Woman's Hour

The parents of a six month old have set up a petition asking the government to extend maternity leave by an extra three months. They believe that the lockdown has meant parents have missed out on the usual things you’d do on maternity, putting them at a disadvantage. There’s already been a parliamentary Q&A about this, and the signatures are still coming in. It’s not know yet whether it’ll be...

What makes someone want to go to see the same show at the theatre time and time again? We talk to documentary maker Mark Dooley about his film, Repeat Attenders – which follows some of musical theatre’s super-fans – and to Gudrun Mangel who features in the film and has found the confidence to be herself as a huge fan of Starlight Express. Most young people are at low risk of catching or falling se...

How do you manage to create boundaries between work and home during lockdown? Dr Yasin Rofcanin, of the University of Bath’s School of Management discusses his new research exploring how COVID-19 is impacting our understanding of boundaries. We also hear from Chloë Davies, head of PR and Partnerships at myGwork, and Melanie Eusebe, management consultant and chair of the Black British Business Awar...

At the end of the week when government advice started to ease the lockdown we take stock and look at how relationships between the generations have been affected by social distancing measures and shielding. Woman’s Hour listeners tell us how the government advice for over-70s has affected them. We hear how families have responded and how adult children and parents are negotiating their changed rol...

Cycling is seeing a huge increase in popularity thanks to people avoiding public transport and wanting to get some exercise. In today’s Woman’s Hour Corona Diaries, Krysia Williams talks about the beauty of cycling in lockdown, and how the Bristol Bike Project – where she works – has been supporting key workers in moving around the city. Every year, 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer -...

Ida B. Wells was an journalist and campaigner. She's just been honoured with a special Pulitzer Price for her courageous reporting of the violence inflicted on African Americans during the lynching era. Professor Paula J. Giddings, who's written a biography of her, tells us about Ida and all that she achieved. We're talking about dementia during lockdown and how challenging it can be for carers. R...

It’s been seven weeks since the UK went into lockdown, and for many women, the lines between work and home life have become blurred on a day-to-day basis. What’s the best way to create boundaries in order to protect your own mental well-being and a sense of routine? Dr Yasin Rofcanin, of the University of Bath’s School of Management, has worked on new research exploring how COVID-19 is impacting o...

Tomorrow marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. The day's also become International Day of the Nurse. We speak to nurse and poet Molly Case and to Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer in England. Childline has new figures about the number of under 11s wanting help because of the coronavirus lockdown. Jane talks to Laverne Antrobus a Child Psychologist at the Tavistock Clinic...

The conductor and organist Anna Lapwood tells us how she’s trying to get more girls to take up the organ. Have women leaders handled the global health crisis of Covid-19 better than the men? And, what might explain why? Rosie Campbell, Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership and Professor of Politics at King’s College London, and Clare Wenham, Assistant Professor in Global Health P...

Today marks 75 years since VE day and we remember the end of war in Europe. We speak to Shirley Mann about how her mother’s own war experience inspired her to track down more women’s stories from this time. She shares the stories she discovered of the women who were pilots, wireless operators, and even “plotters” in the Battle of Britain bunker – and what they did next. Three women from the Armed...

The leaders of the USA, Brazil, Russia, Spain, Italy and the UK have come in for some criticism over their handling of the Coronavirus pandemic. They all have one thing in common, and it has been widely remarked on – they’re men. From Jacinda Ardern to Angela Merkel, women leaders across the world seem to be coping with Covid-19 better. But is it true? And, what might explain why? Jenni talks to R...

Anna Lapwood is one of the UK’s few female concert organists. She was the first woman to be awarded an Organ Scholarship at Magdalen College, Oxford, in its 560-year history. She was then appointed the youngest ever Director of Music at Pembroke College at Cambridge University aged just 21. She has used this position to spearhead a number of initiatives including a choir for 11-18 year old girls a...

Many parents have been longing for the the day the kids can go back to school following the lockdown. How are you feeling about sending your children back into the classroom? Over the last week, a number of old and offensive posts on Twitter have resurfaced. Many of them were written by influencers, artists and presenters. The majority of them contain abusive language towards dark skinned black wo...

The breakout of COVID-19 has put many aspects of life on hold – including the Big Day. Emily McMahon and her partner Jack Walsh tell us about their online wedding with friends and family over video call. The Expert Women Project has been recording and reporting the appearance of women authority figures appearing on news programmes for the last five years. Since this project began the number of wom...

Alison White's memoir Letter to Louis about raising a child with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities was the subject of the Woman's Hour drama. Jenni spoke to Alison and Louis. She also heard from Edel Harris, chief executive of Mencap about life during lockdown for adults with learning disabilities and their carers. Rachel Winterflood, a critical care nurse; “Mary” who works as a nurse in IC...

The number of people who have died with coronavirus in the UK has now passed 26,000, with some 15,000 in hospital. More than 100 NHS workers have died, a third of them nurses. What are the experiences and concerns of nurses working on the front line? Jane Garvey talks to Rachel Winterflood, a critical care nurse; “Mary” who works as a nurse in ICU and Jessica Sainsbury, a student nurse who has opt...

Caroline Nokes was elected chairman of the House of Commons Women and Equalities Select Committee earlier this year. However, her committee had met just once before the lockdown began. She has since launched an inquiry into the unequal impact of Covid 19. Last week, her committee of MPs sat for the first time online. Today is the deadline for anyone wishing to submit written evidence to that inqui...

All week our drama has been about a woman bringing up her son who has cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. Today we hear from the real people behind the story: Alison White and Louis, who's an adult now. And afterwards we hear from Mencap about life during lockdown for adults with learning disabilities and their carers. We continue our Corona Diaries. Today we have Kate Tudge who breeds pigs...

How are young carers coping in the lockdown? We hear from 17 year old James who looks after his mum and grandma. And Dr Kate Blake-Holmes joins us too. She's a social worker at the University of East Anglia and is carrying out research into this area. As we experience lockdown, how true is it that women comply with public health messages more obediently than men? Dr Michelle Harrison sets out the...

The Commons Home Affairs Committee warned that without urgent steps to address the issue of domestic violence, families and communities would be dealing with the "devastating consequences" for a generation to come. Jane hears from Yvette Cooper, Chair of the committee. From the bald-headed white uakari to the Tapanuli orangutan - Nikki Waldron, a producer and director of BBC1 series Primates talks...

We hear why the lockdown is the perfect time to give sewing and mending your clothes a try with Ros Studd a textiles teacher; Dulcie Scott a TV costume designer and Esme Young the fashion designer and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee Dr Jessica Taylor, a research Pyschologist and founder of Victim Focus tells us why victim blaming is endemic. We look at the impact of death and dying during th...

Food writer and cook Nigel Slater says that one of his great joys in life is going out to shop for ingredients, but how has that changed during lockdown? What is he yearning for that he can’t get, and how is it altering the way he thinks about food? His most recent book is Greenfeast. Hope High is a new BBC Sounds podcast, which takes listeners inside an area in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire that i...

Comic Relief and Children In Need are joining forces for the first time for a special night of comedy, music and live entertainment, to raise money for their projects on BBC 1 tonight. It'll celebrate the people who making a difference and supporting those affected during these extraordinary times. Zoe Ball tell us about The Big Night In. The British Medical Association, the professional organisat...

As of last week, all IVF treatment has been suspended in the UK. What impact is this having on women, and what could the longer-term consequences be? Tina Mulhern is 41 and can’t now start a second cycle of treatment after her first attempt failed in February. Anya Sizer is the London regional organiser of Fertility Network UK. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had lots of listeners getting in touch...

Death tolls are being reported every day but it’s still hard for many of us to talk about death and dying. We start that conversation with listeners and palliative care experts. We’ll talk about the current situation, facing death in hospital, at home or in care homes, how to do advance care planning, how best to grieve, and how at any time we can prepare for our own and our loved ones’ death. Pre...