Research

Research is an important component of the Department of Women’s Studies. Research areas and problems are chosen on the basis of contemporary relevance and need. P. G Students of the Department of Women’s Studies are engaged in conducting studies, which will give them exposure to the real life issues that the women face and help them incorporating the same in their class room exercises. They are trained right from the beginning of their enrolment on both class room and field work exercises so that the research components go inbuilt in P.G programmes.

Research has been conducted on gender perceptions of different communities and later on the basis of the findings of those studies, Gender awareness is being organised at different levels to different group of people including:

School and College Students.

Administrators including Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors.

Grassroots population, including women, youth, children.

Women Entrepreneurs including Self Help Group Women.

Adolescent youth both men and women in non-formal sector.

Head Masters and Head Mistresses of Schools.

Gender Volunteers and programme Co-ordinators of NGOs

District Programme Co-ordinators of the entire Development Programmes of Government like Mahalir Thittam, Vazhnthu Kattuvom Project funded by World Bank of Tamil Nadu State.

NGO District Co-ordinators of HIV/AIDS Prevention project funded by UNICEF, and Other departments

Media Representatives and Others

Action Research

Project	Collaborative Departments	Year	Remarks / Impact
SHG Product Retail Outlet	District Rural Development Agency	Since2007	Innovative and first of its kind
Annual Summer Camp for the Children	UGC-CWS and Tamil Nadu Science Forum	Since 2005	First of its kind in the University Campus to inculcate scientific temper and critical thinking
Gender Clubs in Colleges	CWS, and affiliated colleges	Since. 2005	on going First of its kind
Herbal Product Marketing by SHG women	CWS & Rohini Herbal Industries Chennai	Since 2005	On going Around 40 SHG members become herbal products trade entrepreneurs
Herbal Cultivation for SHG women under Waste land development in the University Campus	Rohini Herbal Industries, DRDA, Gram Trust NGO	Since. 2005.	On going and innovative to have model herbal farm for the rural women
Counselling programme for the Adolescent population	CWS and Women’s Hostel of the University	Since 2005.	Well received by the students and it has become a regular programme
Driving Classes in the Campus	CWS & Babu, Yega and Vadhani Driving School	Since. 2005	On going and innovative- women staff and students in the campus greatly benefiting
Women Entrepreneurs Motivation Campaign for every fortnight	WEAT and CWS	Since 2006	Around 100 women entrepreneurs could start micro enterprises in various areas
Gender Study Circle – where the college students from various colleges meet every week and discuss about the issues of gender	DWS	Since June 2007	Gender Study Circle produces Magazine every month from Nov 2008 onwards
Gender Fest – an Inter collegiate competition – excellent potential available	DWS	Since March 2007	The gender club members of various colleges are given a platform to exhibit their views on gender equality through various forms like skit, dance, music, mime, drawing, elocution, essay writing etc., with an objective of making the gender club members participative and committed.
Sewing Training for Unemployed Rural Youth	DWS	Since May 2008	Real Service to the below poverty line youth who are trained and placed in gainful employment since May 2008, with 35 youth including men and women, transgender persons
Sanitary Napkin Production	DWS	Since June 2008

Services extended to the affiliated colleges of the University and Society

Areas of Service	Impact /Target Group
Gender Sensitization Training cum Workshop	Children, Adolescents, Youth, College Students, Teachers, Programme Managers of Government Departments, NGOs, Community Workers, SHGs etc.
Entrepreneurial Training	Informal Sector Women and Unemployed Youth and Students
Capacity Building Training cum Workshop	Women Academic Managers in Higher Education, Research Scholars and SHGs, NGO Co-cordinators, Development Programme Implementing Department Heads, School Teachers, Headmistresses, Headmasters etc
Leadership & Motivational Training	School Headmasters and Headmistress, Students, Out of School Youth, SHG Women, Women Administrators, Local Body Elected Women etc.
Awareness Building	Any group in the community
Inculcating Scientific Temper	Children
Gender Study Circle	University Students
Gender Clubs in Colleges	Students of Affiliated Colleges
Gender Fest	Students of Affiliated Colleges
Health Camps	University Women Staff
Programmes for Self Help Group Women	Self Help Group Women
Participatory Learning Methods of Workshops	Students of Affiliated Colleges and village Population
Street Plays and Documentary	Women and General Public
Media and Video Grapy Workshop	University students
Awareness workshops on Sexual Harassment at Work Place	College Teachers and students of affiliated colleges
Refresher Course in Women’s Studies	College Teachers of affiliated colleges
Life Skills and Counselling	Students, youth and NGOs
Legal Aid and Counselling	Girls, women in distress
Parenting Skills	To parents and children

Minor Research Projects with Centre for Women’s Studies Fund by Dr. N. Manimekalai and the Department Team, including Dr. Suba, Students, and Scholars

1. Conditions of Women working in stone quarrying

2. Livelihood Needs of Rural Youth and Women in rural and urban areas

3. Domestic Violence against Women

4. Status of Women in Urban Slums

5. Case Studies of Successful SHGs Women

6. Issues of HIV Positive Women

7. Gender perspectives among different section of population

8. Status of Migrant Women and Adolescent Girls in Textile Sector

9. Women Domestic Workers

10. A study on Marginalized Women- Coping Strategies of Visually Impaired Women

11. Nature and Forms of Domestic Violence among Slum Women.

12. Adolescent Sexual Behaviour among the rural and urban youth

13. Gender Perceptions among the slum youth, children and women

14. Issues of women in Work Setting

15. Gender issues among Gypsy Community

16. Issues in Developing Curriculum for Women’s Studies

17. Menstrual Hygienic Practices and Management among the Adolescent Girls and Women in Rural areas.

18. Women Entrepreneurs and issues in Sustainability

19. Economic Viability of SHG women Enterprises.

20. Commercial Sex Workers and their problems

21. Women Construction Workers and their issues.

22. Women Achievers and their foot path