Woman's Hour

The mother whose daughters were murdered, and their photographs then shared on a police WhatsApp group gives a keynote speech this morning at the launch of a new organisation designed to help stamp out misogyny, sexism and racism in the police. Mina Smallman has become an activist since the death of her daughters in 2020. Nuala McGovern will speak live to our reporter Melanie Abbott who will be at the launch and to Mina Smallman.

Are you guilty of 'phubbing'? This means snubbing someone to look at your phone. New research into the effects on married couples has found that couples who regularly phub each other have lower marriage satisfaction. To discuss the issue Nuala is joined by Claire Cohen, author and journalist, who says she is guilty of this.

Having graduated from drama school only three years ago Georgina Onuorah takes on the role of Dorothy in a new production of The Wizard of Oz currently on stage at the London Palladium. She joins Nuala in the Woman’s Hour studio to sing ‘Over the Rainbow’ live.

Over 80% of legal practitioners feel that the family court, when dealing with private law cases, is likely to retraumatise victims and survivors of domestic abuse. That’s according to a survey by the Office of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner which was published in a report yesterday. Nuala is joined by Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner to find out what the report revealed. Nuala also hears from a Woman’s Hour listener who is critical of the way that the family court works.

Today a new song, Call Me A Lioness, is released to coincide with the start of the Women's World Cup. The drummer on the track, Al Greenwood from the band The Sports Team, joins Nuala in the studio.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern

Zoe Saldaña has appeared in the top three grossing movies of all time – Avatar, Avatar: Way of Water and Avengers: Endgame. You may know her as Uhura in the Star Trek reboot films, Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, or as Neytiri in Avatar. Now Zoe is taking a break from sci-fi and fantasy to star in a new, Earth-based TV series called Special Ops: Lioness. It’s a spy thriller about a covert programme that trains and dispatches women around the world as undercover operatives. Zoe joined Nuala to record an interview last week, before the US actors’ strike was called.

The Metropolitan Police has started using counter-terrorism tactics to hunt down the 100 worst male sexual predators targeting women. Nuala gets the reaction of former Inspector of Constabulary Zoe Billingham, who led the 2021 review of the policing response to violence against women and girls, calling for it to be treated with the same priority as terrorism.

15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa still apply laws that require women to either 'obey' their husbands or seek their permission to leave the marital home, work, or travel. That’s according to a new report from Human Rights Watch, which compares the state of male guardianship laws across the region. The report finds that, although women’s rights activists have been successful in winning some freedoms, new restrictions are still being implemented – particularly in areas of conflict such as Yemen and Syria. Rothna Begum, Senior Women's Rights Researcher, joins Nuala to explain the findings.

Yomi Adegoke is the co-author of the bestselling guide, Slay in Your Lane: A Black Girl’s Bible. Now she’s stepping into the world of fiction with her debut novel, The List. Journalist Ola and her fiancé Michael are getting married in a month, but their excitement is shattered when a database of men in the world of media, and allegations of sexual harassment against them, is anonymously posted online. And Michael is on it. How will the couple navigate the fall out? Yomi joins Nuala to talk about why she wanted to write this story.

For the first time in fifty years, humans will soon be returning to the moon. Sara Pastor is the project manager and Chief Engineer of the International Habitation module – the place where astronauts will live and study scientific findings in space as part of the Artemis Mission, set to happen in the next few years. Sara joins Nuala to talk about why this is such an important project for human exploration, and how women are at the centre of it.

Nuala McGovern is joined by one woman who has had a huge impact on the women's game over many years - Hope Powell - the former Lioness head coach will discuss England's chances, the growth of the game and how to continue building a legacy for women's sport.

A fifth of young women suffering a mental health crisis were asked if they were on their period, a new survey has found.

Dr Gladys McGarey, cofounder of the American Holistic Medical Association, began her medical practice at a time when women couldn't even own their own bank accounts. Now a 102 and still practicing as a doctor, she was born in India in 1920. She started medical school just before the Second World War, married a fellow doctor, Bill and together they practised medicine, first in Ohio, then In Arizona. They also produced six children. Dr Gladys has now written a book, The Well-Lived Life.

Deirdre O'Kane became a stand-up comic in 1996, getting to the finals of the BBC New Comedy Awards of that year. A co-founder of Comic Relief in Ireland, she also fronted her own talk shows, Deirdre O’Kane Talks Funny on RTÉ as well as a brand-new series, The Deirdre O’Kane Show on Sky Max. One of Ireland’s favourite comedians, she is also known for acting roles such as Chris O’Dowd’s Moone Boy and the biopic of philanthropist and children’s rights stalwart Christina Noble called Noble, for which she received an IFTA Award. Deirdre joins Nuala to discuss her wide-ranging career and her new stand up show Demented, which is coming to London’s Soho Theatre this week.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern

In her only broadcast interview, Louise Townsend, the mother of Olivia Perks who took her own life in 2019 whilst at Sandhurst Military Academy, speaks to Woman’s Hour. Louise discusses her view that there was a lack of welfare support from the academy towards her late daughter and what steps need to be taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

According to the ONS, only 2.4% of plumbers are women. We speak to two female plumbers about why that figure is so low and whether they recommend the job to other women. Sovay Berriman runs the company PlumbMaid and is based in Cornwall, and Lysette Hacking, worked as a plumber for six years before becoming a lecturer in plumbing at Calderdale College in Halifax in Yorkshire.

The Supreme Leader of Iran has called for a massive population increase, and the state has been offering financial incentives for women to have more children. There is also now more pressure on women not to access contraception, and abortion has been criminalised further, with a potential prison sentence for women being proposed by the regime. Meanwhile cases of unsafe illegal abortions have increased. The BBC’s Saba Zavarei has been speaking to Iranian women about their experiences.

Where do you put your awards and achievements? Do you show them off or keep them all to yourself? We hear from the academic Dr Louise Creechan who keeps hers in her downstairs loo, while the co-host of the Wittering Whitehalls, Hilary Whitehall, has kept her trophy in her handbag.

As the holiday season begins, we talk to Jane Dowden and Lucy Cavendish about travelling on planes with small children, and how to deal with tantrums and disgruntled fellow passengers.

Presenter: Anita Rani

Gracie Nuttall, sister of Laura Nuttall who died aged 23 in May of a glioblastoma, and Megan Fryer-Kelsey, whose brother Ezra died eleven years ago of leukodystrophy, join Anita to discuss what it's like to grow up with a sibling who is ill, and how parents can support non-sick siblings.

Young people in Italy are expressing outrage on social media after Italian judges decided to clear a man of groping a teenager because it lasted less than 10 seconds. The BBC's Sofia Bettiza joins Anita from Rome.

Where do you put your awards and achievements? Do you show them off in your house? Which room do they fit in best? And if you have kids, what do you do with all their achievements once they’ve flown the nest? Well, academic Dr Louise Creechan keeps hers in her downstairs loo. Co-host of the Wittering Whitehalls, Hilary Whitehall, kept her trophy in her handbag for a while. Anita asks them why.

The Supreme Leader of Iran has called for a massive population increase, and the state has been offering financial incentives for women to have more children. There is also now more pressure on women not to access contraception, and abortion has been criminalised further, with a potential prison sentence for women being proposed by the regime. Meanwhile cases of unsafe illegal abortions have increased. The BBC’s Saba Zavarei has been speaking to Iranian women about their experiences and joins Anita.

Right to Fight tells the surprising story of the maverick pioneers of women’s boxing, who defied sexism and racism for their place in the ring; overcoming the odds to become the first women issued with professional boxing licenses. Director Georgina Cammalleri joins Anita.

Almost half of women in England and Wales don’t trust the police enough to report a crime. That’s according to a recent report from the Tony Blair Institute. How can the police regain women’s trust? What needs to be done to fix the issue of public trust in the police overall? Anita speaks to the author of the report, Harvey Redgrave and the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, Katy Bourne.

As part of the Woman's Hour series about narcissistic mothers, we hear from a mother who is determined to change the patterns set up in her childhood; she wants to parent differently to her own mum, who she considers to be a narcissist. Reporter Ena Miller goes to meet Louise and Ed (their names have been changed), who are trying 'gentle parenting,' an approach that focuses on empathy, respect and boundaries, all of which were lacking in Louise's childhood. 

Marita Cheng is a roboticist from Australia, who advocates to get more girls into technology. She has written a children's book memoir, where all the images were created using generative artificial intelligence. Marita joins Anita to explain why and how she did it.

As the annual Flamenco Festival at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London draws to a close, we look at the enduring popularity of the dance and the wider growth in popularity of Latin music across the globe. Anita Rani talks to Belén Castres White, the technical director of the Flamenco Festival and also to Amaranta Wright who runs the Latino Life in the Park Festival, the largest of its kind in the UK.

Presenter: Anita Rani

In her first broadcast interview, Louise Townsend, the mother of Olivia Perks who took her own life in 2019 whilst at Sandhurst Military Academy, speaks to Woman’s Hour. Louise discusses her view that there was a lack of welfare support from the academy towards her late daughter and what steps need to be taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Today is a big day coming up with the Women's Ashes series where England face Australia. The Aussies have surged ahead in the women's multi-format series, but there is hope for England as the momentum behind them builds - thanks, in part, to record breaking crowds. Sports journalist and broadcaster Georgie Heath joins Nuala to discuss.

Shakardokht Jafari was born in rural Afghanistan in 1977 and became a refugee when she was 6 and grew up in Iran. After the fall of the Taliban, she moved back to Afghanistan first securing a teaching post in radiology at Kabul Medical University, then being asked to re-establish a cancer facility in Kabul. To secure the post, she needed to gain more qualifications, and in 2010 she came to the UK where she became the first Afghan woman to earn a PhD in medical physics. Shakar has gone on to win a string of awards for business innovation and has also found time to write her life story, Shakar: An Afghan Woman’s Journey and to be a leading campaigner for girls’ education in Afghanistan.

Can distress be used as evidence in rape trials? This is the discussion currently going through the courts in Scotland. Nuala is joined by Sandy Brindley, Chief Exec of Rape Crisis Scotland and Serious Crime Barrister Thomas Leonard Ross KC to debate the issue.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern

The inclusion of a particular word in the title of the documentary has caused controversy. For many, it is an extremely offensive term and some contributors have made it publicly known and have withdrawn their contribution from the programme. Rosie talks to Nuala McGovern about the project.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern

We look at the effect of being a victim in high-profile cases, after the BBC suspends a presenter accused of paying a teenager for sexually explicit photos. Nuala speaks to former Chief Prosecutor for the CPS, Nazir Afzal.

Ruchira Gupta is a journalist, social justice activist and Emmy-award winning documentary maker who has dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of women and young girls. She is the founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide, an anti-sex trafficking organisation that has helped thousands of girls and women in India leave a life of forced prostitution. She joins Nuala to discuss her work and her debut novel, ‘I Kick and I Fly’, which tells the story of a 14-year-old girl called Heera as she tries to escape the fate of women in her community who are sold into the sex trade.

New research has found a rise in vulnerable women dying prematurely in North East England. The report by the charities Changing Lives and Agenda Alliance says that a woman in North East England in 2021 was 1.7 times more likely to die early because of addiction, suicide or murder by a partner or family member than women in the rest of England and Wales. Nuala discusses the findings with Laura McIntyre, the head of women and children’s services at Changing Lives.

According to the ONS, only 2.4% of plumbers are women. Nuala speaks to two female plumbers about why that figure is so low and whether they recommend the job to other women. Nuala speaks to Sovay Berriman, who runs the company PlumbMaid and is based in Cornwall, and Lysette Hacking, who worked as a plumber for six years before becoming a lecturer in plumbing at Calderdale College in Halifax in Yorkshire.

In April, the Spanish actress Ana Obregón made headlines when she revealed she was a mother again at 68 years of age. A week later, in a glossy photoshoot for ¡Hola! Magazine, she explained that the baby was actually her granddaughter - born via surrogacy using her dead son’s sperm. Journalist Patricia Clarke, from Tortoise Media, has been following the story for her podcast, 'Modern Family: I Had My Dead Son’s Baby at 68'. She tells Nuala the impact the story has had in Spain.

Presented by Nuala McGovern

Caitlin Moran’s multi-award-winning bestseller How to Be a Woman has been published in 28 countries. Now she has turned her attention to men; what's wrong with them, what they should do about it and why they need feminism to help. Caitlin joins Anita to discuss her new book What About Men?

Trichotillomania is often referred to as “hair-pulling disorder”. There is little research in this area, but statistics suggest 1.1m people in the UK could have the condition, with 80% of them women. Half of those never seek treatment. What exactly is it? Why do people do it? And what can be done to help them stop? Clare MacKay is Professor of Brain Imaging at Oxford University. She joins Nuala to share her personal experience for the first time, and discuss the academic review she is doing in this area.

Half of prison officers in England and Wales do not feel safe at work, according to a recent large-scale survey. Alex South spent 10 years working as a prison officer, and she’s written a book, Behind These Doors, about her experiences. She speaks to Nuala about working in such a male-dominated environment and shares her stories.

A bar in Portsmouth is due to open later this month, which is themed on Jack the Ripper – described as an "immersive cocktail and dining experience with a modern horror twist". The publicity features a young woman in Victorian dress, being followed at night by a mysterious man. Objections have been raised to the whole idea of a business which trades on the notoriety of a serial killer. However the trading licence has now been granted. The owner has said, "There is always a fine line when working on things like this and we are working really hard not to upset anyone". Nuala speaks to Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five, in which she painstakingly reconstructs the lives of the five women killed by the so-called Ripper, in 1888.

What’s it like to go viral on TikTok in your late 80s? 27-year-old Jess and her 89-year-old grandmother, Norma, have gone viral on TikTok posting videos showing their close connection and the fun they have together. They join Anita to discuss their relationship and new found fame.

Young singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, has collaborated with the likes of Loyle Carner and Leon Bridges, earning a reputation for her stellar live shows. She joins Nuala to discuss her recent Glastonbury performance, her inspirations and her debut album - Messy.

Presenter: Anita Rani