The Future is Female

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to one of the world's leading anatomists and forensic anthropologists, Professor Dame Sue Black, Baroness Black of Strome and President of St John’s College at Oxford University. She was the lead anthropologist for the British Forensic Team's work in the war crimes investigations in Kosovo, and one of the first forensic scientists to travel to Thailand following the Indian Ocean tsunami to provide assistance in identifying the dead.

In Malaysian politics, we often focus on the number of women elected as Members of Parliament. However, being appointed to Cabinet is just as crucial. And having more women in Cabinet doesn't automatically mean a fair share of power. How do we strive for better gender equality in Cabinet representation and portfolio distribution? On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Maha Balakrishnan, parliamentary and institutional development specialist.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris explores the strategies and stories of empowerment behind accessible mental wellness. She speaks to Madiha Fuad, Founder & CEO of PlusVibes, a social enterprise seeking to reshape the landscape of mental health support in Malaysia. For her work in healthtech, Madiha was named as one of 2022’s ‘Women of the Future: 50 Rising Stars in ESG’. 

For 25 years, the L’Oréal Foundation and UNESCO have been working together to empower and promote women in science through the ‘For Women in Science’ programme. Malaysia has been part of the programme for the last 18 years, during which over RM1.5 million in research grants have been awarded to more than 51 women scientists in recognition of their achievement in science. On this episode of #TheFutureIs Female Melisa Idris speaks to this year’s Malaysian beneficiaries: Dr Acga Cheng from UM, Dr Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah from UPM, and Dr Elena Azizan from UKM.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Yuki Aizawa, Women in Tech®️ Global Movement, APAC Director and Country Director of the Malaysia Chapter, about supporting women in STEAM fields from the classroom to the boardroom. 

Melisa Idris speaks to writer, playwright, and translator, Adriana Nordin Manan, about her philosophy approach to translation, using language to bridge the gap between cultures. She also shares her creative process as a playwright and her personal journey from page to stage of her first full-length play 'Fault Lines'.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Datuk Ami Moris, Chair of 30% Club Malaysia and Advisor of Business & Sustainability for MAYBANK, and Dr Sumitra Nair, Senior Director & Head of Sustainability at Telekom Malaysia.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. To my mind, I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.” On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Choong Koon Yean, President of IAPWA Penang, and Asther Lau, President of the Animal Kindness Coalition about humanely managing stray animal populations through Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage (TNRM) efforts.

The Asli Co. is a social enterprise that aims to provide opportunities to Orang Asli mothers to earn a sustainable income from home and help keep their children in school. On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Lim Xin Yu, one of the co-founders of The Asli Co. about the benefits of corporates and communities supporting social enterprises and the impact they can make.

Safe Sport is an initiative by the International Olympic Committee, with August 8th dedicated as International Safe Sport Day. On this episode of The Future Is Female #TFIF Melisa Idris speaks to former national gymnast Sarina Sundara Rajah, Founding President of Safe Sport Malaysia, about the importance of #SafeSport, how to identify abuse and intervene as a bystander.