This paper draws on social constructionism to explore girls’ constructions of gender within three rural primary schools in Swaziland. HIV and AIDS in Swaziland have resulted in an unprecedented number of parental deaths, rendering young children, especially girls, susceptible to poverty, various forms of gender-based violence, and unwanted pregnancies. The paper sought to understand the ways in which these girls actively perform gender to navigate challenges associated with schooling within highly patriarchal contexts, and the implications of these on gender equality and the girls’ social and academic wellbeing. A qualitative narrative inquiry methodology was adopted, utilising individual and focus group interviews and participatory photovoice for data generation. The participants comprised of 15 purposively selected girls, aged between 12 and 16 years. The paper contributes to the ongoing debates on gender by raising consciousness of how understanding and addressing the schooling plight of girls (as a diverse social group) could be a useful strategy for social change and improved gender equitable relationships in schools.

中文翻译：

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脆弱的女性气质：对斯威士兰农村女童上学经历的启示

本文利用社会建构主义来探索斯威士兰三所农村小学中女孩的性别建构。斯威士兰的艾滋病毒和艾滋病导致父母死亡的人数空前，使年幼的儿童，特别是女童，容易贫穷，各种形式的基于性别的暴力行为和意外怀孕。该论文试图了解这些女孩如何积极地履行性别，以在高度重男轻女的环境中应对与学校教育相关的挑战，以及这些挑战对性别平等以及女孩的社会和学术福祉的影响。采用定性叙事查询方法，利用个人和焦点小组访谈以及参与式摄影语音来生成数据。参加者由15位故意挑选的女孩组成，年龄在12至16岁之间。该文件通过提高人们对如何理解和解决女童（作为一个多样化的社会群体）的入学困境的意识，可以成为促进社会变革和改善学校中性别平等关系的有用策略，来为正在进行的性别辩论做出贡献的。