Centre for Women's Development Studies
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| Type | ICSSR supported Research Institute |
|---|---|
| Established | 1980 |
| Chairperson | Kumud Sharma |
| Director | Indu Agnihotri |
| Location | Gole Market, New Delhi, Delhi, India |
| Nickname | CWDS |
| Website | http://www.cwds.ac.in |
The Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS) was founded in 1980 by a group of scholars and activists committed to expanding and transforming accepted notions of gender-related research and action across the social sciences. The establishment of the Centre was a direct outcome of the experiences of its founders—some of them had been an integral part of the path-breaking Towards Equality (Report of the Committee on the Status of Women in India, 1974) while others had participated in the Indian Council of Social Science Research's introduction of women's studies (1976–80).
Through its research, action, documentation, training and networking in the intervening years, the Centre has been steadily deepening its critical analyses of trends and issues related to women and gender. Seeking new directions in feminist scholarship, its faculty have initiated and facilitated multi-disciplinary explorations, found new institutional partners as well as shared its research findings with a growing network of scholars and activists. In response to the major economic, political and cultural shifts and unanticipated challenges that have brought us into the twenty-first century, CWDS is effecting a synergy between existing concerns and new compulsions.
The CWDS is among the most well-known institutions committed to the theory and practice of women's studies and gender justice in the region. It consists of a faculty with diverse research interests, actively promotes advocacy and policy interventions, and houses an impressive library and documentation centre. Located in the heart of New Delhi, the Centre attracts scholars, students, activists, and many others from India and abroad who draw on its resources and varied expertise.
The major activities of the Centre include: In its formative years, an underlying commitment of the CWDS was to play the role of catalyst, stimulating processes which would work towards the constitutional goals of women's equality and participation in all aspects of national life. The early research projects of the Centre – on land rights, women's work, natural resources, the law, and family strategies (to name a few) – as well as its action project in West Bengal have reflected a quest to better understand the forces at play in Indian society from the perspectives of women’s lives, especially the most disenfranchised.
Since then, the Centre has seen an accretion in its staff as well as in the spread of activities and interests. Some broad research areas of the current faculty include:
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