An Analysis of the Socio-Economic Status of Scheduled Caste Women in Manipur

The Constitution of India guarantees social and economic justice, including security, equality of status and opportunities, and assurance of the individual's dignity for all citizens. The current study looks at the socio-economic standing of Scheduled Caste women in Manipur, a historically underprivileged group that experiences discrimination on three fronts: gender, caste, and class. Despite their favourable sex ratio and high urban concentration, the current study shows that the existing demographic trends have not ensured gender-equal empowerment. There are notable differences in both labour market dynamics and educational attainment. Women contribute the majority of the marginal workforce and dominate the household industry sector. The results show that constitutional protections have not yet eliminated the interlocking barriers of regional disparities and patriarchal structures, with a female economic dependency rate that is almost twice as high as the male rate and a persistent gap between actual and "wanted" fertility.