Legal Awareness, Educational Access, and Empowerment of Women with Disabilities in India: Challenges and Policy Implications

Abstract

This study examines legal awareness, educational access, and empowerment of women with disabilities in India, with a focus on the challenges and policy implications arising from the gap between formal rights and lived realities. Women with disabilities experience multiple forms of disadvantage shaped by gender, disability, poverty, social stigma, and limited institutional support. The study adopts a socio-legal and descriptive research design, using questionnaire-based data supported by secondary sources such as Census disability tables, NSS Report No. 583,

and the Annual Report of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The findings show that legal awareness among respondents remains limited, particularly regarding the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, reservations, scholarships, free legal aid, and grievance redressal mechanisms. Educational access is also restricted by inaccessible institutions, weak teacher support, limited scholarship reach, digital barriers, discrimination, and family-related constraints. The results further indicate a positive relationship between legal awareness and empowerment, showing that women who are more aware of their rights are better positioned to claim support, participate in decision-making, and develop confidence. The study concludes that legal recognition alone is insufficient unless supported by awareness programmes, accessible education, effective implementation, and gender-sensitive policy measures.