Abstract
This thesis explores how sport, specifically cricket, can be used as a tool to transform restrictive gender norms in South-Eastern Nepal through a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) approach. Grounded in a commitment to centre adolescent girls’ voices and experiences, the study responds to growing evidence that restrictive gender norms act as a critical social determinant of health. These norms limit girls’ mobility, participation in education and sport, and contribute tobroader inequalities in access to health and wellbeing.
The research was conducted in two districts, Morang and Saptari, and was embedded within the Cricket for Equality programme. Adolescent girls known as the Cricket Changemakers acted as co researchers throughout the project. The study had two aims: (1) To understand the experiences of Nepali adolescents and young adults with regards to gender norms and (2) Explore strategies for promoting gender norm transformation within a sport for development context in Nepal. Novel play based methods, including game-based surveys and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), were developed and tested to facilitate inclusive and engaging research with adolescents. These facilitated collective power development and generated sufficiently rich, valid and relevant data.
Findings from youth-led, play-based FGDs revealed that girls face multiple barriers to participating in sport, including social restrictions, harassment, and unequal opportunities. However, their involvement in cricket also fostered pride, confidence, and community-level conversations about gender equality. Drawing on the findings, a co-designed gender-transformative intervention was developed, including Positive Youth Development informed coaching sessions, gender discussion workshops, and high-visibility cricket competitions. A Theory of Change was produced collaboratively to guide intervention planning. The implementation phase involved over 1,000 delivered sessions, reaching an average of 13 (Morang) to 22 (Saptari) young people per session, with delivery adapted based on local needs.
A mixed-methods evaluation, including pre/post surveys, Ripple Effects Mapping (REM), interviews and FGDs, assessed the intervention’s outcomes. Survey data demonstrated statistically significant improvements in girls’ confidence and decision-making power in high-engagement schools, with engagement in gender discussion workshops a predictor of increased confidence. REM identified initial evidence of normative change, including increased mobility amongst girls and normalisation of girls’ participation in sport, with visibility of regular play a key driver for normative change. The RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance) framework guided process evaluation, identifying facilitators (e.g. youth leadership, community partnerships) and challenges (e.g. inconsistent institutional support) to delivery.
The research contributes to methodological innovation by demonstrating how play-based YPAR approaches can generate robust data and foster genuine youth leadership in gender norm transformation efforts. Findings provide practical and theoretical insights into gender-norm transformation through sport for development approaches. It provides evidence that locally grounded sport, when combined with participatory approaches, can challenge harmful gender norms and contribute to broader social change.
| Date of Award | 26 May 2026 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Justin Pulford (Supervisor) & Sara Parker (Supervisor) |
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