The Conversation

Tracing forgotten female ancestors

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Chakanetsa meets two genealogists passionate about uncovering the forgotten stories of their clients' female ancestors. Kenyatta D Berry is a lawy...

Women in the world of animation

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From the first moving drawings that appeared on screens back in the 1930s to the highly imaginative, emotionally resonant filmmaking of today – anim...

Why was I adopted? Women looking for birth stories

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What's it like being adopted into a country far away from your birth and into a family that looks very different to you? International and transracial...

Magic in the mind

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s scientifically impossible to read minds, so how do some magicians seem to do it? Beatriz de la Pava delves into the world of mentalism with two...

Women watching birds

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Beatriz de la Pava talks to birdwatchers from Zimbabwe and Uruguay about their passion for birdlife.Zimbabwean ornithologist Merlyn Nomsa Nkomo was on...

Women who puzzle

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of people around the world love doing puzzles, and since the pandemic they’ve become even more popular. From complex sudoku grids to crypti...

How to be a beauty influencer

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the world of social media anyone can feel like a friend and become influential - and the internet is full of women giving tips on how to look your ...

Women with a clear vision

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

According to the World Health Organisation, over two billion people around the world have a vision impairment which could often be preventable or trea...

Powered by women: Wind turbines

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Chakanetsa talks to two engineers from Brazil and Kenya about generating energy for the future.Wangari Muchiri is based in Nairobi. Wangari works ...

Women shooting award-winning movies

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Chakanetsa meets two pioneering cinematographers who bring stories about women to the big screen. Rachel Morrison is the first female cinematogr...

Women and the appeal of advertising

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our lives, how we spend our money and the decisions we make, are often guided by the advertisements we see - whether that's on the streets we walk aro...

Women running family businesses

28 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Family businesses play a crucial role in economies across the world. It is estimated that they account for more than half of global GDP – but few fa...

Dementia: Women breaking the silence

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How can we help people with dementia? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women from Singapore and the UK about how they’ve adapted to living with the condi...

How to find the perfect wedding dress

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Of the many different items of clothing a woman will wear throughout her life, there is perhaps none loaded with so much significance as her wedding d...

The miscarriage that changed my life

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It is estimated that one in four pregnancies will end in a miscarriage. But despite being a common occurrence, this topic is still shrouded in secrecy...

Rock on! The art of dry stone walling

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dry stone walling is an ancient craft that goes back thousands of years and remains an important means of enclosing fields in rural areas of Europe, a...

Saving lives in the mountains

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mountain rescue volunteers are a rare breed: they’re on call 24/7, ready to risk their lives to save hikers and skiers who get stuck on the mountain...

Women curating culture

17 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Men run most of world's cultural institutions, but in recent years more women have been given top jobs at leading galleries and museums. Kim Chakanets...

Women in sound

10 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sound is everywhere around us: from blockbuster Hollywood films to live music events, from broadcasting the news to speaking with astronauts in space....

Women in the chocolate business

03 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women who are making chocolate production both more sustainable and equitable. Vicki Bain is a South African chocolatie...

Musical child prodigies

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Very few people in the world are blessed with exceptional musical talent that is apparent from an early age. What is childhood like in the spotlight, ...

Leading women in song

20 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Singing is said to improve your mood, relieve stress, help you sleep better and produce pain-relieving endorphins - as well as improving posture and b...

Women making city transport safe

13 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is not easy to be a woman on public transport. Across the world, you will hear reports of women being harassed, groped and even sexually assaulted....

Unstoppable women of rugby

06 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The first female known to have played rugby was Emily Valentine, an Irish schoolgirl, who played alongside her brothers in 1884. It took another 80 ye...

Women swimming in the wild

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nora Fakim talks to two women about the health benefits of swimming in the wild.Rachel Ashe is the founder of Mental Health Swims, a peer support comm...

An assistance dog changed my life

22 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Women from Brazil and the UK tell Nora Fakim how assistance dogs are improving both their mobility and wellbeing.Maria Villela lives and works in Braz...

Maids to the rich and famous

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rich families around the world employ butlers and maids to look after their expensive properties. These houseworkers have access to every aspect of th...

Women protecting wildlife from poachers

08 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many thousands of people around the world trying to protect endangered species in their natural habitat – around one in ten of them are fe...

Understanding the impact of climate change on women

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It’s understood the climate crisis will disproportionately disrupt the lives of women around the globe. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two academics about ...

Women leading change in NGOs

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A man is twice as likely to rise to the top of an international non-governmental organization (INGO) than a woman. Kim Chakanetsa meets two exceptions...

From start-up to success: Women rolling the dice in business

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The stereotype in the entrepreneurial world is that women are too risk averse to lead companies. But is that true? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women w...

Sisters of skydiving

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does it feel like to fall through the sky? Two women who have broken barriers and mastered the art of skydiving from India and the United States ...

Taking a leap into single motherhood

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many different routes to parenthood. For a growing number of women that route does not involve waiting for a partner to start a family. Kim ...

Message in a mural

27 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Street artists from Switzerland and Uganda talk to Kim Chakanetsa about creating public art to enrich lives and bring about change.The Swiss artist Mo...

Musical theatre stars

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dazzling lights, fancy costumes, thrilling dance routines and the nightly applause of an adoring audience - what's it like to sing on the world's bigg...

The Conversation with Helen Clark and Michelle Bachelet

18 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to run a country? Kim Chakanetsa is joined by two international leaders who have championed women’s health, equality and empowerme...

What can we learn from nomadic life?

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What's the appeal of a nomadic existence with no settled place to live? The award-winning film, Nomadland shone a light on the sense of community, sup...

Drag kings: The women performing as men

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While drag queens sit brightly under the pop culture spotlight, fewer people know about drag kings, the mostly female or non-binary performers who cre...

Natural-born contortionists

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Chakanetsa explores the rich and long history of body-bending work and hears about the complex skills that you need to succeed.Sosina Wogayehu is ...

A love for my language

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Around the world, languages are disappearing. Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women who are helping to keep their endangered languages alive – how has ...

Beauty and the skin

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Chakanetsa in joined by two pioneering dermatologists to talk about the challenges and satisfaction that come with working with one of the body’...

My baby triggered a terrifying breakdown

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For many women having a newborn baby is one of the happiest times of their lives - but for a tiny proportion that new arrival begins a terrifying nigh...

Travels with my ukulele

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite its long and rich history, the ukulele has often been snubbed or dismissed as a novelty instrument by the music world. But over the years, roc...

World leaders: Michelle Bachelet and Helen Clark

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to run a country? Kim Chakanetsa is joined by two international leaders who have championed women’s health, equality and empowerme...

Ghostwriters for hire

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Some people live the most amazing lives but aren't always the best at putting those experiences into words. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two ghostwriters a...

Women planting trees

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two women restoring forest in Brazil and Nepal tell Kim Chakanetsa about working with local communities to plant thousands of trees and restore the na...

Why women walk

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Women throughout the centuries have put their hiking boots on and set out into the great outdoors, but their stories are rarely told. Kim Chakanetsa i...

Viral dance videos launched my career

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Chakanetsa talks to two choreographers whose careers took off after they posted dance routines on social media. Sienna LaLau is an Hawaiian choreo...

Living through menopause

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For a long time there was a wall of silence around the menopause, but more women are choosing to speak candidly about their complicated and illuminati...

My life-changing autism diagnosis

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As a woman with autism you're likely to receive a diagnosis much later in life than if you are a man with the condition. Why is that and what impact d...

Skating my way through life

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Skateboarding is no longer an outsider sport for rebellious young men: more women are getting on the board and embracing the lifestyle that comes with...

Sold into sex work

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Over 79% of the world's trafficking victims are subject to sexual exploitation, and an overwhelming number of them are women and girls. Kim Chakanetsa...

Sweet honey and queen bees

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Vital for the planet's health, bees are a key part of pollinating the world's fruits, flowers and crops. And beekeeping seems to be growing in popular...

Women of the Arab Spring

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A decade after the uprisings that changed the political landscape of many countries in North Africa and the Middle East, Kim Chakanetsa looks at what ...

Women fighting wildfires

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Large scale wildfires have increasingly made headlines in recent years. Fires have devastated areas of California, Australia, Siberia and the Pantanal...

Nurses on the frontline: A year on

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In April 2020, Kim Chakanetsa spoke to two young nurses who were putting their lives on the line by treating the sickest covid-19 patients in intensiv...

Funerals and grief in a pandemic

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The extraordinary measures put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ebola crisis placed restrictions on much of people’s lives, including t...

How to live alone

19 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Eating ice cream in the early hours, naked dancing and not having to tidy up behind anyone else are just some of the benefits of living alone describ...

Women who love insects

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Insects have been around for more than 350 million years, longer than dinosaurs and flowering plants. We are vastly outnumbered by them – there are ...

Women in law

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In many countries around the world more women than men take law degrees but they're still much less likely to make partner or become a judge. Kim Chak...

How to focus

29 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been so absorbed in an activity that you lost track of time? Experiencing moments of intense focus is something most of us can relate to...

Women running restaurants

22 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two award winning chefs talk to Kim Chakanetsa about how they've adapted to restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic. They discuss the pressures ...

Afrofuturism: Black women changing the sci-fi scene

15 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is science fiction too white? Kim Chakanetsa meets two women who are diversifying the genre. They talk about finding inspiration, dealing with rejecti...

Women making art from clay

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pottery is one of the oldest and most widespread decorative arts and has enjoyed rising popularity in recent years. At the same time, ceramics are inc...

Women digging for answers from the ancient past

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Can our modern-day gender biases influence our understanding of the past? Kim Chakanetsa meets two archaeologists to talk about the risks of projectin...

The women who protect nature

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kim Chakanetsa meets two environmental champions fighting to save South America's most precious ecosystems. Kris Tompkins is the president and co-fo...

Women writing true crime

15 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Women are big fans of true crime stories… from books, to films, podcasts and TV programmes. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women who've made their name...

Intimacy on screen

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it’s a stroke of a cheek or a sex scene, filming intimate content for movies and TV is a delicate business. When badly handled, it can even ...

Selling Sunset: How I find homes for the rich and famous

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The business of selling multi-million dollar homes: Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women working in Dubai and LA's competitive real estate markets about...

Choosing to be childfree

25 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When a woman chooses not to have children, why is it still seen as a radical decision? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women about their stories and the s...

Record-breaking runners

18 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two of the most decorated female sprinters on the planet, from the US and Jamaica, talk to Kim Chakanetsa about smashing records, the impact of pregna...

The secrets of sewers

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Flushing the toilet: an act that most of us carelessly perform several times a day, but that for 4.2 billion people in the world is still a luxury. Ki...

How to be happy

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With so much happening that’s out of our control, what can we do to be happier, calmer and more content? Kim Chakanetsa gets tips and advice from So...

Cheerleading: So much more than shaking pompoms

28 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Pom Poms, short skirts, and chanting: this is what we think is cheerleading. Despite the physical demands of competitive cheerleading it isn’t offic...

The joy of reindeer

21 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What does a reindeer smell like? And how do they manage to survive in one of the harshest climates in the world, with temperatures that can drop to mi...

Love at first knit

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Knitting is sometimes dismissed as a gentle domestic activity, but this craft has a rich history of activism. It also helps keep your mind sharp and m...

Yoga women

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why are so many women drawn to yoga? And, as it's become commodified in the West, has it lost its soul? Kim Chakanetsa discusses the billion-dollar yo...

The Conversation: BBC 100 Women

28 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Celebrating the BBC 100 Women list 2020, Kim Chakanetsa and a panel of inspirational and influential women discuss whether some changes made because o...

Young and widowed

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Who do you picture when you hear the word ‘widow’? The stereotype is probably an elderly woman. But what if your spouse dies unexpectedly young? T...

Why are you calling me ‘inspirational’?

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do disabled women deal with well-intentioned but patronising interactions? Kim Chakanetsa looks at the way disabled women are portrayed on mainstr...

Women laughing at life

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two comedians using the highs and lows of their personal lives as material for stand-up tell Kim Chakanetsa about what motivated them to get up on sta...

Planet friendly fashion founders

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Can fashion change the world? The clothing industry is one of the most polluting on earth, and is known for some of the worst working conditions for w...

Redesigning the world with Covid-19

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the best way to design ‘pandemic-resilient’ cities? Covid-19 has changed the way we move in public spaces, and social distancing has beco...

#MeToo: The lawyers

19 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two lawyers who represent alleged victims of sexual assault and harassment join Kim Chakanetsa to discuss how #MeToo and other public movements have i...

Bonus podcast: Goodbye To All This

17 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we have something a bit different for you. It’s a new podcast from the BBC World Service called Goodbye to All This. It’s a powerful memoir ...

Singing my way to stardom

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Pop singers from Afghanistan and Northern Ireland tell Kim Chakanetsa what it's like to perform in, coach and judge major singing competitions. Arya...

Speaking up about racial injustice

05 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two women talk to Kim Chakanetsa about their anti-racism campaigns in Lebanon and Netherlands and the emotional toll of speaking out. Jessica de Ab...

Feminism, sex and relationships

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How does feminism influence our love lives? Is it possible to hold true to feminist principles of equality when dating apps reduce us to swipe-able pr...

Women fighting abuse under lockdown

21 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As the coronavirus pandemic spread across the globe, victims of domestic violence found themselves facing a double threat - that of a deadly virus ou...

Writing a feminist anthem

14 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two women who’ve used music to empower women talk to Kim Chakanetsa about writing a song that becomes a rallying cry around the world. Madame Gan...

Albinism: Dispelling the myths

07 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two women with albinism talk to Kim Chakanetsa about countering superstition and prejudice around the condition.   As a ‘white African’ growing ...

Nurses on the frontline

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Nurses risking their lives to treat coronavirus patients. Hospitals around the world - and in particular Intensive Care Units - have been described as...

The vagina myths

13 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The vagina: separating myth from fact. Kim Chakanetsa and her two expert guests examine a part of the body that's often shrouded in mystery and shame....

Endurance cyclists

06 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Riding across continents in some of the world's toughest cycle races.  Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women who've used their reserves of physical and ...

How to be a good man

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Two women from South Africa and Australia discuss ‘toxic masculinity’ with Kim Chakanetsa. How can we raise boys to be in touch with their emotio...

Women changing jazz

23 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Female jazz musicians speaking out about sexism and harassment in the improvised music world. While jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holid...

Young women striking for climate change

16 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg may be the most well known, but climate change protests around the world are being led by young women. Activist...

Women who need to talk about sex

09 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the impact on women when societies stay silent about sex? Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women about why they think it's important to talk about ...

Ocean champions

02 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our oceans are threatened by plastic pollution and overfishing. Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two pioneering women who are working to sustain our seas.Asha...

Is bad data killing women?

24 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The impact of leaving women's bodies out of research ranges from phones that are too big for female hands, to women being more likely to die if they'r...