RECLAIMING EDUCATIONAL PEDAGOGY VIA DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT IN INDIGENOUS WOMEN

Abstract

Indigenous women’s education is shaped by overlapping inequalities related to gender, culture, geography, and historical marginalization. Although education is widely promoted as a tool for empowerment, formal systems have often failed Indigenous women by neglecting their knowledge traditions, languages, and lived realities. In the context of rapid digital transformation, new opportunities have emerged to reimagine education in ways that are more inclusive and culturally grounded. This chapter examines Indigenous women’s education through the lens of digital empowerment, emphasizing the role of Indigenous pedagogy in shaping meaningful learning experiences. It explores how digital tools can support Indigenous women’s agency, identity, and socio-economic participation when aligned with community values and gender-responsive approaches. Drawing on global and India-focused examples, the chapter highlights both the possibilities and limitations of digital inclusion. It argues that digital empowerment must move beyond access to technology and instead prioritize cultural relevance, community ownership, and epistemic sovereignty to ensure sustainable and transformative educational outcomes for Indigenous women.