Vocational education and training for indigenous women in India: toward a participatory planning approach

ABSTRACT Indigenous women in India struggle to maintain their traditional knowledge, education and livelihoods in the face of colonization, neoliberalism and development. The paper analyzes the vocational education and skills training programmes implemented for indigenous women in India by the national government and local agencies. It considers the experiences of indigenous women from two different geographical locations and two distinct communities. The qualitative findings from the study indicate a mismatch between the requirements and desires of indigenous women and the policy objectives. By integrating self-determination into a subaltern framework, the paper suggests taking a participatory planning approach to VET for indigenous women. It brings attention to and draws practical suggestions for representation and inclusion of indigenous women in skills development.