Woman's Hour

Kemi Badenoch is the first woman of colour to lead a major political party in the UK, after being elected as leader of the Conservative Party at the weekend. What do we know about her as a woman, and as a politician? What does this mean for women in the Tory party? Clare McDonnell speaks to Katy Balls, political editor of the Spectator, Ella Robertson McKay, former head of Conservative Young Women, and Tory peer Baroness Kate Fall.The Women's 100 metre Olympic champion Julien Alfred joins Clare in the studio. Her gold medal in Paris was the first time St Lucia had won an Olympic medal. She discusses what it took to become a champion and also having a national day named after her. The author Eliza Clark is publishing a new collection of short stories: She’s Always Hungry. She joins Clare to talk about why she wanted to cover topics from matriarchal societies to body image, and how she thinks female authors deserve more respect.Natalie Hewit spent two months in Antarctica directing and producing on the documentary film Endurance, about Ernest Shackleton’s expedition. It was a labour of love, and features restored footage and AI-recreated voices of the original crew in 1914, as well as chronicling the discovery in 2022 of Shackleton’s ship, 3000 metres down in the icy waters of the Weddell Sea. Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Lottie Garton

British-Egyptian activist and Maths professor Laila Soueif has been on hunger strike for the past month to protest her son Alaa’s incarceration in Egypt. He is the country’s most high profile political prisoner. Laila and her daughter Sanaa – who has faced arrest and imprisonment herself – joined Anita Rani to talk about why they won’t stop fighting for Alaa’s release.The BAFTA-winning actress Anna Maxwell Martin stars as Delia in the new ITV series Until I Kill You. It tells the true story of Delia Balmer, who was the girlfriend of serial killer John Sweeney. Anna joined Nuala McGovern to talk about why she wanted to tell Delia’s story, as well as her personal experiences of grief and struggles with the special educational needs system.The United States goes to the polls next week and presidential candidates are campaigning furiously, with the two frontrunners being the Democratic nominee and current Vice President, Kamala Harris and the Republican nominee and former President, Donald Trump. As a programme, we’re taking a look at whether there’s such a thing as the ‘the woman’s vote'. How are different groups of women likely to vote and why? Nuala spoke to Kathy Frankovic, Consultant to YouGov America and former director of surveys for CBS News and Debbie Walsh, Director of the Centre for Women and American Politics at Rutgers University.Sacked from her job by voicemail the day after she informed her employer she was pregnant Joeli Brearley set up Pregnant Then Screwed to end pregnancy and maternity discrimination. The charity has helped to influence new flexible working and redundancy protection laws, providing advice to hundreds of thousands of women when they face discrimination and challenging employers and government in high profile cases. After ten years Joeli is stepping down as CEO. She joined Nuala in the Woman's Hour studio.Film historian Jennifer Smyth talked to Nuala about the life and legacy of the pioneering American screenwriter, Mary McCall Jr. The first woman president of the Screen Writers Guild in 1942, Mary was a key negotiator ensuring better rights and wages for all screenwriters in the film industry. But after years of standing up to male studio heads, she would be blacklisted and go from being one of the biggest earners in Hollywood to living on nickels and dimes.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells Editor: Emma Pearce

Saoirse Ronan’s comments on the Graham Norton Show last week when she interjected in a conversation about self-defence and highlighted the issue of women’s safety are continuing to make headlines. She was applauded by the audience, but how much courage does it take to call something out like this? Joining Anita Rani to discuss are the journalist Ash Sarkar and counselling psychologist Dr Elaine Kasket. British-Egyptian activist and maths professor Laila Soueif has been on hunger strike for the past month to protest her son Alaa’s incarceration in Egypt. He is the country’s most high profile political prisoner. Laila and her daughter Sanaa – who has faced arrest and imprisonment herself – join Anita to talk about why they won’t stop fighting for Alaa’s release.Donna Ockenden, the midwife best known for leading independent investigations into shocking maternity scandals says she's 'disgusted' at the experience her disabled daughter, Phoebe, had in A&E recently. Phoebe and Donna join Anita for their first broadcast interview to explain what went wrong and what they want to change.It’s not uncommon to see young children using a tablet or a video game, but how much time on these devices is too much? A new UK study has explored how children under three engage with digital technology at home. The research reveals the significant extent of toddlers’ access to various devices, and highlights how these devices can support their early language and literacy development. Anita is joined by Professor Rosie Flewitt who led the study.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Maryam Maruf Editor: Sarah Crawley Studio Manager: Sue Maillot

Following the announcement of Labour’s first budget in fourteen years – and the first Budget announced by a woman Chancellor – we hear how women across the country will be affected. Anita Rani speaks to Mehreen Khan, the economics editor of The Times, Sara Reis, deputy director and head of research at Women’s Budget Group and Jo, a participant in the Changing Realities project, a collaboration of parents and carers on a low income and researchers from the University of York and Child Poverty Action.With Halloween upon us, Queen of African Horror Nuzo Onoh joins Anita to talk about her new novel Where the Dead Brides Gather, her journey to getting published and spooky celebrations in Nigeria. How many of us have grown up with parts of our lives unknown to our parents? Born with a degenerative muscular disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Mats Steen was in a wheelchair by the age of 8, and was in an out of hospital right up until he died at the age of 25. As his family mourned his loss, it emerged that Mats had an online life that his parents knew nothing about. In a new Netflix documentary, his mother Trude, his father Robert and his sister Mia describe what it was like to discover Mats' secret world. Trude joins Anita to discuss. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Laura Northedge

The business owner Martha Keith found her products being sold fraudulently online. She tells Nuala how she set about trying to take control of the situation. Last month Lloyds Bank warned of a huge rise in rogue retailers using fake websites to trick people into buying items that are never dispatched. To discuss Nuala is also joined by Katherine Hart, Lead Officer for Scams for the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation. With less than a week to go until the US Presidential election next Tuesday, how are the campaigns trying to appeal to male and female voters? Nuala speaks to Jill Lepore, Professor of American History at Harvard University, and Edward Luce, US National Editor at the Financial Times.The Taliban has announced new restrictions on women in Afghanistan, which mean women are not allowed to pray out loud or sing together. We hear more from the BBC's Shazia Haya and Fawzia Koofi, the former deputy speaker of parliament in Afghanistan, who was a member of the peace negotiations with the Taliban.Film historian Jennifer Smyth talks to Nuala about the life and legacy of the pioneering American screenwriter, Mary McCall Jr. The first woman president of the Screen Writers Guild in 1942, Mary was a key negotiator ensuring better rights and wages for all screenwriters in the film industry. But after years of standing up to male studio heads, she would be blacklisted and go from being one of the biggest earners in Hollywood to living on nickels and dimes.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Emma Pearce

Sacked from her job by voicemail the day after she informed her employer she was pregnant Joeli Brearley set up Pregnant Then Screwed to end pregnancy and maternity discrimination. The charity has helped to influence new flexible working and redundancy protection laws, providing advice to hundreds of thousands of women when they face discrimination and challenging employers and government in high profile cases. After ten years Joeli is stepping down as CEO. She joins Nuala McGovern in the Woman's Hour studio.The United States goes to the polls one week today and presidential candidates are campaigning furiously, with the two frontrunners being the Democratic nominee and current Vice President, Kamala Harris and the Republican nominee and former President, Donald Trump. As a programme, we’re taking a look at whether there’s such a thing as the ‘the woman’s vote'. How are different groups of women likely to vote and why? Nuala speaks to Kathy Frankovic, Consultant to YouGov America and former director of surveys for CBS News and Debbie Walsh, Director of the Centre for Women and American Politics at Rutgers University.Last night’s 2024 Ballon d’Or Awards in Paris saw the Ballon d’Or Feminin award go to Aitana Bonmati for the second year in a row, and former Chelsea coach Emma Hayes win Women’s Coach of the Year. We hear from BBC Women’s Football reporter Emma Sanders for a round-up. Rae Mainwaring was only 23 when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Since then she's gone on to be a successful writer and theatre maker, and a mother of two children, and now her play Bright Places, about growing up in the shadow of a chronic illness is being staged at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. She joins us in the Woman's Hour studio. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

The Women’s Equality Party is urging members to vote to close down the party next month, just under 10 years after it began. The founders say financial challenges and a changed political landscape mean their campaigning model no longer works. Nuala McGovern is joined by the Guardian’s Emma Graham-Harrison and Jemima Olchawski from the Fawcett Society to discuss.The BAFTA-winning actress Anna Maxwell Martin stars as Delia in the new ITV series Until I Kill You. It tells the true story of Delia Balmer, who was the girlfriend of serial killer John Sweeney. Anna joins Nuala to talk about why she wanted to tell Delia’s story, as well as her personal experiences of grief and struggles with the special educational needs system. A new study has evaluated the effectiveness of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), which offer specialist support to survivors of sexual violence. According to the research led by Coventry University, the majority of survivors surveyed reported a positive experience. To discuss the findings, we speak to the project lead Lorna O’Doherty, Professor of Trauma and Mental Health at Coventry University; and a woman we're calling Lauren who has accessed the services of a SARC.The Colombian artist Alejandra Aristizabal creates 3D artwork using a native Colombian plant called the Fique. Her art helps to give a voice to indigenous women and raise awareness of the work they do. She is currently part of a residency programme at Christie's of London supporting artists who are using their work to bring about change. Alejandra joins Nuala to tell us more.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lottie Garton

Vanessa Feltz has been a fixture on TV and radio for three decades. Now she has written a memoir, Vanessa Bares All, which charts the many ups and downs of her personal and professional life. She joins Anita Rani.Listeners share with Nuala McGovern what they think works when it comes to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision in educational settings. In the late 1970s, in the toilets at Euston Station, Dr Sheila Reith, while trying to administer insulin to her daughter, thought there must be an easier way. She envisioned a pen-like device that could be used simply with just one hand. A few years later, the first insulin pen came to market, revolutionizing care for people with diabetes. Dr. Reith has since devoted her life to diabetes care, improving and saving the lives of millions. She joins Anita to discuss winning a Pride of Britain Lifetime Achievement Award.Best known for her sketches on Saturday Night Live and her role as Weird Barbie, comedian Kate McKinnon has now turned her attention to books. The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science is her first children’s book. Kate discusses the story and embracing her 'weirdness.'What does the TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s 80s classic Rivals tell us about sex in 2024? Nuala hears from Dayna McAlpine, a sex and relationships writer and lifestyle editor at HuffPost UK, and Rowan Pelling, co-editor at Perspective and former editor of the Erotic Review.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Vanessa Feltz has been a fixture on our TV screens and radio stations – not to mention tabloid headlines – for three decades. Now she has written a memoir, Vanessa Bares All, which charts the many ups and downs of her personal and professional life, from the Big Breakfast Bed to the Big Brother house, via Madonna and Miss Piggy. If farming can seem to be a man’s world, then ploughing is especially male. So who are the women taking part in ploughing competitions like the one in The Archers this week? Sarah Williams, a competitive plougher, joins Anita, as does Sarah Hehir, a writer on The Archers. A new documentary called Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia follows an undercover journalist attempting to record what life is really like in the country. The current government say they have improved the situation for women, but is this really the case? Human rights activist Lina Al-Hathloul, whose sister Loujain was imprisoned for defending women’s rights, joins Anita alongside Dr Maryam Aldossari, a Senior Lecturer at the University of London. From 15th century birth girdles to 13th century make-up tutorials, a new exhibition at the British Library reveals what life was like for medieval women. Curator Eleanor Jackson and writer Bee Rowlatt, who both work at the Library, talk about challenging our ideas of women in the Middle Ages. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Emma Pearce

Two-time Oscar-nominated actor Emily Watson is a face that has graced the screen and stage – her work of course in Breaking the Waves in 1996 earned her one of those nominations. She joins Anita Rani to talk about her new role in the upcoming film, Small Things Like These. Based on the bestselling book by Claire Keegan, the story focuses on a convent – which is in fact running a Magdalene laundry and Emily plays the role of Sister Mary, the Mother Superior of the convent.Gisèle Pelicot has become something of a feminist icon in France. Her husband is on trial along with dozens of other men accused of raping her and she has promised to try to change society for victims of sexual assault. The trial in Avignon began at the beginning of September and Gisèle Pelicot took the stand yesterday for the second time. BBC correspondent Andrew Harding was in court. He and author and journalist Joan Smith discuss the impact of her testimony.In the toilets at Euston station in the late 1970s, while trying to administer insulin to her daughter, Dr Sheila Reith thought there must be an easier way. She had an idea for a pen-like device that could be used simply and with just one hand. A few years later, the first insulin pen came to the market and revolutionised care for people living with diabetes. Dr Reith has since devoted her life to diabetes care, improving and saving the lives of millions of people. She joins Anita to talk about winning a Pride of Britain Award.Best known for her sketches on Saturday Night Live and playing Weird Barbie the comedian Kate McKinnon has now turned her attention to books. ‘The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science’ is her first children’s book. Kate discusses the story and her broader career. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty Starkey