Woman's Hour

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

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

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

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

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 h

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

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 par

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 dis

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 wor

Australian marathon swimmer Chloë McCardel is due to swim the English Channel for the 44th time – this will break the current World Record. Chloe already holds the world record for the longest unassisted ocean swim, which took place in the Bahamas and totalled 124km. She joins Emma to talk about why she loves the Channel in particular, and open water swimming in general.There are rumours that the new government in Afghanistan might allow girls between 13-18 years old to return to school this weekend, but so far Taliban spokesmen have claimed ‘more time’ is needed before making a decision. Emma gets the latest from BBC World Service Reporter Sodaba Haidare and educationalist Pashtana Durrani, who has helped educate hundreds of Afghan women through her non-profit organisation LEARN.Author and podcaster Laura Dockrill speaks to Emma about how her experience of postpartum psychosis three years ago shaped her new book The Dream House, which is about very sad boy called Rex. The National Audit Office has found t

A live performance from Martha Wainwright who'll be talking to Emma Barnett about her first album in more than five years and going out on the road again.Ruth London from Fuel Poverty Action talks about the effect of energy price rises on women and children.And as Covid booster jabs are being offered across the UK this week and 12 to 15 year olds are receiving the vaccines at school we speak to Dame Kate Bingham She began the work when she who was appointed chair of the Vaccine Task Force at the beginning of the pandemic by Boris Johnson and reported directly to him. She's now returned to her day job as a venture capitalist investing in new drugs and talks talks to Emma about female leadership, the ethics of booster rollout and whether unvaccinated care-workers should be able to continue working. Plus we hear from Australian of the Year 2021, campaigner Grace Tame. A survivor of sexual abuse she fought to overturn the law in Tasmania which stopped people speaking out in their own name  even if their a

It took three separate assessments before it was confirmed that TV presenter Julia Bradbury had breast cancer. It’s a disease that will affect 1 in 8 women, so why does it sometimes go unnoticed? And what can you do if you suspect something might be wrong? Julia and breast surgeon Liz O'Riordan join Emma to discuss.As Germany’s long serving Chancellor Angela Merkel prepares to stand down later this month we look at her life and legacy and ask what’s she done for women? Her biographer Margaret Heckel and the journalist Stefanie Bolzen from Die Welt join Emma Barnett to discuss the woman who has been at the heart of European and global Politics for the last twenty years through the tumultuous years of the financial crisis, Brexit and the Covid 19 pandemic.Broadcaster and journalist Charlie Webster was 12 when she joined an all-girls elite running group in Sheffield. Running became her passion and it was at the track where she met some of her best friends. But it was also where Charlie was abused for years by

Britain’s first sickle cell and thalassemia nurse specialist, Prof Dame Elizabeth Anionwu revolutionised treatment of the disease. She then established the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice, to address racial inequalities in the profession. She discusses her early life in a children's home, her hugely successful career, and being honour by the singer Dua Lipa. Her memoir is called ‘Dreams From My Mother.'The Taliban announced that all women must wear the hijab and will be segregated in universities. We hear from Afghanistan's former Minister for Women's Affairs, Hasina Safi, who is now in the UK having escaped under cover in the final days of the evacuation. Two listeners Rowan and Destiny, explain, why for the sake of the planet, they are saying no to having children now.Pretty Privilege - what is it and should it be used? The model Marike Wessels, and Caterina Gentili from the Centre for Appearance Research discuss.Comedian, actor, writer, Jennifer Saunders talks facial hair, menopause, and playing t

Are you familiar with the phrase ‘pretty privilege’? A new trend on Tik Tok is seeing young women sharing stories about when they first realised good looks can get you far in life. From relationships, to work, and even within the legal system – the association between beauty and talent, social success and health is a real thing. Anita Rani talks about the issue with model Marike Wessels, and Caterina Gentili from the Centre for Appearance Research.A new report investigating the serious harm or death of babies is calling for midwives, health visitors and social workers to provide more support to fathers. The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel has looked at the lives of 23 babies who were known or suspected to have been seriously harmed or killed by their father, step-father or male carer, with the aim to understand what led the perpetrators to do it, and what could be done to prevent similar incidents. Panel member Mark Gurrey and working NHS midwife in Scotland, Leah Hazard discuss the issues.Rebecca Cu

With a career spanning five decades, Britain’s first sickle cell and thalassemia nurse specialist, Prof Dame Elizabeth Anionwu revolutionised treatment of the disease. As an academic, she became a professor and dean of the nursing school at the University of West London, then established the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice, to address racial inequalities in the profession. When she retired she campaigned for a statue in honour of the pioneering Jamaican nurse, Mary Seacole. She speaks to Emma about her memoir ‘Dreams From My Mother’ - a story of childhood, race, identity, family, hope and overcoming her upbringing which was marked by racism and abuse.Alison Goldsworthy was deputy chair of the Liberal Democrats Federal Executive while the party was in coalition government. Active in politics for a long time, she left the party in 2014. In 2013, she and others made public sexual harassment allegations against a senior colleague, allegations he has always strongly denied. Alison's book Poles Apart h

Amy Hart, who was on Love Island two years ago was in front of politicians yesterday describing the problems she's had on social media. Appearing in front of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee she explained that she's been trolled by nurses, and she found out that a 13 year old boy had sent her death threats. We tells us how she copes. Professor Devi Sridhar from The University of Edinburgh talks to us about the Government's Plan A, Plan B and Plan C for covid as we go into autumn.We hear from two Woman's Hour listeners about why, at the moment, they've decided not to have children. Some of their reasoning is to do with over-population and global resources. According to data from the Office of National Statistics, 50% of women will not have had a child by the time they reach 30, with 20% not having children at all. Emma speaks to Destiny and Rowan about their reasons for being child-free.As Britain gears up to host COP26, the global climate change summit, we talk to the Energy Minister Ann

It's the first year in which women and men are awarded equal prize money in Venice's annual rowing race, the Regata Storica. Emma speaks to lead campaigner and professional rower, Elena Almansi. This week the Taliban announced that all women must wear hijab and will be segregated in universities. Emma is joined by the former Minister for Women's Affairs, Hasina Safi, who is now with her family in a hotel in the UK having escaped under cover in the final days of the evacuation. Emma also speaks to Carolyn Webster, who stood as a parliamentary candidate for the Conservative Party in the last general election and is now an independent councillor in Bridgend in Wales. She has been organising collections for Afghans stuck in British hotels after quarantined and is concerned about their conditions.For 25 years Julia Peyton-Jones was director at the Serpentine Gallery in London. Under her tenure the number of visitors to the gallery in an old tea pavilion in Hyde Park rose from 200,000 to more than one million. A

From Ab Fab to Jam & Jerusalem, Jennifer Saunders has been gracing our TV screens for decades. She now returns to theatre as eccentric mystic Madame Arcati in a production of Noel Coward’s comedy Blithe Spirit. She discusses what attracted her to the role and reflects on her wide ranging comedy career.When a cancer nurse Aimee Winfield posted on social media about how much she was looking forward to a break, it provoked a flurry of abusive messages. She talks to Emma about the impact it's had on her and why she worries about how this behaviour might affect other colleagues.We hear about Catherine Dior, sister of fashion legend Christian Dior, was a French Resistance fighter during the Second World War and was the inspiration for the Miss Dior fragrance. She was also central to his decision to set up his own fashion house in the aftermath of the war which launched what known as the “New Look” – which created an undeniably feminine silhouette . Her story has received little attention, until now, with the pu

We hear from the Screenwriter, director, producer and actor Michaela Coel about her first book ‘Misfits: A Personal Manifesto’. The book draws on topics covered in her MacTaggart lecture in which she spoke about dealing with trauma and the ways in which young creatives are exploited by the television industry.Sarah Gilbert the scientist who led the team that developed the Oxford Vaccine tells us why she doesn’t think we all need booster covid jabs this winter and tells us about being named the 49th winner of the “Bold Woman” award which honours inspirational women with a track record of success.The Pakistani author Rafia Zakaria discusses her new book, Against White Feminism. She explains why she sees the issue of race as the biggest obstacle to true solidarity among women. We discuss Japan’s Womenomics. A concept designed to get more women working and in positions of power. Women in Japan are less likely to be hired as full-time employees and on average earn almost 44 percent less than men. We hear from Cy