Main content

Takeover 2019 - Amika George, teenage campaigner who started #FreePeriods

Access, diversity and inclusion in higher education; Grime, young people and politics; why young people are so fascinated by Love Island.

Amika George is a 19 year old student, activist, and founder of #FreePeriods. She's been campaigning to combat period poverty in schools. 200,000 signed her petition and almost 2,000 teenagers protested outside Downing Street. Two years on, the government has pledged to end period poverty by offering free menstrual products in all English primary and secondary schools by 2020.

Amika George says "I’m so thrilled to be a guest editor of Woman’s Hour'. Her chosen topics range from access and diversity in higher education, to why young people are so fascinated by Love Island, to why grime and hip hop artists have more power to influence young people than MPs.

Access, diversions and inclusion in higher education for BAME and state school students. What's the nature and extent of the problem and what needs to be done about it? We talk to Ore Ogunbiyi, one of the authors of 'Taking up Space' and Laura Bruce, Head of Programmes at the Sutton Trust.

What's the appeal of Love Island? What does it tell us about young people and relationships today? We talk to three fans Scarlett Curtis author of 'Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies, Bolu Babalola writer and commentator and Ore Orgunbiyi.

The power of grime and hip hop to politically engage young people today and give a voice to the issues that are important to their lives .

Producer: Dianne McGregor
Presenter: Jenni Murray

Available now

40 minutes

Sutton Trust

Target Oxbridge

Broadcast

  • Wed 24 Jul 2019 10:00

Featured in...

Follow us on Instagram

Get all the pictures, videos, behind the scenes and more from Woman’s Hour

Podcast