Exploring Barriers to Girls' Participation in Sports: Perspectives of Parents and Principals in Public and Private Schools in Lahore

Abstract

Participation in sporting activities by girls in Pakistan is low and challenging because of socio-cultural factors, organizational barriers, and family views as major challenges. This research study looks into such constraints for the participation of girls in sports at both public and private schools of Lahore by taking the views of 50 parents and 05 principals. This study employed a qualitative approach and participants were parents and heads of schools belonging to different socioeconomic strata and were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. The results give some of the most important barriers to exercise by girls as cultural barriers, concern for safety, absence of qualified women teachers, unqualified sports amenities, and competition on studies for many other things. While many accepted parents were molded by the societal notions of masculinity and womanhood, the heads pointed out the lack of policies and poor services as other main factors. This study calls for policies that address issues of parental education, and attitudes towards sports as well as gender equity, and children’s health and education in order to ease the engagement of girls in sports activities. Remove these barriers to foster an inclusive sports culture alongside achieving balanced education and physical activity among the different genders.