Hope at the Last Mile – On Human Agency and What It Takes to Reach People Where It Matters Most

What does hope mean when you spend your life working at the fault lines of global inequality? Diene Keita was born in Guinea, raised in Italy, and has spent over three decades working across some of the world's most fragile contexts – from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Haiti, Mauritania, and beyond. Today, she leads the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), focusing on issues that shape people's lives in fundamental ways: health, dignity, and the ability to decide what happens to your own body and your future. In this episode of UNCovering Hope, Diene reflects on human agency, and on the realities that determine whether a woman survives childbirth, whether a girl can stay in school, and whether a young person has a real chance to shape what comes next. From finding unexpected ways of reaching young people – including through capoeira – to what she has witnessed in remote regions, we talk about what it takes for support to reach people in crisis settings, and what has to come together, locally and globally, for that to happen in time. We also discuss the role of youth associations and community leadership, how the United Nations is adapting to keep reaching people where it matters most, and why the way we speak about issues shapes whether they are understood, trusted, and acted on. Listen in to a conversation about what hope means to Diene in today's global landscape – and the vision that keeps her going. Read more about Diene Keita and UNFPA: https://www.unfpa.org/about/diene-keita Recorded on: 23 February 2026UNCovering Hope – UN City Copenhagen PodcastPodcast host: Veronika Wilhelm, UN City Copenhagen