The Conversation

The Conversation episodes:

• 04.22.2024

  Outwit and betray: a reality TV survival guide

  What's it like to compete for life-changing amounts of money on national television while cut off from the outside world? Ella Al-Shamahi meets two women who’ve taken part in TV show competitions to find out what happens on and off...

  
• 04.15.2024

  Women saving lives at sea

  Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women from Wales and Goa rescuing people in trouble on the coast. Vivienne Grey was one of the first women to become a crewmember at Little and Broad Haven RNLI in Wales when she started...

  
• 04.08.2024

  Women and the fight to end homelessness

  What’s women’s experience of homelessness across Europe? In Finland it's on the decrease, but in Portugal it's rising. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women who are fighting to eradicate homelessness. Saija Turunen is the head of research at Y‐Foundation, the...

  
• 04.01.2024

  The trailblazing women of the Dakar Rally

  The infamous Dakar race (formerly known as Paris-Dakar) is a gruelling off-road endurance rally. Since its inception in 1978, there has only been one overall female winner. Ella Al-Shamahi meets two women who took part in this year’s event. Aliyyah...

  
• 03.25.2024

  Women tackling substance abuse

  Beatriz de La Pava Hucke talks to two women committed to reducing the stigma and harm caused by drug addiction and tackling the damage done by the illegal drug trade in Europe and the United States. Angela Kennecke is a...

  
• 03.18.2024

  Planet of the puppeteers

  Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women about the magic of storytelling through puppetry. From the moment she played the part of a clock in a school play, Heather Lai from Hong Kong knew she wanted to go to...

  
• 03.11.2024

  Women inventors

  Datshiane Navanayagam meets two engineers who want more women to become inventors. Roma Agrawal is best known for her work on The Shard, the UK’s tallest building. She’s also the author of Nuts & Bolts, a book which...

  
• 03.04.2024

  Finding love after divorce

  Datshiane Navanayagam meets two women who use what they learnt from their own divorce to help others heal. Sara Davison, also known as The Divorce Coach, is the best-selling author of The Split: From breakup to break-through, and Uncoupling:...

  
• 02.26.2024

  Women at the Oscars

  Datshiane Navanayagam meets two Oscars nominated directors who put women at the centre of their movies. Nazrin Choudhury is a British filmmaker of Bangladeshi descent. Her directorial debut, Red, White and Blue, follows the story of an American single mother,...

  
• 02.19.2024

  Women documenting climate change in pictures

  Beatriz De La Pava Hucke talks to two women telling the stories of communities threatened by the environmental impact of rising seas, flood damage and increasing temperatures. They're using photography, poetry and literature to express the realities of climate change...

  
• 02.12.2024

  Saw, chisel and hammer: Women in carpentry

  When Angela Cacace moved into her new house, she decided to teach herself how to renovate it. Angela is now running her own company, A.Marie Design Build, and has launched Move Over Bob, an online resource for women in the...

  
• 02.05.2024

  Cookbook queens

  Beatriz De La Pava Hucke meets two writers and chefs who explore their culture, history and identity through food. Dina Macki is a recipe developer and writer who basis her work around Omani cuisine. She works with international...

  
• 01.29.2024

  Women in wildlife filmmaking

  Datshiane Navanayagam meets two award-winning nature documentary makers. Always struggling to choose between science and art, Brazilian Angela Prochilo found her way into nature documentary making after completing a zoology degree at university. Her most recent projects showcase the...

  
• 01.22.2024

  Women on the frontline in the fight against malaria

  Ella Al-Shamahi meets two women on the frontline in the fight against malaria. Dr Ify Aniebo is from Nigeria, the country worst hit by malaria. She is an Associate professor with the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of...

  
• 01.15.2024

  Losing a loved one to suicide

  This programme contains discussion of suicide and suicide attempts. If you feel affected by this topic, you could speak to a health professional or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at:...

  
• 01.08.2024

  How to raise a teenage boy

  Sana Safi meets two parenting experts who help women navigate their relationship with their teenage sons. Rosalind Wiseman is the best-selling author of 9 books, including Queen Bees & Wannabes, which became the inspiration for the movie Mean Girls,...

  
• 01.01.2024

  Women fighting for justice on death row

  Nelufar Hedayat meets two criminal defence lawyers who fight for people's lives on death row. Sarah Belal is a barrister and the founder of Justice Project Pakistan. She represents the most vulnerable people on death row in Pakistan and...

  
• 12.25.2023

  Women in love with cheese

  Kim Chakanetsa meets two women who are revolutionising the dairy industry. Mausam Narang is the founder and Head Cheesemaker at Eleftheria cheese. She has made history by becoming the first Indian person to win big at the World Cheese Awards in 2021....

  
• 12.18.2023

  Women in cybersecurity

  Kim Chakanetsa meets two cybersecurity experts who help women stay safe online. Vandana Verma Sehgal is a Security Solutions leader at Snyk and the Chair of the Board of Directors for OWASP, the Open Web Application Security Project Foundation....

  
• 12.11.2023

  How going to school can change a girl’s life

  Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women from Kenya and India who have established their own schools about the life-changing impact an education can have for their communities. For Dr Kakenya Ntaiya, the dream of an education turned into a...

  
• 12.04.2023

  Paramedics saving lives

  Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two paramedics from Norway and Australia to learn about the demands and rewards of working as part of the emergency response. Randi Simensen was awarded Ambulance Worker of the Year in 2023 and has 20...

  
• 11.27.2023

  100 Women: Changing how we think about our planet

  Kim Chakanetsa meets two climate change pioneers who are are on this year's BBC 100 Women list. Basima Abdulrahman is the founder and CEO of KESK, the first company in Iraq that offers green services and products. Jennifer Uchendu...

  
• 11.20.2023

  Female drummers breaking barriers

  Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two world-renowned drummers to find out what it takes to play professionally in the music industry. Canadian Sarah Thawer started playing drums and singing at the age of two and her first stage performance was at...

  
• 11.13.2023

  The rise of women in eSports

  Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two professional e-sport gamers who earn their living playing online. Julia 'Bish' Robson is a prominent gamer and Twitch streamer who tailors her content for a South African audience. She also hosts LAN events - days...

  
• 11.06.2023

  Can a bicycle change a woman's life?

  Can a humble bicycle become a tool to empower women worldwide? Kim Chakanetsa meets two cyclists who want more women to get on their bikes. Lizzie Deignan is a world champion track and road racing cyclist. She got into cycling...

  
• 10.30.2023

  Women breathing new life into taxidermy

  Kim Chakanetsa meets two women who are breathing new life into the ancient practice of taxidermy, the process of preserving animal skin with fur and feather. Polly Morgan is an award-winning British sculptor who uses taxidermy to make works...

  
• 10.23.2023

  Are dolls good for girls?

  Kim Chakanetsa speaks to a psychologist and a doll maker to discuss the impact of playing with toys on the brain. Dr Lisa Dinella is an expert on how toys influence the child’s brain, their sense of self and...

  
• 10.16.2023

  Descending the depths: Freediving champions

  Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two freedivers from Italy and Poland about what it takes to compete and set world-records in the extreme sport. Athlete Alessia Zecchini set world and Italian records in freediving. She has recently featured on the Netflix...

  
• 10.09.2023

  Women in Beirut: Facing up to the climate crisis

  The cedar tree is Lebanon’s national symbol: it can be seen everywhere, on flags, banknotes and souvenirs. But this majestic tree is under threat as a result of climate change and has come to symbolise the greater environmental crisis facing...

  
• 10.02.2023

  Women living with ADHD

  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) research and diagnosis has historically been male-centric, often overlooking or misdiagnosing women and girls. This gender bias has led to a lack of understanding and support for women with ADHD, perpetuating misconceptions and underrepresentation. Kim...

  
• 09.25.2023

  Born into coffee

  Inheriting a family business can be a tall order. All the more so when it's a coffee business, where men have traditionally dominated the sector in many countries that produce one of the world's most popular beverages. While...

  
• 09.18.2023

  The secrets of being a successful music manager

  Kim Chakanetsa talks to two female music managers who have made a significant impact in an often male-dominated field. Kei Henderson was the personal manager of rapper 21 Savage for several years. She is the CEO and founder...

  
• 09.11.2023

  Women in charge of their financial freedom

  Kim Chakanetsa talks to two entrepreneurs who teach women to be money-savvy. Arese Ugwu is a Nigerian author whose work is centred around personal finance. She wrote two best-selling books, The smart money tribe and The smart money woman....

  
• 09.04.2023

  Women in Beirut: Promoting women’s rights through sport

  Kim Chakanetsa meets two trailblazing athletes who help promote women’s participation in sports. Ray Bassil is the first Arab woman to compete in three Olympic games and win three consecutive World Cup medals in trap shooting. Ray has become a...

  
• 08.28.2023

  Women in nuclear

  A report published by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency in 2023 found that less than a quarter of the nuclear workforce are women. And when it comes to scientific, engineering and leadership roles in the industry, that figure is even...

  
• 08.21.2023

  Transforming lives through speech therapy

  It's been said that the Covid-19 lockdown had a devastating impact on children's speech development. But it also affected the support that older patients can get for their speech and swallowing problems. Beatriz de la Pava talks to speech therapists...

  
• 08.14.2023

  Conservators: Preserving the past for the future

  Kim Chakanetsa meets two women looking after remarkable historical objects and artworks. Kristiane Strætkvern is a Norwegian conservator with the National Museum of Denmark. She’s specialised in the preservation of waterlogged archaeological wooden objects and has worked on one of...

  
• 08.07.2023

  Women in Beirut: Telling our stories

  Kim Chakanetsa talks to two Beirut-based creatives who made it their mission to tell women’s stories. Joana Hadjithomas is a Lebanese artist and director. Her work has been exposed at the Victoria and Albert museum in London and at...

  
• 07.31.2023

  Women in Beirut: Rebuilding our city

  In August 2020, a devastating explosion destroyed the port of Beirut. More than 200 people lost their lives and thousands of small and medium women-owned businesses were destroyed. Kim Chakanetsa meets two entrepreneurs who are now working to rebuild their...

  
• 07.24.2023

  How to get a good night's sleep

  The sleep economy is booming – from hi-tech sleep trackers to apps and cooling mattresses – and its worth is estimated at hundreds of billions of US dollars every year. So why do some of us still have trouble...

  
• 07.17.2023

  Protecting communities from disasters

  Beatriz de la Pava talks to two women on the frontline of disaster preparation about how communities can become more resilient to natural hazards, respond quickly to them, and recover afterwards. Mami Mizutori is the Special Representative of the United...

  
• 07.10.2023

  Women painting portraits

  Artists from Ukraine and the UK tell Kim Chakanetsa about how they capture someone’s personality on canvas. Laura Quinn Harris is a UK artist specialising in oil portraits of people and animals. Her work has been displayed in exhibitions including...

  
• 07.03.2023

  Parenting a disabled child

  Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women about the joys and challenges of parenting a disabled child. Gopika Kapoor is a writer, neurodiversity consultant and parent advocate. Her son Vir was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old. Gopika told her...

  
• 06.26.2023

  Women writing family sagas

  Kim Chakanetsa meets two writers who, in their work, explore the themes of love, identity, belonging and inter-generational trauma. Min Jin Lee is a South Korean American author who wrote two novels, Free food for Millionaires and Pachinko, a...

  
• 06.19.2023

  Fifty years of the Women’s Tennis Association

  Tennis has a level of equality that women in other many other sports must envy, with equal prize money and media coverage at many top tournaments. Much of this is down to the work of the Women's Tennis Association, founded...

  
• 06.12.2023

  Women serving on board submarines

  Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women who’ve chosen a life not on the ocean wave, but under it. Chief Petty Officer Sara Ryman is currently serving on board a submarine in the Swedish Navy as a sonar officer....

  
• 06.05.2023

  Women in artificial intelligence

  Artificial intelligence is changing the way we live and work. Should we accept it, or push back? Kim Chakanetsa meets two women pioneers in the field of AI and ethics. Aleksandra Przegalińska is a philosopher and data scientist. She’s...

  
• 05.29.2023

  Women rewiring the comedy circuit in Hollywood

  Kim Chakanetsa is in the heart of Los Angeles' comedy district to meet two stand-up comedians who recently opened their own venues. Jiaoying Summers is a stand-up comedian, a social media star and the owner of The Hollywood Comedy Club...

  
• 05.22.2023

  Women paddling treacherous water

  Kim Chakanetsa hears about the awe-inspiring journeys of two white-water kayakers from the US and France, and the resilience that's kept them at the top of their discipline. Nouria Newman is the first and only woman to run a 30-metre...

  
• 05.15.2023

  Disabled women and sexual health

  In many societies there are misconceptions about disability and sex. Beatriz de la Pava meets two activists from Pakistan and Nigeria who break taboos and help disabled women access family planning services. Abia Akram is chief executive of the National...