Home Podcasts The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HERO)
The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HERO)

The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HERO)

Foreign Policy magazine 68 Episodes Mar 25, 2026

A Foreign Policy series about women creating change through economic empowerment, hosted by Reena Ninan. This season focuses on girls, exploring the real economics of girlhood, hidden costs, and how girls could shake up the global economy. Episodes visit girls preventing child marriages in India, advocates who helped legalize abortion in Benin, LGBTQ+ activists in Kenya, and education innovators. It is a Foreign Policy production funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Episodes

The Amazon and the Supply Chain
The Amazon and the Supply Chain Mar 25, 2026 2151 The Amazon is the world's biggest tropical rainforest, spanning across nine countries in South America. It is a major source of biodiversity and plant life, containing around one tenth of the world’s known species and over a billion acres of dense forest. But for decades now, this vital resource has been under threat. Nearly 20 percent of the Amazon forest has been lost or degraded. This is larg
Lake Uru Uru and the Potential of Nature-Based Solutions
Lake Uru Uru and the Potential of Nature-Based Solutions Mar 18, 2026 1968 Nature-based solutions decrease the effects of climate change by using nature to help nature. Mangrove forests helping to preserve shorelines or planting cover crops to rejuvenate the soil are strong examples. According to research from the Nature Conservancy, nature-based solutions can provide up to 37 percent of the carbon emissions reductions needed by 2030.  In this episode of the Hidden Econ
Lion Queens
Lion Queens Mar 11, 2026 1627 When people discuss environmental solutions, they often mention its impact on our lives. This can include ensuring parts of the planet remain inhabitable in the face of extreme temperatures, maintaining biodiversity, and preventing the oxidation of our oceans. But there’s another case to be made: Investing in our planet makes sense economically.  Conservation can deliver high returns on investmen
The Future of the Climate Movement
The Future of the Climate Movement Mar 4, 2026 1942 We begin our newest season, all about women on the frontlines of the climate crisis, with Christiana Figueres. She served as the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In 2015, Figueres led the process that secured the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change, where 195 nations agreed to limit future global warming.  Currently, Christiana Figueres leads a nonprofi
Coming Soon: Season 9
Coming Soon: Season 9 Feb 25, 2026 180 In a special four-part series, we talk to women on the front lines of the climate crisis, including the Paris climate agreement’s chief negotiator, land and wildlife conservationists, and regenerative agriculture experts. The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women is a podcast from Foreign Policy, supported this season by Daughters for Earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch
You Might Like: Face-Off: The U.S. vs China
You Might Like: Face-Off: The U.S. vs China Dec 9, 2025 2279 This week, we’re bringing you an episode from the award-winning podcast Face-Off: The U.S. vs China.  China’s leader, Mao Zedong famously said that “Women hold up half the sky.” But these days it doesn’t feel that way in China. Unfair marriage rules, difficulties getting a divorce, barriers to owning property and many more restrictions are challenging women to speak out, and act. On this episode,
FP’s Newest Podcast, The Threshold
FP’s Newest Podcast, The Threshold Oct 23, 2025 1990 The Threshold is a new seven-part series from Foreign Policy about the fight to end infectious diseases around the world. In this episode, the team investigates what it will take to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic – including Lenacapavir, a new twice-yearly HIV prevention shot. Similar to HERO, The Threshold is made possible in part through funding from the Gates Foundation. If you like this episode, fo
The Path Forward for Family Planning
The Path Forward for Family Planning Oct 16, 2025 1350 Let’s face it: It’s been a challenging year for family planning and reproductive rights more broadly. What can we do from here?  We were eager to catch up with family planning leaders at Foreign Policy’s Her Power Summit, which took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. In a live panel discussion, host Reena Ninan spoke with Dr. Samukeliso Dube, Executive Director of FP2030 and a ret
The Hidden Economics of Menopause
The Hidden Economics of Menopause Oct 9, 2025 1424 In this special bonus episode, we explore a topic the show hasn’t covered before: menopause. We delve into what would need to change with healthcare and the workforce to better support women through menopause, as well as the economic factors that could enable those policies.  Host Reena Ninan speaks with Dr. Jessica Shepherd, gynecologist and author of the new book Generation M, Dr. Claus Runge,
You Might Like: What Could Go Right?
You Might Like: What Could Go Right? Apr 29, 2025 1853 This week, we’re bringing you an episode of What Could Go Right from our friends at The Progress Network. Each Wednesday on What Could Go Right, hosts Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas converse with diverse experts to have sharp, honest conversations about what’s going on in the world, even during difficult times. In this episode, they dive into the global health crisis that doesn’t get nea
You Might Like: Cramped
You Might Like: Cramped Apr 22, 2025 2524 This week, we’re sharing another show you might like. Cramped is a podcast created and hosted by Kate Downey, “because having a microphone gets you more answers than having a uterus.” In this episode, Kate talks to her mom about joining the Boston Women's Health Movement in the 1970s. Why was body literacy such a big part of feminism in the 70s, but when Kate became an active feminist in Boston i
You Might Like: The Most Important Question
You Might Like: The Most Important Question Apr 15, 2025 3964 While the show is on hiatus, we want to share a few podcasts on the HERO feed that we think you might like. We will release these episodes over the next month.  This first one is from a podcast called The Most Important Question from the Important, Not Important team. When HERO first launched, Important, Not Important featured one of our early episodes. It’s a good show, and we’ve been happy to r

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