Right to Play-Plus Life Skills Education to Reduce Violence and Promote Gender Equality in Pakistani Schools for Ages 10 to 16

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the Right to Play-Plus RTP-Plus program, which aims to reduce violence against women and girls by promoting changes in social norms among young people within schools. This study focuses on empowering students in grade 6 through play-based learning and life skills education to prevent violence and improve gender equity, mental health, and sexual and reproductive health knowledge. The trial uses a two-arm cluster randomized controlled design involving girls-only, co-ed, and boys-only schools in specific districts, assessing the programs effectiveness in reducing various forms of violence and improving resilience over two years. The intervention involves a comprehensive curriculum delivered by trained school teachers, covering themes like social and emotional development and sexual and reproductive health through 60 sessions over two years. Schools in the intervention arm receive this adapted play-based life skills education, while control schools do not receive the intervention during the trial but will be offered a delayed program after endline data collection. The study includes public and private schools with specific enrollment and fee criteria, with teachers playing a key role in delivering the program and influencing social norms. Participants will be monitored from enrollment through the two-year intervention period, with researchers measuring changes in physical, emotional, and sexual violence, cyber sexual harassment, and self-efficacy to respond to violence. Secondary measures include attitudes toward gender equality, violence acceptability, beliefs about child marriage, peer violence, resilience, depression, and sexual health confidence. The study also emphasizes capacity building for teachers and school safety improvements. Overall participation spans the two years of the intervention with data collected throughout this time.

Mainstreaming a Life Skills Education Programme Right to Play- Plus to Reduce Violence Against Girls in Pakistan