TISS providing support to nine Sakhi centres in State

HYDERABAD:In line with its objective to support communities with a long-term perspective, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad (School of Gender Studies) and the state department of women development and child welfare have established Sakhi, one-stop centres, across the erstwhile nine districts of Telangana.

Sakhi is a central government scheme and the centres are mandated to provide integrated support and assistance to women and children affected by violence in private and public places. The support ranges from legal, medical, psychosocial counselling to shelter services.

The centres in the nine districts are functioning in locations at or close to public hospitals and the district administrative complex. Through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between TISS and WCW department in February last year, TISS has been playing the role of a knowledge centre with its faculty member U Vindhya as project leader.

The report on the Sakhi centres was released along with other reports that are the outcomes of the student and faculty-led research undertaken by TISS, Hyderabad at its convocation in the auditorium of National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) in Rajendranagar here on Monday.

Other reports on collaborative efforts with governmental departments and non governmental agencies like Swadhar Greh Rapid Assessment with the government of Telangana; The Early Literacy Initiative (ELI) a multi-site programme, anchored by the Azim Premji School of Education; Social Impact Assessment Study for Construction of ROB at Katilapur Kukatpally mandal; a study on 'Cities, Social History and Muslim Entrepreneurs', funded by the Indian Council for Social Science Research, New Delhi; another study on Prison Reforms in Telangana; a project on AASARA Pension Scheme in the state; and the UGC-funded e-Content Development for Post-Graduate Subject on Population Studies were released by the institute.

In all, TISS completed eight research projects during the 2017-18 academic year and seven new projects are underway.

As many as 203 students of various courses received their degrees from S Ramadorai, chairman of the governing board. Ramadorai said in his address that though TISS was a teaching institution, its students had been at the forefront of issues the country was facing. "After every natural disaster that has struck the country, TISS has plunged into service. Long after most development agencies left the Andamans after tsunami or Ladakh after the earthquake, TISS continues to support the communities there with a long-term perspective," he said.

Districts having Sakhi centres

Adilabad

Hyderabad

Karimnagar

Khammam

Mahbubnagar

Medak

Nalgonda

Nizamabad

Rangareddy

Warangal