Women despite comprising half of the world population are at the margins in terms of access and control over resources, in decision-making, in getting the right place in society. This calls for a multipronged approach with intense will-power, commitment and well worked strategy to bring about a change. The Women’s Unit has a special place within the Research Department and the Institute, keeping in focus the situation of women in society at large.
All activities of the Women’s Unit are planned keeping the target groups in mind. The programmes are either action oriented, i.e., having the component (ways and means) to counteract the ill-effects of various existing and emerging forces on the oppressed masses, or they intend to bring the reality to the fore in terms of facts and figures, related to effects of these forces/factor. The Institute’s mission and focus on women are translated into ‘work’ by having a unit -- this emphasizes studies and training on women, human rights, gender justice, gender sensitiveness and gender just society.
The Unit has a mission to work for a dignified and decent human existence for women, by enhancing their capacities in terms of awareness-generation, participation in decision-making processes, raising questions to the development paradigms and searching for alternatives. Since women form part of the target group in different units of the Institute like Human Rights Unit, Dalit and Tribal Unit, Rural and Urban Development Unit, sometimes the progammes are done in collaboration. Main activities of the Unit are research; working for the publication of Women’s Link, (a quarterly journal of the Institute), writing for various magazines and journals; organizing and participating in seminars, workshops, consultations; trainings (at the Institute and at field level); advocacy networking with like minded organizations and presentations within and outside the Institute.
Updated July 17, 2008
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