Woman's Hour

An urgent inquiry to investigate how alleged systemic racism in the NHS manifests itself in maternity care was launched this week. Anita is joined by Sandra Igwe, co-chair of the inquiry and who set up The Motherhood Group to support Black mothers after her experiences of giving birth, and Dr Karen Joash, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Imperial College and spokesperson for race equality at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.Girls sit at home waiting for 'Mr Right, a nostalgic fantasy invented by their parents. There has to be a better way." The words of Mary Oliver who with her friend Heather Jenner set up the UK's first ever Marriage Bureau in 1939. The book she wrote nearly 80 years ago has just been republished and the story has caught the imagination of Hollywood producers. So who was Mary Oliver and how relevant is her advice today? Film director Richard Kurti who rediscovered Mary Oliver and dating expert Charly Lester discuss.As many as one in six young people now exper

As many as one in six young people now experience mental health problems ranging from depression to self-harm and anorexia. The situation’s got worse over the last year during the pandemic leading some doctors to warn that this is just the “tip of the iceberg” with a “timebomb” on the horizon. The children’s Minister Vicky Ford talks to Emma Barnett about the issues and how Children's and Mental Health Services around the UK are coping as well about her own battles with anorexia whilst growing up.With almost every elderly care home resident in Scotland now vaccinated and the three-week period to build immunity reached, relatives are calling on the government in Scotland, public health teams and care homes, to let residents see at least one close relative or friend in a more natural and regular way. The Broken Hearts campaign is led by Care Home Relatives Scotland, a Facebook group with 1700 members. Twenty three year old, Lucy Challenor is one of those. She explains the impact of having a mother and a grand

Pip Hare has been competing in the Vendee Globe race, sailing around the world, solo, non-stop and without assistance. She is on the home straight now and currently 20th place. Pip speaks to Emma from the Atlantic Ocean. Following a ruling by the High Court at the end of last year that children under 16 with gender dysphoria are unlikely to be able to give informed consent to being treated with puberty-blocking drugs, younger children now need a clinician to apply to the Court to be able to access puberty blockers, and all current referrals and appointments have been paused. We hear from Dr David Bell, former staff governor at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and a consultant adult psychiatrist and get a response from the Trust.There is a stalking genre in valentines cards. Slogans on cards such as: Your stalker wishes you a Happy Valentines Day and stalker is a hard word - I prefer valentine. Katy Bourne, Sussex police and crime commissioner and main spokesperson on stalking for ass

'It’s a Sin', the new drama on Channel 4 by Russel T Davies tells the story of a group of young gay men living in London during the Aids crisis of the 1980s and 90s. At the centre of their lives is their friend Jill Baxter, who offers unconditional love and support. We meet the woman who inspired the character, Davies' long-time friend Jill Nalder, the actor who plays her on screen Lydia West and Lisa Power an LGBT rights campaigner and co-founder of Stonewall.A new report from the Women and Equalities Committee looks at the gendered economic impact of Covid 19 - we're joined by its Chair Caroline Noakes MP. Plus Pauline Bridge, who at 82 has been called Britain’s oldest paper "girl". And we hear from Kirsty Mead a Topshop worker, and a lifestyle fashion blogger whose video on TikTok of her packing up one of the shops in Leeds that's never going to open again, has gone viral.Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley Purcell

At the beginning of the pandemic nurseries, pre-schools and many child minders shut down at the same time as schools, to all but the children of key workers and the most vulnerable. Most reopened in June and have remained open ever since. Providers of early years education have been urging the government for more money, saying that a lack of demand over the last year has put them under even more financial strain and many may not survive. Emma speaks to Stephanie Carless who runs a preschool in the West Midlands, and Shannon Pite, Public Affairs Director for the Early Years Alliance.Some women in the ultra orthodox Jewish community believe the laws on forced marriage are not serving them adequately and action needs to be taken. Emma is joined by Yehudis Fletcher, the founder think tank Nahamu, which aims to counter what it sees as extremism in the Jewish community; and by Chaya Spitz, chief executive of the Interlink Foundation, which represents Orthodox organisations. Mia Hansson is a 46 year old artist a

The singer/songwriter Arlo Parks was named the BBC Introducing Artist of the Year in October. She tells us about her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams – and performs the track Green Eyes. Susannah Constantine the author, journalist and fashionista tells us about her alcoholism. Sober now for seven years, she believes a lot of women are struggling with alcohol addiction during lockdown. She tells us about the feelings of shame surrounding her drinking and how she believes it leads to a sense of isolation and loneliness. We hear why women are at the forefront of protests in India against new farming laws. BBC’s South Asia Correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan and Usha Seethalakshmi from Makaam, a forum for Women's Farmers Rights in India discuss.The Ministry of Justice recently announced plans for up to 500 new prison cells to be built in women's jails. They say these will be created in existing women's prisons to increase the number of single cells available and improve conditions. But these announcements have

Anita Rani talks to 23 year old wrestler Aleah James who was signed by WWE in the middle of lockdown. Normal try outs involve a rigorous selection process, with over 80 athletes, but Aleah bypassed this and was hired on the exceptional promise she showed. We hear from Mrs Weaver, Jackie Weaver, star of the parish council zoom row which has gone viral.Thousands of farmers in India have been protesting against new farming laws in India. As the protests grow women are now said to be increasingly taking a more prominent role. We hear from the BBC's South Asia Correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan and from Usha Seethalakshmi from Makaam, a forum for Women's Farmers Rights in IndiaThe writer and opera singer Julia Kogan has just won a high court battle to be credited for her part in writing the script for the Oscar nominated film Florence Foster Jenkins, starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant. We talk to her and Dr. Daniela Simone, a Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University and an expert in copyright and collective

A top-class Welsh athlete, one of the best, says the abuse that women get when out training has to stop. Rhiannon Linnington-Payne, who runs the 400 metres and is training for The Commonwealth Games, has spoken out about the harassment she's received when doing her daily training sessions on a road near her home. Other women say it happens to them too.Zara Mohammed is the first woman, and the youngest person, to be leader of the Muslim Council of Britain. Her background is in Human Rights Law and she says it's her vision to "build a truly inclusive, diverse and representative body". She hopes her appointment will inspire more women and young people to take on leadership roles. She joins Emma to talk about her new role.Marie McCourt's daughter, Helen, was murdered in February 1988. Her killer was convicted on overwhelming forensic evidence, but refused to reveal the location of her body. Marie, now 77, has never given up finding her. At the beginning on this year, Helen's Law came into effect which makes it a

Emma Barnett talks to the singer/songwriter Arlo Parks who was named the BBC Introducing Artist of the Year in October and she'll share a special version of the track Green Eyes with listeners and Suzanne Heywood the widow of the late top civil servant Jeremy Heywood talks about her husband's legacy and we hear from the journalist Nadine White. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Photo Credit for Arlo Parks: Alex Kurunis

Dolly Parton has sold 100 million albums and published over 3000 songs. There's a new book about her by Sarah Smarsh who says we don't know enough about Dolly's philanthropy. Dolly's given million of books around the world and has donated thousands of dollars to families living in the Smoky Mountains where she's from. Sarah's book is called She Come by It Natural and she's on Woman's Hour to explain how influential and significant Dolly is for generations of women.The Ministry of Justice recently said 500 new prison cells would be built in women's jails. They say it's to improve conditions, and some prisons will now let women have overnight visits with their children. They say they're putting in £2 million of funding, via charities, to help women yet the plans have drawn criticism. Why?

Susannah Constantine describes herself as an author, journalist, PA to three teenagers and middle-aged lapsed fashionista turned podcaster to the wardrobes of the superstars! She has recently written about her alcoholism. Sober now for seven years, she wrote the article because she felt a lot of women are struggling. This is borne out by figures from Alcohol Change UK, who have seen a huge increase in the number of women coming their website since the first lockdown started, with 173,580 female visitors, an increase of more than 100% on the previous year. Susannah joins Emma to describe the feelings of shame surrounding drinking, especially for women, and how it leads to a sense of isolation and loneliness. And she talks about the positives of her life post drinking Writer Sarah Jaffe joins Emma to talk about the ideas in her new book, Work Won't Love You Back. She argues we've been sold an idea that certain work is not really work and should be done for the sake of passion rather than pay. She looks

Samantha Cameron talks about setting up her own clothing brand and what life was really like at Number 10.Katiann Rocha from the Halo Collective, an organisation of people working to put a stop to hair discrimination and Emma Dabiri, author of the book Don’t Touch My Hair discuss discrimination against afro hair.Internationally-renowned primatologist and conservationist, Dame Jane Goodall on climate change and how the planet has changed over the decades. Breathing coach, Rebecca Dennis and Mike Thomas, a professor of primary care research and expert in the use of breathing exercises for asthma at the University of Southampton discuss why we need to be taught how to breathe.Comedian Rhod Gilbert on male fertility and his campaign to raise awareness and encourage men to be open, engage and be a part of the conversation. Rhod Gilbert: Stand up to Infertility is on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Two on Sunday at 10pm. Following Elaine Paige’s admission that her height has made her feel horribly insecure throughout her l

Can the way we breathe change our mental and physical health? With Rebecca Dennis, author of new audiobook 'Breathe', and Prof Mike Thomas from the University of Southampton. The campaign for a statue of Emmeline Pankhurt's forgotten sister and the first woman to die for the suffrage movementPlus a look at new research which reveals discrimination against Afro hair in the UK is widespread, with black people stating they have experienced microaggressions around their hair. And Ann Wolbert Burgess the woman who inspired the character of psychologist Dr Wendy Carr in the TV series Mindhunter. Presenter Anita Rani Producer Beverley Purcell

Samantha Cameron spent six years at number 10 Downing Street with her husband David in the glare of the media spotlights. She was there through the tumultuous years of the Scottish and EU referendums - issues which still rage today - witnessing some of the biggest political changes for generations. She was the youngest first lady for 50 years, juggling family life and a new baby with a high pressure job. She is credited with modernising the upmarket stationers Smythson and has now set up her own clothing brand Cefin. She talks to Emma about life at number 10, family, fashion and business.Rape victims at the heart of a landmark court case say they have been failed by the Crown Prosecution Service. A judicial review lodged against the CPS by the Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) and End Violence Against Women (EVAW) coalition is being heard in the Court of Appeal this week. They say that a change in tactic has led to a more cautious approach and a subsequent collapse in rape prosecutions. To discuss the issues E

Men don't talk about fertility and society largely views fertility as a woman's issue despite the fact that men are said to be a factor in around half of all fertility issues between couples. That's the view of the stand up comedian Rhod Gilbert who is raising awareness of the issue and wants men to open up and be part of the conversation. He's made a BBC documentary 'Stand up to Infertility' where he shares his own struggles to conceive with his wife Sian. Stand Up to Fertiliy is streaming now on BBC iPlayer and on BBC Two on Sunday 31st January at 10.00pm.A new study indicates teenage girls experience a sharper decline in well-being and self-esteem compared with boys due to “heavy social media use". It has also suggested that the pandemic might be making it worse. The report - by the think tank, the Education Policy Institute, and the Prince's Trust - calls on the government to act quickly to improve mental health support for schools in England. Emma is joined by Whitney Crenna-Jennings , the author of

Women and Gambling.Pauline and Derek Tremain are a couple who work together, running a small business from home in Kent. It's not your run of the mill business however, they provide a very specialist service called 'body mapping' to police forces up and down the country, painstakingly recreating murder injuries with 3D imaging for juries to look at. They talk to Emma about their memoir How to Solve a Murder - True Stories from a Life in Forensic Medicine. Elaine Paige is an award-winning star of the West End and Broadway. . What, you may ask, would such a woman have to worry about? Well if you've been reading the Radio Times or the papers recently, you'll know that her height - just 4 foot 11 has made her feel horribly insecure throughout her life and caused her to be both literally and metaphorically overlooked. We hear from Elizabeth Carr-Ellis from Canterbury who's the same height and knows exactly how she feels. Wendy Simon found herself unexpectedly running a city from her living room in December

Internationally-renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall discusses the tragedy of lost nature and the positive action needed to combat climate change.Does it matter if female cabinet ministers are missing from flagship political programmes and TV briefings? Emma speaks to former Government minister Anna Soubry, and later in the programme to Therese Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.In the new episode of Grounded with Louis Theroux, musician FKA Twigs says she was coercively controlled. What can you do if you find yourself in a psychologically abusive relationship?IMAGE CREDIT: Bill Wallauer

Clemency Burton-Hill gives her first broadcast interview to Emma Barnett since she suffered a brain haemorrhage a year ago. She talks about how music has helped her ongoing recovery, and how she has learnt to speak again. Sindiso Khumalo & Dr Christine Checinska on the V&A museum's African fashion exhibition, Plus Katie Price on her son Harvey who was born with Septo-optic Dysplasia, a rare disorder that affects brain function. Her family have lived their lives in the public eye for more than 15 years - and now in a new BBC One documentary, we see her having to make tough decisions about his future as he turns 18. There’s been a surge in calls to domestic abuse services in the pandemic as couples spend more time at home together - the majority of calls coming from women. For many victims and survivors, work is usually a place of respite. We hear from Business Minister Paul Scully who's written to employers urging them to be a bridge between their workers, spot domestic abuse and offer the support th

Women trying to escape domestic violence can spend months on end in a refuge or in unsuitable temporary accommodation due to lack of suitable housing. The Local Government Ombudsman has just published a highly critical report about how the London Borough of Wandsworth spectacularly failed one victim of domestic abuse. We hear from ombudsman investigator Cameron Black, women in this situation. And we ask Lucy Hadley from Women’s Aid whether the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill will resolve some of these problems. Throughout the 19th century, tens of thousands of Irish women left to make their fortunes in the US. But what happened to these women once they reached the Land of Opportunity? Dr Elaine Farrell of Queen's University Belfast and Dr Leanne McCormick of Ulster University have pieced together their stories. They talk to Anita Rani about drunkenness, sexual deviancy and the lives of crime led by those they call 'Bad Bridgets'. How have young women's finances been over the past 12 months? The lockdow

Katie Price and her family have lived their lives in the public eye for more than 15 years - and now in a new BBC One documentary, she's having to make tough decisions about her son Harvey's future. Born with Septo-optic Dysplasia, a rare disorder that affects brain function, hormones and vision, Harvey is moving onto the next stage of his development as he turns 18. Katie joins Emma to discuss. Senior judges in the Family Courts were heavily criticised last year for outdated views on allegations of marital rape in family court proceedings. This week the Court of Appeal is holding a legal review into the Family Courts’ approach to domestic abuse and sexual violence for the first time is 20 years. Barrister, Dr Charlotte Proudman explains why this review is both important and necessary, and why it may prompt cases being overturned.It's been reported that the former First Lady Melania Trump did not write her own thank you letters to her White House staff. The goodbye letters were allegedly written by an aide.