Adolescent Girls’ Choices of Schoolyard Activities in Urban Pakistan

Authors

  • Syed Ayub Qutub
  • Nomana Anjum
  • Nazia Iftakhar
  • Mehnaz Mehmood
  • Nighat Bibi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.25.3.0040

Keywords:

adolescent girls, environmental design, physical activity, schoolyards, Pakistan

Abstract

Adolescent girls in Pakistan are restricted from outdoor physical activities due to the risks of crime and teasing, and by “cultural norms.” Schoolyards are potentially key recreational places. However, there is little space for recreation at most low-fee private schools, and State-run schools have little incentive to support outdoor activities. Focus group discussions, participant observation, interviews and group work elicited the outdoor space preferences of parents and schoolgirls.The girls display considerable ingenuity for outdoor play in constrained environments, and aspire for more vigorous physical activity and quality recreation. Policy reforms,changes to schools’ approaches to the use of outdoor space, and societal efforts are required to make adolescent-girl-friendly spaces more widely available.

Published

2022-11-01