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Public Policy Interventions for the Empowerment of Tribal Women: An Analytical Study
Author(s): Abhishek H E
Authors Affiliations:
Research Scholar, Department of Studies in Public Administration, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India
DOIs:10.2018/SS/202603001 | Paper ID: SS202603001Tribal women in India occupy a critical yet marginalised position at the intersection of gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic exclusion, making them a key focus of public policy interventions. Despite a comprehensive constitutional and policy framework encompassing education, health, livelihood, and political participation, disparities in human development outcomes between tribal and non-tribal women persist. This study examines the effectiveness of public policy interventions aimed at empowering tribal women, with particular reference to selected tribal communities in Karnataka.
The primary objective of the study is to analyse the level of awareness, access, and perceived impact of major welfare schemes on the economic, social, educational, health, and political empowerment of tribal women, and to identify implementation challenges that limit policy outcomes. Adopting a mixed-methods research design, the study is based on primary data collected from 200 tribal women respondents comprising 100 Jenu Kuruba and 100 Koraga women through a structured questionnaire and focused discussions, supplemented by secondary data from government reports and policy documents.
The findings reveal that while educational and health-related interventions demonstrate relatively higher reach and acceptance, economic and political empowerment outcomes remain limited. Low awareness of livelihood schemes, procedural complexity, socio-cultural barriers, and geographic isolation significantly constrain effective participation, particularly among Koraga women. The study also finds that formal political reservations have not consistently translated into substantive leadership or decision-making power.
The paper offers policy-relevant insights by emphasising the need for gender-responsive, community-specific, and implementation-focused reforms. The originality of the study lies in its comparative, micro-level analysis of two tribal communities, linking policy design, delivery mechanisms, and empowerment outcomes within a state-specific context.
Abhishek H E (2026); Public Policy Interventions for the Empowerment of Tribal Women: An Analytical Study, Shikshan Sanshodhan : Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, ISSN(o): 2581-6241, Volume – 9, Issue – 3, Available on – https://shikshansanshodhan.researchculturesociety.org/
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