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	Undertakes, promotes and coordinates both fundamental and applied research on women and development;
	Organises and assists training programmes for scholars, planners, administrators,  development agents, communicators, members of women’s organisations/ cooperatives etc.;
	Promotes and collaborates with academic institutions, grassroot level organisations and individuals engaged in allied activities;
	Provides advisory and consultancy services on allied issues to institutions and organisations, within and outside the Government, including development agencies and cooperatives;
	Develops and promotes (in collaboration with other agencies) educational training and action programmes for women, especially under-privileged women;
	Undertakes activities that are consistent with the objectives of CWDS and helps to bring about attitudinal and other changes for effective participation of women from all levels of society.

The CWDS sees itself primarily as a catalyst in assisting women to realise their full potential and exercise their active influence on society and its transformation.  The national policy of equal participation of women in all spheres of national development is possible if the ideas and institutions that marginalise women's role and contribution in society are weakened or eliminated. Thus, CWDS aims to concentrate on:
 

	Seeing women as active participants in politics and plans for national development and not merely as passive recipients of marginal hand-outs;
	Focussing attention on women’s pressing and special needs for maternity protection, child care, literacy education, widening opportunities for employment and training etc. So that they receive adequate attention and resources from various sections of society, and;
	Re-examining educational and other value generating process which promote mystification, ignorance and distortions regarding women and their roles in society.