International Women’s Day celebrations at ICRISAT
Participants at the ‘How Can I?’ workshop. Photo: G Shashikanth
Women scientists at ICRISAT expressed their hopes and highlighted their struggles in their area of work in a series of videos called “What it’s like to be a woman working in science”. Watch here.
At ICRISAT-India, we celebrated with a week of activities with a workshop to empower self-beliefs; a self-defense training session; a panel discussion titled Health| Nutrition| Fitness; and a cooking show underlining millet as a source of nutrition and diversified food choices.
The Health| Nutrition| Fitness panelists: (L-R) Ms Joanna Kane-Potaka (Director of External Relations and Strategic Marketing, ICRISAT), Ms Purnima R (Athlete Founder, WOW Fitness), Dr Jyothi Kankanala (Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Citizen’s Hospital) and Mr Sridhar Iriventi (Founder Director, GoBhaarati Agro). Photo: S. Punna
Mr Sridhar Iriventi also gave a live demonstration of cooking a millets-based dish. Photo: S. Punna
In Bamako, Mali, the ICRISAT Women’s Forum discussed (i) Development plans for women’s scientific careers as well as work-life balance and (ii) Women’s contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – especially SDGs 1 (Zero Hunger) and 5 (Gender equality).
The discussion, a tree-planting event and a hands-on self-defense session for women by Mr Batta Maiga (ICRISAT Security Officer) were part of a conference inaugurated by Dr Lilian Nkengla (Visiting Scientist – Gender Research) and attended by ICRISAT Regional Director and many other scientists. Photos: A. Diama
At the Lycée Notre Dame du Niger college for Girls, Bamako, the Women’s Forum held inspiring discussions on women in science, with many Forum members sharing their experiences as women scientists in today’s world.
They then spent time at Pouponnière, a center for abandoned children and orphans, where they also donated cereals and groundnut flour ‘Misola’ prepared by a women’s association and ICRISAT partner in Kolokani.
Dr Keita Djeneba Konaté holding the attention of young women at Lycée Notre Dame du Niger. Photos: A. Diama
Women’s Forum members at a children’s center.
Finally, the Women’s Forum paid a visit to the Bollé Center for Female Detention, Reeducation and Reintegration. The Center asked for assistance in reopening their ‘Agropastoral Unit’ which has been closed down due to lack of resources.
In Kenya, visiting schoolchildren suffering from cerebral palsy, women staff from ICRISAT-Nairobi learnt about inclusive diversity, targeting of effort and meeting community needs.
ICRISAT-Nigeria staff at Dr Ribiero Primary School, Nairobi. Photo: EM Njuguna
To underscore the important event, Dr Peter Carberry, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals, delivered a poignant message and stressed on going beyond diagnosis to transforming women’s lives in drylands. He spoke on how the gender perspective is embedded in the research design, planning and outcomes. Watch his video message here.
All in all, it was an eventful and insightful couple of days of celebrating women, their achievements, challenges and aspirations, across the world in India as well as Africa.
