1. Dr. Aravind, P., M.P.H. Program, Achutha Menon Center, Trivandrum, Kerala.
2. Dr. Dinkar Raval, Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat
3. Dr. Gupteshwar Singh, Patna
4. Ms. Bindhulaksmi, HSS Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
5. Ms. Shalini, Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS, Bangalore
6. Dr. Santhosh Clement, CMC, Vellore
7. Ms. Rashmi Gangamma, Clinical Psychologist
8. Suresh Babu R, CMC, Vellore
9. Ms. Bhavna Mehta, WOHTRAC, Baroda
10. Ms. Aruna Burte, Mumbai
11. Ms. Kiran Budhiraja, Baroda
12. Dr. Ashish Gupta, Ashagram Trust, Barwani, M.P.
13. Dr. Anant Bhan Achuta Menon Centre for Health Science Studies Trivandrum, Kerala.
14. Ms. Shreya Bhandari, “Dilaasa”, Mumbai
15. Ms. Purnima Manghnani “Dilaasa” Mumbai
16. Ms. Medha Sharma SEWA Ahmedabad
17. Ms. Veena A.S. Clinical Psychology NIMHANS
18. Ms. Vaishali Zararia, WOHTRAC, Baroda
19. Ms. Shyamli Yogesh Shah, Blind People’s Association, Ahmedabad
20. Ms. Sulochana Pednekar, Sangath Centre,Goa
21. Ms. Aparna Joshi, AROHI, Mumbai
22. Ms. Ketki Ranade, M Phil, MPSW, Seher
23. Ms. Madhura Lohokare, Center for Advocay in Mental Health, Pune
24. Ms. Sonali Wayal, Center for Advocay in Mental Health, Pune
25. Ms. Prabha Nagaraja, TARSHI
26. Prof. G K Vankar Prof of Head, Dept of Psychiatry B J Medical College

• Concept clarity on gender
• Help in developing community outreach programs
• Linkages between gender and mental health
• Identify possible areas for future work
• Research possibilities
• Learn more about the bio psycho social approach with gender perspective
• Perspective building
• Advocacy in mental health
• Knowledge about policy and advocacy issues
• Address mental health issues in the current public health sector
• Clarification about the linkages between the bio-medical and the psycho-social model
• Integrate the linkages between mental health and gender in the work

• 70% have said that their expectations were met
• 30% have said that their expectations were partly met
• None reported that their expectations were at all not met

More time could have been given to the following sessions

• Violence
• Advocacy
• Mental health and law
• Integration

• Hysterectomy of women with mental illness
• Mental health issues of sexual minorities
• Intervention issues
• Historicising women’s movement and link with mental health
• Mental Health Policy
• Mental Health Act
• Training and community mental health needs
• Rights issues
• Specific rights issues concerning clients, i.e. medication, ECT
• Politics of psychiatrists and drugs
• Relation of caste, religion, class with mental health
• Ethical issues in psychiatric practice
• Traditional healing practices

• Very resourceful
• Extensive reading materials
• Readings could be distributed at the beginning of the course
• Very relevant
• Useful
• Source of the materials must be more accurately mentioned

Most of the participants felt that the course duration of one week was just right
Some were of the view that the course could be of 10 days.

• Group work was extremely exciting.
• It enhanced an experiential learning.
• Value clarification exercise was very valuable.
• Bubble exercise was thought provoking.

• Some sessions failed to make the linkages with class, caste and community.
• RH and MH linkages must be made throughout the program, not just in the core sessions.
• Style of presentation of some sessions could be changed.
• Some sessions were too medicalised.
• Time could be managed better.
• Bias against bio-medicine may not always be valid.
• Each session could be started with the aims and objectives, and ended with a brief summary.
• More time needs to be given for extensive discussions among the participants.
• The schedule could be more relaxed in order to avoid covering too many issues on a single day.
• Time to read materials in between sessions is required.
• The course could be done for medical officers and clinicians.
• The program schedule could be expanded.

• Made a personal and professional impact
• Stimulated a lot of thinking
• Learnt about new concepts
• Helped to see many things from the men’s perspective (through interaction with the male participants)
• Inspiration through interaction with the other participants
• Meditation has helped to look into the positive side of life
• Ability to understand mental health issues from a gender perspective
• Clarity on linkages between different concepts