Woman's Hour (BBC Radio 4)

From the shock value of punk to Muslim modesty codes, via clothes as art and how police officers personalize their uniforms, Lauren Laverne and guests discuss what we wear and what it means.

With punk pioneer Jordan, fashion designer Barjis Chohan, philosopher Shahidha Bari, and former police officer and blogger Ellie Bloggs

Producer: Luke Mulhall.

Lauren Laverne and guests discuss the origins and pitfalls of stereotypes of women.

With Joanne Harris, best-selling author of Chocolat who has written about myth and fairy tales.

Lisa Mckenzie, a sociologist at the London School of Economics, who has explored portrayals of working class women

Emma Dabiri, teaching fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, who has studied what people mean by the term 'mixed-race' in Britain today.

Jane Cunningham, founder of advertising and marketing consultancy Pretty Little Head.

The broadcast edition of this programme will be available on Iplayer soon after transmission. A longer version is available now as a podcast.

Lauren Laverne and guests discuss women and masturbation - is it still a taboo? Her guests this month are:

Emily Yates, accessibility consultant and sex educator with the charity Enhance the UK.

Irma Kurtz, who has been the agony aunt for Cosmopolitan Magazine since 1970.

Ky Hoyle, the founder and Managing Director of the Sh! Women's Erotic Emporium.

Stephanie Theobald, a writer whose most recent book Sex Drive is a memoir of her drive across America in search of her lost libido.

Producer: Luke Mulhall.

Following the massive success of female athletes on Team GB in the Rio Olympics, Lauren Laverne discusses women in sport with: Maggie Alphonsi, World Cup-winning rugby player and sports commentator and pundit Cherrelle Brown, champion boxer and personal trainer Anna Kessel, sports writer and author of Eat Sweat Play Jean Williams, Professor of the History and Culture of Sport at DeMontfort University

Producer: Luke Mulhall.

Where does private space for women end and public space begin? Where does a woman's right to wear, or walk, or say, what and where she wants become different to men's - on the beach? On the bus? Online? Joining Lauren Laverne to discuss:

Shelina Janmohamed, author of Generation M

Helen Lewis, Deputy Editor of the New Statesman

Becca Bunce of the disabled women's collective Sisters of Frida and co-director of the I C CHANGE campaign

Bridget Minamore journalist

This programme is available in two versions. The long version is podcast only and is available by clicking the MP3 button on the Late Night Woman's Hour programme page or subscribing to the Woman's Hour daily podcast. The shorter broadcast version will be available on Iplayer shortly after transmission on Friday 30th September.

Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Eleanor Garland.

Lauren Laverne and guests discuss home. What does home mean to you? Is domesticity a joy or a drudgery? And why has the Scandinavian art of Hygge become the word of the winter? Is it genius marketing or emotional need? Joining Lauren are:

Trine Hahnemann, Chef and author of 'Scandinavian Comfort Food - Embracing the Arts of Hygge'.

Susie Orbach, psychotherapist and author.

Dr Rachel Hurdley, Research Fellow in the School of Social Science at Cardiff University

Helen Zaltzman, podcaster and crafter.

This programme is available in two versions. The long version is podcast only and is available by clicking the MP3 button on the Late Night Woman's Hour programme page or subscribing to the Woman's Hour daily podcast. The shorter broadcast version will be available on Iplayer shortly after transmission on Friday 28th October.

Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Eleanor Garland

Guest: Susie Orbach Guest: Rachel Hurdley Guest: Trine Hahnemann Guest: Helen Zaltzman.

She's your BFF, your Bestie. Thelma to your Louise, or Eddie to your Patsy. This month on Late Night Woman's Hour, Lauren Laverne discusses female friendship, its rules, strengths and weaknesses, and how it changes over time, with psychologist Terri Apter, novelist Lucy Caldwell, Into Film journalist Ceyda Uzun and Julie-Ann Richards and Sarah Adams-Greener, two Woman's Hour listeners who have been friends since they were three.

This programme is available in two versions. The long version is podcast only and is available by clicking the MP3 button on the Late Night Woman's Hour programme page or subscribing to the Woman's Hour daily podcast. The shorter broadcast version will be available on Iplayer shortly after transmission on Friday 25th November.

Lucy Caldwell's collection of short stories, Multitudes, is published by Faber. Here We Are, Lucy's short story about two young women falling in love in 1990s Belfast, first appeared in Granta.

Lauren Laverne discusses the delights and perils of parties with seasoned partygoers Fran Cutler, Brigid Keenan, Bryony Gordon and Zing Tsjeng.

Fran Cutler is the queen of party organisers, and thinks nothing of dialling Cher's number to ask her to perform at one of her legendary 'dos. Writer Bryony Gordon is a former 3am girl whose idea of a good night out is a party for two in her back garden with her husband. Editor of UK Broadly, Zing Tsjeng, is no stranger to the coolest parties in town, but always leaves at 3am when the 'blue plastic bag brigade' switch off Britney and start playing intelligent dance music. Writer Brigid Keenan is a former 'trailing diplomatic spouse' and once spent an entire party locked in a loo, dressed as Mary Queen of Scots.

They are your guides for this Late Night Woman's Hour on partying. So have you fixed your hair? Lined your stomach? Drunk a glass of water? Your taxi is waiting....

The broadcast edition of this programme will be available on Iplayer soon after transmission. A longer version will be available as a podcast.

We discuss the future of Family Drug and Alcohol Courts in the UK. They try and find solutions for parents who have addictions and are at risk of losing their children. But despite some success it seems funding for the scheme is under threat. Jane is joined by Sophie Kershaw, Co-Director of the Family Drug and Alcohol National Unit, and Rosie, a mother who's managed to keep her third child with her because of these courts, despite losing two already.

We speak to Allison Schroeder, screenwriter of Hidden Figures. It's a new film about a trio of African-American women who did the maths behind a voyage around the earth in the early days of the Space Race. She talks about this unknown and inspirational story, as well as her own personal connections to NASA.

TV and radio all-rounder, Sandi Toksvig, talks to Jane about her new play called Silver Lining, as well as family life, her plans for when she's older and making the world a fairer and more equal place for women.

"The hackles on the back of my neck stand up and the orange warning signs come on."

You know the feeling. It's the emotional equivalent of seeing something out of the corner of your eye. So fleeting you're not sure it's real. She's lying, it says. Or maybe, don't call him back. Or perhaps just, something's not right.

So do you trust it, this feeling, or brush it aside? And if you do trust it, what do you call it? Instinct or intuition? Sixth sense? Your bulls**t detector?

Whatever name you prefer, there's no doubt that - historically speaking - it gets a mixed press. At best perhaps, it's the preserve of animals. At worst, it's downright witchy. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. Because after all, where does it come from, this information? Some kind of dialup to the spirit realm? Or could there be a scientific explanation?

Lauren Laverne and guests businesswoman Hilary Devey, neuroscientist Sophie Scott, anthropologist Kit Davis and former detective Mo Dowdy explore the benefits and frustrations of trusting your instincts.

Lauren Laverne interviews Viv Albertine at the Free Thinking festival for the first edition of BBC Radio 4's Late Night Woman's Hour to be recorded in front of an audience.

Writer and film maker Albertine reflects on being the guitarist in pioneering all-female punk band The Slits, whose 1979 album Cut is frequently voted one of the most influential albums of all time. But - as she outlines in her autobiography Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys - she hasn't always had an easy relationship with her punk past, and when her daughter was born, Albertine initially didn't tell her about her part in the punk revolution. Following the breakup of The Slits, Albertine briefly worked as an aerobics instructor before going on to film-making, acting (she took a lead role in Joanna Hogg's 2013 film Exhibition) and a solo recording career (debut solo album The Vermilion Border was released in 2012). When her autobiography was first published, with its frank reflections on (amongst other things) masturbation, sex, the punk ethos, IVF, and marriage, Albertine confessed to journalist Alexis Petridis that she worried "have I gone too far? I always go too far."

In a frank and funny conversation, Albertine reflects on the resurgence of feminism after the 'desert' of the 1980s, the vital role her daughter played in her decision to return to music, and the advantages of not caring too much what people think.

What do our first names really say about us? More than you might think, according to Dr Jane Pilcher, Associate Professor at the University of Leicester. She claims that our names often reveal important clues about our age, social class and ethnicity that might affect the way that we are treated by other people. She joins Jane, along with name expert and the founder of the British Baby Names website, Eleanor Nickerson to discuss what's in a name.

How has this classic British name become synonymous with being middle of the road? The actor Jane Asher turned 71 earlier this month and was born in the year that Jane entered the UK top 50. Jane Brody celebrated her 30th birthday last week and was born the year after Jane stopped being a UK top 100 name.

Woman's Hour listener Victoria Smillie wanted to change her surname following her divorce, but realised in doing so that she had never been happy with her given name, Lesley, either. So she changed both. They are joined by another of our listeners, Tracy, who truly hates her name but can't quite bring herself to lose it. By the age of three, Esther Robertson had had three different first names and surnames. Esther joins Jane to discuss how her changing name has affected her life.

The author Charlotte Mendelson keeps lists of names and can deliberate for hours about what to call the characters in her novels. She joins us along with the journalist and editor Alex Clark to discuss the best and worst names in books.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Laura Northedge.

Emma Barnett and guests Sali Hughes, Philippa Perry and Daisy Buchanan discuss break-ups.

"What do you mean I'm going to sag? Sag WHERE?"

These days the world seems full of well-intentioned cat-poster sentiment designed to cheer us up over the passage of time -You're only as young as you feel, 70 is the new 40 - but for women in particular, advancing age can mean a sense of panic.

Lauren invites writer and broadcaster Miranda Sawyer, cultural historian Helen Small, founder of the Ruby & Millie makeup range Ruby Hammer and writer and Guardian columnist Michele Hanson to provide LNWH listeners with a toolkit - philosophical, cultural, emotional, sartorial - for getting older.

Presenter Lauren Laverne.

Women have always dreamed of escaping their ordinary lives - but it's only in recent history that travel has become a legitimate opportunity to do so - and then only for some. Lauren discusses the pleasures and pitfalls of wanderlust, with some very well-travelled women...

LOIS PRYCE has travelled the world alone on her motorbike. Named one of the greatest female travellers by the Daily Telegraph she has written a number of books about her life as - her word - and adventuress.

RANA RAHIMPOUR grew up in Iran and had to seek her parents' permission as a young female student to go travelling in her own country. Now based in London she presents on the BBC's Persian TV network. Her decision to move here means she cannot return to Iran even to visit because under the present regime BBC employees face arrest. She has also written about being stopped from travelling to the US by Donald Trump's travel ban....

CAROLYN PEARSON is the founder of women's travel network MAIDEN VOYAGE. It seeks to make life easier for women travelling alone, and was inspired by her own experiences.

VICTORIA ADE-GENSCHOW who was born in Manchester but is now based in Berlin. A passionate advocate of travelling with a family and on a budget, she blogs at thebritishberliner.com and her motto is "just go.".

Lauren Laverne talks to technology evangelist Dr Sue Black, Professor of New Technologies at Goldsmiths University Sarah Kember, and games scriptwriter Rhianna Pratchett about the challenges and opportunities currently facing women working in technology, and about the ways in which new technologies cater to women or fail to do so. Recorded with an audience at the British Science Festival in Brighton.

Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Laura Thomas.

Lauren and guests reflect on how we can find the right balance between work and rest.

Often presented as opposites, our attitudes to work and rest are changing under the influence of a range of technological and social forces. Many people work from home, but how many of us also home from work? And how do we maintain the boundaries between the two when it's so easy to check your work email at midnight?

Lauren's guests this month are:

Emma Gannon: writer, blogger, and founder of the podcast Control Alt Delete. Emma wrote a book of the same name in 2016, and is currently working on a new book, The Multi-Hyphen Method, in which she's going to be looking at how we can 'design our own careers and work less.'

Dr Zeena Feldman: lecturer in digital culture at King's College London. Zeena is interested in how digital media blur the boundaries between our work and home lives. Earlier this year she launched the Quitting Social Media project, examining peoples' reasons for disconnecting.

Rosie Fletcher: writer, stand-up comedian and co-founder of the Rosie & Jessica's Day of Fun podcast. Rosie has M.E., which has affected her ability to work and meant a radical reassessment of how she manages her energy. She writes about her experiences for the New Statesman and Huffington Post.

Ash Sarkar: lecturer and senior editor at Novara Media, Ash's work focuses on the enduring legacies of colonialism in modern Europe, the intersections between race, class and gender, as well as the political meaning of Beyoncé.

Psychotherapist Esther Perel wrote her first book Mating in Captivity ten years ago. Her second book The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity has just been published. She joins Jenni to hear from Woman's Hour listeners about the challenges they face keeping the sexual spark alive in a long-term relationship and to give advice based on 20 years experience of talking to couples .

Mismatched libidos, pain during intercourse, getting into a routine and what happens to desire when kids come along are some of the issues raised. Is it unrealistic to expect passion in a marriage? Why does the sex seem to go off even in the most loving relationships and does it really matter?

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Erin Riley Reporter: Abigail Hollick.

Anna & Elizabeth are a folk duo with a banjo, Virginia roots and a catalogue of traditional ballads, but their latest album, 'The Invisible Comes To Us' is much more than a classic folk record. They join Jenni to discuss creating music with geographical history, and working together despite a 500-mile distance.

21 million women and men are trapped in modern day slavery, estimates the charity Stopthetraffic.org. Of these, approximately 4.5 million are sexually exploited. Anna was one of them, snatched off a London street and taken to Ireland where she was raped, beaten and forced into prostitution. Her book Slave tells the story of what happened and she tells Jenni how she found the courage to fight back.

The BBC has been exploring attitudes to weight and healthy living in a series of programmes. Woman's Hour asked listeners 'How Does Fat Feel?' One listener who we will call Jules responded, saying she is 54 and calls herself fat. Until 10 years ago she was an average weight, but an underactive thyroid, steroids, anti-depressants which stimulated her appetite, secret eating and just eating too much too fast all contributed to a large weight gain. Ena Miller went to visit her.

Presenter: Jenni Murray.

New film ‘The Favourite’ set in 18th century England features a frail and irascible Queen Anne played by Olivia Coleman whose attention and affection is being sought by her political adviser Lady Sarah Churchill (Duchess of Marlborough) and ruthless chambermaid Abigail. It is a story of sexual politics and power games, starring Olivia Coleman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone. Jenni talks to screenwriter Deborah Davis.

Abortion will be legal in the Republic of Ireland from the first day of January 2019. A bill to legalise abortion services passed all stages of the Irish Parliament last week, but given the tight time frame, how will this work in practice? Jenni is joined by Ellen Coyne, Senior Ireland Reporter at The Times and Dr Peter Boylan, consultant obstetrician and former master of the National Maternity Hospital.

In May we heard from 25 year old Samantha Jury-Dada who, concerned by the surge in knife crime in London, was going to several parts of the US to find out how young women and girls associated with gangs are supported. She’s back and tells Jenni what she found out and how that information will help her forge better support for young women at risk here in the UK.

Gillian Monks is the author of ‘Merry Midwinter: How to rediscover the Magic of the Christmas Season' and she joins Jenni to discuss the history and significance of Winter Solstice celebrations. She’ll be sharing some simple tactics on how to shut out Christmas stress and remember the spirit of the season.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Laura Northedge

Interviewed Guest: Deborah Davis Interviewed Guest: Ellen Coyne Interviewed Guest: Dr Peter Boylan Interviewed Guest: Samantha Jury-Dada Interviewed Guest: Gillian Monks

Inspired by real life events, a new film ‘Love Sonia’ is the story of a young girl from a small village in India who finds herself caught up in the global sex trafficking industry. One of the stars of the film is Freida Pinto. She joins Jenni to discuss.

The first leader of the Women’s Equality Party is standing down. Sophie Walker has been doing the job since 2015. In 2017 her party published a manifesto full of feminist policies from which she openly invited all the mainstream parties to steal. She has said repeatedly that she wants to change the way we do politics. And yesterday, she sought to change it saying that “sometimes in order to lead, you have to get out of the way”. She explains what she meant and why she’s decided to go now.

Basma Khalifa was born in Saudi Arabia, but grew up in Northern Ireland before moving to London as a stylist. In a new BBC 3 documentary, she explores whether it’s a place she could consider living in again. Basma and Director Jessica Kelly discuss their experience.

An Irish couple say they've been denied an abortion in an Irish hospital even though their unborn baby had a fatal foetal abnormality. They were told by doctors to wait for a miscarriage. Their situation has been brought up in the Irish Parliament, with their consent, and it’s raising questions about whether Irish hospitals are ready, or willing, to implement the new law on abortion. There was a referendum last Spring in which the Irish people voted 66.4% in favour of Repealing the Eighth Amendment, which was a law restricting access to abortion. We hear the facts.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Sophie Walker Interviewed Guest: Freida Pinto Interviewed Guest: Basma Khalifa Interviewed Guest: Jessica Kelly Interviewed Guest: Dr Peter Boylan

Are children missing out? The National Audit Office and the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health have raised concerns about services for children this week. Anne Longfield, Children's Commissioner for England joins us to discuss what she thinks is happening. We hear about why incontinence affects fifty per cent of women during their lives and what they can do to improve their pelvic floor. With Burn's Night tomorrow, was Robert Burns an early feminist or an old sex pest? - we debate. And, we hear about Christine's discovery in our series on family secrets.

The doyenne of ITV Lorraine Kelly tells us what it’s like to have spent the last 35 years in broadcasting and why she's so excited about space travel.

The Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield discusses the growing pressure on child protection services. She says more needs to be done to tackle child poverty.

Inspired by her own experience of 25 years in the Church of Scientology, Mariette Lindstein has written a thriller called Fog Island. It's a bestseller in Sweden and is about a fictional cult based on an island off the Swedish coast.

The campaigner and founder of Victim Focus Jessica Eaton tells us why she believes some frontline child protection workers don’t feel equipped to do their jobs.

Urinary incontinence will affect 50 per cent of women during their lifetime. Wendy Powell explains how the #PelvicFloorChallenge will help and physiotherapist Elaine Miller gives indepth advice.

Freida Pinto tells us about her latest film Love Sonia about global sex trafficking.

Why are men still more frequently expected to propose in heterosexual relationships? Editor of Bride Magazine Jade Beer and writer Bella Mackie, who proposed to her husband, discuss.

Presented by Jane Garvey Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor:Jane Thurlow

Woman’s Hour has joined forces with BBC Radio Sheffield for a special series of programmes looking at how women are feeding their babies and how it makes them feel. Today Jane talks to their Weekend Breakfast presenter Kat Cowan who’s recently returned to work after maternity leave, following the birth of her son Cooper. Plus hearing from other mums around the country about what they went through whether they breast, bottle or mixed fed their babies.

We speak to author Raynor Winn, who lost her home and her livelihood just as she found out her husband was terminally ill. The couple’s response was to start walking the 630-mile South West Path.

BBC Three’s latest programme ‘Eating With My Ex’ brings together two young people who have broken up to discuss what went wrong in their relationship and why. Is there something to be learned from meeting up and speaking to an ex-partner? And what should you be thinking about before having this conversation? Jo Hemmings is a behavioural and relationships psychologist. Oloni is a sex and relationships blogger.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Interviewed guest: Kat Cowan Interviewed guest: Raynor Winn Interviewed guest: Jo Hemmings Interviewed guest: Oloni

We reveal the results of the survey we commissioned, together with BBC Radio Sheffield, to discover how, in the 21st century women are feeding their babies. We asked Comres to carry out the research. More than a thousand women took part. They were all between 18 and 40 in the UK and had had a baby in the past decade. To analyse the findings Dr Ellie Cannon, a GP and author of Keep Calm: The New Mum’s Manual. Shereen Fisher the chief executive of the Breastfeeding Network and Gill Diskin a maternity Matron at Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation .

Presenter Jenni Murray Producer Beverley Purcell

Sarah Ewart has brought a case against the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Justice for breaching her human rights. Six years ago she travelled to England to terminate a pregnancy for a fatal foetal abnormality. She discusses her decision to bring this action. Scottish writer Janice Galloway talks about Jellyfish, her collection of short stories. Januhairy is a month-long campaign urging women to embrace their body-hair - we ask if there's a hierarchy when it comes to women and body hair? And, the third in our series family secrets - Jess wanted to talk to us about the impact of a family secret she discovered when she was just fourteen.

Listeners to Woman's Hour and BBC Radio Sheffield share their experience of breast, bottle or mixed feeding. Following our survey which found half of women felt they'd let their baby down when they struggled we discuss how women make their decisions, the difficulities they encountered and things they wish they'd known.

Presenters Jane Garvey and Paulette Edwards Producer Jane Thurlow

Skunk Anansie have brought out a new album 25LIVE@25 - a compilation of live recordings from the last 25 years. It was released on Jan 25th. The band ‘turn’ 25 this year. Skin talks to Jenni and sings live in the Woman's Hour studio.

Women in Saudi Arabia are tracked and monitored via a large government database and an app called Absher. We look at how difficult and dangerous it makes it for them to flee.

Is this theatre world doing enough to appeal to minority groups like young women and people of colour? Tobi Kyeremateng is the founder of the Black Ticket Project and Babylon Festival at the Bush Theatre - which both target a young, black audience. Tanika Gupta is a theatre writer with over 20 years of experience. Her work is often inspired by her Indian culture.

Chef, cookbook author and broadcaster, Clodagh McKenna’s new book ‘Clodagh’s Suppers’ celebrates seasonal cooking and entertaining at home. She'll Cook the Perfect…Kale, Bean & Winter Roots Soup.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Bill Bostock Interviewed Guest: Rothna Begum Interviewed Guest: Tanika Gupta Interviewed Guest: Tobi Kyeremateng Interviewed Guest: Clodagh McKenna Interviewed Guest: Skin

Woman’s Hour joined forces with BBC Radio Sheffield for a series of programmes looking at how women are feeding their babies and how it makes them feel. Jane talks to their Weekend Breakfast presenter Kat Cowan who’s recently returned to work after maternity leave, following the birth of her son Cooper. Plus, we hear from other mums around the country, about what they went through whether they breast, bottle or mixed fed their babies.

Skunk Anansie have brought out a new album 25LIVE@25 - a compilation of live recordings from the last 25 years. Lead singer, Skin talks to Jenni and sings live in the Woman's Hour studio.

Januhairy is a month-long campaign urging women to embrace their body-hair - we ask if there's a hierarchy when it comes to women and body hair. Jenni talks to Karín Lesnik-Oberstein, Professor in the Department of English Literature at the University of Reading, and the editor of new book called The Last Taboo – Women and Body Hair and freelance journalist Chitra Ramaswamy.

Under the 'guardianship' system in Saudi Arabia women can be tracked and monitored via a large government database and an app called Absher. We look at the impact that can have on those wanting to escape domesic abuse.

Presented by Jenni Murray Produced by Sophie Powling Edited by Jane Thurlow

Sasha Clayton is 24 and lives in Plaistow with her mum, step-dad and little sister. She spends most of her time scrolling through social media alone in her room. Sasha wants to singer - but she needs money to make that dream come true. Superhoe is a new play at the Royal Court Theatre in London exploring Sasha’s life, and the dangers that lie on social media for vulnerable young women. Nicole Lecky is the writer and stars in Superhoe. She discusses the play and all that she learnt whilst putting it together.

New research from Carers UK shows that 6% of women have quit their jobs in order to care for a loved one, with a further 5% having reduced their hours. So what can employers do to improve things for carers? And is it fair to expect even small businesses to comply?

It’s 50 years since ‘In Place of Strife’, the late Labour politician Barbara Castle’s attempt to reform the trade unions. In an era of powerful unions, who would negotiate over beer and sandwiches at No 10 Downing Street, her plan failed. But within a year she succeeded in driving through the Equal Pay Act and in 1975 she reformed family allowances to “take money out of the husband's pocket on the Friday and put it into the wife's purse on the following Tuesday”. We discuss how Castle fought for union reform, what she learnt from it and her legacy with biographer, Anne Perkins and journalist, Helen Lewis.

Lewes FC, the only football club to pay their men and women teams equally, have asked the Football Association for an increase in the Women’s FA Cup prize fund. The FA recognises a significant disparity but say they’re doing what they can to make progress. Sports Writer, Anna Kessel and Charlie Dobres from Lewes Football Club share their thoughts.

There is no single 'autism test'. But as diagnosis can lead to your child getting the right support. what do you do if you think that your child is autistic? When can you tell and where can you go for help? Jane speaks to Emma Gill who has a 4-year old daughter who has been diagnosed with autism and Dr Sarah Brook, clinical lead at the National Autistic Society’s Loma Wing.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Madeleine Starr Interviewed Guest: Alan Beazley Interviewed Guest: Anne Perkins Interviewed Guest: Ayesha Hazarika Interviewed Guest: Anna Kessel Interviewed Guest: Charlie Dobres Interviewed Guest: Nicole Lecky Photographer: Helen Murray Interviewed Guest: Emma Gill Interviewed Guest: Dr Sarah Lister Brook

Human Rights Watch has concluded that the Polish government is putting women's rights and safety at risk. It says that since coming to power in 2015, the Law and Justice Party government has targeted women’s rights groups through raids and funding cuts, often with little warning and no clear rationale. Hillary Margolis explains their concerns. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga ( How I felt when I saw a Girl) is the first mainstream, commercial film featuring a Lesbian love story. We hear from director and co-writer, Shelly Chopra Dhar. How do you turn a memoir about living with ‘pure O’, a type of OCD which causes intrusive and disturbing thoughts, into a TV show? Pure is a new Channel 4 drama based on Rose Cartwright’s autobiography of the same name about living with the condition. Kirstie Swain, the screen writer and Charly Clive who plays Marnie, the main character discuss how they turned the book into a comedy drama. In her book Don’t Hold My Head Down, Lucy-Anne Holmes, writer and founder of the 'No More Page 3' campaign, describes her “sexual odyssey”. Disappointed by sex and uncomfortable with the porn industry, she compiled a list of things that would improve her sex life. She explains how exploring her sexuality changed her life.

Pope Francis has for the first time publicly acknowledged the scandal of priests and bishops sexually abusing nuns, and says he is committed to doing more to fight the problem. Jenni speaks to survivors; Rocio Figueroa a theologian and lecturer, and author, Doris Reisinger Wagner, who were both once nuns and to Sister Sharlet Wagner, a Sister of the Holy Cross and the current President of The Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the US.

A report released by the University and College Union suggests that bullying and stereotyping is blocking the professorial path for black women. Dr Nicola Rollock conducted the research and spoke to 20 of the 25 female black professors in the UK including Gina Higginbottom, Emeritus Professor of Ethnicity and Community Health at the University of Nottingham. They join Jenni to discuss the explicit and more subtle ways that black female academics are prevented from attaining the highest positions at UK universities.

American actor and Paralympian Katy Sullivan plays Ani, who becomes quadriplegic following a car accident in Martyna Majok’s Pulitzer prize winning drama The Cost of Living. Katy talks to Jenni about how the play explores attitudes to disability, race, class and wealth.

And the fourth in our series of family secrets. A woman we are calling Liz found out her father’s secret at the worst possible time.

Southeastern trains said fewer than 5% of its drivers are women. They've launched a campaign to get forty percent of applicants to be women by 2021. Driver Kelly-Joe Ballard talks to Jane about why she loves the job.

All graphic images of self-harm will be removed from Instagram, the head of the social media platform has told the BBC. This is after the father of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life in 2017, said Instagram had "helped kill" his daughter. We hear from Naomi Salisbury the Director of Self Injury Support:

At just 25 US journalist Noor Tagouri is already breaking down barriers in the media industry. She joins Jane to discuss her career and what it means to be a Muslim female journalist in America today. By the end of this year a new smear test system will be rolled out across England. It’s already happening in Wales. It’s taken decades of research to get to this point but experts say the new screening regime will be more accurate. Dr Matejka Rebolj a Senior Epidemiologist at King’s College London explains more.

And the author, Yvonne Battle-Felton discusses the lengths mothers go to protect their children in even the most tragic circumstances, themes explored in her novel Remembered.

Presenter Jane Garvey Producer Beverley Purcell

Guest; Noor Tagouri Guest; Ellie Burrows Guest; Kelly-Joe Ballard Guest; Yvonne Battle-Felton Guest; Dr Matejka Rebolj Guest; Naomi Salisbury

Pope Francis has for the first time publicly acknowledged the scandal of priests and bishops sexually abusing nuns. Rocio Figueroa, a theologian and lecturer and Doris Reisinger Wagner tell us their experience in a discussion with Sister Sharlet Wagner, a sister of the Holy Cross and the current President of The Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the United States.

The Football Association should increase the Women’s FA Cup Prize Fund according to Charlie Dobres from Lewes FC, the only football club to pay their men and women teams equally. He's joined by sports writer Anna Kessel to tell us why.

We discuss Onlyness – when you’re the only person with a certain characteristic, perspective or life experience in a group – usually a work setting. Chloe Davies Executive Officer at UK Black Pride and Chloe Chambraud Gender Equality Director at the Prince’s Responsible Business Network discuss.

The writer Lucy-Anne Holmes tells us about her book Don’t Hold My Head Down where she explores her sexuality and looks at improving her sex life.

Southeastern Trains wants more women to become train drivers. It’s launched a campaign to get 40% of applicants to be women by 2021. We hear from their Services Director, Ellie Burrows and from Kelly-Joe Ballard who has been a train driver for two years.

Bullying and stereotyping of black female academics is stopping them from progressing at UK Universities according to a new report. We hear from Gina Higginbottom an emeritus professor of Ethnicity and Community Health at the University of Nottingham and Dr Nicola Rollock a reader in Equity and Education at Goldsmiths, University of London, who carried out the research.

Catherine Simpson on her memoir, Once I Had a Little Sister - about suicide, loss and how it felt to come from a family who never spoke about their feelings.

Presented by Jane Garvey Produced by Rabeka Nurmahomed Edited by Jane Thurlow

Zelda la Grange was Nelson Mandela’s PA. She was with him for nearly 20 years and became indispensable to him, so much so that some members of his family found it hard, and still do. As for her, she regarded him as a grandfather-type figure. It’s nearly 6 years since Nelson Mandela died and now there’s a new exhibition in London about him. Zelda’s come over from South Africa to choose some of the items on display. She comes into the Woman's Hour studio to talk about her bond with Mandela, how working with him changed her and what she’s doing now.

Sewing has been the work of women for centuries: in clothing and furnishings and also protest banners, tapestries that tell stories and even communicating messages in war time. In her new book, the artist Clare Hunter argues that world history can be seen through the craft. She joins Jane to discuss.

Guidelines on how to define "obscene" pornography have been changed in England and Wales. The Crown Prosecution Service had previously listed torture, bondage and sadomasochism as obscene and distributing it risked a prosecution. Now the CPS has replaced that list with a series of "tests" which are supposed to determine whether an image or video is classed as obscene. Some women have hailed change as a victory for queer, feminist and fetish porn but others have expressed concerns saying that it could damage and exploit women.

Measles cases in Europe have tripled between 2017 and 2018, the highest number recorded this decade according to the World Health Organisation. We discuss parental attitudes to vaccinating children and what parents should know with Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health at University College London's Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Samantha Vanderslott, social sciences researcher at Oxford Vaccine Group. There are 600,000 people in the UK with epilepsy and one third of them find that current treatment options do not fully help them to control their seizures. Many of those are women who find that their condition worsens in pregnancy or experience increased seizure frequency around their menstrual cycle. Jane talks to Fran Thomas who has epilepsy and to Dr Simona Balestrini who is undertaking research into improved diagnosis and treatment options that may benefit women. President Trump has attracted regular criticism from left of centre women, not least at last month’s women’s marches across the US. But what of those women who already back his party, the Republicans? We hear about the many women who support him and his policies. And, what’s the secret to hosting and delivering a great speech, presentation or event? We hear from Mariella Frostrup and Viv Groskop.

How important is it to celebrate your female friendships? It's Galentine’s Day! The day before Valentine’s Day, it was first mentioned in an episode of the American sitcom Parks and Recreation nearly 10 years ago. It's now a part of card and present marketing.

From identical pyjamas, to matching jewellery, to apps which help women to make friends; the concept of ‘gal pals’ or a ‘female tribe’ has become hugely commercialised. Does is matter? Claire Cohen is the Women’s Editor at the Daily Telegraph. Rachel Pashley has over 20 years of experience in global marketing and advertising, specialising in female insight. They both join Jenni to discuss.

Female friendships taking centre stage. We look at three current theatre productions examining women’s relationships with actor Tanya Loretta Dee who's performing in Boots, the writer of Soft Animals, Holly Robinson and actor/producer Josie Dale Jones whose play Dressed is soon to open in London. They discuss the importance of the support and nurturing these bonds provide.

How important are friends at work? It is a good idea to be best friends with a colleague? And what happens when promotions, redundancies and annoying office habits get in the way? We talk to Kate Leaver, journalist and author of The Friendship Cure: A Manifesto for Reconnecting in the Modern World, and to business psychologist Adina Tarry.

What impact does having children have on friendships groups? Is it possible to carry on as before once babies are added to the mix? Do you have friends who have children but you don’t? Has your relationship with your friends changed? We're joined by blogger Candice Brathwaite and journalist Momtaz Begum Hossain.

Presented by Jenni Murray Produced by Jane Thurlow

Netball is played in schools across the UK, but as a professional sport has had little recognition. When the England Netball team took home Gold at the Commonwealth Games last year, that changed. Head Coach Tracey Neville joins us to discuss the impact that moment had, and what she loves so much about the game.

In the UK, there are 800,000 disabled children under the age of 16 - nearly all of them live at home and are supported by their families. But what happens when their behaviour becomes so challenging you struggle to look after them? We look at the difficult decision to consider whether residential care might be the answer not only for them but for you and the rest of the family. We hear from Sharon King, mother of three older children all of whom are on the autism spectrum, and Amanda Batten Chief Executive Contact a charity for families of disabled children.

Breast ironing is a way to stop teenagers’ breasts from growing. It’s painful and sometimes involves large, hot stones pushing down on the breasts. Hammers or spatulas are also used, and so are elastic belts or binders. Usually mothers do it, calling it tradition and saying that it stops their daughters being sexually attractive or sexually active. It happens in several African countries but cases have been recorded in the UK too, although it’s impossible to know the true scale. This week the UK Government has called it child abuse and says it will be dealt with in law.

Laura Mucha has spent her life trying to understand romantic relationships and has now brought interviews with strangers together with research studies in her new book. She discusses her findings and how they’ve helped her own approach to love.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Amanda Barren Interviewed Guest: Sharon King Interviewed Guest: Tracey Neville Interviewed Guest: Milly Kerr Interviewed Guest: Laura Mucha

New research highlights how many women leave the bar mid-career. So why is it so difficult for women to progress in a career as a barrister? We hear from a barrister currently on maternity leave and another who has returned to the profession after having children.

After our programmes on feeding your baby, you told us how hard it is to find help if you’re, for whatever reason, trying to stop breastfeeding. Whether its dealing with a baby or child who doesn’t want to stop, staying full of milk when you need to go back to work, or dealing with the emotional and hormonal fall out. You wrote to us about all of these things. So what should women be aware of when they stop breast feeding? And what can they do to help themselves and their babies? We speak to International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Clare Meynell and Clare Byam-Cook, author of 'What to expect when you're breast-feeding, and what if you can't?'

Historian Suzannah Lipscomb uncovers the lives, behaviours and attitudes to love, marriage and sex of ordinary 16th and 17th century French women. Based on the evidence of over a thousand cases brought before the moral courts of the Protestant church of Languedoc. She joins Jenni to discuss her new book ‘The Voices of Nimes - Women, Sex & Marriage in Reformation Languedoc.

We remember the author Andrea Levy

We hear the fifth story of our family secrets series.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Helen Fitzhenry Interviewed guest: Arlene Small Interviewed guest: Sarah Langford Interviewed guest: Suzannah Lipscomb Interviewed guest: Clare Meynell Interviewed guest: Clare Byam-Cook

Head coach of the England netball team, Tracey Neville tells us about her work to get netball recognised as a professional sport.

New research shows almost two thirds of those who left the Bar on the Western Circuit over the last six years were women. Why is it so difficult for women to progress in a career as a barrister? We hear from Sarah Langford who specialises in criminal and family law and Arlene Small, a specialist in family finance and children work.

Cases of measles in Europe have tripled between 2017 and 2018 the highest recorded this decade according to the World Health Organisation. Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Samantha Vanderslott a social sciences researcher at Oxford Vaccine Group discuss the recent outbreaks in America and why some parents are reluctant to get their children vaccinated.

The day before Valentine's Day has now become Galentine's Day, a day to celebrate female friendships. Claire Cohen Women’s Editor at the Daily Telegraph and Rachel Pashley a marketing consultant and the author of New Female Tribes discuss the marketing of gal pals.

Breast ironing is a way to stop teenagers' breasts from growing. It’s painful but mothers in some communities call it tradition and believe it will protect their daughters from sexual assault. It happens in some African countries but has been recorded in the UK too. Milly Kerr from the National FGM Centre tells us what the UK government is doing to tackle this form of child abuse.

The textile artist Clare Hunter tells us about the importance of sewing when it comes to protest banners and story telling tapestries.

Fran Thomas, who can have up to 15 epileptic fits a day, tells us how her seizures are linked to her menstrual cycle. Dr Simona Balestrini, an epilepsy expert, explains why new research should bring better and new treatment options to women.

Presented by Jenni Murray Produced by Rabeka Nurmahomed Edited by Beverley Purcell

The 2019 Oscars are on Sunday and no women are in the Best Director category. However, one woman's made it in the Best Foreign Language category. She's Nadine Labaki, the director of Capernaum. She's also the first Lebanese woman ever to be nominated for an Oscar. Capernaum is set in the slums of Beirut and follows a young boy called Zain who sues his parents for giving him life.

Staying with the Oscars, this year we have the hashtag #OscarsSoMale. That’s because some categories contain no women nominees at all. They are: Best Director, Original Score, Film Editing and Best Picture. Overall women make up just a quarter of this year's nominees across the board. Melody Bridges who presenters a Radio 4 podcast about films joins us to shine a light on some of her favourite women in film history who haven't been nominated, but deserve recognition.

Photos of a hundred vulvas. That's what Laura Dodsworth's latest book is all about. It's called Womanhood: The Bare Reality. Laura was last on Woman's Hour talking about a companion book called Manhood: The Bare Reality which included pictures of a hundred penises. Lily and Saschan are also with us in the studio talking about why they agreed to take part in the book.

A look at the issues raised by the case of Shamima Begum the 19 year old former east London schoolgirl who travelled to Syria back in 2015 to join the Islamic State group. We hear from Huda Jawad a Muslim feminist, Nimra Tahir who's a lawyer and Saiqa Ali from WARN - Women Against Radicalisation Network.

As we approach this year's Oscars which has seen the #OscarsSoMale trending Jane talks to Radio 4 film podcast presenter and playwright Melody Bridge No women have been nominated in the Best Director, Original Score, Film Editing and Best Picture categories this year with only a quarter non-acting Oscar nominations going to women. Yesterday she talked about some of the films that have missed out. Today she compares modern female film makers with some of their counterparts in the past. What do you do if you suspect your child is drinking alcohol and everything seems to be getting out of control? And what’s the best way to introduce alcohol to your child – if at all? Jane speaks to Mandy Saligari, a former addict and author of ‘Proactive Parenting’ and Dorothy Newbury-Birch, Professor of Alcohol and Public Health Research, School for Social Sciences, Humanities and Law at Teeside University.

This is an edited version of the original broadcast.

Presenter Jane Garvey. Producer Sej Asar

Guest; Huda Jawad Guest; Nimra Tahir Guest; Saiqa Ali Guest; Melody Bridge Gust; Prof. Dorothy Newbury-Birch

Jenni speaks to Mary Akrami, director of the Afghan Women’s Network and Sunday Times Chief Foreign Correspondent and author, Christina Lamb who has been reporting on Afghanistan for decades. Why are there no women involved in the current peace negotiations involving the US negotiators and the Taliban? And what could be the consequences for women?

Clara Schumann might not be the best known composer with her surname, but her ability and talent as a pianist made her a star in the 19th Century. 2019 is her bicentenary, and she’s being celebrated around the country. We’re joined by curator of the Clara Schumann Festival, Beverley Vong, and Lucy Perham, whose tour ‘I, Clara’, tells the composer’s story through her letters and music.

Over the last 6 weeks we have been hearing from listeners about the family secrets they have discovered and how their lives and relationships were changed by the revelations. Lots of you have been in touch to tell us how the tales and their tellers have chimed with you. Psychotherapist Sue Cowan-Jenssen discusses the power and fall-out of family secrets.

Laura Bates has just written her debut novel for young adults called The Burning. Inspired by the real stories of teenage girls contributing to the Everyday Sexism Project Laura created in 2012, the book tells the parallel stories of two young women, 15 year old Anna who is mercilessly bullied after a topless photo of her is shared by a boy at her school and Maggie, who lived 400 years earlier and was accused of witchcraft.

More Family Secret, today we hear from Prue who's niece brought her a DNA kit for her 70th Birthday. When she found out that she could find people with matched DNA, she was shocked to discover that the man who brought her up was in fact NOT her biological father. Since then she's been trying to find him. Reporter Jo Morris meets her at her home to talk about the impact the news had on her.

Nursing is predominantly a female occupation in the UK, but men still hold one in five of the best paid jobs, according to a new study by London South Bank University . Jenni talks to Professor Alison Leary, Chair of Workforce Modelling, who headed up the study called ‘Nursing pay by gender distribution in the UK - does the Glass Escalator still exist?’

Rouse, Ye Women! a folk opera is currently on tour around the country. It tells the tale of Mary Macarthur, a female trade unionist in the early part of the twentieth century who relentlessly fought for better working conditions and pay for women. We hear from actor and singer, Bryony Purdue who plays the activist and Mary’s biographer, Dr Cathy Hunt.

And Fatimah Asghar, is an impassioned voice on the experience of young Pakistani-American women and the voice behind the web series Brown Girls. She shares some of her debut poetry collection which examines daily microaggressions and the long term trauma that the Indian-Pakistani partition has had on her culture.

Presenter Jenni Murray Producer Beverley Purcell

Guest; Bryony Purdue Guest; Dr Cathy Hunt. Guest; Fatimah Asghar Guest Prof. Alison Leary

Reporter Jo Morris

Of the twelve MPs who resigned so far this week from the Labour and Conservative parties, seven of them are women. Jane speaks to Sarah Childs, Professor of Politics and Gender at Birkbeck University about the significance of their resignations.

The first survey of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in young people in the UK suggests girls are twice as likely to develop PTSD following a traumatic experience, with 1 in 13 young people across the UK having had post-traumatic stress disorder before reaching the age of 18. Andrea Danese, Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Kings College London explains the implications of the survey and Flo Sharman who experienced PTSD and is an ambassador for mental health charity MQ.

The 2019 Oscars are on Sunday - and this year the hashtag #OscarsSoMale has been trending. That’s because not one woman has been nominated in the Best Director, Original Score, Film Editing and Best Picture categories. Only 25% of non-acting Oscar nominations this year went to women. Radio 4 film podcast presenter and playwright Melody Bridges shines a light on some of her favourite women in film with three of her favourite films directed by women who she believes were snubbed an Oscar win for Best Director.

How much do you know about herpes? 7 out of 10 people over the age of 25 carry a type of the virus, but it’s still a source of embarrassment and frequently misunderstood. We speak to three women who have genital herpes about the impact it’s had on their lives, and the reality behind the myths

It’s Not About the Burqa” features seventeen essays from Muslim women speaking frankly on topics as wide ranging as the hijab and wavering faith, love and divorce, feminism, queer identity, sex, and the twin threats of a disapproving community and a racist country. The writer and activist Mariam Khan talks to Jane about why she wanted to put the anthology together, with writer and poet Salma El-Wardany on her essay A Gender Denied; Islam, sex and the struggle to get some.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Caroline Donne

Interviewed Guest: Professor Sarah Childs Interviewed Guest: Professor Andrea Danese Interviewed Guest: Melody Bridges Interviewed Guest: Mariam Khan Interviewed Guest: Salma El-Wardany Interviewed Guest; Flo Sharman

Tom Kerridge's new book Fresh Start features recipes for home cooks who want to stop eating ready meals and takeaways and start cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients. He joins Jenni in the studio to Cook the Perfect…Roasted Winter Sprout Curry.

The number of boys receiving treatment for eating disorders has doubled in recent years, according to NHS figures. Jenni is joined by Samuel Pollen, author of ‘The Year I Didn’t Eat,’ a novel for young people about a boy with anorexia, and Dr Sandeep Ranote, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist at the North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Does ‘the black tax’ exist in UK venture capital? An article published Goodsoil Venture Capital says there is reason to believe that black women-led businesses have a lower probability of securing venture capital investment than their male and female counterparts. Jenni is joined by Senior Partner at GOODsoil Venture Capital, Charmaine Hayden and tech entrepreneur and founder of the Women in the City Afro-Caribbean Network, Mariam Jimoh.

Edinburgh-based St Andrew’s Children’s Society is working with LGBT nightclubs to encourage awareness of LGBT adoption. Why choose a nightclub to promote adoption? And why are there relatively few LGBT couples adopting in Scotland in the first place? Rita Grant is the Adoption Support Manager at St Andrew’s Children’s Society and Tor Docherty is the Chief Executive of New Family Social, a UK charity supporting LGBT adopters.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Laura Northedge Interviewed Guest: Tom Kerridge Interviewed Guest: Samuel Pollen Interviewed Guest: Sandeep Ranote Interviewed Guest: Mariam Jimoh Interviewed Guest: Charmaine Hayden Interviewed Guest: Rita Grant Interviewed Guest: Tor Docherty

According to a new survey, more than half of university students in the UK are being exposed to unwanted sexual behaviour. That ranges from inappropriate touching, explicit messages, cat-calling, being followed or being forced into sex or sexual acts. So why are only a tiny fraction of women reporting what’s happened to them?

We have an update on our ‘Bump, Birth and Beyond' babies. You may remember that in 2017 our reporter Abby Hollick was 33 weeks pregnant and she formed the 'Bump Birth and Beyond' group which was made up of listeners who were pregnant around the same Those babies are now teething. So today we hear from their dads and one of their grandma's to find out what the first year's been like.

A short film called Period-End of Sentence won an Oscar on Sunday night. It’s a film set in rural India and it's about the stigma around periods It's the story of a young woman who lives in a place where women are thought to be impure when they're on their period and they're stopped from going into temples and taking part in religious events. Today Jane talks to three British Asian women who say there are still taboos in this country around periods within some Asian communities in the UK.

A self-confessed ‘wolfaholic’ comes onto the programme to talk about her devotion to the animals. Elli Radinger gave up her legal career to study them and has spent many years studying the wolves of Yellowstone National Park. In her new book ‘ The Wisdom of Wolves’ she tells us about the wolves she’s encountered, what wolves can teach us about being human and why she-wolves make the key decisions in the pack.

Producer Sej Asar

The world has been built by men, for men and, according to Caroline Criado Perez, we’ve struggled to do anything about it because we’ve been using biased data that excludes women. She explains why and what she thinks we can do about it. Author, Maggie Gee discusses her latest novel, Blood – an exploration of some of the darker human emotions in a literary comedy with dashes of thriller, elements of farce, criminal caper and political satire. The English Collective of Prostitutes is campaigning for the decriminalisation of sex work. We discuss the launch of their new campaign #makeallwomensafe and claims the current law puts 70,000 women’s lives at risk by forcing them to work alone. Violinist Madeleine Mitchell talks to Jenni about her new album Grace Williams: Chamber Music, in which she performs previously unpublished work by the Welsh composer. And, we hear why school governors and trustees are going to Westminster today to lobby MPs for more money.

Monday 25th February is 25 years to the day that serial killer Fred West confessed to the murder of his daughter Heather, and the first set of remains were excavated from 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, crimes for which he and his wife Rose were found guilty. Lucy Partington was one of their victims, an English student in her final year at Exeter University who vanished while waiting for a late-night bus. For twenty years her family didn’t know what had happened to her. Her sister Marian, author of 'If You Sit Very Still' speaks to Jane about her journey from “murderous rage” towards her sister’s killers, to a vow she made to bring something positive out of Lucy’s death.

Menopause and the workplace: What are employers doing to help women with menopausal symptoms? We hear from Deborah Garlick founder of the over 40’s website, Henpicked.

Emma Morgan’s debut novel, 'A Love Story for Bewildered Girls', follows three young women in Leeds and their adventures in love. One knows she likes women, one men, and one just isn’t sure. Is it rare to see so much sexual diversity in romantic fiction? She joins us to discuss.

Boxer, Simran Kaur, National youth champion, has just won a fifth consecutive National ABA crown. What is it like to already have such success at just 17?

'Mary’s Babies' is a fictional play based on the true story of Mary Barton, a fertility treatment pioneer who set up a ground-breaking fertility clinic in London alongside her husband in the 1930s. The real clinic’s practices were controversial at the time and kept secret, with all records of donors destroyed in the early 1960s. It is now thought that Mary’s husband, Bertold Weisner, fathered around 1,000 babies himself. Jane speaks to playwright, Maud Dromgoole and fertility historian, Dr Yuliya Hilevych

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Marian Partington Interviewed Guest: Deborah Garlick Interviewed Guest: Emma Morgan Interviewed Guest: Simran Kaur Interviewed Guest: Maud Dromgoole Interviewed Guest: Dr Yuliya Hilevych

The poet and writer Fatimah Asghar is the voice behind the web series Brown Girls. She talks about her experience of being a young Pakistani American woman and tells us about her new poetry collection.

Men hold one in five of the best paid jobs in nursing, why? Alison Leary Professor of Health Care at London South Bank University tells us about the latest study in the nursing gender pay gap.

The writer Mariam Khan talks about her anthology ‘It’s Not About The Burqa’ with Salma El-Wardany who contributed a piece about sex.

Is it a good idea to introduce children to alcohol in the family home? How can they be encouraged to have sensible drinking habits? Mandy Saligari, a former addict and author of Proactive Parenting, and Dorothy Newbury-Birch a Professor of Alcohol and Public Health Research at Teeside University discuss.

Clara Schumann was a famous pianist in the 19th century. 2019 is her bicentenary. We hear about her life and success from Beverley Vong, curator of the Clara Schumann Festival at St John's Smith Square and Lucy Parham who created the I, Clara stage tour.

Why is genital herpes still a source of embarrassment? Marian from the Herpes Virus Association and Slyvia and Jess talk about their experiences of herpes.

The artist and author Laura Dodsworth tells us about her latest project which features images of 100 vulvas. Two of the women photographed for the book - Womanhood: The Bare Reality - Lily and Saschan join the conversation.

Presented by Jane Garvey Produced by Rabeka Nurmahomed Edited by Jane Thurlow

The actress Amanda Abbington, who's well-known for her part in Sherlock, is now in a harrowing new play about teenage depression. It's called The Son and has just opened at the Kiln Theatre in North London. It's about 16 year old Nicolas who is going through a difficult time after his parents’ divorce. He misses school, lies and self-harms. Amanda plays his mother and joins us in the studio. Also with us is Dr Bernadka Dubicka, Chair of the Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry from Royal College of Psychiatrists. She talks to us about some of the important themes in the play.

We speak to Harriet Wistrich, the lawyer of Sally Challen, the woman in prison for killing her husband. Yesterday her murder conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal. She now faces a retrial. Her lawyer wants her conviction downgraded to manslaughter because they say she was a victim of coercive control.

Asma Khan calls herself a "house cook" but she's set up a central London restaurant which is completely run by women. Her rotas are made up of four hour shifts so her staff can combine work with family commitments. It just makes sense she says and helps women enter the workplace. Asma's new cookery book is a bestseller on Amazon. She joins us to talk about food, work and family. More ‘Bump, Birth and Beyond’. We catch up once more with our group of listeners who are telling us about their new babies. They're now one years old. We hear from the dads today, and one of the grannies, to find out how the new babies have affected their mental health.

A film about the stigma of menstruation in rural India has just won an Oscar – we hear from three British Asian women about the stigma in the UK. Psychologist Dr Sunny Kleo, journalist Poorna Bell and the writer Sonal Sachdev Patel.

The world has been built by men, for men and, according to Caroline Criado Perez author of 'Invisible Women', we’ve struggled to do anything about it because we’ve been using biased data that excludes women. She explains why and what she thinks we can do about it.

Seventeen year old national youth champion boxer Simran Kaur has just won her her fifth consecutive National ABA crown. What does she love about the sport?

Elli Radinger gave up her legal career to study wolves. She's written a new book 'The Wisdom of Wolves'. She tells us about the wolves she’s encountered and why she-wolves make the key decisions in the pack. Getting a business started if you’re a black, Asian or minority ethnic woman – how difficult is it to find investment? Charmaine Hayden, senior partner at GOODsoil Venture Capital and Mariam Jimoh, founder of Women in the City Afro-Caribbean Network discuss.

A new play 'The Son' is about a teenage boy whose parents have separated and he is skipping school, self-harming and is depressed. How accurate a reflection is the play of a troubled teenager? We speak to the actress Amanda Abbington who plays the boy's mother and to Dr Bernadka Dubicka, Chair of the Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry from the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

The Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge who famously lost 12 stones - Cooks the Perfect Roasted Winter Sprout Curry.

The violinist Madeleine Mitchell found some of the unpublished work of Welsh composer Grace Williams who died in 1977 - why has she put together an album of her Chamber Music?

Presented by Jenni Murray Producer: Dianne McGregor

We talk to Journalist and Author Melanie Reid about her memoir where she gives us an honest account about when she fell from her horse, breaking her neck and fracturing her lower back. Melanie was paralysed from the top of her chest down she spent almost a year in hospital. To help her recover she turned to the one thing she knew, writing to help her navigate her way through a world that had previously been invisible to her. Her book 'The World I fell Out Of' comes out this week.

We hear from a Curator involved in an exhibition about the lives of women who carried out anthropological fieldwork around the world in the early twentieth century. Six are being featured in a new exhibition at The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.

What queries and problems do you have when it comes to parenting? Author and Psychotherapist Philippa Perry talks about her latest publication ‘The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read’ and answers your questions about how to parent well and give children a healthy start.

Producer: Sej Asar

In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds - around 180,000 a year. What is it like for the families who are never reunited? How does it feel to be a mother with a missing son or daughter? Jane speaks to three women about their own experiences.

Jane speaks to the Minister for Women and Equalities, Penny Mordaunt, about a new government campaign to end period poverty globally by 2030.

Waitress is the first ever West End musical that has been written, composed, directed and choreographed by women. Jane meets its star Katharine McPhee - best known for Smash and American Idol - and the woman behind the songs and music multi Grammy Award nominee singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles.

We discuss the lives of women who carried out anthropological fieldwork around the world in the early twentieth century. Six are being featured in a new exhibition at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.

There appears to be rise in knife violence among young people, and it’s happening right around the country. Parents are asking themselves how to keep their children safe, especially when some of the recent stabbings appear to be so random, have happened in open spaces and when other people have been around. So what should parents tell their children when they go out, and what do they need to be alert for?

‘Runaways’ is a new novel by Fatima Bhutto. Set between Pakistan and the UK, it tells the story of three young people drawn to radical forces. She joins Jenni to discuss the themes of poverty, alienation, class, technology and the West’s lack of understanding of radicalism.

And we return to the series ‘Bump, Birth and Beyond’. Last week we heard from the dads and one gran as they had frank chat about dad guilt, dad privilege, sex and feeling like a spare part. In the latest edition we catch up with the mothers – it’s been a whole year since we last spoke to Charlotte Dore, Jen Barratt, Rowan Lawton and Laura Horrocks. Abby Hollick, who also had a baby at the same time, sits down with them to find out how they’re doing, how they’ve coped with the unexpected and going back to work.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Laura Northedge Interviewed Guest: Fatima Bhutto Interviewed Guest: Yvonne Lawson Interviewed Guest: Rachel Webb Interviewed Guest: Elaine Donnellon

According to Forbes, Kylie Jenner is the world's youngest self-made billionaire at just 21. The youngest Kardashian family member is making her fortune from her best-selling cosmetics business. We discuss the debate about whether she's "self-made" with cultural commentator Bolu Babalola and branding specialist, Nyree Ambarchian, Co-Founder and Director at Stand Agency.

Women have only three-quarters of the legal rights that men enjoy according to a new index produced by the World Bank. This makes it harder for them to get jobs, start businesses and make economic decisions. Kristalina Georgieva, the World Bank's Group Interim President explains why we need to remove the barriers that hold women back.

Getting clean has been a theme of Michele Kirsch’s life: from scrubbing other people’s showers to weaning herself off the prescription medicine she’d spent her life addicted to. She talks about her memoir 'Clean', which brings together her own experiences with the stories she’s found in clients' homes.

The Woman’s Hour babies are now one. Reporter, Abby Hollick meets their mothers to discuss how motherhood has changed their relationships.

A production of Richard II has just opened at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London. All the cast and crew are women of colour. It's co-directed by Adjoa Andoh, who also takes on the role of Richard II. She discusses the significance of this version of the play, a story of a troubled King beset by problems at home and abroad. The psychologist and author Ayelet Gundar-Goshen talks about her latest novel, Liar, and explores, through the character of Nofar, an average teenage girl working in an ice cream parlor during the summer holidays, the consequences of not telling the truth.

Dr Holly Birkett, Lecturer at Birmingham Business Schoo, on the University's Equal Parenting Project. It's some of the most extensive research yet into the take up of Shared Parental Leave, and looks at why more eligible parents don’t use it.

Today and tomorrow, Women of the World Festival London takes place at Southbank Centre. What does the future hold for women in Leadership? We hear from Jude Kelly, the founder and director of WOW, and former politician Julia Gillard, the former Prime Minister of Australia and the only female to have held the post, who is now Chair of the Global Institute of Women’s Leadership at King’s College in London.

Presenter Jenni Murray Producer Beverley Purcell

Photographer; Ingrid Pollard.

Guest; Adjoa Andoh Guest; Lynette Linton Guest; Dr Holly Birkett Guest; Ayelet Gundar-Goshen Guest; Jude Kelly Guest; Julia Gillard

We speak to author Reshma Saujani about the idea that girls and women are brought up to be perfectionists while boys are expected to be brave.

Wendy Mitchell was diagnosed with young on-set dementia at just 58 years old. Before the diagnosis she was known for her sharp mind and organisational skills, both at work and as a single mum to two daughters. She talks to Jane about how she copes with the disease which steals her memories and why she wanted to write her memoir Somebody I Used to Know for the woman she once was and as an affirmation of the woman dementia has seen her become.

A woman who was raped three years ago has decided to waive her anonymity so she can call on the government to provide more support to people like her. Fern Champion has set up a petition and written to Theresa May saying that rape counselling must be available to anyone who needs it, wherever they live. When Fern wanted support she couldn’t even get on a waiting list. She was told a funding shortfall was stopping her getting the help she needed.

About one in everyone one thousand women experiences Post Partum Psychosis - the rare but very serious mental illness that can occur in the first few days after having a baby. Claire and Aiden, from Leicestershire, have two children and after both births Claire had Post Partum Psychosis. We hear how it affected them as a couple.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Helen Fitzhenry Interviewed guest: Reshma Saujani Interviewed guest: Wendy Mitchell Interviewed guest: Fern Champion

How do you keep your children safe from knife crime? We hear from youth worker Elaine Donnellon, and two mothers Yvonne Lawson and Rachel Webb whose sons died from knife attacks.

The Minister for Women and Equalities, Penny Mordaunt on the government campaign to end period poverty globally by 2030.

Katherine McPhee and Sara Bareilles on their new West End musical Waitress.

The Israeli writer and psychologist Ayelet Gundar Goshen on her new novel The Liar.

The former Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard and the founder and director of WOW on the progress towards gender equality around the world.

The journalist Melanie Reid had a riding accident breaking her neck and fracturing her lower back in 2010. She's written her memoir, The World I Fell Out Of.

How has Kylie Jenner managed to become the world’s youngest self-made billionaire at just 21? Nyree Ambarchian, a founder of the branding agency Stand and cultural commentator Bolu Babalola discuss.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Dianne McGregor Editor: Jane Thurlow

'New Daughters of Africa' features more than 200 writers from more than 50 countries. Its editor, Margaret Busby and Candice Carty-Williams, who has contributed to the collection, discuss why such a rich tradition of writing by women of African descent has been overlooked and if this is finally changing. Children have always fallen out with their friends, but how can you support your child if you feel they aren’t fitting in? And can you help your child make friends? Tanith Carey, author of ‘The Friendship Maze’ and Dr Angharad Rudkin, Clinical Child Psychologist at the University of Southampton discuss what parents can do. Evidence is crucial when prosecuting domestic violence cases, but often survivors and witnesses find it difficult to remember exact dates and incidents of abuse. We hear about one app that has been developed to deal with this challenge with funding from Comic Relief. The England women's football team has set its sights on winning the World Cup. The players will be in a kit designed by Nike, who’ll also sponsor fourteen national kits, in the tournament in France this Summer. Adidas have said that all 2019 World Cup winning team mates will receive the same performance bonus payout as their male peers. Rebecca Myers, a Sunday Times sports journalist explains the significance of big brand sponsorship.

Twenty five years ago today, women were allowed to become priests in the Church of England. Thirty two women were ordained that day at Bristol Cathedral and now there are nearly six thousand women priests who are women. We speak to one of the first women priests and Rachel Murray who will be ordained this summer.

Lesbian and bisexual women say they often feel invisible to their doctors and nurses. Some report being asked inappropriate questions or ignored while others say they’ve been discouraged from taking up vital screening. Baroness Liz Barker is and an ambassador for LBT women’s health week and joins us to explain how healthcare professionals can recognise their needs and experiences.

When Elma van Vliet’s mother was diagnosed with inoperable cancer she decided to create a book to record her mother’s memories. In a blank diary she asked all the questions that she’s always wondered about but never asked. Questions like what were you like as a child? How did motherhood change you? And what special things have you achieved in life? Realising how precious these family stories can be, Elma decided to publish her template book so that others could collect their mother’s stories. ‘Mum, Tell Me’ is the first in a series that have sold millions. Jane speaks to the Dutch author about what she learnt about her mother and why she wanted to share the experience.

Writer Phoebe Waller Bridge who also adapted Killing Eve told Andrew Marr that she thinks watching violent women on TV is empowering. We discuss these comments with two guests with their thoughts.

Producer: Sej Asar

Women seeking asylum in the UK often find the expense of travel in their new country prevents them from being free to move around, volunteer and become involved in their community. The Bike Project in London supports female asylum seekers and refugees to develop cycling skills. Jane attended a weekly lesson that was funded by Comic Relief and delivered by The Bike project and Young Roots.

Labour MP Rachel Reeves joins Jane to discuss her new book ‘Women of Westminster: The MPs who Changed Politics’. From steering pioneering legislation to the continuing fuss over clothes and haircuts - she’ll be talking about how women MPs have made a difference to our political culture.

In 2012 two teenage high school football players from Steubenville, Ohio were convicted of raping a sixteen year old girl. The case attracted huge national attention due to the role social media played as well as outspoken members of the community defending the boys. A film about the case ‘Roll Red Roll’ is being shown tonight and tomorrow at the Human Rights Watch film Festival in London. Jane speaks to the producer and director Nancy Schwartzman about the case and its aftermath.

Has your Instagram feed been full of recipes for homemade dishwasher tablets and tips for getting red wine out of carpets? A new wave of influencers are keen to share advice and inspiration for keeping your home spick and span. But why is cleaning suddenly cool? Jane talks to Lynsey Crombie, Instagram's Queen of Clean and author of How to Clean Your House and Tidy Up Your Life, and to Zing Tsjeng, UK Editor of Broadly.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Laura Northedge Interviewed Guest: Rachel Reeves Interviewed Guest: Nancy Schwartzman Interviewed Guest: Lynsey Crombie Interviewed Guest: Zing Tsjeng

We discuss the case of Nasrin Sotoudeh the Iranian lawyer, who’s been jailed for 38 years, and sentenced to 148 lashes for defending women’s rights. We hear from Mansoureh Mills Middle East Researcher from Amnesty and from Rana Rahimpour from the BBC Persian Service.

Five years ago Wendy Mitchell was diagnosed with young onset dementia, she was just 58 years old. She tells us how she copes with the disease which is robbing her of her memories.

After winning the SheBelieves Cup in America recently England’s women are now setting their sights on the World Cup. Nike and Adidas have come on board with sponsorships but what difference, if any, will this make? Rebecca Myers, Sports Journalist from the Sunday Times explains the significance of big brands getting involved in the women’s game.

Baroness Liz Barker, the Liberal Democrat Peer and an ambassador for Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Women’s health week, tells us why lesbian and bisexual women say they feel invisible to their doctors and nurses.

Fern Champion was raped three years ago but has waived her anonymity to call on the government to provide more support to people like her. She tells us why she’s set up a petition to ask for rape counselling to be made available to anyone who needs it and Rebecca Hitchin the Campaign Manager at End Violence Against Women, explains why there is a funding shortfall for these services.

Margaret Busby the editor of the anthology New Daughters of Africa and writer and contributor Candice Carty-Williams tell us about the new volume.

And with Instagram full of cleaning tips we ask if cleaning has become cool? Lynsey Crombie Instagram’s Queen of Clean and journalist Zing Tsjeng discuss.

Presented by Jane Garvey Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor: Erin Riley

Interviewed Guest: Mansoureh Mills Interviewed Guest: Rana Rahimpour Interviewed Guest: Wendy Mitchell Interviewed Guest: Rebecca Myers Interviewed Guest: Baroness Liz Barker Interviewed Guest: Fern Champion Interviewed Guest: Rebecca Hitchin Interviewed Guest: Margaret Busby Interviewed Guest :Candice-Carty-Williams Interviewed Guest: Lynsey Crombie Interviewed Guest: Zing Tsjeng

There's been widespread praise for Jacinda Ardern handling of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. She's been held up as an example of how women leaders can handle some problems better. But do women leaders really do things differently? Journalist Anne McElvoy and former special adviser Ayesha Hazarika discuss. The W series for women's motor racing has launched, it aims to address the imbalance in a sport which hasn't seen a female compete at the top level for well over 25 years. We talk to driver Jamie Chadwick, W Series CEO Catherine Bond-Muir and to journalist, Poppy McKenzie Smith. When is it the right time to talk to your child about their disability? And how should you do it? Disability activist Caroline Casey and Woman’s Hour listener, Kate who has three children with different disabilities discuss their experiences. And Spring fashion has landed and colour is back. How to wear lilac and yellow? Lisa Armstrong and Basma Khalifa give sceptics their advice on embracing the new season's colours.

In less than 10 years Lupita Nyong’o has starred in a number of high profile and award-winning roles. Her latest project ‘Us’ is a thriller-horror, directed by the Oscar-winning Jordan Peele. Lupita joins Jane to discuss skyrocketing into fame and the impact of being an African woman in Hollywood.

Bryony Frost is the first women to win a grade one race at the Cheltenham Festival. She’s 23, from Devon and the daughter of a Grand National winning jockey. She has won over 100 races and made over a million pounds. Her win is thought to be a significant day for sporting equality but she’s quoted as saying, “It doesn’t matter whether you are a boy or a girl. I live by the metaphor about looking up the mountain.”

After official figures revealed the number of women going for smear tests had reached an all-time low, there was a campaign aimed at encouraging women to go for the tests which look for the early signs of cervical cancer. Not surprisingly, more women went for testing…but the Guardian reports this morning that the service is in meltdown as scientists have been leaving. Kate Sanger, from the charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, explains why.

As a Maasai child in Kenya, Nice Nailantei Leng’ete accomplished something remarkable: she refused to undergo her culture’s ritualized female genital mutilation. As an adult, she has gone on to negotiate with village elders, who traditionally have not worked with women, and convince them that alternative coming-of-age ceremonies will be healthier for girls and better for communities. Nice joins Jane to talk about her escape, and how her work has saved an estimated 15,000 girls around Kenya from the cut, as well as from child marriage.

Author, Eleanor Anstruther’s father, Ian, was sold to his aunt for £500 because his mother was in terrible debt. After hearing his story, Eleanor wanted to know more about how and why this had happened all those years ago, so she began some research and then wrote about it. Her debut novel is ‘A Perfect Explanation’ .

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Lupita Nyong'o Interviewed Guest: Bryony Frost Interviewed Guest: Kate Sanger Interviewed Guest: Nice Nailantei Leng'ete Interviewed Guest: Eleanor Anstruther

Every month Woman's Hour is joined by top chefs and cooks about how to perfect well loved dishes. Mary Berry takes the lead this week and tells us how to make a limoncello trifle.

According to the latest government crime survey for England and Wales, ketamine, a powerful horse tranquilizer and anaesthetic is an increasingly popular drug of choice for teenagers. The proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds using the drug rose in 2017-18 from 1.2% to 3.1%, the highest figure since records of ketamine use began in 2006-07. Joining Jane to talk about what ketamine is, its effects and what every parent should be aware of is Lauren Moss, BBC South East Social Affairs & Education Correspondent who has been investigating the drug, Wendy Teasdill whose 18-year old daughter Eleanor died from taking the drug at a festival and Professor Celia Morgan, Professor of Psychopharmacology at Exeter University.

After the shootings in Christchurch that left 50 people dead, New Zealand's government have agreed in principle to toughen the country's gun laws. People around the world have been talking about how they have been affected by the incident. We talk to three British Muslim women about how they're feeling and what conversations they are having with their children about what happened.

Dr Anita Mitra, a Gynecologist wants to talk about the myths we all have about our vaginas. She's written a guide called 'The Gynae Geek' which she says answers questions and worries you may have about women's health.

Producer: Sej Asar

A recent study connected to a current BBC 3 series, Porn Laid Bare, spoke to a thousand 18 to 25-year-olds across the UK. They were asked about porn. 47% of women said they'd watched porn in the last month and 14% said they felt that, at some point, they might have been addicted to it. Whilst a lot has been written on the subject of men and excessive porn use, very little work has been done on women. Woman’s Hour investigates why.

A list of what's been called “Breed Ready" women has been discovered on an open database in China. It's raised alarm among women’s rights activists who are concerned that this is a covert way the Chinese government is dealing with the country's declining birth rates. The list is made up of the names of nearly two million women who are between 15 and 39 years of age along with their contact details. It was discovered by a researcher called Victor Gevers who works at the Global Disinformation Foundation which is a Dutch non-profit organisation. The BBC’s Celia Hatton explains what we know.

Lichen sclerosus is a rare auto immune condition which happens when there's an over production of collagen. Following on from yesterday's item about vaginal health we discuss the condition with Fatima Sulaiman from SRUK.

As part of Radio 4’s Four Seasons poetry to celebrate the Spring Equinox, Jenni talks to Christine De Luca. She was Edinburgh’s Makar until 2017. She was raised in Shetland and writes in Shetlandic dialect.

Last week Cyclone Idai swept through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, leaving behind a trail of destruction, killing hundreds and affecting an estimated 2.6 million people. We hear from Sacha Myers, part of Save the Children’s Emergency Health Unit who's currently in Central Mozambique about the current situation there . Plus Daphne Lagrou, Sexual and Reproductive Health advisor for Médecins Sans Frontières tells us why there's a bigger impact on women and children when disasters like this strike.

Author Tomi Adeyemi talks about the impact of her first novel Children Of Blood and Bone which was hailed as a landmark publication in the very white and very male world of fantasy fiction.

Losing your mum is a very difficult experience. It's especially hard at this time of year when we’re bombarded with all the advertising and marketing ahead of Mother’s Day. Three women who attended a symposium called Motherless Daughters - which aims to get women to open up about their loss and the impact it's had on them - share their stories.

Director Carol Morley on her new film ‘Out of Blue’ – a crime thriller adapted from Martin Amis’s novel Night Train. What drew her to this neo-noir mystery ? and how have her own experiences influenced her directing? .

Presenter Jane Garvey Producer Beverley Purcell

Guest: Carol Morley Guest: Tomi Adeyemi Guest: Sacha Myers Guest: Daphne Lagrou

Reporter: Georgina Hewes

When you go shopping do you use the self-service checkouts? Or when you pop into a fast food place do you order on the touch- screens rather than go to the counter? If so, your transaction is through computers rather than people. This week the Office of National Statistics says that nearly 1.5 million jobs are at risk because of this type of automation and they’re jobs that many women carry out.

Victoria, a new ballet being performed at Sadler’s Wells in London, tells the remarkable story of Queen Victoria through the eyes of her youngest child and lifelong companion Beatrice. Choreographer and director, Cathy Marston and dramaturg, Uzma Hameed join Jenni to discuss the challenges of recreating a royal icon onstage, and reveal the true story behind Victoria and Beatrice's unique mother-daughter relationship.

Zeenat Aman has often been called Bollywood’s first sex symbol. She starred in numerous films in the 70s and 80s and redefined the archetypal heroine in Indian cinema. In an era when women played secondary characters, largely obedient wives and lovers, she was drawn to more unconventional roles. From the drug-taking hippie in 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna' to the opportunist who leaves her unemployed lover for a millionaire in 'Roti', she was an inspiration for so many other heroines. She tell us about her illustrious career, Bollywood and the UK Asian Film Festival.

Last year Gina Haspel became the first female director of the CIA . She talked about how she stood “on the shoulders of heroines who never sought public acclaim” and was “deeply indebted” to women who challenged stereotypes and broke down barriers to make her appointment possible. One of the women she was referring to was Virginia Hall, an American-turned-British spy who became a legend in espionage and guerrilla warfare. Sonia Purnell has spent more than three years finding out more and talks to Jenni about her new book 'A Woman of No Importance' which has already been optioned for a film with Daisy Ridley set to play Virginia.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Professor Gina Neff Interviewed Guest: Cathy Marston Interviewed Guest: Uzma Hazeed Interviewed Guest: Zeenat Aman Interviewed Guest: Sonia Purnell

Fran & Flora are the violinist Flora Curzon and cellist Francesca Ter-Berg. Their debut album is called ‘Unfurl’ and it combines new arrangements of traditional Transylvanian, Romanian, Klezmer, Greek and Armenian music. They play live in the studio and explain why they're so influenced by the music of far-flung places.

Forty years ago today the opposition party of the day won a No Confidence Motion against the ruling Labour Government. That led to the General Election which brought in the UK's first female Prime Minister: Margaret Thatcher. The Conservative politician, Edwina Currie, remembers campaigning for her and lobby journalist, Julia Langdon reflects on covering Margaret Thatcher all the way through her career.

Maths anxiety is a real problem. One in ten children suffers from despair and rage when they do maths according Cambridge University. They base this figure on a survey they carried out with nearly two thousand pupils who were between 8 and 13 years old. Jenni's joined by Lucy Rycroft-Smith, research officer at Cambridge Mathematics to discuss children's anxious reactions and what support parents can give.

Smacking children in Wales could be banned after the Welsh Government published a bill removing “reasonable punishment” as a defence. If it’s made law children will get the same protection from physical punishment as adults. Some argue such a move could criminalise ordinary parents. Jane speaks to Julie Morgan, Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh government.

As World Earth Day approaches on April 1st we speak to different generations of women who are environmental activists. Whether it’s taking the decision to march, break the law, or vow not to have children, what made them act?

Parent protests against schools in Birmingham and Greater Manchester teaching children about LGBT rights continue. We hear from parents and teachers.

Nigerian-Romanian pianist Rebeca Omordia is the artistic director of the first ever African Concert series at The October Gallery in London. It’s a programme of African Art Music, a genre that originated in Ghana and Nigeria and which forms a bridge between Western classical and traditional African music.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Westminster Politics aside, we look at the wider impact that uncertainty about Brexit is having on families, friendships and out in the wider world of work. With MPs currently debating the way ahead for the whole country, we hear about some of the fallout for people trying to get on with their lives and their businesses.

'Bedtime Stories' is a project set up by the Stratford Literature Festival which helps prisoners to write original stories for the children they're separated from while serving time. Milly Chowles visited HMP East Sutton Park ,a women's open prison in Kent, and talked to festival director Annie Ashworth, Children’s writer Smriti Prasadam-Halls and to some of the prisoners at a writing workshop.

Women from all over the globe go to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN in New York every year. It's the global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women .This year our reporter Ena Miller also attended. We hear from some of the unsuspecting women she followed in the street and between sessions to find out why they had made the journey.

Plus, are our cultural attitudes to women and pain standing in the way of effective treatments? We discuss how pain fits into female identity and what to do about it.

Presenter Tina Daheley

Guest Louise Stewart Guest Anoosh Chakelian Guest Katy Vincent

Reporter Milly Chowles Reporter Ena Miller

Jacinda Ardern New Zealand’s Prime Minister has been praised for her calm, clear and compassionate handling of the Christchurch massacre but do women leaders really do politics differently? Journalist Anne McElvoy and former special adviser Ayesha Hazarika discuss.

How has the terrorist shooting at Mosques in Christchurch New Zealand affected Muslim women in the UK? We hear from Rabina Khan a Liberal Democrat Councillor in East London, Akeela Ahmed MBE a social entrepreneur and activist and from Nadia Khan the co-founder of a mental health charity The Delicate Mind.

The author Tomi Adeyemi talks about her fantasy fiction for young adults set in the West Africa inspired world of Orisha - and tells us why it took her so long to write lead characters that reflect her own culture.

What does the discovery of a database called Breedready in China mean? Is it part of a bigger plan by the Chinese government to halt the countries declining birth rates? We talk to the BBC’s Asia Pacific Editor Celia Hatton.

Nice Nailantei Leng’ete tells us about the work she is doing in Kenya to bring about alternative rites of passage ceremonies to replace FGM.

We have poetry to mark the Spring Equinox from Christine de Luca.

Carol Morley tells us about her new film Out of Blue - a crime thriller adapted from Martin Amis’ novel Night Train.

Presented by Jane Garvey Produced by Rabeka Nurmahomed Edited by Jane Thurlow

Interviewed guest: Anne McElvoy Interviewed guest: Ayesha Hazarika Interviewed guest: Rabina Khan Interviewed guest: Akeela Ahmed Interviewed guest: Nadia Khan Interviewed guest: Tomi Adeyemi Interviewed guest: Nice Nailantei Leng'ete Interviewed guest: Christine de Luca Interviewed guest: Carol Morley

According to the children’s charity World Vision, nine percent of girls in Afghanistan are married before the age of 15. Jane speaks to Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand who's been working with this charity to tackle this issue. She recently came back from Afghanistan where she spent time with the families affected by this. She also shares her views on the recent mosque attacks.

Hallie Rubenhold’s new book focuses on the lives of Mary Jane Kelly, Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes. ‘The Five’ is about the women who were murdered by Jack the Ripper, and not about him.

Also on the programme, Jane speaks to Judy Kuhn,the voice of Disney’s 1995 classic Pocahontas. She’s also a four time Tony Award nominated Broadway star who is currently performing on the West End stage playing the part of Golde in latest revival of Fiddler on the Roof at the Playhouse Theatre. Jane finds out how the much loved musical mimics Judy’s own family history.

Producer: Sej Asar

More in our series looking at what wigs mean to a range of different women. Yesterday we looked at the experience of women who'd lost their hair through cancer treatment. Today we look at why wigs can be so political for black women. Mikai McDermott is a blogger and hair stylist and specialises in wigs for women of colour. Maria Edaferhoro chooses to wear wigs and believes there can be a stigma against them in the black community and Michelle Annan-Baidoo owns a hair salon in East London.

The Sheffield-born poet Helen Mort talks about writing her first novel ‘Black Car Burning’ about women climbers, polyamory and trust.

What is the best way to care for a parent with early on-set dementia? A few weeks ago we spoke to Wendy Mitchell who was diagnosed with young on-set dementia at just 58 years old. Today we hear from her daughter Sarah about how she helps support her mum and the techniques they use to make caring easier.

A new report on children from low income UK families highlights their experience of hunger, shame and social exclusion because of lack of money and food. Rebecca O’ Connell lead author of Living Hand to Mouth published by the Child Poverty Action Group describes the stories she heard from the 11-15 year olds in the study

Presenter Jane Garvey Producer Beverley Purcell

Guest Rebecca O’ Connell Guest Mikai McDermott Guest Maria Edaferhoro Guest Michelle Annan-Baidoo Guest Helen Mort Guest Sarah Mitchell

Origami outfits, upcycled upholstery and canine coats have kept viewers of the Great British Sewing Bee captivated for the last eight weeks on BBC2. Jenni speaks to the series 5 winner who was announced last night.

What makes the adolescent brain different and why is it that an easy child can become a challenging teenager? Jenni talks about risky behaviour and how to limit it with the neuroscientist Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore.

Soprano Carolyn Sampson’s latest album shows the various way composers have contemplated the madwoman. On her new album ‘Reason in madness’, tragic characters like Ophelia, Gretchen and Bilitis are explored through multiple versions by composers including Brahms, Strauss, Saint-Saëns, Poulenc and Schumann. Carolyn Sampson joins Jenni to discuss musical responses to the theme of women and madness.

Women from all over the globe go to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN in New York every year. It's the intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women .This year our reporter Ena Miller joined the delegates to hear their stories and why they are determined to be part of the conversation.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Caroline Donne Interviewed guest: Interviewed guest: Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore Interviewed guest: Carolyn Sampson Reporter: Ena Miller

With the numbers of children being taken into care in England at a ten year high, we take a look at the women who face the repeat court-ordered removal of subsequent children. We hear the story of one woman who had already had her first two children removed under court orders - and decided to flee the country when she was 37 weeks pregnant with a third child. Jenni discusses why some women face the repeat court-ordered removal of their children and what support vulnerable mothers require to break the cycle. And the author of Chocolat, Joanne Harris, talks about her latest novel The Strawberry Thief which returns to the story of chocolatier Vianne Rocher and of her daughters, Anouk and Rosette.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Ruth Watts Interviewed guest: Sophie Humphreys, child protection expert and board member of Cafcass Interviewed guest: Claire Mason, senior research associate at the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research and social worker Interviewed guest: Paula Jackson-Key, from Doncaster Children’s Services Trust Interviewed guest: Joanne Harris, author of The Strawberry Thief

The folk duo, Fran and Flora play Eastern European inspired music from their album, Unfurl.

The former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, tells us about her recent work with the children’s charity World Vision where she’s been trying to help eradicate child marriage in Afghanistan.

According to recent research Maths anxiety is real and one in ten children suffer from despair and rage when faced with the subject. We hear from Kayla Fuller who suffered from maths anxiety at school and from Lucy Rycroft Smith a research and communications officer at Cambridge mathematics.

Do cultural attitudes to women and pain stand in the way of effective treatments? We're joined by Katy Vincent, Senior Pain Fellow at the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health at the University of Oxford.

Sonia Purnell on her book, A Woman of No Importance, about Virginia Hall an American turned British spy who overcame a lost leg to become a legend in espionage and guerrilla warfare.

We hear from Julie Morgan the deputy minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh Assembly on why she is fighting to ban smacking children in Wales.

And Hallie Rubenhold tells us about the five female victims of Jack the Ripper. She's written about their lives in her new book The Five.

Presented by Jenni Murray Produced by Rabeka Nurmahomed Edited by Jane Thurlow

Interviewed guest: Helen Clark Interviewed guest: Kayla Fuller Interviewed guest: Lucy Rycroft Smith Interviewed guest: Katy Vincent Interviewed guest: Sonia Purnell Interviewed guest: Julie Morgan Interviewed guest: Hallie Rubenhold

Hair can be intensely personal and equally political. It can be a sign of confidence or beauty, rebellion or activism. But what about wigs? Why do some women choose to wear them and how significant can they be? Throughout this week we'll explore what wigs mean to a range of different women. First: Wearing a wig during cancer. Approximately 65% of individuals undergoing chemotherapy will experience hair loss as a result. Alex Petropoulos and Angelina Hall both lost their hair this way and turned to wigs. Azmina Verjee works for the Macmillan Cancer Information Centre.

The subject of this year’s BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking Festival at Sage Gateshead is Emotion. One of their debates aims to decide ‘What is the emotion of now?’ The academic Hetta Howes argues that shame is the prevailing emotion of our time. We’ll be examining the relationship women have with shame in more detail with Hetta, a lecturer in Medieval and Early Modern Literature at City University, London, and with the cultural historian Tiffany Watt-Smith, author of ‘The Book of Human Emotions’.

Anne Acheson was a sculptor who changed medical history by combining her knowledge of art and anatomy. During the Great War, many soldiers suffered limb injuries which were treated with splints. However, Portadown-born Anne created an alternative method - using plaster of Paris. As the Millennium Court Arts Centre in Portadown plans a historic exhibition of Acheson’s work we discuss her importance as a sculptor and inventor with Rosamund Lily West, Research Curator at the Royal Society of Sculptors, Jackie Barker, director of Millennium Court Arts Centre, and Virginia Ironside, Anne’s great-niece.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

The Sexual Revolution liberated a generation, but did it do as much for women as it did for men? Virginia Nicholson joins us for a conversation about the impact that decade had. It's said that dogs are man’s best friend - but, we talk to two women whose lives have been transformed by their canine companions. Sabrina Cohen-Hatton joined the fire service at 18. She is now one of the most senior firefighters in the UK and is looking at decision-making in the most difficult situations. And, Katy Bourne is the Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex. She talks about how her direct experience of stalking led her to get her own force inspected. We hear about how stalking cases should be investigated and how victims can be supported.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Ruth Watts Interviewed guest: Virginia Nicholson Interviewed guest: Theresa Edwards Interviewed guest: Rosalyn St Pierre Interviewed guest: Emily Dean Interviewed guest: Kate Spicer Interviewed guest: Sabrina Cohen-Hatton Interviewed guest: Katy Bourne

Waterproof mascara, mini-skirts, vibrant tights and athleisure: Mary Quant is widely considered to be a pioneer in women’s fashion. A new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum celebrates the work of the iconic fashion designer. Jane talks to co-curator Jenny Lister and Deborah Cherry - who donated a Mary Quant dress to the exhibition that she had worn when she was 16.

Theresa May has asked the European Council for a further extension to the Article 50 period. On Wednesday EU leaders will meet to discuss her request, and if they say no, the UK will be leaving without a deal this Friday. So what would a no-deal Brexit mean for women? What will the economic impact be on women: the catastrophe that some fear or, the opportunity that others hope for? Dr Victoria Bateman and Victoria Hewson discuss.

A young single mother from Glasgow just out of prison with dreams of making it as a country singer is the subject of a new film Wild Rose starring Jessie Buckley and Julie Walters. Jane is joined by the writer of the film, Nicole Taylor, who also wrote the award winning drama ‘Three Girls’ about the Rochdale grooming scandal.

Alys Conran on her new novel, Dignity, which features a woman controlled by her husband in the British Raj, her daughter, whose life was shaped by the difficult relationship, and a young second generation immigrant who works as a carer. All three women are looking for a place to feel they belong.

Presented by Jane Garvey Produced by Jane Thurlow

Interviewed guest: Victoria Bateman Interviewed guest: Victoria Hewson Interviewed guest: Jenny Lister Interviewed guest: Deborah Cherry Interviewed guest: Nicole Taylor Interviewed guest: Alys Conran

The television comedy dramas Fleabag and Derry Girls finished this week. What’s the appeal of the seriously flawed female character from Jane Austen’s Emma through to Bridget Jones?

Upskirting is now a specific criminal offence across England and Wales. We hear from the activist and writer Gina Martin who started the campaign for a change in the law after being targeted at a music festival.

Next week, one of the subjects on the agenda at the NEU (National Education Union) conference is the mental health of pupils. Increasingly, staff in schools are being asked to provide emotional support for the children they teach. But do they have the adequate resources or training to help these vulnerable individuals? We discuss with Sarah Kendrick from the children's mental health charity, Place2Be, Brenda McHugh from Anna Freud centre and Anne Lyons, the former president of the National Association of Head Teachers.

Bev Thomas is a clinical psychologist. She's written her debut novel 'A Good Enough Mother' about a trauma therapist who is trying to treat a patient who bears a striking resemblance to her own missing child. She joins Jenni to discuss.

As part of Late Night Woman's Hour we hear from the barrister Samantha Davies about what we can do about modern slavery in the supply chain.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Dianne McGregor

Radio 4’s soap opera, The Archers has long inspired a diverse and loyal fan base. The everyday tale of farming folk has tackled everything from unplanned pregnancy in the 1960s to the coercive control and domestic violence a couple of years’ ago. But with women still more likely to be found baking at Brookfield or gossiping in the post office, exactly how feminist is Ambridge? That’s a question tackled in a new book, Gender, Sex and Gossip In Ambridge: Women In The Archers. Academics, Nicola Headlam and Cara Courage, explain what drives them to give up their free time to organising academic conferences about The Archers - as well as listening to it - and they share a few of their thought-provoking conclusions.

Heavy bleeding or "flooding" can be one of the symptoms of the menopause. What do we know about it and what can be done to help women affected? Jane speaks to Paula Briggs a consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health for Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust and hears from listeners about their experiences.

Jill Dawson is the author of ten novels and the editor of six anthologies of short stories and poetry. In her latest novel, The Language of Birds, she takes inspiration from the infamous Lord Lucan case, placing the murdered nanny at the centre of this shocking tale.

Chemicals are an essential component of our daily lives, but some chemicals can severely damage our health or the environment. There is growing interest in the possible health threat posed by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). They can be found in our environment, food, and consumer products. What do women need to know about EDCs? We find out with Dr Sibylle Ermler, research Fellow at the Institute of Environment, Health and Societies at Brunel University and Elizabeth Salter Green – Director of CHEMTrust

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Caroline Donne

Interviewed guest: Nicola Headlam Interviewed guest: Cara Courage Interviewed guest: Paula Briggs Interviewed guest: Jill Dawson Interviewed guest: Dr. Sibylle Ermler Interviewed guest: Elizabeth Salter Green

Juliet Uzor tells us about winning this year’s Great British Sewing Bee.

What is the best way to care for a parent with dementia? We hear from Sarah Mitchell whose mother Wendy was diagnosed with early onset dementia at the age of 58. Sarah tells us how they've adapted their lives and relationship.

A new Amnesty International report has found what it calls 'a shocking level' of unreported and acquitted rapes across the Nordic countries. Why? Jacqui Hunt the Director of Equality Now’s European office and Helle Jacobsen a senior Advisor and Researcher at Amnesty Denmark, discuss.

What makes the adolescent brain different and why is it that an easy child can become a challenging teenager? Sarah-Jayne Blackmore a Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London helps us understand.

Why is ‘Shame’ the emotion of now? Hetta Howes a lecturer in Medieval and Early Modern Literature at City University London, and Tiffany Watt-Smith a cultural historian discuss.

Laura Lattimore and Rashida Hardy tell us about having severe hair loss and why wearing a wig is important to them.

The poet Helen Mort on her first novel Black Car Burning about rock climbing, trust and polyamory.

Presented by Jane Garvey Produced by Rabeka Nurmahomed Edited by Jane Thurlow

Interviewed guest: Juliet Uzor Interviewed guest: Sarah Mitchell Interviewed guest: Jacqui Hunt Interviewed guest: Helle Jacobsen Interviewed guest: Sarah-Jayne Blackmore Interviewed guest: Hetta Howes Interviewed guest: Tiffany Watt-Smith Interviewed guest: Laura Lattimore Interviewed guest: Rashida Hardy Interviewed guest: Helen Mort

Dame Glenys Stacey is stepping down as HM Chief Inspector of Probation for England and Wales at the end of May. In her last annual report she was deeply critical of the Probation services saying that privatising offender management was "irredeemably flawed". She looks back at nearly forty years in public service.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a condition which can lead to severe depression, anxiety and personality change, leaving sufferers feeling suicidal and desperate every month. It is sometimes mis-diagnosed as mental ill health and is estimated to affect 5% of menstruating women. Paula Briggs, a consultant in Reproductive and Sexual health is leading a study looking a new treatments for PMDD.

Fifty years ago today (17th April)) a 21-year-old woman from Northern Ireland, Bernadette Devlin, became Britain's youngest ever female MP and the third youngest MP ever when she was elected to Westminster in a by-election in the Mid-Ulster constituency. Historian, Dr Margaret Ward explains why her election was a seismic event at the time.

Top Girls, the iconic feminist play by Caryl Churchill is currently on stage at the National Theatre in London. Three actors from the cast join Jenni to discuss why the play made such an impact when it was first performed in 1982 and how relevant it is today.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Interviewed guest: Dame Glenys Stacey Interviewed guest: Dr Paula Briggs Interviewed guest: Katherine Kingsley Interviewed guest: Lucy Black Interviewed guest: Liv Hill Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

The photo of a young Sudanese woman chanting on top of a car has gone viral and has become an iconic image in the protests against Omar al-Bashir’s regime/rule. What role have women played in the protests? And what is the current status of women in the country? CNN correspondent Nima Elbagir in Khartoum and Associate Fellow, Chatham House and former British ambassador to Sudan Rosalind Marsden discuss.

In the run up to World Earth Day next week on the 22nd April we speak to two women who are using their skills to solve some of our environmental problems. Dr Fanya Ismail has invented a waterproof material that will be used in disposable coffee cups which removes the need to use plastic, and Dr Carmen Hijosa has invented a natural textile made from pineapple leaf fibre which can be used as a leather substitute. Jane asks them how and why they created their products.

Dr Joan Malleson ran sexual counselling sessions in the 1950’s. From the Wellcome Foundation archives, historian, Dr Caroline Rusterholz reveals the approach of this birth control activist and family planning doctor. Why was the advice on offer in a period better-known for sexual repression and what does it tell us about current sexual behaviour?

Food allergies affect 3 to 6 per cent of children in the developed world and appear to be on the rise. Last week we heard about the diagnosis and management of food allergies in infants and children. This week we focus specifically on how to feed your child well if he or she has food allergies. Clare Thornton-Wood is a paediatric dietician.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Nima Elbagir Interviewed Guest: Rosalind Marsden Interviewed Guest: Dr Carmen Hijosa Interviewed Guest: Dr Fanya Ismail Interviewed Guest: Dr Caroline Rusterholz Interviewed Guest: Clare Thornton-Wood

As the second series of the comedy Fleabag comes to an end we talk about the appeal of female comedic characters. The author Erin Kelly, the TV Development Executive Danielle Dash and the Editor in Chief of Empire Magazine Terri White discuss.

Katy Bourne the Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex tells us how she was stalked for five years and how this experience motivated to get her own police service inspected. The results found that Sussex police still has problems around investigating stalking cases and supporting victims.

How feminist is the Archers? Academics Nicola Headlam and Cara Courage authors of, Gender, Sex and Gossip in Ambridge: Women in the Archers, discuss.

Food allergies affect 3-6% of children in the developed wold. What do parents need to know about the diagnosis and management of food allergies. We hear from Holly Shaw a nurse advisor from the charity Allergy UK and from Stephanie Hulme whose son experienced an unexpected and severe allergic reaction when he was three.

Heavy bleeding or flooding can be one of the symptoms of the menopause, what can be done to help women affected? Paula Briggs a consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health for Southport and Ormskirk Hospital, offers some advice.

Sabrina Cohen-Hatton was just 18 when she joined the fire service. She’s now a Deputy Assistant Commissioner and one of the most senior female firefighters in the UK. She tells us about her work and her book In the Heat of the Moment.

The writer of the film Wild Rose, Nicole Taylor tells us why she wanted to write about a singer from Glasgow making it as a country singer in Nashville.

Presented by Jenni Murray Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor :Eleanor Garland

As we’ve mentioned recently, the number of children being taken into care in England is currently at a 10-year high. Two weeks ago we looked at the repeat removals of children by the court and the lengths some mothers have gone to avoid that. Today we look at one of the most frequent outcomes for children removed from their parents' care - placement with a Special Guardian, usually a member of their extended family, under a Special Guardianship Order. A recent study from Lancaster University shows that while only 5% of children placed with Special Guardians end up back in care, there is a severe lack of support from local authorities and government. What more could be done to support these families, often looking after children in very difficult circumstances?

Trying to live an environmentally friendly life is complicated. With our hectic lives, caring for the environment might seem like a problem too big to solve. We hear from Dr Tara Shine and Madeleine Murray, who run Change by Degrees, a sustainability consultancy that offers advice to business and communities, and environmental journalist, Lucy Siegle for some tips on the ways we can live better, greener lives.

Last week, K-pop girl group BLACKPINK made history by becoming the first of its kind to perform at the festival, Coachella. With a world tour set for this year and their single ‘Kill This Love’ climbing the charts in the UK and the US, it looks like they might be poised to break the western pop music market. We discuss the role of women in K-Pop, both as performers and as fans. How powerful are their female fans? What’s behind the ‘girl crush’ concept? And how are women being marketed? We’re joined by K-Pop dance instructor Tammy Jane Mejia, music journalist Biju Belinky and Dr Haekyung Um from the University of Liverpool.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Professor Judith Harwin Interviewed Guest: Dr Tara Shine Interviewed Guest: Lucy Siegle Interviewed Guest: Madeleine Murray Interviewed Guest: Tammy Jane Mejia Interviewed Guest: Biju Belinky Interviewed Guest: Dr Haekyung Um

Three Sisters, Anton Chekov’s 1901 classic play, is on at The Almedia Theatre in London. It's about Olga, Masha and Irina who are frustrated with their small-town life especially after growing up for while in buzzing Moscow. When two glamorous military men arrive on the scene it all gets emotional and sexually charged. Other problems get in the way too and the sisters have to take on responsibilities. Jenni speaks to Patsy Ferran, Pearl Chanda and Ria Zmitrowicz who play the sisters about how this revival of the play still feels relevant to young women today.

Molly Case is a young nurse. In 2013 she achieved national recognition for her poem ‘Nursing the Nation’ which she recited at the Royal College of Nursing Congress. She wrote it when she was a nursing student as a reaction to the criticism of the NHS at the time. That performance at the Congress has been viewed over 400,000 times on YouTube. She’s now written a book called How to Treat People – A Nurse at Work. Jenni talks to her about what inspired her to become a nurse and why she wants to champion their work.

It's just 50 days to go until the biggest tournament in women’s football begins: the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It will be held in France. Today five players who've been shortlisted for the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Award have been announced. Sarah Mulkerrins from the BBC World Service joins Jenni to discuss the growing popularity of women’s football and gives her own predictions.

Nearly a year ago the Republic of Ireland voted to change the law on abortion in a referendum. The majority voted to make it more available and so in January abortion became legal up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy. But Woman’s Hour has found out that some women are still travelling to England for an abortion despite being eligible to get one back home. Siobhann Tighe reports on the new abortion law

The Shatila Refugee camp in the south of Beirut was originally built in 1949 to house Palestinian refugees. Following the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011 tens of thousands of Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon many of them also taking refuge in the Shatila Camp. Jane speaks to publisher and author Meike Ziervogel about the work she is doing with 100 Syrian refugee women who have set-up The Shatila Studio, a bespoke needlework business that is attracting orders from outside the camp. What is life like for these women in a place they cannot leave, where no police or ambulance will enter, where killings are frequent - and yet where life goes on and the women save every penny to send their children to school. Meike also describes why her own family history of war and displacement have taken her to Shatila and are the inspiration for her latest novel “Flotsam”

The final season of Game of Thrones begins tonight for viewers in the UK. As this legendary series comes to an end, Superfans describe what they love about it, what appeals to the female fans and how they’ll survive without it.

A new film and photo exhibition aims to challenge the stereotypes around black, single mothers. Jane speaks to co-creator Ebun Sanusi and mothers Bola Tajudeen and Miranda Armstrong.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Produce: Caroline Donne

Reporter: Siobhann Tighe Interviewed guest: Meike Ziervogel Interviewed guest: Ebun Sanusi Interviewed guest: Bola Tajudeen Interviewed guest: Miranda Armstrong

Melinda Gates’s new book The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World explains that empowering women can profoundly change the way that societies function. She is, along with husband Bill Gates, the founder the world’s largest private charitable organisation and has consistently been ranked as one of the world's most powerful women by Forbes. So why has creating equality in her home life been such a struggle?

When Josie Rourke became the Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse she was one of the first female theatre directors to be appointed to that role. Nearly eight years later she tells Jenni why she has chosen the musical Sweet Charity as her swan song and, in terms of gender, how much the face of theatre has changed in the last ten years.

The UK government is backing a Nigerian advertising campaign urging Nigerian women and girls to find jobs at home instead of “risking a life of modern slavery” in Britain. So how bad is the problem here in the UK? Jenni is joined by Kathryn Baldacchino, Project Manager at Protect, the Anti-Trafficking Project at the British Red Cross and Kate Roberts, Head of Office at the Human Trafficking Foundation.

The World Health Organisation has advised screen time is best avoided for the first two years of life. But what evidence is there behind this advice? Jenni speaks to Sarah Jarvis, GP and Clinical Director of Patient.co.uk.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Laura Northedge Interviewed Guest: Melinda Gates Interviewed Guest: Josie Rourke Interviewed Guest: Kathryn Baldacchino Interviewed Guest: Kate Roberts Interviewed Guest: Elizabeth Interviewed Guest: Sarah Jarvis

Photo Credit: Jason Bell for Pivotal Ventures

The photo of a young Sudanese woman chanting on top of a car went viral and became an iconic image in the protests against Omar al-Bashir’s rule. What role have women played in the protests? And what is the current status of women in the country? CNN correspondent Nima Elbagir in Khartoum and Associate Fellow, Chatham House and former British ambassador to Sudan Rosalind Marsden discuss.

The nurse and spoken word artist Molly Case on her book How to Treat People – A Nurse at Work.

How can we live an environmentally friendly life? Dr Tara Shine and Madeleine Murray, who run Change by Degrees, a sustainability consultancy that offers advice to business and communities, and environmental journalist, Lucy Siegle offer for some tips on the ways we can live better, greener lives.

Top Girls, the iconic feminist play by Caryl Churchill is currently on stage at the National Theatre in London. Lucy Black, Liv Hill and Katherine Kingsley, three actors from the cast discuss why the play made such an impact when it was first performed in 1982 and why it is still relevant today.

It's the final season of Game of Thrones - three fans Danielle Ward, Georgia Humphrey and Ruth Websdale tell us why the series appeals to female viewers.

The Shatila Refugee camp in the south of Beirut was originally built in 1949 to house Palestinian refugees. Following the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011 tens of thousands of Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon many of them also taking refuge in the Shatila Camp. The publisher and author Meike Ziervogel talks about the work she is doing with 100 Syrian refugee women who have set up The Shatila Studio, a bespoke needlework business that is attracting orders from outside the camp.

BLACKPINK made history by becoming the first female K-Pop band to perform at the festival, Coachella. With a world tour set for this year and their single ‘Kill This Love’ climbing the charts in the UK and the US, it looks like they might be poised to break the western pop music market. We discuss the role of women in K-Pop, both as performers and as fans. And what’s behind the ‘girl crush’ concept? K-Pop dance instructor Tammy Jane Mejia, music journalist Biju Belinky and Dr Haekyung Um from the University of Liverpool discuss.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Dianne McGregor

We are currently experiencing a boom in true crime, with countless TV documentaries about cases like the Yorkshire Ripper, the murder of Jill Dando, the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and podcasts such as Serial, The Teacher’s Pet and My Favourite Murder. Not only are women usually the victims of these infamous crimes, but they are also the main consumers of the genre. So why are we so fascinated by true crime? Jane speaks to criminologist Dr Gemma Flynn, ex-police officer and Crimewatch presenter Jacqui Hames, All Killa No Filla podcast host Rachel Fairburn and to magazine editor Julia Davis, whose latest title Crime Monthly hit the news stands last month.

What is the appeal of reflecting on the grisly detail of violent crime? And how do we ensure that the victims and survivors are not ignored in the clamour to analyse a killer's motives or pathology? Jane speaks to Mo Lea who survived a brutal attack for which Peter Sutcliffe is the prime suspect, and to Carol Ann Lee who has written the book Somebody's Mother, Somebody's Daughter which highlights the stories of the women who's lives were devastated by Sutcliffe.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Laura Northedge

Interviewed Guest: Dr Gemma Flynn Interviewed Guest: Julia Davis Interviewed Guest: Jacqui Hames Interviewed Guest: Rachel Fairburn Interviewed Guest: Mo Lea Interviewed Guest: Carol Ann Lee

If you have a common mental health problem such as depression or anxiety what effect does it have on your relationship? What should you expect from your other half? Equally, if your partner has depression, what is the best way to support them? Linda Gask has had 30 years of clinical practice experience as a psychiatrist in the NHS. Poorna Bell is a journalist and author. She has written about her late husband’s struggle with depression and suicide. Nicole Krystal Crentsil is the co-founder of Black Girl Festival and a public speaker on culture. Nicole has spoken openly about her own mental health and the importance of a strong relationship. Alan Phillips has experienced severe depression in the past - his wife Karen has been hugely supportive.

Henrietta Green, founder of British charcuterie Live, tells Tina why British charcuterie is worth sampling and celebrating.

In her new book Biased - The New Science of Race and Inequality, Jennifer Eberhardt, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, draws on years of research looking at how unconscious racial bias is ever present in our lives and tells us what we can do to counter it.

Presenter: Tina Daheley Interviewed guest: Poorna Bell Interviewed guest: Nicole Krystal Crentsil Interviewed guest: Alan Phillips Interviewed guest: Karen Phillips Interviewed guest: Linda Gask Interviewed guest: Henrietta Green Interviewed guest: Jennifer Eberhardt Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Today is the 6th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, where over 1,000 garment workers died. Over half were women. Fashion Revolution Week wants to raise awareness about where and how our clothes are made - and what it’s doing to the planet. Fashion industry insiders Alice Wilby and Bernice Pan explain why sustainability needs to be more than just a trend.

A home for unmarried mothers and babies in Tuam in Galway was run by Bon Secours Sisters from 1925 to 1961. Nearly 800 babies died there and when it was discovered a few years ago that they’d been buried in a secretive, undignified way it caused widespread outrage in Ireland and beyond. Since then an official investigation into what happened at 18 mother and baby homes across Ireland began, and is ongoing. Last week ‘The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes’ released its latest report. This one – the fifth – focuses on how babies were buried at mother and baby homes, and part of it looked at another home called Bessborough in Cork. The BBC’s Deirdre Finnerty has been investigating.

Why some women choose to become a solo parent using donor sperm and eggs and what they have learnt since making their decision. Jenni speaks to Genevieve Roberts, author of ‘Going Solo’ who has already become a mum using donor sperm and Beth who is using both donor sperm and egg and is pregnant with her first child.

In Salt & Time, food writer Alissa Timoshkina transforms perceptions of the food of the former Soviet Union and in particular her home Siberia – the crossroads of Eastern European and Central Asian cuisine. Salt & Time contains recipes from the pre-revolutionary era and the Soviet days that are treated with a modern interpretation. Alissa joins Jenni in the studio to Cook the Perfect…Borsch.

Presenter: Jenni Murray Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Deirdre Finnerty Interviewed Guest: Alice Wilby Interviewed Guest: Dr Bernice Pan Interviewed Guest: Genevieve Roberts Interviewed Guest: Beth Interviewed Guest: Alissa Timoshkina

We take a trip to Biggin Hill airport. Popular with millionaires and stars who travel in private jets, there's a small group of women working there. Some of them fly planes, but in the UK as a whole only 6% of our pilots are women.

This week the 16 year old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has impressed the country with her confidence. She was at Westminster addressing crowds of environmentalists and meeting politicians. She's been critical about the UK’s response to climate change, telling MPs her future has been stolen. We look at how she's managed to make such an impact and hear about other influential women in the environmental movement.

We explore parental alienation. It's defined as the process of psychologically manipulating a child into showing fear, disrespect or hostility toward a parent. It can happen when couples split up acrimoniously. We explore how understood the concept is and hear how the term is used in the family courts.

Danish comedian and podcaster Sofie Hagen challenges what she sees as endemic fatphobia in our society. In her new book, Happy Fat, Sofie shares how she found a true acceptance of her body and offers practical tips to those who are still struggling with a world that wants you to be smaller.

Rosacea is a little known chronic skin condition. We hear from a blogger who lives with the condition and from consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Wedgeworth who talks about the treatment options and long term management of Rosacea.

This week we’re marking the election of the UK’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. We hear form listeners about life in 1979. What were the opportunities open to women and what of the attitudes many still faced?

Plastic whistles, stretchy men, pencils with rubber toppers, bubbles, balloons and sweets – How do you fill your goody bags for your child’s party? Are you totally anti the concept of handing out obligatory plastic tat … or do you go down the right-on environmental route with a sock filled with a bag of seeds, an educational book or a sugar-free cake mix? Jane speaks to Lucy Parsons mother of two who despairs over party bags and Isabel Thomas, a children’s science writer with three children who is taking steps to change the throw-away culture of children’s parties.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Interviewed guest: Sofie Hagen Interviewed guest: Lex Gillies Interviewed guest: Dr Emma Wedgeworth Interviewed guest: Lucy Parsons Interviewed guest: Isabel Thomas Reporter: Henrietta Harrison Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

Bo Burnham's film Eight Grade has just been released in the UK and explores the challenges of being a young teenager in the age of social media. Is it a coming of age film for our time? Jane speaks to film critic Rhianna Dhillon.

While Storm Hannah hit the UK over the weekend, Cyclone Kenneth has unleashed flooding on Mozambique causing widespread destruction barely a month after a previous cyclone killed hundreds and devastated large areas. Cate Turton heads-up the UK’s Department for International Development and is based in Mozambique. What has been the impact of the recent flooding in Mozambique and the response? She also talks to Jane about her life and what has taken her into international humanitarian work.

It is 40 years this Friday since the UK elected its first woman Prime Minister on May 3rd 1979. Woman’s Hour marks this pivotal moment with a week of programming. The late Margaret Thatcher remains a deeply controversial and divisive figure and Woman's Hour will explore her importance as a female leader; focusing on the woman and her impact on women’s lives. Today Jane Garvey looks at how the Woman’s Hour archive captured this moment in time.

Jing-Jing Lee on her debut novel, How We Disappeared. Based partly on her own traumatic family history, Jing tells the story of one woman’s survival in occupied Singapore and a child's quest to solve a family mystery

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Caroline Donne

Interviewed Guest: Rhianna Dhillon Interviewed Guest: Cate Turton Interviewed Guest: Jing-Jing Lee

We discuss the impact of Margaret Thatcher for women in politics. We’ll be dipping into the Woman’s Hour archive and asking why she is still relevant for women politicians today. With Kemi Badenoch, MP for Saffron Walden and Vice Chair of the Conservative Party, and Ayesha Hazarika, former special adviser to Harriet Harman.

In the wake of Caster Semenya’s legal battle we look at differences in sexual development (DSD). How are they identified, treated, and what impact do they have? Jane is joined by Cambridge University Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics, Ieuan Hughes, expert in paediatric endocrinology and DSD, and by Holly Greenberry, Founder and Lead Consultant at advocacy group Intersex UK.

Mary Black is one of Ireland’s most famous singers. She was born in the 50s in Dublin and has seen the country change dramatically over the years. One of her most famous albums, A Woman’s Heart, was a collaboration with other Irish women musicians and is now twenty five years old. Last year the first song of the album called ‘Only a Woman’s Heart’ became an anthem for those wanting to change the law on abortion, appealing to a new generation of young women. Mary talks to our reporter, Siobhann Tighe.

We speak to monster truck driver Brianna Mahon who drives 5 tonne vehicles, performing wheelies, donuts and big air stunts. She joins Jane to talk about life on tour, and surprising her hair salon clients with her second career.

Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Helen Fitzhenry Interviewed guest: Kemi Badenoch Interviewed guest: Ayesha Hazarika Interviewed guest: Ieuan Hughes Interviewed guest: Holly Greenberry Interviewed guest: Brianna Mahon

Andrea Levy’s novel Small Island was published in 2004, dramatised for television in 2009 and now Helen Edmundson’s theatrical adaptation has begun a run at the National Theatre. It tells the stories of Hortense, who grows up in Jamaica and moves to England as part of the “Windrush” generation, and Queenie, who escapes life on a Lincolnshire farm to find herself in inner-city London as social and ethnic dynamics shift after the War. Jenni talks the actors playing Hortense and Queenie, Leah Harvey and Aisling Loftus.

How do you raise successful people? Esther Wojcicki claims to have done just that. She is the mother of YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, 23andMe Co-Founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki, and Fulbright Scholar and Professor of Pediatrics Janet Wojcicki. Esther has written a book including 'simple lessons for radical results' and she shares her strategies with Jenni, explaining her TRICK theory and why she thinks it works equally well whether you are raising children or managing a company.

Why has Leeds become the first city in the UK to report a drop in childhood obesity, what’s the significance of this for the rest of the UK and what else is being done throughout Europe and the world to tackle the problem? Jenni is joined by Esther Wojcicki, author of How to Raise Successful People, Susan Jebb, Professor of Diet and Population Health at Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford and Franco Sassi, Professor of International Health Policy and Economics at Imperial College, London.

In her latest novel, A Thousand Ships, Natalie Haynes tells the story of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective. She joins Jenni to explain why she decided to give a voice to these overlooked women, girls and goddesses and what can be gained by listening to their stories.

Presenter: Jenni Murray