The Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development (SCWSD)
The Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development (SCWSD), launched in 2001 has proven to be a stimulating and engaging centre with multidisciplinary activities happening throughout the year. The centre is rooted firmly in the principles of academics, advocacy and action. Based on this the centre has five major focus areas based on this, they are
- Courses and instruction
- Library and documentation services
- Research and publications (In-house multidisciplinary peer reviewed journal Urdhva Mula published since 2002)
- Consultancy and Collaborations
- Outreach Activities
SCWSD conducts multiple courses throughout the academic year, all of which are designed to address the needs of a diverse set of students. Hence, while the emphasis of some was on the acquirement of skills, others focused on the acquirement of knowledge. As is norm, every year the Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development conducts five Certificate courses in Women’s Empowerment; Social Work Focusing on Issues Related to Women and Girls; Basics in Baking; Social Research Methods as well as Food and Nutrition. The activities and involvement in the current year have been extremely encouraging for the advancement of the centre including organizing online talks and conferences in collaboration with national organisations like the IAWS (Indian Association of Women’s Studies) and international bodies like Friedrich Ehrlich Stiftung (FES), Germany. We have factored in the need for restructuring our courses to function smoothly online and suit the need of the target groups as well. This has helped us to conduct our courses on an online platform not just for our students but also for interested persons from all over India, thus making it open on a national level.
Our peer reviewed journal, Urdhva Mula is available online to all those who subscribe to it and we are in the process of making online our documented articles from newspapers both English as well as regional (Hindi and Marathi) on Women’s issues. The centre is equipped with an extensive documentation centre which focusses solely on Women’s issues like sexual harassment, domestic violence, gender inequality among others from (2001-2020).
Over the years we have collaborated for academic, training and outreach programmes with several organisations including UNICEF, MAVIM, YWCA, Akshara, Akanksha, Stree Mukti Sanghatana, Navjeevan Trust, CEHAT, CCDT, AAMRAE, VACHA, Silver Innings, MAVA, Young Star Trust, among others. The centre functions as a referral centre and the staff of the centre has provide consultancy services to several organisations.
It is extremely heartening for us as an organisation to recognise that our outreach programmes have benefitted numerous economically disadvantaged young girls and women. A key component of our programmes is that they not stationary, but mobile, which means we meet those in need of outreach services at the location at which they are. SCWSD members and collaborators have conducted capacity building workshops; entrepreneurship training as well as skill based vocational training for the focus groups within as well as in the suburbs of Mumbai. We are thankful to all our sponsors, well-wishers and the organisations we have partnered with over the years.
STAFF OF THE CENTRE
Honorary Director : Dr. (Sr.) Ananda Amritamahal (English Literature)
Coordinator : Dr. Lata Pujari (History)
Academic Advisor : Dr. Vibhuti Patel (Economics)
Senior Programme Officer : Ms. Deepti Anil (Foods and Nutrition)
Librarian : Ms. Sharayu Kamble
Attendant : Mr. Hayward Lopez
The Consultative Committee of SCWSD
Dr. Laxmi Lingam (Women’s Studies)
Dr. Maithreyi Krishnaraj (Economics)
Dr. Nandita Gandhi (Women’s Studies)
Dr. Nasreen Fazalbhoy (Sociology)
Dr. Rohini Gawankar (Political Science)
Dr. Suma Chitnis (Education)
Dr. Usha Thakkar (Political Science)