World in Progress

What if the identity you were assigned at birth didn’t fit with how you felt on the inside? And try as you might, dressing, speaking and existing that way just didn’t feel right — in fact, it felt wrong. Millions of people share this struggle worldwide, and for those living in Iran, the fight for transgender equality is shaped by the country’s determination to prevent same-sex relationships.

As the war in Ukraine rages on, we look at the fallout in Ukraine's neighboring countries Belarus and Russia. Russians in opposition to President Vladimir Putin have fled the country in fear of repression. And in neighboring Belarus, Putin's ally Alexander Lukashenko is clamping down on Belarusian language and heritage. Many were arrested and their books destroyed.

How Freddie Mercury inspired youth behind the iron curtain/ Meet African climate activist Adenike Oladosu from Nigeria/ Italian restaurant projects helps migrants' integration and enhances culinary diversity

On this show: In Brazil, the Karipuna people are threatened by criminal gangs as they try to protect their ancient forest from destruction, despite death threats ++ From her exile in the US, a journalist from Iran is fighting for women's rights ++ Nigerian tiktok star uses humour to expose people's strange ideas about Africa

Despite reaching retirement age, work never stops for civil servants in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many civil servants are well past 70, sometimes even over 100 years old. They hold on to their jobs and their salaries. In Japan, some seniors also choose to continue working part-time jobs – to boost their pensions and because they believe it helps stave off dementia.

Since the pandemic, hunger and poverty are even worse for most of the 6 million indigenous people in the country. Many children lost years of education and their future looks bleak. But there are also many who try to help.

Education is key, but what if the education on offer doesn't take into account local languages or the students' needs? That's what a remote region in India is grappling with. And mobile teams in Kenya with a more hands-on approach want to help those who weren't able to get any formal schooling in rurual areas in the country's north.

In South Korea, anti-feminism is on the rise as many young men feel they are losing out in society. And highly skilled Iranians leave in droves to get away from bleak economic and political prospects - to build a better future for themselves and their daughters.

June 19th, or Juneteenth, is the day where the US commemorates the end of slavery. Dealing with the remnants of slavery is still an issue, even today. We visit Mount Vernon, home to first president George Washington, who held slaves. We also talk about today's ongoing racial profiling. The US Justice Department has just launched an investigation into Louisiana State Police.

Lebanon's crisis has devastating effects on education: Many parents can no longer afford to pay for school fees, and more and more children have dropped out. Community health workers are important for people all over the world, especially in rural areas where doctors and nurses are few and far between. We hear from one brave woman in Zambia who's trying to make a change in people's lives.

Argentina made history by becoming the largest Latin American country to legalize abortion. Although now legal, finding a doctor who is willing to perform the procedure is a different matter altogether. In other Latin American countries, the procedure is still banned outright.

Does facial recognition really make our lives safer? And what about our right to privacy? In the US, a private company has already started compiling a huge database, pulling photos from Facebook and Instagram. In the UK images of customers entering stores are matched against a watchlist of registered shoplifters and rioters. And it goes far beyond just facial recognition.

Mama Dschun was born in 1928 in the south of Iran. She witnessed the rise and fall of Persian rulers, lived through the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq war. She was deprived of an education by her father and was supposed to marry a cousin she was promised to when she was just a kid. But Mama Dschun survived it all and thrived.

Refugees fleeing from the war in Ukraine run the risk of falling into the hands of human traffickers. RT (formerly known as Russia Today) has a huge influence on Latin America. And why Iraq's farmers are barely making a living anymore.

Despite reaching retirement age, work never stops for civil servants in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many civil servants are well past 70, sometimes even over 100 years old. They hold on to their jobs and their salaries. In Japan, some seniors also choose to continue working part-time jobs – to boost their pensions and because they believe it helps stave off dementia.

The world is set to face 1.5 disasters a day by 2030, the UN has warned. We're severely underestimating the risks and are doing too little to protect ourselves. As the war in Ukraine rages on, repercussions are felt around the globe. And there are growing concerns that the international community is forgetting other parts of the world in dire need of aid.

In South Korea, anti-feminism is on the rise as many young men feel they are losing out in society. And highly skilled Iranians leave in droves to get away from bleak economic and political prospects - to build a better future for themselves and their daughters.

Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, people have been trying to flee to safety. In these dark times, a Ukrainian businessman helped evacuate orphans out of the war zone to the Turkish city of Antalya. In neighboring Moldova people are afraid the war could spread beyond Ukraine. And a theater play in Argentina addresses the trauma of war – 40 years after the Falklands War.

There's tension in the air in Bosnia and Herzegovina – especially older people who've lived through the war are concerned. Where is the country headed? It's high time to act, warns the UN in its latest climate report. A theater troupe in Kenya is trying to do their bit by bringing together villagers to come up with solutions.

Topics: Rising bread prices in Egypt impact the poor -- Why politicizing vaccines doesn't help to end the COVID pandemic -- The plight of foreign interns in Japan -- How ice cream turned an unemployed fashion designer in Soweto into a happy man

The Russian war on Ukraine is taking its toll on the people. The situation is especially dire within the besieged cities — aid organizations say they are struggling to reach those in need. The invasion is also going to destabilize food security all over the world. We also hear how Uzbekistan revamped its cotton Industry to stop children from working in the fields.

Topics: How the war in Ukraine impacts food shortages in Tunisia // Why many rulers in the Middle East are rooting for Russia // Syrian refugees working in Turkey's plastic recycling industry - under hazardous conditions.

In this edition: Inspiring the struggle for freedom: new excavations solve a decades old mystery about US freedom fighter Harriet Tubman -- Religious tolerance in danger: How Hindu radicals foster hatred against the Muslim minority in India.

Topics this week: For many coca Farmers in Colombia, it is far from simple to stop producing coca for drugs// Why protecting wildlife clashes with livelihoods of fishermen in Odisha, India//  Netflix film sparks protests in Egypt//  How artists in Turkey censor themselves because they face backlash for their art

Unemployment in Cape Town's neighborhood Hanover Park is high, gun shots and murders happen frequently. Gangs dominate the streets. Pastor Craven Engel wants to make this neighborhood a safer place and came up with a program called Ceasefire. Former gang members are also involved in the project. And it's worked - murders have gone down.