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.
The inaugural session featured Prof. Ameena Tahseen (Seminar Director), Dr. Mohammad Rizwan (Director, CSR), and Prof. Shahida (Dean, SA & SS). Day One featured a talk by Dr. Anindita Majumdar (IIT Hyderabad) and a plenary by Dr. Sheela Suryanarayanan (University of Hyderabad) on surrogacy contracts and mothers’ experiences in India. Technical Session II, “Feminism, Motherhood, and Beyond,” included a plenary by Dr. Rohaiza Rokis (International Islamic University, Malaysia).
Day Two opened with Technical Session III, “ART and Religious Discourse: Navigating Need and Faith,” featuring a plenary by Dr. Sayyed Mohamed Muhsin on Sunni-Islam bioethics and Maqasid Ash-Shariah. Technical Session IV featured Dr. Roya Rozati on the ART Act Law. The final session, “Listening to Surrogates,” examined psychosocial impacts and legal rights of surrogates globally.
Dr. Ayesha Alvi (CSR, New Delhi) presented the conference report. Dr. Q. Annie Hasan delivered the chief guest address on genetics and molecular medicine. The presidential address was delivered by Prof. Sk. Ishtiaque Ahmed, Registrar of MANUU.