Women-Led Development through Digital Education: Inquiry-Based Learning as a Tool for Empowerment

Abstract

The realm of education emerges as a catalyst for transformative change, where a considerable section of the rural population is undereducated or illiterate. Many girls and women aged 15 and older in rural, semi-urban, and urban areas are at varying educational levels. Some struggle with basic literacy, while others, unable to complete schooling, have no means to learn, acquire skills, or work. In such a landscape, women’s education is a driving force behind development and progress. The discourse on women-led development becomes significant for inclusive growth and equity. It represents a shift in perspective, from a notion that women are passive recipients of welfare to recognizing them as active agents of social change. Digital access in rural areas is uneven but has a wider reach, is cost-effective, and is infrastructure-neutral, making it a critical tool for empowerment. Within this framework, women's education, structured through inquiry-oriented education led by women and delivered through digital classrooms, is a means of expanding agency and dismantling socio-cultural barriers. This paper examines how women’s education fosters empowerment through digital literacy and technology. It highlights that inquiry-oriented education, facilitated by women, enables them to question, reflect upon, and transform the conditions of their existence.