Empowering Marginalised Women in Remote Indian Villages- An Impact Study

The research focuses on the impacts of social education on the lives of women living in remote mountain villages in Tamil Nadu, India. The analysis quantifies their subjective and objective learning experiences as indicated by wellbeing and empowerment variables, in the contexts of persistent structural inequalities and public policy that tackles them. While this is a study of wellbeing or quality of life it adopts an approach and methodology that forge a new innovation pathway. The conceptual grounds centre on the proposition that if there is a gap between measured quality of life and empowerment then wellbeing is severely weakened by inherent Inequalities. That is, when the gap is closed wellbeing is strengthened. Ultimately, this posited interconnection uncovers the progress and challenges that rural women face in the struggle for equality. In the case of highland communities in Tamil Nadu, women who identify as either Dalit (lowered caste), Adivasi (tribal) or Sri Lankan Repatriate face racialized and social class inequalities every day.