Department of Women's Studies

Aims and Objectives

The Department of Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary Academic Department which is working with teaching, research and extension, action and field work components. In order to undertake these five dimensions of education as per XI plan UGC guidelines, it has committed to redefine the roles of women addressing the gender issues and disempowering strategies in the social, economic, political and cultural contexts, and ultimately empower women through capacity building and make the women‘s contributions to national building visible. The UGC guidelines underlined that studying women's issues have provided one of the richest territories for challenging existing theories in all disciplines, ranging from epistemology the theology, science and technology, humanities, social sciences and human behaviour. Its capacity to intervene in the University's role in the educational system, as well as in the various facilities and departments of universities, Women’s Studies needs to be given the highest priority as per the UGC guidelines.

To achieve these aims the Department works on the following:

Offers a basic foundation course to incorporate the gender perspective for all faculties and students both in the University and affiliated colleges.

Undertakes gender sensitization initiatives among the Administrators, Faculty Members, Research Scholars and Students of the University and affiliated Colleges of the University, School Teachers, NGO Co-ordinators, NSS programme Officers, and all grass root population of both urban and rural region.

Works to eliminate on the ideas in the institutions which marginalize, subordinate and accord secondary citizenship women and underestimate or makes the women’s contribution invisible.

Organizes awareness, skill training and capacity building programmes to different classes of women and men.

Collaborates with other organizations working for the cause of gender equality and women empowerment

Provides consultancy to various institutions working with women and child development

Inculcates entrepreneurial spirit among the girls, rural and urban grass root women and promote micro entrepreneurs.

Builds Capacity the women and girls focusing on literacy, education, widening opportunities for employment, training etc.

Develops a portal of potential employment opportunities in local areas

Offers counseling for adolescent girls on scientific aspects of reproductive health and sex education both in school and colleges developing a curriculum to be offered as part of the syllabus and also to the runaway girls, women in short stay homes, commercial sex workers, HIV/Positive Women and other deserted, destitute and marginalized women, Dalit, Tribal, Gypsy women etc

Advocates and Lobbies for health education to girls, women in grass root level, on personal and Menstrual Hygiene, balanced nutrition, environmental cleanliness adopting to self-managed drainage, toilets, girl friendly toilets with the provision to needs of girls with community participation

Inculcates and sensitize the population to change the socialization practices to enable redefine the gender roles and eliminate the artificial gender divide, deconstruct and reconstruct the gender roles

Undertakes activities in line with the objectives of the centre and mainstream gender discussions in academic, research and extension activities

Offers capacity building programmes for marginilised and economically and socially, psychologically, politically depressed women and child population

Undertakes action research directly contributing to women’s mobility, capacity building, leadership skills, entrepreneurship, empowerment etc

Draws women from the bottom of the hierarchy to participate in the activities of the University, to utilize the income generating activities of the University Campus and outside the campus thereby empower them economically and participate in decision making

Imparts a social responsibility and social consciousness among the various stakeholders in preserving the environment and other resources by consulting and involving women