Leveling the playing field: Building girls\u27 sports programs and creating new opportunities

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, more girls and women are participating in sports than ever before. Even in the most unlikely settings, girls are stepping onto playing fields, joining teams, and participating in ways that were unprecedented a decade ago. The burgeoning interest in girls’ and women’s sports around the globe provides an opportune moment to examine the role of sports in adolescent girls’ lives and build the evidence base for future programming and policy development. This brief reports on the collaboration between Population Council researchers and partners, including sports organizations, women’s groups, international development agencies, and ministries of youth, in helping shape and evaluate innovative programs for adolescent girls. There is a growing consensus that sports can play a meaningful role in girls’ lives. Beyond the clear physical and health benefits, participation in sports programs provides girls with the opportunity to develop new skills, to learn and lead, and to expand and deepen social support networks