Changing gender relations in the context of ‘sports-for-development’ program: Exploring the impact of the introduction of women's rugby in Colombia

With the emergence of the SDP movement, researchers, policy makers, and international organizations saw the opportunity to empower women and girls through sport. However, research on the impact of SDP programs has largely focused on the absence or presence of positive effects, but that few researchers focus on negative effects, such as the potential for disempowerment. On the other hand, there is a lack of critical questioning related to the empowerment of women and girls in SDP to illustrate how their participation in programs does (or does not) develop girls' empowerment. This study aims to explore how Colombian women represent themselves as rugby players of an SDP organization and to find out how the community's perception of women is challenged by girls playing rugby. The research methods used for data collection include open and semi-open-ended interviews, focus groups, and participant observation. The results show that access a stimulating and supportive environment offered participants the opportunity to experience non-stereotypical gender relations based on respect and equity. However, this research highlights that participants' opportunities to develop capabilities are also restrained by the local context such as gender stereotypes within the community or power imbalances rooted in drug trafficking. Thus, this research invites researchers and practitioners to consciously consider local structural and social factors when setting up an SDP programme . Keywords: Gender relations; Spor for Developmenent and Peace; Colombia; Empowerement