The Future is Female: Compassion in action

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Izzana Salleh, Co-Founder and Global President of Project Girls 4 Girls, about equipping young women with skills, mentorship, and peer support to take on public leadership and act in leading change.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to one of the world's leading anatomists and forensic anthropologists, Professor Dame Sue Black, Baroness Black of Strome and President of St John’s College at Oxford University. She was the lead anthropologist for the British Forensic Team's work in the war crimes investigations in Kosovo, and one of the first forensic scientists to travel to Thailand following the Indian Ocean tsunami to provide assistance in identifying the dead.

In Malaysian politics, we often focus on the number of women elected as Members of Parliament. However, being appointed to Cabinet is just as crucial. And having more women in Cabinet doesn't automatically mean a fair share of power. How do we strive for better gender equality in Cabinet representation and portfolio distribution? On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Maha Balakrishnan, parliamentary and institutional development specialist.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris explores the strategies and stories of empowerment behind accessible mental wellness. She speaks to Madiha Fuad, Founder & CEO of PlusVibes, a social enterprise seeking to reshape the landscape of mental health support in Malaysia. For her work in healthtech, Madiha was named as one of 2022’s ‘Women of the Future: 50 Rising Stars in ESG’.

For 25 years, the L’Oréal Foundation and UNESCO have been working together to empower and promote women in science through the ‘For Women in Science’ programme. Malaysia has been part of the programme for the last 18 years, during which over RM1.5 million in research grants have been awarded to more than 51 women scientists in recognition of their achievement in science. On this episode of #TheFutureIs Female Melisa Idris speaks to this year’s Malaysian beneficiaries: Dr Acga Cheng from UM, Dr Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah from UPM, and Dr Elena Azizan from UKM.

Melisa Idris speaks to writer, playwright, and translator, Adriana Nordin Manan, about her philosophy approach to translation, using language to bridge the gap between cultures. She also shares her creative process as a playwright and her personal journey from page to stage of her first full-length play 'Fault Lines'.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. To my mind, I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.” On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale Melisa Idris speaks to Choong Koon Yean, President of IAPWA Penang, and Asther Lau, President of the Animal Kindness Coalition about humanely managing stray animal populations through Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage (TNRM) efforts.

Safe Sport is an initiative by the International Olympic Committee, with August 8th dedicated as International Safe Sport Day. On this episode of The Future Is Female #TFIF Melisa Idris speaks to former national gymnast Sarina Sundara Rajah, Founding President of Safe Sport Malaysia, about the importance of #SafeSport, how to identify abuse and intervene as a bystander.

On this episode of #TheFutureIsFemale, Melisa Idris speaks to ethnomusicologist Dr Clare Chan Suet Ching about working with the Mah Meri community to preserve their indigenous songs, and efforts to build cultural resilience with the younger Mah Meri generation. Dr Clare Chan is associate professor of Ethnomusicology at the Music Department of the Faculty of Human Ecology at Universiti Putra Malaysia.

The Women's Centre for Change (WCC) Penang has long focused the issue of sexual abuse against children and its prevention—with its roots in crisis support, now branching into capacity building and policy advocacy. On #TheFutureIsFemale, we ask our guest about the challenges and triumphs of running a women and child rights NGO.

Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Indra Selvarajah about medical music therapy. She is the Founding President of the Malaysian Music Therapy Association, Vice president of the Malaysian Society for Music & Medicine, and Chair of the Global Crises Intervention Commission for the World Federation of Music Therapy.

Melisa Idris speaks to Lily Fu, gerontologist, first-time film-maker, and founder of SeniorsAloud, which is an online community for seniors. She’s also the VP of the University of the Third Age for KL & Selangor.

Melisa Idris speaks to Christine Chin, Chairperson of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Selangor (SPCA Selangor) about responsible pet ownership and animal rescue, and what is needed to create a caring and compassionate community that lives in harmony with all animals.

Many couples struggle with infertility in silence, hiding their struggle from friends and family. How do we break this cycle of silence and shame? Melisa Idris speaks to Irene Kwan, CEO of TMC Fertility & Women’s Specialist Centre about the psychological impact of infertility and normalising conversations about fertility treatment and preservation.

Melisa Idris speaks to Mediha Mahmood, Executive Director of the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Content Forum (CMCF) about ensuring ethical and equitable representation and treatment of women, children and PWDs in advertising and online media.