Bio Profile
Currently working as Associate Professor at the Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur; having over two decades of experience in social development research, training and policy advice with special emphasis on women in development and mainstreaming gender concerns in policy planning and implementation. Committed to furthering Girls education, have extensively worked in the area of understanding politics of gender in educational processes in Rajasthan and India. Have also been actively involved in the women’s movement, NGOs and civil society movements in Rajasthan and India.
Current Areas of Research include Gender and Education with special emphasis on Elementary Secondary and Tertiary Education, Women’s Rights and Empowerment Issues and Gender mainstreaming in policy and practice. Have also published extensively in national and international level publications.
Recently completed research includes: India’s Champions: Exploring Determinants of Young Women’s Empowerment in Rajasthan, in collaboration with the FXB Centre for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University.
Currently involved in researching on issues pertaining to Menstrual hygiene and management in government schools and urban deprived areas of Jaipur city.
My active engagement in the area of women’s rights and development in Rajasthan and in India has helped in understanding the processes of subordination and unequal gender relations that inhibit women’s and girls access to crucial resources. This has also guided research and policy advocacy. My own concerns of understanding the politics of gender in education and the inequities therein has led to exploring interconnections with reproductive health issues. This is where a linkage with CORTH would be mutually beneficial.
Key Publications
Contributions in Books
- ‘Making Policies work for Education and Social Empowerment: Reflections on The Shikshakarmi Project in Rajasthan’ in A.K Singh(ed) Education and Empowerment – Policies and Practices, Routledge, New Delhi,2016
- ‘Between Questions and Clarity: Education in Mahila Samakhya ’ (with Sharada Jain) in Vimala,R. and Kameshwari, J (eds) Cartographies of Empowerment: The Mahila Samakhya Story, Zubaan, New Delhi, 2012
- A Gendered Analysis of Secondary Schooling Processes in India in Jha. J and E.Page (ed.) Exploring the Bias: Gender and Stereotyping in Secondary Schools, Commonwealth Secretariat, London, United Kingdom, June 2009.
- Gender Equality in Education: Assessing Gains and Reviewing Challenges in Rajasthan in B.Das and V.Khawas (ed.) Gender Issues in Development: Concerns for 21st Century, Rawat Publications, Jaipur, 2008/09.
- Exploring Linkages between Citizenship, Livelihood Security and Gender Equality: Planned Interventions and Outcomes in Rajasthan in Sumi Krishna (ed.) Recasting Citizenship for Women’s Livelihood and Development, Sage, New Delhi, 2007
- ‘Tracing the Journey: Reflections on doing Women’s Studies’, with K. Mathur in V.S. Vyas et.al (ed) Rajasthan – A Quest for Sustainable Development, Academic Foundation, New Delhi and Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur, 2007
- Gender And Secondary Education in India: A Select Annotated Bibliography in Jha .J (ed.) An Annotated Bibliography on Gender in Secondary Education: Research from Selected Commonwealth Countries, Common wealth Secretariat, London, 2007
- Understanding Childhood Poverty in Rajasthan- Emerging Issues and Strategies with K. Mathur in A.K. Mehta (ed).Chronic Poverty in India, IIPA, New Delhi, 2003
- ‘Operationalising the Right to Education: The Lok Jumbish Experience in Rajasthan’ in N. Kabeer, R Subramanian and G. Nambissan (ed.) Child labour and Right to Education in South Asia, Needs versus rights? Sage, New Delhi , 2003.
- ‘Children, Work and Education: Rethinking on Out of School Children’ with S. Jain, A. Mathur and J. Shah in R. Govinda (ed.) India Education Report: A Profile of Basic Education, NIEPA, OUP, New Delhi 2002.
- ‘Gender Organisations and Change: Lessons from Gender Training of Community level Education Workers’ with K. Mathur in R. Murthy (ed.) Building Women’s Capacities- Interventions in Gender Transformation, Sage, New Delhi, 2001.
- ‘The Shikshakarmi Programme: Closing the Gender Gap In Education’, in N. Kabeer and R. Subramanian (ed.) Institutional Relations and Outcomes: Frameworks and Tools for Gender Planning, Kali for Women,, New Delhi 1999.
- ‘Lessons Learned: Gender Training Experiences with the Indian Government’ with R.Subramanian, S.G.Thakur and K.Mathur in Kabeer, N and R. Subramanian (ed.) Institutional Relations and Outcomes: Frameworks and Tools for Gender Planning, Kali for Women, New Delhi, 1999.
Select Research Reports
- India’s Champions: Exploring Determinants of Young Women’s Empowerment in Rajasthan, with K.Mathur and R.S Sharma, Research Report No 294 Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur March 2015
- Transforming lives, Crafting New Identities: Reflections on Women’s Empowerment through Innovative Programmes with K.Mathur and R.S. Sharma Research Report No 295, Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur, March 2015
- Evaluation of Convergence Project: Mission Poorna Shakti, Pali District with K. Mathur and R.S Sharma, Research Report No. 290, Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur
- Exploring Inclusion and Exclusion of students in Schools and in the Classrooms in Primary and Upper Primary schools in Rajasthan, Supported by EDCIL/GOI, New Delhi, March 2012
- Action Gender in Classroom and Schooling Processes Rajasthan, India: Project Completion Report, June 2009, Supported by Commonwealth Secretariat, London U.K
- Situational Analysis of Women and Children in Rajasthan: A Report prepared for Government of Rajasthan and UNICEF. August 2007
- Trafficking of Women and Children in Rajasthan Report Submitted to Indian Institute of Social Science and UNIFEM, New Delhi, 2003