SILMIYA YOUSUF
COLOMBO : The ‘Women 2023’ Colombo Conference Chair Prof. Alpana Borgohain, Department of Women Studies at the Gauhati University in Assam, India said women have many challenges ahead and a lot of work to do, and called on all women to unite. ”Together we become stronger to be able to challenge patriarchy and change the existing status quo for a more equal world”, she said.
Prof. Borhohan made this call in her welcome address at the ‘Women 2023’ held under the theme -; Women’s Rights for an equal world -issues and Challenges’. Women 2023 was the second international conference on Women organized by the event management Company, ‘i Conferences’ held at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo on 11th August & concluded successfully on 12th August.
The focus of the two- day conference was on the rights of women located in different contexts of the world and the issues and challenges that they face while trying to acquire them.
The conference held in a blended mode- in person and virtual- brought forth a resourceful collaboration of notable partnering educational institutions and scholars, resource persons from across the world into critical discussion on the said theme and on one platform.
Conference Manager ‘i Conferences’, Thulakshana Liyanage said the aim of the conference being to provide a platform for researchers, academicians, practitioners, students and scholars to share information, ideas, knowledge, insights and build networks to work for change, thus achieved its objective with 20 countries from across the world participating with many speakers and a platform that saw 60 persons in total joining the Technical Sessions held on both conference days virtually and in person, in Colombo.
The Academic Partner of ‘Women 2023’, Dr. Gyanmudra of the school of Gender Studies, Tata Institute of Gender studies in Hyderabad, India said “it is an exciting time for academicians, professionals and researches, as we continue to grow and develop our network as academic partners. We will continue to meet and bring inspired people together in Forums like this”, she added.
The topic of Dr. Gyanmudra’s speech was on ‘Fighting Domestic Violence: Changing men and women’- that highlighted an interesting analysis. Prof. Susanne Yuk –ping CHOI of Hong Kong Institute of Asia Pacific Studies spoke on ‘Masculinity and the Global Care crisis: views from the Global South,’ which supported with extensive research on it, meanwhile Prof. Mariana Fotaki, from the University of Warwick UK, deliberated on ‘Publish to achieve many citations.’
Amal Kamal, Engagement Manager, ILSA, from Pakistan incorporated her own experiences, in her touching speech on ‘empowering women with epilepsy: overcoming the challenges, fostering awareness and cultivating inclusivity’, while Senior Journalist, Consultant Editor Colombo Times.net and Co- Founder Women’s Forum Sri Lanka (WFSL), Charnika Imbulana from Sri Lanka speaking on ‘Women in Media for a Gender equal world’ questioned if we women journalists are doing enough and called on all women Journalists to start at least one action per day to empower another woman and this, she said will collectively expedite women achieving more on gender equality.
Winding up the first day’s speeches at ‘WOMEN 2023’ international conference, Dr. Sowmya Mani from Mani Super Specialty Hospital and Research Institute, India spoke on the ‘Current trends in Breast Cancer Research’.
On the second day of the ‘WOMEN 2023’– international conference, there was an equally interesting line up of academics and practitioners speaking on a varied number of subjects. Professor Nilufer Khan, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir India on Women, Health and Reproductive Rights, Prof. Neerja A Gupta, Vice Chancellor Gujerat University, India gave a splendid in-depth analysis on ‘Legacy of Women’s Rights : Now and Then’. Prof. Francisca de Haan Progessor Emerita Gender Studies and History in Vienna had every one sit up and listen to her inspiring speech on ‘Fighting for peace and Women’s Rights: The Transitional story of the Soenito Heyligers (1915-2003)’
The two day ‘WOMEN 2023’ conference organized by ‘iConferences’ was held to international standards and continues to draw a massive following, with a record increase in number of participants this year from across the world in general and from South Asia in particular.
‘i Conferences’s upcoming events are international conferences on the following topics-; Teaching Education and Learning, on Public Health and Well-being, Gerontology and Geriatrics Medicine. The sequel to the one held in Colombo, ‘WOMEN 2024’ is being envisaged to be held in Bangalore, India.
The ‘i Conferences’ honoured four women from 4 countries for their outstanding contributions to Women’s Empowerment and their respective professions. Prof. Mariana Fotaki, from the University of Warwick UK, Dr. Sowmya Mani from Mani Super Specialty hospital and Research Institute, India, Senior Journalist, Consultant Editor Colombo Times.net and Co- Founder Women’s Forum Sri Lanka (WFSL), Charnika Imbulana from Sri Lanka and Amal Kamal, Engagement Manager, ILSA, from Pakistan received the awards from Thulakshana Liyanage, Head of ‘i Conferences’.
