The 10th World Conference on
Women’s Studies 2024
(WCWS 2024)
- 30th -31st May 2024
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Hybrid Conference
Theme: Change-makers: Women’s Studies Scholar-Activism Across the Disciplines
Welcome to WCWS 2024
Welcome to the 10th World Conference on Women’s Studies, which will take place from 30th – 31st May 2024 in Colombo, Sri Lanka (Hybrid Platform), exploring the latest research, ideas, and solutions related to gender equality, women’s empowerment, and social justice. This conference is a unique opportunity to connect with leading scholars, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world, and to engage in a global conversation about the most pressing issues facing women and marginalized communities today.
As we mark the 10th anniversary of WCWS, we reflect on the progress that has been made in advancing gender equality and women’s rights, and the challenges that still lie ahead. From the persistent gender pay gap to the ongoing fight for reproductive justice, we are reminded of the urgent need for collective action and transformative change. Through a range of dynamic and engaging sessions, this conference will provide a platform for sharing ideas, forging new partnerships, and generating innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. We invite you to join us in this exciting and thought-provoking event, and to be part of the global movement towards a more equitable and just society.
Purpose of WCWS 2024
“Uplifting Global Feminism”
The purpose of the World Conference on Women’s Studies is to offer participants an enriching opportunity to deepen knowledge of global feminisms along with the theoretical, policy, and personal dimensions of Women’s Studies scholar-activism worldwide, engaging with intersecting fields of Gender and Sexuality Studies and the many disciplines that constitute Women’s Studies—all toward building collaborative partnerships, offering publishing opportunities, and enacting visions of a more equitable and liberal world.
This gathering is dedicated to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an ambitious blueprint for a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable world.
Get your Research published with WCWS 2024
Join us at WCWS 2024, where excellence prevails with over 100 Scopus-indexed publications backing our remarkable track record. Connect with global experts, ignite innovation, and elevate your profile on a prestigious platform. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a thriving legacy – register now and shape the future of your academia!
Resource Persons
Prof. Diana J. Fox
Conference Chair
Director of Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS)
Regional Coordinating Office of The University of the West Indies (UWI),
Jamaica
Dr. Sue-Ann Barratt
Keynote Speaker
Head - Institute for Gender and Development Studies
The University of the West Indies, St.
Augustine Campus
West Indies
Prof. Shoba Rajgopal
Keynote Speaker
Westfield State University
USA
Dr. O. Sipuka
Plenary Speaker
Dean of Students
University of South Africa
South Africa
Francesca Braga
Plenary Speaker
Legal Consultant for the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies
Goddes Hope Libiran
Plenary Speaker
Deputy Minister, Department of Budget and Management, Republic of the Philippines;
One-Star General, Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary;
Journalist and Social Media Influencer;
Media and PR Strategist
Dr. Alexis Palfreyman
Panel Speaker
UCL and CIVAH
Sri Lanka
Special Features
Forum on “Contemporary Challenges in Women’s Mental Health”
Date: 30th May 2024 | Time: 13:30 - 15.00 (IST)
Dr. Alexis Palfreyman
Moderator
Biography
UCL and CIVAH
Sri Lanka
Dr. Giselle Dass
Panelist
Biography
Dr. Giselle Dass is a psychologist and the founding director of the Child, Adolescent and Family Services (CAFS) in Sri Lanka. CAFS which is a not-for-profit mental health service has been Giselle’s dream ever since she returned to Sri Lanka in 2015 after completing her MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at King’s College London, prior to which she held a BSc in Psychology and Counselling. She also holds a PhD in Population Health Sciences from the University of Bristol, where her research focused on children and adolescents exposed to domestic violence in Northern Sri Lanka and how best to integrate the school and healthcare systems for better identification and support. She is also a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo and consults for a number of private and international organisations involved in projects focusing on the mental health of children and adolescents. Giselle is also a director of THEME Institute which is a not-for-profit think tank conducting multidisciplinary research in Sri Lanka in collaboration with several international and local universities and donors. In addition to this, Dr. Dass holds a wealth of experience in both the humanitarian and mental health settings. This includes her previous work with stranded and irregular migrants at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) – UN agency and also her work at the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. Her experience also ranges from project development to implementation to monitoring and evaluation, with a special interest in post-conflict populations.
Prof. Miyuru Chandradasa
Panelist
Biography
Professor in Psychiatry
Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Head of the Department
Department of Psychiatry
Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya
Sri Lanka
Professor Miyuru Chandradasa is the Head of the Department of Psychiatry, a Professor in Psychiatry, and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the University of Kelaniya. He is the only remaining child psychiatrist for all twelve medical faculties in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Suhashini Ratnatunga
Panelist
Biography
Dr. Suhashini Ratnatunga is a senior lecturer at the faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo and an honorary consultant psychiatrist at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. She is also the lead consultant of the Mother Baby Unit of the De Soysa Maternity Hospital for Women. A pioneering unit that specializes in providing inward psychiatry care for women with severe mental illnesses during the post partum period. Her specialist interest areas include women’s mental health and liaison psychiatry.
Forum on “Violence and the Body - Understanding the Impact of Child Sexual Abuse in Sri Lanka and Unpacking the Modalities of Releasing Individual and Institutional Harm”
Alia Whitney-Johnson
Moderator
Biography
Founder & CEO
Emerge Lanka Foundation
Alia is an experienced social entrepreneur with over fifteen years of experience working with children who’ve endured trauma, sexual abuse, and exploitation. She founded Emerge at the age of 19 after a tsunami relief trip to Sri Lanka and has remained deeply involved ever since. She is also the Co-Founder of Freedom Forward, a non-profit that is working to prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of youth in San Francisco through systems change. Alia has experience as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and has served on several boards including the MIT Corporation (MIT’s board of trustees), SERES Global, and Emerge Lanka Foundation (www.emergelanka.org). She holds a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Oxford, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar.
Monroe
Jayasuriya
Panelist
Biography
Chief Executive Officer
LEADS Sri Lanka
Sulochana
Dissanayake
Panelist
Biography
Founder and Artistic Director – Power of Play
Dr. Thush Wickremanayake
Panelist
Biography
Chairperson, Stop Child Cruelty Trust
Rekha Krishnamoorthy
Panelist
Biography
Rekha Krishnamoorthy is a former strategy consultant turned inner well-being consultant. She is deeply passionate about the ways in which people can live more consciously, for ultimate wellbeing, and balance. Rekha is also the co-founder of Kalyana SL, a not-for-profit whose commitment lies in transforming the mental health landscape in Sri Lanka through education, advocacy, collaboration, and community-building.
Publication Workshop “Be Bold: Publishing to Make a Difference”
Harmony in Diversity Gala Dinner
Date: 30th May 2024 | After Conference
Join us for an enchanting Networking Dinner at the WCWS 2024 which offers a unique opportunity to connect, engage, and build meaningful relationships with influential leaders, academics, activists, practitioners, industry experts, and passionate individuals in the field of Women’s Studies. Immerse yourself in an atmosphere of camaraderie, where like-minded individuals gather to celebrate women’s achievements and discuss the path to a more inclusive future.