BHARAT DIALOGUES WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT & AWARDS 2024: ELEVATING MENTAL HEALTH DISCOURSE IN INDIA
New Delhi(04/03/2024): The Bharat Dialogues Women’s Mental Health Summit & Awards (WMHSA) 2024, set to be hosted at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024, marks a pioneering move towards addressing mental health concerns among women in India.
This flagship event is curated to create a transformative dialogue and action plan to enhance the mental health landscape across the nation. At a time when mental health issues among women are gaining critical attention, WMHSA 2024 aims to break down the existing barriers in the mental health sector through a trans disciplinary approach.
It seeks to enrich the knowledge pool, catalyse impactful collaborations, and advance the collective goal to ameliorate mental health care in India, making it a vital assembly for professionals, survivors, and advocates in the mental health space. Pooja Priyamvada and Vivek Satya Mitram, the co-founders of Bharat Dialogues, underscore the significance of such a summit in the current Indian context: Pooja Priyamvada, reflecting on the need for WMHSA, states, "In a country where the narrative around mental health is steadily evolving, initiatives like WMHSA 2024 are not just necessary; they are imperative.
By bringing together the brightest minds and the most resilient spirits in the mental health arena, we aim not only to catalyse a shift in discourse but to cultivate a plethora that addresses the nuanced mental health needs of women in India." Vivek Satya Mitram adds, "The statistics around women's mental health in India reveal a pressing challenge but also an opportunity for substantial impact.
WMHSA 2024 is envisioned as a platform where the convergence of ideas, experiences, and strategies can create a holistic and sustainable impact on mental health policies and practices.
It’s about creating a shared vision for a future where mental health is prioritised, and support systems are both robust and accessible." This summit intends to congregate a diverse group of participants, including senior mental health practitioners, innovative professionals, renowned educators, dedicated social workers, startup founders, and courageous survivors, to facilitate one of India’s most distinguished platforms for recognising excellence, stimulating dialogue, and strengthening networks within the mental health community. The Urgency Behind WMHSA 2024: Statistics underscore the critical need for such an event: Approximately 7.5% of Indian women suffer from major mental health conditions, with almost 50% experiencing at least one mental health episodet throughout their lifetime.
Women are disproportionally affected by mental health disorders compared to men, with incidences of one in five women and one in eight men. Among young women aged 16 to 24, over a quarter experience common mental health issues weekly. Target Audience and Beneficiaries: Stakeholders across the mental health spectrum, Mental health practitioners, including psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and counselors; Entities such as hospitals, clinics, academic institutions, foundations, and NGOs; Media representatives, journalists, online platforms; Education professionals and students specialising in psychology;Startups focusing on mental health, along with their founders and key personnel; Women’s organisations, NGOs, and entities creating women-centric products. WMHSA 2024 Agenda: With an inclusive audience that encompasses every stakeholder in mental health, from practitioners and organisations to media and educators, WMHSA 2024 is structured to ignite conversations, foster learning, and highlight innovative solutions through keynote sessions, industry presentations, interactive panels, and awards. Keynote Addresses: Insights from leading voices in mental health including NIMHANS director Dr Pratima Murthy, Fortis National Mental Health Program’s chairperson Dr Samir Parikh, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist from Moolchand Medicity, Dr Jitender Nagpal, mental health activist Aparna Piramal Raje and IHBAS’s former director Dr Nimesh Desai. Speeches/ Fireside Chats and Panel Discussions:Interactive and in-depth discussions on pivotal topics around challenges of women, mental health practitioners and the startups working in this space.
Some of the key speakers & panelists include noted women rights activist Dr Ranjana Kumari, Bollywood film director Tanuja Chandra, renowned psychologist Dr Kamna Chhibber, Bharat Express News Network CMD & Editor-In-Chief Upendra Rai.
Awards Ceremony: Recognition of exceptional contributions to mental health by honouring individuals and organisations. Anticipated Outcomes: Anticipated to act as a catalyst for change, WMHSA 2024 aims to drive policy reforms and societal attitude shifts towards mental health.
It seeks to be a nexus for networking and collaboration that can transform the mental health ecosystem in India.
Participants can expect unparalleled networking opportunities, enabling cross-sectoral collaborations that are vital for the progressive transformation of the mental health ecosystem in India.
