10/11/2009

Synopsis

With Jane Garvey:

There are only three women in charge of a FTSE 100 company, and they are all American: Marjorie Scardino is at Pearson, Cynthia Carroll at Anglo American and Angela Ahrendts at Burberry. The American dominance doesn't end there: 30 per cent of female company directors in the UK are also from the US. So why are they doing so well?

Recent research has highlighted the small but possible risks of birth defects in babies if their mothers take anti-depressants during pregnancy, but this needs to be weighed against the negative effect on the baby and the wider family of the mother if she is severely depressed and stops taking her medication. Two women who experienced clinical depression talk about the dilemma they faced over whether or not to go ahead with pregnancy while they were taking anti-depressants. Jane also talks to Professor Simon Maxwell, Chair of the Prescribing Committee of the Pharmacological Society, and Dr Ian Jones, a perinatal psychiatrist.

Jenga is a game so seemingly simple that it is often believed to have been around forever, but it was in fact created only 27 years ago, by an Englishwoman, Leslie Scott, who was born and raised in Africa. With little experience of business, she no idea that she would have to risk almost everything - her career, her home, her mother's home, long-established friendships - all for the sake of a game. Jenga became a household name with sales of over 50 million copies worldwide.

Odette Kayirere is one of the founders of AVEGA, an organisation set up shortly after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda to help the many widows and orphans left traumatised and destitute. Her innovation and courage has been recognised by the Women's World Summit Foundation and she became one of ten Laureates awarded the 2009 prize for Women's Creativity in Rural Life. Jane talks to her about the many activities she has helped to get off the ground and what life is like for the survivors of genocide in Rwanda today.

Broadcast

1. Tue 10 Nov 2009
   10:00
   BBC Radio 4