital platforms have become the main arena for public debate.But a steady rise in misogynistic content online is fuelling a toxic environment that not only silences women and girls but also reinforces harmful gender norms, the UN Agency for gender equality, UN Women, warns.Experts say that addressing this trend requires more than just protecting girls. It also means building a world where boys are free from the pressures of toxic masculinity and restrictive gender expectations.UN Women's Kalliopi Mingeirou, who leads the effort to end violence against women and girls, outlined to UN News's Ana Carmo the alarming spread of online misogyny – and what can be done to stop it.

Women's rights in Afghanistan have taken a hard hit since the Taliban returned to power nearly four years ago.The country now has the second largest gender gap in the world, according to UN Women's 2024 Afghanistan Gender Index, which shows a 76 per cent disparity between women and men when it comes to health, education, financial inclusion and decision-making.Afghan journalist Zahra Nader has been forced to flee her homeland twice to escape Taliban rule.She told UN News's Nancy Sarkis that everyone has the responsibility to raise awareness about “the most severe women's rights crisis of our time” and to ensure that those living in “gender apartheid” in Afghanistan have a voice.

“Sevilla is a moment in time. It is really the beginning, not the end of the process,” says one of the senior UN officials helping Member States navigate high-stakes negotiations ahead of a landmark conference on sustainable development in Spain later this month.Shari Spiegel is Director of Financing for Sustainable Development at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).She told UN News's Matt Wells that the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development aims to address a staggering $4 trillion gap in global financing. Countries reached agreement this week on an outcome document that sets out critical reforms. Click here for UN News' Special Coverage of FFD4 Conference

Since civil war erupted in April 2023 in Sudan, vast areas of the country have been devastated, fuelling the world's largest displacement crisis. Over 12 million people have been forced on the run – mostly women and children.Amid this deepening emergency, women-led organizations remain on the frontlines, continuing to deliver life-saving support.Backed by UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund, these grassroots groups are helping communities cope with the trauma and violence. UN News' Nathalie Minard spoke to a representative from one such group, who asked us not to use her real name.

Over two years after civil war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their former allies-turned rival militia, the RSF, Sudan is now the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with nearly 13 million displaced.  Rape used as a weapon of war, together with other sexual violence, has disproportionately shattered the lives of women and girls. Today, gender agency UN Women estimates that 12.1 million people – 25 per cent of the population – is at risk.  Just ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, UN News's Emma Trager-Lewis spoke to Esméralda Alabre, who leads the UN reproductive health agency UNFPA's work to counter gender based-violence in Sudan.  

What does climate change look like through a child's eyes? From Nepal's melting glaciers to the Maldives' rising seas, the impacts are vastly different.  With more at stake in the future than older generations, young people around the world are taking notice – be it protecting medicinal plants in remote mountain villages, or speaking on global stages about vanishing islands, they are showing resilience and leadership.UN News' Vibhu Mishra sat down with Alice Akunga and Edward Addai, UNICEF Representatives in Nepal and the Maldives, about how climate change is reshaping childhood – and how children are fighting back.His first question was to Ms. Akunga, who described how climate change is broadly impacting Nepal's children.

Small island States are among the most vulnerable communities facing rising sea levels and marine degradation – but this invaluable firsthand experience puts them in a powerful leadership position to shape inclusive, effective ocean policies.Safiya Sawney, Grenada's Special Envoy and Ambassador for Climate, has been at this week's UN Ocean Conference in Nice and told UN News that “a big part of our heritage, of our culture, of our economy is derived from the ocean.”Describing the small island nations as “large ocean nations,” she outlined to Heyi Zou some of the pressing challenges ahead as global warming continues.

Persons with disabilities living in institutions face a heightened risk of being trafficked as their reliance on others for daily support can be manipulated; that's according to an expert in disability rights speaking at the United Nations.Eric Rosenthal leads Disability Rights International. He told a side event at COSP, the UN's largest annual meeting focusing on issues that persons living with disabilities face, that people isolated from their families are easier targets for exploitation.  The number of trafficking victims of all types has seen a troubling rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 25 per cent increase in global detections between 2019 and 2022.UN News' Anna O'Donnell sat down with Mr. Rosenthal and began by asking him to explain why people with disabilities are being trafficked. 

Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, 1.9 million Syrian refugees have headed home to Syria. After 14 years of civil war, much of the country is in ruins, while over 90 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line.Yet, Syrian refugees are not losing hope: UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has found that more than 80 per cent of the diaspora hope to return one day, a major shift compared to surveys conducted before the fall of the old regime.  There are more than six million Syrian refugees, and over seven million are internally displaced. UNHCR is committed to helping all those who want to return home.UN News' Emma Trager-Lewis spoke to agency spokesperson in Syria Céline Schmitt, who's just returned from a field visit to Dara'a, birthplace of the Syrian revolution in 2011. 

Ensuring that parents have opportunities for “decent work” is essential to reducing the number of young people, currently estimated to be 138 million globally, who are engaged in child labour, according to the UN.The internationally-agreed goal was to end child labour by 2025 and while the number has decreased by 12 million since 2020, millions of children are still working in dangerous or unregulated work places and are being denied the right to an education and a safer, more secure future.The Child Labour report released by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlights the trends in jobs involving young people and suggests how the practice can be brought to an end completely.UN News' Naima Sawaya sat down with Benjamin Smith, an expert at the ILO and began by asking him to explain what constitutes child labour.