Knowledge and People's Power - Multiworld India

Started in 1951, the Indian Social Institute, is a centre for research, trainingand action. Its primary objective is to contribute to the development of a justsocial order by focusing on the underprivileged groups of society. The mainthrust of its work is search for alternatives to the present socio-economicorder that marginalises the majority in favour of a small minority. Itundertakes research on these issues and brings out the findings in variousforms such as monographs, books and reports. The Extension Serviceprovides consultancy with the aim of promoting socio-economic programmesand projects for the benefit of the rural and urban poor. The TrainingDepartment prepares personnel for work among the marginalised groups andenables them to increase their effectiveness.The World Employment Programme (WEP) was launched by the InternationalLabour Organisation in 1969, as the ILO's main contribution to theInternational Development Strategy for the Second United NationsDevelopment Decade.The means of action adopted by the WEP have included the following:-short-term high-level advisory missions;-longer-term national or regional employment teams; and -a wide-rangingresearch programme.Through these activities the ILO has been able to help national decisionmakers to reshape their policies and plans with the aim of eradicating masspoverty and unemployment.A landmark in the development of the WEP was the World EmploymentConference of 1976, which proclaimed inter alia that "strategies and nationaldevelopment plans should include as a priority objective the promotion ofemployment and the satisfaction of the basic needs of each country'spopulation". The Declaration of Principles and Programme of Action adoptedby the Conference will remain the cornerstone of WEP technical assistanceand research activities during the 1980s.This publication is the outcome of a WEP project.4