When we talk about alcohol at WHO, we often start with the evidence. Today, we're starting with people's experiences.

Aleksandra Olsen works on communications about alcohol and health here at WHO Regional Office for Europe. At WHO, it is common that we will talk about units, thresholds and risk. Today, Aleks put all of the statistics aside and invited three women in for a conversation.

Mia, who is 34 and has stage 4 breast cancer. Hazel, a journalist, and in the past has experienced alcohol related liver disease. And Millie, who is the founder of Sober Girl Society, which is for sober and sober-curious women.

Millie puts it this way: there is a lot we could be doing about alcohol that we are not. Conversations we could be having.

This is one of them.

-----

Show notes/links

WHO Regional Office for Europe: https://www.who.int/europe

Alcohol use (from the WHO website): https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/alcohol-use

No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

Podcasts: https://www.who.int/europe/multimedia-pages/podcasts

In the first episode of this mini-series, we've heard why WHO/Europe launched the Special Initiative on Violence Against Women and Girls. In the second, we spoke with UNFPA on how health systems can and are practically taking steps to help tackle gender based violence.

In this third episode of 'I believe you' we speak with Elisa Fernandez Saenz from UN Women Europe and Central Asia. We hear about Elisa's upbringing in Costa Rica, what led her to her work with UN Women, how important cooperation across sectors is to addressing gender inequality and much more.

I Believe You is a three-part mini series for WHO's Health In Europe. This is episode three.

Listen to episode one: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1109867/episodes/19542850

Listen to episode two: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1109867/episodes/19569187

Last episode on I Believe You, Dr. Hans Kluge set out why WHO Europe has made violence against women and girls one of its top priorities. This week, what that means in practice.

When a woman or a girl walks into a clinic, that may be the only moment anyone has a chance to notice what is happening to her, whether the person in front of her is ready to understand that it can change everything.

Melanie Hyde and Greg Bianchi spoke to Florence Bauer, who runs the UN Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency, UNFPA as Regional director across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. They talk about how that work connects to violence, about the abuse that has moved online, and got very much worse there.

I Believe You is a three-part mini series for WHO's Health In Europe. This is episode two.

Listen to episode one: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1109867/episodes/19542850