UMRAN ( Umran Green Perspective Foundation) successfully organized a programme on International Women’s Day with the theme of “My Soul is Woman’ by Annemarie Schimmel, thereby paying tribute to her legendary work. This event was held on March 8, 2023, and featured several presentations by distinguished professors. The goal of the programme was to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness of gender inequality and promote gender equality.
Event Details:
The programme started at 6:30 am and lasted until 8 pm. The event was organised online bringing people from across continents. The event was well-attended which included students, faculty, staff and members of the community.

Presentations:

The event began with an opening speech by Taiba Riaz’s deliberation on ‘unity within diversity’ evoking a desperate need for a cohesive and inclusive environment for a tolerant society… This was followed by several presentations from professors who spoke about various issues related to women’s rights and empowerment.

Prof Mousumi.G. Banerjee, Head of the Department of English Literature at EFLU, Shillong spoke on “Unwomaning the Woman with Dickinson: A Discourse”where she analysed Emily Dickinson’s work in a new light. Her presentation reviewed Dickinson’s poetry as a powerful force od reclaiming ‘self’.

Dr. Amina Hussain, Assistant Professor at Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University spoke on “ The Digital Gender Gap in India: An Analysis of Access, Implications, and Strategies for Inclusive Development” reflecting on the growing digital gender divide and the need to protect the rights of girls and women in the digital sphere from online abuse and violence. Reflecting on the International Women’s Day theme of the year for digital gender equality, she analysed the digital gender gap in India and the and the ways to bridge it.

During the programme, UMRAN volunteers also shared their experiences and perspectives on women’s rights and empowerment. They spoke about the challenges they had faced as women and the ways in which they had overcome them. They also shared their aspirations for a more equal and just society and the role that they could play in achieving this goal. Their personal stories and insights added a human touch to the event and underscored the importance of empowering women to speak out and share their experiences. The volunteers’ also thanked UMRAN for providing them with the opportunity to serve and learn at the same time.

Prof miriam cooke in her closing remarks applauded the work of women through the centuries in all fields. She mentioned that women in Syria and Iran should also be included in the discourse of women’s struggle and achievements. She cited the examples of Zuleikha from Sura Yusuf as women in Islam that need to be recalled apart from Khadija and Aisha, a reminder that makes us review history through feminist lens. On the advice of Prof mirium, the previewing of the UMRAN magazine was rightly postponed because the programme had a euphoric response and it exceeded the decided timeline.

Rajeev Kumar, director and founder of UMRAN gave a vote of thanks to all the distinguished guests, speakers and the participants. He emphasised the need to recognise women’s achievements and create an inclusive environment for their upliftment by carefully removing all the barriers

Conclusion:

Overall, the programme was a great success, with the presentations providing valuable insights into the challenges faced by women and the efforts being made towards gender equality. The event highlighted the importance of International Women’s Day and the need for continued efforts to promote women’s rights and empowerment. The UMRAN should be commended for organizing such an informative and thought-provoking event.

YouTube recording of the event: Click here

LINKS:

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