In honour of International Women's Day, the University’s Women of Westminster (WoW) network in partnership with the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team hosted a Women's wellness session.
The session began with a guided breathwork workshop with Dr Tina Cartwright, Chartered Health Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the University. This vital practice set the tone for the entire event and created an environment of calm and safety.
Attendees were given optional craft supplies to boost creative expression and increase engagement, catering for different learning needs. As topics on health can be complex, the team encouraged participants to use the resources to break down the information and engage in an activity that helped them better understand and appreciate it.
This was followed by a short session on the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) experience of menopause with Dr Ferhat Uddin and Dr Naziha Khawaja. Dr Uddin and Dr Khawaja are General Practitioners with a specific focus on women’s health, who deliver grassroots knowledge sharing sessions on menopause to marginalised communities on a voluntary basis. They were also available afterwards to continue discussions with attendees.
The event concluded with a lived experience interview on endometriosis with WoW Co-Chair Sevgi Sarialtin in conversation with Dr Laura Boubert, Principal Lecturer and Teaching Fellow in Cognitive Science. Attendees learnt about the depth of the condition and heard about how best to support colleagues who are experiencing symptoms.
About the session, Sevgi said: “Talking about my lived experience with endometriosis wasn’t easy but being surrounded by colleagues who genuinely uplift one another made it feel safe, healing and comfortable. I walked in scared and nervous, and I walked out feeling lighter, supported and hopeful.”
Clare Peterson, EDI Manager at the University, added: “Such a great event that created valuable space for open conversation, shared learning and practical support around the health experiences that shape women’s working lives.
“The mix of expert insight and lived experience on endometriosis helped us to see how deeply it can affect every aspect of women’s lives, underlining the key role that the University plays in providing meaningful support. Huge thanks to WoW for putting such a valuable event.”
Dr Miriam Dwek, Director for the College for Research and Knowledge Exchange, added: “It was fantastic to come together to celebrate International Women’s Day. The afternoon was a perfect blend - both educational as well as social. It was great to see so many colleagues and students from across Westminster. I personally learnt a lot about endometriosis, both the physical and personal impacts of this less well-understood disorder. It was also good to hear from our colleagues in People, Culture and Wellbeing about how they are supporting managers when colleagues return to work following extended periods of leave. Thank you again to WoW for this wonderful event.”
The session directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Wellbeing. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about upcoming Equality, Diversity and Inclusion events at the University of Westminster.
