Certificate in Understanding Gender in Society

Ever since the rise of the second wave of the women's movement in the 70s and with the United Nations declaring 1975-1985 as the decade of women, there has been no looking back. Over the past 25 years, the sociology of women has given way to the sociology of gender and understanding women in relation to men in terms of what they were, are or can be. Also today there is an understanding that there are 'feminities' and 'masculinities' which are more multiple than singular expressions of gender.

Lessons in the development sector have increasingly begun to relate gender in connection with other basis of differentiation in society based on religion, caste, class, sexual orientation, age or sex, which come into existence but are always subject to change.With that come the conclusion that gender is a cross cutting theme which cuts across all religions, ethnicity, sex, age, class and caste barriers placed by society.

Since its inception, PRIA has been actively involved in fulfilling its vision of creating a society characterised by gender justice and equity. Towards the fulfillment of this commitment, gender mainstreaming in the institutional development has become an explicit Governing Board Policy, addressing PRIA's concern about gender equity at the workplace. This is reflected in its gender policy with its well-defined terms of reference and the formation of the Committee Against Sexual Harassment (CASH) that later evolved into the Committee on Gender Awareness and Mainstreaming in PRIA(CGAMP). Backed by PRIA's vast experience in the field and its commitment towards ensuring an equitable gender just society, this programme attempts to take you through the different dimensions of gender in relation to the society we live in today.

Who can join?

The course is intended for resource providers, policy makers, practioners and researchers from South Asia, who are working or interested in working for strengthening gender-mainstreaming efforts within or outside of their area. These include staff of donor agencies (multilateral, bi-lateral, state or non state actors), government officials, civil society organisations, social activists, university students and researchers.

It will provide in-service career opportunity for practioners. The participants can be mid career professionals or young professionals, with limited practical experience of working for or with civil society organisations.

Special features

	This innovative course is one of its kind, at the national, regional and international level, in a distance education mode, so that a course of such caliber and content is also easily accessible to a wider audience in which even stay at home parents and dropouts have an opportunity to learn.
	It will consider a range of conceptual and practical issues faced in the quest for a gender just society.
	It draws together theory It encourages critical analysis of different debates and perspectives on the theme.
	The course material is specially designed and developed to meet special requirements of distance mode of education. It includes inbuilt exercises and intext questions to stimulate critical thinking and analysis.
	The entire course will be taken by distance education, making learning accessible, outside working hours.Distance delivery includes accessing the course materials online and immediate and engaged communication through moodle.
	To encourage maximum interaction between the instructor and the learners a PRIA web board has been developed wherein the students can post their queries, comments, suggestions, and experiences and participate in the online but asynchronous discussions. The students can also access the tutor through emails and phone.

Course structure

Course goal

"To strengthen understanding on the concept of gender and for developing strategies for incorporating gender into everyday situations of personal and professional lives".

To meet the above goal, the course content is divided into six Units:

Unit 1: Gender definition and reality

	Sex and Gender
	Gender Stereotyping
	Patriarchy

Unit 2: Ways of understanding gender

	Socialisation
	Different ways of understanding gender
	The socialisation process

Unit 3: Gender based violence

	Violence
	Forms of gender based violence
	Public and private domains of violence

Unit 4: Gender in institutions

	Gender and educational institutions
	Gender and media
	Gender and law

Unit 5: Gender and health

	Gender and health
	Gender and HIV/AIDS
	Access to health care

Unit 6: Creating gender sensitive environments

	Implication of mainstreaming in sensitisation
	Gender sensitive behaviour
	Creating a gender sensitive environment

Learning objectives
On the completion of the course, the learners would:

	Have clear and precise conceptual clarity on gender and its ramification
	Understand the range of theories and complex dynamics of socialisation processes
	Understand and analyse the different institutions of society with a gender perspective
	Independently analyse policies vis a vis ground realities

Team involved in course development and delivery
Advisory Committee

	Acharya, Binoy, Director, Unnati, Ahmedabad.
	Alkazi, Feisal, Education Consultant, Creative Learning for Change, New Delhi.
	Farrell, Martha, Director, PRIA Continuing Education, New Delhi.
	Jain, Priti, Education Consultant, Creative Learning for Change, New Delhi.
	Koul, B. N. (Prof.), Former Director, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.
	Sharma, Gunjan, Consultant, New Delhi.
	Sharma, Kumud, Center for Women's Development Studies, New Delhi.
	Singh, R. R. (Prof.), Retd., Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
	Tandon, Rajesh (Dr.), President, PRIA, New Delhi.

Faculty

Course Instructor:

	Bhatt, Nandita Ms., Project Coordinator, PIALL, PRIA
	Baruah, Saswati Ms., Programme Officer, PIALL, PRIA

Course authors:

	Alkazi, Feisal, Education Consultant, Creative Learning for Change, New Delhi.
	Bhatt, Nandita, Junior Fellow, PRIA Continuing Education, New Delhi.
	Jain, Priti, Education Consultant, Creative Learning for Change, New Delhi.

Editor

Farrell, Martha, Director, PRIA Continuing Education, New Delhi.

Language Editor

Drall, Nomita, Language Consultant, New Delhi

Admission procedure

	Eligibility : The minimum required qualification is Bachelor's degree in any subject.
	Mode of delivery : The course is offered in a distance mode, making learning accessible through part time study, outside working hours. Distance delivery includes , guest faculty and immediate and engaged communication through moodle .
	Duration : The course is of 6 months duration .
	Medium of instruction : The course will be delivered in English.
	Evaluation: Evaluation will be based on written assignments in the form of reflection papers, Quiz and project work/ project proposal or an essay.
	Course fee :The course fee is Rs.7500/- for applicants in India or 300 US$ for applicants outside India. For Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka the fee is INR 8500/-payable in one installment.
	Payment of fee : The fee is to be paid in Demand Draft drawn in favour of "Society for Participatory Research in Asia", payable at New Delhi. The fee can also be paid through Bank Transfer.
	Application Deadline: The last date for registration is 23rd March 2012 (first come first serve basis). You can download the application form from the website or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to obtain the same. Filled in application form should be sent along with a self attested scanned copy of the graduation certificate to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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