The Future is Female

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to one of the world's leading anatomists and forensic anthropologists, Professor Dame Sue Black, Baroness Black of Strome and President of St John’s College at Oxford University. She was the lead anthropologist for the British Forensic Team's work in the war crimes investigations in Kosovo, and one of the first forensic scientists to travel...

In Malaysian politics, we often focus on the number of women elected as Members of Parliament. However, being appointed to Cabinet is just as crucial. And having more women in Cabinet doesn't automatically mean a fair share of power. How do we strive for better gender equality in Cabinet representation and portfolio distribution? On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Maha Ba...

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris explores the strategies and stories of empowerment behind accessible mental wellness. She speaks to Madiha Fuad, Founder & CEO of PlusVibes, a social enterprise seeking to reshape the landscape of mental health support in Malaysia. For her work in healthtech, Madiha was named as one of 2022’s ‘Women of the Future: 50 Rising Stars in ESG’. 

For 25 years, the L’Oréal Foundation and UNESCO have been working together to empower and promote women in science through the ‘For Women in Science’ programme. Malaysia has been part of the programme for the last 18 years, during which over RM1.5 million in research grants have been awarded to more than 51 women scientists in recognition of their achievement in science. On this episode of #TheFut...

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Yuki Aizawa, Women in Tech®️ Global Movement, APAC Director and Country Director of the Malaysia Chapter, about supporting women in STEAM fields from the classroom to the boardroom. 

Melisa Idris speaks to writer, playwright, and translator, Adriana Nordin Manan, about her philosophy approach to translation, using language to bridge the gap between cultures. She also shares her creative process as a playwright and her personal journey from page to stage of her first full-length play 'Fault Lines'.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Datuk Ami Moris, Chair of 30% Club Malaysia and Advisor of Business & Sustainability for MAYBANK, and Dr Sumitra Nair, Senior Director & Head of Sustainability at Telekom Malaysia.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. To my mind, I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.” On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Choong Koon Yean, President of IAPWA Penang, and Asther Lau, President of the Animal Kin...

The Asli Co. is a social enterprise that aims to provide opportunities to Orang Asli mothers to earn a sustainable income from home and help keep their children in school. On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Lim Xin Yu, one of the co-founders of The Asli Co. about the benefits of corporates and communities supporting social enterprises and the impact they can make.

Safe Sport is an initiative by the International Olympic Committee, with August 8th dedicated as International Safe Sport Day. On this episode of The Future Is Female #TFIF Melisa Idris speaks to former national gymnast Sarina Sundara Rajah, Founding President of Safe Sport Malaysia, about the importance of #SafeSport, how to identify abuse and intervene as a bystander.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris explores how gender roles, stereotypes, and societal expectations shape the prospects of women in political parties, and the urgent need for change. She speaks to Dr Ummu Atiyah Ahmad Zakuan, Associate Professor at UUM and advocate for gender equality, about strategies to create a more inclusive and equal political landscape. 

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Suraya Zainudin, Financial Activist and founder of the personal finance website RinggitOhRinggit.com . She’s also the author of the recently published book: ‘Bergaji & Pokai’ which aims to provide practical advice to building a stress-free life through realistic money management.

Women are significantly more financially impacted by life events such as death, divorce, illness, and retirement. How do we mitigate this gendered financial vulnerability? On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Rejina Rahim and Sherry Sheriff, co-founders of Wahine Capital, a fintech startup with a focus on women’s financial empowerment. 

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to freelance sign language interpreter Lucy Lim about the important role of sign language interpreters and the need to ensure communication accessibility and equal access to information for all. 

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale, Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Jeyanny Vijayanathan, soil scientist at Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and global health scientist Dr Lim Shiang Cheng about the barriers women in STEM face in pursuing postgraduate studies, and what can be done to address these barriers and encourage more women to continue their learning.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale, Melisa Idris speaks to ethnomusicologist Dr Clare Chan Suet Ching about working with the Mah Meri community to preserve their indigenous songs, and efforts to build cultural resilience with the younger Mah Meri generation. Dr Clare Chan is associate professor of Ethnomusicology at the Music Department of the Faculty of Human Ecology at Universiti Putra Malays...

The Women's Centre for Change (WCC) Penang has long focused the issue of sexual abuse against children and its prevention—with its roots in crisis support, now branching into capacity building and policy advocacy. On #TheFutureIsFemale, we ask our guest about the challenges and triumphs of running a women and child rights NGO.

Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Indra Selvarajah about medical music therapy. She is the Founding President of the Malaysian Music Therapy Association, Vice president of the Malaysian Society for Music & Medicine, and Chair of the Global Crises Intervention Commission for the World Federation of Music Therapy.

Melisa Idris speaks to Lily Fu, gerontologist, first-time film-maker, and founder of SeniorsAloud, which is an online community for seniors. She’s also the VP of the University of the Third Age for KL & Selangor.

Melisa Idris speaks to Christine Chin, Chairperson of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Selangor (SPCA Selangor) about responsible pet ownership and animal rescue, and what is needed to create a caring and compassionate community that lives in harmony with all animals.

Many couples struggle with infertility in silence, hiding their struggle from friends and family. How do we break this cycle of silence and shame? Melisa Idris speaks to Irene Kwan, CEO of TMC Fertility & Women’s Specialist Centre about the psychological impact of infertility and normalising conversations about fertility treatment and preservation.

Melisa Idris speaks to Mediha Mahmood, Executive Director of the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Content Forum (CMCF) about ensuring ethical and equitable representation and treatment of women, children and PWDs in advertising and online media.

Stepmothers have often been portrayed as ‘evil’ in fairytales and popular culture. Hoping to change this narrative for toddlers, Yuri Schneider wrote a children’s book telling the story of Ian, a boy who splits his time between two homes and calling two women his ‘mom’. Melisa Idris speaks to Yuri Schneider, author of ‘Two Homes, One Family’ about bringing more awareness about blended families.

Melisa Idris speaks to filmmaker and content creator, Nanthini Ganesan, about telling female-centric stories through film and the representation of women both on and off the screens.

To commemorate the International Day of the Girl, Melisa Idris speaks to Jasmin Lim, Child Protection Officer for World Vision Malaysia.