Centre for Social Research

The Centre for Social Research (CSR) is a New Delhi-based Indian advocacy organisation established in 1983. Its work addresses gender inequality and the position of women in Indian society, with a stated concern for marginalised and disadvantaged communities. Rather than operating as a consumer-facing brand, CSR functions as a nonprofit social-development and public-interest institution whose activities combine research, advocacy, training, community mobilisation, and direct support. A central feature of CSR's work is its emphasis on changing gender relations across public and private life. The organisation has examined gender in areas including media, the economy, politics, and culture, and has promoted women's participation in decision-making and democratic institutions. Its programmes are intended not only to provide services to individual women but also to strengthen the capacity of communities, civil-society actors, and institutions to recognise and address discrimination. CSR established the Gender Training Institute (GTI) as a platform for capacity building and gender-focused training. Through GTI, it has worked on gender awareness, social justice, and the development of skills and institutional responses. GTI also manages Crisis Intervention Centres, which provide assistance related to gender-based violence while undertaking wider sensitisation and grassroots mobilisation. This gives CSR a dual role: it supports people affected by violence and seeks to influence the social conditions that enable such violence. The organisation has also undertaken programmes connected with women's political representation. From December 2007 to December 2009, CSR implemented the United Nations Democracy Fund-supported programme Enhancing the Role of Women in Strengthening Democracy. The initiative sought to build the capabilities of marginalised women and encourage their participation in regional and local political processes. Its broader objective was to improve women's ability to engage with democratic institutions and public decision-making. CSR has addressed sex selection and discrimination against girls through the Meri Shakti, Meri Beti project, which focused on challenging prenatal sex selection and female infanticide. This work places the organisation within wider Indian debates concerning gender-biased sex selection, son preference, violence against women, and the social and economic structures that devalue girls. In 2012, CSR collaborated with the Centre for Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore to launch India-Women in Leadership, also known as iWIL. The certificate programme reflected the organisation's interest in developing women's leadership and expanding their participation in formal institutions. In 2023, CSR partnered with Tinder on an online-dating safety guide for Indian users. The collaboration extended CSR's gender-safety focus into digital and relationship contexts, addressing practical precautions for people using dating platforms. CSR's public identity is therefore based on advocacy, gender training, social research, crisis intervention, and empowerment rather than on commercial products. The supplied reference material does not establish a detailed corporate structure, leadership roster, financial profile, or international operating network. Its documented work is principally India-focused, and its current status is treated as active because the organisation is associated with activity reported in 2023.

The Centre for Social Research was established in 1983 in India as an organisation concerned with gender inequality, social justice, and the conditions of marginalised communities. Based in New Delhi, it developed an institutional profile centred on advocacy and practical social-development work rather than commercial activity. Its stated purpose has been to bring attention to disadvantaged groups and to support changes in gender relations across Indian society. Over time, CSR built programmes spanning research, public advocacy, training, capacity building, and community intervention. Its work has considered the way gender affects media, economic life, politics, and culture. This broad approach links individual support with efforts to change institutions and public attitudes. A significant organisational development was the creation of the Gender Training Institute, or GTI. The institute was designed to support women's empowerment and social justice through gender-focused training and capacity-building activities. GTI's work also includes Crisis Intervention Centres. These centres address gender-based violence through direct assistance, while also seeking to sensitise communities and mobilise grassroots actors. The model reflects CSR's attempt to combine immediate responses to abuse with longer-term prevention and social change. CSR has undertaken projects aimed at strengthening women's participation in democratic life. Its programme Enhancing the Role of Women in Strengthening Democracy was implemented for the United Nations Democracy Fund between December 2007 and December 2009. The capacity-building initiative focused on marginalised women and sought to improve their involvement in regional and local political activities. It represented an extension of CSR's gender work into political participation and democratic representation. The organisation has also campaigned against sex selection and discrimination against girls. Through Meri Shakti, Meri Beti, CSR addressed prenatal sex selection and female infanticide, issues connected with son preference and gender-based discrimination in India. The project placed public awareness and community action alongside the organisation's wider emphasis on women's rights. In 2012, CSR joined with the Centre for Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore to launch the India-Women in Leadership certificate programme. Known as iWIL, the initiative focused on women's leadership and professional or institutional participation. It demonstrated CSR's continuing interest in capacity building and the development of women as leaders. In 2023, CSR worked with the dating application Tinder on a safety guide for Indian users. The guide addressed essential online-dating safety practices and brought the organisation's experience in gender and personal safety into a digital setting. This partnership suggests an expansion of the organisation's public-education work to contemporary relationship platforms and online interactions. The available reference material does not provide a complete account of CSR's internal governance, executive leadership, funding, or financial performance. It does establish a continuing India-focused role in gender advocacy, women's empowerment, political participation, violence intervention, and public safety.

• 2023

  Online dating safety guide launched with Tinder

  [1]Centre for Social Researchen.wikipedia.org

  CSR partnered with Tinder on guidance covering essential online dating safety practices for Indian users.

• 2012

  India-Women in Leadership launched

  [1]Centre for Social Researchen.wikipedia.org

  CSR and the Centre for Public Policy at IIM Bangalore launched the iWIL certificate programme to support women's leadership.

• 2009

  UN Democracy Fund programme ends

  [1]Centre for Social Researchen.wikipedia.org

  The women's democratic-participation programme concluded after operating from December 2007 to December 2009.

• 2007

  UN Democracy Fund programme begins

  [1]Centre for Social Researchen.wikipedia.org

  CSR began implementing Enhancing the Role of Women in Strengthening Democracy, a programme designed to build marginalised women's participation in regional and local political activity.

• 1983

  Centre for Social Research established

  [1]Centre for Social Researchen.wikipedia.org

  CSR was established in New Delhi as an advocacy organisation concerned with women, social justice, and marginalised communities.

A gender-equality and social-justice organisation combining advocacy, training, research, community mobilisation, and direct support for women and other marginalised groups in India.

• Training and capacity building

  Gender Training Institute

  CSR's Gender Training Institute provides gender-focused training and capacity-building activities connected with women's empowerment and social justice. Its stated areas of inquiry include gendered interactions in media, the economy, politics, and culture. The institute also serves as an organisational channel for crisis-intervention and community-sensitisation work.

• Gender-based violence support

  Crisis Intervention Centres

  Managed through the Gender Training Institute, the Crisis Intervention Centres provide direct assistance in response to gender-based violence. Their work is paired with sensitisation and grassroots mobilisation intended to improve community awareness and strengthen local responses to violence against women.

• Political participation programme · 2007

  Enhancing the Role of Women in Strengthening Democracy

  This capacity-building programme was implemented for the United Nations Democracy Fund from December 2007 through December 2009. It sought to empower marginalised women to participate more effectively in regional and local political activities and thereby strengthen women's representation in democratic processes.

• Gender-equality advocacy project

  Meri Shakti, Meri Beti

  Meri Shakti, Meri Beti, translated as My Daughter, My Strength, addressed prenatal sex selection and female infanticide. The project formed part of CSR's work against gender discrimination and the social practices that devalue girls.

• Leadership education · 2012

  India-Women in Leadership

  India-Women in Leadership, or iWIL, was a certificate programme launched by CSR in collaboration with the Centre for Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. It was designed to develop women's leadership capacity and support their participation in institutional and public life.

• Digital safety education · 2023

  Online dating safety guide

  Produced in partnership with Tinder in 2023, the guide introduced Indian users to practical safety practices for online dating. It extended CSR's gender-safety and public-education work into digital relationships and dating-platform use.

• 2023Tinder online dating safety partnership

  India

  CSR partnered with Tinder to provide Indian users with education on essential online-dating safety practices.

  Outcome. The partnership produced a safety guide; further reach or impact figures are not provided.

  Source
• 2007Enhancing the Role of Women in Strengthening Democracy

  India

  A United Nations Democracy Fund-supported capacity-building programme implemented by CSR from December 2007 to December 2009. It focused on empowering marginalised women to engage in regional and local political activities.

  Outcome. The documented programme period ended in December 2009; a quantified outcome is not provided.

  Source
• Meri Shakti, Meri Beti

  India

  An advocacy project addressing prenatal sex selection and female infanticide and promoting greater recognition of girls' rights and value.

  Source

• 2023

  Launch of online dating safety guide with TinderProduct launch

  Background

  The growth of online dating created a need for practical safety information for users of dating platforms.

  Action taken

  CSR and Tinder launched a guide explaining essential online dating safety practices for Indian users.

  Aftermath

  The guide extended CSR's public-education and gender-safety work into digital dating; no quantitative impact data is provided.

  Source

• 2012

  Launch of India-Women in LeadershipProduct launch

  Background

  CSR's gender-equality work included capacity building and the expansion of women's participation in public and institutional life.

  Action taken

  CSR collaborated with the Centre for Public Policy at IIM Bangalore to launch the iWIL certificate programme.

  Aftermath

  The programme is documented as an organisational milestone, but the available source does not provide enrolment, funding, or impact figures.

  Source

1. 1Centre for Social Researchen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Centre for Social Research official websitecsrindia.org