Seminar: Diversity and Creative Social Change

You are invited to our Seminar: Diversity and Creative Social Change, School of Social Sciences (Flyer attached).

• Date: Friday, 17^th February 2023
• Time: 1:00pm to 2:00pm
• Location: Building EB, Level 3, Room EB.3.33A (CLS), Parramatta South Campus
• Title: Pragati: co-constructing pathways towards sustainable development

Abstract: Located in the reserved forest zone adjacent to Thansa water reservoir, there are several padas (hamlets) where people live without basic facilities and poor access to resources. Despite their location adjacent to a reservoir, there is water scarcity and women walk miles to fetch water. With increasing droughts, and the inability to cope with the livestock and farm-based income, seasonal migration became a reality where most of the men and adolescents migrated to adjacent peri-urban areas. Continuing to work on health as an isolated concern became a huge challenge for the project Pragati. With the realization, that enhanced income/assets and access to resources, community mobilizing and organizing are key aspects for health promotion, the project co-constructed pathways to intervene on development and social disparity issues. The talk will highlight on the re-strategizing efforts, impact and the insights to feed back to community based models working on health.

Biographical Statement: Dr. Asha Banu Soletti is currently Professor at the Centre for Health and Mental Health, School of Social Work (SSW), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. She is also the Dean, Student's Affairs, TISS. She was the Chairperson of the Centre for Health and Mental Health (CHMH), SSW, from 2012 to 2018. She teaches Master's level courses in Public Health and Mental Health. Her research projects and field engagements focus on understanding, evolving and strengthening interventions addressing the social determinants of health, with special focus on marginalised communities. Her field engagement includes co-constructing community-led interventions for emerging public health concerns in both urban and rural contexts. Presently, she leads Pragati: Integrated Rural Health and Development Project, a Field Action Project, which is located in a tribal belt and caters to the health needs of the Warli and Katkari tribes. She has published on specific issues concerning older adults that explores inequities in later life, elder abuse and ageism.

Please register through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/526081332427