KaleidHERscope – a podcast with women from around the global talking openly and authentically about a kaleidoscope of topics, including politics, gender-based violence, peacebuilding, migration and theatre, hosted by peace and women’s rights activist Magda Zenon.
Reading the feed…
In this episode of KaleidHERscope, South African born Magda Zenon speaks with Megan Choritz, another South African, a Jew, an anti-racist and an anti-Zionist. Join us for a powerful conversation on identity, justice, activism, and storytelling.Megan is also the author of – Lost Property by Megan Choritz | Goodreads The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 67: Identity, justice, activism with Megan Choritz, a S.African, a Jew, an anti-racist & an anti-Zionist (2/8/2026) first appeared on Island Talks.
Multidimensional artist-activist, Adelina Tershani speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope from Pristina about building bridges between art and activism, grassroots struggles and global conversations and insists that language is not only a tool of critique but also of healing and of giving visibility, courage, and solidarity to those whose voices are too often silenced. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 66: Multidimensional artist-activist, Adelina Tershani on language being a tool of critique but also of healing (12/3/2026) first appeared on Island Talks.
Human rights lawyer, peacebuilder, and founder of the Women & Peace Studies Organization (WPSO), Wazhma Frogh speaks to magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about the women in Afghanistan and in the diaspora and how she is helping lead grassroots movements, has advised on national legislation, and has built a network of over 200 women peacebuilders in […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 65: Human rights lawyer Wazhma Frogh on the women in Afghanistan & initiatives to empower them (4/2/2026) first appeared on Island Talks.
Chris Mavrou and Orestis Matsas both committed activists and members of the coordination group of “Far Right Watch Cyprus” speak to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about what we mean by ‘far right’’ and to remind that the far right often shows up softly; in legislation, in bureaucracy and in the way the media shapes what […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 64: “Far Right Watch Cyprus”, Chris Mavrou & Orestis Matsas (22/1/2026) first appeared on Island Talks.
Syrian peace-builder, mediator and member of WASL Abir Haj Ibrahim speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about her personal journey to Islam and how this gave her the freedom to achieve all her goals. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 63: Syrian peace-builder Abir Haj Ibrahim speaks about achieving her goals and the links to her religious beliefs (7/1/2026) first appeared on Island Talks.
Catherine Ferrin, a domestic abuse educator/activist from Northern Ireland spoke to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope during the 16 days against gender-based violence (GBV) about using drama and group interaction to raise awareness about many complex issues including GBV. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 62: Catherine Ferrin, a domestic abuse educator & using drama to raise awareness about gender-based violence (23/12/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Magda Zenon of kaleidHERscope caught up with Ambassador Androulla Kaminara to speak about gender and diplomacy, about the U.S. Gaza plan that the UNSC recently endorsed, about UNSR on the OPT Francesca Albanese and about the cross roads at which the EU presently finds itself. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 61: Ambassador Androulla Kaminara on the U.S. Gaza plan & the crossroads at which the EU presently finds itself (8/12/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Jane Houng, founder of the Becky’s Button Initiative speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about how she tries to bring light to the darkness following the tragic murder of her daughter in 2017.Jane will be hosted at an event on 1 December 2025 at Ledra Palace as part of the #16Days of Activism Against Gender-Based […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 60: Jane Houng, founder of Becky’s Button Initiative for women’s safety against harrasment (18/11/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir, the National Commissioner of the Police in Iceland, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about how dealing with victims of GBV holistically has increased the number of convictions, about gender equality in the police force and about the safety of law enforcement officers in a changing world of crime. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 59: Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir, the National Commissioner of the Police in Iceland on dealing holistically with victims of GBV (9/10/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Cristal Downing, Project Director, Gender & Conflict at the International Crisis Group, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about how her focus on gender and conflict as a career developed quite organically, how the current political climate has affected gender work in peace and security and what keeps her motivated. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 58: Cristal Downing of the International Crisis Group: current gender work in peace & security (2/10/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Barbara Helfferich, the first Secretary General of the European Women’s Lobby and an expert on EU social and environmental policies, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about animal rights and climate change and the connection to gender equality and about one of the most successful campaigns she lead as EWL SG. And a big big […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 57: Barbara Helfferich, the first SG of the EWL, speaks about animal rights, climate change & gender equality (8/9/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Sarah Arnd-Linder, founder of Political is Personal (PiP), speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about PiP which is a collection of in-depth interviews conducted with Palestinian and Israeli Jewish women, who share how the conflict has affected their lives and contribute to the ongoing debate on women’s narratives of security and insecurity in conflict zones. […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 56: Sarah Arnd-Linder of Political is Personal (PiP): in-depth interviews conducted with Palestinian and Israeli Jewish women (28/8/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Originally from Afghanistan, Khatima Emami, a client services coordinator at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Utah, tells her story to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about life in Afghanistan before and after the fall of Kabul in 2021, about challenges faced by refugees in the USA including her and her family and about the woman […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 55: Khatima Emami: Challenges she & her family have faced as refugees in the USA since leaving Kabul (19/8/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Hamutal Gouri, a cultural critic, consultant, and transformative storyteller, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about why stories matter and how we need to listen, and about political parenting. Big big thank you to both Costa Constanti and Kemal Baykalli for the all-round support always. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 54: Hamutal Gouri, a cultural critic, consultant & transformative storyteller: why stories matter (11/8/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Renowned women’s rights activist and head of Afghan Women’s Network International Mary Akrami speaks with despair, vulnerability and realism to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about Afghanistan, about losing everything within 24 hours on the day Kabul fell on August 15, 2021, about being flown out of Kabul with nothing except the clothes on her back […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 53: Renowned women’s rights activist Mary Akrami on protecting the most vulnerable Afghan women (22/7/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Qazi (Judge)Marzia Babakarkhail, a former Afghan family court judge and lifelong advocate for women’s rights, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about her journey defending the rights of women and children, about surviving two Taliban assassination attempts and about being a voice for Afghan women, especially female judges and prosecutors who face persecution under the […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 52: Marzia Babakarkhail, a former Afghan judge, & her journey defending the rights of women/children (4/7/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Entrepreneur and author Despo Pavlou, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about growing up in South African, about the definition of normal and about finding your voice. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 51: Entrepreneur & author Despo Pavlou speaks about finding your voice (23/6/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Thania Pappenholz, dialogue, inclusion and peace processes expert and founder of Inclusive Peace, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about the state or better, ‘unstate’ of peace processes, the role of women and most of all about how to reactivate a process in Cyprus that does not necessarily build on past processes and entails inter-generational […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 50: Dialogue, inclusion & peace processes expert Thania Pappenholz on creating new narratives to counteract the normalcy of a not normal situation (14/6/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Ellpetha Tsivicos, a Cypriot-American artist, director, curator and producer speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about her creative arts healing program ‘I Wish I Knew How’ through which she mentors a community of formerly incarcerated people, about using public spaces and making theatre accessible to everyone and about her book A Life Into Lands, and […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 49: Artist, director, curator and producer Ellpetha Tsivicos speaks about making theatre accessible to everyone (3/6/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Award-winning Palestinian theatre maker, Iman Aoun speaks on kaleidHERscope about her inspiring professional career that focuses on grassroots, indigenous, youth, and women empowerment, gender disparity and resistance to the occupation, including The Gaza Monologues, ASHTAR International Youth Theatre Festival, The Syrian Monologues and Letters to Gaza in 2024, a solidarity response to the genocide in […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 48: Award-winning Palestinian theatre maker, Iman Aoun speaks about her inspiring professional career (22/5/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
South African poet and performance artist Dr. Phillippa Yaa de Villiers discusses her identity journey with Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope, reflecting on her experience as a mixed-race African and adoptee raised by a white family in apartheid South Africa; a journey that placed her in the paradoxical position of being both oppressed and completely free. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 47: Both oppressed and completely free: S.African poet Phillippa Yaa de Villiers talks about her identity journey (6/5/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Producer and director Nefin Dinç speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about her documentaries including Wine Dark Sea that narrates the profound changes brought about by global warming in the Mediterranean, and The Other Town, a documentary about the Other and how natives of a Greek and Turkish town insist on keeping myths built on […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 46: Producer and director Nefin Dinç speaks about her documentaries (15/4/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Chris Mavrou, advocacy & communications coordinator for Birth Forward and Andreas Christodoulou, Director of Operations of the Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations (CyFPA) speak to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about RespectWATCH; a project designed to develop an advocacy strategy and WatchDog mechanisms to ensure Respectful Maternity Care in Cyprus. The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 45: Chris Mavrou (Birth Forward) & Andreas Christodoulou (Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations) speak about RespectWATCH (29/3/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
Ioli Orphanides Eteocleous & Giota Doukanari, both from Birth Forward, speak on kaleidHERscope about the ‘RESPECT – Toward a culture of Respectful Maternity Care (RMC)’ project. As the ‘RESPECT – Toward a culture of Respectful Maternity Care (RMC): Enhancing Provider-Client Shared Decision Making and Informed Choice’ project comes to an end, Ioli Orphanides Eteocleous Spokesperson […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 44: Ioli Orphanides Eteocleous & Giota Doukanari of Birth Forward explain the ‘RESPECT – Toward a culture of Respectful Maternity Care (RMC)’ project (13/3/2025) first appeared o
Irene Stephanou, South African born Cypriot performer and educator, speaks to Magda Zenon on kaleidHERscope about bringing together her political consciousness and the experience of growing up in the South African Greek speaking community with her own unique blend of storytelling and about her challenges with Multiple Sclerosis, which she has had since she was […] The post KaleidHERscope – Episode 43: Irene Stephanou, a South African born Cypriot performer on her experience of growing up in the diaspora (9/3/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.
