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A program about women who are reshaping our world. Join us every Friday at 4:15pm Paris time and check out our Facebook page: FRANCE24.51percent.
177 Episodes
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How the murder of a Chechen woman in the southern French city of Nice has resulted in local Chechen women speaking out against patriarchal traditions which normally force them to remain silent. Also amid the devastation in Gaza, a Palestinian coach is teaching women and girls to box to help them cope with the trauma of living in a war zone. Plus the tale of one breast cancer survivor in Kenya who used her crafting skills to help fellow patients by providing them with a knitted breast prosthesis.
As former British prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is arrested over ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the scandal spreads to France, where Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation into a former government minister and his daughter. Also as we mark four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the number of Ukrainian women entering the military reaches record levels. Annette Young talks to Yaryna Chornohuz, an Ukranian poet who is also a drone pilot. Plus how football is being used to teach girls in India to stand up for their rights and getting them to resist the pressure to marry early.
With French female astronaut Sophie Adenot joining the crew at the International Space Station, it is the perfect moment to reflect on the role of women in space; a field still very much dominated by men. Yet years before Adenot set her sights on a career in space, other women were actively involved in the sector. But despite their achievements in computing, engineering and even on board the launches, many of their names have been forgotten by history. Annette Young also talks to Meganne Christian, a fellow British-Australian astronaut who’s been training with Adenot, on gender differences in space.
From Tokyo to Toronto, Delhi to Paris, millions of women plan their journeys: choosing where to sit, when to travel, and how to stay alert. More than 70 percent of women worldwide have encountered sexual harassment in public spaces, including on transit. Here in France, the number of victims of sexual violence on public transport, recorded by law enforcement, has increased by 86 percent in almost a decade. Some 91 percent of victims are women.
In France, nearly one in two nurses have reported experiencing sexual violence at work, this according to a new study by the country's Nursing Council. In 2025, more than two cases were reported each day, but despite this, reporting rates are extremely low. From this year, a simplified alert system will be available for victims.
This week we are talking about anger, the emotion that shaped 2025. So much so that "rage bait" was crowned the Oxford Dictionary's word of the year. But while anger has long been rewarded, even celebrated, when expressed by men, women's fury has remained something of a taboo; dismissed as hysteria or rudeness. But is a cultural reckoning underway, where women are finally being heard – not despite, but because of their anger?
This week, we focus on Iran as the country has been rocked by its largest wave of protests since the Islamic revolution in 1979. Human rights groups outside Iran report that thousands have been killed so far. Yet amid the turmoil, women activists and youth campaigners are at the forefront of the struggle, seeking to chart a new course for the nation after decades of repressive rule under the Islamic Republic. Annette Young talks to Iranian filmmaker, Sepideh Farsi and Tara Kangarlou, an Iranian-American journalist, as they watch their home country, from afar, undergo a seismic transformation.
There's global outrage over Elon Musk's chatbot Grok, a key feature on social media platform X, which has repeatedly generated sexually explicit deepfake images of women and teenagers. Yet how social media can be used for good; Annette Young talks to Nika Kovač from My Voice, My Choice about using Instagram, TikTok and other platforms to help win a historic European Parliament vote on expanding abortion access. Plus turning the tables on gender equality; the Kenyan music academy offering training courses for women wanting to become DJs.
We're kicking off 2026 by focusing on the rise of singlehood; where an increasing number of people are living without any romantic relationship at all. The Economist has reported that among Americans aged 25 to 34, the number of people living without a spouse or partner has doubled over the past five decades, reaching 50 percent of men and 41 percent of women. Since 2010, the proportion of people living alone has increased in 26 of the world's 30 richest countries.
In a special edition, we focus on childbirth and how much control women really do have over the process. In France, doulas have become increasingly popular in recent years. They provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy and birth, but not medical assistance. So where do doulas fit into the childbirth experience; and how can we better empower women giving birth? Annette Young puts these questions to Professor Soo Downe, a midwifery specialist from the University of Lancashire, and to Charlotte Brielle, founder and executive director of Wombs of the World, an NGO promoting the use of doulas.
Four people have been arrested over the hacking of 120,000 home security cameras in South Korea, whose footage was used to make sexually exploitative material. It's the latest episode in an ongoing battle by authorities to end illicit electronic spying on women and girls. In Pakistan, a spate of TikTok femicides has sparked a national debate over the growing online visibility of Pakistani women. Also arm-wrestling and weightlifting are surging in popularity among French women as they're seen to boost both physical and mental health.
1LinkedIn, the social media platform with which professionals connect and network, has found itself in hot water after a surprising experiment revealed signs of bias against women. Also competition is woven into nearly every part of our lives; but do we really need it at work or even in our daily routines? Annette Young talks to author, Ruchika Malhotra, whose latest book is entitled "Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success". Plus the countdown is on for French female astronaut, Sophie Adenot, who will be heading to the International Space Station in the coming months.
Annette Young talks to Pagan Kennedy, the journalist who uncovered that a woman originally invented the rape kit, even though a man had long been credited with the idea. Also, as we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls, a victory of sorts for the survivors of the late convicted pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein. After months of mounting pressure, US President Donald Trump has now signed a bill allowing for the release of files on the sexual assault and rape of hundreds of women and girls. Plus, the NGO in Zanzibar which is teaching local women to become solar power technicians.
In a reminder that no woman is safe; Mexico's first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is the victim of a public sexual assault. Our team in Mexico report on how the attack has triggered a national reckoning. Also how Pakistan is one of the countries hardest hit by period poverty. Sanitary products are taxed while almost 44 percent of women and girls lack access to the most basic resources needed to manage their periods. Plus in France, how a wave of influencers are turning everyday construction projects into inspiration, motivating women to try their hand at DIY.
As the COP30 climate talks kick off in Belém, Brazil, we showcase the women at the forefront of the fight against the climate crisis; a struggle that continues to affect women and children disproportionately. According to the UN, climate change could push up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty by 2050 – 16 million more than the number of men and boys. Annette Young speaks to climate activist Camille Étienne, often described as the "French Greta Thunberg", as she and her all-female crew sail to Brazil for this crucial summit. We also meet Vanda Witoto, an Indigenous climate activist from the Brazilian Amazon, and Binta Wane in Senegal, who is transforming wastelands into thriving vegetable gardens.
In a special edition, we focus on the power of testimony – and nowhere is that more evident than in the case of the late Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted paedophile. His crimes, and those of his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell – who's currently behind bars – continue to have far-reaching consequences to this very day. Following Buckingham Palace's announcement that King Charles III's brother Andrew will be stripped of his princely title over his friendship with Epstein, Annette Young talks to Jess Michaels, herself a survivor of rape by Epstein, and Lucia Osborne-Crowley, a journalist and author who covered the Maxwell trial.
It is 25 years since the UN Security Council signed a historic agreement linking gender equality to the maintenance of international peace and security. But the world is now facing the highest number of active conflicts since 1946, creating unprecedented risks for women and girls. Yet only one in ten peace talks in the past year included female negotiators. Annette Young talks to Chris Coulter, Executive Director of the Berghof Foundation, who has more than 20 years’ experience in conflict resolution and is a former adviser to the Swedish Foreign Ministry, and Lyric Thompson, CEO of the Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative in Paris, ahead of the Feminist Foreign Policy Conference. Also, as the war in Ukraine continues and European nations grow increasingly concerned about Russian aggression, Denmark has now begun drafting women into its armed forces.
It's an industry tipped to be worth more than a trillion dollars in the coming decade. Femtech refers to technology-driven solutions for women's health, covering areas such as reproductive health, pregnancy care and menopause management. Marina Gerner, the author of "The Vagina Business", joins Annette Young to discuss the rapidly growing industry that's revolutionising women's health. Also, marking the 30th anniversary of a groundbreaking UN conference on women's rights, China touts its progress on gender equality. But its approach to feminist activism paints a very different picture.
In the US, the gender pay gap widens again for the second year in a row. Annette Young asks financial journalist, Josie Cox, why there is a U-turn after decades of the pay gap shrinking? Plus in Mexico City, a new museum explores the early life of iconic artist, Frida Kahlo. Also in Syria, a group of brave women speak to FRANCE 24 about sexual violence during 13 years of war in a powerful new documentary.
It is two years since Hamas attacked Israeli communities along the Gaza border. In response, Israel launched a devastating war in the Palestinian territory. We take a closer look at the heavy toll this conflict has had on Palestinian women and girls. Also, in 2024, Belgium's groundbreaking law gave sex workers full employment rights. Our team on the ground report on whether the law is really working. Plus Verdi's 19th-century opera "Aida" returns to Paris with a fresh, modern twist in a new production by Iranian artist Shirin Neshat.
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