Woman's Hour

Studies have found that men are more reluctant than women to wear face covers. So, in a couple of weeks when restrictions are likely to be lifted, making it a personal choice, what are we likely to see happen. Emma talks to Christina Gravert, behavioural economist from the University of Copenhagen. Labour’s Yvette Cooper tells Emma about an amendment she's tabling today to the Police Courts Crime...

The novelist Libby Scott has just released her third novel ‘Ways to Be Me’ in collaboration with the author Rebecca Westcott. Along with her mum she tells us about her new book and it’s realistic portrayal of autism, and her own diagnosis at the age of 10. The presenter, journalist and “Queen of Mean”, Anne Robinson, tells us about becoming the first female host of Channel 4’s longest running seri...

Rachel Weisz seems to have had constant work in the film industry since the early nineties. She's been in all kind of films: historical, action, science fiction, serious, art-house. Now she's diving into the world of superheroes with the new Marvel film, 'Black Widow'. Anita speaks to her about her latest role. The nation is transfixed - after many years of hurt could England be on the road to win...

The future of the High Street looked challenging before the pandemic but as shops have reopened it’s become evident how urgent the situation now is. Many brands or their outlets have gone bankrupt or moved online. More than a decade ago Mary Portas outlined this trend with a government review into the problem, but she is now urging people to rethink their whole relationship with shopping and consu...

The work of female rangers protecting wildlife from poachers. Collet Ngobeni of The Black Mambas and Holly Budge of How Many Elephants discuss. The Chief Inspector of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman on the problem of sexual harassment and abuse in schools, and what needs to be done to bring about change. Jackie Collins was one of the most successful female authors of all time but often just dismissed as t...

The Labour and Cooperative MP Stella Creasy is threatening legal action over her forthcoming maternity leave cover. Backbench MPs are currently allowed to take informal maternity leave, but not all their duties are covered during their absence. For instance they can employ office staff to help with constituency issues Ms Creasy says she’s currently only being offered two thirds of her salary to em...

Sports psychologist Dr Josephine Perry has some insight into what makes athletes tick, but wasn't prepared for what happened to her yesterday morning when she was doing laps at a swimming pool. A man she had overtaken pulled her under water by her feet and held her down, before shouting at her. When she shared the incident on social media her timeline filled up with women saying similar things had...

The presenter, journalist and “Queen of Mean”, Anne Robinson, is best known for her acerbic style of presenting on 'The Weakest Link'. In the 1960s she was the first young female trainee on the Daily Mail, worked at the Sunday Times and the Daily Mirror, and went on to host programmes from Points of View to Watchdog. Today Anne takes up the Countdown reins as the first female host of Channel 4’s l...

Anita Rani with Bank Note designer Debbie Marriott, Protecting the title "nurse", Author Kate Moore & "Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner" Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Managers: Emma Harth * Gayl Gordon

Britney Spears spoke publicly in a LA court yesterday about the conservatorship that she sees as controlling her life. Her father was granted control over her affairs after she went to hospital because of mental health concerns. Now she says her father controls her "100,000%" and told the judge she was traumatised and cried every day. "I just want my life back," she said. We talk to BBC Newsbeat r...

Nightclubs are shut, dancing at weddings is not allowed and gigs and festivals are still uncertain. If you want to dance you have to do it at home. Woman's Hour shares your DIY dancing stories and gets tips from Guilty Pleasures DJ, Sean Rowley and Strictly dancer, Amy Dowden. Laurel Hubbard is going to be the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics which starts next month. It's contr...

Wednesday will be the first ever World Female Ranger Day, celebrating the work of female rangers around the world who do an important but ultimately dangerous job protecting wildlife from poachers. The emphasis this year is on the work of female rangers in Africa where there are approximately 3,500 female rangers in teams in 18 countries all over the continent working to protect endangered wildlif...

The Chief Inspector of Schools Amanda Spielman, talks to Emma Barnett about the problem of sexual abuse in schools and colleges and reflects on what needs to be done to bring about change. Divya Chadha Manek who has just been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List tells us about her work with the Vaccine Taskforce, and Dr Jen Gunter, an American gynaecologist, obstetrician and author...

Composer Shirley J. Thompson is the first woman in Europe to have composed and conducted a symphony within the last 40 years. She tells us about her new work Emanation, which she’s written for the disabled-led ensemble BSO. Dame Darcey Bussell Former Principal of The Royal Ballet & Strictly Judge, President of the RAD & creator of Diversity Dance Mix, Dame Darcey Bussell tells us about her...

Dame Darcey Bussell is the former Principal of The Royal Ballet & Strictly Judge, President of the RAD & creator of Diversity Dance Mix. She joins Anita to talk about her passion for dance and her mission to rescue Britain’s ballet dancers, and raise spirits and money for struggling dance companies, by creating the British Ballet Charity Gala. The event was performed at the Royal Albert Ha...

Composer Shirley J. Thompson is the first woman in Europe to have composed and conducted a symphony within the last 40 years - New Nation Rising, A 21st Century Symphony, which was originally commissioned for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, and then used for the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony. She’s now composed a new work, Emanation, which she’s written for the disabled-led ensemble BSO Resou...

The singer-songwriter Jessie Ware was nominated for Female Solo Artist and Album of the Year at this Year’s BRIT Awards. She was also included in Barack Obama’s favourite music playlist of 2020. Jessie has been busy in lockdown recording new songs for the deluxe Platinum Pleasure edition of her hit album What's Your Pleasure? In tandem with her music career, her family’s passion for food led to he...

Summer’s here and despite the restrictions still in place on social gathering we’re still managing to meet up with friends and enjoy the odd night out. One aspect of that is of course looking your best and a big part of that is your hair, which has had to take a backseat in terms of grooming and maintenance over the last eighteen months of lockdowns. But, we are returning to salons and apparently...

We hear many stories of domestic abuse but rarely from those who have been the perpetrators. John, who's just completed a 20 week domestic violence prevention programme at the Hampton Trust, speaks out to encourage other men to seek help. He's joined by Vicky Gilroy who's a facilitator on the prevention programmes at the Hampton Trust . In today’s online digital world everything we do now on our p...

Paloma Faith on combining motherhood with her music as well as her reaction to the OFSTED survey that sexual harassment of schoolchildren has become normalised in schools. Her new single Monster is about her relationship with her career. What's the best way to stamp out sexual harassment in the workplace? We discuss with Stella Chandler, Director of Development at Focal Point Training which runs i...

The G7 kicks off in Cornwall today. Boris Johnson and leaders from Japan, Canada, Italy and France who make up the Group of Seven will be joined by US President Joe Biden and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel . On the agenda the biggest issues affecting our world - everything from climate change to the economic recovery post Covid. But how should they change their approach? How much better could...

We talk to Paloma Faith about her music, her films, being a mother of two daughters, and harassment towards women and girls. She's got a new single out called Monster which is about her relationship with her career. We hear from two nurses who tell us how the past year and a half has been for them. In the light of a report published earlier this week by the Health Select Committee we discuss burn-...

Women's health has long been the poor relation when it comes to medical understanding, funding and research. The government says it wants that to change - and earlier this year announced the establishment of England's first Women's Health Strategy, which will look at women's health across our lifespans. The priorities of that strategy will be shaped, they say, by the results of a public call for e...

Last month the US Supreme Court agreed to consider a major challenge to reproductive rights, saying it will look at the state of Mississippi’s bid to enforce a ban on almost all abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. Two days later the Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, signed into law a six-week abortion ban. Why are attempts to reduce women’s access to these services being made? Las...

It’s just over a year since the businesswoman and conservative peer Dido Harding was brought in to set up a test and trace system to help stop the Covid-19 pandemic. The system was going to be “world beating” and help get the UK out of lockdown according to the Prime minister but the incredible costs involved – around £37 billion – have been criticised for failing to make an impact. The system has...