ICDS is able to achieve significant grounded advances for social and ecological justice because of our passionate and dedicated staff and allies. We operate in selected states in India, with our reach extending across 150 districts, encompassing 7,507 villages.

Our ground team is at the core of our grassroots work, consisting of dedicated community leaders, Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and colleagues working as project staff. Community leaders and HRDs lead their own struggles and help amplify the voices and participation of their communities in socio-economic development. They foster community engagement driving positive change from the ground up. Meanwhile, our committed project staff are on the front lines, implementing our programs and campaigns. They also facilitate essential monitoring, review and reflection activities to continually refine and improve our efforts.

Our team members come from socially diverse backgrounds and include members from the marginalised communities we serve. Presently, half of our ground team consists of women and represent significant social diversity.They provide strategic guidance and hands-on support, ensuring our initiatives are effectively implemented and impactful. They ensure accountability to our donors, supporters and authorities, while and upholding the highest standards of integrity in all our operations.

Over the years, ICDS has been supported and guided by a diverse array of formations, including people’s organisations, community-based organisations, civil society organisations, educational institutions, corporate organisations and government bodies. Our partnerships are built on principles of equality, solidarity, mutual respect, and trust, with a shared purpose and long-term vision.

Social Movements, Networks, Platforms and Civil Society Organisations

Throughout the country ICDS Association works with local, community-based organisations who have essential knowledge and experience and enjoy the confidence of the poor and marginalised communities we work with. We have also seeded and nurtured grassroots Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), coalitions, platforms, and social movements across the country. ICDS Association has played a pivotal role in initiating and supporting movements for marginalised communities including the Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (Indian Muslim Women’s Movement), Ekal Nari Shakti Manch (Single Women’s Platform), Slum Dwellers Association, multiple platforms and coalitions in the women’s rights movement, water rights movement, tribal rights movement, workers’ rights movement, the Right to Food Campaign, Climate Justice Campaign, and Campaign for conservation of Natural Resources – land, forest and water.

Government Institutions

We engage with government institutions at all levels starting from the grassroots to national level to address the issues faced by the communities we work with. At village and ward level we have engaged with PRI members, Ward and Municipality members, frontline government functionaries and government officials at block and district level. At the state level, we have established MoUs with State Governments to set up ‘Migrant Workers Facilitation Centres’. We have agreements with the At the national scale, we have collaborated with key bodies such as the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Women, the National Commission for Minorities, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. We work closely with various ministries at both Central and State government levels, including Labour and Employment, Agriculture, Social Justice and Empowerment, Women and Child Development, and the Ministry of Forest and Environment, addressing a range of issues affecting marginalized communities. Presently, ICDS holds a core group membership in the Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society group formed by the NHRC.

• World Social Forum (WSF): An open meeting place where social movements, networks, NGOs and other civil society organizations come together to share ideas and strategies for a just and sustainable world.

Research and Educational Institutions

ICDS collaborates with multiple Higher Education Institutions to advance knowledge-building initiatives. These partnerships provide platforms for holding in-depth discussions on pressing issues faced by marginalised communities, stimulating dialogue and awareness. They also provide support for initiatives aimed at skill development and capacity-building for communities we work with. Additionally, our collaborations with educational institutions extend to conducting comprehensive research initiatives to inform evidence-based advocacy and policy interventions.

Over the years, we have collaborated with Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Ambedkar University, TISS (Mumbai, Hyderabad, Guwahati), Christ University,SRM University and Loyola College, IPE, Central University of Kashmir, National Law School (Bangalore) among others. We have also worked with the Sydney University.

Corporate Organisations

ICDS Association values all the partnerships forged with corporate entities. These collaborations are instrumental in driving our mission forward, as they provide critical financial support, strategic guidance and innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the communities we work with. We believe in long-term corporate partnerships that go beyond grants to co-creating projects that advance and bring scale to programmes on social and ecological justice in a sustained manner. Together with our corporate allies, we can amplify our impact, ensuring that our interventions are comprehensive and sustainable, ultimately fostering a world free from poverty and injustice.

Individual Supporters

Our individual supporters are committed and generous, consistently supporting our causes related to children’s protection and education, women empowerment, climate justice and disaster relief. We maintain a strong personal connection with our individual supporters and some of them have been with us for more than a decade.