Woman's Hour

What comes to your mind when you think of ‘arm wrestling’? Burly men taking each other on to see who’s the strongest in a testosterone charged atmosphere? Well now there is a woman at the heart of this sport in the UK. Kath Whitaker is the UK's only female arm-wrestling referee and is preparing to make her debut at the national championships in Birmingham this weekend.This week the cricketer Azeem Rafiq candidly described the racism he's suffered. No one could fail to be moved by his testimony on Tuesday, and the other interviews he's given since - sometimes very emotional. His comments will have triggered something in people who've experienced what he's talking about, and know it’s true. We talk to the MP Naz Shah and Halima Khan who works in grassroots cricket. A new report by the Prison Reform Trust has just launched a new report on how long sentenced women are “invisible” in prison policy and practice. We hear from “Jane”, a former long-sentence prisoner who talks about her experience of jail and by Julia Killick a trustee from the Prison Reform Trust In the third of our series on toxic relationships we hear from a woman we are calling Katy who feels that her earliest experiences shaped what she looked for and needed from her partners.And we’ve music from Yazz Ahmed a British-Bahraini trumpet player and composer who is a pioneering figure in jazz in the UK.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Engineer: Tim Heffer

Nancy Kelley is CEO of Stonewall, the largest LGBT rights charity in Europe. She speaks to Emma about her organisation’s work and gives her reaction to recent high-profile withdrawals from Stonewall’s Diversity Champions workplace inclusion scheme, including the BBC.Pride and Prejudice (sort of) is a sweary, anarchic reboot of the classic Jane Austen novel by Scottish writer Isobel McArthur, in which an all-female cast of five play all of the characters. Originally written for a summer season in Glasgow’s Tron theatre, after a 6 month regional tour the all-singing and dancing reinterpretation has landed in London’s West End to much applause. Isobel and her co-performer, Tori Burgess, are live in the studio.Frida Kahlo: the famous Mexican artist whose images go far beyond galleries, is being described as having the last laugh this week. Reproductions of her work are everywhere and her face and style adorn merchandise wherever you go. But this week in New York she broke a record. A self-portrait featuring her husband, Diego Rivera, who it's widely acknowledged treated her badly but also whom she adored, sold for a whopping 34.9 million dollars. It's the highest price ever paid, at auction, for a Latin American artwork. And - here's the twist - it's more than Diego ever got for his work. Ruth Millington, an art historian and critic discusses.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Nancy Kelley Interviewed Guest: Isobel McArthur Interviewed Guest: Tori Burgess Interviewed Guest: Ruth Millington

Two months ago the then head of the policing inspectorate Zoe Billings warned of an “epidemic of violence” against women and girls. She urged police chiefs to “get a grip” of the situation and called for it to be given the same priority as terrorism threats. On her recommendation the Home Office and National Police Chiefs Council which represents the 43 police forces In England and Wales have now funded a new post to coordinate action on the issue and have appointed Detective Chief Constable Maggie Blyth to do the job. She joins Emma Barnett ahead of a policing summit being held in the capital at the end of the week to talk about her new role and future plans.Britney Spears has addressed fans and supporters for the first time since her 13 year conservatorship was lifted by a judge in Los Angeles last Friday. The conservatorship was set in up 2008 after the US pop star faced a mental health crisis. Her father, Jamie Spears, was in charge of the conservatorship but stepped down in 2019 citing health reasons. Britney has previously called the conservatorship “abusive” amid claims that her father was spying on her and illegally recording her conversations. But what does Britney's social media post reveal about her? Emma is joined by Jennifer Otter-Bickerdike professor of Popular Music at the BIMM Institute whose latest book is called Being Britney: Pieces of a Modern Icon. Jane Austen is known and loved for six novels - four published towards the end of her short life and 2 published after her death. In a new book 'Jane Austen Early and Late' Freya Johnston of St Ann's College Oxford argues that the teenage writing contained in three notebooks deserves to be better known and that it sheds new light on her later work. For millions of families, the past 18 months have been defined by grief. And an online growing community, mainly fronted by young women, is helping others to find support through loss. New research by Marie Curie reveals that around half of people in the UK think we don’t talk enough about death and dying as a society. Emma speaks to two young women about their own experiences. Amber Jeffrey is the founder of The Grief Gang podcast. Helen Smith has an Instagram page called Lockdown Grief.Eating Well with Dementia is a new community written recipe book from West Yorkshire. Inspired by the work of their local dementia cafe and cooking group, the book was developed by Young Dementia Leeds, a community service supporting people living with early onset dementia and their families. Emma Barnett speaks to Liz Menacer, Service Manager at Young Dementia Leeds and Diana Harris-Smith whose late husband was diagnosed with early onset dementia in 2016. They explore the role of food, memory and dementia.

Last weekend Rose Ayling-Ellis and her partner Giovanni Pernice danced part of their routine on Strictly with a silent section in tribute to the deaf community. Rose thanked her partner by saying "I feel very thankful for your determination to make this dance the most positive, happy dance, it can be, because you know that being deaf, there's nothing wrong, it's such a joy to be deaf". Rose, who normally stars in EastEnders, is one of many female deaf actors to grace our screens. Sophie Leigh Stone was the first deaf actress to win a place at RADA and to take part in Doctor Who. Gabriella Leon plays Jade Lovall in Casualty. Even Eternals - the latest Marvel movie - stars Lauren Ridloff as the deaf superhero Makkari. So what effect is this increased visibility of deaf women having on the deaf community? Emma is joined by Camilla Arnold, a friend of Rose Ayling-Ellis and the BBC's first deaf series producer and Teresa Waldron, the managing director of Deaf-initely Women, a charity supporting deaf women in Derby.While the sleaze debate rumbles on in parliament, this morning the Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is announcing a new campaign to stop sexual violence against women and girls in conflict around the world. This includes more than £20 million of new funding to tackle the issue. She will be speaking at the Gender Equality Advisory Council today to seek a new global agreement to condemn the use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war as a “red line” on a par with chemical weapons. The campaign is a response to a report by the Gender Equality Advisory Council, an independent group of experts convened by the Prime Minister under the UK's G7 Presidency. We hear from Baroness Arminka Helic, a Conservative Peer in the House of Lords. She started off a UK government programme to tackle sexual violence in conflict zones that was then launched by former foreign secretary Lord William Hague and Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie. Former netball England International and England head coach Tracey Neville MBE is supporting a new campaign - ‘Coach the Coaches’ - to encourage young women from deprived areas to use sport to help improve their metal health AND their career opportunities. The campaign aims to give 16-24 year olds the skills needed to become coaches. We ask the Former England Netball head coach why she wanted to support the campaign.The Bank of England has warned against women working from home and that not returning to the office will result in ‘two track’ career development. We discuss this with the Resolution Foundation’s Research Director Lindsay Judge and Emma Stewart MBE, Co-Founder of Timewise, a flexible working consultancy.Angela Merkel is stepping down as German chancellor after 16 years in power, bringing to an end a political career that has spanned more than three decades. Back in 1991, when Angela was Minister for Women, the photographer Herlinde Koelbl began a study called ‘Traces of Power’, using Angela as one of her photographic subjects. This event took place across a thirty year period, and the results are now displayed in a new book ‘Angela Merkel: Portraits 1991-2021'.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Baroness Arminka Helic Interviewed Guest: Camilla Arnold Interviewed Guest: Teresa Waldron Interviewed Guest: Tracey Neville Interviewed Guest: Herlinde Koelbl Interviewed Guest: Lindsay Judge Interviewed Guest: Emma Stewart

Kirsten Dunst started in the acting business when she was just three years old - you may know her from films such as Marie Antoinette, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Virgin Suicides and Spiderman. She joins Emma to talk about her latest film - The Power of the Dog - written and directed by the award winning Jane Campion. Is there a 'laddish' culture within the British Armed forces? And is it necessary in order to prepare – mainly men - for armed battle and conflict? Emma discusses culture within the Services with the Labour MP, mayor and former army major Dan Jarvis.Children as young as four have been reported to police for abusing their parents, and according to police force Freedom of Information data, 42,000 incidents were instigated by adolescents and children aged 19 and under between January 2018 and June 2021. This abuse can range from physical, verbal and emotional abuse such as punching, kicking, threatening with knives, swearing or hurling demeaning insults. It is a relatively unacknowledged and under-researched form of abuse, with little support offered to families. It is also gendered with more mothers experiencing it than fathers. Emma is joined by the domestic abuse commissioner Nicole Jacobs, and Sharon, a grandmother who is looking after her nine year old grandson. Parcopresis is the inability to defecate or go for a poo without a certain level of privacy. The condition is also known as shy bowel and it can stop people from feeling comfortable about going at work, while out and about or even while sharing a toilet with a new partner. The knock on effect of this is often constipation and according to The Bowel Group Report 2020 one in seven adults suffer from constipation and 60% of that number are women. What causes this anxiety, why do more women suffer from men and what are the long term health implications of this? Emma asks Eleanor Morgan, author of Hormonal: A Conversation About Women’s Bodies, Mental Health and Why We Need to be Heard and Professor Siwan Thomas-Gibson, consultant gastroenterologist and specialist endoscopist at St Mark's National Bowel Hospital in London.Joanna Harriott is in her 50th year of being a teacher. She has worked in west Belfast her entire career and in the same school, St John the Baptist School, since 1973. She tells Emma why she doesn't want to give it up.

Mary Robinson, once President of Ireland and now the Chair of The Elders, has been at COP26 in Glasgow all fortnight. She explains why the climate challenge ahead is so emotional.The BBC has withdrawn from a workplace diversity scheme run by Stonewall. On behalf of the BBC, we hear from Rhodri Talfan Davies, who is Director of Nations and sits on the corporation's Executive Committee.Huma Abedin worked as Hillary Clinton’s private top aide and long-time advisor for 25 years. She was also the wife of ex-congressman Anthony Weiner, when a sexting scandal sent him to prison, destroyed their marriage and derailed her boss’ bid to become President in 2016. Emerging from the wings of American political history to take command of her own story, she’s just released her memoir.Daddy Issues. It's an insult now but it started out as a psychological term to explain the importance of father figures. But what exactly are Daddy Issues, how real are they? Katherine Angel, author of ‘Daddy Issues’, and Angharad George-Carey, host of the Daddy Issues podcast joins us.Hollyoaks star Sarah Jayne Dunn is defending the OnlyFans pictures that led to her exit from the long-running soap. Sarah - who has played the character of Mandy Richardson on the show since 1996 - was reportedly axed after refusing to delete her OnlyFans social media account.And people living in Syston, Leicestershire have been treated to an incredible life-size knitted soldier that has appeared at the War Memorial Clock Tower. It is the work of the mysteriously named "Knitting Banksy", an anonymous woman who has been surprising locals with her stunning creations. We hear from Samantha Noble, reporter for BBC East Midlands Online, who's been in contact with Knitting Bansky.

Mary Robinson, once President of Ireland and now the Chair of The Elders, has been at COP26 in Glasgow all fortnight. She explains why the climate challenge ahead is so emotional.Rose Tremain's new novel called Lily begins with a baby being abandoned by her mother outside a London park in Victorian London. She’s rescued from prowling wolves by a young police officer and Lily's life as a foundling child begins. It's a story of revenge and, as often with Rose Tremain's work, the setting might be historical but there are contemporary parallels.Daddy Issues. It's an insult now but it started out as a psychological term to explain the importance of father figures. But what exactly are Daddy Issues, how real are they and what do you do if you think you have them? Katherine Angel, author of ‘Daddy Issues’, and Angharad George-Carey, host of the Daddy Issues podcast joins us.And today is Single’s Day in China. It's the world’s biggest shopping spree. It's supposed to honour those who are not in a romantic relationship, and sales tempt people to treat themselves. It brings in more money than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. We talk to Nina Yu of Hylink, China’s largest digital advertising agency, about the scale and origins of the event. We also find out about changing attitudes towards being an unmarried or ‘leftover’ woman in China with Dr Ye Liu, a sociologist from King’s College London.

The BBC has withdrawn from a workplace diversity scheme run by Stonewall. Last night the BBC director general, Tim Davie, said it was “unquestionable” that its ongoing participation in the scheme “has led some organisations and individuals to consider that the BBC cannot be impartial when reporting on public policy debates where Stonewall is taking an active, campaigning, role”. On behalf of the BBC Emma is joined by Rhodri Talfan Davies, who is Director of Nations and sits on the corporation's Executive Committee.With the latest on the row over standards in public life – and the activities of MPs in particular. Is there a reason why there are more men in the line of fire than women? We hear from former Conservative MP Anna Soubry and Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.'Whatever Happened to Tradition?' is a book by Daily Telegraph journalist Tim Stanley. He argues that the Western tradition is anti-tradition, that we have a dangerous habit of discarding old ways and old knowledge. Sometimes, he argues, we used to do things better and we ignore this at our peril. Emma talks to Tim about his views on family, feminism, culture, sexuality, gender relations and more.During World War Two, hundreds of women served as agents in the Special Operations Executive, a branch of military intelligence which specialised in espionage and sabotage behind enemy lines. We’re joined by history teacher Shalina Patel to tell their remarkable stories, and to look at how they are commemorated today.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Rhodri Talfan Davies Interviewed Guest: Anna Soubry Interviewed Guest: Hannah White Interviewed Guest: Tim Stanley Interviewed Guest: Shalina Patel

Barbara Taylor Bradford's latest novel A Man Of Honour is a prequel to her first - the 1979 blockbuster A Woman of Substance. It's the story of Shane O'Neill who leaves County Kerry in 1899 at the age of 13 and travels to Leeds to work for his uncle. Known as Blackie on account of his dark hair and eyes, he is a handsome and ambitious grafter - and when he meets young servant Emma Harte on a foggy moor a great friendship begins. Barbara joins Emma in studio.Misogyny and misconduct in the police force has been placed under the microscope following the murder of Sarah Everard in March. Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan police officer, raped and murdered Sarah after kidnapping her in a fake arrest. Couzens is also believed to have been in a WhatsApp group with five police officers who are currently being investigated for gross misconduct, having allegedly shared "discriminatory" messages - including misogynistic content. Claire Bassett is the Deputy Director General of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and has been leading a wider investigation into inappropriate use of group chats and social media across the police force. She says she’s found there to be a harmful “canteen culture" online. Space tourism is now more of a reality. Last month, at the age of 90, William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in Star Trek became the oldest person to venture into space on Jeff Bezos second human spaceflight. But for millions of us it is still just a pipedream. But not for my next guest - Nicole Stott who has done it - not once but twice - first in 2009 and then in 2011. The former NASA astronaut and engineer spent over 3 months living and working on the International Space Station and travelling on the space shuttle. In her new book Back to Earth she chronicles her experience in space, and how lessons there could help people on earth. She joins Emma to describe her earthrise moment, and why we must all become crew members not passengers to fight climate change.People living in Syston, Leicestershire have been treated to an incredible life-size knitted soldier that has appeared at the War Memorial Clock Tower. Created to honour Remembrance Day tomorrow, it is the work of the mysteriously named "Knitting Banksy", an anonymous woman who has been surprising locals with her stunning creations. Apart from the knitted soldier, she has also created 23 post box toppers, earning fans across social media and even from celebrities such as Line of Duty actor Stephen Graham. Joining Emma is Samantha Noble, reporter for BBC East Midlands Online, who's been in contact with Knitting Bansky. Image: Barbara Taylor Bradford Credit: Julian Dufort

It was reported over the weekend that a women's rights activist called Frozan Safi was murdered, after she thought she was being taken to safety. She had been contacted and promised safe passage to Germany, but that never happened. It was a trap. We also heard yesterday about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. When BBC correspondent John Simpson described what he'd seen and the people he'd met he was moved to tears, live on the radio. We hear from a woman now living in the UK - Shukria Barakzai, previously a government minister in Afghanistan and BBC World News correspondent, Yalda Hakim.Huma Abedin worked as Hillary Clinton’s private top aide and long-time advisor for 25 years. She was also the wife of ex-congressman Anthony Weiner, when a sexting scandal sent him to prison, destroyed their marriage and derailed her boss’ bid to become President in 2016. Emerging from the wings of American political history to take command of her own story, she’s just released her memoir 'BOTH/AND'. Exploring themes of addiction, motherhood, the power of therapy, faith and shame, Huma explains why she chose to publicly stand by her husband. Is that must have pandemic purchase now gathering dust in your home? According a a new survey, one in 10 of us have regrets when it comes to items bought during the pandemic Gaming equipment, home gyms, bikes, musical instruments, kitchen appliances such as bread makers, garden furniture, pizza ovens and hot tubs all appeared on the regret list. A survey of 4,000 people found some had sold or given away the items they regretted buying. We hear from retail analyst Catherine Shuttleworth.Our data – and how it is used – is at the heart of political decision making and debate today. It’s part of all our lives - from the digital cookies we sign up to every time we click on a website to the introduction of Covid passports on our mobile devices; and it’s valuable to the tech companies businesses and governments who use it. Elizabeth Denham, heads the Information Commissioner’s Office. In charge of how our data is used, she's responsible for everything from nuisance telephone calls to data breaches and has most recently overseen the deployment of England's contact tracing app and the Test and Trace programme. As she prepares to leave her role at the end of the month, Emma Barnett speaks to Elizabeth about the big issues facing the industry and in particular the impact they will have on women. Last month, the winner of the Max Perutz science writing award was announced – an annual competition for Medical Research Council PhD students. This year’s winner is Vicky Bennett – for her article on treating Urinary Tract Infections. Vicky joins Emma to discuss her research, and why she thinks UTI’s – something most commonly experienced by women – need more attention within medicine.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Huma Abedin Interviewed Guest: Catherine Shuttleworth Interviewed Guest: Elizabeth Denham Interviewed Guest: Shukria Barakzai Interviewed Guest: Yalda Hakim Interviewed Guest: Vicky Bennett

The Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, has called for an extraordinary meeting today of senior army leaders. Concerns about the culture of the military are on the agenda, in particular towards women. Mr Wallace has said he will raise the case of Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan woman who died in 2012, last seen in the company of two British soldiers. Emma talks to journalist Hannah Al-Othman and Emma Norton, director of the Centre for Military Justice.Fiona Hill was the top Russia advisor in the Trump administration. The daughter of a coal miner and midwife, she grew up in Bishop Auckland in the 60s, moving to the U.S. to escape the class and accent discrimination she faced in the UK. She has written about her experiences in a new memoir, There Is Nothing For You Here: Finding Opportunity In The 21st Century.Hollyoaks star Sarah Jayne Dunn is defending the OnlyFans pictures that led to her exit from the long-running soap. Sarah - who has played the character of Mandy Richardson on the show since 1996 - was reportedly axed after refusing to delete her OnlyFans social media account. The platform is often used as a means for people to sell pornographic photo and video content to paying subscribers. Sarah joins Emma.The National Institute of Clinical Excellence has published new guidelines on the induction of labour for pregnant women with what has been called a u-turn on their original proposals in the summer. Elizabeth Duff, senior policy advisor at the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) and Asma Khalil, Consultant Obstetrician at St George's Hospital in London and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists explain what these changes mean.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Fourteen years ago this week, 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher was sexually assaulted and killed in a brutal attack in her apartment in the Italian city of Perugia. As the world's media descended, a narrative quickly emerged around Amanda Knox - Meredith’s American flatmate - and her then boyfriend Rafaele Sollecito. After being found guilty and serving four years in prison, Amanda was fully exonerated by the Italian Supreme Court on appeal in 2015. Amanda Knox talks to Emma about trying to restore her reputation, losing control of her identity, and speaking out.The starting gun has fired on COP26 - we hear from Laurence Tubiana, France's Climate Change Ambassador and Special Representative for COP21, and Amber Rudd - Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change at the time of Paris and the then leader of the UK's COP21 negotiating team.Kathleen Stock was, until last week, a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex. In the last few years she has become better known for her gender critical views, contributing to the highly charged public debate over trans rights and what she and others see as the re-defining of the word ‘woman’. She gives an exclusive interview to Emma Barnett.We meet the first woman to write a James Bond novel. Award-winning author Kim Sherwood is to write three new books set in the iconic world of James Bond.

Following last week’s astounding discovery of a set of Roman sculptures on the HS2 rail link route in Stoke Mandeville, we hear from the lead archaeologist for HS2 contractor Fusion Rachel Wood and also from Dr Penny Coombes, a Teaching Associate in Roman Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. Studies consistently show that women are more vulnerable than men to the impacts of climate change. This is due to women being more likely to live in poverty, more likely to be dependent on the land and natural resources in their day to day lives, and less likely to hold positions of power that could bring about change. Given the stakes, we ask if these women from developing countries are being heard at the climate conference COP26? Anita Rani talks to Monicah Kamandau from Kenya, Brianna Fruean from Samoa and Farhana Yamin, an expert in environmental law and giving a voice to vulnerable nations in international climate negotiations.When you look back over your relationships do you see patterns? Today the story of a woman we are calling Katy who feels that her earliest experiences shaped what she looked for and needed from her partners.And Dani Larkin, a folk musician from the Armagh-Monaghan border joins Anita live in the studio, along with her banjo, to perform her new single – Bloodthirsty!Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Engineer: Bob Nettles..

Fourteen years ago this week, 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher was sexually assaulted and killed in a brutal attack in her apartment in the Italian city of Perugia. Her death was a shocking and unimaginable loss to her family. But sadly her name did not become the most memorable in the murder investigation that followed. As the world's media descended, a narrative quickly emerged around Amanda Knox - Meredith’s American flatmate - and her then boyfriend Rafaele Sollecito. Dubbed 'Foxy Knoxy', the story became about a sexually voracious femme fatale and her accomplice, who it was said killed Meredith in a drug-fuelled sex game gone wrong. After being found guilty and serving four years in prison, Amanda was fully exonerated by the Italian Supreme Court on appeal in 2015. Amanda now lives back in Seattle, is married, and has just had a baby - having built a career as a writer, podcaster, and campaigner against wrongful conviction. In an exclusive interview with Woman’s Hour and Newsnight, Amanda Knox talks to Emma about trying to restore her reputation, losing control of her identity, and speaking out about the film Stillwater starring Matt Damon, which she says drew on and profited from her story without her consent.Since 2008, 12 and 13-year-old girls have been offered a vaccine against human papilloma-virus - or HPV - with a view to helping prevent cervical cancer. Now a new study published today in The Lancet has found that it doesn't just help, but has the potential to almost wipe the disease out completely. Cervical cancer rates in women who had HPV jabs as teenagers were found to be lowered by as much as 90% compared to those who hadn't. And as the vaccine is now also given to boys, it dramatically decreases the amount of virus circulating in the population to infect women who can't take the vaccine. Professor Dame Lesley Regan, Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at St Mary's Imperial College and past president of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists discusses what it means for women's health.The cost of repeat prescriptions for hormone replacement therapy in England is to be significantly reduced. The Labour MP for Swansea East, Carolyn Harris, had put forward a Bill to make HRT free, as it is currently in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland where there are no charges for prescriptions. Although the Government didn’t support the change in full, it announced at the end of last week that women would only have to pay for one prescription charge a year – potentially saving over £200 annually. The Government also announced that they will be setting up a menopause taskforce, which will be co-chaired by Carolyn Harris, who says it is time to revolutionise menopause support.Though best known for playing Rizzo in the film Grease, First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the television series The West Wing, and Julianna Margulies’ mother Veronica in The Good Wife, multi-Emmy award-winning actor Stockard Channing is a Broadway veteran nominated for multiple Tonys. Currently on stage at the Hampstead Theatre in London in ‘Night Mother’ - a tense two-hander play that takes place over a single evening – she joins Emma to discuss her latest performance and first as a London resident.

Kathleen Stock was until last week a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex. In the last few years she has become better known for her gender critical views, contributing to the highly charged public debate over trans rights and what she and others see as the re-defining of the word ‘woman’. This year she published a book called Material Girls: Why Reality Matters for Feminism, in which she argues that we are in an era of Emperor’s New Clothes, that it isn’t possible for people to change their biological sex, and that someone’s sex should sometimes takes precedence over their gender identity. She is also clear that “Trans people deserve lives free from fear. They deserve laws and policies that properly protect them from discrimination and violence. But as she says…laws and policies based around gender identity are not the right route.” She gives an exclusive interview to Emma Barnett. Leanne Benjamin OBE was principal for 20 years with the Royal Ballet. As one of the most important ballet dancers of the past 50 years, she looks back on her career spanning from 18 to 49, in her new autobiography, ‘Built for Ballet’. Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who's still detained in Iran, is on hunger strike again in Whitehall, close to government buildings. Today is Day 10. He wants the government to do more to secure Nazanin's release. She's been held in Iran for five years on spying charges - which she denies - and recently lost her appeal against a second prison sentence. Richard joins Emma from outside the Foreign Office in Whitehall.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Kathleen Stock Interviewed Guest: Leanne Benjamin Interviewed Guest: Richard Ratcliffe

The starting gun has fired on COP26, and the UK now has less than two weeks to get around 200 countries over the line towards stronger commitments on climate action. It's not going to be easy. Of the 25 COPs that have gone before, only one produced concrete targets for change. That was the 2015 Paris climate conference - aka COP21 - where two new ideas were launched onto the international stage: keeping average global temperature rises below 1.5C, and the notion of aiming for 'net zero'. Women were at the forefront of the Paris negotiations and we unite three of those women in a Woman's Hour COP special - Laurence Tubiana, France's Climate Change Ambassador and Special Representative for COP21 - who many recognise as the main architect of the Paris Agreement; Amber Rudd, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change at the time of Paris and the then leader of the UK's COP21 negotiating team; and Jennifer Morgan, one of a group of women who brought the idea of Net Zero to the global stage during Paris. She is now Executive Director of Greenpeace International. They discuss women's role in Paris's success, the origin story of net zero, the successes and failings of global governments in delivering on their promises, and their hopes for COP26 bringing about necessary change.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Lily Cole is a model, actor, filmmaker, entrepreneur, podcast host and environmental activist. She's written a book about the climate, offering solutions to global challenges. She now lives in Portugal but we speak to her from COP26 in Glasgow. We also speak to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg who sets the scene for us in Glasgow. We go back to Hasina Safi, who used to be Women's Minister in Afghanistan. Now she's a refugee in the UK, living in an hotel. We find out how things are for her and her family since we spoke to her last month.We speak to Dr Youmna Mouhamad who's designed a new comb to make conditioning and combing afro hair easier and less painful. She explains how she came up with idea and how she moved from a concept to a engineered product.And finally Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green about secondary school children getting vaccines, and protests outside schools. Labour are now calling for exclusion zones around schools to "stop the spread of misinformation".

The details of US President Bill Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky and the 1998 impeachment proceedings may be unfamiliar to some young women today. Impeachment: American Crime Story on BBC Two, aims to reframe the Clinton scandal from the perspective of the women it engulfed. Jessica Bennett from the New York Times and Sarah Baxter, former deputy editor of The Sunday Times discuss. The BBC Specialist Disinformation Reporter Marianna Spring who appeared in front of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee this week to present the findings from her BBC Panorama investigation into the rising online abuse against women. Should parents be allowed ‘teen-ternity’ leave? Suzanne Alderson on why she wants employers to allow parents to take leave to help teenagers who are struggling. Ahead of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference, COP26 starting this Sunday, Zaqiya Cajee, a pre-loved fashion advocate and Mikaela Loach climate justice activist and fifth year medical student talk about how to engage people on climate change action and their hopes for the conference.The wig designer Angela Cobbin has written her memoir. My Name Is Not Wigs. She tells us about about becoming a theatrical wig designer for countless plays, musicals, TV shows and films over five decades.Your libido as you age with Scottish storyteller, Marie Louise Cochrane and sex expert Tracey Cox.Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Dianne McGregor

Monica Lewinsky is a name that most people will know. But for a whole new generation of women, including younger millennials who were children at the time, the details of US President Bill Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky and the 1998 impeachment proceedings it led to may be unfamiliar. Impeachment: American Crime Story on BBC Two, aims to reframe the Clinton scandal from the perspective of the women it engulfed. Jessica Creighton talks to Jessica Bennett from the New York Times and Sarah Baxter, former deputy editor of The Sunday Times. Ahead of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference, COP26 starting this Sunday, Zaqiya Cajee, a pre-loved fashion advocate and Mikaela Loach climate justice activist and 5th year medical student talk about how to engage people on climate change action and their hopes for the conference. Nisha Katona, founder of the Mowgli Indian street food restaurants talks about her new book, setting up in business and her role with the government's newly formed Hospitality Council that aims to help the sector recover post pandemic. And we all know we should be doing our pelvic floor exercises: babies or no babies, young or old. But do we do them? Elaine Miller who's a pelvic physiotherapist based in Edinburgh is so passionate about getting women to do their exercises she does a stand-up gig about them; wears a giant vulva costume, and wants you to count-down to Christmas with a daily squeeze and lift. She says exercises can truly improve your pelvic floor, and in turn prevent all types of problems that you’d never think would be linked to a weak pelvic floor. Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Engineer: Gayl Gordon

Women in the military are suffering serious long term physical and mental health problems because of widespread bullying and sexual harassment. Research by the University of Oxford, King’s College London and the charity Combat Stress found over 20% were sexually harassed, over 5% were sexually assaulted and over 20% were emotionally bullied. Laura Hendrikx, is the author of the study which was published in the BMJ Military Health Journal. She and Chloe Tilley are joined by veteran Colonel Ali Brown.Have you been watching Maid on Netflix? The 10-part series is a word-of-mouth hit, about a single mother in the US who flees her abusive partner and takes up cleaning for wealthy clients to support her and her daughter. Inspired by the 2019 memoir 'Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive', it tackles poverty, domestic abuse, motherhood and homelessness. Rachael Sigee, a freelance journalist and TV critic and Caron Kipping, a divorce and separation coach and Independent Domestic Violence Advocate, herself a survivor of domestic abuse, discuss why it's so popular.The Lowdown, the world's first review platform for contraception, has found that women prefer the coil to any other contraceptive method. Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCS), such as the implant, injection, the hormonal and copper coil tend to be those chosen most frequently. However, during the pandemic, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) has found a steep fall in access to these LARCS. Alice Pelton Founder of the Lowdown and Dr Asha Kasliwal, President of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care, discuss.Blogger Toni Tone has thousands of followers across social media - many of whom call her “the big sister I never had”. Her work on relationships and female empowerment have been shared by the likes of Demi Lovato, Khloe Kardashian and Oprah Magazine. Toni’s new book of ‘I Wish I Knew This Earlier’ is a Sunday Times bestseller, and details her advice on the complicated, and sometimes painful, world of dating. Toni joins Chloe to discuss.Presenter: Chloe Tilley Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Laura Hendrikx Interviewed Guest: Colonel Ali Brown Interviewed Guest: Rachael Sigee Interviewed Guest: Caron Kipping Photographer: Ricardo Hubbs Interviewed Guest: Alice Pelton Interviewed Guest: Dr Asha Kasliwal Interviewed Guest: Toni Tone

We talk to an Afghan family housed in one of the many hotels which have become home for thousands of others like them. Many families and children often struggle to exercise which has an impact on their physical and mental health. BBC producer Sue Mitchell a keen swimmer is working with them to enable them to be able to make use of hotel and local authority swimming pools to to help them while they wait for news about permanent accommodation, benefits and education.With COP26 being held in Glasgow next week we talk to investment director, Maike Currie to talk about why sustainable investing matters more to women than men, and how you can invest to save the planet - and make it a better place.In the second of our series, our reporter Milly Chowles looks at toxic relationships and talks to Jo who felt compelled to always seek out ups and downs and drama. And we talk about late life libido with Scottish storyteller, Marie Louise Cochrane and sex expert Tracey Cox.Presenter: Chloe Tilley Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Duncan Hannant.

Budget 2021: What do you want to change? We hear from Mary-Ann Stephenson, Director of the Women’s Budget group, an independent not-for-profit organisation that monitors the impact of government policies on men and women When you look back over your past relationships do you see patterns? Whether it’s being drawn to bad boys, ending up with narcissists or falling for someone who needs looking after, it’s not unusual for us to end up in the same kind of toxic relationships again and again. So how do you break the pattern? Four women shared their very personal experiences with Woman’s Hour reporter Milly Chowles - today Nina's story., Angela Cobbin, wig designer and MBE has written a memoir. My Name Is Not Wigs takes readers through her beginnings as a hairdressing student in the early 60s to becoming a theatrical wig designer for countless plays, musicals, TV shows and films over five decades. She joins Chloe live in the studio - with a wig in hand - to talk all about it.Plus as Princess Mako a member of the Japanese royal family marries her college sweetheart Kei Komuro we talk to Hanako Montgomer a Japan reporter for Vice News about why she'll be forced to forfeit her royal status. A Japanese law which doesn't apply to men. Presenter Chloe Tilley Producer Beverley Purcell

Last week, a whole new set of climate-related phrases entered the Oxford English Dictionary including global heating, eco-anxiety and net zero. But despite being increasingly used in conversation, do people really know what terms like 'net zero' mean - and what is the general public willing to do to get us there? Prof Becky Willis from Lancaster University set up a research project called the Net Zero Diaries to try and find out. She talks about the latest results along with Pearl, who took part in the study. Chloe Tilley is also joined by Aneaka Kellay from the People Powered Retrofit project, to discuss what people on all sorts of budgets can do to reduce the carbon emissions from their homes.Staffing shortages have long been a problem for the UK's maternity services. There aren't enough midwives joining the profession and too many are deciding to leave. A survey by the Royal College of Midwives earlier this month found that over half were considering quitting thanks to burnout and concerns about safety and quality of care. Now the President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Dr Edward Morris, has told the Guardian newspaper about his 'increasing concerns' about the 'immense pressures' facing maternity staff as we enter another winter with rising Covid cases. So is there a crisis in labour wards? We hear from a London-based midwife and Dr Jo Mountfield, Consultant Obstetrician at University Hospital SouthamptonOver a century ago suffragettes planted an arboretum of 47 trees in Batheaston, each representing an activist. Today only one tree survives – a black pine planted by suffragette Rose Lamartine Yates in 1909. We discuss the history of the “suffragette wood” and plans to propagate the seeds of the last surviving tree with Dr Cynthia Hammond and artist Lucy Neal. We speak to BBC Specialist Disinformation Reporter Marianna Spring who is appearing in front of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee this week to present the findings from her BBC Panorama investigation into the rising online abuse against women, and how social media algorithms are promoting hate. Presenter: Chloe Tilley Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Aneaka Kellay Interviewed Guest: Professor Becky Willis Interviewed Guest: Pearl Hassan Interviewed Guest: Dr Jo Mountfield Interviewed Guest: Dr Cynthia Hammond Interviewed Guest: Lucy Neal Interviewed Guest: Marianna Spring

The former presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton has a new book out, “State of Terror”, a political thriller written with the award winning author Louise Penny. The two women were already friends before deciding to pen the novel which features a President who “smells of meat” and appears to resemble Donald Trump and a British Prime Minister who’s “a twit” and seems to have a more than a passing resemblance to Boris Johnson. According to a new survey on mental wellbeing in agriculture, 58% of women in farming experience anxiety compared to 44% of men. What's the reason behind it? How much impact has Brexit and the pandemic had on the problem? We discuss with Alicia Chivers, Chief Executive of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, and East Yorkshire pig farmer Kate Moore.Campaigner Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah is raising awareness of asthma and the health problems that can be caused by air pollution. Last year her daughter, Ella, became the first person in Britain to have air pollution listed as the cause of death after an inquest. She died in 2013 aged nine. Now Rosamund is calling on Boris Johnson to “set an example for the whole world” with ambitious clear air goals. Are you a keen knitter? Have you ever considered that patterns for knitting your jumpers, hats or gloves could be seen as having parallels to computer coding? Do we undervalue the scientific aspects of some female-dominated skills? Emma speaks to Shetland knitter and pattern writer Hazel Tindall - aka World's Fastest Knitter - and to Sue Montgomery, who went viral in 2019 for knitting data into a shawl.After undergoing vocal cord surgery, MOBO and Brit award-winning singer songwriter Ella Eyre is back on her first headline tour in six years. She reveals how she's had to learn how to sing again - and how the experience has inspired a new musical direction.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed

The former presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton has a new book out, “State of Terror”, a political thriller written with the award winning author Louise Penny. The two women were already friends before deciding to pen the novel which features a President who “smells of meat” and appears to resemble Donald Trump and a British Prime Minister who’s “a twit” and seems to have a more than a passing resemblance to Boris Johnson. Anita Rani talks to the duo about their collaboration and some of the uncanny parallels between “State of Terror” and global politics today. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common virus – Cancer Research UK estimates around 8 out of 10 people will be infected at some point in their lives. HPV spreads through sexual activity. In most people, it doesn’t cause any problems and goes away on its own, but HPV can increase a woman’s chance of developing cervical cancer. Gynaecological charity The Eve Appeal have found a ‘worrying’ trend in HPV kits being sold online by private companies, advertised alongside misleading information. Tracie Miles is a gynaecologist cancer specialist nurse at The Eve Appeal. Mercedes Gleeson is someone who has been open about her own experience with HPV.Anita is joined by two guests who are trying to encourage women to get outside and go on adventures. Army Officer Preet Chandi is preparing for a solo, unsupported trek across Antarctica to the South Pole in November. She will be the first Asian woman to do this. Dr Geeta Ludhra set up a walking group in the Chilterns to encourage women from diverse backgrounds to get out on smaller scale adventures in the UK to connect with nature and feel the health benefits.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Over the summer it's been tempting to think that the pandemic is almost over. But last night, Health Secretary Savid Javid insisted that "life is not back to normal". 49,000 people tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday - levels we haven't seen since the end of last year - and he warned that they could hit 100,000 a day over winter. But despite all this, the government has decided not to implement its so-called Plan B - which would include mandatory mask wearing, working from home and vaccine passports. Instead its encouraging people to get their booster jabs, and advising people to make their own decisions on mask wearing and socialising more outside. But will the public, who've already seen one Christmas fall into oblivion, be willing to change their behaviour for a second winter?Campaigner Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah is raising awareness of asthma and the health problems that can be caused by air pollution. Last year her daughter, Ella, became the first person in Britain to have air pollution listed as the cause of death after an inquest. She died in 2013 aged nine. Now Rosamund is calling on Boris Johnson to “set an example for the whole world” with ambitious clear air goals. The Environment Bill was debated in the House of Commons yesterday (Wednesday). Rosamund discusses her work and the changes she wants to see.Lockdowns and working from home have changed how we dress but 'fat people don't have the luxury of wearing the dressed down look'. That's according to the activist and stand-up comedian Sofie Hagen who says that society dictates that people who are over-weight have to look like they are trying. She and Emma discuss the pressures she believes exist.Mortality rates remain exceptionally high for babies from ethnically diverse backgrounds despite overall rates of stillbirth and neonatal death rates having fallen. Neonatal death rates are 73% higher than those living in the least deprived areas. With Asian babies 60% higher than white babies, and 43% greater for babies of Black ethnicity. Emma is joined by Clea Harmer, Chief Executive of SANDS, and Professor of Perinatal & Paediatric Epidemiology, Elizabeth Draper part of the MBRRACE team who collect and analyse the numbers and rates of baby deaths in the UK.After undergoing vocal chord surgery, MOBO and Brit award-winning singer songwriter Ella Eyre is back on her first headline tour in six years. She reveals how she's had to learn how to sing again - and how the experience has inspired a new musical direction.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Harriet Baldwin Interviewed Guest: Professor Stephen Reicher Interviewed Guest: Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah Interviewed Guest: Sofie Hagen Interviewed Guest: Clea Harmer Interviewed Guest: Professor Elizabeth Draper Interviewed Guest: Ella Eyre

Former Scottish Conservative leader – the recently ennobled Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links - will be giving her maiden speech in the House of Lords on Friday as part of a debate on assisted dying. She used to be against amending the law on assisted dying but had a change of heart last year. She explains why to Emma.The Home Secretary Priti Patel has requested an urgent update from the police following a spate of recent cases where women's drinks have been spiked. With multiple reports also emerging of women being spiked by injection in clubs in Glasgow and Nottingham, journalist and author Lucy Ward last night shared texts from her student daughter on Twitter- Lucy speaks to Emma.Are you a keen knitter? Have you ever considered that patterns for knitting your jumpers, hats or gloves could be seen as having parallels to computer coding? Do we undervalue the scientific aspects of some female-dominated skills? Emma speaks to Shetland knitter and pattern writer Hazel Tindall - aka World's Fastest Knitter - and to Sue Montgomery, who went viral in 2019 for knitting data into a shawl.Women Talk Back, a feminist society at Bristol University is filing a legal case today against Bristol Students' Union, after they say they were sanctioned by the union for running women-only meetings. This issue came to a head last March when they refused admission at one of their events to a trans woman. Raquel Rosario Sanchez is the President of the group and joins Emma.A company that speed-grows coral in the Bahamas is among the winners of the inaugural Earthshot Prize – the new annual awards created by the Duke of Cambridge to reward people trying to save the planet. There were five winners announced at the star-studded ceremony in London on Sunday, each receiving £1m. Alannah Vellacott is Coral Vita's Coral Restoration Specialist and takes Emma through the process and why it's so important.

In our final discussion to mark our 75th anniversary we look at the issue of equal pay. This was identified as the area women most want to see change in their daily lives and 70% of those asked said they had experienced inequality in this area. Emma Barnett talks to Baroness Kishwer Falkner who’s head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission which regulates the Equality Act and also to Emma Satyamurti a lawyer leading a group action for equal pay by female staff working in Morrisons. Dame Eileen Atkins joins Emma to talk about the journey from being Tottenham's answer to Shirley Temple to hugely respected actor for stage, screen and TV. Her memoir is called 'Will She Do?'Today MPs are going to debate new government plans that would mean members who are suspended for sexual harassment or bullying could face a by-election. Labour want the measure to apply retrospectively - so that it would include the Conservative MP Rob Roberts who was suspended from Parliament for six weeks in May after an independent panel found he had sexually harassed a former employee. He did not face a petition to trigger a by-election due to a loophole in parliamentary procedure - because the panel that handed down his suspension doesn't have those powers. BBC political correspondent, Chris Mason, explains.Composer Charlotte Bray has composed new song cycle called Crossing Faultlines. Believed to be the first of its kind to address the topic of women in the workplace, the song cycle explores themes of mentorship, discrimination and ambition. The piece was commissioned as part of a new recital programme dream.risk.sing: elevating women’s voices, an initiative conceived to express women’s stories through song. Emma is joined by Charlotte Bray, Samantha Crawford and Lana Bode.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Anna LaceyInterviewed Guest: Baroness Kishwer Falkner Interviewed Guest: Emma Satyamurti Interviewed Guest: Eileen Atkins Interviewed Guest: Charlotte Bray Interviewed Guest: Samantha Crawford Interviewed Guest: Lana Bode

According to a new survey on mental wellbeing in agriculture, 58% of women in farming experience anxiety compared to 44% of men. What's the reason behind it? How much impact has Brexit and the pandemic had on the problem? We discuss with Alicia Chivers, Chief Executive of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, and East Yorkshire pig farmer Kate Moore.Conservative MP Sir David Ames, who was killed on Friday had been in Parliament since 1983 . Issues raised by the people he represented were top of his agenda. When a woman called Carla came and told him about how her life was blighted by endometriosis, he took up the cause. We hear from the former Labour MP for Dewsbury, who he worked with on this issue while she was in the House, despite them being politically poles apart. We've been following the work of the Salvation Army who have the Home Office contract to support all victims of modern slavery in England and Wales and have been given exclusive access to their annual report which shows that demand for their services is soaring. Young Albanian women make up the largest group of survivors who escape from their traffickers after being sexually exploited. Many of these women are waiting to hear if the Home Secretary will appeal against what's described as a landmark High Court ruling last week. It was brought by a Vietnamese woman who was trafficked to the UK and if upheld will affect hundreds of others like her. We hear from Ahmed Aydeed from law firm Duncan Lewis the woman's solicitor. Plus reporter Carolyn Atkinson talks to a survivor and to Kathy Betteridge, Major Director of Anti Trafficking and Modern Slavery at the Salvation Army.Plus Emma the Yorkshire woman who spent over a hundred hours in a cave. Lisa Bowerman owns Stump Cross Caverns, She runs the caves as a family business and they'll usually a big attraction for tourists. She explains why she hopes the stunt will give the business a lift post-covid.. Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell

Cush Jumbo, star of The Good Wife and The Good Fight on her latest role playing Hamlet. Predatory marriage involves a vulnerable adult being led into a marriage, which financially benefits their new spouse. We hear from Daphne Franks, who believes that her mother was a victim of a predatory marriage.Your responses to our poll on equality in 2021.What's it like for tall women when it comes to dating? Comedian Andrea Hubert, and Sarah Ivens, author of Get Real discuss. In her new book Rough, Rachel Thompson looks at how violence has found its way into the bedroom. A study released this summer set out to gauge the extent of violence against women. One shocking finding revealed that half of respondents had "woken up to their male partner having sex with them or performing sex acts on them whilst they are asleep." Rachel Thompson and Dr Jessica Taylor, co author: Understanding the Scale of Violence Committed Against Women in the UK Since Birth.Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Dianne McGregor

The average height of a female in the UK is 5ft 3in. What is life like for women at the other end of the spectrum, especially when it comes to dating? Jessica Creighton is joined by the author of Get Real, Sarah Ivens, who at 6ft would be introduced to dates as 'Queen Kong' or 'Miss Stretchy', and married at 6 ft 3 in in a pair of diamanté heels; and Andrea Hubert, 6ft 1in whose creative comebacks about her height paved the way to her becoming a comedian.Normally it would take a playwright like Lucy Kirkwood two years to write a play and get it onto the stage. However the relentless news of violence against women and the abuse of police powers in recent weeks compelled her to script a thirty minute piece called Maryland in just a few days and send it to the Royal Court Theatre in London. That was three weeks ago...two weeks ago it opened on stage. The Royal Court’s Artistic Director, Vicky Featherstone joins Jessica Creighton to explain why.After struggling with her mental health whilst part of girl-band Little Mix and then quitting late last year, Jesy Nelson has just launched her solo career with a video for her single 'Boyz' that's been criticised for 'blackfishing'. So what is that and why is it problematic? Jess is joined by Leah Mahon, journalist at the Voice online.The Woman’s Hour poll to mark our 75th anniversary found the place where women feel most unequal is in the home - specifically in terms of housework. 75% of the women said the division of chores wasn’t fair but interestingly it was only named as the fifth most important area in which to achieve equality. Jessica talks to Professor Ann Oakley whose seminal book The Sociology of Housework looked at these issues way back in the seventies and also by Professor Rosie Cox who has written a number of books on gender roles.In 2005 the story of Keisha the Sket started being shared by young people on a now defunct early internet platform. The story is told in energetic street slang. Keisha, 17, lives in Hackney, London. She's lively and funny - she is also preyed upon. She wants and enjoys sex and is looking for love but she is sexualised by the men and boys around her. Her lack of control of her life gets her into dangerous situations and the word 'sket' - promiscuous girl or woman - follows her around. It's been called a classic of Black British culture and is now being published for the first time in book form. Jade LB began writing Keisha's story when she was only 13 and joins Jessica to talk about her creation and the mixed feelings she has had about it over the years.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor has seven albums, five children, a podcast and her Live Kitchen Discos during lockdown were a means of virtual escapism for many, and became weekly moments of united sequined catharsis. She joins Emma to discuss her memoir Spinning Plates: Music, Men, Motherhood and Me.Claudia Webbe, a former Labour MP for Leicester East, who now sits as an independent, was found yesterday guilty of one charge of harassment and is awaiting sentencing. She has vowed to remain an MP while she appeals against the conviction but the Labour party has called for her to resign, strongly condemning her actions. Those actions include threatening a woman with sending naked photos of her to her family and that she would throw acid in her face. We hear from solicitor Ayesha Nayyar, who has acted for a number of acid attack victims and campaigns for better support for survivors.Surgeons say women are being refused reconstructive breast surgery on the NHS, even though there are now ways of performing the operation more quickly. The confederation of British surgery say the procedure can be reduced from the traditional 8-12 hours down to 2-3, and hospital stays from 7 days to just 72 hours. Yet surgeons say many NHS Trusts still deem breast reconstruction as ‘cosmetic’, and are performing less than two-thirds of the amount of reconstructions they were pre-Covid.There are an estimated 1000 hermits living in Italy - and the majority of them are women. The history of female hermits goes back hundreds of years, with many choosing to remove themselves from a life of marriage and domesticity to a world of study, devotion and freedom from the expectations of society. But what is it like to be a hermit living in the modern world? Emma speaks to urban hermit Julia Bolton-Holloway about the misconceptions people have about the eremitical life, her journey from university lecturer to Anglican nun and now Catholic hermit - and how she balances a life of poverty, chastity and obedience with a dedication to actively helping those most in need.Predatory marriage involves a vulnerable adult being led into a marriage which financially benefits their new spouse. We discuss with Daphne Franks, who believes that her mother was a victim of a predatory marriage; and Dr Rachael Clawson, Associate Professor in Social Work at the University of Nottingham.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Ayesha Nayyar Interviewed Guest: Nicola Johnston Interviewed Guest: Dhalia Masud Interviewed Guest: Julia Bolton-Holloway Interviewed Guest: Daphne Franks Interviewed Guest: Dr Rachael Clawson Interviewed Guest: Sophie Ellis-Bextor Photographer: Laura Lewis

Who does what in your home? Sourcing school shoes? Calling the plumber? Sorting the threadworms? In her debut novel 'Are We Having Fun Yet?' author and columnist Lucy Mangan reveals the comic diary of Liz who is 'outwardly mute, inwardly mutinous' as she does her best to keep the domestic show on the road.In her new book Rough, Rachel Thompson looks at how violence has found its way into the bedroom. A study released this summer set out to gauge the extent of violence against women. One shocking finding revealed that half of respondents had "woken up to their male partner having sex with them or performing sex acts on them whilst they are asleep." Emma discusses these findings and the impact on women with Rachel and Dr. Jessica Taylor, co author: Understanding the Scale of Violence Committed Against Women in the UK Since Birth.For 26 days teenage girls in Afghanistan haven't been able to go to school. The Taliban has banned them from secondary schools. If girls don't go to secondary school, that means they're unlikely to go to further education or university. Under their new government, Taliban officials said that women will be allowed to study and work in accordance with the group's interpretation of Islamic religious law. Emma discusses the current situation with Yalda Hakim, presenter on BBC World; and a teacher in Afghanistan.Presented by Emma Barnett

Radio DJ Emma Wilson believes that the policeman Wayne Couzens who kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard exposed himself to her in an alleyway some 13 years ago. Emma reported it to the police at the time – no action was taken, but she has decided to speak out now because when she did report it she was not happy with the response.One of the key findings of our equality poll to mark our 75th anniversary has been the extent to which women don’t feel equal when it comes to issues of sexual abuse and exploitation. Almost 70% of the women we asked said it was a concern and the issue is currently front and centre of the news agenda following the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa to name just two women. Emma Barnett talks to the writer Joan Smith and the former Victims Commissioner the Conservative Peer Baroness Newlove who is unimpressed by Boris Johnson’s unwillingness to recognise misogyny as a hate crime and is trying to change the law on the issue. Probably best known to most for her television role as lawyer Lucca Quinn in The Good Wife and then the follow-up series The Good Fight, Cush Jumbo is currently playing Hamlet at the Young Vic in London. Delayed for a year by the pandemic, the play sold out months before opening. As the first woman of colour to play the part in a major production on a British stage she joins a list that goes back to 1741 of UK female actors playing the Prince of Denmark. Cush joins Emma. On Radio 4's Day of the Scientist, we looks at women's trust in science. The latest Public Attitudes to Science survey found that women are less likely to feel connected to science in their everyday lives; less likely to actively engage with science; and were less trusting of scientists and media reporting of scientific issues. What's going on to put women's faith in science on such shaky ground? Emma speaks to Megan Halpern, assistant professor in the history, philosophy and sociology of science at Michigan State University, and Dr Emily Dawson from University College London, who researches how people learn about and engage with science – and why so many women are being put off. Image: Cush Jumbo in Hamlet at the Young Vic Credit: Helen Murray

To mark our 75th anniversary last week we commissioned a poll to explore how you feel about equality in 2021 and how much progress you believe women have made since the first episode of Woman’s Hour was broadcast in 1949 Over two thirds of the women we spoke to said it was down to experiences of sexual exploitation and abuse while three while three quarters put it down to inequality within their homes because of the unfair division of housework..What your reality? At the heart of our Poll the gap between the equality the law says we should have as women and the reality of our lives.How's your life compare to that of your mother or grand mother? How do you think we can achieve equality both in the home and in the workplace...What would help? Is more flexibility in the workplace and the same rewards as your male colleagues the answer. Or is the lack of childcare or help with older relatives that you care for the thing that's holding you back? What change or changes would you most like to see over the next 75 years?Lines are open at 8am on Monday morning. Text us on 84844 . On social media it’s @BBCwomanshour or you can email us via our website .Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell

Baroness Brenda Hale is a former judge who served as the first female president of the Supreme Court. She has written a book, Spider Woman, that spans her life and work.We hear from Professor Anita Hill who thirty years ago faced an all-male, all-white Senate Judiciary Committee—led by the then, Senator Joe Biden—to testify that her boss, Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas, had sexually harassed her. It was a landmark moment for these issues and inspired countless women to come forward with their stories, to file complaints, and even to run for office; creating an unintentional trail blazer.Abi Sampa describes herself as a "weird warbling electric Veena player". She trained as a dentist and then appeared on The Voice in 2013, where she wowed the judges with her unique style of as a fusion of western pop and Indian classical music.Over the last few years, the figures around celibacy have generally been on the rise - particular amongst young women. What’s to be gained from making this life choice? Anita speaks to sex therapist Danielle Bennett, and two women who have experience with celibacy. Laura Kennedy is in her 30’s and was celibate for six years. Shirley Yanez is in her 60's and became celibate as part of a conscious change in lifestyle.Mina Smallman, the mother of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, the sisters who were murdered in a North London park last year, speaks to us about her grief and women's safety.Joan Diana Gayford nee Wilson joined the BBC as a talks producer shortly after the Second World War. Not long after a new programme hit the airwaves. 75 years later, you can hear Emma talking to Diana Gayford who was working on Woman’s Hour when it first came to air at 2pm on 7th October 1946.

Over the last few years, the figures around celibacy have generally been on the rise - particular amongst young women. What’s to be gained from making this life choice? And what should one know before deciding to become celibate? Anita speaks to sex therapist Danielle Bennett, and two women who have experience with celibacy. Laura Kennedy is in her 30’s and was celibate for six years. Shirley Yanez is in her 60s and became celibate as part of a conscious change in lifestyle.Chinaza Onyechi has always dreamed of becoming a film maker but she says like other children from a Nigerian background she was encouraged to take up a more traditional career like law, medicine or engineering. But she is now one step closer to that film-making dream, after being awarded the MetFilm School's first Black Student of Talent scholarship. The scholarship covers full tuition fees for a year and could be worth around £50,000 depending on the course.Susan Ogilvy rediscovered learning in her seventies. As a botanical artist from Somerset, she started a journey into painting nests she serendipitously found. This was the start of an ornithological education, specifically into birds nests. Ogilvy has since painted more than fifty bird nests from life, each time marvelling at its ingenious construction. They have been collated in her new book, Nests. The first in a genre that has been dominated by male authors with very little focus on birds nests. Do gender-neutral terms, such as "homicide" and "murder," systematically ignore targeted violence against women? Should femicide be seen as a separate category? If women are being killed specifically because they're women, does that matter? Do motives matter? Anita is joined by Karen Ingala Smith, co-founder of Femicide Census and Chief Exec of Nia, a charity that runs services for women and girls who have been subjected to sexual and domestic violence and abuse.Abi Sampa describes herself as a "weird warbling electric Veena player". She trained as a dentist and then appeared on The Voice in 2013, where she wowed the judges with her unique style of as a fusion of western pop and Indian classical music. She joins Anita to explain how she plays the electric Veena and to describe her performances with the orchestral Qawwalli Project, reviving old Sufi poems and putting their own spin on them musically with a western orchestral style. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Danielle Bennett Interviewed Guest: Laura Kennedy Interviewed Guest: Shirley Yanez Interviewed Guest: Chinaza Onyechi Interviewed Guest: Susan Ogilvy Interviewed Guest: Karen Ingala Smith Interviewed Guest: Abi Sampa

Our specially commissioned poll to celebrate Woman’s Hour at 75 looks at women and equality in the UK today. It finds the place that women feel the most unequal is in the home, at work in terms of pay and benefits and in terms of safety due to their experience of sexual exploitation and abuse. Emma Barnett talks about the issues raised with our panel including the author Jeanette Winterson, the commentator Inaya Floarin Iman and the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project Laura Bates.Joan Diana Gayford nee Wilson joined the BBC as a talks producer shortly after the Second World War. Not long after a new programme hit the airwaves. 75 years later, to the day, you can hear Emma talking to Diana Gayford who was working on Woman’s Hour when it first came to air at 2pm on 7th October 1946.Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond joins Emma on this anniversary programme. She is a former judge who served as the first female president of the Supreme Court. In 2019 she made headlines announcing the Supreme Court’s judgement that the prorogation of Parliament was ‘unlawful, void and of no effect’. She has written a book, Spider Woman, that spans her life and work.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Mina Smallman, the mother of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, the sisters who were murdered in a North London park last year, speaks to us about her grief and women's safety. She also talks about wanting to reach out to Sarah Everard’s mother because of the particular type of grief they share. She also reminds us of the type of people her daughters were.We get the latest from the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester with the BBC's Political Correspondent, Chris Mason.We hear from Pauline Campbell who's written a book called Rice and Peas and Fish and Chips. It's part social & political commentary, part memoir and explores what it means to be British. Pauline grew up in 1970s London as a first generation, immigrant child of Caribbean parents. She left school with virtually no qualifications after being told she wasn't clever enough for University. But at 23, when she was working as a housing benefits officer, she got a place at university to study law. Even though she was ‘black, old and a woman’ - her words - she kept going and qualified as a lawyer when she was 41. Now she's an award-winning local government lawyer. FASD stands for Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. They're a range of lifelong disabilities caused by a mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy. They include physical, mental, behavioural and learning problems. A new study by The University of Salford says that between 600 and 1,300 children across Greater Manchester may have developed the condition every year. Based on those figures, the National Organisation for FASD believes that 1.2 to 2.4 million people in the UK may have had FASD in 2020. So what are the reasons for this increase and why is FASD so often misdiagnosed?

We hear from Professor Anita Hill who thirty years ago faced an all-male, all-white Senate Judiciary Committee—led by the then, Senator Joe Biden—to testify that her boss, Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas, had sexually harassed her. It was a landmark moment for these issues and inspired countless women to come forward with their stories, to file complaints, and even to run for office; creating an unintentional trail blazer. Now an advocate, educator and author she talks to Emma Barnett about her new book Believing: Our Thirty-Year Journey to End Gender Violence.Research suggests that talking to people we don't know can be good for us. Why don’t we do it more often? How has the pandemic impacted our desire to talk to people we don’t know? Dr Gillian Sandstrom, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Essex, tells us the benefits of making small talk and gives us some tips on how to do it. How can we best discuss the issues of safety without making girls and young women terrified to leave the house? I am joined now by parenting expert, Sue Atkins and Lorraine Candy - mother of three daughters and author of 'Mum, What's Wrong with You?': 101 Things Only Mothers of Teenage Girls Know.Plus ahead tonight’s 2021 Gramophones, Awards, the classical music version of the Grammys which will be streaming live this evening we talk to Fatma Said.Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell Photo credit; Celeste Sloman

Is the Police institutionally misogynistic? It's the question that's been raised now that a police WhatsApp group has come to light which Wayne Couzens was part of. It contained offensive messages. We also know that another police officer called PC David Carrick has been charged with rape. Plus there have been reports of 26 Metropolitan police officers committing sex crimes since 2016. Janet Hills, who's just retired as the Chair of the Metropolitan Black Police Association joins us to discuss, and we go to the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester to speak to MP Laura Farris. We hear from Jenny McCullough who used to work as a clerk in The House of Commons. It was her dream job but she made complaints about Keith Vaz who used to be the Chair of Home Affairs Select Committee. Feeling bullied and undermined, she eventually resigned from her job but a fortnight ago a House of Common's Independent Expert Panel upheld her complaints. She explains why that's significant, both personally and for the culture of Parliament.The Magic Circle appointed its first female president last week: the first in its 116 year history. But who are the women who paved the way? Academic and magician Dr Naomi Paxton shares the stories of female magicians throughout history and reflects on the challenges facing them today.

Zoe Billingham, one of the top inspectors at Her Majesty’s of Constabulary, and Dame Vera Baird, the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales on the reaction to further details about Sarah Everard's murder and the subsequent life prison sentence handed down to the former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens.Intergenational friendships, how is it different from being friends with someone your own age? Best friends 60 year old Sue and 33 year old Emily discuss. The actor Lashana Lynch on making Bond history as the first black female 007 in 'No Time to Die'. The woman whose husband of 15 years became a covid conspiracy theorist. Flick Bayliss on her experience as a 'late life lesbian;, and writing lesbian erotica. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Are you in an intergenerational friendship? Anita speaks to Emily who’s 33 and her best friend Sue who’s 60 about the unique benefits of friendships across the ages.The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has admitted that trust in the police force has been "shaken" by the murder of Sarah Everard. So where do we go from here? And what support is there for the bereaved families who have lost loved ones to male violence? Anita speaks to Dame Vera, the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales.Irish Indian poet and writer, Nikita Gill and British Sri-Lankan producer and live performer Gnarly will appear together for two nights at the Southbank Centre in London tonight and next week. Poems written by Nikita are transformed into songs by Gnarly, merging traditional and digital art and creating, what they say is something no one has seen before. They join Anita in the studio for a chat and a bit of a performance.Writer and broadcaster Liz Fraser has written a memoir about being in a relationship with a man she loves, the father of her child who is also an alcoholic. For a time, she failed to realise how serious his addiction was and she also kept the often shocking truth of what was going on entirely to herself, trying in vain to help her partner find a path to sobriety. Finally she herself broke from the trauma and started to speak out. She joins Anita to talk about her experiences described in her book, Coming Clean: A true story of love, addiction and recovery.

Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens was sentenced today. The court heard that Sarah Everard was handcuffed by her murderer - a Metropolitan Police officer - as he pretended to arrest her for breaching Covid guidelines, as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham on 3 March. Couzens showed his warrant card before restraining her and putting her in his hire car and driving away. Emma gets reaction from listener and journalist Kat Brown, and reads from Sarah's mother Susan Everard's victim impact statement. She also speaks to Zoë Billingham, who is standing down today after 12 years in her role at Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary. Zoë has taken a lead on domestic abuse inspections, and this month published a damning report into the way an ‘epidemic’ of violence against women and girls is being handled – and calling for the prevention of these crimes to be taken as seriously by police and Government as counterterrorism. The report was commissioned by the Home Secretary Priti Patel in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder in March. After many years as members of Wham!, Pepsi & Shirlie broke out to conquer the charts as a pop duo. They discuss the challenges of making it in the male-dominated 1980s music industry, juggling pop careers with motherhood and reinventing themselves.Surrogacy in England and Wales has quadrupled over the past decade and enjoys a much higher profile thanks to celebrity parents such as Elton John, Kim Kardashian and Tom Daley. But despite it becoming an increasingly accepted option for those wishing to have a family, the laws regulating surrogacy and the rights of those involved haven't changed in the UK since the mid-1980s. The Law Commission is now in the process of reviewing those laws for the modern day. Bioethicist Dr Herjeet Marway from the University of Birmingham and lawyer Dr Claire Fenton-Glynn from the University of Cambridge discuss the many sticking points in surrogacy's evolving legal and ethical picture. Image credit: Family Handout/CPS/PA Wire.Presented by Emma Barnett Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Karen Dalziel

As if one new play opening wasn’t enough pressure Olivier award-winning playwright, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, has two this month. ‘Typical Girls’, set in a women’s prison, opened this week at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, and tomorrow ‘Mum’ begins previewing at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. A psychological thriller, ‘Mum’ explores the pressures and complex emotions many women experience when they have a baby. She joins Emma.As the Labour party leader, Sir Keir Starmer gears up for his first in-person conference speech today, Alison McGovern, shadow minister for digital, culture, media and sport joins Emma. Divisions within the party seem to be growing - with talk again of the so called Labour left, whom Starmer has to convince, thinking of splintering off. Rates of sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and herpes have been on an upward trend for the past decade, according to the latest figures from Public Health England. But despite being more common, the stigma attached to contracting an STI still runs deep. One Woman's Hour listener got in touch to share her story of catching herpes in her 50s and the devastating effect this has had on her life and confidence. Dr Liz Foley, a consultant in genito-urinary medicine for the Solent NHS Trust, and Marian Nicholson, Director of the Herpes Viruses Association discuss the facts about herpes in the UK and how to break down the stigma that comes with a diagnosis.A listener wanted to share her experience as a 'late life lesbian' who realised she was gay at the age of 44. She is about to publish a book of lesbian erotica under the pen name Flick Bayliss and explains to Emma why.The University of Leicester turns 100 this year and as part of their celebrations, they are launching a programme called Our 100 – commemorating their‘ hidden heroes’. One of these is Dr Mary Swainson, a mental-health pioneer whose work formed the basis of student counselling. With Freshers' week taking place around the country, how has the service transformed today? Sarah Cavendish, Head of Student Services at the University of Leicester, reveals how the demands and complexity of issues have increased and what is available to students.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Kirsty StarkeyInterviewed Guest: Morgan Lloyd Malcolm Interviewed Guest: Dr Liz Foley Interviewed Guest: Marian Nicholson Interviewed Guest: Flick Bayliss Interviewed Guest: Sarah Cavendish

The former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi was one of the only women, and women of colour, leading a Fortune 500 company. She discusses the challenges facing female leaders and whether women can "have it all". The American singer R Kelly is facing a life sentence after being found guilty of multiple offences related to the sexual abuse of women and children. We hear from Jacqueline Springer, a black music journalist and university lecturer about the case that’s being called a landmark moment for black women being believed as a victims. For over 20 years the Fifa game soundtrack has featured some of the most well-known artists across all genres of music. This week the track list for 2022 has been revealed. As well as some familiar names, a new up-and-coming rapper has been chosen – 19 year old Willow Kayne. Emma speaks to Willow about what it means to her to be included and the power of music in football.Plus we hear from Robin Moira White a barrister specialising in employment and discrimination law, known for her work on trans discrimination cases and co-author of A Practical Guide to Transgender Law.Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell Photo credit: Dave Puente

No Time To Die - the new James bond film that comes out this Thursday, sees actor Daniel Craig grace our screens as the famous British spy for the last time. The first "Blonde Bond" is stepping away from the role after five films and 15 years. But that's not the only change going on. London-born actor Lashana Lynch has made history - she is the first black female 007. Emma speaks to her about her character, Nomi, taking on those three special numbers and taking part in the famous franchise.As their conference continues, how is Labour doing on women? Emma speaks to Helen Lewis, staff writer at the Atlantic - former deputy editor of the New Statesman and to Ian Murray, Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland.People who get Universal Credit got an extra £20 a week when the pandemic started. It was to help families who were struggling. But the government says that extra money will be removed next month, and it was always a temporary measure. The Conservative peer, Baroness Philippa Stroud is against the cut. She worked with Iain Duncan Smith to bring in Universal Credit in 2013. She joins Emma to discuss.The pandemic has taken its toll on many marriages and partnerships, for a variety of different reasons. For one Woman’s Hour listener, something she couldn't possibly have predicted happened. Her husband of 15 years became a Covid conspiracy theorist, almost overnight. It's no exaggeration to say that it has torn their family apart. She got in touch because she wanted to share her story in case it can help othersPresented by Emma Barnett Producer Louise Corley Editor: Karen Dalziel

Daytimers UK is a new music collective made up of British South Asian DJs. Taking inspiration from the daytime raves of the 80s and 90s, they're reviving the way South Asian heritage and culture are displayed in public life. We hear from DJ Ritu, one of the pioneers of the Asian Underground music scene. And DJ Priya and Gracie T are from the new Daytimers UK Collective. The presenter Julia Bradbury tells us about her recent breast cancer diagnosis. With breast cancer affecting 1 in 8 women, we hear from breast surgeon Liz O'Riordan on what to do if you find a lump. The Canadian-American performer and songwriter Martha Wainwright performs Love Will Be Reborn and tells us about finding love after a painful divorce. The campaigner Grace Tame has been honoured with Australian of the Year 2021. She started the ‘Let Her Speak' campaign, taking a legal case to be able to publicly speak in her own name about the sexual abuse she suffered as a child and teenager. We hear about sexism in the gaming world and in particular on a platform called Twitch. Shay Thompson is a Gaming presenter and journalist and Cassie Hughes is the co-founder of Black Twitch UK. They discuss ‘Hate raids”- a way of abusing marginalised members. Photo credit: Sunny S (@sunnyformats)Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor: Lucinda Montifiore

The 80s was the era of day time raving for thousands of British South Asian Kids from cities across the UK from Bradford to Birmingham, Manchester to London. People called them Daytimers. They were kids skipping school to go clubbing in the daytime to avoid the rules imposed on them about going out at night. Forty years later, Daytimers UK is back as a collective of British Asian DJs. Anita Rani speaks to DJ RITU, one of the pioneers of the Asian Underground music scene in the 1980s, to DJ Priya and also to Gracie T from Daytimers UK collective. We talk to Annie Gibbs who's organising a vigil for Sabina Nessa, the 28 year old who was murdered in a south-east London park last week. Many children find themselves unable to attend school due to severe anxiety, often the result of mental health issues or unmet special educational needs. However, unless parents can provide medical evidence of mental health issues, some schools mark this down as an "unauthorised absence" leaving parents open to prosecution. We discuss with Ellie Costello, Director of Square Peg; Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General-Secretary of the National Education Union; and Colette, a parent. This week the government announced that folic acid is to be added to UK flour to prevent conditions like Spina Bifida. We hear from Benedetta Pettorini is a consultant surgeon at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. Nina Tame is a disability advocate and writer. And we talk to Waheda Abdul a volunteer interpreter who is working with some of the Afghan refugees living in hotels and temporary accommodation around the country after fleeing from Kabul last monthPresenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Engineer: Gayl Gordon Picture Credit: Tim Smith

Police Minister, Kit Malthouse, talks to Woman's Hour about violence towards women in the light of Sabina Nessa's murder. We talk to him about the funding and strategies that were promised to how the police will act at Friday's evening vigil for Sabina.We speak to Professor Adam Balen, a consultant in reproductive Medicine at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, about why he thinks it's a good idea to have special messages in contraceptive packages advising people not to leave it too late if they want a baby.We discuss flexible working and how it really works in practice. At the moment when you've lasted 26 weeks in your job you have the right to request flexible working, but now there are government plans to let you make that request from day one. We speak to Emma Stewart from Timewise who wants those plans to go even further and to Leanne Skelton who runs a nursery and worries that more flexibility will be a logistical nightmare.And we speak to two women who love gaming, but say there's some alarming and worrying abuse towards women and non-white gamers. They are Shay Thompson, a gaming journalist and presenter as well as Cassie Hughes who's the co-founder of Black Twitch UK.