Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST)

Focuses on the livelihoods and well-being of vulnerable communities

  • FCRA
  • 80G
  • 12A
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About

  • Headquarters

    New Delhi, Delhi

  • Since

    1980

The Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST), a nonprofit organization founded as a charitable trust in 1980, has spent over four decades working to f Read moreoster social change with a focus on the livelihoods, work, and well-being of vulnerable communities in India. ISST aims to bring the gendered dimensions of labor to the forefront through critical, public-spirited inquiry and a gender-transformative approach, particularly in matters affecting women, children, and marginalized groups. ISST carries out its mission through four key programs: research, evaluation, capacity building, and community outreach. With a substantial portion of funding dedicated to the first three areas, ISST is currently conducting various micro-level studies that explore 'women and work' across multiple intersectionalities. These studies address informal labor, the economy, pastoral work, farming, collectivization, and childcare provisioning. Additionally, ISST is committed to promoting a gender-transformative approach among a wider audience of evaluators through its courses and the international 'Gender and Evaluation Community.' The organization's community development efforts, focused on children, adolescents, and women, are implemented through two centers—the Saathi Centre and Yuva Saathi Centre—located in the Kalyanpuri neighborhood of East Delhi. These centers aim to foster constitutional values and encourage the development of "Behtar Nagarik" (Better Citizens) through various programs and activities that incorporate the gender-transformative approach.

Programs

  • Research

    Wide-ranging research initiatives were carried out by ISST over the past year, supported by organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), American Jewish World Service (AJWS), Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Ford Foundation, Government of Delhi, Wipro Cares, and Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organising (WIEGO). These have deepened our understanding of critical societal issues and have helped drive positive change and empowerment for women across various sectors. Some of the studies undertaken are -
    * Creating an enabling environment for realising the aspirations for adolescent girls in slum settlements
    * Sustaining power women’ struggles against contemporary backlash
    * Understanding pastoral women’s work: An exploratory study
    * Gendered impact of tourism on Lives and livelihood: Case study of Khajuraho
    * Understanding work and identity of women farmers: Role of collectivisation
    * Locating non-state relief work during COVID-19 lockdown in Delhi

  • Community outreach

    District
    State

    ISST’s community outreach initiative focuses on instilling constitutional values in future citizens—young children and adolescents from marginalized communities in Kalyanpuri, Trilokpuri, and Khichripur in East Delhi. For over two decades, ISST has engaged with these communities through its Saathi and Yuva Saathi Centres, with support from WIPRO Cares and the American Jewish World Service.

    The Saathi Centre runs the Bachpan Programme, an educational initiative for children aged 3 to 15. This program aims to foster character development and personal growth, while ensuring school enrolment, re-enrolment of dropouts, and facilitating access to the 25% Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota in private schools. Activities at the Saathi Centre and Yuva Saathi Centre -
    * Gender sensitisation training
    * Gender training for adolescent boys
    * Balutsav
    * Workshop on gender-based violence

Impact Metrics

  • 5000

    Program Name

    Gender and evaluation community - Total community members

    Year-wise Metrics

Leadership Team

  • Kamalika Mukhopadhyay

    Programme Manager

  • Jahnvi Andharia

    Director and Research Fellow

  • Anweshaa Ghosh

    Research Fellow and Program Lead

  • Ms. Sarojini Ganju Thakur

    Chairperson

M&E

  • Internal, External Assessors

    No

Policies

  • Ethics and Transparency Policies

    No

  • Formal CEO Oversight & Compensation Policy

    No

Political & Religious Declarations

  • On Affiliation if any

    No

  • On Deployment Bias if any

    No

Registration Details

  • VO ID / Darpan ID

    DL/2017/0152249

  • 12A

    AAATI0402JE20214

  • 80G

    AAATI0402JF20214

  • FCRA

    231650070

  • CSR Registration Number

    Not Available

Location

  • Headquarters

    U.G. Floor, Core 6A, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road New Delhi, 110003

    Directions
  • Offices in Cities

Other Details

  • Type & Sub Type


    Trust

Financial Details

 Income / Expenses
  • 2020-21

    Income
    Rs.29,615,000
    Expenses
    Rs.26,792,000
    Admin Expenses
    Rs.2,825,000
    Program Expenses
    Rs.23,967,000
    Tip: Click on any value above to exclude it.
  • 2021-22

    Income
    Rs.37,384,000
    Expenses
    Rs.34,790,000
    Admin Expenses
    Rs.2,210,000
    Program Expenses
    Rs.32,580,000
    Tip: Click on any value above to exclude it.
  • 2022-23

    Income
    Rs.48,756,000
    Expenses
    Rs.45,828,000
    Admin Expenses
    Rs.2,750,000
    Program Expenses
    Rs.43,078,000
    Tip: Click on any value above to exclude it.