Between Institutions and Movements: Exploring the Political Empowerment of Tribal Women in Telangana

Abstract

One of the most complex and unstudied aspects of democratic governance in post bifurcation of India is the political empowerment of tribal women of Telangana. Tribal women in the state come from various tribal communities like Gonds, Koyas, Lambadas, Chenchu, Kolam etc., and are living in condition of triple marginalisation, labour condition, which is based on gender, tribal group and poor economic position. Tribal women across the state belong to different tribal communities. This article looks at the nature, extent and limitations of the political empowerment of tribal women in Telangana inculpated in the historical, social-cultural and the constitutional and institutional contexts. It presents an account of how the traditional governance systems of the colonies were disrupted, followed by the land alienation and forest rights erosion processes in the post-colonial context, that resulted in the current conditions of tribals' marginalisation. It outlines the constitutional and policy landscape of the judicial inclusion of women in tribal politics, highlighting the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, Panchayats Act 1996, Telangana Panchayat Raj Act 2018, and Forest Rights Act 2006, and their scope for transformation, along with the disparity between discourse and practice. Although numerical representation of tribal women in gram panchayats and local governance institutions has risen significantly in the scheduled areas of Telangana, their substantive political empowerment is still restricted by the fact that their literacy level is significantly lower than their counterparts in out-of-scheduled areas, they are economically vulnerable, and they are represented by male relatives, and that they receive insufficient administrative assistance as well as structural exclusion within political parties and state bureaucracies. Included in this is the rich history of movement-based political mobilisation beyond institutional avenues, such as against displacement, forest rights etc., a form of political agency which is also crucial but less formally recognised. The role of civil society organizations, self-help group federations and Integrated Tribal Development Agencies in enhancing the capacity of the tribal women's political participation is critically examined. Based on the existing literature from both political science and gender studies, development economics and tribal studies, the article concludes that this substantive failure to empower tribal women can be resolved only by addressing the gaps in political, economic and institutional dimensions in a complementary fashion, such as improving and enforcing the PESA, ensuring secure forest and land rights for tribeswomen, ensuring political parties are accountable, and continuing to invest in tribal women's capacity-building for current and ongoing capacity building programmes that are based in the lived reality of tribal communities. Political empowerment of Telangana's tribal women is not only about representation but a condition to drive deeper political democratization in Telangana.