Economies that work - for all

For the third episode of the Economies that work - for all, we welcome Dorah Modise, Executive Director of the Presidential Climate Commission of South Africa. The episode explores South Africa’s efforts on just transition, examining plans to move toward a low-carbon economy and the government’s strategy for developing the country’s significant critical minerals sector, all within a framework that places human rights at the centre of the transition. 
The conversation highlights the country's transformative policy approaches, including the decentralization of power supply and a growing reliance on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Together, these efforts seek to ensure that the transition not only reduces emissions but also avoids deepening energy poverty or creating new inequalities—delivering benefits that are both equitable and far-reaching. The episode further provides an inside perspective on the complexities of steering a national energy transition, as policymakers gather support from government and industry, and ensure that workers, Indigenous peoples and affected communities have their rights respected.

If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check this link.

In the second episode of Economies that work-for all, we are pleased to welcome Poliana Garcia Ferreira, General Coordinator of International Tax Cooperation in Brazil, for an in-depth conversation on poverty and extreme economic inequality in developing countries. Using Brazil as a case study, the episode explores how governments can leverage fiscal policy, progressive taxation, and targeted social spending to address entrenched poverty and reshape unequal economic structures. Framed within the broader field of social policy and the human rights economy, the discussion highlights how the strategic and intentional use of public finance tools can shift the status quo and expand access to economic opportunity.

The conversation further examines why tax policy can no longer be treated as purely a national concern. In today’s globalized economy, multinational corporations and ultra-wealthy individuals pay way less taxes than they should, while the poorer are overburdened. As Ms. Garcia Ferreira emphasizes, transparent dialogue and coordinated cooperation — both domestically and internationally — are essential to building an intelligent and effective global tax architecture that strengthen human rights and support a life with dignity for all.

If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check this link.

In this episode, we welcome Pablo Bustinduy, Spain’s Minister of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and the 2030 Agenda, for a conversation on the responsibility of democratic governments to advance social policy through both legislation and economic strategy. Drawing on recent reforms in Spain, Minister Bustinduy discusses how embedding human rights principles and the UN 2030 Agenda into fiscal and economic policy is essential to building a modern welfare state fit for the 21st century.
The discussion explores why wealthy democracies cannot allow poverty and social exclusion to persist, and why leaving welfare to market forces alone is a political and economic mistake. Minister Bustinduy argues for a rights-based approach to economic governance—one that recognizes workers and their labor, paid and unpaid, as the foundation of society and treats redistribution not only as a matter of justice, but as an economic necessity. This episode offers key insights for anyone interested in fomenting a fairer and more equal society.

If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check this link.

What does economic justice for African and Afro-descendant communities look like in the 21st century? We talk to economist and former Vice President of Costa Rica, Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr, and explore how colonialism, slavery, and systemic racism have solidified structural inequalities.
From her vital work with the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent, she argues for the importance of reparations, affirmative action, and inclusive governance to address centuries of racial injustice.
She reflects on the Human Rights Economy as an opportunity to have a more just economy grounded on dignity for all, and urges transformative leadership from governments, private entities, and civil society.
Ranging from worldwide development to local situations, this dialogue serves as a rallying cry to establish a new economic agreement, one that truly provides freedom, justice, and opportunities for all.

Topics/Chapters
(00:00) Introduction of Epsy Campbell and “Can economic policies promote inclusivity?”
(01:27) The need for reparation against the socioeconomic legacies of colonialism and consequences of systemic racism, to leave no one behind (the 2030 Agenda)
(08:58) Leveraging the 2030 Agenda
(13:19) A Human Rights Economy enables dignity for all people(16:45) The necessity of affirmative action
(21:20) The UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent and the integration of racial justice into socioeconomic global agendas
(27:36) Conclusion: call to Action to the listeners

If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check Economies that work-for all Podcast | Trello

This week, we speak to Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value, about creating ’mission-oriented economies’ that place human rights and the common good at their centre.
Rather than simply fixing market failures, Professor Mazzucato argues that governments must shape markets around bold societal missions – from achieving net zero to ensuring health for all. This requires fundamental changes: moving from being ‘lenders of last resort’ to ‘investors of first resort’, setting conditions on public funding to ensure risks and rewards are shared, and building state capacity for long-term public value creation.
She makes the case for mission-oriented development banks that don't just de-risk private investment, but actively direct patient capital towards transformational change. From redesigning procurement policies to embedding conditionalities in public-private partnerships, this approach demands a new social contract between business, government and communities - one that prioritises public value over shareholder value and ensures that collectiveintelligence leads to collectively shared rewards. Human rights are a key framework to guide these transformations.

Topics/Chapters(00:00) Introduction of Mariana Mazzucato and "Mission-oriented economies: putting human rights at the centre" (01:01) ‘Shaping’ instead of ‘Fixing’ the free market(03:09) The concept of ‘mission-oriented’ economies: reshaping the economy with purpose and agency(08:25) Putting HRs at the center of this ‘mission’(20:13) Integrating human rights into the financing for development: addressing the dysfunctional dynamics of the current international financial system and intentionally reshaping where the money goes(31:34) Integrating Human Rights principles into the financing for development: redistributive policies but also promotion of agency and dignity(39:48) Conclusion: Call to Action to the listeners

If you’d like to learn more about the Human Rights Economy, the work of OHCHR or UNSSC, check ⁠⁠Economies that work-for all Podcast | Trello⁠