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.