We hear why the lockdown is the perfect time to give sewing and mending your clothes a try with Ros Studd a textiles teacher; Dulcie Scott a TV costume designer and Esme Young the fashion designer and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee Dr Jessica Taylor, a research Pyschologist and founder of Victim Focus tells us why victim blaming is endemic. We look at the impact of death and dying during the pandemic and hear from Sarah Tully who’s dad died from Covid-19 and from Dr Rachel Clarke a specialist in Palliative Care and the clinical Psychologist Dr Frances Goodhart. The author Stephanie Scott tells us about the true story behind her debut novel What’s Left of Me is Yours. We hear how are different countries are responding to gender based violence during the pandemic, with Natalie Higgins, Senior Europe Producer for the BBC. And the actress Daisy Edgar-Jones tells us about playing the role of Marianne in the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s best selling novel Normal People. Presented by: Jenni Murray
Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed
Editor: Lucinda Montefiore Guest; Esme Young
Guest; Ros Studd
Guest; Dr Jessica Taylor
Guest; Sarah Tully
Guest; Dr Rachel Clarke
Guest; Dr Frances Goodhart
Guest; Stephanie Scott
Guest Daisy Edgar Jones

Sewing, Victim Blaming & Daisy Edgar Jones

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

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Health & Fitness

Five babies have died from whooping cough this year as cases continue to rise in England. Medical doctor Dr Saleyha Ahsan, who currently has whooping cough herself, joins Clare McDonnell to discuss. 
 
Author, journalist and campaigner Dame Shirley Conran has died aged 91, days after receiving her damehood. Journalist Felicia Bromfield joins Clare to discuss her legacy. 
 
What would happen if you could only speak the truth – and not even tell white lies? That’s the subject of a new book by Radhika Sanghani, called The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie. Radhika herself hasn’t lied for two years – she joins Clare to talk about why she wanted to write the book and the things she’s learnt from telling only the truth. 
 
Despite the challenges posed by the Taliban regime, economic instability, poor infrastructure, and the ongoing suppression of women's rights, foreign tourism is reportedly increasing in Afghanistan. The country's authorities have begun training hospitality professionals and assert that Afghanistan is safe for foreigners, with all visitors welcomed and treated equally, including foreign women, they say. Sascha Heeney, who has recently visited Afghanistan, and Afghan journalist Zarghuna Khargar join Clare to discuss. 
 
Presenter: Clare McDonnell
Producer: Dianne McGregor

Whooping cough, Shirley Conran, Lying, Afghanistan tourism

The debate on assisted dying is often framed around the issues of choice for the terminally ill, but what about the rights of the disabled ? Actor and disability rights campaigner Liz Carr has major concerns about potential changes to the law that she believes could leave people with disabilities at risk. She joins Clare McDonnell to discuss her documentary “Better Off Dead” which explores the debate from the perspective of disabled people.  Singer songwriter Rachel Chinouriri is one of the music industry’s rising stars, gaining plaudits from celebrity fans, including Adele, Sophie Turner and Florence Pugh, for her nostalgic Indie sounds. Rachel performs live in the Woman’s Hour studio and talks about her first album, What A Devastating Turn Of Events, which is an intimate exploration of Rachel’s experiences and relationships.   Money is a topic many of us don't feel comfortable talking about. Be it in a romantic relationship, with our parents or even with our friends. But it's a topic that financial psychotherapist Vicky Reynal says is vitally important when it comes to our relationships. She joins Clare to discuss her new book, Money on Your Mind: The Psychology Behind Your Financial Habits, and how working on our financial wellbeing can help us in our lives. The former head of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, will stand trial for sexual assault over his behaviour in the Women's World Cup game against England last summer.  He gave an unsolicited kiss to player Jenni Hermoso which was caught on camera and broadcast to billions worldwide, provoking fierce backlash and a national debate over sexism in Spain.   Spain based sports journalist Molly McElwee explains the reaction in Spain.   Presenter: Clare McDonnell
Producer: Olivia Skinner

Liz Carr on assisted dying, Money in relationships, Singer Rachel Chinouriri

Now that women’s sport is advancing, we need clear safeguarding rules for women and girls about what is and isn’t okay when it comes to talking about female health outside the realm of medicine. That’s the call from Baz Moffat, one of the co-founders of The Well HQ, which aims to break barriers in women’s sport and champion education about female health. She joins Hayley Hassell to tell us more about their new Safer Sport poster campaign and why it’s needed. Once one of Russia's biggest pop stars, Manizha represented the country at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021. Then Russia invaded Ukraine and Manizha used her songs and her platform to share her anti-war views. Subsequently her concerts were cancelled, her music banned and Manizha's safety, both in real life and online, has been compromised. She talks to Hayley about her life and her new single Candlelight. How do we keep children safe online? Hayley is joined by Esther Ghey and Marinna Spring to discuss Ofcom's new safety codes of practice. Bestselling author Nadine Matheson is a criminal defence lawyer and uses her own experiences in the world of criminal law to build her stories and characters. She talks to Hayley about the new book - ‘The Kill List’ - and why there aren’t more black female detectives in crime novels.  Four girls sitting in a Mosque in detention are stuck in darkness after a power outage. To pass the time, they tell Somali folktales and bond in a modern day take on The Breakfast Club. That’s the scene for Dugsi Dayz, performing now at the Royal Court Theatre. The writer and actor Sabrina Ali joins Hayley in the Woman’s Hour to tell us more about it. Presenter: Hayley Hassell
Producer: Laura Northedge
Studio Producer: Neva Missirian

Safer sport for women, novelist Nadine Matheson, Sabrina Ali on Dugzi Dayz

What’s like to start again with nothing? On New Year's Eve of 2018, journalist Helen Chandler-Wilde lost everything she owned in a storage unit fire in Croydon, where she'd stowed all her possessions. She has written about it in the book, Lost & Found - 9 life-changing lessons about stuff from someone who lost everything. She joins Hayley Hassall to describe her experience and explain why we get so emotionally attached to our belongings. The BBC Series I Kissed a Girl started over the weekend... it's the first UK dating show for gay women. Dannii Minogue hosts the show where ten single women are matched up with a partner to see if sparks will fly and the women will find love. In the first episode, all the women are matched with a partner and start getting to know each other. Comedian Catherine Bohart and TV critic Daisy Jones discuss. The number of children in care is continuing to rise each year, and every year thousands of new foster carers are needed. The comedian and writer Kiri Pritchard-McLean has done just that. During lockdown, Kiri and her partner embarked on a journey to become foster carers in north Wales and she’s ‘evangelical’ about the role. It’s the subject of her new seven-month comedy tour, Peacock. The charity Karma Nirvana has today written to the victims and safeguarding minister Laura Farris, calling for the government to introduce a statutory definition of honour abuse. The charity’s executive director Natasha Rattu explains why, alongside a woman we are calling ‘Dana’ who is a victim of this abuse, who describes her experiences and what a statutory definition would mean to her. Presenter: Hayley Hassall
Producer: Kirsty Starkey
Studio Manager: Duncan Hannant

Losing your possessions, Defining honour abuse, Foster caring

We are all ageing, if we're lucky, so in this Woman's Hour special programme, we're exploring how women can age well.   Anita Rani is joined by a panel of women of different ages to talk about the possibility of re-invention and the wisdom of age, as well as the difficulties and barriers women face as they get older. What we can learn from each other and how can women of different generations support each other?
 
Author and psychologist, Dr Sharon Blackie’s book, Hagitude: Reimagining the Second Half of Life, explores stories of little-known but powerful elder women in European myth and folklore – with the hope of inspiring women now. She joins Anita to discuss what we can learn from these stories and the power she feels we can gain if we embrace getting older.
 
NHS GP Dr Radha Modgil is often to be found on BBC Radio 1’s Life Hacks. Radha joins the discussion to explain the things we can do specifically to age well. She highlights exercise and nutrition, as well as the real need for women to have purpose in their lives, no matter what age they are and how that can impact our ageing both physically and mentally. 
 
Our reporter Martha Owen meets Lindi, Sue & Celia in the British Library in London, at a meeting for the Older Peoples Advisory Group – a forum for older community members – hosted by Age UK Camden. They give their thoughts on ageing, what they’ve enjoyed most about getting older and why dancing trumps housework. 
 
Cally Beaton was formerly a top TV exec, then she swapped the boardroom for the stage and became a comedian at the age of 45. Ten years later, she now refuses to make self-deprecating jokes in her sets. She joins Anita to discuss what it's like ageing in the public eye, defying her age and the importance of advice from older – and younger – women.
 
The writer and content creator Pippa Stacey's perceptions of ageing have changed because of her experience of a chronic illness. Pippa was diagnosed with ME, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, while she was at university. She joins Anita to reflect on the impact of the physical changes she has experienced, the pressures young women are under and why she wants to listen to older, and wiser, women. 
 
Presenter: Anita Rani 
Guest: Sharon Blackie 
Guest: Dr Radha Modgil 
Guest: Cally Beaton 
Guest: Pippa Stacey 
Reporter: Martha Owen 
Producer: Claire Fox 
Editor: Erin Riley
Studio Engineer: Giles Aspen

Sewing, Victim Blaming & Daisy Edgar Jones

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