Role and Leadership of Tribal Women

By- Savitri Thakur

India is a rich country with diverse cultural traditions and livelihoods, home to a scheduled tribe population exceeding 10.45 crore, constituting about 8.6% of the total population. This figure is not just a demographic statistic but represents a unique expression of India’s vibrant, ancient, and multifaceted cultural heritage. This community has been a steward of natural resource conservation and has contributed to shaping India’s cultural identity through its rich traditions, linguistic diversity, and original knowledge systems. Even ancient texts like the Ramayana and Mahabharata mention their valor, intelligence, and deep connection with nature.

However, for a long time, the tribal society was kept away from mainstream development. They were viewed as guardians of a living culture but not as equal partners. Especially, the leadership, skills, social insight, and community-building role of tribal women were not recognized to the extent they deserved.

Under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership, this mindset and system have witnessed a purposeful transformation. The government has moved beyond tokenism to adopt a policy of targeted empowerment. This commitment to holistic development of tribal communities is proof that no community will be left behind in India’s development journey. The mantra “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas” has become a powerful example of this inclusive vision.

This commitment is clearly reflected in budget allocations. The total budget for tribal community development increased from Rs 10,237.33 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 14,925.81 crore in 2025-26, an impressive increase of 45.79%. Looking at the long-term perspective, this amount rose from Rs 4,497.96 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 7,411 crore in 2021-22 and now shows a growth of 231.83%. The enhanced allocation in the 2025-26 central budget for the Ministry of Tribal Affairs clearly indicates that tribal communities, especially women, are no longer mere beneficiaries but active leaders in the development journey.

Tribal women in India have been the axis of social, cultural, and economic life. They are custodians of traditional life systems related to water, forests, and land, playing an important role in community decision-making, resource management, and cultural tradition preservation. Today, this role is visible not only at the family and community level but also from governance systems to policy-making. The most powerful symbol of this change is the presence of a tribal woman, Mrs. Droupadi Murmu, as the President of India — the highest Constitutional office.

The Union government has adopted a multi-dimensional approach to institutionalize the social-cultural empowerment, economic upliftment, and leadership of tribal women, ensuring development goes beyond facility expansion to guarantee respect, recognition, and self-reliance. Under the Tribal Women Empowerment Scheme, the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation provides loans of up to Rs 2 lakh to tribal women for self-employment and entrepreneurship at an interest rate of just 4%. This enables them to develop enterprises in handicrafts, agriculture-based activities, bamboo products, livestock, processing, and service sectors.

A special campaign, the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), launched for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), is bringing basic amenities to these communities. This campaign ensures development in 75 PVTG communities across 18 states and one union territory, previously isolated from mainstream progress. With an investment of around Rs 24,104 crore, PM-JANMAN is bringing comprehensive improvements in housing, clean water, healthcare, nutrition, education, road connectivity, and sustainable livelihoods.

Additionally, Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) are providing free and quality education to tribal children, creating new opportunities for skill development. Scholarship schemes have significantly reduced school dropout rates, especially among girls.

DAY-NRLM has strengthened tribal women’s financial decision-making capacity, collective production, marketing, and economic self-reliance through Self-Help Groups. Meanwhile, the capable Anganwadi and Nutrition Mission has improved nutrition levels of pregnant and lactating mothers and maternal health indicators.

The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, empowered tribal communities living in Fifth Schedule areas with self-governance through Gram Sabhas (village assemblies). This law structurally ensures women’s participation in Panchayats and Gram Sabhas. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has developed special leadership training modules for women.

The Adi Karmyogi Campaign has emerged as a historic initiative in tribal areas. Under this campaign, more than 20 lakh change agents — a mix of female Self-Help Group members, youth, and local officials — have been trained as local leaders in governance, service delivery, and community empowerment. The campaign aims to strengthen participatory governance through “1 Lakh Tribal Villages–Vision 2030,” ensuring a central role for women. The President of India, Mrs. Droupadi Murmu, has praised this campaign, stating that tribal leadership at the grassroots is the foundation for “Viksit Bharat @2047.” Today, many tribal-majority villages have women leading village institutions as presidents, running Self-Help Groups, playing transformative roles in governance labs, and linking their communities to livelihood and development programs.

Moreover, under the “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan” started in 2024, over Rs 79,000 crore has been approved for the holistic development of more than 63,000 tribal-majority villages. A key focus of this campaign is strengthening women’s direct leadership roles in village committees.

The growing participation of tribal women in India’s development journey shows they are becoming not just participants but leaders of change. The current focus is on strengthening their leadership at the grassroots. To this end, leadership training facilities for women are being expanded in local communities so that more women can actively participate in administrative, economic, and social decision-making.

Connecting forest-based livelihoods and handcraft enterprises to national and international markets is a major priority to enhance both the value and respect for their work. Through Self-Help Groups and livelihood groups, women are becoming powerful agents of positive social change. Digital literacy and financial management training are being expanded to enable every woman to become self-reliant.

Access to higher education and skill development for tribal girls is continuously being strengthened so that they can confidently advance to future leadership positions. The goal is clear — empowerment of tribal women is not only a matter of social sensitivity but a strong foundation for India’s democratic expansion, sustainable development, and inclusive progress.

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(The Author is the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Government of India)