As the UN nears its 80th year, many staff are asking how our systems can become more participatory, trustworthy, and effective—especially in complex, multi-stakeholder contexts. In this episode, host Silke von Brockhausen speaks with Joachim Stroh (Hypha) to demystify Web3 and blockchain for complete newcomers and to explore how these tools could support a more life-affirming, regenerative UN.
Who’s Joachim—and why should UN staff care?
Joachim works where people, purpose, and practical tools meet. After years in global knowledge-sharing and HR consulting, he co-founded Hypha to help communities and institutions pilot transparent, participatory ways of working that distribute authority and reward contribution. His north star: technology should amplify trust, creativity, and care—not extract or control.
Web1 → Web2 → Web3 (in plain language)
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Web1 (read): At first, the internet was like a big library. You could visit websites and read what people posted, but you couldn’t really talk back. Only a few people could make websites.
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Web2 (read–write): Then came social media—now everyone could post, comment, and share. But the big companies that ran these apps kept all the power and the data.
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Web3 (read–write–own): Now, people are building a new kind of internet where everyone can share and own things together. It uses special public records called blockchains to keep track of what happens. The goal is to work together as equals instead of being controlled by big platforms.
A blockchain is like a shared notebook that everyone can read but no one can secretly change. It keeps track of who did what and when—super useful when trust, fairness, and honesty really matter.
From “DAO” to “DHO”: Putting people back at the center
In early Web3, people built “DAOs”—groups that follow rules written in computer code so decisions happen automatically. But Hypha says: let’s not forget the humans! Their version, called a DHO (“decentralized human organization”), still uses computers to record things but lets people talk, decide, and agree together.
The big idea: Technology should help people trust each other—not replace them. The system just shows clearly who made which decisions and how.
What’s directly useful for UN teams?
1) Making group decisions you can actually see
Imagine a shared online space where a UN team posts ideas, talks about them, and votes. You can vote in different ways:
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One person, one vote (fair and simple)
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Vote weights for certain members (if they have more responsibility)
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Or “earned voice,” where people earn more say by helping more.
Why it’s helpful: Instead of decisions hiding in emails or closed meetings, everyone can see what was discussed, who voted, and what was decided.
2) Counting everyone’s work fairly
People can record every kind of help they give—like organizing meetings, translating, or working with local communities. These are written down in the shared record and can be recognized with “thank-you tokens” or even payment.
Why it’s helpful:
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It makes invisible work visible.
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It rewards teamwork and care, not just official job titles.UN use:
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Make invisible labor visible (e.g., convening local dialogues, safeguarding work, gender mainstreaming).
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Align incentives to quality participation, not only deliverables.
3) Seeing where the money goes
Project funds can be split into smaller “tokens” and tracked as they move to local partners—like ministries, NGOs, or villages. Everyone can see who decided, what was sent, and what it achieved.
Why it’s helpful:
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Local people have a real say in projects that affect them.
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It reduces corruption because every move is traceable.
4) Making flexible teams and strong institutions
These “spaces,” votes, and tokens can connect together—like boxes inside boxes: a small team inside a bigger group, inside a country office, inside a region. This helps small teams act quickly while still fitting into the bigger system.
Why it’s helpful: You can test it in one area first, then grow it step by step.
A simple example of how the UN could try it
Let’s say there’s a recovery project after a conflict.
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Make a test space online just for this project.
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Agree on easy voting rules (like one person one vote).
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Post all plans—budgets, partner lists, gender goals—openly.
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Record all contributions, like field visits or community meetings.
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Track funds as they move to smaller local groups.
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After a few rounds, share what worked and what didn’t, then improve it.
How to tell it’s working
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Different kinds of people are joining and voting.
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Decisions happen faster.
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Work on gender and safety is clearly visible.
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Donors trust more because they can see where the money went.
Common worries—and easy answers
“Isn’t blockchain secret or shady?” No. You can choose if people show their real names or not, but everything they do stays on record and can be checked.
“I don’t have time to learn all this tech.” It can look like a simple project tool. You can start small—maybe just using it to vote on proposals.
“Aren’t crypto coins risky?” You don’t have to use those. You can use safe, non-tradable tokens that only show voice or reputation, while keeping real money in normal bank systems.
“Can tech make bad culture worse?” Yes, if people use it badly. That’s why culture and trust come first. The tech should make fairness and honesty easier—not replace human care.
What a future-thinking UN leader might do first
In the first 100 days, they could:
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Try this new “space” idea in a few teams.
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Help staff learn emotional and teamwork skills for more open ways of working.
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Make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) more alive—focus on real actions and learning, not just posters.
A small practice you can try this week
At your next meeting, skip the long updates. Instead, ask:
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What’s one thing we can stop doing that wastes energy?
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What’s one thing we can start doing to rebuild trust?
Then vote, act, and check how it went. Simple!
Super-short glossary
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Blockchain: A shared, unchangeable record book.
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Web3: Tools that help people work and own things together.
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DAO/DHO: Groups that run with both tech rules and human decisions.
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Smart contract: Code that automatically follows agreed rules.
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Token: A digital point showing something—like reputation, say, or money.
When to use this (and when not to)
Good times to use it:
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When many groups must plan or spend together.
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When local people need a real say.
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When tracking money and safety really matters.
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When payments depend on meeting goals.
Not good times:
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When the project is secret or sensitive.
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When it’s just a one-time task.
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When the team doesn’t want transparency yet.Takeaway for UN newcomers to Web3
Final takeaway
You don’t have to be a tech expert. You just need a clear goal, fair rules, and the courage to try a more open and honest way of working.
Start small. Keep it human. Let the technology handle the boring bits—like keeping track of who decided what and where the money went.
If you’re curious: Hypha’s platform helps teams test these ideas in real life—so decisions get better, people feel seen, and trust grows
Listen to the Full Episode here:
Youtube:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MaR3rCygcSblDCaLIIua8
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/web3-blockchain-daos-how-technology-can-drive-meaningful/id1841851629?i=1000730477478
Learn more/Connect
Connect with Joachim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachim-stroh/
Hypha's platform for systems change - https://hypha.earth/