Sustainable Development: Paths for the Future Looking at the Experiences of Adivasi Women

Abstract

The article looks at paths for a more sustainable development for the future of the world through the experiences of Adivasi women. The article discusses how historically Adivasi communities had close ties to forests and land in symbiotic relationship with each other, which met all needs in plenty and where women enjoyed a better status. But as external social systems began to change with the advent of more colonial systems that prioritised industrial-commercial needs over home and community needs, Adivasi communities became disempowered and subjugated over time, and there was increased dissonance between the social and ecological worlds from extensive deforestation and displacement of communities for development projects, which resulted in the loss of entire social systems that were more in tune with nature. The changed social systems also impacted the relationship of Adivasi communities with the environment in adapting to the new, more capitalistic worldview. But there were also responses that arose out of the social-ecological imbalance, through social movements, programmes and individual initiatives that worked to redress the imbalance; some of the more successful initiatives were those that centered the participation of women, youth and more marginalised communities in decisionmaking by increasing the representation of home and community needs in development approaches, away from industrial-commercial needs. The article goes into how this approach is necessary for paths towards a more sustainable development that can re-integrate the social and ecological world more harmoniously for a better quality of life for all.

Keywords: Sustainable Development, Adivasi Women, Environment

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