Abstract

The problem of illiteracy is grave amongst women in India and other South Asian countries. Despite progress in female education over the past four decades, the vast majority of women have remained illiterate. What accounts for widespread illiteracy among women? Which factors contribute to sustaining women’s literacy? This paper highlights key gender issues in literacy education. It is divided into four sections. The first section articulates the conceptual framework that examines how gender subordination and poverty contributes to illiteracy among women in developing countries. The next two sections highlight salient observations on the interplay between gender and literacy on the basis of recent research and documentation on women’s literacy in India, while the final section discusses key gender concerns that need to be integrated in literacy planning.

The purpose of the Working Paper Series (WPS) is to provide an opportunity to IRMA faculty, visiting fellows, and students to sound out their ideas and research work before publication and to get feedback and comments from their peer group. A Working Paper is not to be considered a formal research publication of the Institute.