The Conversation

Datshiane Navanayagam meets two women who use what they learnt from their own divorce to help others heal. Sara Davison, also known as The Divorce Coach, is the best-selling author of The Split: From breakup to break-through, and Uncoupling: How to survive and thrive after breakup and divorce. Sara also hosts her own podcast, Heartbreak To Happiness. Chautè Thompson is a mental health counsellor, a family mediator and the founder of Brand New Me, a consulting practice helping women restart their lives after divorce. She has published two books, Brand New Me: The Pursuit of Wholeness and Brand New Me: Complemented, Completed and Whole.Produced by Alice Gioia(Image: (L) Chautè Thompson, courtesy of Chautè Thompson. (R) Sara Davison, courtesy of Sara Davison.)

Two Oscar-nominated female directors, Nazrin Choudhury and Nisha Pahuja, share their journeys in portraying strong female characters in their impactful films about women's rights. They discuss the challenges of creating emotionally rich and minimalistic environments in their movies, emphasizing storytelling over awards. The podcast explores the significance of short films in conveying profound messages and the excitement leading up to the Oscars ceremony.

Beatriz De La Pava Hucke talks to two women telling the stories of communities threatened by the environmental impact of rising seas, flood damage and increasing temperatures. They're using photography, poetry and literature to express the realities of climate change in communities around the world.Arati Kumar-Rao is a National Geographic Explorer, environmental photographer, writer and artist. She chronicles the changes in landscape caused by climate change, and she’s currently reporting on human migration in India. Her book is called Marginlands.Professor Christina Gerhardt founded the Environmental Humanities Institute at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. She's written a book called Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean. It covers 49 islands, islets and atolls, from the Artic to the Antarctic, that are most threatened by rising sea levels. It looks at their history and culture with testimony, poetry and literature from the islanders themselves showing a defiant sense of hope, often against all odds.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Christina Gerhardt, courtesy of Christina Gerhardt. (R) Arati Kumar-Rao, courtesy of Arati Kumar-Rao.)

When Angela Cacace moved into her new house, she decided to teach herself how to renovate it. Angela is now running her own company, A.Marie Design Build, and has launched Move Over Bob, an online resource for women in the skilled trades. Clémentine Mollier is a French marine carpenter who specialises in restoring and building classic wooden boats. She has just joined the restoration team working on the HMS Victory, the oldest commissioned warship in the world. Beatriz De La Pava Hucke meets both women who have carved their own career in a male dominated industry. Produced by Alice Gioia(Image: (L) Clémentine Mollier, courtesy of Clémentine Mollier. (R) Angela Cacace. Credit Vincent Cacace)

Beatriz De La Pava Hucke meets Dina Macki and Keshia Sakarah, two chefs who explore their culture and identity through food. They discuss memories with food and cultural identity, the fusion of cultures in Caribbean and Omani cuisine, signature dishes like Goat Water and Almani Kabuly, and preserving cultural cuisine through oral tradition.

Angela Prochilo, a Brazilian nature documentary maker, and Andrea Florence, an Emmy-award winning nature documentary maker, discuss their experiences in wildlife film-making. Topics include showcasing women in wildlife conservation, living on a boat in the Amazon rainforest, challenges of studying birds, staging in wildlife filmmaking, and inspiring conservation efforts.

Dr Ify Aniebo and Dr Mehreen Datoo share personal experiences with malaria, discuss challenges for women in science in Africa, and highlight the progress and challenges in the fight against malaria with a multidisciplinary approach.

Raashi Thakran, mental health advocate who lost her 18-year-old brother to suicide, and Charlotte Maya, a lawyer and writer who lost her husband to suicide, share their personal stories and coping mechanisms. They discuss the importance of support, self-care, and reaching out for professional help. The speakers also touch on the gendered component of suicide and the need for open conversations about vulnerability.

Parenting experts Rosalind Wiseman and Phinnah Chichi Ikeji discuss the challenges of raising teenage boys. They emphasize the importance of understanding their development, supporting their emotional well-being, and teaching healthy masculinity. Advice for parents includes focusing on positive qualities and having compassion.

Nelufar Hedayat meets two criminal defence lawyers who fight for people's lives on death row. Sarah Belal is a barrister and the founder of Justice Project Pakistan. She represents the most vulnerable people on death row in Pakistan and abroad. Andrea Lyon is a lawyer, professor and former law school dean. She was the first woman to serve as lead attorney in a death penalty case, and she holds 19 wins in 19 capital cases. Her book is called Angel of Death Row. Produced by Alice Gioia.(Image: (L) Andrea Lyon. (R) Sarah Belal, credit Getty Images.)