This thesis highlights that adult literacy is a key factor which can initiate a chain of advantages to women. It is the one single most variable that has the capacity to transform lives and create a sustainable future by breaking intergenerational poverty. The transformative learning gave rural and marginalized women in Bhilwara District Rajasthan and Howrah District West Bengal India the skills to critically examine their constructed realities and enabled them to reverse their realities towards a better quality of life. The case studies equally highlight that strategic partnerships are vital for rural transformation. This study also concludes that it is intrinsic to encourage civil society, local stakeholders, parents and communities to ensure that girls receive the same opportunities as boys. Literacy empowers women to partake as key players in the promotion of human rights, create sustainable communities and work in unison towards a more just, peaceful and tolerant world. This is a doctoral thesis in International and Comparative Education at Stockholm University, Sweden 2017.