This episode features Christian author and advocate Bri Stensrud, who opens up about her work with Women of Welcome and the courage it takes to build bridges of understanding in a time of political and national division.

Mo Ogrodnik is an NYU Professor who served as the associate dean of the arts for NYU in Abu Dhabi. She is the author of GULF, a novel tracing the intertwined journeys of five women—from the Philippines, Ethiopia, and New York City—whose lives converge in the Arabian Gulf with both devastating and transformative consequences. Yasmeen Hassan is a prominent Pakistani-American lawyer and women’s rights advocate who served as Global Executive Director of Equality Now.

Leyla Hussein is a Somali-British psychotherapist, activist, and survivor of female genital mutilation. She is the founder of The Dahlia Project, the UK’s first therapeutic support service dedicated to survivors of FGM. She’s also a dear friend, and I am grateful to have her as this month’s guest on the show.

As part of our In Focus series, we examine the impact of U.S. global aid cuts on women and girls around the world.

In our In Focus series, we investigate the use of mass sexual violence as a weapon of war in Sudan. Executive Producer: Francesca Gilardi Quadrio Curzio Sound Design: Andrija Klaric

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by the incredible Bellamy Young. Many of you know her as the formidable Mellie Grant from the series Scandal, but beyond the screen, she’s a passionate advocate for global humanitarian efforts. As an ambassador for CARE, Bellamy has been deeply involved in advocating for women and girls worldwide, using her platform to amplify stories that often go unheard.

Michelle Nunn leads more than 8,000 people working in 121 countries to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice. In her nine years as President and CEO of CARE, the organization has impacted more than 53 million people around the world. In this conversation, Michelle and I discuss some of the most pressing challenges facing women and girls today, and what CARE is doing to tackle gender-based violence in conflict and beyond.

Melissa Fleming is the Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications at the United Nations. Previously, she served as the Head of Communications and Chief Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency. Melissa is the author of A Hope More Powerful than the Sea and host of the podcast Awake at Night. This month, we delve into what it takes to be the UN’s Chief Communicator at a time of rising global conflicts and backsliding women’s rights.

Mary Maker is a South Sudanese refugee and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador. She is also an actress, a fashion lover, and a writer. After fleeing her war-torn country as a child, Mary found safety at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, where she was able to attend school. Today, Mary is a champion for girls’ education as a vital tool for rebuilding lives and empowering a generation of girls who are too often denied access to the classroom. Mary is a friend and a powerful voice, and today, we dug a bit deeper into her story. You can follow Mary on Instagram @marymaker_43

Yasmine Mohammed is a Canadian human rights activist and author of Egyptian and Palestinian descent. Yasmine escaped from a forced, abusive marriage to an Al-Qaeda operative and became an advocate for women's rights through her non-profit organization Free Hearts, Free Minds. She is the author of Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam. In this episode, Yasmine shares her remarkable story and unique perspective with the world. Trigger Warning: Mention of violence against women.

Paul O’Brien is the Executive Director at Amnesty International USA.  Over his career, he has done human rights research and advocacy in more than 50 countries, including most recently, Mexico, Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank.  He lived for 10 years in Africa, working for local and international organizations, and for 5 years in Afghanistan, where he served as an advisor to the President. Before Amnesty, Paul co-led Oxfam’s advocacy efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic and led Oxfam America’s advocacy with the US government. He is the author of Power Switch: How We Can Reverse Extreme Inequality. This month, Paul and I are in conversation about the current state of human rights. Enjoy our conversation. You can follow Paul on X @dpaulobrien

Leslie T. Chang has written about women in the developing world for two decades. Her reporting method is to immerse herself in the daily lives of ordinary women to find stories that are often unknown to the outside world. Leslie lived in China for a decade as a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, focusing on stories that explored how socioeconomic change was transforming institutions and individuals. In 2011, Leslie moved to Cairo, Egypt, where she explored the lives of the country's working women. Her new book, Egyptian Made: Women, Work, and the Promise of Liberation, follows three women who work in Egypt’s garment industry. Alongside these stories, Leslie shares her own experiences living in the country for five years. It was an honor to have Leslie on the podcast this month. You can buy her new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Egyptian-Made-Women-Promise-Liberation-ebook/dp/B0BL77GSW6

Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein is a Jordanian former diplomat and the President and CEO of the International Peace Institute. He is the Perry World House Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania and served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2014-2018. Zeid is a member of The Elders, an independent group of world leaders and human rights advocates brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007. You can follow him on X @Raad_Zeid and you can follow the International Peace Institute @ipinst

Masuma Ahuja is a journalist who calls three countries home and reports on people, power, and politics worldwide. Her work focuses primarily on women’s and girls’ lives. She is currently the Head of Freeda UK; previously, she worked at CNN and the Washington Post. She also spent years freelancing, reporting on women’s and girls’ lives worldwide for places like the BBC, The Washington Post’s The Lily, and Vice. Her debut book, Girlhood, published in 2021, depicts the everyday lives of girls around the world. You can follow Masuma on Instagram and X @masumaahuja

24-year-old Shereen Sabbah from Gaza shares audio diaries for More to Her Story.

Natashya Gutierrez is the President of Rappler, the Phillippine’s leading digital news company. She is the former Editor-in-Chief of VICE Asia-Pacific. She has spent more than a decade leading newsrooms and covering women’s rights, politics, and disinformation with a focus on Asia. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter @natashya_g

Jane Ferguson is an Irish-British journalist, special correspondent for PBS NewsHour, and contributor to The New Yorker. Jane has reported from warzones across the world, with a particular focus on the Middle East. She is a Visiting Lecturer at Princeton University and recently published author of the memoir No Ordinary Assignment. It was an honor to have Jane on the show. You can follow Jane on Instagram @janieferg and Twitter @JaneFerguson5

Shudufhadzo Musida is a South African model and activist who was crowned Miss South Africa 2020. She is a dedicated advocate and spokeswoman for mental health awareness and women’s rights and was recently appointed a regional champion for the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency. Follow Shudu on Instagram @ShudufhadzoMusida or Twitter @abigailmusida

Isobel Yeung is an Emmy-award-winning long-form documentary correspondent. She has covered a wide variety of stories concerning major global issues such as world conflicts, the criminal justice system, women’s rights, mental health, and sexual consent. In this episode, we dive deep into life in and out of the field, the current state of women’s rights in Afghanistan, and other things. I appreciated Isobel’s openness and honesty about how challenging this job can be and the incredible rewards. You can follow Isobel on Instagram @IzYeung or Twitter @IsobelYeung.

Rothna Begum is the Senior Women’s Rights Researcher at Human Rights Watch, focusing on discrimination and violence against women and girls in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. She has conducted research and advocacy on the abuse and exploitation of migrant domestic workers, domestic violence against women and girls, child marriage, sexual violence in conflict, discriminatory family laws, and male guardianship policies. Rothna previously worked for Amnesty International, where she researched a wide range of human rights violations in the Gulf states. You can follow Rothna on Twitter @Rothna_Begum