parallel session 2 (breakout room 2

istration. This needs ongoing surveys, interviews, and the creation of training courses. Diversity as a source of revenue and cash flow is of the utmost significance.

4. enhancinG Women’s leadershiP traJectories via female role models ProJect With numbers UNESCO Chair Dr. Asli Mert, Koc University

Highlights The study looked at 10 sectors (academia, science, and technology, sustainable design, entrepreneurship, business, etc) covering 108 candidates and 82 graduates; conducted 6 training and seminar days, 14 module training with 12 seminar panels and guests, 20 sectoral meetings as part of this leadership project. At the commencement of the project only 31.5% of participants felt confident as leaders, which increased to 81.4% after attending the events. 80% think the project will contribute to their personal and career development. Participants derived great value from the mentorship and togetherness of the project. Sustainability was encouraged through a LinkedIn group called “Role Model Leader Women Network'' and through a maintained website grmlk.ku.edu.tr/en/. Leadership importance was emphasized in the context of Covid. Supporting women in leadership in all sectors leads to better outcomes, including profit, employee-friendly policies, cross-sector, and inter-sector collaboration.

5. imPlications of blended learninG on Women emPoWerment in rural india in Post-Pandemic era Ph.D. candidate Rasika Ajay Soman, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

Highlights Challenges for women in India include gender-biased norms, restrictions related to schooling, traveling long distances, skill development, and employment, as well as lack of technical knowhow and financial/emotional dependence on family. Blended learning includes flexibility, self-paced learning, group learning, access to technology, one on one attention and has many advantages, including more inclusive education, and lessening of restrictions because it requires less travel and cost, is accessible in remote locations, and fosters a better work-life balance. The paper describes the blended learning model employed, which focused on flex learning. Significance in India is that it mitigates all the challenges mentioned above. The future strategy would focus on inclusive education that’s gender-sensitive and customized for particular villages.

parallel session 2 (breakout room 2) Moderated by Dr. Meltem Alkoyak-Yildiz, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

1. stem education Michelo K. Moonga, Zambian National STEM Foundation

Highlights Many challenges arise from the lack of policy measures from Governments to enhance STEM education. Women bore the brunt of it because of the impact it has had on their income streams. The study also looks at opportunities to collaborate with researchers on policy recommendation papers. The key takeaways are (1) focus on STEM Education in Education Policy Program, (2) integration of STEM oriented programs in the business processes and CPD (Continuous Professional Development), including local value chains, (3) use of technologies that support women to work remotely, (4) build technological infrastructure and economical support that will increase opportunities for women to participate in STEM based careers.

2. imPact of the covid-19 lockdoWn on economic and Psychosocial Well-beinG of rural Women Veena Suresh, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri

Highlights The study describes the impact of the first lockdown in rural India with focus on women led self help groups. Covid has had a direct impact on the employment status and income of every household. The number of working days has reduced. Nutrition and quality of food has reduced. There is an adverse effect on the mental health of women. The impact was different depending on the type of employment available for women. Aids an-

nounced by the Government and private agencies did not reach the rural populations on time. Self help groups functioning came to a standstill by the mere fact that it relied on the coming together of the groups to function. The study also looks at how needs assessment could be very crucial in meeting the genuine needs of people in the community. The findings of the study will enable the potential stakeholders in the field of rural development to better understand the needs of disadvantaged women groups during disasters.

3. Women’s oPtimism, and PsycholoGical and reflective resPonses to a Global Pandemic Dr. Malini Frey, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri

Highlights How is Covid pandemic affecting overall mental wellbeing? Depression and anxiety are the common mental disorders. The study focused on optimism and the impact of optimism to psychological well-being. The speaker talked about how optimism enhances the speed of mental recovery and compared the perception of people in Spain and Brazil across varying levels of dissatisfaction. Optimism is possibly correlated with compassion, and negative traits such as anxiety go together. The more the optimism, the more the compassion and less the anxiety. Women who are optimistic were also very self-reflective. There are certain opportunities in this regard. Mediators and moderators in relationship between psychosocial variables that affect well-being can help inform details when we design interventions or training programs.

4. maPPinG the mental healthcare system in kerala: a literature revieW Amarachi Onyeyirichi Ogbonna, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri

Highlights There is a lack of mental health professionals and facilities in the state of Kerala. Only 1.16% of the health budget is spent on mental illness. More than 80% of people who are affected by mental health issues do not get support from the public and private healthcare system due to lack of sufficient mental health professionals, low mental health literacy and awareness, and lack of community mental health facilities. There are about four levels of challenges i.e mental, structure, pattern and event level challenges. The study suggests combining Ayurveda and Allopathic mental health services to bridge the gaps in the system and looks at possibilities to combine ayurveda and allopathic medicine. 5. imPact of Poor Water services on the incidence of covid-19 and its imPlication on the health of rural Women in india Martin Kanyagui, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri

Highlights The study investigated access to water and how it changes during the Covid pandemic. There is a need for equal, if not greater, attention toward females for Covid-19 care. The factors contributing to the higher case female mortality ratio are multifaceted including cultural, financial and institutional. To reverse the trend, there is a need for a holistic approach which tackles the root cause. There is a need for collaboration between all relevant stakeholders including private, public and cultural for the effect of Covid on women to be resolved. There is an urgent need for collaboration on studies that look at successful collaborative communities and how we can share that knowledge across communities.

Concluding Session

In order to make these exchanges fruitful and followed up by concrete actions, Dr. Tarek Rashed introduced the following action items:

Follow-up action items: 1. Discussing and endorsing a Declaration to be signed by UNESCO Chairs' 2. Introducing and paving the way for the International Conference on Advancing Women's

Empowerment through Systems Model Expansion (AWESOME) (December 6-8, 2021) 3. Organizing a common event or joint initiative for International Women’s Day 2022 4. Exploring the hosting of a summit portal to build a community of interest/practice among members of the Chairs