Tribal population is scattered throughout the world, but, though their varied cultures are highly talked about, their rights are often ignored. Tribal women receive an even harsher punishment because they are subject to two levels of vulnerability, one caused by their biological sex and another by their tribal roots. The Commonwealth nation of India has a substantial tribal population. The present paper examines the socioeconomic, health, educational, and employment status of tribal women. Despite constitutional protection and assurances, even after four and a half decades, their status is found to be lower than not only that of women in the general population and the Scheduled Caste women but is also lower than the status of tribal men. It is characterized by overwork, the intrusion of sexually exploitative market forces into tribal society, illiteracy, subhuman living conditions, high fertility, high malnutrition, and proximity to women. Early intervention for tribal girls is emphasized to improve tribal women's status. This paper compares the extent to which these legal instruments are justiciable and examines the international and national safeguards available to India's tribal women.
