Three LAMIC registrants were presented with Early Career Travel Award Scholarships to attend the Congress:
Vandita Shanbhag from India
Tesera Bitew from Ethiopia
Ekin Sönmez from Turkey
They shared their experiences from the Congress. Vandita Shanbhag shared her experiences yesterday.
Dr. Ekin Sönmez, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
March 7, 2019 - A remarkable moment of the day was when we heard the dramatic story of the French artist Jeanne Hébuterne, a delicate woman who has committed suicide while she was pregnant when the father of her child, Italian painter Amadeo Modigliani. This example from the early 20th century provided how issues related to women's mental health are reflected in art and humanities. Initiatives aiming to prevent mental disorders at a very critical moment in parents' and babies' lives were highlighted in several symposia and workshops.
Very up-to-date research findings were presented, from a new molecule with a different profile of action which could have a potential in treating postpartum depression to the impact of hormonal changes in the course of life.
Also throughout the day presentations have had a "sobering" effect on the audience, especially those on issues related to women's mental health on different parts of the world, including early marriages, regional conflicts and humanitarian emergencies.
Tesera Bitew Fenta (PhD) in Mental Health Epidemiology, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
I am glad to have a chance to participate in the 8th congress of International Association for Women’s Mental Health (IAWMH), in Paris, France. I won the IAWMH grant which was meant to cover expenses during the conference for low and middle income country researchers. It was this grant that helped and encouraged me to participate in the congress. In the conference, globally recognized researchers presented scientific findings using the latest world art of knowledge in the area. For me as an audience it was an incredible opportunity to: (1) share latest scientific information in the area like environmental and biological effects of mental health, global experience of ways of prevention and intervention, etc); (2) understand the global focus of research and the potential gaps in prenatal mental health, so that I can plan for my career; (3) get mentorship from globally recognized scientists and network with other colleagues; (4) visit Paris, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and get personal pleasure. The aggregate of all these opportunities hope would brighten my future career development in the area of perinatal mental health. Besides, in the time of globalization, states cannot be efficient and effective with their independent effort separated from the globe. Thus, my participation will be an input to my home country so that I can reflect what was globally going on in the area of perinatal mental health. Generally, I think it is important if the congress can support more grants for the coming conferences to researchers from Low and Middle income countries so that there would be more chance for LMICs delegates to take part in the conference. However, IAWMH conference shortage of grant to LMICs researchers should not be by any means a reason to miss such wonderful global scientific discussion.
