Woman's Hour

• Maternity services inquiry, Women in architecture, Witches

  The government has announced an independent inquiry into repeated failings in maternity services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Earlier this year, a BBC investigation revealed that the deaths of at least 56 babies and two mothers over the past five years at the Trust could perhaps have been avoided. BBC correspondent Divya Talwar joins Nuala McGovern, alongside Lauren Caulfield and Amarjit Kaur Matharoo, who both tragically lost their babies while receiving care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. This month, the Ironman World Championships were held in Kona, Hawaii, where Britain’s Kat Matthews won silver. The men’s and women’s championships, previously held simultaneously, were split into separate events in 2023. However, they are set to reunite next year. Questions have been raised about the impact this change may have on female competitors. To discuss the championships and celebrate Kat’s achievement, Nuala is joined by Kat Matthews and Jordan Blanco, a contributor to Triathlete magazine who attended the event. A new report reveals that progress towards gender equity in the architecture profession still remains too slow. Inequalities remain deeply rooted — with pay disparities, toxic and exclusionary workplace cultures, and half of female respondents surveyed said they had been bullied, and a third had experienced sexual harassment at work. Nuala hears from Valerie Vaughan-Dick, Chief Executive of Royal Institute of British Architects, and Helen Lee who was the project architect on a social housing development in London for the elderly which has just won this year’s Stirling Prize for Architecture. The Essex witch trials represent one of the darkest chapters in British history. A new Sky History series, Witches of Essex, revisits the real lives of women accused of witchcraft in the 16th and 17th centuries, drawing on newly examined court records and the latest historical research. Historian Dr Eleanor Janega joins Nuala to discuss.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

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• Weekend Woman's Hour: Tilda Swinton, Dads at work, Karen Carney, Living with Tourette Syndrome, Bobbi Brown

  Half of working dads feel nervous asking for time off to care for their children, more than 20% have been asked ‘where’s your wife/partner?’ when requesting flexibility and 44% say employers treat mothers more favourably in terms of flexible working. These are the findings of a new study ‘Barriers to Equal Parenting’ by the charity Working Families. Nuala McGovern is joined by Elliott Rae founder of Parenting Out Loud and Penny East, chief executive of the Fawcett Society.Tilda Swinton is one of the UK’s most singular and celebrated performers. Over four decades she has delivered unforgettable and varied screen performances, notably Orlando, The Chronicles of Narnia, Michael Clayton and Asteroid City and collaborated with artists and filmmakers. She joins Anita Rani to talk about a new exhibition in Amsterdam celebrating her work and the enduring relationships that have inspired her.There is a new film out now in cinemas called I Swear. It is inspired by the life and experiences of John Davidson, and charts his journey from a misunderstood teenager in 1980s Britain to a present-day advocate for greater understanding of Tourette syndrome. John was also featured in a BBC documentary back in 1989 called John's Not Mad. There is more recognition of the syndrome now, singers Lewis Capaldi and Billie Eilish have both openly talked about living with Tourette's and it's estimated over 300,000 children and adults in the UK have it. The key features are tics which cause people to make sudden, involuntary sounds and movements. To hear more about the condition and how it impacts women and girls Nuala talks to Wilamena Dyer, musician and Tourette syndrome advocate and Dr Tara Murphy, Consultant psychologist in the NHS, and Trustee of the support and research charity Tourettes Action.Karen Carney is one of the most capped female footballers for England. The former Lioness joins Anita to talk about how she is using Strictly to help her 'rebuild confidence' after being 'crushed' by the sexist abuse she faced as a football pundit and her vision to improve women’s sport.Bobbi Brown is a make-up artist turned entrepreneur who created her now famous eponymous line in 1990. Her fresh-faced approach went against 80s and 90s trends at the time for bright colour and contouring and instead aimed to celebrate and enhance women’s natural beauty. She made millions selling her brand to Estée Lauder and has gone on to create a new multimillion brand. On the release of her memoir, she joins Nuala to talk about her life and work.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

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• Tilda Swinton, Homelessness, Gwenda's Garage Musical, Romance Scams

  Tilda Swinton is one of the UK’s most singular and celebrated performers. Over four decades she has delivered unforgettable and varied screen performances, notably Orlando, The Chronicles of Narnia, Michael Clayton and Asteroid City and collaborated with artists and filmmakers. She joins Anita Rani to talk about a new exhibition in Amsterdam celebrating her work and the enduring relationships that have inspired her.According to the latest data, homelessness is rising. Over 130,000 households were in temporary accommodation in June, up 7.6% from last year. Charities warn that women are underrepresented in the data, as they often face different challenges to men. The Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, now in its fourth year, aims to address this. Rebecca Goshawk, Director of Business Development at Solace Women's Aid, joins Anita to discuss it. Named after pioneering racing driver Gwenda Stewart, Gwenda’s Garage was a real place: where three female mechanics defied the odds by setting up their own garage in Sheffield in the 1980s. Their inspiring story is now a musical on stage in Sheffield which is based on these true events, of women fighting everyday sexism, homophobia and Section 28. Anita is joined by Roz Wollen, one of the co-founders of the original Gwenda’s Garage and Val Regan, the production’s composer and musical director.The FCA has called on banks and payment firms to bring in stricter controls protecting customers from romance fraud after a study showed a number of missed “red flags” that led to people losing huge sums of money to people creating fake online profiles. They found that women tended to sustain these relationships for longer which could mean a bigger scam. Anita speaks to Beth Harris, Head of Financial Crime at the Financial Conduct Authority to ask how we can be aware of these scams and avoid them, and what banks should be doing to assist.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

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• Global surrogacy, Karen Carney, Low-income & SEND, Talc trial

  A major UK group litigation has been launched against Johnson & Johnson, involving approximately 3,000 claimants who allege they developed cancers due to asbestos-contaminated talc products. The company is accused of negligence and deceit. Johnson & Johnson deny the allegations. The BBC Health reporter, Chloe Hayward, joins Anita Rani to talk about what is known so far.Surrogacy and its impact is the subject of a new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem. In 2023, the global surrogacy market was valued at nearly $15 billion and is projected to reach almost $100 billion in the next eight years. Here in the UK commercial surrogacy is illegal - surrogacy has to be altruistic, meaning only expenses are paid for and the motivation behind it is typically helping someone else. It is legal, however, to have a child in another country where the rules may differ. To discuss the ethics of the practice, Anita is joined by Reem Alsalem and Sarah Jones, CEO of Surrogacy UK.Karen Carney is one of the most capped female footballers for England. The former Lioness joins Anita to talk about how she is using Strictly to help her 'rebuild confidence' after being 'crushed' by the sexist abuse she faced as a football pundit and her vision to improve women’s sport.Children with special educational needs from low-income families are facing major inequalities in access to support, according to a new report out today from the Sutton Trust. Anita is joined by Charlotte O’Regan, Senior Schools Engagement Manager at the Sutton Trust, lead author of the report Double Disadvantage, to talk about its findings. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

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• Liz Kendall MP, Women & Tourette Syndrome, Andrew Graham-Dixon, Singing to help postnatal depression

  Only about 20% of UK tech workers are women. That's from a study by WeAreTechWomen & management consultants Oliver Wyman, which also found between 40,000 and 60,000 women leave the UK’s tech sector every year, costing the economy an estimated £2 to £3.5 billion annually. Across the UK this week, a series of events is taking place celebrating British women in tech and Nuala McGovern talks to Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Liz Kendall, as well as the BBC Technology Editor Zoe Kleinman, to discuss the state of the industry with regards to women. There is a new film out now in cinemas called I Swear. It is inspired by the life and experiences of John Davidson, and charts his journey from a misunderstood teenager in 1980s Britain to a present-day advocate for greater understanding of Tourette syndrome. John was also featured in a BBC documentary back in 1989 called John's Not Mad. There is more recognition of the syndrome now, singers Lewis Capaldi and Billie Eilish have both openly talked about living with Tourette's and it's estimated over 300,000 children and adults in the UK have it. The key features are tics which cause people to make sudden, involuntary sounds and movements. To hear more about the condition and how it impacts women and girls Nuala talks to Wilamena Dyer, musician and Tourette syndrome advocate and Dr Tara Murphy, Consultant psychologist in the NHS, and Trustee of the support and research charity Tourettes Action. It's taken a few hundred years but we may now know the identity of the Girl with the Pearl Earring. It is one of the world's most recognisable paintings and art historian and critic Andrew Graham-Dixon has been on a quest, which we find out about in his new book, Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found. He spent years exploring the archives of Vermeer’s home town in the Netherlands and tells Nuala what he has discovered. A three-year study has found that specially designed singing classes can help treat mothers with postnatal depression. Scientists at King's College London analysed the effects of a ten-week singing programme in south London on women at risk of the condition, and found they continued to see long-term benefits compared with those attending other play classes. Researchers say the groups could be a cost effective NHS treatment when mental health services are stretched. Nuala is joined by Professor Carmine Pariante from King's College who led the research and Jay Hayson, mum of 8 month old Ezra who finished the 10 week course run by Breathe Melody for Mums in August this year. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

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