Abstract

Mahila Samakhya (MS), established by the Government of India in 1987, was a pioneering women’s education and empowerment programme that redefined education as a vehicle for both literacy and empowerment. Unlike typical government initiatives, MS placed rural women’s needs at its core, aiming to cultivate critical thinking and understanding of societal structures rather than merely achieving literacy. Its unique, flexible design allowed for process-oriented implementation, addressing uncharted aspects of rural women’s lives and promoting agency against patriarchal constraints. This approach diverged from conventional public programmes by prioritising the empowerment and agency of its participants, leading to innovative methods and evolving forms of impact evaluation.

This paper reflects on the programme covering its implementation methods and sustainability factor.

Swarup, V. (2019, February). Mahila Samakhya: A Reflection