UN Interviews

August 19th marks World Humanitarian Day, a day to commemorate humanitarian workers worldwide, who dedicate themselves to protecting and saving the lives of millions around the globe.  

2020 has been a particularly challenging year, as a result of the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In this interview, we hear from Meshak Malo, a humanitarian worker with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) who’s in South Sudan.  

He spoke to FAO’s Charlotta Lomas about the challenges faced by the country, and what inspires him to go the work each day.  

With around 15 million people in need of assistance, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world; it is also one of the most underfunded.

In an interview with UN News’s Daniel Johnson for World Humanitarian Day on Wednesday, veteran UN aid coordinator Diego Zorrilla explains what’s most important for Congolese communities today.

Pacific communities are coming together through song and music in just a few hours’ time, to help beat back the coronavirus pandemic and assist vulnerable nations in the region build a better future.

The Pacific Unite Concert, on Saturday, will be paying tribute to essential workers for their lifesaving effort, and supporting all islanders to play their part in preventing transmission.

One of the musicians taking part is Mia Kami, from Tonga, but based in Fiji, who’s also a climate change activist with the 350.org international grassroots movement. 

She spoke to Julia Dean from our UN Country Team in Australia, about what she hoped the concert would achieve.

In early July, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, announced the names of seven young climate leaders – between the ages of 18 and 28 years old – who will be advising him regularly on how best to accelerate global action and ambition to tackle the worsening climate crisis.

Archana Soreng, from India, was among them, joining a prestigious circle of advocates and activists, as part of the UN’s Youth Strategy aiming to “show the world what bold leadership looks like”.

Her inspiration to get involved in tackling the climate emergency, stems from her own family’s roots in forest protection and a powerful desire to take better care of nature.

UN News’s Anshu Sharma spoke to Ms. Soreng, who started by talking about her journey towards action, and what led her to being selected to join the advisory group. 

A new humanitarian air service launched on Thursday will boost COVID-19 response in the Pacific, according to Governments and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Flights will transport essential medical supplies at a time when commercial aviation across the region has been affected by airport closures and other measures to contain the disease.

Julia Dean of the UN Country Team in Australia, spoke to Jo Pilgrim, Director of WFP’s Pacific Multi-Country Office, which is based in Fiji.

She explained how the humanitarian air service will fill a “crucial gap” during the pandemic.

It’s widely accepted that peaceful protests are a key tool in democratic societies that allow people to put issues on the public agenda. But what is legal – and what is illegal – when it comes to demonstrations around the world? Can you wear a mask, for example?

That’s a question for Christof Heyns, who led discussions on the issue for the UN Human Rights Committee, with Member States and NGOs.

In an interview with UN News’s Daniel Johnson, veteran rights expert Professor Heyns explains what the UN panel’s advice is for protesters - and Governments - according to its just-released General Comment on the right to freedom of assembly.

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon has been busy helping the authorities in the aftermath of the devastating explosion in Beirut on Tuesday that’s left dozens dead and thousands injured.

Although UNIFIL - the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon – is based in the south of the country, a ship from its Maritime Task Force that was docked in the port was damaged, leaving some of the Mission’s sailors seriously injured.

In Latin America, indigenous people are being particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alicia Bárcena, the head of ECLAC, the UN body for the region, is concerned by the health risks faced by indigenous people, as well as rising poverty.

In an emergency, education isn’t perhaps the first priority that springs to mind, when it comes to helping people in crisis.

In fact, it’s increasingly understood that keeping children in an organized learning environment, is among the best things that you can do, both for students themselves, and their families.

It’s never been more important to invest in vaccines to protect against hepatitis – a preventable disease of the liver that kills 1.4 million people a year – the UN health agency has said.

It has also warned that the COVID-19 crisis has distracted Governments from vital vaccination work, including preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B. Infants are especially vulnerable, as about 90 per cent of those infected in their first year will have it for life, as WHO’s Dr Meg Doherty tells UN News’s Daniel Johnson.