Centre for Social Research (CSR) India

The UK’s decision to announce an under-16 social media ban marks a major turning point in the global conversation on children’s online safety.

While the policy aims to protect children from addictive design, harmful content, stranger contact, and unsafe online interactions, it also raises important questions around enforcement, privacy, digital rights, and young people’s access to online communities.

At the Centre for Social Research, we believe that child safety online must be approached with both urgency and nuance. Protecting children cannot rely on bans alone. It requires stronger platform accountability, effective age-appropriate design, digital literacy, parental support, privacy safeguards, and meaningful participation of young people in policy decisions.

As countries across the world rethink how children engage with digital spaces, India too must strengthen its approach to online safety, one that protects children without compromising their rights, agency, and access to safe digital opportunities.

The Centre for Social Research, Gurugram, recently hosted the certification ceremony for its Office Assistant Training Program, recognizing the accomplishments of 38 students who successfully completed the course and received their certificates.

The event brought together 62 participants, including graduates and students from the current batch, creating a space for learning, inspiration, and community engagement.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all certificate recipients as they embark on the next stage of their professional journeys. Their dedication and perseverance reflect the transformative power of skill development and vocational training in creating pathways to meaningful employment and economic empowerment.

At CSR, we remain committed to strengthening opportunities for young people through capacity-building initiatives that foster confidence, employability, and sustainable livelihoods.

We are pleased to share the signing of the second phase project agreement between Centre for Social Research India (CSR) and Hanns Seidel Foundation India (HSS) under the India-Europe Resilience Forum (IERF) initiative.

This partnership marks a continued commitment to advancing collaborative efforts in research, capacity building, and social development, with a focus on creating meaningful and sustainable impact.

We look forward to strengthening this collaboration and driving forward initiatives that contribute to inclusive growth, knowledge exchange, and community empowerment.

Dowry is not a tradition. It is a system of violence that continues to endanger the lives, dignity, and freedom of women across India.

In her latest article, Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research India, examines how dowry has evolved into a deeply entrenched form of domestic abuse, coercion, and psychological violence against women. The article raises urgent questions about the realities many women face within marriage and the societal structures that continue to normalise this violence.

As conversations around women’s safety and rights continue in 2026, it is critical to confront the intersection of patriarchy, economic control, and domestic violence with stronger accountability, legal action, and social change.

Read the full article and join the conversation on building a safer and more equal society for women.

Link: https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-insight/gender-equality/dowry-domestic-violence-and-the-unsafe-reality-for-indian-women-101779255033071-amp.html

We are pleased to announce a partnership between Centre for Social Research (CSR) and GroSafe to launch the GroSafe School Trials in India.

Led by GroSafe in collaboration with TU Dublin Computer Science, ISPCC, and Research Ireland, this initiative introduces a digital 3D educational game designed to help students recognise and resist online grooming behaviours. The pilot follows a classroom-based, teacher-led model, combining gameplay with structured pre- and post-assessments to build awareness and strengthen digital resilience among young people.

The collaboration brings together expertise in child safety, education, research, and technology to support safer online environments for children and adolescents. By integrating interactive learning with evidence-based evaluation, the initiative aims to contribute to stronger prevention strategies against online grooming and exploitation.

We forget… but water never does.

Every drop carries a memory of how we have treated it, valued it, or taken it for granted. From drying wells to overflowing rivers, from women walking miles to fetch water to communities coming together to conserve it, water holds stories that reflect our choices and our future.

The Gender, Water, and Climate Change Division returns with Water Memories, a series that brings together lived experiences, unheard voices, and critical conversations at the intersection of gender, water, and climate change. Through these narratives, we aim to highlight not just the urgency of the crisis, but also the resilience, leadership, and knowledge of women and communities who are at the forefront of change.

As climate change intensifies water scarcity and unpredictability, it is women who often bear the greatest burden, managing households, securing water, and sustaining livelihoods. Yet, they are also powerful agents of transformation, leading local solutions, conserving resources, and building climate resilience.

Stay tuned as we share stories that inspire action, spark dialogue, and remind us that water is not just a resource, it is life, memory, and responsibility.