About | Shivangi Deshwal

Helping women help themselves

Shivangi Deshwal is a gender-based violence specialist and trained feminist social worker. She completed her BA ( in English Literature and German) at Gargi College, University of Delhi, and her MA in Social Work (Women Centred Practice) at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

She was a PhD student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore until 2023. From 2016 to 2022, she worked with the Resource Centre for Interventions on Violence against Women (RCI-VAW), Tata Institute of Social Sciences; SNEHA’s Programme on Prevention of Violence against Women and Children (PVWC); the Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC), Delhi Police; the Office of Dr. B. Devi Prasad; and the Office of Senior Advocate Indira Jaising.

As a doctoral student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, she worked as a graduate research assistant on a project examining the resettlement of the Rohingya refugee population in the United States, funded by the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/Migration and Refugee Service (USCCB/MRS). During her doctoral studies, she published two peer-reviewed academic articles and presented two peer-reviewed symposium and oral papers at the Society for Social Work Research. Her doctoral studies were fully funded in the amount of $24,940, with an additional $5,000 housing scholarship .

Currently, she runs an independent research consulting practice that works at the intersection of research, advocacy, and case management for gender-based violence. She has actively participated in podcasts, panels, and a Netflix documentary discussing her research and practice.

In 2024, she was felicitated with the Long Strider Award by Gargi College, University of Delhi, for outstanding contributions in her field in the past decade. Her latest publication titled "She Didn’t Know [What] She Was Talking About, Because She Was a Woman”: The Perspective of Service Providers on Rohingya Refugees’ Adjustment to US Gender Roles

can be read in the Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 2025.

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Helping women help themselves

In her lectures and training sessions, Shivangi employs feminist consciousness-raising as a cornerstone of her pedagogy. This approach goes beyond traditional teaching methods by encouraging open dialogue and shared experiences. By creating a space for individuals to explore and reflect on their own perspectives, Shivangi fosters a deeper understanding of gender-based violence and its systemic roots. This consciousness-raising not only enhances awareness but also serves as a catalyst for collective action and advocacy.

Central to Shivangi's caregiving model is the incorporation of a holistic approach inspired by fictive kinship, community building, and empowerment. Drawing on the concept of fictive kin, which emphasizes supportive relationships beyond biological ties, Shivangi encourages a sense of communal responsibility among caregivers. This approach not only strengthens the support network for those on the frontline but also promotes a shared commitment to the well-being of survivors.

Community building is a key element in Shivangi's model, recognizing the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing gender-based violence. This community-centric approach amplifies the impact of individual efforts, creating a network of support that transcends geographical boundaries.

Shivangi envisions an ideal service that integrates the best of both worlds—melding traditional Eastern values with a Western problem-solving approach. Her model embraces the Eastern ideals of interdependence, sisterhood, and support, recognizing the strength in communal bonds. Simultaneously, it incorporates a Western problem-solving approach that emphasizes action based on options discussed collaboratively with caregivers and leverages the availability of social service resources.

Shivangi's teaching philosophy and caregiving model reflect a commitment to creating a world where gender-based violence is not only understood but actively combated through shared knowledge, support networks, and transformative action. Join us in redefining the discourse around gender-based violence and building a future based on compassion, understanding, and empowerment.

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