• In this episode of the WHO #NoExcuse Podcast, host Guni Dias speaks with Suzie Miller, an award-winning Australian playwright and former criminal defense lawyer specializing in human rights. They discuss the complexities of preventing and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment, especially in the aid sector. Miller shares insights from her career transition, the gendered nuances of legal responses to sexual assault, and the significant impact of her play, Prima Facie, on judicial education. They delve into the importance of empathy, the role of theater in driving systemic change, and the critical need for men to challenge the status quo within power dynamics.
• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:11 Meet Suzie Miller: From Lawyer to Playwright
• 01:27 Exploring Prima Facie: A Play on Sexual Assault
• 04:07 Understanding the Freeze or Befriend Response
• 05:25 Legal System's Perspective on Sexual Assault
• 08:01 The Role of Theatre in Legal Education
• 10:02 Empathy and Change Through Theatre
• 11:22 Lessons for the Aid Sector
• 14:43 Men's Role in Addressing Gender Violence
• 20:21 The Importance of Feeling Uncomfortable
• 25:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this compelling episode of the WHO #NoExcuse Podcast, we sit down with Tarana Burke, the visionary founder of the #MeToo movement, whose work has ignited a global reckoning around sexual violence and misconduct. Tarana takes us back to the origins of the movement, sharing the powerful vision and the challenges she faced in bringing it to life. She reflects on the movement’s impact and explores how lessons from #MeToo can be applied to the aid sector to address sexual misconduct, foster survivor-centered approaches, and drive systemic change.
As someone now working with UN Women on the ACT program, Tarana also shares insights on sustaining momentum in advocacy, the importance of meaningful partnerships, and the critical steps organizations must take to prioritize prevention, accountability, and healing.

Mirko Fernandez is a victim advocate at the Global Fund. In this episode, he talks about the complexities of preventing and responding to sexual misconduct in the aid sector.

Mirko shares how his career was shaped by his parents, who were Chilean exiles, and their activism against human rights violations in their home country. We also hear about his work in forensic anthropology and his advocacy for marginalised communities.

He talks about the importance of allyship, the role of education in promoting rights, and the challenges faced by victims during the investigation process. The conversation also touches on the psychological and emotional demands of victim advocacy work and strategies for self-care and resilience within this field.

In this episode of the #NoExcuse podcast, host Guni Dias speaks with Harvard sociologist Frank Dobbin about the complexities of sexual harassment in the workplace, especially within international aid organizations. Dobbin examines contributing factors like power differentials and social isolation and critiques conventional harassment training for its sometimes counterproductive effects. Dobbin highlights effective alternatives such as allyship, bystander intervention training, and enhanced grievance mechanisms, including ombuds offices and dispute resolution processes. The discussion underscores the need for cultural change and proactive leadership to foster harassment-free environments.

00:00 Trigger Warning and Introduction
00:30 Interview with Frank Dobbin: Understanding Workplace Harassment
03:06 Power Differentials and Social Isolation in Aid Organizations
06:09 Challenges of Traditional Harassment Training
09:12 Effective Strategies for Allyship and Manager Training
14:23 Reporting and Grievance Mechanisms
19:20 Broader Spectrum of Workplace Misbehaviours
22:16 Creating a Culture Free of Harassment