Woman's Hour

There are two new books about the experience of caregiving: Who Cares: the hidden crisis of caregiving and how we solve it by Emily Kenway and Mothercare: on ambivalence and obligation by acclaimed American novelist, Lynne Tillman. Both Emily and Lynne cared for their mothers. There are differences in their stories, but also many shared experiences, experiences that apply to vast swathes of populations around the world who undertake unpaid caring for spouses, relative and friends. Lynne and Emily join Nuala in the studio. When Sheilagh and her husband offered to house a mother and her daughters fleeing from Ukraine little did they realise that the girls were musical prodigies and that their music would stop passers by in the street. Sheilagh and 17 year old Khrystyna join Nuala to tell their story. On Thursday the another series of Bridgerton will be available and focusses on Queen Charlotte. Described as a spin-off, it goes back in time to chronicle how the young queen at just seventeen finds herself married to the new King George III. Dr Olivette Oteli, research professor at SOAS explains who she was, what we know about her life and if there is any credibility to the longstanding speculation that she was the first woman of colour in the Royal family.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

The book Honey, Baby, Mine is a joint project of mother/daughter actors Diane Ladd, and Laura Dern. Working together is not unusual for these two as over decades they have taken their connection onto our screens but as fictional parent and child. Now 87 and 56, they have both had, and continue to have, critically-acclaimed careers with many character roles, gaining them numerous awards and nominations. They join Nuala to discuss their latest project. Nurses in England are taking part in what the Royal College of Nursing is calling 'the biggest walkout so far' today, and some teachers are striking tomorrow. Nuala speaks to Dr Susan Milner to talk about these female-dominated sectors taking industrial action.Nuala is also joined by one of the Grassroots women on our Power List, celebrating the 30 most remarkable women in sport in the UK. Somayeh Caesar is a teaching assistant in London and has set up several sporting clubs for women and girls. Service is the new novel by the author and critic Sarah Gilmartin. Famed Dublin chef Daniel Costello who runs a successful high-end restaurant is facing accusations of sexual assault. Set between the present day and the earlier noughties, the story is told from the perspective of three voices- the waitress, the chef, and the chef’s wife. It’s a story of power, abuse, complicity and Metoo. Sarah joins Nuala to discuss her new book. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Emma Pearce

What happens when a woman famous for talking to people, and for her razor sharp wit, is left stranded on a desert island with just herself and a hermit crab for company? Author, comedian, broadcaster and mental health campaigner Ruby Wax decided to spend 10 days completely cut off from the modern world and other humans, and you can see the results on Channel 5 in Ruby Wax : Cast Away. She joins Anita to discuss what it was like being alone on an uninhabited island near Madagascar. In 2018 the people of Ireland voted to repeal the 8th amendment and grant women access to safe and free abortions up to 12 weeks into pregnancy. Ireland was promised ‘excellent’ abortion services but what is the reality 5 years on? On Wednesday, an independent review of abortion services was released that proposed 10 major changes to legislation. Anita is joined by Dr Deirdre Duffy, a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Lancaster University who was involved in putting together the evidence base for the review.Currently celebrating her 30th year in business, the celebrity colourist Jo Hansford MBE has been described as the “best tinter on the planet”. She started off cutting hair in her parents’ front room and is now one of the most famous female names in the business with two salons, her own range of products, and clients who’ve included Elizabeth Hurley, Angelina Jolie and Richard Burton, not to mention she is the woman in charge of the Queen Consort’s crowning glory! Jo spoke to Nuala about her career, passion for colour - and the upcoming coronation.Zoe Lyons is known for being funny Radio 4 comedy shows like The New Quiz and seen her on TV shows like Live at the Apollo and QI. She also hosts the BBC2 quiz show 'Lightning'. Over the last couple of years, she has kept herself busy by having (what she describes as) ‘a monumental midlife crisis’. It involved buying a sports car, splitting up with her wife and running a 100k ultra marathon…Along the way her hair also started to fall out. Thankfully Zoe has been able to see the funny side and she’s used the experience to write her stand up show ‘Bald Ambition’…which she is currently touring around the country. Zoe joins Nuala to discuss.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Hanna Ward Editor: Louise Corley

What happens when a woman famous for her razor sharp wit is left stranded on a desert island with just her own company and a hermit crab called Spartacus? Author, broadcaster and mental health campaigner Ruby Wax joins Anita to explain why she decided to spend 10 days completely cut off from the modern world and other humans. The Prime Minister’s mother-in-law, Sudha Murty, has claimed that her daughter is the reason Rishi Sunak is in Number 10. She says she herself succeeded in making her husband a businessman, and now her daughter has done the same. To find out more about this claim and the Murty women, journalist and Executive Editor of Politico Anne McElvoy speaks to Anita.What are all the ruffles doing in summer clothes? Why are baggy dresses back? And how do you go about doing your summer shopping without buying the same dress as eight other people at the party? Grazia journalist Hannah Banks Walker and columnist Martha Alexander join Anita to chat all things summer fashion.The NHS Maternity services are in crisis. But how did we get to this point? What was it like to give birth at the very beginning of the NHS? Dr Emily Baughan, Senior Lecturer at Sheffield University, tells Anita how a forgotten book called National Baby can help us understand our current situation. The book was written by Sarah Campion, who had one of the very first truly ‘national babies’, cared for not just from cradle to grave, but in utero by the newly set up health service.Where are all the female choreographers? Liv Lorent is an award-winning choreographer who has spent her career going against the tide in a male dominated arena. 30 years on, she says not much has changed. She speaks to Anita about how women are rare in the industry, which is still lagging behind in putting women behind as well as centre stage.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lottie Garton

In 2018 the people of Ireland voted to repeal the 8th amendment and grant women access to safe and free abortions up to 12 weeks into pregnancy. Ireland was promised ‘excellent’ abortion services but what is the reality 5 years on? Yesterday an independent review of abortion services was released that proposed 10 major changes to legislation. Dr Deirdre Duffy, a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Lancaster University talks to Anita about the review.As the nation prepares for the coronation, Anita Rani considers the issue of gender and sovereignty. The British people have only experienced Queenship so whilst the coronation of Charles III marks a return to the more traditional role of kingship, it’s a big shift for the public. She’ll be joined by Tracy Borman the author of numerous books and co-curator of Historic Royal Palaces and Professor Anna Whitehorn from City, University of London and Director of the Centre for the Study of Modern Monarchy.The former President of the United States, Donald Trump, is facing a trial over an allegation that he raped an advice columnist nearly three decades ago. Jean Carroll, who is 79, is suing Mr Trump for allegedly assaulting her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s, a charge the former president has denied. The civil trial, which started yesterday, is expected to last two weeks. Amanda Taub from the New York Times joins Anita to talk about how this historical case can be brought after several decades.Under Pressure is an occasional series which looks at the stress put on relationships when life happens. Carla and Brendon met at school, their lives looked to be on one track and then things changed. Jo Morris went to meet them and Carla shared her personal experience about when her fibromyalgia, a long-term condition which can cause widespread, persistent pain, first began.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt Studio manager: Andrew Garrett

As a ceasefire continues in Sudan we look at how the conflict in the country has impacted women. Nuala is joined by CNN Chief International Investigative Correspondent Nima Elbagir.Jo Hansford MBE has been described as the “best tinter on the planet”. She started off cutting hair in her parents’ front room and is now one of the most famous female names in the business with two salons, her own range of products, and clients from Elizabeth Hurley, Angelina Jolie and Richard Burton, not to mention she is the woman in charge of the Queen’s crowning glory! Currently celebrating her 30th year in business, Jo joins Nuala to talk about her career, passion for colour and the upcoming coronation.Labour MP Paula Barker will bid for a new bill next month so care workers are paid minimum wage for travelling time between appointments to close a loophole which campaigners say means care workers' pay dips below the legal minimum. She joins Nuala to discuss.Fran Hill experienced the foster care system first-hand in the 70s, and her first novel Cuckoo in the Nest, explores what that life can be like for teenagers in care. Fran joins Nuala to discuss how her own experiences informed her writing and her career in teaching.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Hanna Ward SM: Andrew Garrett

Stella Assange is the wife of Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, a whistle-blowing platform that publishes classified material provided by anonymous sources. He is currently being held in Belmarsh Prison pending extradition to the US, where he is wanted for 18 criminal charges related to obtaining and publishing classified information. Stella is leading a campaign to fight his extradition, which has been depicted in a new documentary, Ithaka. She tells Nuala why she thinks Julian should be released, how they first met and the impact of the campaign on their two young children. Award-winning comedian Zoe Lyons tells Nuala about her ‘monumental' midlife crisis. It involved buying a sports car, having a brief marital separation and running a 100k ultra marathon… badly. Along the way, her hair started to fall out. Thankfully, Zoe has been able to explore the funny side and create her stand-up show Bald Ambition. Nurses are set to be given body-worn cameras in a crackdown on hospital sexual assaults under new government plans. A recent report published by The Women’s Rights Network revealed that thousands of sex attacks have been reported in hospitals across England and Wales in the past 4 years. Nuala is joined by Heather Binning, Founder of The Women’s Rights Network, and Catriona Rubens, a solicitor at human rights law firm Leigh Day. Dr Lil Stevens recently found out that her grandfather, Captain Leicester Stevens, had taken part in an expedition to find a dinosaur in the rainforests of the Congo known as the Congo 'thunder lizard' (later dismissed as a hoax) following World War 1. Lil, who works at a palaeontologist, has dedicated her career to studying fossils and was amazed to discover the family connection.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

It's been reported that a draft law that would recognise feminism as an extremist ideology is under consideration by Russia’s state duma - that's the lower chamber of parliament. Nuala asks the prominent women’s rights activist and opposition politician Alena Popova if this is a worrying time for feminists in the country.Yesterday BBC Radio 1's Adele Roberts ran the London Marathon and broke the world record for the fastest time run by a woman with a stoma. Adele was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer two years ago and is very open and honest about daily life with her stoma, who's called Audrey. She spoke to Anita Friday ahead of the race - and joins Nuala today to celebrate her achievement.England's Lionesses captain, and no. 1 on our 2023 Power List, Leah Williamson, will no longer be able to play in the World Cup this summer. She has ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. She and her Arsenal team mate Beth Mead are just two of the footballers out of action with the same injury. So why are women six times more likely to suffer this type of injury? And what impact be on the England team? Nuala talks to Fiona Tomas, women's sports reporter for The Telegraph.Another chance to hear Under Pressure, our series looking at what happens to relationships when couples are put under extreme strain - how do they cope? Today we hear from Kate and Annie. They had been together for more than thirty years when Annie became ill. In 2021 they told their story to our reporter Jo Morris. Sadly, Annie died at the end of January this year. Kate was happy for this interview to be repeated as a tribute to her beloved wife.The US Supreme Court has preserved access to a commonly used early abortion pill, ruling that the drug Mifepristone can remain available while a legal case continues. This has been described as the most significant case since the Supreme Court ended the nationwide right to abortion last year, by overturning the landmark 1973 Roe V Wade. Emma Long, Associate Professor of American Literature and Politics at the University of East Anglia, joins Nuala to discuss.

A second woman has come forward alleging that she was raped by two male colleagues when she worked at the Confederation of British Industry. Anita Rani speaks to the Guardian journalist who uncovered the story, Anna Isaac.Is 'therapy speak' making us selfish? The language of the therapist’s couch has slowly seeped into everyday life, particularly online where words like ‘boundaries’, ‘self-care’ and ‘narcissist’ are increasingly common. But when it comes to friendships, is the idea of self-care making us give up on them too easily? Sociologist and writer Amy Charlotte Kean talks to Nuala McGovern about how our relationships are being affected.The Secret Life of Bees was a New York Times bestseller for more than 125 weeks and was made into an award-winning film. Now the book has been adapted by Lynn Nottage, a playwright and screenwriter, for the stage. Anita Rani talks to Lynn, the only woman to have won the Pulitzer prize for drama twice, about her adaptation.As the government prepares to launch the first nationwide test of a new emergency alert system on our smartphones on Sunday 23 April, domestic abuse charities are concerned about the potential risk to those in abusive relationships. Nuala McGovern speaks to Ellie Butt, Head of policy, public affairs and research at the charity Refuge.Anita Rani is joined by Maggie Murphy, the CEO of Lewes Football Club. Maggie featured on our Power List highlighting 30 women working in sport in the UK. Maggie discusses why the club is so unique and how women’s football should grow.Have you been watching Race Across The World? For its third series those involved are travelling from West to East Canada. Nuala McGovern talks to the only all-female team taking part - Cathie Rowe and Tricia Sail - two best friends, both in their late 40's who set out on a journey of a lifetime.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lottie Garton

Academy award-winner Rachel Weisz joins Anita Rani to talk about her new series Dead Ringers, a psycho-sexual thriller about identical twins who are gynaecologists and obstetricians. It is a new adaptation of the 1988 film starring Jeremy Irons, in which Rachel plays twins Elliot and Beverly Mantle. She explains why it was important to her to adapt the story with female leads, and the technical process in performing both characters and what it felt like to watch someone giving birth.Anita is joined by Maggie Murphy, the CEO of Lewes Football Club. Maggie featured on our Power List highlighting 30 women working in sport in the UK. Maggie discusses why the club is so unique and how women’s football should grow. The US Supreme Court has delayed its decision on the abortion pill Mifepristone - until midnight Friday. Allowing access to the drug which is used for more that half of all U.S. abortions. The Supreme Court was asked to look into the matter at the request of President Joe Biden’s Administration after two federal judges issued opposing rulings on its use. This is the most significant case since the Supreme Court ended the nationwide right to abortion last year, by over turning the landmark 1973 Roe V Wade. But how much can we read into this delay? We ask associate Professor of American Literature and Politics at University of East Anglia Emma Long. The Radio 1 DJ and presenter Adele Roberts joins Anita ahead of the London Marathon on Sunday. This is Adele's third marathon but her first since she was diagnosed with bowel cancer and she’s trying to break a World Record in the process! Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Emma Pearce

Published in 2001, ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ was a New York Times bestseller for more than 125 weeks and was made into an award-winning film starring Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys in 2008. Now the book has been adapted by Lynn Nottage, a playwright and screenwriter, for the stage. It is on at the Almeida Theatre in London and Anita Rani talks to Lynn Nottage, the only woman to have won the Pulitzer prize for drama twice, about her adaptation.New research by the pensions and investment company, Royal London, shows that women are being hit harder by the rising cost of living than men and are facing higher monthly costs on a lower average income. Women are more likely to have made cutbacks in day-to-day spending to cope and around one in three say they could only afford an unexpected bill of up to £500 from either their income or savings. Anita Rani is joined by Clare Moffat, a Finance Expert, to go through the figures and Amber Proctor, youth and community worker at Hexham Youth Initative in Northumberland.A rise in popularity of gel nail products is leading to increasing numbers of people developing allergies that can affect their future healthcare options, according to dermatologists. Some imported products are thought to contain high levels of chemicals known as acrylates, which can be harmful in liquid form. The allergies can prevent people having medical procedures such as joint replacement and cataract surgeries. Dr. Emma Wedgeworth, Consultant Dermatologist and Lucy Tucker, a nail technician working in the film industry discuss the issues. Author, Liv Little, founder and former editor of gal-dem, the award-winning online and print magazine for women of colour, publishes her debut novel today. Called Rosewater it introduces us to Elsie; a sexy, funny and fiercely independent 28-year old poet living in South London. Liv joins Anita in the Woman’s Hour studio.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt Studio manager: Bob Nettles

Kristine Kujath Thorp is the star of new ‘unromantic comedy’ Sick of Myself. The film follows the unhealthy and competitive relationship between bored waitress Signe and her boyfriend Thomas; both self-proclaimed narcissists obsessed with attention. When Thomas suddenly breaks through as a contemporary artist, Signe decides to do something drastic to attract sympathy and go viral. Kristine joins Nuala to talk about playing a true anti-hero. We talk to BBC presenter Yalda Hakim about how the UN might take the "heartbreaking" decision to pull out of Afghanistan if it cannot persuade the Taliban to let local women work for the organisation. In January the government announced that it would amend the Victims Bill currently going through parliament so that children born as a result of rape in England and Wales will be officially recognised as victims of crime. In a powerful new BBC documentary ‘Out of the Shadows: Born from Rape’, Sammy Woodhouse, the campaigner, and victim of the Rotherham grooming scandal, who was just 15 when she became pregnant hears for the first time from mothers as well as children born from rape, and she tells us why she is calling for more support for those affected. Sammy is joined by ‘Eva’, who tells her story. Have you been watching Race Across The World? The BBC 1 programme where travellers can choose any route they like - but no flights or phones are allowed. Now in it's third series those involved are travelling from West to East Canada - the second biggest country in the world. The partnerships that you see between the pairs taking part are just as compelling as the wonderful Canadian landscapes on display. Nuala talks to the only all female team taking part Cathie Rowe and Tricia Sail - two best friends, both in their late 40's who set out on a journey of a lifetime. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Steve Greenwood

A new report from the women’s and equalities committee is calling on the government to eliminate what it calls ‘appalling disparities in maternal deaths between black and white women’. Black women are 3.7 times more likely to die in pregnancy, childbirth or six weeks afterwards than white women. Nuala discusses the issues with MP Caroline Nokes, who chairs the committee, and Sandra Igwe, who founded the Motherhood Group to support black women. As the government prepares to launch the first nationwide test of a new emergency alert system on our smartphones this Sunday afternoon at 3pm, domestic abuse charities are concerned about the potential risk to domestic abuse survivors. Nuala speaks to Ellie Butt, Head of policy, publc affairs and research at the charity Refuge.Last year the libel trial between feuding footballers' wives, Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy, gripped the nation. Now, the legal tussle has moved from the Royal Courts of Justice to London's West End stage in a show called Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial. Nuala talks to the director, Lisa Spirling, and adapter, Liv Hennessy, to find out how they turned seven days of court transcripts into a play. The former European Champion gymnast Ellie Downie is No 4 on our Woman’s Hour Power List. In 2020 Ellie spoke out about systemic abuse in the world of gymnastics – contributing to a major independent review into the sport. She retired from gymnastics in January this year – in order to protect her own mental health. She joins to discuss what impact she thinks her honesty about her own experiences has had long term.Multi-award-winning Scottish smallpiper Brighde Chaimbeul is a BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winner, and is performing at King's Place this weekend in a concert that showcases the Scottish smallpipes.Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Karen Dalziel

Ian Paterson, who became known as the butchering breast surgeon, is currently serving a 20-year jail term after being convicted of 17 counts of wounding with intent and 3 counts of unlawful wounding. Now the Sunday Times has revealed that 27 inquests have been opened as a result of investigating the deaths of 650 of his patients. Nuala speaks to campaigner Debbie Douglas, who was one of Mr Paterson’s patients, and the Sunday Times Health Editor Shaun Lintern.Is 'therapy speak' making us selfish? The prescriptive language of the therapist’s couch has slowly seeped into everyday life, particularly online where words like ‘boundaries’, ‘self-care’ and ‘narcissist’ are increasingly common. But when it comes to friendships, is the idea of self-care making us give up on them too easily? Sociologist and writer Amy Charlotte Kean talks to Nuala about how our relationships are being affected.In the next in the Woman’s Hour Girl’s World series, Ena Miller has been talking to three girls in Glasgow, Saskia, Francesca and Olivia all of whom are 13 and 14 years of age. We often talk about girls and their lives on Woman’s Hour but we rarely talk to them, so Ena asks them - do they feel listened to? Award-winning playwright and actor Lolita Chakrabarti joins Nuala in the Woman's Hour studio to talk about the new play 'Hamnet'. Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel of the same name tells the story of the death of Shakespeare’s 11 year old son as she would have us believe it happened. Having sold more than 1.5m copies the story has now moved from paper to stage at the RSC in Stratford Upon Avon thanks to an adaptation by Lolita. She'll tell us why she was so drawn to telling the story of the people around Shakespeare.A new BBC Africa Eye documentary, Uganda’s Stolen Innocence, investigates the increasing levels of sexual violence and incest in Uganda, particularly in the North. Documentary producer Nicola Milne and Ugandan lawyer Eunice Lakaraber Latim join Nuala to talk about the lack of faith in the justice system and how the legacy of the insurgency led by Joseph Kony fuelled this issue further.

The writer Hadley Freeman stopped eating when she was 14, and spent the next three years in and out of hospital, battling with anorexia. Now in her mid-forties, she says she didn’t completely close the door on the disease until relatively recently. In Good Girls – A Story and Study of Anorexia, she gives an unflinching account of what happened to her and looks at what happens to girls who become anorexic now; what we know and what we don’t about the mental illness.Brian Friel’s classic play Dancing at Lughnasa has opened at the National Theatre. Telling the story of the five Mundy sisters, two of the actors, more recently on our screens in Derry Girls - Siobhan McSweeney and Louisa Harland - discuss their new roles.Emma Booth is on the Woman's Hour Power List, this year focussed on women in sport. Emma impressed the judges as she took a public stand against major golf brand TaylorMade and their lack of female imagery and golf products for women. She reflects on speaking out against such a well-known company and how it is to be a woman in golf.The conservative peer Baroness Sayeeda Warsi has criticised the home secretary Suella Braverman for using "racist rhetoric". She says her recent comments on small boats and grooming gangs have "emboldened racists". We ask her why she's decided to speak out. Have you ever heard an interview with a robot on the radio? We speak to the world’s first ultra-realistic artist robot, Ai-Da, and her creator, Aidan Meller.What’s it like to become a pop star at almost 46? Twenty years ago Alexis Strum had a record deal and achieved her dream to make an album, but then it was pulled. She walked away from music – until now. She shares her story with Nuala.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lucy Wai Editor: Louise Corley

The fashion designer Dame Mary Quant, best known for popularising the mini skirt which helped define the swinging sixties has died at the age of 93. The Telegraph's fashion writer Melissa Twigg who knew Mary and the fashion Amber Butchart discussed her impact and legacy.Sumayya Vally has been described as one of the most exciting, innovative and fresh voices in architecture, she's featured on the TimesNext100 list, and was the youngest ever architect to design the iconic Serpentine Pavilion in Hyde Park. Now she is the woman behind the innaugral Islamic Arts Biennal in Saudi Arabia, which aims to bridge past, present and future of Islamic culture through a unique multi-sensorial experience. Sumayya joins Anita to talk about how her upbringing as an Indian muslim in South Africa has shaped her view on the world and the structures she creates.A new report highlights concerns about infants with non-accidental injuries being missed by clinicians in busy A&E departments. The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch has examined serious case reports of infants being harmed and initially sent away without safeguarding teams being alerted. Their findings suggest factors such as lack of curiosity and lack of specific national guidance for Emergency Departments could be at play.Emma Booth is on the Woman's Hour Power List, this year focussed on women in sport. Emma impressed the judges as she took a public stand against major golf brand TaylorMade and their lack of female imagery and golf products for women. Emma joins Anita to discuss speaking out against such a well-known company and how it is to be a woman in golf. As we head into peak hen do season, Anita will be discussing the rise of the "healthy hen do" with Hannah Dean who set up her own hen party company as a direct result of her divorce, and writer Ellie Steafal who went on six hen parties last year alone.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

The conservative peer Baroness Sayeeda Warsi has criticised the home secretary Suella Braverman for using "racist rhetoric". She says her recent comments on small boats and grooming gangs have "emboldened racists". Baroness Warsi held a number of ministerial roles in the coalition government before resigning in 2014. Anita asks her why she's decided to speak out now.If you’ve had breast cancer – what do you know about the signs the disease may have progressed? The charity Met UP UK says the information given to the 55,900 people diagnosed every year is very patchy. Every day, 31 women in the UK die from secondary breast cancer, which is incurable. In Greater Manchester every patient is provided with an infographic in their end of treatment plan, about signs to look out for. NHS England says it has adopted this in its guidelines but can’t mandate every health trust uses it. We speak to Jo Taylor from METUP UK and oncologist Carlo Palmieri from Clatterbridge Health Centre about why this is important.In November 2005 police constable Sharon Beshenivsky she was shot and killed as she responded to an alarm at a travel agent in Bradford. She was with a colleague PC Teresa Millburn who was also shot but survived. Today, a 74-year old man is due to appear in court charged with Sharon's murder after being extradited from Pakistan. Anita speaks to Julie Langford, a journalist at BBC Radio Leeds who was at the scene the day after it happened.For the first time ever the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has begun collating data on the number of women undergoing labiaplasty where women want to reduce the size of the labia. It’s in response to the increased demand for the procedure which some fear could be driven by either body dysphoria or the prevalence of pornography. Anita Rani talks to cosmetic surgeon Dr Paraskevi Dimitriadi and psychologist Elizabeth Ritchie about the trend."Cluttercore" and "Clustercore" are the latest interior design trends popping up on social media. Minimalism is out, and rooms bursting at the seams with clashing colours and loads of knick-knacks are in. But it’s more than just having lots of items everywhere. You have to arrange the items in curated vignettes. So, how is it done? When does it become clutter? And, what's the history behind our desire to organise and curate? Anita is joined by Claire Bingham author of The New Naturalists: Inside the Homes of Creative Collectors, and Dr Vanessa Brown, senior lecturer at the Nottingham School of Art & Design at Nottingham Trent University.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Bob Nettles

Brian Friel’s classic play Dancing at Lughnasa has opened at the National Theatre in London. Telling the story of the five Mundy sisters, two of the actors, more recently on our screens in Derry Girls – newly-Bafta nominated Siobhan McSweeney (AKA Sister Michael) and Louisa Harland (AKA Orla McCool) - join Nuala McGovern in the Woman’s Hour studio. UN experts have warned the UK government that its treatment of unaccompanied asylum seeker children is increasing the risk that they could be trafficked and is breaching international law. A statement issued yesterday expressed concern about the fate of children who had gone missing and has urged that the government does more to protect them. Siobhán Mullally is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking.Laura Trevelyan and 6 members of her family earlier this year travelled to Grenada to issue a public apology to the people of the Caribbean Island for her family’s links to the slave trade. The Trevelyan family is donating more than £100,000 in reparations. Now Laura is campaigning full time on the Caribbean’s fight for reparatory justice. And later this month she is launching a new group composed of families in Britain, with similar backgrounds, ancestors who were slave owners. Yesterday a 19-year-old who stabbed another teenager to death in a quiet Somerset town was found guilty of murder. Joshua Delbono stabbed 16-year-old Charley Bates in Radstock, Somerset, on 31 July last year. It was Delbono's mother Donna who called the police and told them her son had killed Charley. This is a very serious crime which perhaps made it a clear cut decision for Donna Delbono to call the police but what about when it comes to other issues, if you knew your teenage child was taking or dealing drugs, stealing, or maybe drink driving - Would you ever call the police on your child? If, so at what point would you do it? Former detective superintendent Shabnam Chauhdri and former Conservative MP, parent and now criminal barrister Anna Soubry discuss.You may well have heard of Emmeline Pankhurst who was a leading figure in the suffragette movement, which called for the right for women to vote….But what about Kitty Marshall - one of Emmeline Pankhurst’s bodyguards? Emelyne Godfrey’s new book Mrs Pankhurst’s Bodyguard shines a light on Kitty Marshall and how she helped Mrs Pankhurst to evade the clutches of the authorities as a member of the Women’s Social and Political Union’s elite team ‘the Bodyguard’.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

The writer Hadley Freeman stopped eating when she was 14, and spent the next three years in and out of hospital, battling with anorexia. Now in her mid-forties, she says she didn’t completely close the door on the disease until relatively recently. In Good Girls – A Story and Study of Anorexia, she gives an unflinching account of what happened to her and looks at what happens to girls who become anorexic now; what we know and what we don’t about the mental illness. Did you know there are 36 new romantic comedy films coming out this year? From big blockbusters like Your Place or Mine featuring Reece Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher to smaller budget hits like Rye Lane. So, are we having a rom com revival? We speak to film director Elizabeth Sankey, whose film Romantic Comedy looked at the history of the genre, and TV and film critic Rhianna Dhillon.The Iranian police force have said that they plan to use smart technology in public places to identify and then penalise women who violate the country’s strict Islamic dress code. This comes a week after a video on social media showed a man throwing yoghurt over two women for not wearing a hijab. Nuala is joined by Faranak Amidi, the BBC’s Near East Women's Affairs correspondent to discuss. Alexis Strum is an actress and sketch comedian. Twenty years ago she had a record deal and achieved her dream to make an album, but then it was pulled. She walked away from music – until now. A few weeks ago someone asked her to put her music up on Spotify and now she has finally launched her album including the song - Bad Haircut – which was inspired by a breakup, and has had 1 million views on TikTok. She joins Nuala to discuss becoming a pop star at nearly 46.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Emma Pearce

How is the rapid progress in AI technology going to impact women? The Financial Times’ Artificial Intelligence Editor Madhumita Murgia joins Nuala McGovern to talk us through the issues of gender bias, legal grey areas and possible dangers for women as AI becomes more and more central to our lives.Have you ever heard an interview with a robot on the radio? Nuala speaks to the world’s first ultra-realistic artist robot, Ai-Da. Ai-Da will tell us about her latest art project, as well as what she feels about people’s fears around artificial intelligence. Her creator, Aidan Meller, will also join the conversation to tell us why Ai-Da is so ground-breaking.Where does the UK stand when it comes to AI progression? The government have recently released their ‘White Paper’, setting out investment aims for the technology industry. Verity Harding, visiting fellow at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy, to talk us through what’s in the plan for the future. Plus, hear how such investments can truly change the way we live, as Sarah Kerruish, Chief Operating Officer at Kheiron Med, tells us about MIA, the new artificial intelligence that helps radiologists identify 13% more breast cancers.Does Artificial Intelligence really pose a threat to our jobs? And how will it impact women in the workplace? Professor Gina Neff, Executive Director of the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy at Cambridge University, talk about the risk for women and what needs to be done to level the playing field when it comes to AI in the workplace.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lottie Garton

The climate justice activist Mikaela Loach, who took the UK government to court for giving tax breaks to fossil fuels companies, discusses her new book It's Not That Radical: Climate Activism To Transform Our World. Who is 'Stevenage Woman'? The Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is being urged to focus on this female swing voter group in a new report by left-leaning think tank Labour Together. But how useful are these profiles and why are they used? With Rosie Campbell, professor of politics and Patrick English, associate director at YouGov.The lawyer turned DJ Kavita Varu, who won the Inspiring Indian Women 'She inspires Rising Star' award. It's 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed - Aoife Smith, the programme manager for Community Dialogue, an organisation which aims to build trust amongst people who hold opposing political, social and religious views and Hilary Copeland who is the Director of Fighting Words NI, an arts and education charity for children and young people discuss their work to ensure that peace continues in Northern Ireland.Are you afraid of the big, bad wolf? Where does this fear come from? Author Erica Berry was determined to find out after researching wild wolves in her home state of Oregon. In her book Wolfish she searches through folklore and literature to see how wolves have become the symbol of predatory men and how that has shaped our fear.The popular 1980s trend of ‘getting your colours done’ is back. The hashtag #colouranalysis has had over 800 million views on TikTok. The journalist Kat Brown who is a big believer in the power of colour, and Nisha Hunjan, founder of Style ME UK, who uses colour analysis discuss. Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Dianne McGregor

Unbeaten for 30 games, last night the Lionesses won Finalissima. Jess Creighton discusses with Tom Garry, who talks about the game last night, the Lionesses road to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and Wales beating Northern Ireland in Cardiff last night.Today marks 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed - bringing peace to Northern Ireland after 30 years of conflict. To mark this Jess Creighton is joined by two women working to continue that peace. Aoife Smith is the programme manager for Community Dialogue, an organisation which aims to build trust amongst people who hold opposing political, social and religious views and Hilary Copeland who is the Director of Fighting Words NI, an arts and education charity for children and young people. Tanya Sarne was the woman behind the fashion brand Ghost. Launched in 1984, it became one of the biggest independent fashion brands in the 90s, famous for its outrageous parties and incredibly wearable but beautiful clothes. An only child to refugee parents, Tanya fell into fashion as an unemployed single mother of two, desperately trying to make a living. She's now written about her extraordinary life in a memoir, Free Spirit.The civil rights group Black Equity Organisation is launching legal action following the Home Secretary's decision to drop three recommendations from the independent Windrush inquiry. The recommendations in question are the establishment of a Migrants’ Commissioner, an increase in the powers of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and the running of reconciliation events. We discuss the reasons behind the judicial review with the CEO of the Black Equity Organisation, Dr Wanda Wyporska.Angie Thomas is the global bestselling author of the novel The Hate U Give which was published in 2017, it became a best-seller and a film. Now, she has turned her hand to writing for younger readers with her new book Nic Blake And The Remarkables. Angie joins Jess Creighton to discuss.Presented by Jess Creighton Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Beverley Purcell

Kavita Varu is a lawyer from Sheffield and a single mother of two who hit rock bottom just as we went into lockdown three years ago. She decided to learn how to DJ, bought some decks and taught herself. She started doing live sessions on social media, has since played in Ibiza and Amsterdam and recently won the Inspiring Indian Women She Inspires Rising Star award.Scientists believe that they have found a new way to administer a drug to prevent post-natal haemorrhage, which is thought to cost the lives of seventy thousand women a year globally. This makes it one of leading causes of maternal deaths worldwide. Tranexamic acid, which is used to control bleeding after giving birth, is usually given intravenously. But after conducting trials in Pakistan and Zambia, researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that it worked well if injected into the body via a muscle.Academic and former international footballer Professor Laura McAllister has made history as the first Welsh woman to be elected to UEFA's executive committee. With a background in sports governance, Laura McAllister says she's on a mission to use her seat at the table to modernise the game and reflect the growth of the sport.Iconic red-carpet looks from Lizzo and Phoebe Waller-Bridge go on display alongside the historic frocks that inspired them this spring. Crown to Couture at Kensington Palace gives audiences the exclusive chance to see Lizzo's spectacular 2022 Met Gala dress and Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Monique Lhuillier gown from the 2019 Emmys alongside original Georgian couture like the Silver Tissue Gown worn at the court of Charles II. We hear from Polly Putnam the curator of the exhibition. Romantic Comedy is the new novel from bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld. Sally, a successful comedy writer in her own right meets Noah a global celebrity and she is thrown into turmoil. Can a 'normal' person date a superstar? It seems to work for her male colleagues who regularly step out with accomplished, beautiful women, so why is Sally so plagued with insecurities? Curtis Sittenfeld joins Anita. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty Starkey

She is best known for her role as the Poplar-based midwife Trixie Franklin, in Call the Midwife. Helen George has also been a star of Strictly Come Dancing, sung with Elton John and at Buckingham Palace to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day. She now brings all her theatrical skills together by stepping into Deborah Kerr's shoes to play the part of Anna in a UK tour of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I.Is ‘Stevenage Woman’ the new ‘Mondeo Man’? The Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is being urged to focus on this female swing voter group in a new report by left-leaning think tank Labour Together. But how useful are these profiles and why are they used? And from ‘Workington Man’ to ‘Essex Man’, why are they typically male? We discuss with Rosie Campbell, Professor of politics and Patrick English, Associate Director at Yougov.A House for Alice is the new novel by Diana Evans, a sequel to the much acclaimed Ordinary People. It is a multigenerational portrait of a black British family, and explores the impact of matriarch Alice’s decision to return to the country of her birth, Nigeria, to live out her later years. Diana joins Nuala in the studio to discuss the inspiration behind the novel. Did you ever flick through Carole Jackson’s hit book ‘Colour Me Beautiful’ to “find your season”? The popular 1980s trend of ‘getting your colours done’ is back. The hashtag #colouranalysis has 766million views on TikTok and you can even find a filter to work out your colours for yourself. So, as we are once again asking ‘what season am I?” We talk to Journalist Kat Brown who is a big believer in the power of colour, and Nisha Hunjan, founder of Style ME UK, who uses colour analysis.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Emma Pearce

On the Woman’s Hour Power List this year, sports reporter Fiona Tomas joins Nuala to discuss the change in kits for the England Women’s football team and her work as a journalist. Climate justice activist Mikaela Loach took the UK government to court for giving tax breaks to fossil fuel companies. Her urgent new book ‘It’s Not That Radical: Climate Action to Transform Our World’ makes the case for tackling the climate crisis in tandem with other inequalities, offering a more hopeful future through practical action. Women affected by the state pension age changes have scored what's been hailed as a major victory in their legal challenge for more compensation. The Government watchdog conceded that part of the investigation into how increases to the state pension age were communicated was flawed and must be reconsidered. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign represents the 3.6 million women who, in lots of cases, only got 12 months' notice of a six year increase to their State Pension age. Angela Madden, the chair of WASPI joins Nuala. In the next in our series about narcissistic mothers we hear the story of a woman we are calling 'Scarlett'. She cut off all contact with the mother she believes is a narcissist and has no regrets. Alison Kinnaird was rejected by Edinburgh Art School when she applied as a teenager. Now she’s one of the world’s leading glass artists – and says that rejection was the best thing that ever happened to her. She joins Nuala to explain why and to talk about some of the remarkable things she’s created.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Nuala McGovern talks to Costanza Hermanin from the European University Institute in Florence and Sarah De Lange from the University of Amsterdam about the success of this new breed of female leader.In Afghanistan, the new school year has started. But for the second year running, a Taliban ban is keeping teenage girls out of school. The BBC World Service has launched a brand-new education series for children in the country aged 11-16 who are deprived from school, including girls whose secondary education has been stopped by the ruling Taliban. It's called Dars, which means 'lesson' in Dari and Pashto, the two national languages in Afghanistan. It is the first multi-platform educational programme for Afghan youth. We hear from one of the presenters of the programme Shazia Haya and one of its producers, Mariam Amam.Are you afraid of the big, bad wolf? Where does this fear come from? Author Erica Berry was determined to find out after researching wild wolves in her home state of Oregon. In her book ‘Wolfish’ she searches through folklore and literature to see how wolves have become the symbol of predatory men and how that has shaped our fear. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Bob Nettles

The Conservative MP Miriam Cates said in the House of Commons that children were being exposed to “graphic” and "age inappropriate" material during their sex education classes. The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has decided to bring forward a review of the Department for Education’s Relationships and Sex Education guidance in England. Two parents, Fiona, a listener and parent of four and Clare Page who was concerned about what her daughter was being taught discuss. Sian Richardson from Pembrokeshire in Wales is Number 12 on our Woman’s Hour Power List 2023. Sian started The Blue-tit Chill Swimmers nearly 10 years ago, a cold water swimming community which now boasts an incredible 100,000 members world-wide. She explains why she’s encouraging people to get in the water and enjoy the outdoors.Leah Williamson, who took the Lionesses to victory at the Euros in 2022, tops the Woman's Hour Power List 2023. She explains what role her mum plays in her success and talks about male allies in women’s football.Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life’s Big Decisions, is written by Stanford professor emeritus Myra Strober, who is an early feminist economist and Abby Davisson, one of Myra's former pupils who is now a social innovation expert. They give detailed advice about navigating the crossroads of finances within a relationship at different life stages.Pessimism is for Lightweights is a new collection of poems by the celebrated performance poet Salena Godden. Salena discusses the collection, how poetry can confront misogyny and injustice, and why she personified death as a woman in her debut novel Mrs Death Misses Death.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Paula McFarlane Editor: Lucinda Montefiore

Taiwan's first female president, Tsai Ing-Weng, arrived in New York yesterday to criticism from China. She is stopping over in the US on her way to Central America, but may meet with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on her return. China says that if it goes ahead, it could lead to a 'serious confrontation'. To find out more about Tsai Ing-Wen and the significance of this trip, Anita speaks to Tessa Wong, the BBC's Asia digital reporter who regularly reports on China.Pessimism is for Lightweights is a new collection of poems by the celebrated performance poet Salena Godden. It consists of 30 poems written to celebrate courage and resistance, including poems responding to the Women's march, period poverty and everyday sexism. Salena joins Anita to discuss the collection, how poetry can confront misogyny and injustice, and why she personified death as a woman in her debut novel Mrs Death Misses Death.Tracey Stevenson describes her experience of using a gambling site. In 2017 she was sent to prison after stealing £1.7 million from the company she worked for, in order to help fund her online gambling addiction. She also works for the St. Giles Trust helping women in the criminal justice system.We have recently heard from two sisters - we are calling them Charlotte and Louise. One had a revelation in therapy that their mother was a narcissist and the realisation has changed her life. The other is more cautious - she knows their mum could be 'volatile' but she has empathy for her.Ena Miller talk to the two sisters together. What impact has all of this had on their relationship? Can they move forward?Kelsie Grieg, or Kels as she's known in the gaming world, made history recently when she became the first woman to qualify for the Call of Duty Challengers Elite tournament. She explains how swapped the football pitch for video games after an injury forced her to give up a promising career on the pitch. Presented by Anita Rani Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Beverley Purcell

New figures show that there is still a huge backlog of criminal cases waiting to get to court. And the worst delays are for rape and sexual offences. Reporter Melanie Abbott talks to a man who will wait 6 years after reporting he was raped in 2018, and the impact it has had on him and his mother who has been fighting to help him. We hear from Rape Crisis about their report Breaking Point, which shows a record high of sexual offence cases waiting to be heard, and outlines possible solutions for reducing them.Anita talks about women, money and love with the authors of a new self help book. Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life’s Big Decisions, is written by two American women, Stanford professor emeritus Myra Strober, who is an early feminist economist and Abby Davisson, one of Myra's former pupils who is now a social innovation expert. They give detailed advice about navigating the crossroads of finances within a relationship at different life stages. Why does everyone want to go viral? And what happens when you do? Anita speaks to writer Julia Boggio who has managed to go viral three times in her life. One of which landed her on the Oprah Winfrey show. But, when Julia wanted to publish her debut novel, Shooters, she was told that she didn’t have enough followers on social media. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands and tried to get her book viral. And it worked. She tells Anita how she managed it.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Hanna Ward Studio Manager: Bob Nettles

She talks to Nuala McGovern about how she’s learned to cope with the condition in the elite sports world as well as the work she’s been doing to support other neurodivergent athletes to fulfil their potential.There’s a new book out, The Equal Parent: how sharing the load helps the family thrive. Paul Morgan-Bentley, head of investigations at The Times, explores why it’s still so rare in this country for parents to spread or split the responsibility of parenthood, particularly early parenthood, and why it’s still expected that women should shoulder this pretty much alone. With him to discuss this and to explore ways the parental load could or should be spread more equally is writer and journalist Nell Frizzell who also has a book out: Holding the Baby: Milk, sweat and tears from the frontline of motherhood.Lexi is an NHS nurse and mum of four, who succeeded in challenging ‘no kids’ barriers in the private rental market on the grounds that such bans disproportionately affect women. Going forward, the Property Ombudsman has determined that blanket bans on renting to families are in breach of its Code of Practice. This news comes as the charity Shelter publishes data which shows 1 in 5 parents in England have been unable to rent somewhere they wanted in the last five years because they have children. Lexi tells her story and we hear from the solicitor Jo Underwood.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Sue Maillot

The Woman's Hour Power List 2023 reveal show is here! This is your chance to hear from the women on our list, showcasing the 30 most remarkable women in sport in the UK right now. Join Nuala McGovern, our judges Jessica Creighton, Ebony Rainford Brent and a studio audience live from the Radio Theatre.Producers: Emma Pearce and Alex Webb Presenter: Nuala McGovern

Earlier this month, the Conservative MP Miriam Cates said in the House of Commons that children were being exposed to 'graphic' and 'age inappropriate' material during their sex education classes. The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has decided to bring forward a planned review of the Department for Education’s Relationships and Sex Education guidance in England. To shed light on what is being taught in schools, and what this review may cover, Nuala McGovern speaks to a range of stakeholders, including headteacher and President of the Association of School and College leaders Evelyn Forde, director of the Sex Education Forum Lucy Emmerson, academic Dr Sophie King-Hill, and Tanya Carter from the Safe Schools Alliance. We also hear from parents and listeners including young people themselves.

Baroness Louise Casey has published the final report on her review into the Metropolitan Police. A female metropolitan police officer and Deputy Commissioner of the Met, Dame Lynne Owens, discuss the findings.Known for shows like Love Island and The Only Way is Essex, social media influencer Georgia Harrison talks about her new TV documentary. It follows her successful legal battle against her former partner who filmed and shared a sex video of the two of them without her consent on the OnlyFans website.Suzi Ruffell is on a mission to find the lighter moments in life as she navigates motherhood, touring the country and anxiety. The comedian's latest show Snappy is a series of confessional stories about settling down, living life with her "bossy toddler" and worrying about absolutely everything. Mabel Constanduros was a trailblazing female broadcaster and comedian on BBC Radio in the early days of the corporation. She created the sitcom as a genre and brought soap operas to the UK. So why has history forgotten her? Mabel’s great-great nephew Jack Shillito and the academic Jennifer Purcell discuss.Presenter Anita Rani Producer: Paula McFarlane Editor: Beverley Purcell

It’s fifty years since six newly elected female traders entered the floor of the London Stock Exchange for the first time after 200 years of exclusion. The number of women working in finance reached a peak in 1997 at almost six-hundred-thousand, but has dropped by more than thirty percent to around four-hundred-thousand last year. Half a century after the first women were allowed onto the floor at the London Stock Exchange, the ‘inequity’ that has held women back in the industry has still not been fully redressed. We talk to Julia Hoggett, CEO of the London Stock Exchange and Beryl Gayler, one of the first female dealers there.Soaps and dramas are increasingly making mainstream issues an integral part of their storylines. Take the current Eastenders storyline following Lola Pearce’s terminal brain tumour diagnosis or Jean Slater’s battle with ovarian cancer in 2019. But what about a drama series that explores a cancer diagnosis through conversations on a social media app? The charity Breast Cancer Now has created the UK’s first group messaging series which consists of voice notes, messages and videos sent between four close friends as they navigate an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis together. Anita is joined by two of the women who inspired the story, Kelly Short and Lurline Thomas, as well as the Associate Director of Nursing and Health Information at Breast Cancer Now, Sally Kum, to discuss whether this could be Wea new way of supporting women with cancer. Suzi Ruffell is on a mission to find the lighter moments in life as she navigates motherhood, touring the country and anxiety. The comedian's latest show Snappy is a series of confessional stories about settling down, living life with her "bossy toddler" and worrying about absolutely everything. Suzi Ruffell joins Anita Rani. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Duncan Hannant

Taking any type of hormonal contraception could increase your risk of getting breast cancer, according to a new study by the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at Oxford Population Health, which is part of the University of Oxford. It’s one of the first big studies into this type of birth control assessing the risk of breast cancer. But headlines like this will be alarming, so, what do we need to know and do? Dr Charlotte Porter, Vice President of Speciality at the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Karis Betts, Senior Health Information Manager at Cancer Research UK talk to Anita.More than 140,000 schoolchildren in England were officially "severely absent" in the summer term of 2022, according to official Department of Education figures, and the number of these pupils, missing at least 50% of classes, is growing. So what can be done about it, and how can the individual contributions of headteachers and teachers make a difference? Anita is joined by Caroline Walker a headteacher in Barrow and Alice Wilcock, Head of Education for The Centre for Social Justice.What are the traits of a narcissistic mother? In the second of a Woman's Hour series, 'Narcissistic Mothers,' reporter Ena Miller meets 'Louise' and talks to her about her late mother. Louise's sister 'Charlotte' thinks their mother was a narcissist, but 'Louise' isn't so sure.Mabel Constanduros was a trailblazing female broadcaster and comedian on BBC Radio in the early days of the corporation. She created the sitcom as a genre and brought soap operas to the UK. So why has history forgotten her? Anita Rani speaks to Mabel’s great-great nephew Jack Shillito and the academic Jennifer Purcell.Presenter: Anita Rani Studio manager: Duncan Hannant

On a special phone in edition of Woman's Hour we look at trust in the police following the review by Baroness Casey into a toxic culture at the Met Police. She found the 'the force has lost the trust and confidence of the people it is supposed to keep safe' and gave shocking examples of sexism, racism and homophobia. The report was commissioned in the aftermath of the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by PC Wayne Couzens, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Since then, we’ve also had the sentencing of former police officer David Carrick, who pleaded guilty to 85 serious offences, including rapes, sexual assaults, false imprisonment, and coercive and controlling behaviour. He is now serving time in jail, for a minimum of 32 years. We want to hear your views - do you trust the police? Would you think twice about asking for help as a woman of colour or if you'd been sexually assaulted? Call Nuala McGovern to have your say on 03700 100 444. Lines open at 0830 Wednesday.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Mangaer: Gayl Gordon

Baroness Louise Casey has today published the final report on her review into the Metropolitan Police. Joining Nuala McGovern to discuss the findings are a female metropolitan police officer, Deputy Commissioner of the Met Police Dame Lynne Owens and London Victim's Commissioner, Claire Waxman, who works alongside the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that victim's voices are heard and discriminatory barriers are tackled.The music journalist Emma Warren has written Dance Your Way Home - part-cultural history, part-memoir – which looks at the ordinary dancing we might do in our kitchens when a favourite tune comes on and speaks to the heart of what it is that makes us move. She joins Nuala to discuss why dance is a language that connects and resonates across time and space.In the first of a new series 'Narcissistic Mothers' Ena Miller meets 'Charlotte' who had a revelation in therapy - she now believes her late mother was a narcissist. How did that shape her life? Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

Known for shows like Love Island and The Only Way is Essex, social media influencer Georgia Harrison talks to Nuala McGovern about her new TV documentary. It follows her successful legal battle against her former partner who filmed and shared a sex video of the two of them without her consent on the OnlyFans websiteA couple’s creative bus stop marriage proposal has captured the hearts of social media users, after Nuala spotted and shared it last week. We hear from Alice Ehrlich who tweeted her to say “this bus stop is where it’s at” after she got on a bus from that same stop and sat next to a man she'd go on to marry... At the heart of the debate on whether transgender women athletes should compete in women's sport involves the complex balance of inclusion, sporting fairness and safety. It's likely to be firmly under the spotlight again in the coming weeks as World Athletics is expected to make a much anticipated decision on whether they will continue to allow transgender women to compete in female international track and field events. The BBC’s Alex Capstick will give us the latest and Nuala is joined by Dr Seema Patel from Nottingham Trent University and former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies to discuss. In 2007, when she was just 19 years old, Reyhaneh Jabbari was sentenced to death for the murder of the man who tried to rape her. She spent seven years on death row, dying at the age of 26. She is heralded as a symbol of resistance for women in Iran and now a new documentary tells her story. ‘Seven Winters in Tehran’ brings together secretly filmed footage, and testimonies from family and friends Nuala talks to the director of the film Steffi Niederzoll and Reyhaneh’s mother Shole Pakravan. Presenter Nuala McGovern Producer Beverley Purcell

Paris Hilton has been called ‘the first influencer’ and is known for being an ‘it-girl’. But behind the paparazzi pictures there’s a darker story. Now for the first time, Paris is telling her story in her own words in her new book Paris: The Memoir. She joins Anita Rani to talk about her life, why she wanted to write her story now, and being a new mother. A major report has been published looking into the experiences of survivors of FGM in accessing post-FGM healthcare in the UK. Nuala McGovern speaks to Dr Laura Jones, University of Birmingham, one of the lead authors on the report; Mama Sylla, a survivor of FGM who has been recognised by the government for her work in raising awareness of FGM and Juliet Albert, Specialist FGM Midwife at Imperial College.Multi-award winning singer-songwriter Annie Lennox has been using her voice for activism for the last 15 years. Now, she is fighting to get garment workers across the world a living wage. In a Woman’s Hour exclusive, Anita Rani speaks to her about her charity, The Circle, her belief in Global Feminism, and what it was like to meet Joni Mitchell. They are joined by Kalpona Akter, an ambassador for The Circle who worked in a garment factory when she was just 12 years old. Ward Thomas are an English modern country-pop duo, composed of twin sisters Catherine and Lizzy. They join Nuala McGovern to talk about their UK tour and brand new album, Music In The Madness, as well as the stigma around country music and how it’s changed.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lottie Garton

Anita and Annie are joined by Kalpona Akter, an ambassador for The Circle who worked in a garment factory when she was just 12 years old. The government’s first Menopause Employment Champion Helen Tomlinson joins the programme to discuss how she will advise employers on improving workplace support for women experiencing menopause symptoms. And we hear about a revival of Tennessee Williams’s 1947 drama of passion, delusion and mental illness – A Streetcar Named Desire. Following a run at the Almeida Theatre in January it has transferred to the West End and opens at the Phoenix Theatre in London on Monday. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of personal losses, leaves her once-prosperous situation to move into a shabby apartment in New Orleans rented by her younger sister Stella and brother-in-law, Stanley. Patsy Ferran and Anjana Vasan, who play Blanche and Stella respectively, join Anita Rani to discuss their characters and the sisters’ relationship.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Tim Heffer

Paris Hilton, reality TV star, so-called 'inventor of the selfie,' and business woman, joins Anita to talk about her new book 'Paris: The Memoir.' The former socialite first appeared on-screen in the early noughties with her hit reality TV show, The Simple Life. Now she’s opening up about her life in the spotlight.Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has unveiled the contents of the Spring Budget in the House of Commons. What has changed for women? Anita is joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at Royal London and Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at the FT to discuss the Chancellor’s plans to tackle the cost of living crisis, reform childcare, pensions and benefits. Some NHS maternity units in England have suspended the use of gas and air, also known as Entonox, in labour wards, after air quality tests showed unsafe levels of nitrous oxide on some maternity wards. Gas and air has been used for decades to help women in labour reduce their pain. But air quality tests have raised the risk of long-term effects for the midwives, nurses and doctors who are exposed to it for a long period of time in often-unventilated labour wards. Gaby Hinsliff, The Guardian columnist has been looking into this developing story.Nearly 30 years after she last donned her legendary jumpsuit, TV presenter Anneka Rice is back on TV screens with a new series of Challenge Anneka. The original programmes aired in the late 1980s and early 1990s and saw her working on more than sixty huge scale projects, including renovating an orphanage in Romania and building a suspension bridge in Cornwall. She joins Woman's Hour to explain how this work changed the image of women on TV, and to discuss some of her fresh, epic challenges.

Today’s budget announcement is expected to include an expansion of free childcare provision for working parents in England for one and two-year-olds. The plans will be outlined by the Chancellor in full later today. Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Johnson joins Nuala McGovern to talk through what the changes could mean for parents looking to get back to work. A major report has been published today, looking into the experiences of survivors of FGM in accessing post-FGM healthcare in the UK. Nuala speaks to Dr Laura Jones, University of Birmingham, one of the lead authors on the report; Mama Sylla, a survivor of FGM who has been recognised by the government for her work in raising awareness of FGM and Juliet Albert, Specialist FGM Midwife at Imperial College.Are children being exposed to inappropriate materials during sex education classes? Nuala discusses with BBC Education Correspondent, Elaine Dunkley.How were the origins of Empire and the British arrival in India in the 17 century shaped by the women in the Mughal Harem? The new book Courting India tells the story of the first English embassy to India, with a focus including the children and the women both in and outside of the Mughal Harem that played a significant role behind the scenes. Nuala speaks to it author, Nandini Das, Professor of Early Modern English Literature and Culture at Oxford University.,Ward Thomas are an English modern country-pop duo, composed of twin sisters Catherine and Lizz.y. They first visited Nashville at the age of 17. They will soon set off on a UK tour, and have a new album, Music In The Madness, which includes themes of Love, family, unity and the healing power of music. They join Nuala to talk about their music and to perform live the song Love Does.Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

Nicola Williams’ new novel Until Proven Innocent sees the return of Lee Mitchell, a young barrister from a working-class Caribbean background, who is strong-armed into defending a supposedly corrupt racist police officer charged with the death of a 15-year-old pastor's son. Nicola served for many years as a criminal barrister, one of the few black women in that job, and draws on her experience of the criminal justice system in her writing. She joins Nuala to discuss juggling being a part-time Crown Court judge with writing, and how she draws on her legal experience in her books.Complaints about police officers' treatment of women are highly unlikely to result in action, according to new police data for England and Wales. The National Police Chiefs' Council says nine in 10 complaints were dropped in the six months to March 2022. We hear from Maggie Blyth, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for violence against women and girls, and Nuala speaks to Sir Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police.The House of Commons recently approved the introduction of exclusion zones around abortion clinics, and now some experts are recommending that the mandatory authorisation of abortions by two doctors should be dropped. To find out more, Nuala McGovern is joined by Fiona de Londras, Professor of Legal Studies at the University of Birmingham, and Professor Kaye Wellings, co-author of a new London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine abortion study.Last year, an NHS Digital survey found that 31 per cent of 17 to 24-year-old women had depression and anxiety. What can be done to help them? A new Policy Centre for the Wellbeing of Young Women and Girls is being set up at a Cambridge University college. Dorothy Byrne is the president of all-female Murray Edwards College and the former head of news at Channel 4 Television. She joins Nuala to explain how and why she created this centre.

As a new Channel 4 documentary is released, Nuala McGovern hears more about her life from director Charlie Russell.Who were the female winners at the Academy Awards last night? What were the surprises and omissions? Who gave the best acceptance speeches? We talk to the film critic Karen Krizanovich and speech writer Heidi Ellert-McDermott.Five women who say they were denied abortions despite risks to their lives are suing the State of Texas. In June last year the US supreme court overturned Roe v. Wade, the law that had made abortion a constitutional right for Americans for nearly half a century. Since the court’s ruling, a dozen states have made abortion illegal and many others have restricted it. We talk to the BBC’s reporter in Washington Holly Honderich about this issue and also hear the latest on the fallout over access to a widely use abortion pill which is becoming increasingly difficult to get. And women in Berlin will soon be allowed to swim topless in public pools after a ruling by the city’s authorities. Will it catch on elsewhere?Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Michael Milham.

What happens when a friendship breaks down? How can you repair it? Should you even try?In this special Sunday podcast, Nuala McGovern brings together all the interviews from Woman's Hour's 'Forever Friends?' series.Annie and Lizzie first met at school, and Lizzie said she believed they were ‘kindred spirits’. But soon after Annie’s first child was born, Lizzie decided to cut off contact. They reflect on this period of silence and how their relationship has changed since they have rekindled the friendship.Daniella and Nataliya – Nat and Dan - also met at school. An argument caused by gossip when they were both 17 led to the break-up of their friendship, but they reunited years later. They are now both in their thirties, living in London. They share their perspectives on how romantic relationships can impact close friendships. Nina is a Woman's Hour listener who contacted the programme after hearing the series. She wanted to share her experience of repairing a long-term friendship. Listener Christina was also inspired to reach out after hearing stories of friendship on Woman's Hour. Having ended contact with three close friends in four years, Christina wanted to ask if she was the reason her friendships kept falling apart. Presented by Nuala McGovern Compilation by Hatty Nash Features produced by Erin Riley

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani education activist and the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate. Since she was shot by a member of the Taliban at just 15, Malala has spent nearly a decade fighting for the educational rights of girls and women across the globe. Now she’s turning her attention to Hollywood, as Executive Producer of the short documentary film Stranger At The Gate. She shares why she’s made this move into the world of film.What happens if you and your partner disagree on whether or not to have children? If you have different opinions, do you walk away from an otherwise happy relationship? Relationship counsellor Val Sampson and Woman’s Hour listener Sarah discuss the healthiest ways to navigate the situation.As the selection of finalists for the Woman's Hour Power List 2023 gets well underway, we speak to one woman who’s been put forward for consideration. Yvette Curtis is the founder of Wave Wahines, a surf club for women and girls. She talks about the power of grassroots sport and the importance of diversity in surfing.One month after a powerful earthquake devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, hundreds of thousands of people still need adequate shelter and sanitation. But why are women and girls disproportionately feeling the aftershocks of the disaster? Novelist and political scientist Elif Shafak shares updates on the situation.Willie Mae Thornton, better known as Big Mama Thornton, wrote the hits ‘Ball N’ Chain’ and ‘Hound Dog’ which won Elvis Presley great acclaim. But why is her contribution to rock and roll rarely recognised? The poet, writer and performer Pamela Sneed discusses the life and legacy of Big Mama Thornton.Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Hatty Nash

Singer-songwriter Mae Muller has been announced as this year’s British entry for Eurovision, she joins Krupa to discuss how excited she is to represent the UK.Watch out Notting Hill, there is a new romantic comedy in town… and this time it’s set in Peckham. It’s called Rye Lane, and it stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as Dom and Yas, two twenty-somethings who are both reeling from bad break-ups. It is the directorial debut of Raine Allen-Miller. She joins Krupa to discuss her journey into directing, her love of South London and how to make an unapologetically happy film.What would you do if someone accused you of bullying them online and it wasn’t true? Well that is what happened to online business consultant and anti-bullying campaigner Lisa Johnson and she has recently won her High Court fight and has been awarded £25,000 in damages. Lisa speaks to Krupa Padhy to tell her story, alongside Lia Perin, a solicitor at Taylor Hampton, a firm specialising in privacy and defamation law.Krupa is joined by Yvette Curtis, founder of Wave Wahines, to discuss her all female surf club.Activist Leila Hassan Howe began her fight for racial justice in the early 70s inspired by the Black Panthers in America. She was a founding member of the Race Today Collective, worked for the Institute of Race Relations and became editor of the Race Today journal in 1986. She joins Krupa to talk about her journey as an advocate for the black community and the launch of Race Today’s on-line archive, which makes accessible a crucial resource for exploring the recent history of Black and Asian protest in Britain.Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Emma Pearce

Emily Watson is starring in a new film ‘God’s Creatures,’ set in a remote Irish fishing village. She plays a mother torn between protecting her son and her own sense of right and wrong. When she provides an alibi for him, the lie rips apart their family and local community. Emily joins Woman’s Hour to talk about her character, women in the oyster farming industry and her career up to now. Krupa Padhy talks to academic Kathleen Stock about The Lesbian Project, a new organisation she is launching today alongside journalist Julie Bindel and the tennis star Martina Navratilova to combat “lesbian erasure” in the UK today. They say they’ve been subsumed into what they describe as “the expanding LGBTQ+ rainbow” which means they’ve lost their autonomous identity with distinct interests and needs. Willie Mae Thornton, better known as Big Mama Thornton, wrote the song ‘Ball and Chain’ which won Elvis Presley great acclaim. She is one of the architects of rock n roll that has been wiped from the performance canon. The poet, writer and performer Pamela Sneed joins Krupa to discuss the life and legacy of Big Mama Thornton.One month after a powerful earthquake devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, officials put the number of deaths in Turkey alone at almost 50 thousand, and in Syria, more than 6,000 people are known to have lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands of people still need adequate shelter and sanitation but it’s women and girls in Turkey who are disproportionately feeling the aftershocks, and stories of abuse are beginning to emerge. Krupa talks to Elif Shafak, a novelist and political scientist about the situation.The cost of childcare in England, Scotland and Wales has risen over the last year by 5.6%. On top of that, less than one in five local authorities in England have enough childcare provision for disabled children. Megan Jarvie, Head of Coram Family and Childcare talks to Krupa about Coram's Family and Childcare report out today, which is calling on the government to review and reform their childcare spending. Presenter: Krupa Padhy Studio Manager: Michael Millham

On International Women’s Day we talk to the foreign secretary, James Cleverly MP, as he travels to Sierra Leone to launch the UK’s new international women and girls strategy.Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton is one the most senior fire fighters in the UK. The current Chief Fire Officer of West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has in her 22 year career covered major incidents such as the London Bridge terror attack, the Finsbury Park terror attack and the aftermath of Grenfell. Last month on Woman’s Hour we discussed the fire service after recent reports hit the headlines of allegations of bullying and sexual harassment of female fire fighters at different services. Last year, an independent review found the London Fire Brigade to be institutionally racist and misogynistic. Just seven percent of fire fighters are women and there are even less in high leadership roles. Sabrina joins Nuala to talk about her new book The Gender Bias The Barriers That Hold Women Back, And How to Break Them, which unpicks why women are judged differently, and how we can tackle those biases, and also tells us whether she thinks the fire service has a problem with women. Sunday marked the end of the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, a golden weekend for Team GB women. Keely Hodgkinson retained her 800m title before team captain Jazmin Sawyers won a long jump Gold, earning her a first major title of her senior career with a world-leading jump of seven metres. Jazmin now holds the British Indoor record and joins Nuala.What is it like to be a poet, a woman and a performer of poetry at this particular moment in time? Kim Moore aims to answer this question in her new book Are You Judging Me Yet? Poetry and Everyday Sexism. The book contains poems from her collection All the Men I Never Married, for which she won the Forward prize last year. She explains to Nuala McGovern why poetry is the perfect medium for exploring sexism.

On last night’s Panorama, Twitter insiders told the BBC that the company is no longer able to protect users from trolls, following lay-offs and changes under the owner Elon Musk. Lisa Jennings Young is the former head of Content Design at Twitter, and worked on safety features aiming to protect users from online hate, including misogyny. In October 2022, Lisa's entire team was laid off, and she herself chose to leave in late November. To find out more about her time at Twitter, and how proactive design can protect women and girls on social media, Nuala speaks to Lisa from her home in San Francisco.Heidi Thomas is best known as the writer and creator of Call The Midwife. Her newest project is a film adaptation of the Alan Bennett play Allelujah. Set in a much-loved geriatric hospital in Yorkshire – The Beth - that’s been earmarked for closure, it stars Jennifer Saunders as the formidable sister in charge. Heidi joins Nuala in the Woman’s Hour studio to talk about what it’s been like to go from writing about the start of life to the end.Feminism isn’t as modern as we might think, and the patriarchy is more fragile than it appears. That’s the basis of a new book by science journalist Angela Saini. In The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule, Angela uncovers stories of female-led societies, and tells Nuala the lessons they might teach us.Young women are using codewords to describe their experiences of sex, and in some cases assault, on social media platform TikTok. The hashtag ‘Mascara’ has racked up more than 100 million views over the past month or so, and is the latest code that’s developed to avoid TikTok’s censorship filters. Sophie Smith Galer joins Nuala to discuss this latest trend.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lucinda Montefiore