Tribal women in India occupy a unique socio-economic and cultural position shaped by indigenous traditions, historical marginalization, and structural inequalities. Despite constitutional safeguards and development interventions, tribal women continue to face challenges related to education, health, livelihood security, political participation, and gender equality. This review paper synthesizes existing literature on the empowerment of tribal women in India, drawing on 25 key studies spanning economic, social, educational, political, and legal dimensions. The review highlights major empowerment pathways such as education, self-help groups (SHGs), and employment programs like MGNREGA, forest rights, and local governance participation. It also identifies persistent gaps, regional disparities, and emerging challenges. The paper concludes by outlining future research directions and policy implications for achieving sustainable gender equality among tribal women.
Girase et al. (2026) studied this question.