Women's rights aren't won in headlines. They're won in homes, courtrooms, and coalitions. Join Paula Kweskin, human rights lawyer and Founder of The 49%, as she sits down with the women (and a few men) on the front lines: the organizers, the lawyers, the storytellers, and the survivors turning outrage into action.
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Episode 6: Mandy Sanghera OBE on Turning Advocacy Into Action
Mandy Sanghera OBE is a British human rights activist, philanthropist, and global advocate for women’s rights, social justice, and ethical AI. Over a career spanning decades, she has worked on human trafficking, forced marriage, refugee protection, and gender equality, and she helped Afghan women and families reach safety after the Taliban takeover.
In this episode of Agents of the Matriarchy, host Paula Kweskin talks with Mandy about what it took to keep going while hundreds of people reached out for help, why she has always worked “for the cause and not the applause,” and how she learned early that being different is a strength. They also talk about what it means to be the “sticky floor woman” who lifts people up, and why violence against women has moved online.
Plus: Mandy’s advice for anyone who wants to make a difference. Find a cause that is personal to you, and stay consistent.
Show Notes:
The 49%: https://www.the49percent.org/ (https://www.the49percent.org/)
Listen and Subscribe: https://bio.site/agentsofthematriarchy (https://bio.site/agentsofthematriarchy)
29 Oct 2026
Mursal Rahim | 30 Minutes to Leave Kabul
Episode 5: Mursal Rahim on Escaping Afghanistan and Starting Over
Mursal Rahim is an Afghan refugee, a Cornell MPA graduate with a concentration in Human Rights and Social Justice, and a human rights advocate. She is also one of four women featured in the new book The Last Free Women.
In this episode of Agents of the Matriarchy, host Paula Kweskin talks with Mursal about the day Kabul fell and the 30 minutes she had to pack one backpack and leave everything behind. They also talk about how she talked her way into school at five, what it means to live between two places as a refugee, and why Afghan culture is far more than the headlines. Plus: what everyday people can do to support Afghan women.
Show Notes:
The Last Free Women: https://thelastfreewomen.com/ (https://thelastfreewomen.com/)
The 49%: https://www.the49percent.org/ (https://www.the49percent.org/)
Listen and Subscribe: https://bio.site/agentsofthematriarchy (https://bio.site/agentsofthematriarchy)
24 Oct 2026
Fainy Sukenik | Changing Community From Within
Episode 4: Fainy Sukenik on Changing Community from Within
Fainy Sukenik is a Haredi feminist, social entrepreneur, and the founder of Ba'asher Telchi, an organization that has supported more than 10,000 divorced and separated women. She also founded Gvul Nachon, a forum of rabbis, therapists, and media leaders working to prevent domestic violence.
In this episode of Agents of the Matriarchy, host Paula Kweskin talks with Fainy about the diary she kept as a girl, what happened when her own marriage ended and her community turned away from her, and why she chose to stay and change it from the inside. They also talk about why the freedom to leave a marriage matters so much for women, and why anger can be a powerful drive for change.
Show Notes:
The 49%: https://www.the49percent.org/ (https://www.the49percent.org/)
14 Oct 2026
Raheel Raza | Activism Through Love
Raheel Raza is an author, journalist, activist, spiritual leader, and Paula's fairy godmother. They first met while making Honor Diaries, and they've been fighting side by side ever since.
In this episode of Agents of the Matriarchy, Paula and Raheel talk about growing up in Pakistan, what's happening to women and girls in Afghanistan, and why Raheel stays optimistic after decades of doing this work. Her answer: lead with love, collect the small wins, and remember that courage is the currency of reform.
Plus, a rapid-fire round, 50 years of marriage, and what Raheel thinks The 49%'s next film should be.
Learn more:
Raheel Raza: RaheelRaza.com (https://www.raheelraza.com)
The 49%: the49percent.org (https://www.the49percent.org) & @the49percent (https://www.instagram.com/the49percent)
Listen and subscribe:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AoR3NqJ5kyImPUwYvsYaJ?si=9311c0e25ed741cf (https://open.spotify.com/show/5AoR3NqJ5kyImPUwYvsYaJ?si=9311c0e25ed741cf)
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agents-of-the-matriarchy/id6810856396 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agents-of-the-matriarchy/id6810856396)
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdjwW64XnzqA&si=ScSOFt25R2qcDgaQ (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdjwW64XnzqA&si=ScSOFt25R2qcDgaQ)
8 Oct 2026
Dame Jasvinder Sanghera | Escaping Forced Marriage
Episode 2: Dame Jasvinder Sanghera on Escaping Forced Marriage
At just 16 years old, Jasvinder Sanghera escaped a forced marriage.
Today, she is a British author, activist, grandmother, and the founder of Karma Nirvana, the charity supporting victims of honor-based abuse and forced marriage. But it wasn't an easy journey.
In this episode of Agents of the Matriarchy, host Paula Kweskin sits down with Dame Jasvinder to talk about child marriage, being disowned as a child, what she lost and what she gained by leaving, and how she turned her story into a lifeline for others.
Show notes:
Karma Nirvana: https://karmanirvana.org.uk/ (https://karmanirvana.org.uk/)
The 49%: https://www.the49percent.org/ (https://www.the49percent.org/)
29 Sept 2026
Zahra Joya | Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
Episode 1: Zahra Joya on Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
One Sunday morning in August 2021, Zahra Joya was at her desk in Kabul. By that afternoon, she had lost her freedom.
In our very first episode of Agents of the Matriarchy, host Paula Kweskin sits down with Zahra, an Afghan journalist, women's rights activist, and editor-in-chief of Rukhshana Media, the outlet giving voice to women and girls in Afghanistan. Now based in London, Zahra still leads a team of women journalists reporting undercover from inside the country.
Zahra shares how she went from law student to journalist, what it felt like to watch her world collapse overnight, the Taliban's escalating restrictions on women, and how she was airlifted out of Kabul while her parents were left behind.
Most of all, this is a conversation about why what's happening in Afghanistan is gender apartheid, why it matters to women everywhere, and how each of us can help keep Afghan women in the headlines.
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Show Notes:
Pre-order Zahra's Book, The Vanishing Girl of Kabul, out on October 6th: https://a.co/d/0feYRJYV (https://a.co/d/0feYRJYV)
Read articles on Rukhshana Media: https://rukhshana.com/en/ (https://rukhshana.com/en/)
Watch our film, Samira's Camera: https://bit.ly/samirascamera (https://bit.ly/samirascamera)
28 Sept 2026
Coming Soon!
Meet Agents of the Matriarchy, a new podcast from The 49%, hosted by Paula Kweskin.
On this show, Paula sits down with the women actually doing the work: leading the fight for global women's rights, challenging the status quo, and building toward something more equal. These are the conversations that usually happen behind closed doors, now open to everyone.
Expect real complexity, real nuance, and plenty of laughs along the way.
🎙️ First episode drops September 29th.
Learn more: http://agentsofthematriarchy.com (http://agentsofthematriarchy.com)
Follow along: @the49percent
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