Women Naxals: From Child Brides to Armed Cadres in India's Red Corridor

• Sunita Oyam and Zareen, child brides, joined Naxals in their teens, driven by desperation and exploitation.
• They learned to wield INSAS rifles and endure harsh jungle life, highlighting the difficult choices faced by many young women.
• The Left Wing Extremist (LWE) movement, originating in Andhra Pradesh, expanded into Bastar and Balaghat, becoming a social-ideological project.
• Adivasi women, particularly from Maria and Muria Gond communities, became integral to the movement, forming militias and participating in armed actions.
• Organisations like Adivasi Mahila Krantikari Sangathan (AMKS) addressed issues like patriarchy and dowry, integrating women's grievances into the revolutionary narrative.

Why It Matters: Desperation and exploitation fuel women's recruitment into Naxalism, transforming them into key figures in the LWE movement.