Tribal women have a significant role in India’s transformation

As we stand at the threshold of India’s 75th Independence day, it is a good time to reflect on how we can accelerate achieving its Sustainable Development Goals and transformation. Tribal women, comprising 47% of India’s tribal population, are deeply connected to their communities and possess a profound understanding of their ecosystem. Studies have shown that tribal women, as culture keepers and archivists of ancient tribal practices and traditional knowledge, also possess valuable insights on larger issues such as the climate crisis, forests, and sustainability. Young tribal women are helping lower maternal mortality rates in Araku valley, Andhra Pradesh, with no maternal deaths reported for three consecutive years prior to the pandemic. The success of the recent Aashwasan 100-day campaign by the ministry of tribal affairs, Central TB Division,, USAID and Piramal Foundation to raise awareness about Covid-19 vaccine and TB screening, testing and treatment initiation in 174 remote tribal districts can be attributed largely to women frontline workers and SHG members from tribal blocks who played an instrumental role in bringing community members together and persuading them to participate.