Woman's Hour

New research which has just been published in the British Medical Journal, suggests that testing menstrual blood for signs of cervical cancer could be an accurate way of screening for the disease. The BBC's Health Correspondent, Sophie Hutchinson, and Fiona Osgun, Head of Health information at Cancer Research UK join Anita Rani to talk about this new area of research and discuss the options currently open to women.
English actor Imogen Poots is back on our screens taking on a challenging role in Kristen Stewart’s first feature film, The Chronology of Water. It’s a creative adaptation of an acclaimed memoir by American writer Lidia Yuknavitch which centres on her coming to terms with being abused as a child, battling pain and loss, and her ongoing healing journey. Imogen Poots joins Anita in the studio.
The Kurdish-led self-administration in the north east of Syria is a territory where for years women have sat at the centre of political life, security and decision-making. But many are worried that the system is now under pressure following a new agreement between Kurdish authorities and the Syrian government, which will integrate the region into the Syrian state being rebuilt after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad in 2024. Anita is joined by Lina Shaikhouni, journalist at the BBC World Service and Dilar Dirik, Kurdish writer and author of The Kurdish Women’s Movement: History, Theory, Practice.
Paula Varjack talks to Anita about her show Nine Sixteenths. It examines the fallout from the infamous Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake ‘wardrobe malfunction’ incident at the 2004 Superbowl and the backlash that almost ruined Jackson’s career. The play questions what this says about the demographics of who controls the media, the scrutinising of black women in the public eye and asks if anything has changed?
Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer : Corinna Jones

The government has announced that fostering rules will be relaxed to create 10,000 new places for vulnerable children in England. Roxy and her mum Judy, from the BBC’s recent Traitors series, join Nuala McGovern to discuss the changes. Roxy was fostered until the age of five before being adopted by Judy. They are also joined by Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive of The Fostering Network.
Golden Globe–winning actor and film director Romola Garai discusses her latest role in the ITV drama series Betrayal. She also talks about the importance of supporting caring responsibilities within the industry and the lack of female directors.
Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s Minister for Business, Mineral Resources, Energy, Justice and Gender Equality, and a member of the pro independence Inuit Ataqatigiit party, joins Nuala to discuss the challenges facing Greenlandic women.
What is the online world doing to our health? Science and health journalist Deborah Cohen explores this question in her new book Bad Influence: How the Internet Hijacked Our Health.
Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Dianne McGregor

Sarah Ferguson's charity, Sarah's Trust, has announced it will close "for the foreseeable future" after new details emerged from documents released by the US Department of Justice about the former Duchess of York's friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A spokesman for the foundation said the decision comes after "some months" of discussion. BBC News Correspondent Ellie Price and Dr Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, join Nuala McGovern.
We hear from BAFTA Breakthrough British actress & comedian Susan Wokoma. Best known for playing Edith in the Enola Holmes films and her tv roles in Chewing Gum, and Cheaters, she’s just written a brand new 'baroque and roll' musical for the National Youth Theatre as part of their 70th anniversary celebrations.
There are renewed calls for better public education on the UK’s complex legal system to help ensure potential victims, particularly women, have a clearer understanding of how it works. Family law barrister Samantha Singer joins Nuala to discuss her online platform designed to empower those facing legal challenges, alongside Jo Silver from the charity Safe Lives.
We hear a lot about ‘mum guilt’, but what about the guilt that can come along with not becoming a mother? Writer Ellen C Scott is child-free by choice but has recently experienced guilt towards her parents because she won’t be providing them with grandchildren. She recently explored the topic for Stylist magazine and was surprised by how much it resonated with other women. Ellen and psychotherapist Professor Hannah Sherbersky discuss how to navigate these feelings.
Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Kirsty Starkey

The ongoing Undercover Policing Inquiry starts again today, having already uncovered "appalling practices in undercover policing" over the past 50 years in England and Wales, since the inquiry was first established in 2015. It is believed at least 50 women were duped into intimate relationships with undercover officers over decades. Alison, not her real name, spent five years living with a man she knew as Mark Cassidy, who was in fact a married undercover Police Officer whose real name was Mark Jenner. She joins presenter Nuala McGovern along with BBC London journalist Ayshea Buksh, who has been following this inquiry.
A hidden detail has been found in one of the most famous portraits of Anne Boleyn, which historians argue proves it was painted as a rebuttal against accusations of witchcraft. In Anne Boleyn’s Hever “Rose” portrait she wears her “B” pendant and holds a red rose in her right hand and it's the hand that's holding the rose which people are saying is significant. Scientific analysis of the painting at Hever Castle, her childhood home in Kent, has uncovered evidence that an Elizabethan artist sought to create a visual rebuttal to claims she was a witch with a sixth finger on her right hand. Nuala is joined by historian and author Tracy Borman to find out more.
A BBC investigation has found that some social media accounts which are claiming to document the nightlife of cities are instead focussing on women in dresses and skirts, filmed from angles that at times show intimate body parts. The BBC has identified 65 YouTube accounts posting these videos, with a combined total of more than three and a half billion views. BBC Reporter Shona Elliott shares what she has found, along with Rebecca Hitchens from the End Violence Against Women Coalition.
The Puppini Sisters are celebrating 20 years of their antique pop, neo-burlesque swing music. Their new album The Birthday Party marks two decades since their debut, Betcha Bottom Dollar, spent almost a year on the Billboard chart in the US. It became the fastest-selling jazz album in UK chart history, with their fans including Robbie Williams and King Charles. The Puppini Sisters are Marcella Puppini, Kate Mullins and Rosanna Schura and join us in the studio.
Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Andrea Kidd

Last week a report from the Welsh Health and Social Care Committee revealed that women in Wales felt that they were being failed by gynaecological cancer services, with many facing long waiting lists to see a specialist or start treatment. Anita speaks to Jess Mason who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2022, Lowri Griffiths, Director of Policy, Research and Insight at Tenovus Cancer Care and Aarti Sharma, Consultant Gynaecology Oncology Surgeon, University Hospital of Wales.
Politicians in France have moved to abolish so called "conjugal rights," the concept of a marital duty to have sex with your partner. A bill approved on Wednesday in the French National Assembly adds a clause to the country's civil code, which currently defines the duties of marriage as "respect, fidelity, support and assistance," and says couples commit themselves to a "community of living." The proposed law makes clear that "community of living" does not create an "obligation for sexual relations." Anita is joined by the French journalist Anne-Elisabeth Moutet.
Across Wales more than 700 women volunteers regularly bring faulty toasters, ripped jeans, wobbly chairs and other broken stuff back to life for free. They are part of Repair Café Wales, a charity that spans 134 locations. They are launching 'Fix It February', a month-long campaign to inspire people to repair one broken item instead of replacing it. Anita is joined by Repair Cafe Wales director Phoebe Brown and Lucy Harris, one of the volunteers.
The writer and performer Paris Paloma has a new single out today about women’s bodies called Good Girl. Paloma joins Anita to sing and talk about her music, including her 2023 track Labour about women’s unpaid work which started a social media trend as women around the world related the song to their own experiences with sexism.
Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Rebecca Myatt