Where To Be A Woman

Where To Be A Woman

BBC World Service

Where can women live their best lives? Scaachi Koul and Sophia Smith Galer are pushing past the latest wellness fads to search the globe for the best wellbeing ideas. Each episode hears from two countries about something they are doing well and Scaachi and Sophia choose what they like for their imaginary fantasy land - because we can’t build what we can’t imagine. Topics up for discussion include where women are most likely to have the best body image, do the most equal share of the housework, get the best maternity leave or even where they’re most likely...

Season finale

Season finale

Find out what has made it into our female fantasy land. Scaachi and Sophia have crossed the globe to ask the question, “Where can women live their best lives?” Over an amazing 15 episodes, they’ve listened to experts and advocates give examples of where women thrive when it comes to subjects ranging from body image to the gender pay gap, period equity, women's safety and living sustainably. In this season finale, Scaachi and Sophia look back on some of the most memorable findings and hear what l

Jun 24, 2024 • 23:58

Political participation

Political participation

In an historic year for elections around the world, we hear from New Zealand and Mexico about women and politics. According to the United Nations, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years. Sophia Smith Galer and Scaachi Koul discuss the recent Mexican elections and the process that led to its first female President-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum. They also talk about Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand. They are told about mentoring, training and quotas. Gu

Jun 17, 2024 • 20:30

Making music

Making music

Does samba lift your mood? How about karaoke or playing a guitar? Does music feed your soul? Scaachi and Sophia hear how music can make you feel alive and affect sleep quality, mental alertness, and memory. They find out about free lessons in Finland and the power of music in Brazil. It’s time to start singing, play an instrument or sit back and listen and pretend you are in a music video – that’s what Sophia likes doing on a train. Guests: Doctor of education Liisa-Maria Lilja-Viherlampi and

Jun 10, 2024 • 22:22

Feeling safe

Feeling safe

From commuting to going out in the evening, Scaachi and Sophia explore safety. We hear about “gender sensitive” city planning, street lightening, public transport and schemes to help keep people safe in the evenings, including night walks. They both like the idea of the right to party!Guests: Austrian architect and lecturer Sabina Riss talks about Vienna, and researcher Tonja Jerele from the University of Ljubljana discusses Slovenia.Let us know what you think. Share your thoughts on this episod

Jun 3, 2024 • 22:41

Dear Daughter: A guest episode

Dear Daughter: A guest episode

New mum Janine Harouni is anxious and lonely, so why do the other mums online look so happy? This is a guest episode from Dear Daughter.Namulanta is building a “handbook to life”, sharing your parenting advice, personal stories, with letters to your daughters. If you are a mum or mom, dad or papa, grandparent, uncle, aunt, daughter, son, what would you write?This episode includes discussion about difficult parts of pregnancy and also miscarriage. For more episodes from Namulanta Kombo’s Dear Dau

May 27, 2024 • 28:17

Period equity

Period equity

We discuss the menstrual cycle - turning period poverty to period dignity. From free and locally produced sanitary products to the No Pad Tax campaigns.Sophia Smith Galer and Scaachi Koul explore menstruation education, legislation and cultural change, as they meet two people from different countries to explore how period equity can be achieved for everyone. And is education on reproductive health up to scratch? Guests: Ailsa Colquhoun from Hey Girls in Scotland, and menstrual hygiene advocate,

May 21, 2024 • 23:52

Writing: Journals, books and academics

Writing: Journals, books and academics

Keeping a journal? Writing books or an academic paper? Maybe it’s good for you. Scaachi Koul and Sophia Smith Galer both write and feel it contributes to their wellbeing and is therapeutic. They hear from the United States and Serbia about getting published and women in STEM. So what are you waiting for? Pick up a pen or start tapping away on a keyboard and then let us know about it! Guests: Chris Olsen, founder of Publish Her, and Nataša Simić, from the University of Belgrade’s Institute of Ps

May 13, 2024 • 24:56

Work-life balance

Work-life balance

Would a four-day week and no texts from your boss after work improve your wellbeing? We hear about quiet quitting and digital nomads too. Should this episode be called 'life-work balance', with life coming first? Sophia Smith Galer and Scaachi Koul find out what can be learnt from Gen Z, and talk to two women from Portugal and Singapore about what works in the world of work. Guests: Economist and entrepreneur Mafalda Rebordão from Portugal and HRM Asia journalist Champa Ha from Singapore. L

May 6, 2024 • 23:16

Menopause and perimenopause

Menopause and perimenopause

Hot flushes, mood swings, medication and the good experiences too all come up, as we explore the menopause and perimenopause. The physical and mental symptoms vary in severity and between individuals. The way different cultures view this life change also varies from country to country. For some it’s still a taboo issue.Sophia hears about a parliamentary inquiry in Australia. Scaachi finds out about a grassroots group in Zimbabwe that has been helping women understand what’s happening to their bo

Apr 29, 2024 • 27:03

Multilingualism

Multilingualism

There are an estimated 7,000 languages around the world, and experts think being a polyglot – someone who speaks more than one language - is good for us. So where in the world is multilingualism flourishing? And what are the social, emotional and cognitive benefits of speaking multiple languages? Whether it’s Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Irish, French, Kashmiri, Pedi, Swazi or Afrikaans - should we all start learning a new one? We hear from an organisation supporting multilingualism among children i

Apr 22, 2024 • 30:58

The beautiful game

The beautiful game

Physical activity is good for us! We know that! So, where is participation being encouraged? Sophia Smith Galer and Scaachi Koul are exploring the round ball that you kick, whether you call it football or soccer, from grassroots level upwards.We hear from Jordan on what’s been done to break down cultural barriers to participation in the sport, and we find out how Brazil, one of the world’s most historically successful male footballing countries, has transformed its relationship with the women’s

Apr 15, 2024 • 29:35

Loneliness

Loneliness

What can we learn about loneliness, and how to avoid it, from two countries in two different continents? As Sophia Smith Galer and Scaachi Koul continue their quest for true women’s wellbeing, this time they’re exploring social connections from a global perspective. They hear from Sweden about how an appreciation for the arts, particularly singing, could be helping women feel more connected. Meanwhile in Egypt, large networks of extended families and friends help many women avoid loneliness.Gues

Apr 8, 2024 • 32:12

Parental leave

Parental leave

We’re looking for the longest, best or most generous parental leave. Sophia Smith Galer and Scaachi Koul shine a light on two countries where parents can access paid leave after birth or adoption. It's part of their quest to learn from around the world about how to improve wellbeing. Estonia offers maternity, paternity and lengthy paid shared parental leave packages. Kristel Kruustük, a tech entrepreneur, mum of two, and employer of many parents, explains why she thinks it’s one of the best plac

Apr 1, 2024 • 26:12

Living sustainably

Living sustainably

Where in the world are women living sustainably? Are any countries actually carbon negative? And what is “ecofeminism”? In this episode, we’re exploring sustainability from a global perspective. From the air we breathe, to how we source our food, our own health is intrinsically linked to a having a healthy environment to live in. First we hear from Bhutan, the world’s first country to become carbon negative and a country that measures national growth through a General National Happiness Index. S

Mar 25, 2024 • 31:03

Pay gap

Pay gap

Where are women more likely to be paid the same as their male colleagues? Are there good examples of attempts to close the pay gap? Belgium has one of the lowest gender pay gaps in the world. Scaachi Koul and Sophia Smith Galer find out how that has happened. Liberia has further to go on reducing the pay gap, but is making fast progress in shifting mindsets and creating more economic opportunities for women.What, if anything, will Scaachi and Sophia choose to put into the female fantasy land? He

Mar 18, 2024 • 29:10

Statues

Statues

You can’t be what you can’t see, so where are all the statues of women? In some places there are many more sculptures of men – and even animals. In their quest to learn from women around the world, Scaachi Koul and Sophia Smith Galer hear from the United Kingdom and India. There seems to be lots of statues of Queen Victoria in the UK but what about women who aren’t royalty? Thanks to the Monumental Welsh Women campaign, there are now statues of Wales’s first black headteacher, Betty Campbell, wr

Mar 11, 2024 • 32:15

Body image

Body image

What can we do better for our wellbeing? We begin with body image. Welcome to our quest to learn from women around the world. Scaachi Koul and Sophia Smith Galer hear from St. Lucia and Malta. Historian and artist Fiona Compton describes what she says is the outspoken and complimentary nature of St Lucian society, where different body types are admired. Journalist Giulia Magri explains how “small island syndrome”, immigration and the LGBTQ community impact the way women relate to their bodies i

Mar 4, 2024 • 29:40

Introducing Where to Be a Woman

Introducing Where to Be a Woman

Body image, maternity leave, fair pay - all to be discussed in our new wellbeing show. Scaachi Koul and Sophia Smith Galer want to know what women around the world think their countries are getting right. And then they’ll decide what they like and add it to their ideal imaginary place to be a woman. You can’t build what you can’t imagine, so let’s start imagining! Want to let Scaachi and Sophia know what you think works? Send a WhatsApp voicenote on +44330 123 9459 - and start listening! We star

Feb 28, 2024 • 1:29

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