The Conversation

Spoken word poetry is a powerful tool for storytelling, activism and self-expression. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two award-winning poets who use the craft to amplify issues they care about.Sofie Frost is a Norwegian actor, slam poet and spoken word artist. She won the Norwegian Poetry Slam Championship in 2017 and was a finalist for Norway's Got Talent the following year. Sofie's poems have repeatedly gone viral, amassing millions of views online.Wana Udobang from Nigeria is a writer, poet and performer. She has released three spoken word albums that explore the themes of familial relationships, womanhood, joy and the body. Wana's work has been commissioned by organisations including the Edinburgh International Festival, Deutsches Museum and the Gates Foundation.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Sofie Frost credit Astrid Sand Samnøy. (R) Wana Udobang credit Boye Oyewusi.)

How does it feel to meet someone who connects you to a darker chapter of your family history? Datshiane Navanayagam is joined by two women whose experience of this has led them to delve deeper into their own family’s ties to both slavery and enslavement.Diana McCaulay is a Jamaican novelist. She discovered that she’s related to both enslaved people and enslavers when an ancestry-tracking TV programme contacted her out of the blue. Diana's latest book, A House for Miss Pauline takes inspiration from what she discovered and the questions that are left unanswered.In 2007 Betty Kilby Baldwin was contacted by a white woman in Virginia who suspected that she’s the descendant of the family once enslaved Betty’s. After meeting in person, the two women began a shared process of truth and reconciliation; co-writing a memoir and working with organisation called Coming to the Table which brings together people wanting to learn the history of their connection to slavery and its legacies.Produced by Hannah Dean and Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Diana McCaulay credit Jeremy Francis. (R) Betty Kilby Baldwin courtesy Betty Kilby Baldwin.)

A Muslim woman from South Africa and Christian from Kenya talk to Ella Al-Shamahi about how their faith influences their thoughts on addressing climate change, inequality and restoring nature.Dr Najma Mohamed grew up in South Africa and made a link between her faith and nature early in life. She writes often about the ecological message of Islam, supporting faith-based climate and environment action. Najma is a trustee of the Islamic environmental charity IFEES (Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Science) and head of Nature-Based Solutions at the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre at Cambridge in the UK.Meryne Warah is the global director of Organizing at GreenFaith, a multi-faith climate and environmental movement. She also serves as the GreenFaith Africa director, working with faith and spiritual communities across nine countries to seek justice for those affected by oil and gas extraction and conflict. Based in Kenya, Meryne is a Seventh Day Adventist Christian and a passionate advocate for faith-driven environmental action. GreenFaith, founded in 1992 in the USA, is a multi-faith grassroots organization dedicated to a sacred duty of protecting the planet. It has staff across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Meryne Warah courtesy Meryne Warah. (R) Dr Najma Mohamed courtesy Dr Najma Mohamed.)

A Mongolian and a South African palaeontologist speak to Ella Al-Shamahi about dinosaurs and education, as well as the fight to preserve their prehistoric legacy and stop illegal fossil trade.Dr Bolortsetseg Minjin from Mongolia is the director of the Institute for the Study of Mongolian Dinosaurs. She is renowned for her discovery of 67 dinosaur fossils in the Gobi Desert within just one week. Bolorsetseg founded Mongolia’s first moveable dinosaur museum, bringing fossils and hands-on education to remote communities. She is a leading advocate against the illegal fossil trade and has played a key role in repatriating around 70 stolen Mongolian dinosaur fossils.Dr Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan is a South African vertebrate palaeontologist best known for her pioneering work in the study of fossil bone and tooth microstructure. Despite the challenges of pursuing higher education as an Indian South African during apartheid, Anusuya became a leading figure in her field and a role model for women in science.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Bolortsetseg Minjin courtesy Bolortsetseg Minjin. (R) Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan courtesy Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan.)

An academic from India and writer from Denmark talk to Ella Al-Shamahi about how the way economies are measured influences policy and undervalues both unpaid and paid care work, and affects the lives of women on every level. Emma Holten is a Danish feminist commentator whose book, Deficit: how feminist economics can change our world, became a best seller in her home country. It highlights how economics have shaped a world in which there is no value attached to care, happiness or quality of living. Emma says that by including only things that can be measured economics ignores many of the most important things in life.Jayati Ghosh is professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, in the US. In 2021 the United Nations named her to be on the High-level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs. She presented a series of lectures on feminist economics for the International Association of Feminist Economics. She's written many books with a focus on informal workers in the Global South and has advised governments in India and other countries.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Emma Holten credit Claudia Vega. (R) Jayati Ghosh courtesy Jayati Ghosh/Aleph Book Company.)

Datshiane Navanayagam is joined by two women from the UK and Australia whose personal experience of menopause and perimenopause has led them to advocate for better support at work.Madhu Kapoor is a writer and menopause awareness campaigner. She experienced a range of physical and psychological symptoms during perimenopause in her early 40s which led to her resigning from her senior position in a British government department. Now she uses her two decades spent in HR and recruitment to shape workplace standards through her company M for Menopause and advices women on navigating the challenges she also faced.Grace Molloy is a registered nurse and CEO of Menopause Friendly Australia – an organisation that provides support and accreditation to companies looking to create workplaces that are responsive to the needs of menopausal women. Its members include Commonwealth Bank, global professional services firm Accenture, BHP, the Parliament of WA and St John WA. Molloy has been honoured as Western Australia's Telstra Best of Business Award winner in the Accelerating Women category, helped 250,000 people make the workplace more menopause-friendly and gave evidence at last year’s landmark Australian Senate inquiry into issues relating to perimenopause and menopause.Produced by Hannah Dean and Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Madhu Kapoor courtesy Madhu Kapoor. (R) Grace Molloy credit Ross Swanborough.)

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to controllers from the UAE and Sweden about guiding aeroplane take-offs and landings and dealing with the extreme stress of the job.Helena Sjöström Falk is the first woman president of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations. She's from Sweden and recently retired from Stockholm Air Traffic Control Center. During her career she had many high pressure air traffic control positions, including aerodrome, approach, and area control. Jouhayna AlMheiri is a senior air traffic controller, examiner and instructor in the United Arab Emirates, handling the flights of millions of passengers each year. She was the youngest and the second Emirati woman to qualify at UAE Area Control Centre. She's also a public speaker and podcast host.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Helena Sjöström Falk courtesy Helena Sjöström Falk. (R) Jouhayna AlMheiri credit Mustafa Singer.)

From breaking bones to trudging through snow – it is a Foley artist's role to reproduce the everyday sound effects that are added to film, TV and games. By using a variety of unconventional props and their own bodies, the goal is to create an authentic soundscape that will enhance our auditory experience. If the Foley goes unnoticed then they’ve done their job well! Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two award winning Foley artists and asks what it’s like to spend so much time, quite literally stepping into someone else’s shoes. Caoimhe Doyle has over 25 years’ experience creating Foley sound effects and footsteps for film, television and video games. She’s been nominated three times for the MPSE Golden Reel Award for her work on Colm Bairéad’s An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl), The Favourite, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises. In 2011 she won a MPSE Golden Reel Award and was nominated for an Emmy for her work on Game of Thrones: Season 1 and is a current MPSE nominee for work on Rich Peppiatt's Kneecap. Caoimhe collaborates with an all-female team out of The Foley Lab in a quiet part of County Wicklow in Ireland.Marita Sbeih is a Lebanese Foley artist and one of only a handful working in the Middle East. Since 2018, she has been the dedicated Foley Artist at DB Studios in Beirut, which provides audio post-production for films, documentaries, and art productions from around the globe. Pursuing a career as a Foley artist in a country with many unique challenges has been far from easy, but Marita has built an impressive list of credits for Foley and footsteps in some of the Arab world’s more distinguished art-house and indie productions, as well as international projects. Most recently, she worked on Hot Milk, a UK film directed by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, which was selected for the official competition at the 75th Berlinale (2025).Produced by Hannah Dean (Image: (L) Caoimhe Doyle courtesy Caoimhe Doyle. (R) Marita Sbeih credit Lama Sawaya.)

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women from Brazil and the UK who have online businesses buying and selling second hand clothes.Ana Luiza McLaren is a co-founder of Enjoei, the biggest second hand selling site in Brazil. She started selling her own clothes through a blog she wrote over fifteen years ago and it wasn’t long before friends were asking her to sell their clothes too. The blog became so popular she and her partner decided to give up their jobs and set up an online business. Ana chose the name Enjoei because it means 'I got sick of it' in Brazilian. Sarah Dean founded the GoThrift website with her partner and two friends in 2019 selling second-hand and vintage clothing. The company has recently become Loopi - and now also buys from the general public. Sarah had always preferred to buy second-hand as a way to stand out from the crowd by wearing better quality clothing for less money. She's delighted that more people are happy to wear pre-loved clothes.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Ana McLaren credit Brenno da Matta. (R) Sarah Dean credit Mik Connor.)

Millions of children globally are separated from their birth families. For many, foster care is the best option. Foster carers from Moldova and the US speak to Ella Al-Shamahi about the realities of caring for vulnerable children and why they’re pushing for change in the system.Alina Druță is the president of Moldova Without Orphans, the Christian Alliance for Orphans Moldova and the national coordinator for child welfare at Open Gate International Moldova. She has been instrumental in introducing trust-based relational intervention to Moldova, an evidence-based approach that helps caregivers create safe and nurturing environments for children who have experienced trauma. Alina has worked with more than 70 young people over the past 12 years and is currently caring for six girls alongside her two biological children. Whitney Jackson from the US decided to document her family's journey into fostering on YouTube with her channel Be The Village. It has grown into a community of over 100,000 subscribers. Whitney is passionate about changing the way the world sees the foster system as well as the children who are in care.Produced by Emily Naylor and Hannah Dean(Image: (L) Whitney Jackson courtesy Whitney Jackson. (R) Alina Druță courtesy Alina Druță.)

Ella Al-Shamahi talks to women from Egypt and the US about their work detecting fraud, bribery and corruption for multi-national corporations and law enforcement.Yousr Khalil is from Egypt, after 20 years working in the United States she now heads the Paris Office of Forensic Risk Alliance, a company specialising in in complex, cross-border forensic investigations, regulatory compliance matters and disputes. She was part of the team investigating the aerospace giant Airbus after it admitted paying bribes via middlemen.US lawyer Judy Krieg has worked both in government and for private businesses. She was a joint head of fraud, bribery, and corruption at the UK Serious Fraud Office. Judy has also been an enforcement lawyer at the UK Financial Services Authority (now the Financial Conduct Authority) handling criminal and regulatory matters. She’s worked at Rolls Royce and Microsoft is now at law firm, DLA Piper representing corporations and individuals in white collar matters, including government and internal investigations, financial crime, compliance, and cyber issues.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Yousr Khalil credit Bénédicte Verley. (R) Judy Krieg credit DLA Piper.)

Datshiane Navanayagam hears from two women in Nigeria and Denmark to discuss how they teach consent as part of sex education.Mette Øyås Madsen is an award-winning Danish sexual health educator and author. She has incorporated sexual education into the Danish folk high school system for the past ten years. Mette is passionate about promoting topics such as consent, sexuality and gender identity in both educational and workplace settings. She's written a book called Seksuel Dannelse (sexual education).Oladele Ogunmayi from Nigeria is an advocate for youth empowerment, gender equality, and violence prevention. She has worked with organisations such as the Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative and the Women At Risk International Foundation, where she trained youths and women on critical issues including consent, HIV/AIDS prevention and gender-based violence. Oladele is now a Lead Trainer at No Means No Worldwide, a global rape prevention organisation whose mission is to end sexual violence against women and children.This episode contains discussions of a sexual nature, including topics related to consent, sexual violence and trauma.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Oladele Ogunmayi courtesy Oladele Ogunmayi . (R) Mette Øyås Madsen credit Mette Mørk.)

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women about prostheses for amputees in Ukraine and children with limb difference in the UK. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Olga Rudnieva felt she had to do something to help those wounded in the conflict. She set up the Superhumans trauma centre in Lviv, which she runs as CEO alongside a team of specialists, providing prosthetic limbs to patients. It has also launched a rehabilitation centre. Olga is featured on the BBC 100 Women list 2024 of inspiring and influential women.When she was just a student in the UK Kate Allen inspired by the child of a family friend designed a prosthetic that can actually grow with children. She went on to found ExpHand Prosthetics providing affordable, life-changing upper limb prosthetics that give children their independence back.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Olga Rudnieva credit Superhumans Trauma Centre. (R) Kate Allen courtesy Kate Allen.)

Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two academics dedicated to uncovering the vital role of women in shaping philosophical thought, both past and present.Dr Giulia Cavaliere is an Italian philosopher who lectures at University College London. Her research focuses on infertility, assisted reproductive technologies and the desire to have genetically related children.Dr Sabrina Ebbersmeyer is a German philosopher who made history as the first woman to be appointed as a professor of Philosophy at the University of Copenhagen. She specialises in uncovering the historical contributions of female intellectuals to the discipline during the Renaissance, Early Modern period and Nordic Enlightenment.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Giulia Cavaliere courtesy of Giulia Cavaliere. (R) Sabrina Ebbersmeyer courtesy of Sabrina Ebbersmeyer.)

Telephone helplines support millions of children every year with issues ranging from serious abuse to children who just want someone to chat to on the way home from school. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women from South Africa and Greece about supporting children through round-the-clock helplines, counselling and outreach.Dumisile Cele, a trained social worker, is the Chief Executive Officer of Childline South Africa. Their 24-hour helpline is contacted around 300,000 times each year. Dumisile says the mental health challenges in children are especially driven by violent crimes, abuse and trauma perpetuated against them.Stavroula Spyropoulou is a psychologist working at Smile of the Child in Greece. The organisation operates across the country and has over 400 staff and 6000 active volunteers. They give families immediate support in times of crisis, run children’s homes and outreach sessions in schools. Stavroula is the coordinator of their Center for Child Abuse and Exploitation.There is a global network of child helplines in 132 countries and it's hoped that by 2030 every country in the world will have a helpline. There's a list of them all, and their contact phone numbers on the website of Child Helpline International. Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Dumisile Cele courtesy Child Helpline South Africa. (R) Stavroula Spyropoulou courtesy Smile of the Child.)

If you're planning a big celebration, the idea of having someone else handle all the cooking might feel like a dream...but for some it's a worthwhile indulgence. Hiring a private chef means enjoying delicious, personalised food with minimal effort in the comfort of your own home. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two private chefs from India and France who create unforgettable culinary experiences.Indian award-winning chef Abhilasha Chandak decided to become a private chef after moving to London three years ago. She gained fame in 2016 by competing in the Indian version of Masterchef and getting to the final. Abhilasha has cooked for a whole range of clients, including Bollywood celebrities. Ella Aflalo is a French private chef and cookbook author based in Paris with experience in Michelin-starred kitchens. She now curates bespoke culinary experiences inspired by her travels, art and fashion. Previously, Ella founded the restaurant Yima, the name a blend of the Hebrew and Arabic word for ‘mum’. It won the Michelin Bib Gourmand, a reward given to restaurants serving high-quality food at affordable prices.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Abhilasha Chandak courtesy Abhilasha Chandak. (R) Ella Aflalo credit Chloé Bruhat.)

Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to Angie Chioko and Nika Kokareva about clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance, in order to return safe land to their communities. At the end of 2024, The Landmine Monitor Report revealed that children suffer disproportionately from landmines across the world. The remnants of war remain in the ground for decades, claiming civilian lives, long after the fighting had ended.Angie Chioko is a Supervisor at the Mazowe Camp in Zimbabwe, working for The Halo Trust. Zimbabwe is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. The minefields were laid in the 1970s during a civil war by the country’s ruling army. In Zimbabwe today, the landmines cut off access to water supplies, pasture land, and cause children to take longer routes to school. Nika Kokareva is a Team Leader in the Mykolaiv region of Ukraine, working for Mines Advisory Group. The country has seen a rise in landmines and unexploded ordnance since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The United Nations Development Programme has said Ukraine is now the most mined country in the world, with potentially 23 percent of its land at risk of contamination with landmines and unexploded ordnance.Produced by Elena AngelidesImage: (L) Nika Kokareva credit Mines Advisory Group. (R) Angie Chioko credit The Halo Trust.)

Chronic illness - and the pain it often brings - affects millions globally. But while women are more likely to experience chronic pain, they’re less likely to receive adequate treatment. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women who have transformed their experiences with pain and chronic illness into powerful creative expression.Polly Crosby is a British author living with cystic fibrosis. Feeling invisible in the stories she grew up reading, she was inspired to write The Vulpine, a young adult novel deeply rooted in her personal experiences: the protagonist’s condition closely reflects Polly’s own. Polly is dedicated to portraying characters with disabilities and chronic conditions authentically, without invoking pity or hero-worship.Lavi Picu is a Romanian-Canadian interdisciplinary artist and Lyme disease advocate. She uses painting, drawing, and poetry as therapeutic tools to manage her condition while raising awareness for chronic illness. Lavi's art acts as a visual aid to, in her words, "make the invisible visible".Produced by Emily NaylorImage: (L) Polly Crosby credit Archant. (R) Lavi Picu courtesy of Lavi Picu.)

What do Audre Lorde, Pamela Anderson and Florence Nightingale all have in common? They all began writing diaries as young girls and remained seasoned diarists later in life. But what purpose does keeping a diary as a teenager serve? And what can reflecting on the intimate accounts our younger selves wrote, tell us about who we are today and the changing world around us?Ifedayo Agoro is a Nigerian entrepreneur who began writing a diary at the age of eleven. The habit began after she got into trouble at school, and wrote her mother a letter to explain what had happened. As punishment, her mother asked Ifedayo to pen a letter every week in a diary, and Ifedayo documented life as a young girl in the Shogunle neighbourhood of Lagos. This punishment soon became a joy and in 2015 Ifedayo wrote an anonymous online diary called Diary Of A Naija Girl. Five years later, she put her name to the diary and it now has 740,000 followers on Instagram.Sophie Duker is a British comedian and writer. She is currently touring Europe with her stand-up show, But Daddy I Love Her, inspired by the concept of delusion. Sophie began writing an online diary at the age of 14, capturing matters of emotional significance such as her parent’s divorce, her father moving from the UK and her first encounter with grief. These profound milestones are interwoven with the everyday highs and lows of being a British teenager: crushes on the Harry Potter cast and encounters with school bullies.Produced by Elena Angelides and Jane ThurlowImage: (L) Ifedayo Agoro credit Buklaw Photography. (R) Sophie Duker credit Sarah Harry-Isaacs.)

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two writers of romantic fiction about their passion for creating stories that end happily ever after.Kiru Taye wanted to read stories about Africans falling in love. When she couldn’t find those books, she decided to write the stories herself. The books in her Essien series about millionaire banker brothers are international bestsellers, she also writes about crime gangs and tribal rivalry. Kiru founded the publishing firm Love Africa Press and is a co-founder of Romance Writers of Wonderful Africa, a support organisation for African romance writers.US writer Nisha Sharma’s books have been included in 'best-of' lists by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, Time Magazine and more. Growing up in a South Asian home she enjoyed the romantic storylines of Bollywood movies and traditional folktales like the epic Rama and Sita. Nisha joined the corporate world but quickly turned to writing Romantic Fiction and Young Adult novels too. Her books feature business mergers and re-imagine Shakespearean comedy with a South Asian twist.Produced by Jane ThurlowImage: (L) Kiru Taye credit Kiru Taye. (R) Nisha Sharma credit Marco Calderon.)

Rising sea levels and increasingly powerful storms are threatening coastlines, low-lying island states and coastal cities around the world. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women from Sri Lanka and France about how they’re using satellites to track coastal erosion and develop strategies to reduce its impact on populations.Sarah Dole is a Sri Lankan physicist and entrepreneur leading a satellite image analysis project in the Maldives, the world’s lowest lying country, looking at the rate at which beaches erode. She co-founded Invena – a company carrying out research and helping develop technology that aims to preserve low-lying nations.Anne-Laure Beck is a French geomatic and remote-sensing engineer. She's the EU lead on coastal erosion for the environmental consultancy Argans. They use satellite-based earth observation and geographical information systems to map and monitor environments in order to track coastal erosion and accretion to inform coastal management and protection plans.Produced by Jane ThurlowImage: (L) Sarah Dole credit Ali Amir @aliaerials. (R) Anne-Laure Beck credit Anne-Laure Beck.)

Less than 0.001% of the deep ocean has been explored. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women from South Africa and the US who have dedicated their careers to finding out more about our planet's most uncharted depths.Dr Katy Croff Bell is an American ocean explorer and deep-sea technologist. She has over 15 years of experience leading ground-breaking oceanographic and archaeological projects. Katy is the founder of the Ocean Discovery League, an organisation dedicated to expanding global access to deep-sea exploration by developing affordable, durable technology for scientists and researchers.Dr Zoleka Filander is an award-winning South African marine biologist with South Africa’s Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Environment. She leads pioneering expeditions into uncharted marine territories, gathering crucial data to inform conservation strategies. Zoleka is passionate about sharing the deep ocean’s wonders to inspire public respect and a sense of urgency for its preservation.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Katy Croff Bell courtesy of Katy Croff Bell. (R) Zoleka Filander credit Logan Lambert.)

Women fusing tech and agriculture to farm food - indoors, local and soil-free

The music industry is notoriously competitive, making it difficult for artists to break through. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two music scouts to find out what they look for when signing musicians to their labels and how to succeed in the business.Jane Abernethy is Managing Director at Omnian Music Group, a Brooklyn-based label group comprised of Captured Tracks, Sinderlyn and 2MR. Originally from Scotland she began her career music scouting in the UK before becoming the Director of A&R at the US label 4AD, where she signed groundbreaking artists like Grimes and contributed to the discovery of Bon Iver. Argentinian-born Laura Tesoriero has spent the last two decades working in music distribution for Latin American artists. She is the Senior Vice President for The Orchard, a music and entertainment company specialising in media distribution. Laura was the first female chair of the Latin GRAMMY board and is a Wonder Women of Latin 2020 honouree. Produced by Emily Naylor and Elena Angelides(Image: (L) Jane Abernethy credit Dan Bessini. (R) Laura Tesoriero credit Catalina Bartolome.)

According to the UN, the fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global emissions. That's more than aviation and shipping combined. We talk to two women making climate-friendly clothes and developing innovative textiles in a bid to reduce the waste produced by fast fashion.Regina Polanco is the founder and CEO of Pyratex, a textile company making fabrics from seaweed, banana and orange peel for some of the biggest brands in fashion. Born in Vienna, she has also lived in Morocco, Mauritania and Switzerland but she returned to Spain, the country where she grew up, to found her company in 2014.Sasha McKinlay grew up in Singapore and moved to the United States to study architecture. Now a design researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she's developing so-called 'active' textiles. They're essentially textiles with embedded functionality without the need for electronic inputs. These include materials that can be either warm or cool depending on the weather, and garments that can be made in a single size and robotically tailored to fit the wearer or to be customised into new styles.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Sasha McKinlay credit Katie Koskey. (R) Regina Polanco credit Pyratex.)

Everyone wants to feel confident in the workplace. But knowing what to do to perform at your best isn’t always easy. Datshiane Navanayagam is joined by two entrepreneurs and career coaches to explore strategies to help women thrive in their jobs. Jo Wimble Groves is an award-winning British entrepreneur, writer and motivational speaker specializing in women in the workplace. She has a blog tacking work-life balance and resilience called Guilty Mother which has a global following of 55,000 readers. Jo's expertise in leadership and productivity has earned her multiple Women in Business awards. Alexandra Roxana Popa from Romania built her successful business career with the guidance of inquisitive mentors who helped her grow by asking the right questions. After training at CTI Coaching school in London she became a career coach and focusses on empowering women in their professional journeys.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Jo Wimble Groves credit Leana Catherine Photography. (R) Alexandra Popa credit Ioana Dodan.)

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to translators from Turkey and Argentina about giving a writer's work a new life in another language, and whether the age of digital translation is putting the craft in jeopardy.Ekin Oklap is Turkish and grew up in Italy. She's the English language translator for Nobel prize-winning Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk and was shortlisted for the 2016 International Booker Prize. She also translates books from Italian to English for novelist Francesca Manfredi and crime writer Ilaria Tuti.Erika Cosenza is an Argentinian translator, interpreter, editor and proof-reader. She translates English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. She now lives in Spain and helped set up a gender, diversity and inclusion network for the International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters.Produced by Jane ThurlowThis episode was edited on 6 November 2024(Image: (L) Erika Cosenza credit Gisela Caffarena. (R) Ekin Oklap credit Alev Arasli Oklap.)

Femicide is defined as the intentional killing of women and girls because of their gender. More than half of these murders are carried out in the home. According to UN figures 89,000 women and girls lost their life to femicide in 2022 alone. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women in Puerto Rico and Kenya about their efforts to reduce the number of deaths.Judy Gitau is a Kenyan lawyer whose work involves gaining access to justice for victims of sexual and gender based violence. She works for Equality Now, a campaigning organisation using the power of the law to protect and promote the human rights of women and girls.Debora Upegui-Hernandez is a Colombian analyst working for The Gender Equity Observatory in Puerto Rico. The Observatory was founded by a coalition of feminist and human rights organisations in Puerto Rico following increases in gender violence after hurricanes Irma and María in 2017.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Judy Gitau credit Equality Now. (R) Debora Upegui-Hernandez credit Prisma Fotografia.)

What happens when women bring traditional folklore into the horror genre and subvert it? You get award-winning feature length films, Iranian vampires and Mayan werewolves to name a few examples. Ella Al-Shamahi is joined by Iranian-American filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour and Mexican filmmaker Gigi Saul Guerrero to discuss how to create horror on screen.Ana Lily Amirpour’s award-winning debut feature film, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, is a Persian-language Western-horror. It follows a skateboarding vampire who wears a chador and haunts the fictional Iranian ghost-town of Bad City. Feminist readings have interpreted the vampire as a vigilante who preys on men that disrespect women. Ana's later films have included big stars such as Kate Hudson, Suki Waterhouse, Jason Momoa and Keanu Reeves.Gigi Saul Guerrero is known by fans as La Muñeca Del Terror, which means The Horror Babe. She gained recognition for La Quinceañera, a horror series based on the Mexican traditional celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday. Her film Culture Shock follows a Mexican woman who crosses the border into the US in hope of finding the American dream. What she finds instead is an American nightmare. Gigi's work often draws from Mesoamerican folklore and Mexican tradition. Producer: Elena Angelides(Image: Gigi Saul Guerrero. Credit: Luchagore Productions. And Ana Lily Amirpour. Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images)

Women make up a large proportion of the workforce in the global tea industry. But despite their crucial role, women in the tea sector often face lower wages and limited access to leadership positions. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks with two tea entrepreneurs to learn more about running tea businesses.Susie Walker-Munro from the UK runs Kinnettles Tea Garden in Angus, Scotland, where she grows cold-tolerant tea plants. She began experimenting with tea cuttings on her farm in 2007 and has since collaborated with other women to create an all-female tea garden collective.Tea has always been central to Esha Chhabra’s life, from her upbringing in India to her family’s move to the US, where the tradition of making loose leaf tea was preserved. She co-founded Alaya Tea in 2019, a brand focused on sustainable farming and ethical sourcing from small farmers. Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Susie Walker-Munro credit Ashley Coombes. (R) Esha Chhabra credit Alaya Tea.)

Despite their pivotal roles in advancing healthcare, women’s contributions to medicine have often been overshadowed or erased by male-dominated narratives. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks with two women dedicated to reclaiming this lost history and highlighting the vital work that women have done in the field of medicine.Yunxin Li is a Chinese academic who specializes in the gendered foundations of ancient Chinese medicine. Her research uncovers the often-overlooked contributions of female healers in premodern China. By focusing on the intersection of gender and healthcare in ancient Chinese history, Yunxin offers a fresh perspective on traditional medical systems and the influential roles women played within them.Kandace Chimbiri, a British author born to Barbadian parents, is committed to highlighting the overlooked contributions of Black women in medicine, particularly in the UK’s healthcare system. In her children's book The Story of Britain’s Black Nurses, she uncovers the largely untold story of Black women’s vital role in shaping the NHS. Through her work, Kandace aims to inspire young readers and honour the legacy of Black women in healthcare.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Kandace Chimbiri credit Warren Linton Photography. (R) Yunxin Li courtesy of Yunxin Li.)

For decades, the world of driving instructors was largely male dominated. Up until recently not every woman even had the right to drive - that only changed in 2018 when Saudi Arabia lifted their ban on female drivers. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two instructors to find out what it takes to teach this skill. Aman Sanghera, a London-based driving instructor, turned to social media during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep teaching and share practical driving tips on her YouTube channel, Clearview Driving. Her videos quickly went viral, amassing nearly a billion views. Haru Hasegawa was a secondary school teacher in the Philippines but, since moving to Japan, now helps foreigners navigate the challenges of learning to drive in Tokyo at EDS Driving School. She made the career switch after her own Japanese driving instructor suggested it as a perfect fit.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Aman Sanghera courtesy of Aman Sanghera. (R) Haru Hasegawa courtesy of Haru Hasegawa.)

Glaciers have shaped the world's landscapes and continue to affect earth's climate just as human caused climate change impacts them. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women dedicating their lives to the study of these giant ice structures. Jemma Wadham is a glacier biogeochemist and writer whose research has taken her to glaciers in Greenland, Antarctica, Svalbard, Chilean Patagonia, the Peruvian Andes and the Himalaya. She’s particularly interested in glacier-hosted life and the impacts of glaciers on the global carbon cycle. She’s won several awards for her academic work. Her book Ice Rivers is for a wider audience. She works at the University of Bristol and the Arctic University of Norway.Heidi Sevestre is a French scientist who's studied glaciers around the world, from the French Alps to Greenland, from the Arctic to Antarctica. She’s part of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme and also works on a project looking at the last glaciers of Africa, found in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, in Uganda. She is passionate about communicating the wonders of the cryosphere and the threats targeting it.Producer: Jane Thurlow(Image: Heidi Sevestre (L) , Credit Mael Sevestre. (R) Jemma Wadham. Credit T Bruckner)

Women’s magazines collectively reach millions of readers each month. Beyond their influence in fashion, these publications are pivotal in addressing critical women's issues and advocating for empowerment. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two magazine editors to explore their approaches to staying relevant in an ever-evolving media landscape.Grace O'Neill began her career at ELLE Australia as an intern and is now the Editor of the magazine. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Guardian, The New York Times' T Magazine and British Vogue.Iveta Dzērve is the Editor-in-Chief at SANTA, Latvia's leading lifestyle magazine. She has two decades of experience in medical, healthcare and lifestyle journalism.Produced by Emily Naylor and Elena Angelides for the BBC World Service.(Image: (L) Iveta Dzērve, credit Karlina Vitolina. (R) Grace O'Neill, credit Gabby Laurent.)

The bra industry is worth billions of dollars a year, yet designs haven't changed a lot since the modern bra came into common use in the early 20th century. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to a sports bra designer from Wales and a breast cancer survivor in the US about their innovative new designs.After a diagnosis of breast cancer in her late 20’s, Dana Donofree took her own experience of struggling to find a bra that was comfortable and pretty to found her own company, AnaOno. With a background in fashion design and talking to many women in the breast cancer community she's (re)designing intimates for those that have undergone surgery.Mari Thomas-Welland used to work as a sports bra performance tester, testing the performance of sports bras for some of the biggest brands under laboratory conditions. After realising that, despite her job, she still couldn't find her perfect sports bra she decided to design her own and founded her company, Maaree. They're now the official bra supplier to the Welsh rugby team.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Dana Donofree credit AnaOno LCC. (R) Mari Thomas-Welland credit Mari Thomas-Welland.)

Children's TV presenters from Ireland and South Africa tell Datshiane Navanayagam about working in television and their love for inspiring young minds.Niamh Ní Chróinín from Ireland is a children's TV presenter for Cúla4, an Irish-language channel that broadcasts exclusively in Gaelic. She is keen to foster a love for Irish culture and language among children. Shudufhadzo Mathagwa is a South African children's TV presenter, model and actor who is passionate about youth empowerment. She currently presents on Play Room, the 24-hour children’s television channel that combines education and entertainment with both a local and international focus. Produced by Emily Naylor for the BBC World Service.(Image: (L) Niamh Ní Chróinín courtesy of Niamh Ní Chróinín. (R) Shudufhadzo Mathagwa courtesy of Shudufhadzo Mathagwa.)

Commercial divers from Canada and Australia share their experiences of working in a dangerous, male-dominated field with Datshiane Navanayagam.Sarah Anvari from Canada is a Dive Supervisor and Welder-Diver at Subsea Global Solutions in Vancouver. She specializes in ship husbandry commercial diving, providing services for commercial shipping, cruise lines, offshore projects, and marine construction.Tiff Allen from Australia is a highly skilled saturation diver. She has extensive experience in deep-sea commercial diving, performing complex underwater tasks and ensuring safety on offshore projects.Produced by Emily Naylor for the BBC World Service.(Image: (L) Tiff Allen courtesy of Tiff Allen. (R) Sarah Anvari courtesy of Sarah Anvari.)

Traditionally women often take on much of the responsibility for practical and emotional support for a family as well as passing on family knowledge and traditions. But is the role still relevant? Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from Canada and the UK about being a modern matriarch.All her life, Helen Knott has looked to the strong women in her indigenous community for guidance, absorbed their stories and admired their independence. When her mother and grandmother died she tried to step into the roles they'd held in community. Her book Becoming a Matriarch is a love letter to the eldest daughters of families who often carry invisible responsibilities.Tanika Gupta is an award-winning playwright British playwright whose work celebrates her Bengali culture and often challenges gender and race stereotypes. She has worked across theatre, television, radio and film. Her latest play A Tupperware Of Ashes is about a restaurateur with dementia and the impact on her three children of looking after her. Tanika wrote the play after her own mother died from cancer. It will be screened internationally by the National Theatre later this year. Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Tanika Gupta credit Oscar May. (R) Helen Knott courtesy Duckworth Books.)

Musicians from China and Syria tell Datshiane Navanayagam about taking up traditional instruments and introducing them to western audiences.Wu Man is one of the world's foremost players of the pipa: a four-stringed Chinese lute which dates back 2000 years. She's also a composer and passionate advocate for Chinese traditional music.Maya Youssef from Syria is hailed as ‘queen of the qanun,’ the 78-stringed Middle Eastern plucked zither. Her award-winning intense and thoughtful music performances are rooted in the Arabic classical tradition but forge pathways into jazz, Western classical and Latin styles.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Maya Youssef credit Igor Studio. (R) Wu Man credit Call the Shots Photography.)

Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women from Costa Rica and Switzerland about how animal behaviour is studied and what it reveals about life on our planet. Marta Manser from Switzerland is a Professor of Animal Behaviour at the University of Zurich. She is the project director of the Kalahari Meerkat Project and has studied the species for nearly thirty years. Marta’s work has significantly improved our understanding of meerkat social structures, vocal communication, and group coordination. Dr Gloriana Chaverri is an Associate Professor at the University of Costa Rica and a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. She began her work with bats by investigating their mating systems and social organization. Recently she has been focusing on bat vocal communication.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Marta Manser courtesy of Marta Manser. (R) Gloriana Chaverri courtesy of Gloriana Chaverri.)

Music therapists from Spain and the UK tell Datshiane Navanayagam about the role music can have reducing isolation and easing some symptoms of dementia.Professor Melissa Mercadal-Brotons teaches music therapy at Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya. She was president of the World Federation of Music Therapy and her clinical and research work focuses on the impact of music on people with dementia. Amina Hussain is Manchester Camerata’s principal flute and resident music therapist. She runs sessions with groups of people with dementia that revolve around improvisation where everyone has an instrument that’s easy to play. She says the alleviation of symptoms like anxiety, isolation and confidence are wonderful to see.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Amina Hussain. Credit: Amina Hussain. (R) Melissa Mercadal-Brotons. Credit: Melissa Mercadal-Brotons.)

The ability to understand and share the feelings of others is a fundamental part of what makes us human. But is our ability to empathise with others at risk? If so, what could the consequences be for the next generation? Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women from the UK and Denmark who see empathy as a crucial skill for children to have for their wellbeing and in order for society to function. Leslee Udwin is a Bafta winning film-maker turned activist. She is the founder of Think Equal, a global education initiative that integrates social and emotional learning into early childhood education to promote empathy and equality. Her work has received international recognition, including endorsements from global leaders and the United Nations. Iben Sandahl is a psychotherapist and author specializing in Danish parenting principles. She developed a methodology for teaching empathy in classrooms as part of an Erasmus+ project and has created a toolkit used by hundreds of teachers in four countries over three years.Producer: Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Leslee Udwin. Credit: Claus Boesen. (R) Iben Sandahl. Credit: Signe Bay)

Ella Al-Shamahi talks to sports psychologists from the US and South Africa about helping athletes achieve peak performance mentally and physically. Now seen as an essential part of any elite team, as well as being involved in maintaining good team dynamics they support athletes coping with competition stress, injury, and those preparing for retirement. Dr Koketjo Tsebe has worked with various national sporting codes in South Africa. She was a team psychologist for Banyana Banyana and supported the team during the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. She is also a team psychologist for the national softball team and is part of the South Africa Olympic team heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. Dr Kensa Gunter works with athletes in the US to help strengthen the mental aspects of performance. She’s involved with teams and individuals at high school and college as well Olympic hopefuls and elite athletes in tennis, the NFL and both the men’s and women’s NBA. Working in Atlanta she also advises coaches, athletic trainers, governing bodies and sports nutritionists.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Kensa Gunta credit Katlyne Hill. (R) Koketjo Tsebe courtesy Koketjo Tsebe.)

How are extraterrestrial spaces being designed? Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two space architects from Austria and the US to hear about how living spaces will be created for the moon and beyond. Barbara Imhof from Austria is a renowned space architect and co-founder of LIQUIFER Systems Group, specializing in designing sustainable habitats for space exploration. She collaborates with NASA and ESA on projects like the Mars Analog Habitat and inflatable lunar habitats. Barbara's work integrates architecture, technology, and human factors to advance space exploration and inspire sustainable design on Earth. Melodie Yashar is an Amercian architect and technologist focused on advancing human space exploration through innovative architecture and construction technologies. She has worked on projects such as Mars Dune Alpha and the Mars Ice House, emphasizing sustainable habitats for space environments. Melodie co-founded SEArch+ (Space Exploration Architecture) and collaborates with NASA on extraterrestrial construction initiatives.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Melodie Yashar credit Regan Morton. (R) Barbara Imhof credit Bruno Stubenrauch.)

Judo is a powerful practice that cultivates discipline, resilience and community. It's also an incredible test of physical and mental strength. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two top female judo competitors to find out what it takes to be an elite athlete.Tina Trstenjak is a recently retired Slovenian judoka and Olympic gold medallist in the women's 63 kg category at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She has also secured multiple World and European Championship titles, solidifying her status as one of the top competitors in her weight class. recently retired, she works for the International Judo Federation as an expert and referee observer. Sandrine Billiet is from Belgium and has also competed for Cape Verde internationally including at the 2019 World Judo Championships and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She says judo sustained her through her teenage years and the long illness of her mother. She works for the World Olympians Association.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Sandrine Billiet courtesy International Judo Federation. (R) Tina Trstenjak credit Gabriela Murgeanu-Sabau.)

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to ‘Tine Zekis from the US and Hira Ali from Pakistan, two career coaches seeking to understand and reexamine what imposter syndrome really means, as well as offer their advice on how to overcome it.‘Tine Zekis has dedicated her career to helping women of colour succeed in the workplace. In 2022, she founded an organisation which provides women with key insights on salary negotiation, career moves and imposter syndrome called Getting Black Women Paid. ‘Tine is the author of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome at Work: The Black Woman's Guide to Conquer Perfectionism, Stop Overthinking & Thrive in Your Career. Hira Ali had been feeling symptoms of imposter syndrome long before discovering the term existed. It wasn’t until her article for The Huffington Post about the topic went viral that she realised just how pervasive the experience is, and began mentoring and coaching others. She is the author of two books: Her Way To The Top: A Guide to Smashing the Glass Ceiling and Her Allies: A Practical Toolkit to Help Men Lead Through Advocacy. Produced by Elena Angelides (Image: (L) 'Tine Zekis credit Noor Naseer. (R) Hira Ali credit Sabiha Hudda-Khaku.)

Laughter isn't just for fun - it's a powerful tool that strengthens social bonds, enhances group dynamics and fosters emotional connection. It’s also great for our health. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two specialists about why having a laugh works. Professor Sophie Scott is a British cognitive neuroscientist whose research has helped millions of people better understand and appreciate the use of laughter in social interactions. She is the director of the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience where she also runs a lab. Dr Disa Sauter is a social psychologist at the University of Amsterdam who leads the Positive Emotions Project (PEP). This initiative seeks to explore the unique benefits of various positive emotions. A key focus of her work is investigating how laughing can strengthen social bonds and enhance overall well-being.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Disa Sauter courtesy of Disa Sauter. (R) Sophie Scott, credit Small Wardour Studios.)

How do you report on what is going on in your country when it is no longer safe for you to be there? Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women journalists who are living away from their home.Hind al-Eryani is a freelance journalist and human rights advocate from Yemen. She publishes a blog and features in international media like The Washington Post and France’s TV5. She has covered the war in her country, written about women's rights and led a campaign against the use of Gat, a mild narcotic leaf common in Yemen. After facing threats to her life she now lives in Sweden with her daughter.Journalist Nazeeha Saeed, was arrested and detained by Bahraini authorities while covering protests in the country for France 24 TV and Radio Monte Carlo. Nazeeha says she was subjected to torture and abuse, but remained in Bahrain for five years trying to continue her journalism despite attempts to restrict and silence her. She eventually left and now lives in Germany.Producer: Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Nazeeha Saeed, credit Hamza Qabbani. (R) Hind Al Eryani, credit Jesper Anhede.)

Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to Lilian Olivia Orero and Nighat Dad about the scale of harassment women face on the internet.Lilian Olivia Orero is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, award-winning writer and champion of women’s digital rights. She is the founder of the community-based organisation SafeOnlineWomen-Kenya. Lilian Olivia recently served as the youngest person on a UN led programme aimed at ending violence against women and girls.Nighat Dad is a Pakistani lawyer and founder of Digital Rights Foundation, a charity organisation focused on cyber harassment, data protection and free speech online in Pakistan and South Asia. As a feminist and pioneer for women's rights activism in Pakistan, Nighat has raised awareness of Pakistani patriarchy.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Lilian Olivia Orero, credit Daniel Samwel. (R) Nighat Dad, courtesy of Nighat Dad)

In recent years women have overtaken men as the majority on allotments and community gardens. These spaces for growing fruit and vegetables to eat at home have been peaceful places that provide families with healthy food. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women from Kenya and Ukraine about the appeal of these plots.JC Niala is a writer, academic and creative from Kenya who has written about the history of allotments. Alongside Greenpeace, she has co-created ‘The Waiting List’, an allotment-sized artwork highlighting the significant demand and lengthy waiting lists for allotments. Olia Hercules is a Ukrainian cook and author of the award-winning Mamushka cook book. Raised in rural Ukraine she later moved to London where she missed the fresh tastes of homegrown food. This led her to start the lengthy process of securing an allotment, which she says helps make a place feel like ‘home’, particularly during times of war and displacement. They've written essays for a book celebrating allotment life called This Allotment: Stories of Growing, Eating and Nurturing.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) JC Niala, courtesy of JC Niala. (R) Olia Hercules, credit Joe Woodhouse.)