UN Interviews

Human rights are "part of our DNA," according to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who is championing a new Global Alliance at a time of rising conflicts, growing inequalities and mounting climate pressures.

The initiative aims to bring together governments, civil society, businesses, academics and communities to place human rights at the centre of decision-making ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2028.

Speaking to UN News's Srdan Slavkovic in Geneva, the global hub for human rights diplomacy and advocacy, Mr. Türk explained how the Alliance aims to inspire action.

Security personnel supporting UN operations in South Ukraine are navigating rapidly shifting frontlines and difficult choices to help humanitarians reach communities affected by the war – all while balancing operational risks with urgent needs on the ground.

Olga Scripovscaia, Area Security Adviser with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) based in Odesa, told UN News in an exclusive interview that her team works around the clock to assess threats, map routes and support missions in some of the country’s highest-risk areas.

Speaking to Jolina Dong, Ms. Scripovscaia reflected on intense working days, where she sometimes must scrape by on just a few hours’ sleep a night. 

Health workers responding to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are working closely with local communities, recognising that trust is as critical as testing and treatment, to stop the disease in its tracks.

Dr Marie-Roseline Belizaire, Africa’s Emergencies Director for the World Health Organization (WHO) told UN News in an exclusive interview this week that response teams are engaging with women’s groups, youth leaders, motorcycle drivers and traditional healers to dispel misinformation and explain how people can protect themselves.

She told Cristina Silveiro that, instead of dismissing widely held beliefs, health workers are seeking to “integrate science” so that sick people come forward for treatment.

Major Abhilasha Barak, an Indian peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), has been named this year’s Military Gender Advocate of the Year.

She was recognised for her outstanding leadership in promoting gender-responsive peacekeeping and advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda during her deployment with the frontline mission since June 2025 – which has seen seven ‘blue helmets’ killed in the line of duty since hostilities erupted in March between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.

Speaking to UN News's Pooja Yadav, Major Barak highlighted the importance of integrating gender perspectives and working closely with local communities. 

Children in Ukraine have spent years living with air raid sirens, disrupted education and the daily uncertainty of war. Many are forced to learn online or in underground classrooms as communities adapt to the realities of a prolonged conflict.

During recent visits to Ukraine and the Russian Federation, the UN’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa Frazier, met children, families, and officials on both sides of the border. 

Ahead of the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, observed on 4 June, she spoke to UN News’s Evgeniya Kleshcheva about what she witnessed and why keeping children at the centre of all responses remains essential.

Each year, 52 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the ocean, contributing to an estimated 24 trillion microplastic particles, which have a devastating impact on the marine environment.

They do not fully biodegrade, lingering indefinitely while causing deadly wildlife entanglement, toxic ingestion, and habitat destruction. Plastics also release harmful chemicals into the water, introducing dangerous pollutants into the global food chain. They are now known to affect more than 4,000 marine species. 

Dr Ian Butler, a scientist at the University of Queensland and an editor of the latest World Ocean Assessment, spoke to UN News about the ecological impacts of ocean plastics, the limits of biodegradable alternatives, and why many scientists argue that the world must reduce plastic production rather than rely only on recycling and waste management.

UN News’s Edouard de Bray asked Dr Butler about some of the most significant yet overlooked ecological impacts on organisms of plastics.

Science Forward, the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, features world-leading scientists, and explores today’s challenges, from AI and biotechnology to climate and health.

In the very first episode of Science Forward, Board member Yoshua Bengio and AI policy expert Charlotte Stix unpack the growing risks of deceptive AI with hosts Julia Bhattacharjee and Adam Day, to answer the question: What happens when AI learns to lie?

Over the weekend, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

As of Saturday, 16 May, health authorities had recorded eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths in Ituri province in eastern DRC.

Uganda also confirmed two Ebola cases – including one death reported in capital Kampala – among travellers arriving from the DRC.

“Ebola is a very serious disease, but it’s one that we know how to control,” said Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Speaking to UN News’ Flora Nducha, he explained the measures WHO is taking to contain the spread of the virus and called on the media to share accurate information to avoid a “fear outbreak”.

It’s hard to come up with new ways to describe the massive humanitarian emergency that is still unfolding in Sudan because of the war.

A staggering 33 million people need help and later today, UN-backed food insecurity experts are expected to warn once again that hunger is on the rise again and famine is a real risk in 14 areas of the devastated country.

Although it is extremely difficult and dangerous to access and report from Sudan’s east, photographer Giles Clarke has managed to do so, with the help of the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. 

The result is a memorable, harrowing photo-essay that features the stories of five civilians impacted by the conflict. It’s called Darfur’s Survivors. 

Eighty years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, artist Sandy Walker believes art still has the power to transform people’s perceptions. 

Speaking to UN News at United Nations Headquarters, Mr. Walker reflected on the influence of Hiroshima survivor and writer Tamiki Hara, whose final work, My Deepest Desire, inspired a series of ink drawings that now accompany a new edition of the text.

Mr. Walker explains why he believes art can shape collective memory by first reaching individuals one by one.

“When asked what Hiroshima’s message to the world today might be,” he told UN News’ Ana Carmo, “the answer is one word: stop.”