CAMH runs an academic course on "Gender and mental health" every year in Pune. The course was developed as a response to a huge need felt by women's collectives, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, research, teaching institutions and diverse kinds of professional agencies to develop perspective and understanding in a core area of women's health. The first of its kind in India, this course fills an important gap in social science, mental health, development, advocacy and policy thinking on gender and mental health.

The course is useful to:
	Professionals and activists working in the women's health and empowerment sector or with other vulnerable groups
	Program managers in NGOS or in the government sector, who want to expand their work in mental health
	Mental health professionals and doctors wishing to be sensitized to the gender aspects of their practice
	Professionals in law and human rights advocacy who want to be updated on developments in the mental health area
	Staff and officials working in the area of mental health service development and policy
	Researchers in the mental health field

Scope, structure and the methodology of the course

The course, the first of its kind in India, covers the area of gender, reproductive health, sexuality, policy, law and advocacy, in the specific context of mental health. The course places mental health within the overall health, development, and women's rights context. The course tries to effect a paradigm shift in conventional thinking about mental health in bringing a user-centered, woman-centered and human rights perspective. The course provides up to date research materials and current evidence base for background readings and seminars.

Divided into modules, the course provides perspective, develops concepts and practical skills in the participants. The course will enable participants to use the concepts of gender in the field of mental health and process knowledge relevant to the field. Participants will develop ways of dealing with common mental health problems in their community work and integrate mental health in their ongoing programs. Participants will be able to relate to and deal with human rights issues in mental health as a part of their ongoing work.