DIRECTOR'S NOTE
Dear Friends,
I wish to start this newsletter by acknowledging a successful completion of thirty-years of unwavered, relentless work towards women’s rights and empowerment and gender equality by Centre for Social Research. We have over the last three decades matured into an entity which since its inception has pivoted its energies around the amelioration of the Indian society.
Indian politics is witnessing a change. Although sustained mobilization by CSR along with other women’s groups once again made political leaders stop short of tabling the Women’s Reservation Bill, our efforts took us a notch higher towards actual realization of political inclusion of women in the Indian democracy. We released the first-ever Gender Manifesto in the country which serves as a ready reference for leaders to address women-related concerns. The Time for #33Percent Coalition made niche news during the Winter Session of the Parliament, making its demands tangible to the Government.
CSR in its determination to end pre natal sex-selection is continuing sustained efforts to establish Community Watch Groups (CWGs) in various pockets of Delhi, amongst other initiatives, through its project "Meri Shakti Meri Beti (MSMB)". The Annual Conference on the MSMB Project was held on December 18th this year at the Indo-Islamic Cultural Centre. CSR team members also participated in a race category under the Airtel Half Marathon to root for Meri Shakti Meri Beti .
Building a gender-sensitive society remains core to our ideals and through our 'Engaging men and boys in countering VAW- A new generation of change makers' Project, we have ensured sustained gender-sensitisation trainings with community men, school boys and police personnel.
Our Gender Resource Centre (GRC) has grown into a self-sustained entity. The first batch of students successfully graduated in the multiple disciplines on offer. We subsequently started the second session with a fresh batch of students in October.
CSR has effectively piloted a training programme designed on climate change and water conservation for the women elected representatives in rural Rajasthan. This project has enabled us in reaching out to women to address the impacts of non-availability or scarcity of potable water in the region.
While violence against women continues unabated and unabashed, our efforts towards countering the assault to the dignity and rights of women will burgeon. I congratulate my team and our supporters for indefatigably bolstering our movement. I hope to see the involvement grow and I invite the contribution of many more to our cause.
Once again, my sincere appreciation of all those who have dreamt of an equal society and through their thoughts and actions shored us up!
Dr. Ranjana Kumari
Jantar Mantar with its historic values of democratic mobilization was consciously chosen by the Research Division, headed by Dr. Manasi Mishra, for a rally on October 30. The rally along with a number of activities such as street play, presentation of case studies, value of counseling, folklore, slogan competition and debating, addressed the issue of sex selection. The participants were from all the eleven districts of Delhi where CSR has successfully established Committee Against Female Foeticide (CAFF) with RWA members & Community Watch Groups (CWGs) among urban slum localities to fight against the issue at the grass root level. Students from schools and colleges where CSR conducted poster & Debate Competitions also joined hands.
The Reserach Division, headed by Dr. Manasi Mishra, has implemented an action-based research programme against gender based sex selection in Delhi. The project, supported by the German Embassy, New Delhi aims to create awareness among the people against the social malpractice of aborting female foetuses by using sex-determination methods. A Conference on gender-based sex selection: Implementation challenges was organised on December 18, 2013.
Dr. Kumari highlighted how the menace of 'sex selective abortion' finds its roots in the flawed psyche of society that assigns an inferior role to girls and women. Girls are perceived as an additional burden on the family and are less desired than boys. It is this flawed mentality itself that is problematic. Society must recognize that for the smooth functioning of society a balance between men and women is necessary. It is when this equilibrium is shaken and lost that violence against women, in the form of rapes, abuse etc are witnessed. Dr. Kumari placed the onus on the youth of the society to bring a change within them and resultantly in the society in order to create a world that is more respectful to women.
On 15 December 2013, through its Research Division headed by Dr. Manasi Mishra, Centre for Social Research (CSR) in collaboration with Airtel India and Concern India Foundation, participated in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) as a part of its "Meri Shakti Meri Beti (MSMB)" project funded by German Embassy. This event has grown over the years and has offered a platform for non-profit organization to leverage and seek support for themselves and their cause. CSR participated in the 6 kilometer long Great Delhi Run to raise awareness regarding the issue of gender based sex selection. The CSR marathon team comprised Sonia Kaur, Anubhuti Vatsayan, Ishita Akhoon, Vikram Sheoran, Shruti, Sweta Singh and Sophie Hardefeldt. Dr. Manasi Mishra was present at the cheering point to boost the morale of the CSR team which was running for the cause of pre-natal sex selection in the country. 
"Alcoholism is one of the major reasons for domestic violence" said Mrs. Chennupati Vidya, former M.P and President, Vasavya Mahila Mandali. She questioned if the policies and schemes were reaching the women at the grassroots. "Their already disadvantaged position disables them from accessing the legal aid."
Centre for Social Research (CSR) has been working in collaboration with Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) to build and implement a training program to educate rural communities in Rajasthan on water conservation and climate change, by training women elected representatives. After the successful completion of first phase of needs assessment the Project entered into its second phase where the Training Module was designed to suit the outcomes of the needs assessment. This Training Module was designed by CSR with valuable inputs from its project partner HSS and SIDART. But, to enhance the module’s working, an evaluation workshop was organised in Jaipur on October 8, 2013 for women elected representatives, project partners and experts in the field of water and climate change. The purpose behind organising this workshop was to receive suggestions for improvements in the training module from not only the experts but also from the elected representatives who everyday deal with the water and climate issues in their area.
Centre for Social Research (CSR) is working in the three villages of Mehandiganj, Kallipur & Bhikharipur in Aaraziline Block, Varanasi, in collaboration with Hindustan Coca Cola Beverage Pvt. Ltd, Varanasi.
Centre for Social Research held a follow-up Gender Sensitization Session with students of Acharya Tulsi Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Chattarpur. There were 25 boys from class XI and XII participating in the discussion.The Program was well planned and executed. During the course of discussion the facilitators, Ms. Anubhuti Vatsayan and Ms. Sonia Kaur Ghuman, explained the issue of patriarchy and types of violence against women with the help of hypothetical examples and short videos. This was an hour long interactive discussion with students participating actively in it. The training took place in an interactive discussion. The sessions tried to be as interactive as possible so that the participants could communicate their perspectives and open up on the issue like Violence against women, Domestic Violence, Patriarchy and how they themselves can be the change or initiate changes around them.
A disaster is an unexpected and undesirable event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses. The differentiated impact of disaster on men and women is primarily caused by the existing gender inequalities manifested. Indeed, it is recognized worldwide that people’s vulnerability to risk depends to a large extent on the assets they have available. In general, women tend to have more limited access to assets – physical, financial, human and social which would enhance their capacity to adapt. Special attention should therefore be paid to enhance women’s capacity to manage risk with view to reducing their vulnerability and increasing their opportunities for development.
A reorientation of approaches and vision, expanding from an exclusive focus on women's concerns to a more holistic view of gender and gender issues was the main objective of the training programme on Gender for the Indian Statistical Services officers.
A seven-member American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) delegation visited CSR in December for a discussion on its innovative i-WIL – Women in Leadership Programme. Dr. Ranjana Kumari hosted the delegation which also explored the status of women in India and steps taken by the Government of India as well as civil society actors like CSR towards empowering women, protecting and ensuring women’s rights and understanding social issues from a gender perspective. Ms. Shehla Shora, a former i-WIL participant, delivered a presentation on the i-WIL programme and spoke about its positive impacts on the participants. The delegation discussed the programme and status of women in India with Prof. Anand Kumar, senior faculty at JNU, New Delhi, Mr. Rohit Negi, Professor at Ambedkar University, Delhi, Dr. Kumari and Ms. Shora.
On the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi’s birthday, the All India Mahila Congress organized an interface meeting between NGOs and members of the Mahila Congress. The meeting aimed at inviting suggestions regarding issues related to women which could be included in the Party Manifesto of the upcoming Parliamentary elections in 2014.
"It is an imperative for a democratic society to work in unity and tandem to raise voices and stand upfront against the discriminatory practices perpetrated by the state." – Dr. Ranjana Kumari
It has been 65 years since India attained independence and guaranteed fundamental rights to its citizens. Both men and women were guaranteed equal political, social and economic rights; but then why only 11% of women are the elected representatives of India which boasts of giving equal voting right to women even before many prosperous countries like Europe and North America gave. This issue still remains unresolved and will continue to stay this way until women collectively participate in getting the 33% reservation Bill passed in the winter session of the Parliament. In this context, Centre for Social Research and WomenPowerConnect have come together with other women’s rights organisation from across the country to form the Time for #33Percent Coalition, in order to advocate for the passage of this bill. A round table conference was held at India International Centre, Delhi on October 25, 2013 to bring together women’s rights advocates, members of Parliament and key government and civil society stakeholders from across India to discuss strategies for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
The women’s rights movement also saw the release of its first Gender Manifesto for serious political consideration, in a historic, first-of its-kind initiative, on 28 November, which outlines the demand of the women’s movement for the realisation of inclusive and gender sensitive governance. On the same day women from the community of New Usmanpur area of Delhi coalesced to demand their political rights. 28 November 2013, thus becomes an important date in the history of women’s empowerment and call for political equality. Civil society activist and a gender-rights stalwart, Dr. Ranjana Kumari, presided over this public meeting of approximately 300 women. The women interacted with Dr. Kumari over their rights as an equal citizen of the country.
The Gender Manifesto was subsequently released at other events including at an award ceremony facilitated by the International Women’s Centre and Stree Shakti on 29 November 2013.