The Conversation

BBC World Service

4.5 (69)
PERSONAL JOURNALS
UPDATED WEEKLY

Two women from different parts of the world, united by a common passion, experience or expertise, share the stories of their lives.

4 DAYS AGO

Fabrics for the future

According to the UN, the fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global emissions. That's more than aviation and shipping combined. We talk to two women making climate-friendly clothes and developing innovative textiles in a bid to reduce the waste produced by fast fashion. Regina Polanco is the founder and CEO of Pyratex, a textile company making fabrics from seaweed, banana and orange peel for some of the biggest brands in fashion. Born in Vienna, she has also lived in Morocco, Mauritania and Switzerland but she returned to Spain, the country where she grew up, to found her company in 2014. Sasha McKinlay grew up in Singapore and moved to the United States to study architecture. Now a design researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she's developing so-called 'active' textiles. They're essentially textiles with embedded functionality without the need for electronic inputs. These include materials that can be either warm or cool depending on the weather, and garments that can be made in a single size and robotically tailored to fit the wearer or to be customised into new styles. Produced by Jane Thurlow (Image: (L) Sasha McKinlay credit Katie Koskey. (R) Regina Polanco credit Pyratex.)

26 min
NOV 11

How to get ahead in the workplace

Everyone wants to feel confident in the workplace. But knowing what to do to perform at your best isn’t always easy. Datshiane Navanayagam is joined by two entrepreneurs and career coaches to explore strategies to help women thrive in their jobs. Jo Wimble Groves is an award-winning British entrepreneur, writer and motivational speaker specializing in women in the workplace. She has a blog tacking work-life balance and resilience called Guilty Mother which has a global following of 55,000 readers. Jo's expertise in leadership and productivity has earned her multiple Women in Business awards. Alexandra Roxana Popa from Romania built her successful business career with the guidance of inquisitive mentors who helped her grow by asking the right questions. After training at CTI Coaching school in London she became a career coach and focusses on empowering women in their professional journeys. Produced by Emily Naylor (Image: (L) Jo Wimble Groves credit Leana Catherine Photography. (R) Alexandra Popa credit Ioana Dodan.)

26 min
NOV 6

Women with a love of language

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to translators from Turkey and Argentina about giving a writer's work a new life in another language, and whether the age of digital translation is putting the craft in jeopardy. Ekin Oklap is Turkish and grew up in Italy. She's the English language translator for Nobel prize-winning Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk and was shortlisted for the 2016 International Booker Prize. She also translates books from Italian to English for novelist Francesca Manfredi and crime writer Ilaria Tuti. Erika Cosenza is an Argentinian translator, interpreter, editor and proof-reader. She translates English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. She now lives in Spain and helped set up a gender, diversity and inclusion network for the International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters. Produced by Jane Thurlow This episode was edited on 6 November 2024 (Image: (L) Erika Cosenza credit Gisela Caffarena. (R) Ekin Oklap credit Alev Arasli Oklap.)

26 min
OCT 28

Femicide: 'The shadow pandemic'

Femicide is defined as the intentional killing of women and girls because of their gender. More than half of these murders are carried out in the home. According to UN figures 89,000 women and girls lost their life to femicide in 2022 alone. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women in Puerto Rico and Kenya about their efforts to reduce the number of deaths. Judy Gitau is a Kenyan lawyer whose work involves gaining access to justice for victims of sexual and gender based violence. She works for Equality Now, a campaigning organisation using the power of the law to protect and promote the human rights of women and girls. Debora Upegui-Hernandez is a Colombian analyst working for The Gender Equity Observatory in Puerto Rico. The Observatory was founded by a coalition of feminist and human rights organisations in Puerto Rico following increases in gender violence after hurricanes Irma and María in 2017. Produced by Jane Thurlow (Image: (L) Judy Gitau credit Equality Now. (R) Debora Upegui-Hernandez credit Prisma Fotografia.)

26 min
OCT 21

Feel the fear: Women directing horror movies

What happens when women bring traditional folklore into the horror genre and subvert it? You get award-winning feature length films, Iranian vampires and Mayan werewolves to name a few examples. Ella Al-Shamahi is joined by Iranian-American filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour and Mexican filmmaker Gigi Saul Guerrero to discuss how to create horror on screen. Ana Lily Amirpour’s award-winning debut feature film, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, is a Persian-language Western-horror. It follows a skateboarding vampire who wears a chador and haunts the fictional Iranian ghost-town of Bad City. Feminist readings have interpreted the vampire as a vigilante who preys on men that disrespect women. Ana's later films have included big stars such as Kate Hudson, Suki Waterhouse, Jason Momoa and Keanu Reeves. Gigi Saul Guerrero is known by fans as La Muñeca Del Terror, which means The Horror Babe. She gained recognition for La Quinceañera, a horror series based on the Mexican traditional celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday. Her film Culture Shock follows a Mexican woman who crosses the border into the US in hope of finding the American dream. What she finds instead is an American nightmare. Gigi's work often draws from Mesoamerican folklore and Mexican tradition. Producer: Elena Angelides (Image: Gigi Saul Guerrero. Credit: Luchagore Productions. And Ana Lily Amirpour. Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images)

26 min
OCT 14

Women causing a stir in the tea business

Women make up a large proportion of the workforce in the global tea industry. But despite their crucial role, women in the tea sector often face lower wages and limited access to leadership positions. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks with two tea entrepreneurs to learn more about running tea businesses. Susie Walker-Munro from the UK runs Kinnettles Tea Garden in Angus, Scotland, where she grows cold-tolerant tea plants. She began experimenting with tea cuttings on her farm in 2007 and has since collaborated with other women to create an all-female tea garden collective. Tea has always been central to Esha Chhabra’s life, from her upbringing in India to her family’s move to the US, where the tradition of making loose leaf tea was preserved. She co-founded Alaya Tea in 2019, a brand focused on sustainable farming and ethical sourcing from small farmers. Produced by Emily Naylor (Image: (L) Susie Walker-Munro credit Ashley Coombes. (R) Esha Chhabra credit Alaya Tea.)

26 min
OCT 7

Women's hidden role in the history of healing

Despite their pivotal roles in advancing healthcare, women’s contributions to medicine have often been overshadowed or erased by male-dominated narratives. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks with two women dedicated to reclaiming this lost history and highlighting the vital work that women have done in the field of medicine. Yunxin Li is a Chinese academic who specializes in the gendered foundations of ancient Chinese medicine. Her research uncovers the often-overlooked contributions of female healers in premodern China. By focusing on the intersection of gender and healthcare in ancient Chinese history, Yunxin offers a fresh perspective on traditional medical systems and the influential roles women played within them. Kandace Chimbiri, a British author born to Barbadian parents, is committed to highlighting the overlooked contributions of Black women in medicine, particularly in the UK’s healthcare system. In her children's book The Story of Britain’s Black Nurses, she uncovers the largely untold story of Black women’s vital role in shaping the NHS. Through her work, Kandace aims to inspire young readers and honour the legacy of Black women in healthcare. Produced by Emily Naylor (Image: (L) Kandace Chimbiri credit Warren Linton Photography. (R) Yunxin Li courtesy of Yunxin Li.)

26 min
SEP 30

The life of a female driving instructor

For decades, the world of driving instructors was largely male dominated. Up until recently not every woman even had the right to drive - that only changed in 2018 when Saudi Arabia lifted their ban on female drivers. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two instructors to find out what it takes to teach this skill. Aman Sanghera, a London-based driving instructor, turned to social media during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep teaching and share practical driving tips on her YouTube channel, Clearview Driving. Her videos quickly went viral, amassing nearly a billion views. Haru Hasegawa was a secondary school teacher in the Philippines but, since moving to Japan, now helps foreigners navigate the challenges of learning to drive in Tokyo at EDS Driving School. She made the career switch after her own Japanese driving instructor suggested it as a perfect fit. Produced by Emily Naylor (Image: (L) Aman Sanghera courtesy of Aman Sanghera. (R) Haru Hasegawa courtesy of Haru Hasegawa.)

26 min

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4.5

out of 5

69 Ratings

Love Gymnastics

07/21/2021

djdjshdjdhjdhjdhd

Hi I love gymnastic. Lyla
You did not challenge sportswashing by WTA spokesperson

07/03/2023

southoxford

So disapppointed that interviewer let’s Saudi talking points land with the response “right”.
Appreciate this podcast so much!

06/29/2023

camping crafter

Every episode is thoughtfully presented and always fascinating!!!
Love it

05/11/2020

guil_vasq

I really do love your podcasts! Continue the great work.