Entrepreneurship among Tribal Women: Challenges and Pathways to Empowerment

Abstract

Entrepreneurship has increasingly been positioned as a critical instrument for inclusive economic development, particularly in developing countries where social inequalities intersect with economic marginalization. Within this framework, the entrepreneurial engagement of tribal women remains underexplored despite its transformative potential. This paper examines the relationship between traditional gender roles and entrepreneurship among women in tribal communities in India. It interrogates the widely held perception that tribal societies are inherently egalitarian and demonstrates that tribal women experience layered marginalization as women and as members of historically disadvantaged communities.

Drawing upon qualitative research based on documentary analysis of academic literature, case studies, and socio-economic reports, the study investigates how gender norms, cultural practices, and structural barriers influence tribal women’s entrepreneurial participation. The analysis reveals that although tribal women actively contribute to household economies and local production systems, patriarchal norms, limited access to education, financial constraints, and infrastructural deficiencies significantly restrict their entrepreneurial mobility. At the same time, entrepreneurship offers a potential site of resistance, enabling some women to renegotiate established gender expectations and expand their decision-making power.