Sometimes the act of sitting down with a cup of tea and listening can plant seeds we may never see sprout.
In our special Creative Juggle Joy episode, Kaylie and I participated in Podcasthon, a worldwide initiative inviting podcasters to highlight a cause.
We chose UN Women, an organization born in 2010 to promote gender equality and empower women globally. They support governments in crafting policies, provide technical and financial assistance, and coordinate the UN’s gender‑equality efforts.
Why This Resonates
As someone who has spent decades teaching, mentoring and raising daughters (and now grandchildren), supporting UN Women feels deeply personal.
Their goals—ensuring women can participate equally in governance, earn a decent living, live free from violence, and build peace—mirror the hopes I hold for my family and community.
As a survivor of domestic violence, I understand the difference systemic support can make.
A Creative Lens
Our creative work is interwoven with the freedom to express. When women and girls globally lack education or safety, they lose the ability to tell their stories. Lifting our heads from our projects to acknowledge those struggles reminds us why our art matters. It also teaches us humility; we thrive because others paved the way.
Gentle Encouragement
If this conversation moves you, I invite you to learn more. Read about UN Women’s initiatives, share the episode with a fellow maker, or donate if you are able. Even small acts contribute to a tapestry of change.
Listener Support Note
You can support the show here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2397445/support
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Mentioned in This Episode
- UN Women – United Nations entity focusing on gender equality and women’s empowerment
- Podcasthon – global charity podcasting movement
TRANSCRIPT:
Episode 80 – Podcasthon UN women
Kaylie Edwards: [00:00:00] Hello, and welcome back to the Creative Juggle Joy podcast.
I'm Kaylie Edwards.
Delores Naskrent: I'm Delores.
Kaylie Edwards: This episode is a little bit different. We are taking part in something really special called Podcasthon. Podcasthon is a global podcast movement where thousands of podcasts around the world dedicate one episode to spotlight a charity they deeply care about. And for us, choosing who to feature felt important, intentional, and honestly, very aligned.
So today we're shining a light on UN women. If you've been listening to Creative Juggle Joy for a while, you'll know that the majority of our listeners are women. Women building creative businesses, women juggling motherhood and ambition, women navigating confidence, burnout, identity issues, women trying to build something meaningful in a world that doesn't always make it easy.
And when we looked at the global [00:01:00] picture, it felt right to spotlight an organization that is working on behalf of women and girls everywhere.
Delores Naskrent: Yeah, that is powerful. And what's powerful about UN women is that they operate on a global scale. They're not focused on just one region or one issue. They work internationally to advanced gender equality and empower women and girls in a bunch of different areas like economic empowerment, ending violence against women.
Leadership and political participation, humanitarian response, education, and opportunity. And as someone who has spent decades teaching, mentoring, and raising daughters, this felt deeply aligned.
Kaylie Edwards: So let's talk about what UN women actually does.
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender [00:02:00] equality and the empowerment of women. Their mission is simple but powerful to ensure that women and girls everywhere have equal rights, equal opportunities, and freedom from violence and discrimination, and that work spans across supporting women in crisis and conflict zones.
Advocating for laws that protect women's rights, providing economic opportunities and resources, and helping women access education and leadership pathways.
Delores Naskrent: One of the things that really stood out to me was that this isn't just surface level support, it's structural, it's policy level, it's long-term change.
And when we think about the freedoms, many of us. Experience in North America or the uk. It's very sobering to remember that these freedoms are not universal. There are still many millions of women and girls facing forced marriage, limited access to education, [00:03:00] economic exclusion, gender-based violence.
Political silencing and organizations like UN Women are working daily to address these realities
Kaylie Edwards: and why this matters to creatives. You might be wondering why talk about this on a creative business podcast, and here's why: Creatives thrive, where there is safety businesses thrive. Where there is opportunity voices thrive.
Where there is freedom. If women and girls are not safe, not educated, not economically supported, they don't get to create, they don't get to build, and they don't get to dream and that matters.
Delores Naskrent: Absolutely. As artists, we totally understand expression, we understand voice and we understand the power of being able to show up and say, this is who I am.
For many women globally that freedom is [00:04:00] still being fought for and supporting organizations like UN Women is one way we can extend that freedom beyond our own immediate circles.
Kaylie Edwards: Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is how easy it is to stay inside our own little bubble. Our businesses, our families, our launches, our deadlines, and while those things matter, there's something grounding about lifting our heads up and saying, what's happening beyond my world right now?
And how can I contribute even in a small way?
Delores Naskrent: Yeah. And contribution doesn't always mean massive action. Sometimes it means just learning. Sharing, maybe donating if you're able, raising awareness, having those conversations. Even talking about this today is part of that ripple effect.
Kaylie Edwards: Yes, and the UN women is currently focusing across multiple global initiatives including [00:05:00] crisis response in conflict affected areas, economic recovery programs, supporting women entrepreneurs in developing regions, combating gender-based violence and promoting equal leadership.
Representation will include the links in the show notes so you can explore their current campaigns and areas of focus in more detail, because their work evolves depending on the global need.
Delores Naskrent: Yeah. If this episode has resonated with you, we encourage you to visit the UN Women's website and just simply learn more about it.
Education is so powerful, and awareness is so powerful.
Kaylie Edwards: Yes. And if you are in a position where you can give even a small amount. That contribution joins a much bigger collective effort, but there is no pressure here. This episode is about spotlighting this charity and about shining a light and about align lining our platform with something bigger than ourselves.
Delores Naskrent: Kaylie, what does supporting something like this [00:06:00] mean to you personally? I'm curious,
Kaylie Edwards: honestly, as a mum raising a son, it means thinking about the world he's growing up in and what I had to go through as a female in this world. In my past and all the challenges and the trauma I had to go through and how I want to, raise him to be able to treat women better.
It means thinking about how we shape conversations around equality, respect, and opportunity. And as someone building a business, it reminds me that access to build that business is not equal everywhere, and that matters.
Delores Naskrent: For me as a mother of daughters and now as a grandmother, it feels like planting seeds, being, survivor of domestic violence. I think it's something that has always been really close to my heart, and I really wanna spread the word about it.
We may not see all the changes in our lifetime, [00:07:00] but we know it's happening. It's happening out there. Supporting organizations that are doing systemic work creates long-term impact, and that's worth being part of.
Kaylie Edwards: Yeah, if you'd like to learn more about UN Women, you'll find the links in the show notes.
And if you'd like to support our podcast and help us continue spotlighting meaningful conversations like this, you can also find our support link there too.
Delores Naskrent: Thank you so much for being here with us for this very special Podcasthon episode.
Kaylie Edwards: Until next time, keep creating, keep juggling, and most importantly, keep finding joy in the process.
