Ever felt the need to apologise? #unapologeticallywomen2022

Ever felt the need to apologise?

for all that other stuff you’ve got going on? Well hold that thought… 

Join us for WHEN’s annual conference – online 13-17 June 2022. 

Of the 12 workshops taking place during the conference, we couldn’t help notice a pattern: overcoming shame. There will be opportunity to hear stories of empowerment as a result of feelings of shame as a result of different types of coercion. 

Overcoming a sense of shame that we seem to burden ourselves with. It’s time to address that burden, working with women from inside the sector and out, all with incredible stories to tell, unique experiences you can learn from and skills they are willing to share with us all. No topic is off limits. We’re coming together as a collective of women to discuss the things that are often hidden away. And when topics are taboo, it can add to that sense of shame.

Amongst these stories, will be Rima Hussein, Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University, who will focus on domestic abuse and reforms required to the family law court system while Sian Lunt – Faculty Director of Operations, The Bartlett, Faculty of the Built Environment, UCL – will cover the subject of sexual assault.

One incredibly powerful speaker will be Jasvinder Sanghera CBE who co-founded Karma Nirvana, a national project that supports men and women affected by honour-based crimes and forced marriages. Spending many years attempting to remove the stigma of shame, Jasvinder is now an internationally renowned inspirational speaker, she has presented a TED talk and been on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. Jasvinder also acts as an expert witness to courts and conducts independent reviews related to murder cases and suicides of South Asian women.

An author of three books – ‘Shame’, ‘Daughters of Shame’ and ‘Shame Travels’ – Jasvinder was promised into a marriage at just eight years old, which she learned about when she was 14. In 2014, forced marriage became a criminal offence but this came too late for Jasvinder who was disowned by her family when she rejected the marriage. When Jasvinder gave birth to her first child Natasha at 19, her mother was persuaded to visit the hospital but sat with her back to her the whole time. Jasvinder says it was her daughter who put her “on the path of true meaning about what a mother should be”. 

Jasvinder has said that she feels “empowered by the knowledge that I stand taller with no shame 35 years after disownment, still standing and honouring my decision to say no to a forced marriage. My speaking out has created changes for others.” 

Open up your mind and raise your awareness by hearing Rima, Sian, Jasvinder and others speak at the WHEN conference by signing up now

You’ll join 250 women in universities across the UK – exploring topics often specific to women including pronouns, microaggressions, fertility and parenting, the menopause and so much more.

Among the many superb speakers will be: 

  • Prof Sue Black OBE, Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist, Durham University
  • Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE, Business leader and active campaigner for gender equality
  • Maria Hussain, Lecturer and co-Chair of the Muslim staff Network, Leeds University
  • Dr Jess Wade, Research Fellow, Imperial College London, Campaigner tackling bias on Wikipedia
  • Jenny Rampling, Chair of the Women’s Network, University of Cambridge
  • Melody Stephen, General Secretary and Chair of the Board of trustees, University of Manchester SU

Register now for the early bird rate – available until 31 May 2022 – of £95 for WHEN members and £150 for non-members. 

To find out more about the conference and to see other speakers at the event, go to: https://www.whenequality.org/conference-2022

We know some of our members might not feel comfortable talking about all of these topics, but we have done or best to make sure that all women* will find something they will find empowering.