The Department of Women Education, MANUU, in collaboration with the Centre for Study and Research (CSR), New Delhi, successfully organised a two-day International Conference titled “Women’s Agency and Knowledge Production: Reclaiming Socio-Religious Frameworks in Contemporary Discourse” on 29–30 January 2026. The conference critically engaged with questions of women’s agency, epistemology, authority, and empowerment within socio-religious and contemporary knowledge frameworks. Scholars, academicians, and research scholars from institutions across India and abroad participated.
The conference commenced with Tilawat-e-Qur’an. Dr. Shabana Kesar (Head, Dept. of Women Education, MANUU) delivered the Welcome Address. Dr. Mohd. Rizwan (Director, CSR) contextualised the theme and emphasised the need for interdisciplinary engagement with gender and knowledge production. Prof. Deepak Kumar (Honorary Professor, MANUU) reflected on historical perspectives of women’s intellectual contributions. The Keynote Address was delivered by Prof. Azra Abidi (Head, Dept. of Sociology, JMI). The Presidential Address was by Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of MANUU.
Four technical sessions chaired respectively by Prof. Ameena Tahseen, Dr. Mohd. Rizwan, Prof. Danish, and Prof. Md. Athar Hussain covered: women’s epistemic authority and reformist thought; Qur’anic concepts and historical models of women’s educational agency; historical legacies, feminist critiques, higher education, and digital media; and institutional ecosystems, teacher empowerment, and NEP 2020 policy frameworks.
The Conference Report was presented by Dr. Shabana Kesar. Prof. P. H. Mohammad (Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences, MANUU) served as Guest of Honour. Certificates were distributed to paper presenters. Vote of thanks by Dr. Mujtaba Farooq.