Forced From Home

Displacement is reshaping our world – from Ukraine to Venezuela to the streets of American cities. It has gone from a fringe issue to the topic of daily headlines. But there is a ton of misinformation out there, and most people don't know much about its causes – much less its solutions. On Forced from Home, we will talk to the people on the frontlines of global displacement and the global decision makers shaping how the world responds – about everything from life in a war zone to economics to politics. Listen in for smart, practical insights that will help make sense of these issues – and share ways that you can get engaged.

Forced From Home is a news podcast hosted by Refugees International, with 10 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Refugees International hosts Forced From Home, a news show with 10 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #10

  A Seat at the Table: Advancing Meaningful Inclusion of Refugee Leaders with Dr. Hourie Tafech

  Aug 20, 202637 minS1

  The international humanitarian system was established without refugees informing its design, and for too long, displaced people were excluded from decision-making processes that directly touched their lives. International institutions have taken steps to give refugees a seat at the table and enable local leaders – who know best what their communities need – to make more resource and policy decisions. While progress has been made over the past decade to ensure refugees are effectively included in policy discussions and represented in international forums, there is more work to be done to shift power to refugees across the humanitarian system. In this episode, we hear from Refugees International's own Dr. Hourie Tafech about her own refugee leadership journey and the evolution of the global refugee-led movement. She discusses the crucial role refugee leaders have played in shaping international humanitarian policy decisions and the UN Refugee Agency's operations. She offers ideas to advance meaningful refugee participation across global platforms and measure the impact of refugee inclusion. Timed Takeaways: [07:03] From grassroots advocacy to UNHCR's headquarters: One refugee's leadership journey [13:28] The evolution of refugee participation in international fora and what constitutes meaningful refugee engagement [21:07] Addressing challenges: The impact of aid cuts and systemic barriers on the refugee-led movement [26:22] The role of allyship and partnership in empowering refugee leaders [32:03] Roundup: Displacement in the news this week Mentioned in This Episode: Power, Trust and Change: Refugee Leaders in Dialogue with UNHCR Candidates - Refugees International Refugee Leadership: Tools, Challenges, and the Path Forward - Refugees International Refugee Space - R-Space Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table - R-SEAT No One Died? New Frontline Evidence from Afghanistan on Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Deaths following the Withdrawal of U.S. Assistance - Refugees International Governor Hochul's Letter to Secretary of Homeland Security: Terminating Temporary Protected Status for Hundreds of Thousands of Immigrants is a Reckless and Inhumane Act - Governor Hochul Why Thousands of Florida's Workers Are Disappearing - Wall Street Journal Urgent: Congress Must Act Now to Protect Haitian TPS Holders in our Community - Refugees International A look at Spain's plan to give undocumented migrants legal status - PBS NewsHour If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and consider a donation to support our work at https://give.refugeesinternational.org/a/forcedfromhome For more show episodes, visit https://refugeesinternational.org/forced-from-home-podcast Thoughts or suggestions? Get in touch with our team at ri@refugeesinternational.org Subscribe with us wherever you get your podcasts and follow Refugees International on social media @refugeesintl (Twitter/Instagram/Threads) and Refugees International (LinkedIn/Facebook/YouTube). You can also follow Jeremy on Twitter at @JeremyKonyndyk. This episode of "Forced from Home" was produced by Refugees International. Our technical director and sound designer is Joshua Suhy. Our executive producer is Madison Cullinan. The show's production team also includes Sarah Sheffer. Our music is composed by Richard Adam Keyworth from Sound Pocket Music. And special thanks to Hourie Tafech.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #9

  The Refugee Convention at 75: An Important Legacy, an Uncertain Future

  Aug 6, 202657 minS1

  For 75 years, the 1951 Refugee Convention has served as a global commitment to protect refugees, and as a tool for states to manage global displacement. But today, many of the world's 41 million refugees face attacks on their rights and governments that seek to return them to harm. We reflect on the history of the Convention, how this foundational document has served refugees and governments over the years, and the failure of many states to meet their obligations to protect refugees today. In this episode, we hear from scholar James Hathaway about the objectives, intentions, and limitations of the Convention. He discusses how the Convention balances states' interests and refugee rights and offers ideas to improve international systems and enhance refugee protection considering current political realities. Then we sit down with Human Rights First's Eleanor Acer who unpacks how governments, including the Trump administration, are undermining the core tenets of refugee protection and mischaracterizing global displacement dynamics. She offers potential reforms to ensure the Convention is relevant to today's world. Time Takeaways [3:17] What is the Refugee Convention? [5:06] Discretion v. obligation: states' roles in protecting refugees' rights [8:04] There is no "right way" to become a refugee – because states haven't built one [16:27] How multilateral cooperation and enforceable commitments can improve the global refugee system [34:40] Unpacking the Trump Administration's critiques of the Refugee Convention [39:15] Global trends: are other governments following the United States' lead or affirming their commitment to the Convention? [48:17] Roundup: Displacement in the news this week Mentioned in This Episode: Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau at the Panel "The Global Refugee and Asylum System: What Went Wrong and How to Fix It" - The Department of State Keynote Address by UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman: UK-US Security Priorities for the 21st Century - American Enterprise Institute The 50 by 35 vision - UNHCR The Global Cop-Out on Refugees – James Hathaway Global Civil Society Coalition Statement on the 75th Anniversary of the Refugee Convention - Human Rights First UN Agrees to Historic Global Compact on Refugees - Refugees International How 50,000 People Surged Into a Spanish Exclave in Africa - New York Times Spanish PM Sanchez fends off blistering criticism within the EU over Ceuta crisis - ABC After Most Migrants Leave Ceuta, Exhausted Holdouts Find Shelter on Beach - New York Times Urgent: Congress Must Act Now to Protect Haitian TPS Holders in our Community - Refugees International Tigray refugees flee into Sudan after deadly violence on Ethiopia border - Al Jazeera If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and consider a donation to support our work at https://give.refugeesinternational.org/a/forcedfromhome For more show episodes, visit https://refugeesinternational.org/forced-from-home-podcast Thoughts or suggestions? Get in touch with our team at ri@refugeesinternational.org Subscribe with us wherever you get your podcasts and follow Refugees International on social media @refugeesintl (Twitter/Instagram/Threads) and Refugees International (LinkedIn/Facebook/YouTube). You can also follow Jeremy on Twitter at @JeremyKonyndyk. This episode of "Forced from Home" was produced by Refugees International. Our technical director and sound designer is Joshua Suhy. Our executive producer is Madison Cullinan. The show's production team also includes Sarah Sheffer. Our music is composed by Richard Adam Keyworth from Sound Pocket Music. And special thanks to Yael Schacher.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #8

  Compounding Crises: The Ebola Outbreak and Conflict in Eastern DRC with Dr. Craig Spencer, Julien Harneis, and Mvemba Dizolele

  Jul 23, 20261h 16mS1

  The Ebola outbreak surging throughout eastern Congo could be the largest in history and one of the most challenging to defeat. Ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, significant U.S. aid cuts, and overextended healthcare systems are complicating efforts to respond and contain the disease. Worse, this outbreak is fueled by a strain of Ebola–the Bundibugyo species– that does not have an approved vaccine to treat. In this episode, we learn from Dr. Craig Spencer about how Ebola spreads and the factors fueling the current Bundibugyo outbreak. He shares his extensive experience treating patients during previous Ebola outbreaks and describes the ramifications of the United States' retreat from its leadership in global health. We then hear from UN Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis who is on the ground in eastern Congo. He talks about what he's seeing in affected communities and what is needed to end the outbreak. To round the episode, we sit down with Mvemba Dizolele who delves into the complex interplay between governance challenges, public health, and the legacy of conflict in eastern Congo and how these dynamics are impacting the international response today. Timed Takeaways: [5:53] Ebola 101: understanding the disease's transmission and symptoms [7:49] A survivor's perspective on Ebola and the importance of quality healthcare [15:12] Unpacking the current outbreak: tackling the Bundibugyo virus, Ebola response challenges in DRC, and the importance of U.S. leadership [33:58] Dispatch from Bunia: On the ground with UN's Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis [45:02] Understanding the context: past and present conflicts and governance challenges in eastern Congo [51:15] The role of trust and good governance in mounting an effective Ebola response [59:53] Prospects for a humanitarian ceasefire and the United States' role in ending the conflict [1:08:53] Roundup: Displacement in the news this week Mentioned in This Episode: DR Congo neighbors boost preparedness as Ebola cases surge - DW DRC – Internal Displacement Overview 2026 - IOM I Survived Ebola. This Is What Scares Me Most About This Outbreak. - New York Times Opinion: This Could Be the Worst Ebola Outbreak in History - New York Times Musk says work to stop Ebola was accidentally cut but restored. Experts raise doubts - NPR US, Congo Ebola Travel Restrictions May Hamper Humanitarian Aid Response - Bloomberg The President's Inbox Recap: Conflict in Eastern Congo - Council on Foreign Relations How Rebels in Congo Could Use Ebola to Consolidate Their Power - New York Times Rwanda–DRC Peace Deal: Trump Owns It. Now What? - Just Security Refugees International Calls for Full and Independent Investigations into Killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal - Refugees International Refugees International Calls for Renewed Aid and Rescue Efforts Amid Latest Rohingya Boat Tragedy - Refugees International Lucky Karim's Interview with Al Jazeera – Al Jazeera Urgent: Congress Must Act Now to Protect Haitian TPS Holders in our Community - Refugees International If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and consider a donation to support our work at https://give.refugeesinternational.org/a/forcedfromhome For more show episodes, visit https://refugeesinternational.org/forced-from-home-podcast Thoughts or suggestions? Get in touch with our team at ri@refugeesinternational.org Subscribe with us wherever you get your podcasts and follow Refugees International on social media @refugeesintl (Twitter/Instagram/Threads) and Refugees International (LinkedIn/Facebook/YouTube). You can also follow Jeremy on Twitter at @JeremyKonyndyk. This episode of "Forced from Home" was produced by Refugees International. Our technical director and sound designer is Joshua Suhy. Our executive producer is Madison Cullinan. The show's production team also includes Sarah Sheffer. Our music is composed by Richard Adam Keyworth from Sound Pocket Music. And special thanks to Priscilla Lecomte and Abdullahi Halakhe.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #7

  What do Venezuela's Earthquakes Mean for its Refugee Crisis and for U.S. Immigration Policy? With Ana Maria Diez

  Jul 9, 202656 minS1

  On June 24, two devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing thousands and displacing countless more – driving the country into a deeper humanitarian crisis. This catastrophe occurs at a moment when many Venezuelan refugees are growing disillusioned; the U.S. tells them it is safe to return home even as it sits side-by-side with sanctioned leaders from the regime that they fled. In this episode, we hear from Ana Maria Diez, a human rights lawyer and Venezuelan living in displacement, to understand the current earthquake response efforts and how this emergency is affecting people who have faced a longstanding humanitarian, economic, and political crisis. She talks about the false narrative that conditions have improved since Maduro's capture, how the Trump administration is cozying up with officials in the regime it claims to have overthrown, and the importance of advancing Venezuelan refugees' rights to participate in a democratic transition of the government. Timed Takeaways: [5:58] The fallout from the earthquakes and potential government interference in recovery efforts [15:20] Turning back the clock: why have 8 million people fled Venezuela? [18:16] Ana Maria's story: forced to flee her country [21:47] Same regime, different face: how the U.S. is backing repressive Maduro-aligned leaders [31:06] The power of collective action in the refugee-led movement [39:29] What it really means to leave your country [42:08] Maria's story: the toll of compounding crises on Venezuelans [47:53] Roundup: Displacement in the news this week Mentioned in This Episode: Inside 'Operation Absolute Resolve,' the U.S. Effort to Capture Maduro - New York Times U.S. Undercuts Venezuela's Opposition Leader as She Tries to Return - New York Times Earthquakes in Venezuela: Situation Report #13 - UNOCHA Temporary Protected Status protects families while also boosting the U.S. economy - FWD.us U.S. handshakes with Cabello sparks outrage across Venezuelan social media - Miami Herald Narcotics Rewards Program: Diosdado Cabello Rondón - U.S. Department of State Trump administration tweet ending TPS for Venezuelans - X International Technical Meeting on Human Mobility of Venezuelan Citizens in the Region (Quito Process) - IOM Independent Declaration on the Right to Participate - The Declaration Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Updates - ASAP Urgent: Congress Must Act Now to Protect Haitian TPS Holders in our Community - Refugees International WHO adds first diagnostic test for Ebola Bundibugyo virus to its Emergency Use Listing - WHO US soccer star Trump intervened to help is a citizen by birthright - which the president wants to end - The Independent They fled war as child refugees, now they're playing at World Cup 2026 - Al Jazeera Bosnia and Herzegovina's World Cup Team Is Already Changing the Country's Story - Time If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and consider a donation to support our work at https://give.refugeesinternational.org/a/forcedfromhome For more show episodes, visit https://refugeesinternational.org/forced-from-home-podcast Thoughts or suggestions? Get in touch with our team at ri@refugeesinternational.org Subscribe with us wherever you get your podcasts and follow Refugees International on social media @refugeesintl (Twitter/Instagram/Threads) and Refugees International (LinkedIn/Facebook/YouTube). You can also follow Jeremy on Twitter at @JeremyKonyndyk. This episode of "Forced from Home" was produced by Refugees International. Our technical director and sound designer is Joshua Suhy. Our executive producer is Madison Cullinan. The show's production team also includes Sarah Sheffer. Our music is composed by Richard Adam Keyworth from Sound Pocket Music. And special thanks to Rachel Schmidtke and Eliza Leal.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #6

  "My Freedom was Taken from me." Exposing Trump's Shady Third Country Deportation Deals

  Jun 26, 20261h 1mS1

  Why did the famously corrupt Vice President of Equatorial Guinea ask Stephen Miller to visit his country? It's all about deportations. The Trump administration has cut numerous shady agreements with foreign governments to forcibly deport thousands of people granted protection by U.S. courts to countries where they have no ties and could be subject to detention, abuse, or deportation back to the countries they originally fled. These cruel deals are one of the administration's harshest tools to deter people from seeking refuge in the U.S. and funnel resources to governments with a track record of corruption and repression. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Yael Schacher, Refugees International's Director for the Americas and Europe and co-lead with our partners at Human Rights First on the Third Country Deportation Watch project. She spells out the various deals the Trump administration has made with governments around the world and what toll they're exacting at a human level. We're also joined by Tutu Alicante, founder of Equatorial Guinea Justice, who offers insight into how corrupt governments – including Equatorial Guinea – are benefitting from third country deportation agreements. Timed Takeaways: [5:10] How did we get here? The Trump administration's assault on the right to refuge [11:11] Setting the scene: the political landscape in Equatorial Guinea [15:14] Exploring the transactional nature of these deals [28:31] Costa Rica: the second largest recipient of deportees from the U.S. [34:00] How is the U.S. legitimizing corrupt leaders with these agreements? [41:04] Cruelty by design: the human impact of these forced transfers [49:05] Khadija's story: the human toll of third country deportations [53:26] Roundup: Displacement in the news this week Mentioned in This Episode: Third Country Deportation Watch - Third Country Deportation Watch US has sent $7.5m to Equatorial Guinea to accept noncitizen deportees - The Guardian Latin America Gets Into Deal-Making Mode for Rubio's Visit - New York Times Venezuelans deported by US detail fresh claims of torture and abuse at El Salvador mega-prison - The Guardian New FAO-WFP report warns worsening hunger puts 13 hotspots at significant risk - UN World Food Program Refugees International Sounds Alarm on Imminent Atrocities in El Obeid, Sudan - Refugees International U.S. Cutoff of Vital Aid to Ethiopia Risks Hunger and Instability - Refugees International Tell Congress: No Hidden Money for Israeli War Crimes - Refugees International Into the Wood Chipper: A Whistleblower's Account of How the Trump Administration Shredded USAID - Nicholas Enrich Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera - Pro Publica Trump's Most Lethal Policy - New York Times Rovina's Choice - Rovina's Choice If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and consider a donation to support our work at https://give.refugeesinternational.org/a/forcedfromhome For more show episodes, visit https://refugeesinternational.org/forced-from-home-podcast Thoughts or suggestions? Get in touch with our team at ri@refugeesinternational.org Subscribe with us wherever you get your podcasts and follow Refugees International on social media @refugeesintl (Twitter/Instagram/Threads) and Refugees International (LinkedIn/Facebook/YouTube). You can also follow Jeremy on Twitter at @JeremyKonyndyk. This episode of "Forced from Home" was produced by Refugees International. Our technical director and sound designer is Joshua Suhy. Our executive producer is Madison Cullinan. The show's production team also includes Sarah Sheffer. Our music is composed by Richard Adam Keyworth from Sound Pocket Music. And special thanks to Yael Schacher, Rachel Schmitdke, and Eliza Leal.

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Forced From Home. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.