Muhannad Hadi knew that humanitarian work was his calling from an early age. Now UN Deputy Special Coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, he is devoting himself to helping to alleviate the unimaginable suffering in Gaza.  “They told me that agony, 24/7. They told me what they go through from the morning until they drop asleep, out of exhaustion. And I promised that I will tell the story.” The UN estimates that the ongoing conflict in Gaza has...

Growing up as a refugee in Burundi, Juliette Murekeyisoni dedicated herself to helping others from an early age. In her recent role as UNHCR’s deputy representative in South Sudan, she continued to keep hope alive by encouraging refugees to focus on their education and long-term perspectives. “For me, every time I meet them, I tell them: “Don't lose hope, you are not going to be a refugee forever. One day you'll go home, and you can use the skills you have learned here. So, any opportunity...

Matthew Hollingworth has worked in conflict zones around the world, from Ukraine to South Sudan and Syria. Previously in charge of the World Food Programme’s (WFP) emergency operations in the West Bank and Gaza, Matthew was responsible for delivering life-saving aid to desperate people. “People ask me every single day when I'm in Gaza: “When will the bombs stop? When will the fighting stop? When will they stop blowing things up? When can I go home?” We don't have the answers. But we do know...

Growing up on a farm, Beth Bechdol never dreamed of following in her agricultural family’s footsteps. Now Deputy Director-General of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), she has not only returned to her roots, but is now fighting the corner of farmers the world over. “I know what it takes to grow a crop and to provide enough support for your animals. And if you don't have access to any of that, it's crushing. These are the things that on a regular basis keep me up at night.” ...

Born in Brazil to German parents, Achim Steiner knows first hand the power of cultural exchange to drive international cooperation. Now head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), he leads global efforts to secure a better future for our planet and its people. “The clearest lesson from 50 years of modern development thinking is don't try and just pick one aspect and put all your eggs in that basket. Society is complex, development is about choices. And you will either get them...

Volker Türk has the greatest respect for those able to hold onto hope when all appears to be lost. As United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, he has devoted his life and career to helping the world’s most vulnerable people. “What has always struck me was encounters with people who are extremely resilient … who actually see hope, including in the most atrocious circumstances, and who just keep doing the right thing.” The Office he leads works around the world to uphold human...

Amy Pope has always championed humane and orderly migration as an opportunity for societies, not a problem. Now the first female Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) she is campaigning for a fundamental shift in attitudes towards newcomers. “You just give somebody a little space. Everybody has purpose. Everybody has dreams, everybody wants to be seen.” Human migration is likely to rise over the coming decades, with the IOM predicting that hundreds of...

Big or small, Joyce Msuya has always found ways to give back. Now Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, she oversees the global response to the world’s worst crises. “For me, personally, it's a privilege to serve humanity. I wake up every morning and think about how I can shift the needle in someone's life.” From Gaza to Ukraine, Haiti to Sudan, the UN estimates 300 million...

Doreen Bogdan-Martin’s fascinating career handed her a front row seat for the digital revolution. Now Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), she’s among those leading global efforts to set guardrails on the use of Artificial Intelligence. “I think we've never seen anything like this before … the plane is in flight and we're building it while we're flying - it's tremendous.” AI presents huge opportunities for humanity, but also poses great risks. In this...

Appointed to a senior UN role aged just 26, Jayathma Wickramanayake’s career trajectory testifies to the power of education. Now senior policy advisor at UN Women, she is working to empower all women and girls to fulfill their potential – whatever their background. “I was never told that because I was a girl, I couldn't do X, Y or Z. [My parents] always encouraged us to explore our passions … as long as we put education first, because that was non-negotiable.” Despite significant progress...

A former child refugee, Mohamed Yahya knows the life-long pain of yearning for a lost home. That’s why some of his most emotional experiences with the United Nations have involved helping displaced people return to their towns years after they fled a brutal conflict. “A little bit of me was, I must say, envious of them, that they're able to go back home. I always imagine how I'll feel when I go back home without fear.” Until recently working with internally displaced communities in...

Philippe Lazzarini holds one of the most challenging positions in the whole of the United Nations. As head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), he is leading the backbone of the humanitarian operation in Gaza. “Ceasefire, ceasefire, ceasefire. If we have a ceasefire and the opening of the crossing, and we can flood assistance to the Gaza Strip, we would be able to prevent this catastrophe.” Following the devastating terror...

Conflict, humanitarian disasters, climate change. Our world and its people are facing huge challenges. Wherever and whenever crisis hits, the United Nations staff are both on the ground saving lives and negotiating at the highest levels to alleviate suffering. This work is only possible due to the personal sacrifices made every day by UN staff around the world. So, what motivates someone to lead the global fight for human rights, equality, or justice? Join UN chief communicator Melissa...

Karolina Lindholm Billing was posted to Ukraine less than a year before the full-scale Russian invasion. As the UNHCR Representative in the country, she draws hope from witnessing the power of community volunteer networks in supporting displaced people in their hour of need. “Volunteers from all areas of society have helped people who have been directly impacted by the war. They're cooking meals, giving clothing, giving money, opening their homes.” War has forced around one-third of...

Cindy McCain has many pressing reasons to lie awake at night. As Head of the World Food Programme, it is her job to make sure the millions of vulnerable people around the world who are relying on United Nations food assistance – from Gaza to Sudan to Afghanistan – don’t starve.   “Our job is to give hope and help by giving food to those who really need it most. And that's what we do.” Hunger is still one the biggest – and most solvable – problems globally, causing 783 million people...

Christian Ritscher’s work brings him into contact with some of humanity’s worst outrages. As head of the United Nations investigative team to promote accountability for the crimes committed by ISIL in Iraq, he seeks justice for victims of the notoriously violent terror group. “Justice gives relief not only to the victims, but to a prosecutor as well. That is what keeps you upright and keeps you going on and says it is meaningful what you're doing.” Islamic State, or ISIL, stands accused...

A committed public servant, Gordon Brown has a strong sense of social responsibility. Now United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is working towards a powerful vision: giving every child the chance to go to school. “There is talent, there is potential, there is brilliance in all parts of the world. There's a new Einstein, there's a new Malala, you name the brilliant people around the world. But some of them have been denied the...

Dr. Alice Jill Edwards spends many of her days listening to the testimonies of torture victims. Now the UN’s Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, she works towards a world in which torture is finally a thing of the past. “I do remember the faces of most of the people I've met, and in fact, they keep me going in this work. And at the same time, of course, their stories haunt me.” The United Nations Convention on Torture bans all...

A former judge, Catherine Marchi-Uhel has spent a lifetime pursuing justice. Now, leading the quest for accountability for atrocities and war crimes committed in the Syrian civil war, she finds comfort in survivors’ resilience and their determination to move on with their lives. “In Syria, I was really struck by this lack of revenge. I haven't seen many people wanting revenge. They want justice. And that's really a very powerful attitude.” Since 2016, the UN’s IIIM (International,...

Lewis Pugh was never afraid to take the plunge. Now ocean advocate for the United Nations Environment Programme, the record-breaking cold-water swimmer has completed long distance swims at both of the earth’s Poles, in the Red Sea, and along the length of the Hudson River, to spread a message of habitat renewal and conservation. “The first thing that happens is I can't breathe and I’m gasping for air. And the cold just grips its way around you. And you just got to try and control your mind,...

Erasmia Roumana’s job requires extraordinary strength. Working in Greece as a protection associate with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, she interviews refugees who have survived devastating shipwrecks at sea after embarking on desperate journeys in search of a better life. “I have seen some very horrible situations. And I always wonder at that moment, how can people survive this? How can people move on after this?” One tragic story stood out over the years. In 2014, Syrian refugee Doaa...

Stephen Jackson fell hard for Africa three decades ago, and never looked back. Now the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, he channels his passion into his work, bringing together UN agencies to support the continent in its drive for sustainable development.  “Sometimes in this job, you just end up falling in love with the country where you work. Kenya is a very special place, and I think is a country on an extraordinary upwards curve, a very rapid one. You meet incredibly inspiring people...

Reena Ghelani knows all too well the jarring silence of a crowded malnutrition ward. Now United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator, she spends every day working on the frontlines of the global fight against hunger. “You expect children to cry if they're suffering, but they don't even have the energy to cry. And the other thing is, I found that the mothers or the fathers are also silent. You know, luckily, many children survive when they get...

What does it take to be a United Nations worker in some of the world’s most complex and dangerous places? How are UN humanitarians, human rights advocates, prosecutors, development experts, climate leaders and peacekeepers improving our world?
 Stationed in all reaches of the world and witness to suffering and atrocities, how are they helping people and coping themselves?
 To find out, Melissa Fleming meets them. Coming soon: from the United Nations, season 8 of Awake at Night.