Completed · Conferences
Exploring the Impact of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) on Women and Motherhood — 16 – 17 January 2025
An international conference with the Department of Women Education, MANUU, on technological innovation, bioethics, and the socio-cultural repercussions of assisted reproduction for women and motherhood.
About the event
Overview
The international conference titled “Exploring the Impact of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) on Women and Motherhood” was organised by the Department of Women Education, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Centre for Study and Research (CSR), New Delhi. The event served as an intellectual crucible for discussing the intersection of technological innovation, ethical quandaries, and the socio-cultural repercussions on women’s lives and the conceptualisation of motherhood.
The conference sought to unravel the transformative impact of technologies such as artificial wombs, surrogacy, and gene editing on women’s identity and agency, and opened up the complex questions these raise for feminist discourse and classical paradigms of parenthood. Religious perspectives and cross-cultural attitudes toward assisted reproduction were also explored in depth.
In the valedictory session, Dr. Ayesha Alvi (CSR, New Delhi) presented the conference report, Dr. Q. Annie Hasan delivered the chief guest address on genetics and molecular medicine, and the presidential address was given by Prof. Sk. Ishtiaque Ahmed, Registrar of MANUU.
Programme
Sessions & speakers
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Inaugural
Opening session
Framing the conference theme and its interdisciplinary stakes.
Prof. Ameena Tahseen (Seminar Director), Dr. Mohammad Rizwan (Director, CSR), Prof. Shahida (Dean, SA & SS)
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Session I
Surrogacy contracts and mothers' experiences in India
A talk and plenary on the lived experience of surrogacy arrangements.
Dr. Anindita Majumdar (IIT Hyderabad); Dr. Sheela Suryanarayanan (University of Hyderabad)
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Session II
Feminism, Motherhood, and Beyond
Feminist theory on reproduction, agency, and parenthood.
Dr. Rohaiza Rokis — International Islamic University, Malaysia
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Session III
ART and Religious Discourse: Navigating Need and Faith
Sunni-Islam bioethics and Maqasid Ash-Shariah.
Dr. Sayyed Mohamed Muhsin
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Session IV
The ART Act and its regulation
Legal architecture governing assisted reproduction in India.
Dr. Roya Rozati
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Session V
Listening to Surrogates
Psychosocial impacts and the legal rights of surrogates in global perspective.
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Valedictory
Conference report and closing addresses
Report presentation, chief guest address, and presidential address.
Dr. Ayesha Alvi (CSR); Dr. Q. Annie Hasan; Prof. Sk. Ishtiaque Ahmed (Registrar, MANUU)
Key themes
What the programme engages
- Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Women's Agency
- Surrogacy: Ethics, Law, and Lived Experience
- Artificial Wombs and Feminist Theory
- Religious (Islamic) Bioethics and Maqasid
- Reproductive Tourism and Exploitation
- ART and Family Structures
- Psychosocial Impact on Surrogate Mothers
Participants
Guests & speakers
- Prof. Ameena Tahseen — Seminar Director, MANUU
- Dr. Mohammad Rizwan — Director, CSR New Delhi
- Dr. Anindita Majumdar — IIT Hyderabad
- Dr. Sheela Suryanarayanan — University of Hyderabad
- Dr. Rohaiza Rokis — International Islamic University, Malaysia
- Dr. Sayyed Mohamed Muhsin — Plenary Speaker
- Dr. Roya Rozati — ART Act Expert
- Dr. Fariza Md Shams — UKM, Malaysia
- Dr. Ayesha Alvi — CSR, New Delhi
- Dr. Q. Annie Hasan — Chief Guest
- Prof. Sk. Ishtiaque Ahmed — Registrar, MANUU
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