Peer-reviewed article
What Happens When [Terai] Girls Play? Understanding the Relationship Between Restrictive Gender Norms, Girls' Experiences of Playing Sport in South-Eastern Nepal, and the Factors That Influence Their Participation.
Begg S, Shah N, Poudel M, Pulford J, Parker S et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study explored how restrictive gender norms affect girls' participation in sports in the Terai region of Nepal, using youth researchers aged 13-19 to investigate the topic. Girls' sports participation was limited by restrictions on their freedom and mobility, negative peer commentary, and lack of institutional support. However, when girls succeeded in sports, it generated pride that challenged restrictive norms and shifted community perceptions of girls' capabilities and rights. The research suggests that building girls' confidence, engaging boys as allies, and increasing visibility of girls' sports could help expand freedoms in the region.
Key points
- Girls' participation in sports was limited by restrictions on free time and mobility enforced by parents, teachers, and peers through 'backbiting' (negative gossip)
- Schools and sporting institutions provided limited opportunities and uneven resources for girls' sports
- Girls' sporting success acted as a catalyst for positive change, generating pride that shifted community perspectives on girls' capabilities and rights
- Gender norms limiting girls' participation are sustained through interpersonal interactions in families, schools, and peer groups
- Future interventions should build girls' confidence, engage boys as allies, and increase visibility of girls' sports
Limitations
The study involved 23 youth researchers and 148 adolescents from eight schools in two districts, so findings may not generalise beyond the Terai region or to girls outside this age group. The research is observational and descriptive rather than evaluative of a specific intervention outcome.
Abstract
Introduction Restrictive gender norms globally disproportionately constrain girls, limiting their freedom and mobility while increasing their risk of violence. This study adopts a Youth Participatory Action Research approach to explore how adolescents in Nepal experience these norms in sport, and identify pathways for their positive transformation. Methods Twenty-three adolescent girls from eight government schools in the Terai districts of Morang and Saptari, Nepal, were trained as youth researchers to co-define the research focus and questions related to gender, sport, and adolescence. They conducted 15 play-based focus group discussions with 64 adolescent boys and 84 adolescent girls aged 13-19. Outputs were co-analysed using a framework approach shaped by the youth researchers' lived experiences. Results Situating our findings relative to Ecological Systems Theory, we found that girls' participation in sports is limited by restrictions on their free time and mobility, and community and peer "backbiting". Parents, teachers, and boys in their microsystem reinforced these norms, while schools and sporting institutions provided limited opportunities and uneven resources. However, girls' sporting success emerged as a catalyst for change, generating pride that shifted perspectives on girls' capabilities, rights, and freedoms. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of addressing gender norms at a societal level by engaging with the interpersonal interactions that sustain them. It identifies "pride" as a transformative force, supporting evidence that positive norms can drive gender equity. Future interventions should build girls' confidence, engage boys as allies, and increase the visibility of girls' sports to expand freedoms in the Terai.