After enlisting at 18, Cheryl Pearce battled rigid gender barriers to rise through the military ranks. Now the UN’s Acting Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations, the Australian-born Lieutenant General is the highest ranking woman in uniform within the United Nations.
“Peace for me, is seeing communities having food security, having water security, education, knowing, you know, as a mum myself, knowing that my children can grow up to feel like that. They can have a life and a future and fulfill their dreams and goals.”
Lieutenant General Pearce knows what it takes to serve in some of the most difficult places on earth, from East Timor to Afghanistan. In this episode, she reflects on the sources of her mental and physical resilience, on making a robust case for peacekeeping in an age of disinformation, and shares why her family wants her to show her chaotic side once in a while.
[00:00] Introduction
[01:05] Advising global missions and supporting peacekeepers worldwide
[03:46] Service, sacrifice, and belief in the UN’s purpose
[04:32] Peacekeeping in a more dangerous world
[08:51] Redefining peace
[09:34] What keeps Cheryl awake at night
[10:49] Why invest in peacekeeping?
[11:57] The dangers of misinformation and disinformation
[13:52] Navigating gender barriers in a male-dominated space
[17:35] Perseverance over fear of failure
[19:06] A single moment of belief that changed everything
[22:08] Leadership, vulnerability, and letting go of perfection
[25:55] Motherhood, career, and community
[27:58] Deploying while raising a family
[30:40] Staying grounded under pressure
[34:19] Closing remarks
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
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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.
The Secretary-General arrived in London earlier today in advance of his participation of the 80th anniversary of the first meeting of the General Assembly in London in 1946.
Today, the Secretary-General just met with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The Secretary-General thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s continued support to multilateralism. They discussed the war in Ukraine. Among other topics, they discussed Sudan and UN reform.
Earlier today, the Secretary-General met with Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London. They discussed the role of cities in dealing with climate change.
Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will deliver the keynote address at the UNA-UK conference, entitled, “UNGA at 80: From 1946 to Our Future”. This will take place at Methodist Central Hall in London, where the first meeting of the General Assembly took place in 1946.
In his remarks the Secretary-General is expected to say that as we wish to make the world fairer, it is critical that the international system reflects today’s reality, including the drive to update the Security Council and to reform the unjust and unfair international financial architecture. He will say that at a time when the values of multilateralism are being chipped away, the world needs civil society movements everywhere that are fearless and persistent and that make it impossible for leaders to look away.
BBNJ
Tomorrow, the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, known as the BBNJ Agreement, will enter into force, after receiving the necessary ratifications from Member States.
In a video message, the Secretary-General will say that the day marks a watershed moment for the ocean. He will say that this is a historic achievement – for people and planet; for international cooperation and the United Nations.
This treaty establishes the first legal framework for conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in the two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national borders.
The Secretary-General will commend the Parties to the Agreement and will urge all States to join.
GAZA
In a statement we issued yesterday, we said that the announcement on 14 January of the launch of Phase Two of President Trump’s 20-point plan — including the establishment of a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza and of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza — is an important step.
Any initiative that contributes to alleviating the suffering of civilians, supporting recovery and reconstruction, and advancing a credible political horizon is a positive development.
The Secretary-General recalls Security Council resolution 2803 (2025) and underscores that all efforts must be guided by relevant United Nations resolutions and international law.
UNRWA
In a statement we issued yesterday, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the Israeli authorities’ unlawful entry on 12 January 2026 into a United Nations property in occupied East Jerusalem, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Jerusalem Health Centre, and the order of its temporary closure.
The Secretary-General is also deeply concerned that UNRWA has been informed that utility providers will soon cease supplying electricity and water services to multiple UNRWA facilities in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Secretary-General deeply regrets that the Israeli authorities have continued to take further action inconsistent with its obligations under international law, including the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.
The Secretary-General urges the Government of Israel to immediately take steps to return and restore the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound and the UNRWA Jerusalem Health Centre, and to ensure that essential utilities to UNRWA premises are maintained.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-01-16
Families across Ukraine are in ‘constant survival mode’ amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while temperatures plunge to deadly lows, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
Families across Ukraine are in ‘constant survival mode’ amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while temperatures plunge to deadly lows, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, visited Chad this 14 and 15 January, where he underscored the need for urgent humanitarian assistance and protection for people fleeing the brutal war in Sudan, and for greater support for refugees to rebuild their lives with dignity.
During his first official overseas trip as High Commissioner, Salih met Sudanese refugee families who had fled the vicious fighting in Darfur only days earlier; many had been displaced multiple times since the conflict began.
We are in the ‘final stretch’ for the UN treaty to protect marine biodiversity in areas that are not within individual States’ jurisdiction the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, BBNJ Treaty, says Under‑Secretary‑General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel Elinor Hammarskjöld.
Almost two decades in the making, an international agreement to protect marine life in international waters and the seabed is due to come into force on Saturday, marking a major step forward in efforts to ensure the health of ocean ecosystems for decades to come.
Read more at UN News: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166762
Assistant Secretary-General Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee called on Iranian authorities “to halt any execution linked to protest related cases,” and expressed “alarm” at public statements suggesting military strikes on Iran.
Pobee called on Iran “to respect due process and fair trial rights for all detainees” and for all deaths to be “promptly, independently and transparently investigated.”
On military intervention, she said, “this external dimension adds volatility to an already combustible situation. All efforts must be undertaken to prevent any further deterioration,” adding that Secretary-General António Guterres “remains convinced that all concerns regarding Iran, including those related to the nuclear issue and ongoing protests, are best addressed through diplomacy and dialog.”
United States Ambassador Michael Waltz said, “the people of Iran are demanding their freedom like never before in the Islamic Republic’s brutal history” and quoted US President Donald J. Trump saying, “the United States of America stands by the brave people of Iran. Period.”
Waltz denied allegations “put forward by the regime that these inspired protests are somehow a foreign plot to give a precursor to military action.”
He said, “everyone in the world needs to know that the regime is weaker than ever before and therefore is putting forward this lie because of the power of the Iranian people in the streets. They are afraid. They’re afraid of their own people.”
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia for his part said, “the whole world has been watching as the United States continues to escalate tensions and fuel hysteria around Iran, declaring that help is already on the way. What’s more, in its official statements, Washington has not even tried to cover up the genuine reasons for its alleged concern over the country’s internal political situation as it threatens new strikes against Iran.”
Today’s meeting, Nebenzia said, “is nothing more than yet another attempt to justify blatant aggression and interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.”
Finally Iranian Ambassador Gholamhossein Darzi told the Council that the United States “is attempting to portray itself as a friend of the Iranian people, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for political destabilization and military intervention under a so-called humanitarian narrative.”
Darzi said, “Iran seeks neither escalation nor confrontation. However, any act of aggression, direct or indirect, will be met with a decisive, proportionate and lawful response under article 51 of the charter. This is not a threat. It is a statement of legal reality. Responsibility for all consequences will rest solely with those who initiate such unlawful acts.”
He denied allegations that the government of the Iran has killed peaceful protesters, which he said, “is quite a distortion of the facts on the ground.”
Darzi said, “what the Iranian security forces did confront firmly and responsibly were armed ISIS style terrorist cells and violent separatist groups funded and armed by a few foreign entities, including the Israeli regime. These groups deliberately targeted civilians and law enforcement officers in an attempt to ignite civil war and create the conditions for foreign intervention.”
Secretary-General António Guterres said, “That is the paradox of our era: at a time when we need international cooperation the most, we seem to be the least inclined to use it and invest in it. Some seek to put international cooperation on deathwatch. I can assure you: we will not give up.”
Addressing the General Assembly for the last time, Guterres set out priorities for the year ahead, pledging to focus his remaining time in office on advancing the Organization’s work. He warned that the global environment is increasingly unstable, saying, “Let’s be clear: the context is chaos. We are a world brimming with conflict, impunity, inequality, and unpredictability,” marked by geopolitical divides, violations of international law, and cuts to development and humanitarian aid.
As the United Nations pushes forward with reforms, Guterres said its actions must be anchored in core principles. He urged Member States to fully respect the UN Charter, stating, “The Charter is a compact which binds us all. It is not an à la carte menu, it is prix fixe.” He warned that leaders who selectively follow international law are undermining global order and setting a dangerous precedent.
Turning to inequality, Guterres highlighted the concentration of wealth, noting that the top one percent holds 43 percent of global financial assets and that the richest 500 individuals added $2.2 trillion to their fortunes last year. He said, “The concentration of power and wealth in so few hands is morally indefensible,” calling it a clear danger to the promise of equal rights and dignity.
The Secretary-General said peace remains central to the UN’s mission, but warned that ongoing conflicts have trapped millions in cycles of violence, hunger and displacement. He said, “The suffering cannot go on.”
On Gaza, Guterres welcomed the start of Phase Two of the ceasefire and reiterated that that humanitarian aid must flow unimpeded. He said the ceasefire must be fully implemented and the way cleared toward “an irreversible path to a two-state solution in accordance with international law.”
He also addressed other conflicts, calling for renewed efforts to stop the fighting in Ukraine and Sudan. He said, “From Yemen to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from Haiti to the Sahel to Myanmar and around the world, we must never give up in the pursuit for peace.”
Linking peace to rights, Guterres said, “Peace with justice means peace grounded in international law and on human rights,” and warned of shrinking civic space worldwide. He said he was “deeply concerned by the violent repression in Iran.”
Concluding, Guterres urged unity in an age of division, warning that racism, xenophobia and religious bigotry are corroding societies. While acknowledging states’ rights to manage borders and security, he said migrants and refugees also have rights that must be respected, calling on countries “to build welcoming societies, not walled-off citadels.”
Addressing Member States, Secretary-General António Guterres warned that violations of international law are unfolding in plain sight and called for renewed political courage to confront global fragmentation. Highlighting inclusion, social cohesion, education, decent work and social protection as core priorities for 2026, he urged a new social contract rooted in shared civic values. “The choice is clear,” he said. “Inclusion or isolation. Renewal or decline.”
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Priorities
Secretary-General/Trip Announcement
Deputy Secretary-General Travel
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Sudan
Security Council
Honour Roll
PRIORITIES
António Guterres this morning presented to the General Assembly his priorities during his last year as UN Secretary-General, and he assured the Member States that he will make every day of 2026 count. He said that he is fully committed and fully determined to keep working, to keep fighting and to keep pushing for the better world that we know is possible.
The Secretary-General said that we are a world brimming with conflict, impunity, inequality and unpredictability. But even in this turbulence, he added, we have succeeded in claiming space for the United Nations where it was not a given, including in fields ranging from artificial intelligence to financing for development and climate change.
He noted that the UN80 Initiative he has presented is about building a UN system that delivers more effectively, more coherently and with greater impact, amid the reality of shrinking resources and rising needs. But he warned that today’s situation is totally unsustainable. Either all countries, without exception, honour their financial obligations under the Charter, which no longer seems to be the case. Or Member States must overhaul our financial rules to prevent a budget breakdown.
The Secretary-General outlined three basic priorities for the year ahead. First, he said, we must adhere to the UN Charter, fully and faithfully. He reiterated that the Charter is not an à la carte menu, it is prix fixe.
Second, he said, we must be relentless in our work for peace with justice, peace between nations and peace with nature. He noted, among others, the efforts to push forward with peace processes in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan.
And last, he said, our priority must be to build unity in an age of division. Our challenge, and our priority, must be to build welcoming societies, not walled-off citadels. Instead of marginalizing migrants and other groups, we must build united societies in a world of united nations, the Secretary-General said.
SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT
This evening, the Secretary-General will travel to London, where he will take part in a special event, organized by UNA-UK, the UN Association in the United Kingdom, to mark the 80th anniversary of the first meeting of the General Assembly.
On Saturday, the programme will begin with a civic service by Methodist Central Hall Westminster. Shortly after, Mr. Guterres will deliver the keynote address at the UNA-UK conference, entitled, “UNGA at 80: From 1946 to Our Future”. You will recall that Central Hall is where the first meeting of the General Assembly took place in 1946. In his remarks, he will say that the General Assembly is the parliament of the family of nations. But it is also a mirror of our world, its divisions and its hopes.
Mr. Guterres is expected to add that as we face challenges that are ever more borderless and interconnected, the only way to address them is together. And that requires a robust, responsive and well-resourced multilateral system.
The Secretary-General will express his gratitude to the United Kingdom for being such a strong pillar of multilateralism, and his appreciation to UNA-UK and to civil society for honouring history with their eyes firmly fixed on the future.
While in London, the Secretary-General will hold a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer. That meeting will take place tomorrow, and you can expect a readout. He is also scheduled to meet the Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, on Saturday.
After London, the Secretary-General will arrive in Switzerland on Sunday for two main engagements. He will attend the annual retreat with his Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys.
He will then travel to Davos to participate in the World Economic Forum, where on Wednesday, 21 January, the Secretary-General will deliver a special address focusing on “Dialogue,” as the Forum’s 56th Annual Meeting takes place under the theme A Spirit of Dialogue. He is expected to outline four priorities: investing in peace amid record global conflicts; advancing justice and opportunity by tackling extreme inequality and reforming the global financial system; securing a livable planet through accelerated climate action; and ensuring that technology, particularly AI, serves humanity through global governance and capacity-building.
While in Davos, Mr. Guterres is also scheduled to have bilateral meetings with leaders attending the Forum.
He will be back in the office on Thursday morning.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-01-15
