ISST is non-profit research and educational organization based in New Delhi. ISST's overall aim is research for social change with a focus on livelihood, work and well-being of vulnerable communities from a gender perspective. ISST attempts to bridge the gaps between research, action and policy debate, with a focus on issues concerning the poor, especially women. ISST believes that academic research can provide valuable inputs into grassroots activism and policy debate, but equally that activist experience and policy concerns need to influence the directions of research. ISST, thus, positions itself at the interface between research, action and policy. ISST adopts multi-disciplinary approaches for its research and evaluation. The scope of research ranges from analysis of macro level policies and data to micro level action research in India and beyond. ISST enjoys a special consultative status with UN-ECOSOC.