Education and Indigenous Woman: Empowerment, Autonomy, and Emancipation (Phase 1)

This research project addresses the need to study the relationship between education and indigenous women in Ecuador, an area with scarce specific literature, despite the increase in indigenous female enrollment in university programs, such as the Intercultural Bilingual Education degree at UPS. The study focuses on determining how higher education specifically contributes to the development of autonomy, participation, and empowerment for these women within their communities and in the public sphere. Access to education is recognized as a key component in the struggle for the rights of communal women. The methodology employed for qualitative data collection includes the application of life histories and focus groups, aiming to capture the lived experiences of participants regarding their educational trajectory and its impact on their social and personal roles. The ultimate goal is to generate knowledge that supports the understanding of education as a tool for social transformation and emancipation for indigenous women.<br/><br/><b>Goal</b>: <br/>To analyze the fundamental role of education in the empowerment, autonomy, and emancipation of indigenous women in the Ecuadorian provinces of Cotopaxi, Pichincha, and Imbabura.<br/><br/><b>Research lines</b>: <br/>Indigenous language, education and interculturality