She Plays Different

themes

regions

India

purpose

Training

scale

community

audience

Community / women's organization

Card and board games that help participants collectively recognize and reflect on everyday gender norms through structured play.

Why is the method/tool/material important?

Gender norms are deeply embedded and often difficult to discuss directly. This tool creates a low-risk, participatory space where patterns of constraint and opportunity become visible through gameplay, enabling shared recognition before deeper discussions on labour, autonomy, and decision-making.

Who is the method/tool/material for?

Facilitators and development practitioners looking for participatory ways to initiate reflection on gender norms in community, gender, or livelihood programmes.

Country of focus: India (West Bengal) can be used elsewhere with contextual modifications.

How can I use the tool?

The resource provides facilitation guidance for using a card game and a board game with small groups of women. Participants engage in structured gameplay using illustrated scenarios representing everyday social norms. The method works through repetition and shared recognition rather than direct questioning. Facilitators observe patterns that emerge during play and may later guide reflection discussions around labour distribution, mobility, autonomy, and decision-making. The tool requires a facilitator, game materials, and a group setting.

When and how was it developed?

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) developed this toolkit under the CGIAR Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion Accelerator. It was co-designed over six months through engagement with farmers and local stakeholders, in collaboration with an SBCC consultant, and piloted in learning labs with women’s groups in West Bengal, India. The toolkit is ready for use as of 2026.