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Jónína Leósdóttir; Women in Ukraine; Dame Cicely Saunders

Jonina Leosdottir, the partner of the former PM of Iceland who was the first openly gay head of government. Plus getting a job in your 50s, and women's role in the Ukraine protests.

Jónína Leósdóttir the partner of the former Prime Minister of Iceland - Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir - the first openly gay head of government in the world, talks about their relationship and why she decided write a book about their life together. With the situation in the Ukraine remaining tense we'll be looking at the current situation for women there. What role have women taken in the protests? How is their day to day life affected by the stress of such political uncertainty? Following a recent discussion when we spoke to an entrepreneur and a recruitment manager about kick-starting your career after your children have left home, several of you got in touch to say you would love the opportunity to crack on with your career - if only you could find a decent job. So what's it like to look for work in our competitive job market when you're over fifty? And do men suffer the same set-backs?

Plus another chance to hear an interview with Dame Cicely Saunders the founder of the modern hospice movement, which is part of the Woman's Hour Collection. And as part of Women's History month we celebrate the work of Rebecca Jarrett a former sex worker in Victorian England who worked to raise the age of consent from 13 to 16.

Presented by Jenni Murray.
Produced and Edited by Beverley Purcell.

Available now

58 minutes

Chapters

  • Women in Ukraine

    What role have women taken in Ukrainian protests? Jenni is joined by Marina Denyshenko.

    Duration: 06:25

  • Finding work at 50

    What’s it like to look for work in our competitive job market when you’re over 50?

    Duration: 10:16

  • Jónína Leósdóttir

    Jónína Leósdóttir is the partner of the former Prime Minister of Iceland talks to Jenni

    Duration: 08:57

  • Rebecca Jarrett – the former prostitute who helped raise the age of consent in Victorian England

    Dr Victoria Bates, lecturer in modern history from Bristol University tells her story.

    Duration: 05:28

  • Dame Cicely Saunders

    Dame Cicely Saunders was the founder of the modern hospice movement.

    Duration: 05:28

Women in Ukraine

What role have women taken in the protests in Ukraine? We look at how theirÌýday to day livesÌýhave been affected by the stress ofÌýpolitical unrestÌýand their hopes and concerns for the future.ÌýJenni is joined by Ukrainian journalist Marina Denyshenko.

Finding work at 50

Last week Jenni spoke to an entrepreneur and a recruitment manager about kick-starting your career after your children have left home.ÌýSeveral listeners got in touch to say they would love the opportunity to crack on with their careers in their 50s – if only they could find a decent job.ÌýStatistics just released by the Unison back this up; more than 33% of women over 50 would like a higher paid job and only 6% feel they have good promotion opportunities.ÌýSo what’s it like to look for work in our competitive job market when you’re over 50?Ìý



Guests: Helen Walmsley-Johnson, The Guardian’scolumnist, job seeker Dr Susanne Sorensen andÌýKaren Jennings from .

Jónína Leósdóttir

Jónína Leósdóttir is the partner of the former Prime Minister of Iceland, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. Ms Sigurðardóttir wasÌýIceland’s first female Prime Minister,Ìýholding that position fromÌý2009 to 2012,ÌýÌýandÌýshe was the first openly gay head of government in the world. Once sheÌýhad retired, her partner – Jónína Leósdóttir – wrote a book about their relationship. Neither had had a gay partner before they met and for many years they had to keep their relationship a secret. They had a civil partnership in 2002 and were one of the first couples to have a gay marriage in Iceland in 2010. In the 30 years they’ve been together, attitudes towards LGBT people in Iceland have completely changed.

Rebecca Jarrett – the former prostitute who helped raise the age of consent in Victorian England

Rebecca Jarrett (1846-1928) was a former prostitute who helped to raise the age of consent in Victorian England.Ìý She worked with the newspaper editor WilliamSteadÌýto expose the existence of white slavery by buying a 13-year old girl for £5.ÌýStead published the story and Victorian society was outraged.ÌýAs a result of the public outcry,Ìýthe government passed the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885,Ìýwhich raised the age of consent from 13 to 16 and clamped down on prostitution.Ìý Dr Victoria Bates, lecturer in modern history from Bristol University tells her story.

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Dame Cicely Saunders

Dame Cicely Saunders was the founder of the modern hospice movement. Her view that death is a natural part of life led her to create a place where the terminally ill could receive sensitive nursing, effective pain control, and be allowed to die with dignity.ÌýIn 1975 she spoke to presenter Sue McGregor in an interview which you can now hear as part of the Woman’s Hour Archive Collection.Ìý

Jenni also talks toÌý Dr Katherine Sleeman,ÌýClinical Lecturer in palliative medicine at the Cicely Saunders Institute andÌýJenny Taylor, who worked as a physiotherapist at St Christophers Hospice, who treated Cecily there before she died.

The Dame Cecily Saunders interviewÌýcan be heard .

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jenni Murray
Producer Beverley Purcell
Editor Beverley Purcell
Interviewed Guest Marina Pesenti
Interviewed Guest Jonina Leosdottir
Interviewed Guest Victoria Bates
Interviewed Guest Helen Walmsley-Johnson
Interviewed Guest Susanne Sorensen
Interviewed Guest Karen Jennings
Interviewed Guest Katherine Sleeman

Broadcast

  • Thu 13 Mar 2014 10:00

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