The battle to protect children from online abuse, with Carmen Corbin | UNODC

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Published Feb 17, 2025

Carmen Corbin dreamt of serving with the United Nations from an early age. Now head of transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking and terrorism prevention programs at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in East Africa, she is dedicated to protecting children from shocking online exploitation.

“We won't know who is real and who is not real. We can't keep up. All of us, in some way, shape or form, will potentially suffer from the fact that we won't be able to trust anyone or trust anybody that we meet, because you're never sure if that person is truly who they say they are.”

The UNODC supports law enforcement efforts in tackling all transnational organized crime and counter terrorism, including cybercrime. In this episode, Carmen Corbin reflects on the challenges of overseeing a wide portfolio, on the psychological strain of prosecuting the worst kinds of cybercrimes and shares her advice for a successful international career.

[00:00] Introduction
[01:36] A childhood dream
[06:19] Becoming a Prosecutor
[07:52] Transitioning to international work and life in Senegal
[12:54] Combating cybercrime in West Africa
[15:00] The horrors of online child exploitation
[17:54] Challenges in prosecuting cybercrimes
[22:48] What keeps Carmen awake at night
[25:36] Strengthening crime prevention systems
[27:14] The lifelong trauma faced by survivors of exploitation
[30:15] The emotional toll
[33:56] Balancing motherhood and advocacy
[35:38] New role in Kenya
[37:46] Advice for aspiring women leaders
[39:18] Closing remarks

Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
#podcast #unitednations #awakeatnight #UNODC #cybercrime

About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.