Awake At Night

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.

Growing up in Liberia, Sara Beysolow Nyanti is no stranger to the lasting pain of a country ravaged by recurring violence. As Former Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, she often encountered the anguish of those bearing the psychological scars of war. "This woman [told me] we have nightmares … And she talked about losing her four children and she said it without crying. My heart was crying while she was speaking … I couldn't bear it." Reeling from decades of conflict, South Sudan is now suffering the devastating impacts of climate change. Floods have hit many areas, forcing locals to share dry land with deadly snakes. In this episode, Sara Beysolow Nyanti reflects on the mounting climate threat, prospects for peace, and retaining hope in one of the world's most dangerous places. "How can I not have sleepless nights when you have to choose between whether you fund the services for gender-based violence, or whether you fund the services for food, because for some children, it's only that one meal in school that they have all day."

"It's not just food and assistance, you need to give these children a life, a life of full opportunities… So, I think we're so far from where we need to go, to make the difference." When thousands fled the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, fearing the loss of millions of lives, stayed on. Every day since, the former UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in the country has fought to ease the acute suffering of its people. "I believe we are the last, best hope that humanity has. And we have to stand for it. For [many] we represent this larger world of justice, the moral compass. We must keep that." More than 9 in 10 Afghans now live in poverty, with 24.4 million reliant on humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, mounting restrictions on freedoms have excluded millions of women from work and study. In this episode, Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov reflects on three painful years of Taliban rule, on the desperate need for long-term prospects, and on finding hope amid the darkness. "Imagine someone sitting under plastic sheeting and munching on a high energy biscuit and waiting - now for 20 years. That provisional shelter and biscuit will save your life today. But without education, health services, jobs, or income … you will run, you will join a radical group, you will eventually end up selling children, and organs."

Cristina Duarte always brings great passion to any task she takes on. Now Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, she works tirelessly to help the continent imagine a better tomorrow, one which not only meets its people's needs, but also fulfills their dreams. "The Africa we want is the Africa the world needs … [one that gives Africans] the social space to fully exercise all the entitlements of a human being." Born to an activist father who was integral to independence movements across Lusophone Africa, Cristina Duarte grew up instilled with Pan-African values. In this episode, the former finance minister reflects on her role in reforming Cabo Verde's economy, on bringing power to remote villages, and how one chance encounter changed her mind about marriage.

A pediatrician by training, Najat Maalla M'jid has always been dedicated to rescuing children from suffering. Now United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, she works tirelessly to protect young people around the world. "What I learned in my life, it's the eyes. […] When you are speaking with children, when you have light in their eyes, it's still possible. When the light switches off, it's too late." Half of the world's children are exposed to violence every year, often leaving devastating, lasting impacts on their mental health. In this episode, Najat Maalla M'jid reflects on the importance of rapid intervention in cases of violence against children and the extraordinary courage and resilience of youth. "You hear some policymakers telling us our children are our future. They are not your future. You are the past; they are the present and they are their own future."

Dr. David Nabarro has dedicated his life to global health. After a long career that's taken him from the horrors of war torn Iraq, to the devastating aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami, he is still spurred to action by the tremendous inequalities in global access to medical care. "The thing that keeps me awake most at night is the rampant inequities in our world…We see an awful lot of needless suffering." A passionate advocate for sustainable development, David Nabarro has seen in his own family how medicine can transform lives. In this episode, he reflects on his lifelong struggle against inequality, the lessons of misfortune, and why communication is always at the heart of healing. "We're not doing this work to make ourselves feel better … [but] because we are totally convinced that it's not necessary in today's wealthy world … for so many people to be experiencing hardship [and] have their lives and their livelihoods imperiled."

Denise Brown knows what it takes to work under the shadow of war. As UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, she and her team must brave considerable risks as they strive to meet the colossal humanitarian needs of the Ukrainian people in the midst of a brutal war. "The missiles slow us down, but they don't stop us. That's testament to the courage, determination, and experience of the people we have there." Close to 18 million Ukrainians are now in need of humanitarian aid and protection. Millions have been forced from their homes by intense fighting that has killed and injured thousands. In this episode, Denise Brown reflects on life under bombardment, on the dangers of trips to the front line, and on making a difference in the most difficult of circumstances. "We're in [some] places where very few others are. And we have the means, the experience, the capacity, that determination to be there. We are very strong when we want to be. And that inspires me."

Sajjad Malik witnessed terrible suffering during the Syrian crisis. As UNHCR's former representative in the country, he oversaw one of the UN Refugee Agency's toughest and most dangerous operations. "There are certain images that will stay with me for a very long time. Because those are the images that cannot be forgotten overnight." Since the war in Syria started in 2011 more than 5.7 million people have fled the country. Another 6.9 million are internally displaced. In this special bitesize episode, Sajjad Malik reflected on the catastrophic conditions he witnessed there and the lasting impact of those memories. "I'm seeing women, children, elderly, boys, girls suffering in there. And it's, it's my duty to make sure that we talk about it, and then do something about it."

With her writing, Amanda Khozi Mukwashi wants to change the conversation on race, gender, and identity. Now United Nations Resident Coordinator in Lesotho, she has written a book exploring the struggle for equity and the historical baggage of slavery and colonization. "Let's talk about it a little more freely, not for it to hold our hands and tie them, but for it to liberate us to think differently." Moving back to the UK after leaving a high-level development post in Zambia, Amanda Khozi Mukwashi got tired of being asked where she was really from. In this episode, she reflects on the discrimination she has faced, on the rich family history she inherited from her grandmother, and on discovering her own multifaceted identity. "I realized I'm a black person and that people see the color of my skin first, before they see who I am and what I'm capable of doing…that was the rude awakening."

Ulrika Richardson has dedicated her life to the UN. As resident and humanitarian coordinator in Haiti, her belief in the organization's idealistic values drives her to brave significant dangers in her mission to alleviate the suffering she has witnessed there. "When you see people suffer, those images stay with you … that keeps you awake, and it should keep you awake." Life in Haiti remains precarious. Armed gangs, cholera, and fuel and food shortages mean violence, hunger, disease, and deprivation are everyday hurdles for millions of Haitians. In this episode, Ulrika Richardson reflects on the scale of their suffering, on preserving the dignity of those in need, and on the importance of saying goodbye.