“Pandemic Support Week: Meeting with the Expert” Webinars Completed

The "Pandemic Support Week: Meeting with the Expert" training program organized by the Cyprus International University Women and Gender Studies Research Center (WGSRC) and attracted attention, took place from July 20 to July 25, 2020.

5 different seminars were organized
Providing information about the program, WGSRC Director Asst. Prof. Dr. Mihrican Aylanç noted that with the “Meeting with Experts Program”, the second wave process and the individual and social effects of the post-pandemic period were evaluated by experts for 6 days and socio-psychological support was provided for all individuals, especially for women and children affected by the pandemic.

In the opening session of the first day, Aylanç evaluated the effects of COVID-19 on women and emphasized the increasing domestic violence. She also expressed that this process created negative effects on women's welfare, physical and mental health as well as their participation in social and economic development and leadership skills.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Aylanç mentioned that the violence that emerged as a dark feature of the pandemic in question was a challenge for our values, resilience, and shared humanity. “In the fight against coronavirus, practices that will reveal the visibility of the burdens that women should deal with during this mandatory change and recovery process, produce policies that rearrange combating violence against women as basic services, create support budgets and serve gender equality should be targeted,” she said.

Active participation took place
In the program, seminars by Asst. Prof. Dr. Gürcan Seç; Overcoming Close Relationship Barriers at Home, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nihan Tezer; Nomad; Pandemic and Child Mental Health, Asst. Prof. Dr. Eliz Volkan; Psychological Sensitivity and Resilience in the Pandemic Process, Asst. Prof. Dr. Muazzez Merve Avcıoğlu, Pandemic from the Perspective of Psychology: Regarding Normal and Abnormal and Asst. Prof. Dr. Şerife Özbiler; Parents' Well-being after the Pandemic, took place, respectively.

During the support week, mainly, the methods of protecting individuals' psychological health and close relationship conflicts within their homes were discussed. The ways of dealing with the various problems expressed by the participants and solutions were emphasized. At the end of the training program, carried out online during the support week, in which active participation was observed, participants were presented a certificate of participation.