Why I’ll always champion Afghan women, with Georgette Gagnon | DSRSG for Afghanistan |Awake at Night
With her background in human rights law, Georgette Gagnon was once said to represent the conscience of war. Currently serving as the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, she has been devastated by the sweeping loss of rights for women and girls there.
“You used to see across the country hundreds of girls going to school […] Now, of course, you don’t see that, and it’s heartbreaking. It’s such a huge loss for the entire society.”
Afghanistan faces the second biggest humanitarian crisis in the world today, while drastic cuts to humanitarian assistance will leave millions of vulnerable people without access to critical medical care.
In this episode, Georgette Gagnon shares her hopes and fears for a country close to her heart, and reflects on a career serving in some of the world’s toughest places, from Syria to Sudan and Libya.
[00:00] Introduction
[01:09] Returning to Afghanistan
[02:45] Halted humanitarian funding and its’ impact
[05:19] What keeps Georgette awake at night
[07:26] Girls’ determination to learn
[11:20] Navigating complexities
[13:22]The economic argument for women’s rights
[15:18] What brought Georgette back
[17:02] Working and living under restrictions
[17:48] A harrowing encounter in Syria
[19:46] Cautious hope for Syria
[21:10] The importance of accountability
[22:29] Bearing witness in conflict zones
[23:29] Georgette’s journey to the UN
[26:43] Family support and sacrifice
[30:04] What keeps Georgette going
[30:36] Closing remarks
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
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About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.
For more info, please visit: https://www.un.org/en/awake-at-night
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