fow 2020 THE SUCCESS STORY OF 3RD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FUTURE OF WOMEN

The 3rd International Conference on Future of Women, was held on 13- 14 February in Bangalore, India under the theme “The Next Generation of Women: Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, and Equal Participation”. The conference was organized by The International Institute of Knowledge Management (TIIKM), Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Vasanta College for Women, Admitted to the Privileges of Banaras Hindu University, India, Nebraska Wesleyan University, USA and Centre for Women’s Studies, School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad, India as the Co-hosting partners while Allameh Tabataba’i University, Iran and Kütahya Dumlupınar University, Turkey as the academic partners for this year’s conference.

The conference provided an opportunity for delegates to share their valuable knowledge and experience of women studies from various perspectives. Moreover, the conference welcomed 75+ participants from 18 countries around the world.

INAUGURATION CEREMONY

The opening remarks of Future of Women 2020 were made by the Conference Co-Chairs Prof. Anita Singh, Centre for Women’s Studies and Development, Banaras Hindu University, India, Prof. Gerise Herndon, Chair of the International Studies Program, Professor of English, Nebraska Wesleyan University, USA together with Mr. Isanka P. Gamage (Managing Director, The International Institute of Knowledge Management).

Keynote Forum

The Keynote forum was represented by Dr. Somdutta Singh, Former Vice-Chairperson NASSCOM Product Council, A Serial Indian Entrepreneur, India under the title “Women’s Rights: Beyond the Prism of Law and Men” and Iti Rawat, Founder WEFT Women Entrepreneur Foundation, Founder Thinkhall Training and Consultancy LLP, India under the title “How Women Entrepreneurs Will Lead the Nation’s Growth in the Future”.

PARTICIPANTS FROM MORE THAN 18 COUNTRIES

Future of Women 2020 consisted of over 75 participants from 18 countries around the world, including Sri Lanka, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Iran, Ireland, Macau, Spain, Thailand, Jordan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. The Conference provided an opportunity for delegates to share their valuable knowledge and experience of women studies from various perspectives. This conference had representation from every continent and regions across the world, to share views and ideas on women issues, network with international colleagues and made the conference a meaning the full opportunity for engagement.

TECHNICAL SESSIONS

Future of Women 2020 comprised of ten (10) technical sessions. The technical sessions were under the below themes.

  • Women And Workplace, The Gender Pay Gap, Glass Ceiling And Sticky Floors
  • Under-Representation/Misrepresentation of Women In The Media, Movies, And Literature
  • Human Rights of Women
  • Institutional Mechanism For The Advancement Of Women, Education And Training of Women, Closing The Technology Gender Gap
  • Women In Health And Economy
  • Diversity In Political Representation
  • Gender-Based Violence And Women’s Activism

SPECIAL FEATURES OF FOW 2020

Panel Discussion on “Women Photographers from History to Here”

This was a discussion exploring the lives and works of women photographers and how they have developed their careers and networks. It was a joint panel between the University of the Arts London (UAL) and Fast Forward research project based at University for the Creative Arts (UCA).

The discussion was followed by the panelists as follows;

Networks: The Fast Forward Project – By Prof. Anna Fox

Contemporary Women Photographers: Beyond the Document – By Prof. Karen Knorr

How Women Work: Exploring How Women Photographers’ Career Structures of the 20th Century Aligns With Those of the Present Day – By Prof. Val Williams

Women in a Small Country; The Progress of Women Photographers In Ireland – By Christine Redmond

A New Age; Women in India – By Chinar Shah

Panel Discussion on “Women in ‘Commons’ Management Practices and Studies”

Through this panel, it was intended to celebrate the women as an equal partner in all the opportunities and challenges posed by society and important women in the key decision and actions in the future. The panel, therefore, discussed the roles, the opportunities, the challenges and the milestones of women in the natural and common pool resource management and their studies spanning from urban to rural, local to the global context.

Discussion was followed by the panelists as follows;

“Women And Struggle For Common Land In North India: Insights from Punjab” – By Prof. Pampa Mukherjee

“Climate Based Changing Resource –Gender- Power Dynamics in Rural Agrarian Systems along Peri-Urban Bangalore” – By Dr. Rosewine Joy

“Empowering Women Through Leadership Spaces: Case Studies from Rural Rajasthan” – By Laxmi Thakur

“Accelerating Gender Equality in Natural Resource Management” – By Geeta Bhatrai Bastakoti

“Role Of Gender In Shaping The Built Environment In India: A Case Study of Women Architects In Ahmedabad” – By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava

ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS

Future Women 2020 was consisted of three (03) interactive roundtables for all participants of the conference. This was a fantastic occasion to share opinion and knowledge about different topics in women studies. Each round table was facilitated by a moderator, allowing the participants to engage, share their experiences and the participants were inspired by the learnings and challenges of others.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND WOMEN
Shirin-Abbas
DR. SHIRIN ABBAS Symbiosis International (Deemed) University IndiaTopic: “Impact of Social Media on Women”
WOMEN IN BUSINESS

ITI RAWAT
Founder WEFT Women Entrepreneur Foundation
Founder Thinkhall Training and Consultancy LLP
India

Topic: “The Growing Power of Women in Business”

WOMEN IN MIGRATION
Prof.-Anita-Singh

PROF. ANITA SINGH
Centre for Women’s Studies and Development
India.

Topic:Female Migration: Struggle And Challenges”

Storytelling Session

Future of Women 2020 strived to bring together 03 storytellers to share their inspiring stories with an international audience. The storytellers were as follows;
SOCIAL MEDIA AND WOMEN
Prof-Gerise-Herndon-Future-Women-Conferences-300x300

PROF. GERISE HERNDON
Chair of the International Studies program Professor of English
Nebraska Wesleyan University
USA

Topic: “#MeToo: Reclaiming the Body and Rewriting our Stories”

WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Ms.-Poonam-Pralhad-Satpute

MS. POONAM PRALHAD SATPUTE
Village Social Transformation Foundation,
India

Topic: “From Behind the Chulha to Behind the Counter Bhil and Pawara Women’s Financial Self-Determination”

WOMEN IN MIGRATION
Prof.-Anita-Singh

DR. SHIRIN ABBAS
Symbiosis International (Deemed) University
India

Topic:Stories of Social Change for Women brought on through using Mobile as a Development Communication Tool”

Workshop on Scholarly Publications

Through the publication workshop, it was intended to disseminate knowledge on writing scientific papers and scholarly publications to assist future researchers. This interactive workshop was moderated by the Conference Chair Prof. Anita Singh, Centre for Women’s Studies and Development, Banaras Hindu University, India. The Perspective of the publication workshop was to assist researchers who write full papers with the aim of publishing in a reputable journal or in a reputable proceeding. Through this publication workshop, the facilitator was able to disseminate knowledge on writing scientific papers and scholarly publications for future researchers. All conference participants were delighted and graced by this opportunity.

Conference Chair’s Workshop

“STEPPING TO 2021: THE NEXT CHAPTER OF FUTURE OF WOMEN”
This workshop was arranged by the Conference Chairs to discuss the outcomes and get the feedback of the Conference. Participants were able to share their experiences of attending the conference and expressed their ideas on areas to be improved in the future.

Moreover, the plans to be executed when organizing for Future of Women 2021 was discussed during the workshop. The workshop provided an insight to deliver the future conferences in a fruitful way with the outputs received by the Conference Chair, Keynote Speakers, Participants, and Organizers.

SESSION CHAIRS

Prof. Surekha Dangwal
Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna University
India.

Dr. Anitha A
Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit
India.

Dr. Ompriya Mishra National Institute of Homoeopathy India.
Dr. Sekson Yongvanit Khon Kaen University Thailand.
Dr. Pallabi Mund Biju Patnaik University of Technology India.
Dr. Sandhya Thakur Homi Bhabha Centre For Science Education India.
Dr. Annemarie Middelburg Middelburg Human Rights Law Consultancy The Netherlands.

EVALUATION PANEL MEMBERS

prof. Anita singh

Prof. Anita Singh
Banaras Hindu University, India.

Prof-Gerise-Herndon-Future-Women-Conferences-300x300

Prof. Gerise Herndon
Nebraska Wesleyan University, USA.

Shirin-Abbas
Dr. Shirin Abbas Development Communication Consultant and Academician, India.
Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava Environmental Design Consultants, India

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Prof. Gerise Herndon

Nebraska Wesleyan University, United States.

Prof. Anita Singh

Banaras Hindu University, India.

Dr. Verena Tandrayen-Ragoobur

University of Mauritius, Mauritius.

Dr. S. P. Srimathi

Hyderabad Karnataka Centre for Advanced Learning, India.

Assoc. Prof. Tania Haque

University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Dr. S. P. Srimathi

Hyderabad Karnataka Centre for Advanced Learning, India.

Dr. Shirin Abbas

Symbiosis International (Deemed) University, India.

Prof. Rekha Pande

University of Hyderabad, India.

Prof. Layachi Anser

University of Sharjah, UAE.

Dr. Phoebe Zoe Maria Sanchez

University of Philippines, Philippines.

Dr. Mini S

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies, India.

Dr. Jagriti Upadhyaya

Sardar Patel University of Police, Security, & Criminal Justice, India.

Dr. Nada Mustafa Ali

University of Massachusetts Boston, United States.

Dr. Zimu-Biyela

University of South Africa, South Africa.

Dr. Afroz Ahmad Bisati

Islamic University of Science And Technology, Pakistan.

Dr Syed Tanveer Nasreen

The University of Burdwan, India.

Dr. K. Vijaya

Quaid-E-Millath Government College for Women, India.

Ms. Reema Nunlall

University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Dr. Vinita Priyedarshi

Patna Women’s College, India.

Dr. Bigi Thomas

Sardar Patel University, India.

Dr. Abhishek Mishra

Institute of Management Studies, India.

Prof. Alka Singh

Vasanta College for Women, India.

Prof. Irene Bobb Das

Allahabad University, India.

Prof. Aroonima Sinha

India

Dr. Manjari Jhunjhunwala

Vasanta College for Women, India.

Dr. Manjari Shukla

Vasanta College for Women, India.

Dr. Rachana Pandey

Vasanta College for Women, India.

Dr. Barnali Chetia

Indian Institute of Information Technology, India.

Dr. Bharti Chhibber

University of Delhi, India.

Dr. Patricia Mwesiga

The Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy, Tanzania.

Dr. Asha Bhnadari

National Law University, India.

Dr. Fareena Ruzaik

University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.