The Success Story of 3rd International Conference on Future of Women - (Future of Women 2020)
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”.
ITI RAWAT
[ Keynote Speaker ]
[ Keynote Speaker ]
Founder WEFT Women Entrepreneur Foundation
Founder Thinkhall Training and Consultancy LLP
India
Dr. Somdutta Singh
[ Keynote Speaker ]
[ Keynote Speaker ]
Former Vice-Chairperson NASSCOM Product Council
Founder WEFT Women Entrepreneur Foundation
Founder Thinkhall Training and Consultancy LLP
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 Future of Women 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
How Women Work: Exploring How Women Photographers’ Career Structures of the 20th Century Aligns With Those of the Present Day
By Prof. Anna Fox
By Prof. Val Williams
Women in a Small Country; The Progress of Women Photographers In Ireland
A New Age; Women in India
By Christine Redmond
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”
“Climate Based Changing Resource –Gender- Power Dynamics in Rural Agrarian Systems along Peri-Urban Bangalore”
“Empowering Women Through Leadership Spaces: Case Studies from Rural Rajasthan”
By Prof. Pampa Mukherjee
By Dr. Rosewine Joy
By Laxmi Thakur
“Accelerating Gender Equality in Natural Resource Management”
“Role Of Gender In Shaping The Built Environment In India: A Case Study of Women Architects In Ahmedabad”
By Geeta Bhatrai Bastakoti
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.
TABLE 1: SOCIAL MEDIA AND WOMEN
TOPIC: IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WOMEN
TABLE 2: WOMEN IN BUSINESS
TOPIC: THE GROWING POWER OF WOMEN IN BUSINESS
TABLE 3: WOMEN IN MIGRATION
TOPIC: FEMALE MIGRATION: STRUGGLE AND CHALLENGES
SHIRIN ABBAS
Symbiosis International (Deemed) University
India
ITI RAWAT
Founder WEFT Women Entrepreneur Foundation
Founder Thinkhall Training and Consultancy LLP
India
PROF. ANITA SINGH
Centre for Women’s Studies and Development
India
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;
Prof. Gerise Herndon
Chair of the International Studies program Professor of English
Nebraska Wesleyan University
USA
TITLE: “#MeToo: Reclaiming the Body and Rewriting our Stories”
Ms. Poonam Pralhad Satpute
Village Social Transformation Foundation,
India
TITLE: “From Behind the Chulha to Behind the Counter Bhil and Pawara Women’s Financial Self-Determination”
Dr. Shirin Abbas
Symbiosis International (Deemed) University
India
TITLE: “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.
Moderator
Prof. Anita Singh
Centre for Women’s Studies and Development, Banaras Hindu University
India
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.
Resource Persons
Prof. Anita Singh
Centre for Women’s Studies and Development
India
Prof. Gerise Herndon
Chair of the International Studies program Professor of English
Nebraska Wesleyan University
USA
Session Chairs, Evaluation Panel Members and Scientific Committee Members of FOW 2020
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
Prof. Anita Singh – Banaras Hindu University, India
Prof. Gerise Herndon – Nebraska Wesleyan University, USA
Dr. Shirin Abbas – Development Communication Consultant and Academician, India
Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava – Environmental Design Consultants, India
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. 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. Abhishek Mishra, Institute of Management Studies, India
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
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