“From Embroidery to Empowerment”: Exploring Barriers to Shui Women’s Economic Mobility

This study explores the socio-economic challenges faced by Shui women, mainly residing in Guizhou Province, China. Despite their rich cultural heritage and traditional skills, Shui women still encounter systemic obstacles in education, employment, and legal rights. Based on thematic analysis of field interviews, policy documents, and academic literature, this study reveals how cultural expectations, insufficient institutional support, and discriminatory labor practices work together to hinder the career development of Shui women. The findings highlight the need for intersectional feminist approaches in rural development policies, and they recommend targeted educational and legal reforms to enhance the empowerment of ethnic minority women. This study enriches the literature on gender and ethnic inequality in China, providing new theoretical insights and practical suggestions for promoting inclusive socio-economic development.