Cristal Downing, Project Director, Gender & Conflict at the International Crisis Group, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about how her focus on gender and conflict as a career developed quite organically, how the current political climate has affected gender work in peace and security and what keeps her motivated.

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 58: Cristal Downing of the International Crisis Group: current gender work in peace & security (2/10/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Barbara Helfferich, the first Secretary General of the European Women’s Lobby and an expert on EU social and environmental policies, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about animal rights and climate change and the connection to gender equality and about one of the most successful campaigns she lead as EWL SG. And a big big […]

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 57: Barbara Helfferich, the first SG of the EWL, speaks about animal rights, climate change & gender equality (8/9/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Sarah Arnd-Linder, founder of Political is Personal (PiP), speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about PiP which is a collection of in-depth interviews conducted with Palestinian and Israeli Jewish women, who share how the conflict has affected their lives and contribute to the ongoing debate on women’s narratives of security and insecurity in conflict zones. […]

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 56: Sarah Arnd-Linder of Political is Personal (PiP): in-depth interviews conducted with Palestinian and Israeli Jewish women (28/8/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Originally from Afghanistan, Khatima Emami, a client services coordinator at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Utah, tells her story to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about life in Afghanistan before and after the fall of Kabul in 2021, about challenges faced by refugees in the USA including her and her family and about the woman […]

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 55: Khatima Emami: Challenges she & her family have faced as refugees in the USA since leaving Kabul (19/8/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Hamutal Gouri, a cultural critic, consultant, and transformative storyteller, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about why stories matter and how we need to listen, and about political parenting. Big big thank you to both Costa Constanti and Kemal Baykalli for the all-round support always.

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 54: Hamutal Gouri, a cultural critic, consultant & transformative storyteller: why stories matter (11/8/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Renowned women’s rights activist and head of Afghan Women’s Network International Mary Akrami speaks with despair, vulnerability and realism to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about Afghanistan, about losing everything within 24 hours on the day Kabul fell on August 15, 2021, about being flown out of Kabul with nothing except the clothes on her back […]

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 53: Renowned women’s rights activist Mary Akrami on protecting the most vulnerable Afghan women (22/7/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Qazi (Judge)Marzia Babakarkhail, a former Afghan family court judge and lifelong advocate for women’s rights, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about her journey defending the rights of women and children, about surviving two Taliban assassination attempts and about being a voice for Afghan women, especially female judges and prosecutors who face persecution under the […]

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 52: Marzia Babakarkhail, a former Afghan judge, & her journey defending the rights of women/children (4/7/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Entrepreneur and author Despo Pavlou, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about growing up in South African, about the definition of normal and about finding your voice.

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 51: Entrepreneur & author Despo Pavlou speaks about finding your voice (23/6/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Thania Pappenholz, dialogue, inclusion and peace processes expert and founder of Inclusive Peace, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about the state or better, ‘unstate’ of peace processes, the role of women and most of all about how to reactivate a process in Cyprus that does not necessarily build on past processes and entails inter-generational […]

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 50: Dialogue, inclusion & peace processes expert Thania Pappenholz on creating new narratives to counteract the normalcy of a not normal situation (14/6/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

Ellpetha Tsivicos, a Cypriot-American artist, director, curator and producer speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about her creative arts healing program ‘I Wish I Knew How’ through which she mentors a community of formerly incarcerated people, about using public spaces and making theatre accessible to everyone and about her book A Life Into Lands, and […]

The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 49: Artist, director, curator and producer Ellpetha Tsivicos speaks about making theatre accessible to everyone (3/6/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.