Women's Study Centre

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Women’s Studies Centre
P. G. Department of Home Science, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar.

Establishment:
Dr. Rema Subhash, Professor, Home Science Department, prepared the proposal for a Women’s Studies Centre and presented the same in September 2004. the sanction of Rs. 50 lakhs for the centre came in February 2005. Women Studies Centre at Sardar Patel University was thus established in March 2005 and started functioning fully since August-September 2005.

Staff Composition:
The centre comprises of:

Project Officer:	1	Research Assistant:	2
Documentation Officer cum Librarian:	1	Computer Operator Cum Clerk:	1
Class IV staff:	1

Aims & objectives of the centre:
The identification of priorities for Women’s Studies Centre at Sardar Patel University is based on the fact that the university is a rural-based one established with the aim of uplifting the educational level of the local population, neighbouring towns and interior villages. Proximity to urban settings such as Baroda and Ahmedabad has led to greater exposure in a section of the local female population here while the other half remains largely backward in all respects. In this background, the major aim and objective of the centre is capacity building in women.

Two categories have been identified namely the educated and employed women and the second group comprising of unemployed women, college goers, teens etc. ranging from the literate to the illiterate. The centre aims at capacity building in the educated, employed woman with regard to managerial abilities such as communication skills, administrative skills, confidence building etc. and along with this facilitating support systems such as research, day-care-centres, old age homes etc. on one hand and on the other, the centre will focus upon entrepreneurship skill building in unemployed women from a slighter wider age group such as adolescents, college girls, housewives and others from different SES. This broadly includes areas such as fabric embellishment including tailoring, popularization of khadi garments, as well as exploring entrepreneurship opportunities through home catering and services etc. Computer literacy has also been identified as an essential skill, which needs to be imparted to women.

List of activities carried out in the year 2004-2005

No.	Title	Date & Year	Duration
1.	Computer Literary programme for house wives	10-03-2005 to 17-03-2005	1 hour per day for 8 days
2.	Early childhood education related activities in play school/balwadi	10-03-2005	1 hour

List of activities carried out in the year 2005-2006

No.	Title	Date & Year	Duration
1.	Group discussion on “the role of women in society” Working aged 30 to 35 yrs. Mainly teachers and non-teaching staff from university departments, & Banks participated.	October 2005.	3 hours
2.	Similar Discussion college student & housewives aged 22 to 26 yrs participated.	October 2005	2 hours
3.	Workshop on “Leadership training for College & University (girl) students.”	27^th & 28^th January 2005	2 days
4.	Training programme on “Computer awareness for NGO staff .”	15^th January 2006 to 15^th February 2006	5 days/ week for 4 weeks
5.	Lecture on “Women & Vulnerability” on Women’s Day by Mr. Sajid Menon, Regional sub Co-ordinator, UNICEF, Bihar	8^th March 2006	2 hours
6.	Setting up of Women’s Studies Centre library & compilation of news paper & magazine cuttings on Women’s Issues.	2005 on wards	Ongoing
10.	3 day Hobby camp for children aged 7 to 14 yrs.	17^th to 19^th Nov.2005	3 days

List of activities carried out in the year 2006-2007 (Completed)

No.	Title	Date & Year	Duration
1.	Workshop on “Embroidery & fabric embellishment” for unemployed women/girl.	20 August to 31^st August 2006	3 hours/day for 10 days
2.	Workshop on “Managerial skill building in women teachers”	7^th & 8^th September 2006	2 days
3.	Logo competition on “Women Empowerment”	13^th September 2006	4 hours
4.	Seminar on “Women Freedom Fighters, Grassroot Workers & Institutions of Gujarat during 20^th Century” in association with the P. G. Dept. of History, S. P. University.	18^th & 19^th November 2006.	2 days
5.	Elocution competition on “Women freedom fighters of India” in association with P. G. Dept. of History, S. P. University.	23^rd November 2006	1 day
6.	Lecture series on “Interdisciplinary courses in Women’s Studies.”	August 2006 to November 2006.	10 lectures
6.	Workshop on “Surface Ornamentation on Fabric”	19^th, 20^th & 21^st December 2006	3 days
7.	Gyanghoshti (Symposium) on “Women in Modern Indian History” conducted at S.P.T. Arts and Science College, Godhra in association with P. G. Dept. of History, S. P. University.	23^rd December 2006	1 day

List of activities carried out in the year 2006-2007 (Ongoing)

Research & other activities:

Baseline information on existing services of old age homes in V. V. Nagar & Anand.
A study on personal and professional life balancing by women in the nursing profession.
Academic achievements of school going adolescents- A comparison of girls and boys in the local schools of Anand & V. V. Nagar.
A study on older persons in residential institutions - A gender perspective.
A study on gender differences in co-curricular activities assigned to school going children.
A study on the representation of men & women in Gujarati folk literature.
Women freedom fighters and grassroot workers of Surat District during Gandhidham era (in association with the P. G. Department of History Sardar Patel University.
A profile of the most powerful women of the world from a national and international perspective.