SAVE WOMEN'S STUDIES CENTRES

In the time of crisis, Indian Association for Women Studies organized a National Convention on Women’s Studies Centers which was held on 23^rd august at Constitution Club of India, Delhi. The purpose of this conference was to unite hundreds of students, teachers and researchers who are currently associated with Women’s Studies Centers.

The women’s movement led to the emergence of women’s studies in India. The CSWI (Committee on status of Women in India) came up with the Towards Equality Report. The report had shocked the nation when it provided the evidence of the deteriorating situation of women in India. This report led to the need of specialized study of the situation and conditions of women in India. The boundaries of women’s studies have thus expanded and developed.

It has taken decades of effort by hundreds of scholars and students, often despite opposition within long entrenched structures within universities and colleges, to establish the fledgling field of women’s studies in the educational system. Yet such efforts would not have made their mark without the special fund provided by UGC since 1980s.

A recent notice from UGC published on 16^th June,2017 has caused uncertainty regarding the continuation of such support. This is a propaganda by the current government to curb all the public spaces where people can come up with different ideas and opinions.

The convention on Women’s Studies Centres is being organized in the context of a looming crisis of survival women’s studies centers. In the convention, 4 sessions were held which includes academics, activists, students, teachers and eminent members of the women’s movement.

SESSION I:

It consists of Foundations and History of Women’s Studies in India.

Maitrey Krishnaraj, former director of SNDT University Mumbai highlighted a major point that Women’s studies have reflected what women struggles were. Looking at academic disciplines, there is need to invent new tools, concepts and perspective to actually understand the relationship between men and women.  women’s studies uncover the various mass struggles and movement. She acknowledges the great contribution of feminist economist group. She said, “Feminism is all about the historical and collective struggle without which it is not possible to made any kind of changes”.

Malini Bhattacharya, former director of Jadavpur University, Kolkata stated that, all of us needs to preserve and protect the space. We have move towards a path of resistance in the crisis we are facing today. She highlighted the basic structure of women’s studies. It is an inter-disciplinary approach and it always tries to break boundaries. There is need to engage with people who dealt with technology. Women’s Studies never gave up on the government and nor it will. 

Devaki Jain, founder member of IAWS said that Indian Association for Women Studies is an open society and instead of exclusiveness, it needs to expand. Many Women Studies centers do not get UGC funding and outside agencies help them to raise their fund. These centers are more radical and engages in activism. 

SESSION II:

This session consists of contribution and experiences of Women’s Studies Centres.

Samita Sen, Director, SWS, Jadavpur University emphasized on the issue that there is a suspicion among us that what will happen after every 5-year plan. She said, there was always a sense of crisis and huge challenges had been faced globally. She highlighted a very important point that when Kusum Dutta wrote her book, she noticed that good women studies research happened outside the Women Studies centers. But now it is changing. Government needs to hear our voices.

Sabiha Hussain, Director, SNCWS, Jamia Milia Islamia addresses the difficulties facing by the department. She said, Women Studies Centre was started in Jamia in 2000 and it took 15 years to start a M.A. program. She questions the marginalization of women studies center in administrative, Centre and academic funding. She highlighted the issue of funding and said we are begging for the grants. She talks about the need to bring academics and activism together.

Rosaline Zanetti, Director, Bharathiar University focuses on the need of research. She said that the continuity of research is very discrete and this kind of oppression is evading. She talks about the need of gender budgeting, audit, seminars on matrimonial rights in the universities. She laid the emphasis on the need to include men when you are talking about women.

Alpana Borgohain, Director, WSRC, Gauhati University focuses on the merging of academics with activism. She advices the need to include women entrepreneur in every seminar in centres and universities. She raised a very crucial point that we need to prepare for the worse and with or without funds, we have to exist.

Meena Gopal, Professor, ACWS, TISS stated that Women Studies Centres are distinct from Women Studies department and this distinction is very important. She said that TISS is in a very privileged position and there is no issue of funding and we need to use this privilege. The 4-important point to make the best use of mandate by the UGC are- teaching, research, network and documenting. She highlighted the need of field experience as well as academics.

SESSION III:

It consists of Women’s Studies and Higher Education in India.

Mary John, CWDS raised some points like, it is not always simply Women Studies. We need to include gender too. In 1970s, American model was contract to eurocentrism but India’s women studies center is an intervention perspective model. She said, every department and college is plan less now. It led to born of disability in women studies.

Malashri Lal, Director, WSC, University of Delhi said, we have to pull in our resources and intellectual abilities. It is a way to strengthen women studies department. She talks about the lack of research on language. She also talks about the decline in CSR funding.

PAM Rajput, Founding Director, CWSD, Punjab University said that she keeps referring to Veena Majumdar because her writings are Bible for Women Studies. She talks about the second committee report on status of women showed that the condition has not been changed much. She said that Women Studies centres started with funding of only rs53000. She talks about the why research is important. Women Studies Centres added value to higher education. It engages with society. But she raised a critical point that We as women studies centres are failing somewhere.

D. Kumar, AIFUCTO talked about the issue of women’s safety. He was the only male faculty in the convention but still he feels safe among the women but the irony is women do not feel safe among the men. He said AIFUCTO has full support on Women Studies. According to him, this is the right time to do a joint protest. The major problem is, finance is not given to UGC.UGC is at stake. The whole system is at its stake. At last he said, “We are United, let us not deceive the nation”.

SESSION IV:

It consists of Open Forum/Round Table- Women’s Studies- The Way Ahead and then resolution and summing up.

It was an open forum in which any one can come and share their views.

Director of Women’s Studies Centre, Mizoram talks about the women’s issues in Mizoram. She said, Mizoram is one of the most literate state but there is no political empowerment of women.

Rekha, member of Sanjhi Duniya organization, Lucknow raised the issue of closure of Mahaila Samakhya- a government venture. It was one of the best organization working on women issues. Currently it is running only in UP and the work it is doing in UP is to arrange the meeting of minister of women and child development.

Mariam Dhawle, AIDWA raised a crucial point. Her question was, If the government will not listen, what we are going to do the next?

Dr. Jaishree Singh focused more on vocabulary. She said, we need women vocabulary to challenge men’s world.

Jagmati Sangwan, Director, WS Haryana, AIDWA said we have to believe in diversity of opinion.

The Convention summed up by reading of the draft which is to be given to UGC. A brief summary of the draft is-

Given the marginalization of Women’s Studies in the present University structures, we specially urge that the practice of central grants for Women’s Studies Centres should be continued till permanent regularization in academic and administrative structures of universities and colleges. This is necessary for the survival and growth of women’s studies in India.