Gender, poverty and recreation in Lenasia : an agenda for change

M.A.This research report seeks to examine and analyse the role of recreation and leisure in improving the quality of life of women. The critical areas of poverty alleviation and the engendering of self sufficiency and empowerment through appropriate and goal directed programming and strategies will be investigated. Gender relations and hegemonies that govern women's choices will be critically explored with the assumption that women's participation and enjoyment of leisure are dependent on economic capacity and decision making freedom. The underlying aim of recreation is seen to provide an avenue for women to address these inequalities, find means to alleviate poverty, and learn skills for personal growth and enhancement of quality of life. The perceptions that women have of their leisure needs and the constraints to realising those needs are reflective of the amount of, freedom of choice that women are able to exercise. The relationship between freedom to experience leisure and social and ideological constraints to other social aspects of women's lives are important considerations. This research argues that lack of participation in recreational activities is indicative of a range of inequalities experienced by women. Data for this research has been collected from questionnaires and focus groups and contextualised within a feminist framework with a view to effect change in the understanding of recreation's role in the empowerment of women and the establishment of programmes that address inequalities and social problems