Best UK Department for International Development Podcasts (2025)

1
S3, E4: Climate-related Displacement and International Protection 22:48

2y ago22:48

22:48

How can we best protect people displaced for environmental reasons? In this episode María José Maldonado and Natalie Jade Catanach interview Manuel Marques Pereira, Head of Division of Migration, Environment, and Climate Change and Risk Reduction, at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM – UN Migration). Mr. Pereira discusses the protec…

1
S3, E3: Empowering Migrant and Refugee Women to Thrive: The gendered experiences of forced migration 29:56

2y ago29:56

29:56

How are refugee experiences gendered, and what is the role of education in empowering female migrants and refugees? In this episode, Freya Thompson chats with Olivia Darby, Chief Programmes Officer at the WONDER Foundation. A women-led charity, WONDER seeks to support women and girls through education. Since 2018, the organisation has been working …

1
S3, E2: The Possibilities of Refugee-led Action: perspectives from Turkey 25:01

2y ago25:01

25:01

What role can refugees themselves play in responding to displacement, and how can we improve mechanisms that allow displaced communities to have an input into relief efforts? In this episode, Yanis Amirat and Maud Guibert sit down with Farida Abdulrahman, a Syrian refugee and former Head of Accountability at Violet Organization. Based in Gaziantep …

1
S3, E1: Trampoline, an inspiring London-based café supporting Refugees’ journeys 18:53

2y ago18:53

18:53

Accessing employment is a challenge facing many refugees wanting to integrate in a new country. Trampoline is a London-based café that aims to tackle this by providing refugees in the city with meaningful employment opportunities. In this episode, Rebecca Huggett, Sales Manager at Trampoline Café, joins Katherine Velastegui Córdova in discussing it…

1
S2, E8: Legal aid, bureaucratic obstacles, and grassroots NGOs 33:55

3y ago33:55

33:55

In this episode, Jasmin Arciero and Oliver Nixon interview Alexa Netty, the trustee and chair of the steering committee of SolidariTee. SolidariTee is a charity that supports NGOs offering legal aid to forcibly displaced people, and so they begin with a discussion on the importance of legal aid as a key facet of refugee support. They also touch o…

1
S2, E7: Contrasting crises: Government responses to refugees in Calais and from Ukraine 21:59

3y ago21:59

21:59

For years, thousands of forcibly displaced people have been left in limbo in Calais, France, where they suffer from a lack of care and police crackdowns. Recently, as the Russian War is devastating Ukraine and forcing millions to flee, European countries (including France) are opening their borders and homes to Ukrainian refugees. What explains suc…

1
S2, E6: Afghan evacuees in the UK: Challenges and opportunities  30:14

3y ago30:14

30:14

Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, tens of thousands of Afghans fled to foreign countries. The UK evacuated around 18,000 people, who are now placed in temporary housing. Organizations such as British Red Cross are now seeking to assist Afghans resettle into more permanent homes. In this episode, Sveto Muhammad Ishoq sp…

1
S2, E5 Resilience in crisis: Reflections from a Ukrainian 35:17

3y ago35:17

35:17

Little has captured our attention like the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th of this year. Constituting Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II, the UN estimates that more than 14 million people have fled their homes, with nearly 7 million Ukrainians seeking asylum in neighbouring countries. One of these people is Olena, a 24-…

1
S2, E4 Working towards dignity: Perspectives from refugee social workers in Lebanon 33:14

3y ago33:14

33:14

In this podcast, Yujia Zhang invites two women, Nadia and Fatima, to talk about their stories as both refugees and social workers in Lebanon. Nadia, a third generation Palestinian refugee, lives in the Beqaa Valley. Currently, she is the director of Manara centre of the Lighthouse Peace Initiative, a NGO offering English and art training to refugee…

1
S2, E3 Persevering for peace: Understanding the challenges of an asylum journey 26:01

3y ago26:01

26:01

This podcast explores the physical and emotional challenges that arise from refugees' journeys to safety. Sam, a former refugee from Iraq, describes his experience gaining asylum in the UK and how he has persevered through years of challenges. Sam discusses his reasons for fleeing, his time living in displacement, and his assimilation to his new co…

1
S2, E2 Climate-induced migration in the Caribbean: Where are we now and pathways forward 42:49

3y ago42:49

42:49

In this episode, Leah Trotman chats with Pablo Escribano, the Regional Thematic Specialist at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the Americas and the Caribbean on climate change and migration. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre reported that nearly 3 million people across the Caribbean and United States were displaced i…

1
S2, E1 Relief Chief: Insight on the refugee system from the top of the UN 30:26

3y ago30:26

30:26

Today’s theme in the Refugee Realities podcast series focuses on a birds-eye perspective of the challenges facing the global humanitarian system. And who better to speak with than the person who was responsible for coordinating this system: Sir Mark Lowcock, the former ‘Relief Chief’ of the UN humanitarian agency. Nina and Shanyce discuss Mark’s ex…

1
S1, E12 Kaweh Beheshtizadeh's journey from asylum seeker to refugee lawyer 26:59

4y ago26:59

26:59

In this bonus episode, Kaweh Beheshtizadeh speaks to Jenifer Elmslie about his journey from asylum seeker to refugee lawyer. Kaweh sought asylum from Iran after participating in pro-Kurdish activism in the country, a group which is heavily persecuted and discriminated against. After a short stay in Turkey under the protection of UNHCR, Kaweh entere…

1
S1, E11 Digital education and displacement 19:56

4y ago19:56

19:56

In this episode, LSE Master’s student Ezgi Ilhan interviews Valentina Spinedi, Director of Student Advising at Paper Airplanes. Paper Airplanes is a fully virtual non-profit organization providing educational services to conflict-affected individuals, focusing on displaced Syrians with refugee status. Though many organizations struggled to transiti…

1
S1, E10 Advocating for refugee education 35:23

4y ago35:23

35:23

In this episode, Konstantina Mirtzani and Valeria Miglio speak with Giulia Cicoli, co-founder and Advocacy Director of Still I Rise NGO. Still I Rise was first founded in 2018 to address the lack of appropriate education services for minors living in the Samos hotspot. Since then, the organisation has opened schools for displaced youth in Syria, Ke…

1
S1, E9 Solutions for IDPs: from Geneva to Mogadishu 48:56

4y ago48:56

48:56

This podcast takes listeners to the forefront of the internal displacement issue in Somalia where Mogadishu officials are spearheading a policy to address the needs of the hundreds of thousands of IDPs in their city. In the first part of the podcast, Durable Solutions Consultant for the Municipality of Mogadishu, Amun Osman, speaks with Research an…

1
S1, E8 The UK government’s new plan for immigration: implications for refugees 37:51

4y ago37:51

37:51

In March 2021, the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, made headlines with the announcement of the Governments ‘New Plan for Immigration’. This ‘New Plan’ outlined the most significant overhaul to the UK’s existing refugee and asylum policy in decades. The government stated that this overhaul will create a ‘fairer’ system and insists that it was ‘breaking…

1
S1, E7 Women, peace, and security after Europe’s refugee ‘crisis’ 42:01

4y ago42:01

42:01

In this podcast, Gabriele Canavan and Taitum Caggiano interview Dr. Aiko Holvikivi and Dr. Audrey Reeves who recently published an article titled “Women, Peace and Security After Europe’s Refugee Crisis,” and they are here to tell us more about the nexus between the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and the refugee security regime. For backgro…

1
S1, E6 Navigating asylum as an unaccompanied minor in the UK 21:35

4y ago21:35

21:35

In this interview by MSc student in International Development, Gender and globalisation Jenifer Elmslie, Mustafa Ali discusses his experience leaving Afghanistan as an unaccompanied minor at the age of 13, and his 10-year journey to gain asylum in the United Kingdom. Ali discusses his journey to graduate from Cambridge University in 2017with a degr…

1
S1, E5 Call them by their names 20:11

4y ago20:11

20:11

In Western countries, refugees are often seen as a burden, as an indistinct mass of people threatening our “values and well-being”. In this podcast, MSc student in Gender, Development and Globalisation Simona Camillini hears the incredible stories of two of the hundreds of thousands of people who every year are forced to flee their homes and leave …

1
S1, E4 Acting with a social purpose 32:55

4y ago32:55

32:55

In this podcast, MSc student in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies Maria Harb meets two inspirational women - Victoria Lupton and Fida Alwaer. Victoria has been living in Lebanon for the past 10 years and is the co-founder of Seenaryo, a leading specialist in theatre and play-based learning with marginalized communities in Leban…

1
S1, E3 Refugee Week as a movement, not a moment 34:04

4y ago34:04

34:04

Refugees and asylum seekers are all too often seen through the narrow prism of their experiences of displacement, but this is only one part of the picture. Refugee artists and their community partners challenge those limits daily through storytelling, creative space-making, and movement organising. Natasha Menon and Sarah Doyel, two International M…

1
S1, E2 The human face of the climate crisis: forced migration and protection challenges 31:45

4y ago31:45

31:45

The UNHCR estimates that 90% of refugees are produced in countries that are the most vulnerable and the least prepared to adapt to the repercussions of climate change. In this episode, MSc student in Health and International Development Aimée Wolff interviews Andrew Harper, special Advisor on Climate Action to the UN Refugee Agency, who illuminates…

1
S1, E1 Data and migration: in discussion with IOM’s Data Analysis Centre 46:07

4y ago46:07

46:07

Inspired by the decades-long struggle to collect consistent data on international migration globally, this podcast episode explores recent data innovation efforts made by the International Organization for Migration’s Global Migration Data Analysis Center (IOM’s GMDAC) in Berlin, Germany. In this episode, MSc student in International Migration and …

1
From refugee to MBE: How Akuja de Garang became a champion for girls' education in South Sudan 3:46

8y ago3:46

3:46

Akuja de Garang is the project leader of the UK aid-funded programme Girls' Education South Sudan.On her way to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE for her work, she came to speak to DFID about her life as a refugee and how she returned to South Sudan, where she was born, as an adult to help girls go to school.Listen to Akuja's inspirational story …

1
A Modern Health Organisation – WHO Finances and Modernisation: A Podcast with Dr David Nabarro 6:17

8y ago6:17

6:17

Today, differing health conditions are changing the requirements of the global response, like shifting focus to preventing and responding to non-communicable diseases like cancer and diabetes, which are responsible for every 7 out of 10 deaths globally today.WHO’s immense responsibility in meeting modern health challenges across the world requires …

1
A WHO that Works for Women and Children: A Podcast with Dr David Nabarro 4:28

8y ago4:28

4:28

We sat down with Dr David Nabarro and asked him to explain why he will double down on efforts to ensure that all people, especially women and children, will get the health care they need under his leadership.By DFID

1
Facing Tomorrow’s Health Threats - infectious diseases & global security: A Podcast with Dr Nabarro 9:00

8y ago9:00

9:00

Drawing on expertise working in over 50 countries, Dr David Nabarro discusses tackling infectious diseases like malaria, TB, HIV/AIDs and neglected tropical diseases. He also discusses facing global health security threats facing the world today, like anti-microbial resistance.By DFID

1
Meet Dr Nabarro – The best candidate for WHO Director General: A Podcast with Dr David Nabarro 4:46

8y ago4:46

4:46

We caught up with Dr David Nabarro, candidate for WHO’s Director General, to discuss why he’s the best candidate for the job and what the WHO would look like under his leadership.By DFID

1
Impact on the Ground – WHO’s response to emergencies and crises: A Podcast with Dr David Nabarro 9:06

8y ago9:06

9:06

Candidate for WHO Director General Dr David Nabarro draws on over 40 years of experience and expertise to explain the importance of coordinated and quick responses by the WHO in humanitarian crises and emergencies. He discusses how communities, especially children are impacted by food shortages, and what’s needed to provide a concerted global respo…

1
Escape from FGM 6:39

8+ y ago6:39

6:39

16-year-old twins Hope and Leah escaped FGM with minutes to spare. Listen to them tell their story and find out why they want to fight for girls' rights.Background: UK Aid works through partners to support a collective abandonment of the FGM, encouraging whole communities to say no to FGM together. We are backing the Africa-led movement to end FGM,…

1
Stefan Dercon DFID's Chief Economist introduces DFID's first Economic Development Strategy 8:24

8+ y ago8:24

8:24

Stefan Dercon DFID's Chief Economist introduces DFID's first Economic Development Strategy.DFID’s Economic Development Strategy sets out how Britain will establish new trade, investment and economic links and end global poverty.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfids-economic-development-strategy-2017…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

UK Department For International Development Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
DFID

DFID

1
Refugee Realities

LSE Department of International Development

1
S3, E4: Climate-related Displacement and International Protection 22:48

1
S3, E3: Empowering Migrant and Refugee Women to Thrive: The gendered experiences of forced migration 29:56

1
S3, E2: The Possibilities of Refugee-led Action: perspectives from Turkey 25:01

1
S3, E1: Trampoline, an inspiring London-based café supporting Refugees’ journeys 18:53

1
S2, E8: Legal aid, bureaucratic obstacles, and grassroots NGOs 33:55

1
S2, E7: Contrasting crises: Government responses to refugees in Calais and from Ukraine 21:59

1
S2, E6: Afghan evacuees in the UK: Challenges and opportunities  30:14

1
S2, E5 Resilience in crisis: Reflections from a Ukrainian 35:17

1
S2, E4 Working towards dignity: Perspectives from refugee social workers in Lebanon 33:14

1
S2, E3 Persevering for peace: Understanding the challenges of an asylum journey 26:01

1
S2, E2 Climate-induced migration in the Caribbean: Where are we now and pathways forward 42:49

1
S2, E1 Relief Chief: Insight on the refugee system from the top of the UN 30:26

1
S1, E12 Kaweh Beheshtizadeh's journey from asylum seeker to refugee lawyer 26:59

1
S1, E11 Digital education and displacement 19:56

1
S1, E10 Advocating for refugee education 35:23

1
S1, E9 Solutions for IDPs: from Geneva to Mogadishu 48:56

1
S1, E8 The UK government’s new plan for immigration: implications for refugees 37:51

1
S1, E7 Women, peace, and security after Europe’s refugee ‘crisis’ 42:01

1
S1, E6 Navigating asylum as an unaccompanied minor in the UK 21:35

1
S1, E5 Call them by their names 20:11

1
S1, E4 Acting with a social purpose 32:55

1
S1, E3 Refugee Week as a movement, not a moment 34:04

1
S1, E2 The human face of the climate crisis: forced migration and protection challenges 31:45

1
S1, E1 Data and migration: in discussion with IOM’s Data Analysis Centre 46:07

1
From refugee to MBE: How Akuja de Garang became a champion for girls' education in South Sudan 3:46

1
A Modern Health Organisation – WHO Finances and Modernisation: A Podcast with Dr David Nabarro 6:17

1
A WHO that Works for Women and Children: A Podcast with Dr David Nabarro 4:28

1
Facing Tomorrow’s Health Threats - infectious diseases & global security: A Podcast with Dr Nabarro 9:00

1
Meet Dr Nabarro – The best candidate for WHO Director General: A Podcast with Dr David Nabarro 4:46

1
Impact on the Ground – WHO’s response to emergencies and crises: A Podcast with Dr David Nabarro 9:06

1
Escape from FGM 6:39

1
Stefan Dercon DFID's Chief Economist introduces DFID's first Economic Development Strategy 8:24