Srinagar: Centre for Women’s Studies and Research (CWSR), University of Kashmir, in collaboration with Child Guidance and Well Being Centre, Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience, (IMHANS) Kashmir organised a one-day workshop on the theme “Gender Perspective and Mental Health”.
Prof M Yousuf Ganai, Dean Social Science KU and Dr Mohammad Maqbool Dar, Head Department-Psychiatry, IMHANS-Kashmir, were chief guests at the inaugural session, where Director CWSR Prof Tabasum Firdous delivered a welcome address.
Prof Firdous introduced the theme of the workshop and highlighted various mental health issues and their relation with gender. She said gender differences are found for psychological distress, anxiety and depression with girls reporting significantly higher scores than boys.
In his address, Prof Ganai talked about wellbeing of people and also referred to various mental health problems among people in general and women in particular.
Dr Muhammad Maqbool Dar presented a brief introduction about the working of IMHANS and highlighted how it is helping women to come out from various mental health challenges. He talked about various welfare initiatives being taken at IMHANS for betterment of women and children.
Two technical sessions were held in consonance with the workshop theme.
Dr Roshan Ara, Assistant Professor, CWSR analysed mental health from a gender perspective and stressed on how gender is a critical determinant of mental health and mental illness.
Muzamil Ahmad, Programme Coordinator-IMHANS Kashmir gave a brief counselling session on rejection therapy and said it can help in overcoming the wounds caused in social relations.
Dr Atiya Resident-Psychiatry, IMHANS-Kashmir highlighted the pattern and prevalence of mental health concerns among males and females in Kashmir.
Touseef Rashid Social Worker-Psychiatry, IMHANS-Kashmir discussed how mental health issues are taking a toll on young adolescent females. Nasirah Hamid Counsellor, IMHANS-Kashmir highlighted how we can cope up with the mental health crisis.
