Participatory and co-design approaches for migrant girls’ wellbeing: A study in an urban informal settlement of Delhi

Children constitute almost 30 % of India's total population, of which there are approximately 63 million migrant children, with almost 50.6 % of this population being female (Census of India, 2011). Being one of the most vulnerable groups, young migrant girls, particularly those living in urban informal settlements, largely remain invisible from the public realm due to lack of safe and accessible open play spaces within their neighbourhoods. Set against this context, this paper examines the challenges faced by migrant girls in accessing play spaces. The participants of this study include migrant girls between the ages of 9–16 years living in an informal settlement, Jai Hind Camp in Delhi, India. This paper draws upon data from a cross-disciplinary study that uses participatory learning and action research and co-design methods, and demonstrates a bottom-up approach for co-producing play spaces for children. It argues that participatory and experience-led interventions with children are important to understand their needs and requirements in contexts of displacement, and demonstrates marginalised girls’ agency and ability to express requirements for designing their everyday play spaces, which in turn can contribute to their own wellbeing.