#NoExcuse Podcast By WHO - World Health Organization cover art

#NoExcuse

#NoExcuse

By: WHO - World Health Organization
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The #NoExcuse Podcast is produced by the World Health Organization's Department for the Prevention of and Response to Sexual Misconduct. There is no excuse for sexual misconduct in the humanitarian or development sectors. Many people don't want to think about the often-ignored topic of sexual misconduct by our personnel. Shining a light on this dark and painful topic is an important step to addressing it. Poet, novelist, and survivor Dr. Maya Angelou wrote, "What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it." As she suggests, changing how we view the issue is half the battle. It is within this need to change our views in a space of learning that the #NoExcuse podcast was born. Join us as we delve deep into the topic, share stories of work in the field, surface issues to prevention, and explore making zero tolerance for sexual misconduct a part of workplace culture - WHO's new normal. This podcast will examine different challenges and solutions through the perspectives of people who are already doing the work to create the change we need and want. This podcast series contains discussions on sexual misconduct. Topics such as sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment may be discussed. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the World Health Organization (WHO) or any other affiliated organization. The discussions and opinions are meant for informational and educational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listener discretion is advised, and we encourage seeking professional support for any personal issues discussed in this episode.WHO Hygiene & Healthy Living Science
Episodes
  • Sustaining Zero Tolerance in Times of Change

    Sustaining Zero Tolerance in Times of Change
    May 19 2026

    2021 marked one of the most challenging chapters in WHO's history—one that struck at the
    heart of its values and its obligation to do no harm.
    The response demanded more than correction; it required transformation. What followed was a
    sustained and intentional effort to fundamentally change how the Organization understands,
    prevents and responds to sexual misconduct.
    With the conclusion of the three-year strategy, WHO now moves into a consolidation phase,
    supported by a restructured department and new leadership for this area of work.
    The question is no longer how to respond to a crisis. It is how to protect, sustain and deepen
    what was built, and what that requires of everyone, at a moment when the world has grown in
    complexity and instability.
    In this episode, two leaders sit down together: Dr. Gaya Gamhewage, who founded WHO's
    approach to the prevention and response to sexual misconduct and led the teams that built its
    foundations, now serving as Acting Director of Communications; and Dr. Alia El-Yassir, who now
    directs the Department for Gender, Rights, Equity and Sexual Misconduct Prevention, and is
    leading the work into its next phase. They speak honestly about what this period demands from
    WHO, from Member States, and from everyone who has a stake in this not going quiet.
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    37 mins
  • Academia vs Practice: A Decolonial Approach to Sexual Misconduct in Aid

    Academia vs Practice: A Decolonial Approach to Sexual Misconduct in Aid
    Dec 2 2025
    In this episode, sociologists and practitioners Dr. Nof Nasser-Eddin and Dr. Nour Abu Assab unpack what it really means to take a decolonial approach in the aid sector and why this shift is essential for meaningful prevention of sexual misconduct. They challenge one of the sector's most entrenched assumptions: the belief that complete prevention is possible, calling it "the myth of prevention". Instead, they argue for approaches rooted in structural sensitivity, genuine community engagement, and transformative justice, drawing from lived experiences and frontline realities. Throughout the conversation, they bridge theory and practice, making complex concepts deeply accessible.
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    34 mins
  • Women Led Organizations in the Frontline: Voices from Palestine and the DRC

    Women Led Organizations in the Frontline: Voices from Palestine and the DRC
    Nov 7 2025
    In this episode, a powerful conversation with two women in parts of the world vulnerable to a heightened risk of sexual misconduct within the aid system Sandrine Lusamba is Executive Co-Ordinator from SOFEPADI - an organisation supporting the survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Khawla Al-Azraq is the Director of the Psychosocial Counseling Center for Women in Palestine. Both share the experiences of survivors of sexual violence and the holistic support mechanisms offered by local women's organizations. We hear about the importance of respect and dignity in aid delivery, the need for safeguards to protect those who report misconduct, and the challenge of engaging men in the reporting of sexual violence.
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    40 mins
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