Centre for Social Research
Encyclopedia
The Centre for Social Research (CSR), established in 1983, is an advocacy group for women based in New Delhi
, India
. The group tries to bring attention and justice to all marginalized and underprivileged areas
of society
. They offer services to women and girls throughout the country, and focus on restructuring gender relations
with the aim of creating a more humane
, equitable and gender-just society.
through capacity building
and training-related activities. GTI’s trainings investigate gendered interactions happening in other areas of life like media
, economy
, politics
and culture
. Leadership skills and the ability to address gender issues in their lives and that of society will be passed on to participants. With the support of the United Nations Democracy Fund
(UNDEF), GTI also founded a program “Enhancing the Role of Women in Strengthening Democracy", where 1000 women leaders were geared up to run for and serve in state and national political offices. Crisis Intervention Centres (CICs) are also managed under the understanding that fighting gender-based violence
involves direct assistance as well as sensitization and mobilization of grassroots communities.
GTI has also implemented a project on "Promotion of Women's Rights through Networking, Lobbying, Advocacy and Capacity Building". The 3rd phase of the project was successfully completed with as much success on initiating the 4th phase of the project which incorporated Men and boys in the process. Another initiative of GTI was to commence the first one of its kind online course launched on "Training women in leadership and Democracy" which was well received by students and the media.
. CSR has successfully implemented the Meri Shakti, Meri Beti (My Daughter, My Strength) project to reduce pre-natal sex selection
. It has organized over 40 Community Outreach Programs, nine Community Watch Group meetings, two Expert Group meetings and one Interface Workshop in the Kurukshetra district
of Haryana
state.
The second workshop for the Meri Shakti, Meri Beti project was initiated by Manasi Mishra who emphasized issues regarding the social and economic implications of pre-natal sex selection
. Results indicated 100 students had signed the petition and pledged to support the prevention of female foeticide in their communities. In addition, a continuous effort is made by reaching out to the public, creating awareness through campaigns and workshops to increase the sex ratio. These will also serve as educating materials to the local communities in encouraging their taking a stand against sex selection
.
. With such project initiatives, CSR managed to provide education for over 2500 adolescent girls and more than 9000 women in the year 2003.
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The group tries to bring attention and justice to all marginalized and underprivileged areas
Underprivileged area score
The Underprivileged Area Score is an indicy to measure socio-economic variation across small geographical areas. The score is an outcome of the need identified in the Acheson Committee Report , to create an indicy to identify 'underprivileged areas' where there were high numbers of patients and...
of society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
. They offer services to women and girls throughout the country, and focus on restructuring gender relations
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
with the aim of creating a more humane
Humane Society
A humane society may be a group that aims to stop human or animal suffering due to cruelty or other reasons, although in many countries, it is now used mostly for societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals...
, equitable and gender-just society.
Empowerment of Women
Founded in 1997, the Gender Training Institute (GTI) strives to facilitate the empowerment of women and social justiceSocial justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
through capacity building
Capacity building
Capacity building also referred to as capacity development is a conceptual approach to development that focuses on understanding the obstacles that inhibit people, governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations from realizing their developmental goals while enhancing...
and training-related activities. GTI’s trainings investigate gendered interactions happening in other areas of life like media
Media
Media may refer to:- Communications :* Media , tools used to store and deliver information or data** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising...
, economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
, politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
. Leadership skills and the ability to address gender issues in their lives and that of society will be passed on to participants. With the support of the United Nations Democracy Fund
United Nations Democracy Fund
The United Nations Democracy Fund was established by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in July 2005 at the African Union Summit in Sirte, Libya, as a United Nations General Trust Fund under his authority. Its primary purpose is to support democratization throughout the world...
(UNDEF), GTI also founded a program “Enhancing the Role of Women in Strengthening Democracy", where 1000 women leaders were geared up to run for and serve in state and national political offices. Crisis Intervention Centres (CICs) are also managed under the understanding that fighting gender-based violence
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
involves direct assistance as well as sensitization and mobilization of grassroots communities.
GTI has also implemented a project on "Promotion of Women's Rights through Networking, Lobbying, Advocacy and Capacity Building". The 3rd phase of the project was successfully completed with as much success on initiating the 4th phase of the project which incorporated Men and boys in the process. Another initiative of GTI was to commence the first one of its kind online course launched on "Training women in leadership and Democracy" which was well received by students and the media.
Eliminating Sex Selection
Eliminating Female infanticide in long term will resolve the biasness towards sex selectionSex selection
Sex selection is the attempt to control the sex of the offspring to achieve a desired sex. It can be accomplished in several ways, both pre- and post-implantation of an embryo, as well as at birth...
. CSR has successfully implemented the Meri Shakti, Meri Beti (My Daughter, My Strength) project to reduce pre-natal sex selection
Sex selection
Sex selection is the attempt to control the sex of the offspring to achieve a desired sex. It can be accomplished in several ways, both pre- and post-implantation of an embryo, as well as at birth...
. It has organized over 40 Community Outreach Programs, nine Community Watch Group meetings, two Expert Group meetings and one Interface Workshop in the Kurukshetra district
Kurukshetra district
Kurukshetra district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in northern India. The town of Kurukshetra, a sacred place for the Hindus, is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district occupies an area of 1682.53 km². The district has a population of 825,454...
of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
state.
The second workshop for the Meri Shakti, Meri Beti project was initiated by Manasi Mishra who emphasized issues regarding the social and economic implications of pre-natal sex selection
Sex selection
Sex selection is the attempt to control the sex of the offspring to achieve a desired sex. It can be accomplished in several ways, both pre- and post-implantation of an embryo, as well as at birth...
. Results indicated 100 students had signed the petition and pledged to support the prevention of female foeticide in their communities. In addition, a continuous effort is made by reaching out to the public, creating awareness through campaigns and workshops to increase the sex ratio. These will also serve as educating materials to the local communities in encouraging their taking a stand against sex selection
Sex selection
Sex selection is the attempt to control the sex of the offspring to achieve a desired sex. It can be accomplished in several ways, both pre- and post-implantation of an embryo, as well as at birth...
.
CSR and Women’s Education
One of the projects under CSR is to provide free education to underprivileged children specifically targeted at girls. CSR operates several schools such as a primary school Parivartan Praveshika in Etawah that aims to provide primary school education for girls who have never attended school or had early drop-outs. Furthermore, CSR has an adult literacy program that functions as a non-formal education and also counseling regarding violence against womenViolence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
. With such project initiatives, CSR managed to provide education for over 2500 adolescent girls and more than 9000 women in the year 2003.