Woman's Hour

Nearly 10 years after the Larry Nassar case exposed the abuse of hundreds of young women and girls in gymnastics in the US, are athletes any safer today? The judge who sentenced him, Rosemarie Aquilina, has spent the years since campaigning for reform and says progress has been far too slow. She argues that too many sporting organisations still prioritise medals and success over athletes' welfare....

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

Nearly 10 years after the Larry Nassar case exposed the abuse of hundreds of young women and girls in gymnastics in the US, are athletes any safer today? The judge who sentenced him, Rosemarie Aquilina, has spent the years since campaigning for reform and says progress has been far too slow. She argues that too many sporting organisations still prioritise medals and success over athletes' welfare....

The government has been consulting on its plans to tackle pay discrimination. The Equality and Human Rights Commission wants a ban on employers asking candidates about their salary history, or how much they expect to be paid, during an interview. Penny East, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for gender equality and women's rights, responds to the proposals. Millions of people...

According to the White House, Melania Trump has taken on an unexpected diplomatic role. It's been reported that she helped to broker a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The agreement, due to come into effect today, is intended to allow humanitarian aid into the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky and enable civilians to leave. But how did Melania Trump become involved? Why has...

Comedian Katherine Ryan’s new memoir explores the impact being a Firstborn Daughter has had on her approach to life. From becoming the family’s ‘Head of Emotional Operations’ at a young age, to her thoughts on marriage, motherhood, fertility and facelifts, Katherine joins Anita to discuss her take on what it means to be woman in modern society. New research has found that female scientists are 'la...

For decades, Delia Smith taught us how to cook with confidence through her bestselling books and popular television programmes. She sold more than 20 million books, such was her influence that ingredients and kitchen utensils she featured would often sell out, a phenomenon that became known as the Delia Effect. In her latest book, Us: Nine Ingredients to Change Our World, she argues that party pol...

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

When the writer E L James first self-published Fifty Shades of Grey as an e-book in 2011, she had no idea that her erotic novel would go on to become a publishing phenomenon. Since then, Erika has written eight bestsellers, sold more than 150 million books, and produced three Fifty Shades film adaptations. Few contemporary writers can claim to have changed the conversation around women, sex and po...

A government review into antisemitism in schools and colleges in England will publish its recommendations today. The report from former Ofsted inspector Sir David Bell makes 27 recommendations to help schools tackle antisemitism. The review found that three out of five Jewish children had experienced prejudice at school and that leaders in some Jewish schools were spending more time on security th...

Campaigners deliver a petition to Downing Street calling for parents of children with SEND to be exempt from being fined if their children miss school. Currently they risk a criminal record and possible jail sentence if the child is off school three or more times within the same period. Alex Stafford, a Senior Solicitor from IPSEA, an independent provider of special education advice, joins Nuala M...

It was World Menopause Day yesterday, the last before employers of more than 250 people in England, Scotland and Wales are mandated to have a Menopause Action Plan in place. This new legal duty begins in April 2027. What does it actually mean and how will it be enforced? Nuala McGovern is joined by the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson. The Royal Shakespeare...

Navanetham 'Navi' Pillay, a former International Criminal Court judge and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. She is the 21st female to win the award, and the first South African woman. Navi speaks to Nuala McGovern. In the programme's 80th year, we’re reflecting on how women’s lives have changed in the last eight decades, and today, Nuala digs in...

Last night, architects gathered to celebrate some of Britain’s most acclaimed buildings as the RIBA Stirling Prize marked its 30th anniversary. The prize is considered the UK’s most prestigious award for architecture and recognises a building that has made a significant contribution to the evolution of the built environment. And at last night’s anniversary ceremony, Lion Green Road, a council-comm...

An estimated three million deepfake images were non-consensually requested from Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok around Christmas of last year, mostly of women and children. Since then, UK investigations have been unable to find or charge any of the users who made those requests. Jess Davies, a presenter targeted by this image abuse, reported it to the police at the time but is now pursuing her own civil...

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

A new study suggests that women going to the doctor with symptoms of auto-immune conditions are up to 74% more likely than men to be told their symptoms are psychological or psychosomatic. The research, published in the Lancet eClinicalMedicine journal, and led by the University of Cambridge and University of East Anglia, also found that women were more likely to face delays in getting a correct d...

Navanetham 'Navi' Pillay, a former International Criminal Court judge and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. In a statement announcing the award, the Nobel Committee praised Pillay's 'efforts to promote peace and international law'. She is the first South African woman to receive the award, and dedicated her win to 'all the survivors of internati...

To mark our 80th anniversary, Woman's Hour commissioned a survey of 2,000 women across the UK to explore how women feel about using their voice in different areas of their lives. One of the questions we asked was: How many times, if any, have you felt unable to say no in a sexual encounter? Anita Rani is joined by Faustine Petron of the Make It Mandatory campaign; Ellie Softley, of the charity Eve...

A new review into autism, ADHD and mental health provision by the NHS in England has warned there has been a substantial increase in mental health distress, particularly in young people. The review - led by leading doctors in the field - says the NHS is struggling to cope with the rising demand for services in England. So what does this mean for women and girls? Anita Rani is joined by Professor G...

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

Launching the theme of our 80th birthday year: "Use Your Voice", we celebrate live from the Glasgow Women's Library in Scotland, the sole accredited museum of women’s history in the UK. Nuala McGovern is joined by guests: Women's Health Champion for Scotland Dr Anna Glasier, social media influencer and campaigner Fats Timbo, professor of private law Jane Mair and poet and writer and former Makar,...

Hundreds of schools in France have closed after clashes between police and student protestors. Chloe Quesnel is a high school teacher in Nice in France. She's been watching her students take to the streets to protest over classroom conditions, lack of resources and the number of teaching staff. Chloe and Paris-based journalist Lisa Louis tell Kylie about the student protest of the last week, and w...

Monica Dolan is starring in a new film, called The Lost Children of Tuam, co-produced by Liam Neeson. In it, she plays the extraordinary amateur historian, Catherine Corless, whose relentless pursuit of the truth helped to bring the story of hundreds of babies from a mother and baby home being disposed of in a disused sewage tank to the world in 2014. She joins Irish journalist Alison O’Reilly to...

A group of school children have set up a petition calling on the government to ban the use of school uniforms in porn. They say they want to abolish the sexualisation of children through the inappropriate use of school uniform. Kylie Pentelow is joined by two of the campaigners Aylin and Mae, both 15. Kylie also hears from Professor Clare McGlynn, Professor of Law at Durham University and author o...