CPSW, was established in 1987. It was initiated as an association of trained social workers and focused initially on promotion of social work practice in Orissa. Besides this, it started working for the disadvantaged and deprived sections of the society with sincerity, commitment and professionalism from its inception.
In the beginning, it pursued the interest of social work professionals, conducted social research, training, documentation and organised seminars / workshops to enhance the standard of social work practice. It continued to conduct training programmes.
Gradually it got involved more and more in the development and acts for the tribals, dalits, rural poor, drought and disaster affected people, displaced persons, vulnerable children and other disadvantaged groups such as people affected by development process, environmental pollution, violence of Child Right’s and Gender discrimination.
Orissa - the Context and Constituency:
Orissa, despite its rich natural resource base and cultural heritage, has remained as one of the poorest state in India with 47% of its people living below poverty line. The Scheduled Tribes and the Scheduled Castes, who constitute nearly one fourth of the country’s population and 40% in case of Orissa, 60-70% in the backward areas are the most deprived lot lagging far behind others in the developmental process. These communities are the poorest among others.
Orissa is regarded as the homeland of the tribals. It has the unique distinction of having as many as 62 categories of Tribal Groups & 13 Primitive groups of tribes. But it is a matter of great concern that these tribal populations of Orissa are highly vulnerable from Social, Economic & Cultural aspects of life and majority of them are below the poverty line languishing in poverty, food insecurity & debt. As a matter of fact, such rich Economic, Social & Indigenous Cultural traits of these tribal groups are fast depleting because of the impact of rapid industrialization, modernization & acculturation.
