In this episode, Rahmet Elfikhi exposes one of the most brutal realities of Sudan’s war: rape not as a byproduct of conflict, but as a deliberate, systematic weapon. Her documentary, Land of Victims, forces into the open what is often hidden behind statistics and diplomatic language—survivors’ voices. Women, men, and children recount acts of violence carried out with chilling normalcy, in a conflict where the human body has become a battlefield. These are not isolated crimes. They are patterns. The conversation confronts uncomfortable truths. Why is sexual violence so pervasive in Sudan’s war? How do stigma and culture silence survivors while shielding perpetrators? And why have global institutions, designed to prevent such atrocities, repeatedly failed to act? Elfikhi also reveals the cost of telling these stories—the fear, the ethical dilemmas, and the emotional toll of documenting trauma at close range. Yet, amid the horror, there is defiance. Survivors speak, often at great personal risk, refusing to be erased.

In this episode, Rahmet Elfikhi exposes one of the most brutal realities of Sudan’s war: rape not as a byproduct of conflict, but as a deliberate, systematic weapon.Her documentary, Land of Victims, forces into the open what is often hidden behind statistics and diplomatic language—survivors’ voices. Women, men, and children recount acts of violence carried out with chilling normalcy, in a conflict where the human body has become a battlefield. These are not isolated crimes. They are patterns.The conversation confronts uncomfortable truths. Why is sexual violence so pervasive in Sudan’s war? How do stigma and culture silence survivors while shielding perpetrators? And why have global institutions, designed to prevent such atrocities, repeatedly failed to act?Elfikhi also reveals the cost of telling these stories—the fear, the ethical dilemmas, and the emotional toll of documenting trauma at close range. Yet, amid the horror, there is defiance. Survivors speak, often at great personal risk, refusing to be erased.

Impact Newswire

How Did Rape Become a Weapon of War in Sudan with Rahmet Elfikhi - Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila

EPISODE 17: How Honest is the Global Humanitarian Lottery? with Thomas Byrnes In a world where crises seem endless and compassion sometimes feels exhausted, what does humanitarianism really mean today? In this episode, you may feel weary of hearing humanitarians lament funding shortages, but is the real story less about how much money exists and more about how the system chooses to use it? And if fatigue has set in, what truths have we stopped questioning? The conversation turns to the financial architecture behind humanitarian action, a subject that quietly determines who gets help and who is left waiting. Host Mukesh Kapila speaks with Thomas Byrnes, a sharp observer and insider who has witnessed the machinery of aid up close. Is the humanitarian system broken, or is it functioning exactly as designed? And if the structure itself drives the outcomes, what does that mean for the millions whose survival depends on it? From exchange rate losses in conflict zones to agencies competing for the same pool of funds, Byrnes has seen how incentives shape decisions that can carry life or death consequences. When organizations speak the language of collaboration but operate in a zero-sum environment, can true partnership exist? Has humanitarianism expanded so far beyond its original life-saving mandate that it now struggles to define its own boundaries? And when rhetoric and reality diverge, who holds the system accountable? As wars intensify, disasters multiply, and resources tighten, difficult choices are no longer theoretical, they are operational. Who decides which crises are prioritized and which are quietly sidelined? Are we measuring real human need, or merely what the system believes it can afford to address? And perhaps the most unsettling question of all: if the money exists globally, is humanitarian aid treated as a moral obligation or simply an optional act of generosity?

EPISODE 17: How Honest is the Global Humanitarian Lottery? with Thomas ByrnesIn a world where crises seem endless and compassion sometimes feels exhausted, what does humanitarianism really mean today? In this episode, you may feel weary of hearing humanitarians lament funding shortages, but is the real story less about how much money exists and more about how the system chooses to use it? And if fatigue has set in, what truths have we stopped questioning?The conversation turns to the financial architecture behind humanitarian action, a subject that quietly determines who gets help and who is left waiting. Host Mukesh Kapila speaks with Thomas Byrnes, a sharp observer and insider who has witnessed the machinery of aid up close. Is the humanitarian system broken, or is it functioning exactly as designed? And if the structure itself drives the outcomes, what does that mean for the millions whose survival depends on it?From exchange rate losses in conflict zones to agencies competing for the same pool of funds, Byrnes has seen how incentives shape decisions that can carry life or death consequences. When organizations speak the language of collaboration but operate in a zero-sum environment, can true partnership exist? Has humanitarianism expanded so far beyond its original life-saving mandate that it now struggles to define its own boundaries? And when rhetoric and reality diverge, who holds the system accountable?As wars intensify, disasters multiply, and resources tighten, difficult choices are no longer theoretical, they are operational. Who decides which crises are prioritized and which are quietly sidelined? Are we measuring real human need, or merely what the system believes it can afford to address? And perhaps the most unsettling question of all: if the money exists globally, is humanitarian aid treated as a moral obligation or simply an optional act of generosity?

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - How Honest is the Global Humanitarian Lottery? with Thomas Byrnes

EPISODE 15: Is Democracy Still Worth Defending? with Francesc Badia Dalmases If only 7 percent of the world lives in a full democracy, is the model already failing? Is this model still worth defending if it cannot deliver justice, equality, and survival? In this episode of Fading Causes, Mukesh Kapila sits down with veteran journalist Francesc Badia Dalmases to examine what happens when global crises slip from the headlines, not because they are resolved, but because the world has grown tired of looking at them. Francesc has spent decades reporting from places where history rarely announces itself with a clear ending. Wars cool rather than conclude; humanitarian emergencies become permanent backdrops. Together, they trace how conflicts are reframed, downgraded, or quietly abandoned by international media and policymakers alike. When suffering becomes routine, does it cease to be news? And who decides when a crisis has outlived its moment? What remains unresolved is whether AI will hollow out democratic agency or, paradoxically, force its reinvention. The Gen Z uprisings from Nairobi to Dhaka, from Belgrade to Seoul, may signal not the death of democracy, but a refusal to inherit one that feels rigged, remote and unresponsive. If technology is rewriting how power is contested, will democracy adapt, or will it be outpaced by the very generation meant to save it?

EPISODE 15: Is Democracy Still Worth Defending? with Francesc Badia DalmasesIf only 7 percent of the world lives in a full democracy, is the model already failing? Is this model still worth defending if it cannot deliver justice, equality, and survival?In this episode of Fading Causes, Mukesh Kapila sits down with veteran journalist Francesc Badia Dalmases to examine what happens when global crises slip from the headlines, not because they are resolved, but because the world has grown tired of looking at them.Francesc has spent decades reporting from places where history rarely announces itself with a clear ending. Wars cool rather than conclude; humanitarian emergencies become permanent backdrops. Together, they trace how conflicts are reframed, downgraded, or quietly abandoned by international media and policymakers alike. When suffering becomes routine, does it cease to be news? And who decides when a crisis has outlived its moment?What remains unresolved is whether AI will hollow out democratic agency or, paradoxically, force its reinvention. The Gen Z uprisings from Nairobi to Dhaka, from Belgrade to Seoul, may signal not the death of democracy, but a refusal to inherit one that feels rigged, remote and unresponsive. If technology is rewriting how power is contested, will democracy adapt, or will it be outpaced by the very generation meant to save it?

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Is Democracy Still Worth Defending? with Francesc Badia Dalmases

EPISODE 16: How Can We Do More Good Than Harm? with Stephen Cornish The story of MSF is one of radical proximity, not just to the patient, but to the political firestorms that create them. As Stephen Cornish, Director of Operations at MSF tells host Mukesh Kapila in this episode, MSF is not merely a medical charity; it is a mirror held up to the "market of misery," forcing the world to look at the victims it would rather ignore. This "arrogance" that Mukesh notes is, in fact, the organization’s primary survival mechanism. By rejecting the "big fat checks" of partisan governments, they have traded financial ease for the moral authority to cross lines that stop others cold. If an organization accepts millions from the same state that is actively a party to a conflict, can it ever truly claim to be an impartial advocate for that state's victims? This independence necessitates an agonizing moral calculus, leading to the "global triage" that Cornish describes as heart-wrenching. MSF’s history is defined by the tension between the principle of humanity and the reality of being instrumentalized by regimes. Whether they are withdrawing from North Korea because they refuse to be a "fig leaf" for propaganda or staying in Afghanistan to run maternities under the Taliban, the choice is never simple. This prompts a difficult reflection for any observer: is it better for a humanitarian agency to provide a "bad normal" level of care indefinitely, or to strategically withdraw to preserve the capacity for responding to the next catastrophic spike in mortality? The concept of témoignage, or bearing witness, remains the most controversial and vital weapon in the MSF arsenal. As Cornish notes, while doctors cannot stop conflict, their silence can certainly kill. In the fog of war, where propaganda is an instrument of combat, the simple act of reporting 6,000 poisoning victims in Ghouta becomes a revolutionary act. However, as humanitarian advocacy moves onto platforms like Instagram and into the halls of the UN Security Council, we must ask ourselves where the line falls between life-saving testimony and performative noise. Does a speech at a podium in New York actually change the reality for a patient in a Goma clinic, or does it merely assuage the guilt of the witness? The "changing humanitarian landscape" suggests a future where the MSF model of 7 million individual donors is no longer just a preference, but a necessity. As traditional UN agencies find themselves "pathetically looking for dollars" and competing for the same public empathy, the distinctiveness of the sans frontières brand faces a new kind of saturation. In a world of increasing walls and closing borders, the true value of MSF may not just be the medicine they provide, but their refusal to accept the world as it is. They remain the indispensable irritant of a global system that often prefers its misery to be quiet, orderly, and well-managed.

EPISODE 16: How Can We Do More Good Than Harm? with Stephen CornishThe story of MSF is one of radical proximity, not just to the patient, but to the political firestorms that create them. As Stephen Cornish, Director of Operations at MSF tells host Mukesh Kapila in this episode, MSF is not merely a medical charity; it is a mirror held up to the "market of misery," forcing the world to look at the victims it would rather ignore. This "arrogance" that Mukesh notes is, in fact, the organization’s primary survival mechanism. By rejecting the "big fat checks" of partisan governments, they have traded financial ease for the moral authority to cross lines that stop others cold. If an organization accepts millions from the same state that is actively a party to a conflict, can it ever truly claim to be an impartial advocate for that state's victims?This independence necessitates an agonizing moral calculus, leading to the "global triage" that Cornish describes as heart-wrenching. MSF’s history is defined by the tension between the principle of humanity and the reality of being instrumentalized by regimes. Whether they are withdrawing from North Korea because they refuse to be a "fig leaf" for propaganda or staying in Afghanistan to run maternities under the Taliban, the choice is never simple. This prompts a difficult reflection for any observer: is it better for a humanitarian agency to provide a "bad normal" level of care indefinitely, or to strategically withdraw to preserve the capacity for responding to the next catastrophic spike in mortality?The concept of témoignage, or bearing witness, remains the most controversial and vital weapon in the MSF arsenal. As Cornish notes, while doctors cannot stop conflict, their silence can certainly kill. In the fog of war, where propaganda is an instrument of combat, the simple act of reporting 6,000 poisoning victims in Ghouta becomes a revolutionary act. However, as humanitarian advocacy moves onto platforms like Instagram and into the halls of the UN Security Council, we must ask ourselves where the line falls between life-saving testimony and performative noise. Does a speech at a podium in New York actually change the reality for a patient in a Goma clinic, or does it merely assuage the guilt of the witness?The "changing humanitarian landscape" suggests a future where the MSF model of 7 million individual donors is no longer just a preference, but a necessity. As traditional UN agencies find themselves "pathetically looking for dollars" and competing for the same public empathy, the distinctiveness of the sans frontières brand faces a new kind of saturation. In a world of increasing walls and closing borders, the true value of MSF may not just be the medicine they provide, but their refusal to accept the world as it is. They remain the indispensable irritant of a global system that often prefers its misery to be quiet, orderly, and well-managed.

How Can We Do More Good Than Harm? with Stephen Cornish - Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila

EPISODE 18: Is Global Health Keeping Fit For Purpose? with Ilona Kickbusch In this wide-ranging conversation about the future of global health, leading health policy thinker Ilona Kickbusch delivers a sobering assessment: the global health system as it currently exists is no longer fit for purpose. Speaking with host Mukesh Kapila, she describes an increasingly crowded ecosystem of powerful institutions including the World Health Organization, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNAIDS, UNICEF, and the World Bank, alongside humanitarian giants such as Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Together they represent a vast network of programs, financing streams, and initiatives that aim to improve health outcomes around the world. But Kickbusch argues that the very scale of this architecture has become part of the problem. The system, she says, is marked by fragmentation, overlapping mandates, and competition for resources. Many organizations operate in silos, often pursuing their own agendas while funding structures remain opaque and heavily influenced by donors. Development aid for health is declining in several countries, forcing smaller NGOs to shrink or close entirely. In such an environment, she asks a fundamental question: Is the global health system still capable of delivering coordinated solutions to today’s health challenges, or has it become too complex to function effectively? Kickbusch believes reform is unavoidable. She suggests that the global health architecture must be streamlined, with some organizations merged or even closed and others forced to refocus their missions. Yet she acknowledges the political difficulty of such reforms. Institutions develop constituencies, funding relationships, and bureaucracies that make them hard to dismantle. If creating new organizations has been easy over the past two decades, who now has the authority and the political will to rationalize the system? Beyond institutional reform, Kickbusch raises another concern that may define the next era of global health inequality: the rise of digital health technologies and artificial intelligence. These tools promise transformative advances in diagnosis, treatment, and health system management. But they are largely controlled by a small number of powerful technology companies and wealthy actors. Countries in the developing world often depend on external partners to build digital health infrastructure, creating new geopolitical dynamics. As nations adopt digital health systems, who controls the infrastructure, and what price do countries pay for access to these technologies? One of the most valuable assets in this emerging landscape is data. Health data, in particular, is becoming a strategic resource. Kickbusch warns that some countries may effectively exchange access to their population data in return for technological support, creating new forms of inequality and extraction. Without strong governance frameworks, this could reshape global health power structures. Will the next era of health inequality be defined not only by access to hospitals and medicines, but also by who owns and controls health data? The digital transformation of health systems also raises concerns about information integrity. As more people turn to the internet for health advice, distinguishing between scientific evidence, misinformation, and disinformation becomes increasingly difficult. Without stronger mechanisms to regulate and verify online health information, public trust in health systems may erode. Despite these challenges, the conversation ends with a sense of urgency rather than resignation. Kapila praises Kickbusch for a career devoted to confronting global health inequalities and pushing institutions to evolve. Her central mission remains unchanged: narrowing the gap in health outcomes between countries and populations. Yet the question she leaves hanging over the future is profound: Will technological and institutional transformation help close those gaps, or will it deepen them in ways the world is only beginning to understand?

EPISODE 18: Is Global Health Keeping Fit For Purpose? with Ilona KickbuschIn this wide-ranging conversation about the future of global health, leading health policy thinker Ilona Kickbusch delivers a sobering assessment: the global health system as it currently exists is no longer fit for purpose. Speaking with host Mukesh Kapila, she describes an increasingly crowded ecosystem of powerful institutions including the World Health Organization, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNAIDS, UNICEF, and the World Bank, alongside humanitarian giants such as Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Together they represent a vast network of programs, financing streams, and initiatives that aim to improve health outcomes around the world. But Kickbusch argues that the very scale of this architecture has become part of the problem.The system, she says, is marked by fragmentation, overlapping mandates, and competition for resources. Many organizations operate in silos, often pursuing their own agendas while funding structures remain opaque and heavily influenced by donors. Development aid for health is declining in several countries, forcing smaller NGOs to shrink or close entirely. In such an environment, she asks a fundamental question: Is the global health system still capable of delivering coordinated solutions to today’s health challenges, or has it become too complex to function effectively?Kickbusch believes reform is unavoidable. She suggests that the global health architecture must be streamlined, with some organizations merged or even closed and others forced to refocus their missions. Yet she acknowledges the political difficulty of such reforms. Institutions develop constituencies, funding relationships, and bureaucracies that make them hard to dismantle. If creating new organizations has been easy over the past two decades, who now has the authority and the political will to rationalize the system?Beyond institutional reform, Kickbusch raises another concern that may define the next era of global health inequality: the rise of digital health technologies and artificial intelligence. These tools promise transformative advances in diagnosis, treatment, and health system management. But they are largely controlled by a small number of powerful technology companies and wealthy actors. Countries in the developing world often depend on external partners to build digital health infrastructure, creating new geopolitical dynamics. As nations adopt digital health systems, who controls the infrastructure, and what price do countries pay for access to these technologies?One of the most valuable assets in this emerging landscape is data. Health data, in particular, is becoming a strategic resource. Kickbusch warns that some countries may effectively exchange access to their population data in return for technological support, creating new forms of inequality and extraction. Without strong governance frameworks, this could reshape global health power structures. Will the next era of health inequality be defined not only by access to hospitals and medicines, but also by who owns and controls health data?The digital transformation of health systems also raises concerns about information integrity. As more people turn to the internet for health advice, distinguishing between scientific evidence, misinformation, and disinformation becomes increasingly difficult. Without stronger mechanisms to regulate and verify online health information, public trust in health systems may erode.Despite these challenges, the conversation ends with a sense of urgency rather than resignation. Kapila praises Kickbusch for a career devoted to confronting global health inequalities and pushing institutions to evolve. Her central mission remains unchanged: narrowing the gap in health outcomes between countries and populations. Yet the question she leaves hanging over the future is profound: Will technological and institutional transformation help close those gaps, or will it deepen them in ways the world is only beginning to understand?

Is Global Health Keeping Fit For Purpose? with Ilona Kickbusch - Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila

EPISODE 11: How Can Small Voices Make a Difference? with Ambassador Yvette Stevens What drives a woman to choose the harder road — to study in Soviet Moscow when the world said go West? To wire a nation’s power grid when no one believed a woman could? To speak truth to power in the corridors of the UN and still find laughter amid life’s ironies? In this episode of Fading Causes, Mukesh Kapila sits down with Ambassador Yvette Stevens, Sierra Leone’s first female electrical engineer, a UN veteran, and a diplomat who has lived through the Cold War, civil war, and countless battles for gender equality. What did it take to break barriers in a man’s world? How did her faith, humour, and fierce independence carry her through decades of diplomacy and disruption? And why does she now joke about colour-coordinating her own coffin? Watch a fearless, funny, and deeply human conversation about ambition, resilience, and what it means to stay true to yourself, even when the world keeps changing the rules.

EPISODE 11: How Can Small Voices Make a Difference? with Ambassador Yvette StevensWhat drives a woman to choose the harder road — to study in Soviet Moscow when the world said go West? To wire a nation’s power grid when no one believed a woman could? To speak truth to power in the corridors of the UN and still find laughter amid life’s ironies?In this episode of Fading Causes, Mukesh Kapila sits down with Ambassador Yvette Stevens, Sierra Leone’s first female electrical engineer, a UN veteran, and a diplomat who has lived through the Cold War, civil war, and countless battles for gender equality.What did it take to break barriers in a man’s world? How did her faith, humour, and fierce independence carry her through decades of diplomacy and disruption? And why does she now joke about colour-coordinating her own coffin?Watch a fearless, funny, and deeply human conversation about ambition, resilience, and what it means to stay true to yourself, even when the world keeps changing the rules.

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - How Can Small Voices Make a Difference? with Ambassador Yvette Stevens

EPISODE 9: Can We Afford Pessimism In Difficult Times? with Kul Gautam Has the world kept its promises to children? Can the United Nations, now approaching its 80th year, reinvent itself to regain public trust? And what keeps a veteran of global service fighting for justice after decades at the heart of international diplomacy? Host Mukesh Kapila speaks with Kul Gautam, the former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, whose path from a remote Nepali village to the highest ranks of the UN embodies both the promise and the frustrations of multilateralism. Gautam reflects on a career spent championing children’s rights, navigating bureaucracies, and grappling with inequality across continents. The conversation ranges from the struggles of his early life and improbable ascent to encounters with presidents, Nobel laureates and cultural icons. But at its core lies a pressing question: in an era of fractured politics and fading faith in institutions, can the ideals that shaped Gautam’s life still inspire the world today?Listen.

EPISODE 9: Can We Afford Pessimism In Difficult Times? with Kul GautamHas the world kept its promises to children? Can the United Nations, now approaching its 80th year, reinvent itself to regain public trust? And what keeps a veteran of global service fighting for justice after decades at the heart of international diplomacy?Host Mukesh Kapila speaks with Kul Gautam, the former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, whose path from a remote Nepali village to the highest ranks of the UN embodies both the promise and the frustrations of multilateralism. Gautam reflects on a career spent championing children’s rights, navigating bureaucracies, and grappling with inequality across continents. The conversation ranges from the struggles of his early life and improbable ascent to encounters with presidents, Nobel laureates and cultural icons. But at its core lies a pressing question: in an era of fractured politics and fading faith in institutions, can the ideals that shaped Gautam’s life still inspire the world today?Listen.

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Can We Afford Pessimism In Difficult Times? with Kul Gautam

EPISODE 10: Should A Reporter's Camera Reflect or Frame Reality? with Ximena Borrazás ﻿What compels a woman to trade a career in marketing for war zones, famine, and frontlines of sexual violence? What drives someone to document the unspeakable — not just to inform, but to demand justice? In this searing episode of Fading Causes, Mukesh Kapila speaks with Ximena Borrazás — an award-winning photographer and filmmaker whose work doesn’t just show suffering, it confronts complicity. From the battle-scarred towns of Ukraine to the ravaged refugee camps of Tigray, she brings us face-to-face with atrocities that the world often chooses to ignore. Why are the horrors of one war front-page news, while others vanish from view? What does it mean to be a “lucky migrant”? Can a photograph become legal evidence of a genocide — and should it? What do we do with the pain of others once we see it? Watch and listen.

EPISODE 10: Should A Reporter's Camera Reflect or Frame Reality? with Ximena Borrazás﻿What compels a woman to trade a career in marketing for war zones, famine, and frontlines of sexual violence? What drives someone to document the unspeakable — not just to inform, but to demand justice?In this searing episode of Fading Causes, Mukesh Kapila speaks with Ximena Borrazás — an award-winning photographer and filmmaker whose work doesn’t just show suffering, it confronts complicity. From the battle-scarred towns of Ukraine to the ravaged refugee camps of Tigray, she brings us face-to-face with atrocities that the world often chooses to ignore.Why are the horrors of one war front-page news, while others vanish from view? What does it mean to be a “lucky migrant”? Can a photograph become legal evidence of a genocide — and should it?What do we do with the pain of others once we see it?Watch and listen.

Should A Reporter's Camera Reflect or Frame Reality? with Ximena Borrazás - Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila

EPISODE 8: Why Is The History Of African Slavery Kept Hidden? with Martin Plaut Can present-day African conflicts be understood without tracing their roots to slavery and colonialism? Should reparations be pursued as a path to justice, or do they risk deepening divides? Historian and journalist Martin Plaut, whose upbringing under apartheid South Africa gives him a piercing lens on the unfinished business of history, shares his story from the Soweto uprising that jolted a generation into activism to the long shadow of slavery and colonialism. Plaut reveals how the past still shapes the conflicts, inequalities, and prejudices of today. His book Unbroken Chains traces slavery’s complex story, one that extends beyond the transatlantic trade to include the complicity of African elites and the brutal mechanics of enslavement itself. The legacy of slavery is not merely a matter of memory but a living force. The descendants of enslaved people still face stigma, while modern slavery thrives in new forms of exploitation, from human trafficking to bonded labor. But if the arc of history does indeed bend towards freedom, what forces are pulling it back?

EPISODE 8: Why Is The History Of African Slavery Kept Hidden? with Martin PlautCan present-day African conflicts be understood without tracing their roots to slavery and colonialism? Should reparations be pursued as a path to justice, or do they risk deepening divides?Historian and journalist Martin Plaut, whose upbringing under apartheid South Africa gives him a piercing lens on the unfinished business of history, shares his story from the Soweto uprising that jolted a generation into activism to the long shadow of slavery and colonialism.Plaut reveals how the past still shapes the conflicts, inequalities, and prejudices of today. His book Unbroken Chains traces slavery’s complex story, one that extends beyond the transatlantic trade to include the complicity of African elites and the brutal mechanics of enslavement itself.The legacy of slavery is not merely a matter of memory but a living force. The descendants of enslaved people still face stigma, while modern slavery thrives in new forms of exploitation, from human trafficking to bonded labor. But if the arc of history does indeed bend towards freedom, what forces are pulling it back?

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Why Is The History Of African Slavery Kept Hidden? with Martin Plaut

EPISODE 7: Can We Ever End Poverty And Hunger? with Mohsen Sarhan In this conversation, Mohsen Sarhan opens up about his unlikely path—from a life of privilege to leading the Egyptian Food Bank, one of the region’s most impactful organizations tackling hunger. He reflects on the paradox of abundance in some corners of society, while millions remain trapped in cycles of poverty and food insecurity. What does it take to break these cycles? Why do systemic inequalities continue to leave the most vulnerable behind, despite decades of aid and policy reforms?

EPISODE 7: Can We Ever End Poverty And Hunger? with Mohsen SarhanIn this conversation, Mohsen Sarhan opens up about his unlikely path—from a life of privilege to leading the Egyptian Food Bank, one of the region’s most impactful organizations tackling hunger. He reflects on the paradox of abundance in some corners of society, while millions remain trapped in cycles of poverty and food insecurity.What does it take to break these cycles? Why do systemic inequalities continue to leave the most vulnerable behind, despite decades of aid and policy reforms?

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Can We Ever End Poverty And Hunger? with Mohsen Sarhan

EPISODE 6: Is Optimism For Tackling Climate Change And Migration Justified? with Ovais Sarmad From surviving a plane crash to navigating the frontlines of the climate crisis, former Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Ovais Sarmad’s life has been shaped by moments where the odds seemed insurmountable. As a top UN climate official, he’s wrestled with the moral and political weight of a warming planet, the growing wave of climate migration, and the urgency to act before tipping points become irreversible. Through it all, he holds onto an unshakable optimism, not as a naive belief, but as a deliberate choice. For Sarmad, hope is the engine of action. The question is: Can the rest of the world summon the same resolve before time runs out?

EPISODE 6: Is Optimism For Tackling Climate Change And Migration Justified? with Ovais SarmadFrom surviving a plane crash to navigating the frontlines of the climate crisis, former Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Ovais Sarmad’s life has been shaped by moments where the odds seemed insurmountable. As a top UN climate official, he’s wrestled with the moral and political weight of a warming planet, the growing wave of climate migration, and the urgency to act before tipping points become irreversible. Through it all, he holds onto an unshakable optimism, not as a naive belief, but as a deliberate choice. For Sarmad, hope is the engine of action. The question is: Can the rest of the world summon the same resolve before time runs out?

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Is Optimism For Tackling Climate Change And Migration Justified? with Ovais Sarmad

EPISODE 5: Is the Future of Global Governance Stuck in Bureaucratic Gridlock? with Claus Sorensen Is the true architecture of peace and progress found in quiet, painstaking compromise or in bold vision? Global economist Claus Haugaard Sorensen speaks to Mukesh Kapila on his journey from a skeptical young Dane resisting European integration to a key architect in helping Central and Eastern European countries join the European Union. Yet, Sorensen does not shy away from acknowledging the limitations and contradictions that haunt the European project. The rise of nationalism, economic inequality, and the perception of a “fortress Europe” complicate the narrative of European unity and inclusivity. If inclusivity and solidarity lie at the heart of European ideals, why are so many citizens in both old and new member states feeling left behind? His warnings echo in the unsettled present: Are supranational projects like the European Union vulnerable to accusations of fortress mentality, or can they reinvent themselves to deliver justice and security for all? When democracies struggle with distance—geographical, linguistic, and institutional—what will restore the social contract and bridge the gap between citizens and distant power centers? Listen to the conversation

EPISODE 5: Is the Future of Global Governance Stuck in Bureaucratic Gridlock? with Claus SorensenIs the true architecture of peace and progress found in quiet, painstaking compromise or in bold vision?Global economist Claus Haugaard Sorensen speaks to Mukesh Kapila on his journey from a skeptical young Dane resisting European integration to a key architect in helping Central and Eastern European countries join the European Union. Yet, Sorensen does not shy away from acknowledging the limitations and contradictions that haunt the European project. The rise of nationalism, economic inequality, and the perception of a “fortress Europe” complicate the narrative of European unity and inclusivity. If inclusivity and solidarity lie at the heart of European ideals, why are so many citizens in both old and new member states feeling left behind? His warnings echo in the unsettled present: Are supranational projects like the European Union vulnerable to accusations of fortress mentality, or can they reinvent themselves to deliver justice and security for all? When democracies struggle with distance—geographical, linguistic, and institutional—what will restore the social contract and bridge the gap between citizens and distant power centers? Listen to the conversation

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Is the Future of Global Governance Stuck in Bureaucratic Gridlock? with Claus Sorensen

EPISODE 4: Can One Person's Passion Create Lasting Impact? with model Noella Coursaris Musunka In a world longing for heroes and hopeful stories, Noella Coursaris Musunka stands as a shining beacon of what is possible when resilience meets purpose. From a childhood marked by loss and displacement in the Congo, to gracing international stages like the UN and the World Economic Forum, she has transformed her platform from fashion runways to real-world impact. How can we, regardless of our background or resources, harness the power within to uplift our communities and break cycles of hardship? And in an age of growing cynicism, how do we reclaim faith in humanity, turning compassion into lasting change? True greatness lies not in status or fame, but in the courage to dream big, the commitment to act locally, and the compassion to build ecosystems where every child can thrive. Listen to the podcast.

EPISODE 4: Can One Person's Passion Create Lasting Impact? with model Noella Coursaris MusunkaIn a world longing for heroes and hopeful stories, Noella Coursaris Musunka stands as a shining beacon of what is possible when resilience meets purpose. From a childhood marked by loss and displacement in the Congo, to gracing international stages like the UN and the World Economic Forum, she has transformed her platform from fashion runways to real-world impact. How can we, regardless of our background or resources, harness the power within to uplift our communities and break cycles of hardship? And in an age of growing cynicism, how do we reclaim faith in humanity, turning compassion into lasting change?True greatness lies not in status or fame, but in the courage to dream big, the commitment to act locally, and the compassion to build ecosystems where every child can thrive. Listen to the podcast.

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Can One Person's Passion Create Lasting Impact? with model Noella Coursaris Musunka

EPISODE 3: Can Good Soldiers Still Exist In Bad Wars? with Major General James Cowan What does it mean to serve, not just a nation, but humanity? Can a soldier who once led men into battle find peace in guiding others through minefields of the past? Major General James Cowan’s journey — from the battlefields of Helmand to the minefields of Angola — is not just a soldier’s tale, but a meditation on what it means to lead with conscience in a world that too often forgets the cost of conflict. He has seen what war destroys and what peace demands. In his quiet return to the ruins of old battles, he asks not for glory, but for redemption — not just for himself, but for the nations that once promised more. Can power still serve a moral purpose? Can we hold on to our sense of duty when the noise of war fades and the world looks away? The answers may not come easily. But in Cowan’s steady voice, we hear the echo of a deeper truth: that service does not end when the war is over. Sometimes, it only begins.

EPISODE 3: Can Good Soldiers Still Exist In Bad Wars? with Major General James CowanWhat does it mean to serve, not just a nation, but humanity? Can a soldier who once led men into battle find peace in guiding others through minefields of the past?Major General James Cowan’s journey — from the battlefields of Helmand to the minefields of Angola — is not just a soldier’s tale, but a meditation on what it means to lead with conscience in a world that too often forgets the cost of conflict. He has seen what war destroys and what peace demands. In his quiet return to the ruins of old battles, he asks not for glory, but for redemption — not just for himself, but for the nations that once promised more. Can power still serve a moral purpose? Can we hold on to our sense of duty when the noise of war fades and the world looks away?The answers may not come easily. But in Cowan’s steady voice, we hear the echo of a deeper truth: that service does not end when the war is over. Sometimes, it only begins.

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Can Good Soldiers Still Exist In Bad Wars? with Major General James Cowan

As the world teeters between digital distraction and deepening disinformation, Heidi Kingstone, a veteran foreign affairs journalist and author of Dispatches from the Kabul Café (2015), reminds us that the role of the journalist, not just as a recorder of facts but as a witness to humanity’s triumphs and atrocities, has never been more vital. From the alleys of Kabul to the killing fields of Rwanda, from genocide memorials to refugee camps, she has borne witness not to headlines, but to heartbreak and resilience. Her stories, shaped not by sensationalism but by sincerity, challenge us to resist the temptation of forgetting. In an age when truth is too often traded for virality, Kingstone’s work calls us back to the essence of journalism: to listen, to illuminate, and, above all, to remember. Because as she reminds us, history doesn’t just repeat, it forgets. And unless we keep telling these stories, so will we.

As the world teeters between digital distraction and deepening disinformation, Heidi Kingstone, a veteran foreign affairs journalist and author of Dispatches from the Kabul Café (2015), reminds us that the role of the journalist, not just as a recorder of facts but as a witness to humanity’s triumphs and atrocities, has never been more vital. From the alleys of Kabul to the killing fields of Rwanda, from genocide memorials to refugee camps, she has borne witness not to headlines, but to heartbreak and resilience. Her stories, shaped not by sensationalism but by sincerity, challenge us to resist the temptation of forgetting.In an age when truth is too often traded for virality, Kingstone’s work calls us back to the essence of journalism: to listen, to illuminate, and, above all, to remember. Because as she reminds us, history doesn’t just repeat, it forgets. And unless we keep telling these stories, so will we.

Fading Causes with Mukesh Kapila - Truth, Genocide, and the Limits of Journalism with Heidi Kingstone

The world moves fast. Too fast.Crises trend for a moment… then disappear. Headlines fade. Attention shifts. But the people living those realities? They don’t get to scroll past.The Fading Causes Podcast by Impact Newswire is where forgotten stories come back to life.Hosted by global humanitarian Mukesh Kapila, this podcast goes beyond the noise to uncover the issues the world has stopped talking about — from silent humanitarian crises to overlooked injustices shaping millions of lives.Each episode brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with frontline voices, changemakers, and global thinkers who are fighting battles long after the spotlight has moved on.This isn’t just another podcast.It’s a wake-up call.Because what fades from the headlines should never fade from humanity. New episodes. Real stories. Global impact.Follow @Impact.newswire and visit <a href="http://www.impactnews-wire.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.impactnews-wire.com</a>.

The world moves fast. Too fast.Crises trend for a moment… then disappear. Headlines fade. Attention shifts. But the people living those realities? They don’t get to scroll past.The Fading Causes Podcast by Impact Newswire is where forgotten stories come back to life.Hosted by global humanitarian Mukesh Kapila, this podcast goes beyond the noise to uncover the issues the world has stopped talking about — from silent humanitarian crises to overlooked injustices shaping millions of lives.Each episode brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with frontline voices, changemakers, and global thinkers who are fighting battles long after the spotlight has moved on.This isn’t just another podcast.It’s a wake-up call.Because what fades from the headlines should never fade from humanity. New episodes. Real stories. Global impact.Follow @Impact.newswire and visit www.impactnews-wire.com.

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