Muslim Women’s Literacy in India (A Case Study of Uttar Pradesh)

Abstract

The Muslim community in India is among the country’s most socially and economically disadvantaged religious communities. Literacy rates are low, especially among women. The educational situation is particularly difficult in North India, including Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state. Many Muslim women there cannot attend schools located far from Muslim neighbourhoods. Tensions between religious communities contribute to fear and distrust and discourage girls from going to school. Although several programmes to improve Muslim women’s access to and quality of education were launched in the 2000s, they have yet to produce substantial results.