%0 Journal Article
%T WomenĄŻs Studies in Praxis: Dr Neera DesaiĄŻs Contribution towards Developmental Work for Rural Women in Udwada, South Gujarat
%A Vibhuti Patel
%J Indian Journal of Gender Studies
%@ 0973-0672
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/0971521518761451
%X Dr Neera Desai personified combination of both theory and praxis in womenĄŻs studies that sees itself as an academic discipline to improve womenĄŻs status through knowledge construction, teaching and training, documentation, research, and action. She founded Centre for Rural Development (CRD) in SNDT WomenĄŻs University, Mumbai to take the learning of womenĄŻs studies to transform womenĄŻs reality through feminist activism. CRD began its work among rural women in Udwada village of Paradi Taluka in Valsad District of Gujarat by baseline survey to identify the needs of the community. Economic programmes were initiated along with consciousness raising on reasons of subordinate status of women. Involvement of womenĄŻs rights activists and womenĄŻs studies scholars ensured dialogues on vision, mission, goals, objectives methods of mobilisation and issues to be taken up by the CRD. The interface between macroeconomic changes in the post reform period after 1991. The new industrial belt established in South Gujarat took away young women as industrial workers. In 2013, the SNDTWU authorities decided to give away the CRD to a corporate house to administer as a Corporate Social Responsibility. Nevertheless, women workers and office bearers of the CRD, mentored by Neeraben continue to be active in the development sector as trainers, CBOs, consultants, researchers, writers, elected women representatives in local self-government bodies, social workers in CSR activities and continue to uphold the ethos of CRD. Now they talk in terms of gender sensitisation, practical and strategic gender needs, gender planning and gender budgeting
%K WomenĄŻs studies
%K feminist praxis
%K Rural Development
%K consciousness raising
%K macro economic changes
%K womenĄŻs rights movement
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0971521518761451