The number of midwives in England has increased by just 7% over the last year and some NHS Trusts in England have more than one in five midwifery jobs vacant, according to BBC research. The Royal College of Midwives says staffing gaps have to close. The BBC’s Health Correspondent Catherine Burns joins Clare McDonnell to talk about what her investigation into maternity units in England has discovered, and to share the story of Farzana, who had to give birth on her own after midwives said they were too busy to answer her calls.
Carole Stone must have one of the best address books ever. A former producer of BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions, for years Carole has run 'salons' and parties bringing together hundreds of interesting people - politicians, actors, journalists. Carole’s partner, the TV broadcaster Richard Lindley, died four years ago. Carole joins Clare to discuss how and why she is looking for another soulmate at the age of 81.
Could the next leader of North Korea be a woman? Clare gets the latest from lead correspondent at NK News, Jeongmin Kim, and hears more about what life is like for women on the ground with North Korea expert, Professor Hazel Smith.
As the number of pupils missing a significant amount of their education is about double the level it was before the pandemic, Clare is joined by Ellie Costello, the executive director of Square Peg, a not-for-profit which helps families that struggle with school attendance.
It’s 60 years this week since Jackie, the magazine for teenage girls, was first published. At its peak, it was selling more than a million copies a week. To celebrate the anniversary, Clare is joined by Nina Myskow, Jackie’s first female editor, and Wendy Rigg, a teenage fan who achieved her dream of working on Jackie.
Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Lottie Garton
Vogue's Chioma Nnadi, Life in a women’s refuge, Parents jailed after son’s mass shooting
Westminster honeytrap scam, What we can learn from toddlers, Saudi Arabia
Weekend Woman's Hour: Pregnancy discrimination, Girls State and Carly Pearce
Rwanda genocide, Bowie's hairdresser, womanhood during Ramadan
Pregnancy discrimination, Prue Leith, Femcels, Social workers on screen
Girls State, Author Holly Gramazio, First female prime minister of the DRC
Scotland's hate crime law, Motherhood and art, Actor Rachael Stirling
Women in Country Music
Weekend Woman's Hour: Katie Price, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain, Biba exhibition
Katie Price, A decade of same-sex marriage, From policing to crime-writing
Biba exhibition, Pupil behaviour, Australian politician Georgie Purcell, Breaking the cycle
Stoning of Women in Afghanistan, Jazz with Zara McFarlane, AI job losses & women
Killed Women campaign, Anti-ageing products and young girls, France birth rate
Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain, Breaking the cycle, Musih Tedji Xaviere
Weekend Woman's Hour: Laura Kenny, Actor Vicky Knight, baby loss certificates
Who wants to be a female entrepreneur?
Waspi women, Dr Jen Gunter, The Liverbirds, Child poverty
Baby loss certificates, 'Women's intuition', Carolynne Hunter & energy bills
Actor Vicky Knight, Conscription, Author Lesley Pearse
Olympian cyclist Dame Laura Kenny, Actor Imogen Poots, Pornography series
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