A forum for strengthening Women's Studies perspectives and gender equality.
About IAWS
The Indian Association for Women's Studies (IAWS) is a professional body, registered under the Societies' Registration Act. It has a membership of more than 2000, drawn from a diverse community of academics, researchers, students, policy analysts, activists, social workers, media persons and others. IAWS also has institutional members. In 2022 IAWS shall complete 40 years of its existence.
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Statement on Release of Convicts in Bilkis Bano Gang Rape Case, 21 August 2022
Indian Association for Women’s Studies expresses its shock in the way eleven persons convicted of mass rape and murder of fourteen persons in Bilkis Bano case in Godra communal carnage in Gujarat 2002 who were convicted for rigorous life imprisonment were set free. The heinous attack of rape and murder took place before the eyes of Bilkis Bano. The conviction came after a long fight for justice. We express anguish at the way perpetrators of brutal violence against women can get free in the country which is celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. We are disappointed that the state showed no conscience to respect the rights of women in the country. This will send a signal to all perpetrators of rape and murder of women in the country to continue with more such crimes. It is horrific under the circumstances of already increasing incidences of violence against women particularly on underprivileged and minorities of all dimensions. We appeal for revoking of the decision with immediate effect.
Read moreEastern Regional Conference 2022
November 17, 18 2022
Inequality and Distress: Women’s lives in Eastern India SCHEDULE Day 1: 17.11.22 10.30 am: Registration and Tea 11 am -11.20 am: Welcome Address by Asha Hans, IAWS Achin Chakraborty, IDSK Focus of the Conference: Ishita Mukhopadhyay, IAWS 11.20 – 12. 00: Inaugural Lecture: Nirmala Bannerjee Chair: Kavita Punjabi 12 noon -1 pm: Session 1 Parallel Session 1: Livelihood Chair- Achin Chakraborty Combating distress, the gendered way: a study of women in tea gardens of Dooars, West Bengal - Manami Datta Impact of Pandemic on Work-Life Balance of Female Micro-business owners in Eastern India - Rimpa Pal Gender- Specific Challenges Faced by Female Entrepreneurs in the CSCs: Evidence from Rural West Bengal - Sudeshna Dutta Livelihood as a sight of citizenship Right- The case of traditional fishing women’s federation in Orissa- Jyotirmayee Tudu Parallel Session 2: Climate Change, Ecology and Gender Chair- Asha Hans Climate challenges on women – Amisa Dalai Gender and Disaster: Its impact on women - Snigdharani Behera Ecology and Gender based violence - Shalmoli Bhattacharya 1:00 pm: Special Lecture: Bhaswati Chatterjee, Women’s History Conclave Chair - Wandana Sonalkar 1.30 - 2.15: Lunch 2.15 – 3.15: Panel on Experiences of LGBTQA+ community Moderator: Chilka Ghosh 1) Kolika Mitra 2) Suryasikha Roy 3) Piyali Halder 3.15 – 3.40 pm: Sanjukta Dasgupta - Reading of poems 3:40 - 4:10 pm: Special Lecture : Malini Bhattacharya Chair: Achin Chakraborty 4.10 – 4.30: Tea 4.30 - 5.00 pm: Special Lecture: Aishika Chakraborty Chair: Arijita Dutta 5.00 - 5.15 p.m.: Saptaparna Roy - Performance poetry 5.15 - 6.15pm: Programme on Violence Against Women by RBU students Day 2: 18.11.2022 10.30 -12.00: Session 2 Parallel Session 3: Labour Chair: Swati Ghosh Gender Inequality in Livelihood Choice - Nilu Das & Indrani Ghosh Caste-based labour: illegal according to constitution, legal according to the prison manuals – Ritarekha Dutta Covid-19 and Plight of Women – Sritama Mandal Parallel Session 4: Tribal women Chair: Suba Sayeenathan Understanding and measuring the role of Women in Simlipal National Park, Odisha - Shradha Agarwalla and Debolina Saha Tribal Women of Orissa in the Writings of Anita Agnihotri - Sarmistha Nath Shrinking Common Property Resources: A source of self- sustaining livelihood for tribal women in Odisha - Dr. Urmimala Das Integrating Holistic Education towards empowerment of Tribal girl students in Orissa - Dr. Nityananda Barik 12:00 – 1 pm: Special Lecture: Ratnabali Chattopadhyay Chair: Ishita Mukhopadhyay 1.00-1.45 pm: Panel on Self-Help Groups and Microfinance Chair: M.Manimekalai, IAWS 1) Tapasi Praharaj (Orissa) 2) Debjani Sengupta(West Bengal) 1.45 - 2.15 pm: Lunch 2.15 – 3.30 pm: Panel on Disability Moderator: Nandini Ghosh 1) Payel Raichaudhuri Dutt 2) Shampa Sengupta 3) Kuhu Das 3.30-3.45 pm: Tea 3.45-5.00 pm: Session 3 Parallel Session 5: Home and Family Chair: Kaberi Chakraborty Marriage Choices: Women in Higher Education in West Bengal - Sudarshana Sen Mothers in pandemic: a study of intersectional experiences of motherhood – Asmi Basu Understanding The Vulnerabilities Of The Child Bride: Synthesizing Evidence From Broad And Diverse Global Literatures - Moushumi Pattnaik আসানসসাসের দুই প্রজসের মুসলেম মলিোসের জীবনযাপন - লিপ্রা চ্যাটাজী Breaking and annihilating gender stereotypes in gender reversal advertisements: A Study of select Indian television advertisements- Prakriti Sarkar Parallel Session 6: Violence Against Women Chair: Wandana Sonalkar Women’s Economic Empowerment and Domestic Violence in India: Findings from Large Scale Sample Survey -Suranjana Karmakar Human trafficking during covid-19: the question ofwomen’s security in West Bengal - Sourav Chakraborty Female health and Covid 19 Pandemic: Impact on the rural female college students – A Case Study based on a collegeof South 24 Parganas - Tinni Goswami Patriarchy and Feminism – Disari Roy 5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: Validectory Session: Address by Mini Sukumar, General Secretary, IAWS Rapportier’s Report from the 6 sessions
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Tribute to Dr. Temsula Ao (1945-2022)
IAWS Statement
Writer, an Academic and Ethnographer, Dr. Temsula Ao passed away on the 9th October 2022, at the age of 80. She wrote several books which convey the angst of the Naga community against repeated incidences of violence and annihilation by security forces. Temsula Ao’s stories expressed the anguish that there are no winners in such conflicts but only that of vulnerabilities experienced by victims. Temsula Ao was a Professor of English at North Eastern Hill University from where she retired in 2010. In the mid 1990s she served as the Director of the North East Zone Cultural Centre, on deputation from NEHU. Interestingly Temsula Ao’s education in University of Minnesota opened a window of opportunity to interact with the native indigenous communities of America. This rare opportunity was well utilized by her when she recorded the oral histories, belief systems and folklore of her community back in Nagaland. This rich and rare experience resulted in a book which is a fine contribution to ethnographic account of the Ao Naga community. Dr. Temsula Ao was the recipient of the Nagaland Governor’s Award for Distinction in Literature, along with the Meghalaya Governor’s Award for Distinction in Literature, too. She received the Sahitya Akademi award, apart from the prestigious Padma Shri award. Although she was a recipient of various award, she was humble and accessible to many of us. We remember her as a great advocate of women’s rightful place in governance and spoke with clarity on this issue. Being the Chairperson of the State Commission for Women Dr. Temsula Ao emphasized on redefining the customary laws, for women to be a part of governance. Dr. Temsula Ao’s demise is a great loss to us and many of those who knew her personally as well as of her work. May she rest in Peace. IAWS pays homages to the memory of Dr. Temsula Ao and convey our deepest condolences to the family.
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Tribute to Smt. Gouri Choudhury (1938-2022)
IAWS Statement
A stalwart of women’s rights movement, Smt. Gouri Choudhury passed away peacefully on 9th September 2022. Popularly known as Gouri di, this a stellar social activist had a record of feminist activism since early 1970s. She had edited special number of HOW on political economy of dowry way back in 1977 published both in English and Hindi. This was widely used for study circle by the newly emerging women’s rights groups in the post emergency period. She was an institution builder and had always opened her heart and home for the social activists of progressive movements of workers, youth, women, rural poor and tribal people. founder member of Action India- a community based mass organisation (1976), Stree Sangharh (1977), Saheli (1981), WomenPowerConnect (1998). She was a role model and a soul sister to thousands of women and men across generations whose lives and hearts she touched. Sharp in her wit, clear in her perspective, upfront about her political position, totally committed to eradicate domestic violence, Gauri di will be missed greatly by all in the women's rights movement. Gauri di believed in building bridges between all social movements fighting for human rights of the marginalised sections facing intersectional oppression. The best homage to Gouri di is to carry forward her life's mission and legacy for a world of gender equality and justice. Gouri di's favourite song, "Khamoshi todo, waqt aa gaya !" (Break the silence, time has come!) captured her quest to fight against all forms of discrimination, oppression and exploitation. Gouri di was a conscience keeper for the younger generation of feminist activists. IAWS pays a respectful tribute to Smt. Gouri Choudhary, expresses solidarity with her co-workers and conveys heartfelt condolences to her sons- Partho and Amit, daughters-in-law Maureen and Karen, and granddaughters- Monica and Julia. Karen, and granddaughters- Monica and Julia.
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Archives
IAWS Archives
Housed at the Research Centre for Women’s Studies (RCWS), SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, since 2007, the IAWS Archives is a rich Storehouse of newsletters, unpublished reports, letters of the various secretariats, records of EC meetings, and other material which have been perused and catalogued in a detailed manner for use. Subsequently, it has also been partially digitized. A portion of the maintenance grant from the Ford Foundation has been earmarked for developing and digitizing the IAWS archive. The archive is active and functional from September 2009.
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Activities
IAWS Activities
IAWS conferences attempt to balance structured intellectual discussions with cultural events and exhibits that foreground other ways of knowing through film screenings, exhibitions, drama, music and craft. IAWS is also establishing a comprehensive archive, consisting of both material and digital documents. The material archive has been inaugurated at the Research Centre for Women’s Studies at SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai. The IAWS has compiled many of its material in a CD that includes all the newsletters (many of which are only available as single copies) and some 20 publications most of which are out of print (see the listing in the December 2007 Newsletter). It also includes Conference brochures, Presidential addresses, Reports to the General Body and other such documents from the First National Conference, 1981, onwards.
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January 28, 2022
