Interviews with adolescent girls and boys alike underscored that gender discrimination is embedded within the structure of the Qeerroo and leaves little space for girls and young women to participate beyond stereotypically female roles, such as food preparation. Even though there is a group for girls and young women (Qarree) they do not have an analogous structure or role and are still led by men.
No, they [Qarree] are not organised and structured as Qeerroo(s). Because she is required to work in the house and help her husband pre paring foods and doing other domestic errands.
They [the Qeerroo] discuss in the evening. We do not have a place for discussion. They do not call us to discuss either. They do not accept our voices. When we face challenges, we go to them and tell them our prob lems but otherwise they do not call us.
The depth of gender discrimination in the Qeerroo structure was further illustrated by a girl who explained that she had initially turned down an ofer to head the local Qarree group because she was worried that a girl in a leadership role would not be accepted.
I regret that I turned down the opportunity to lead the Qarree group… I was worried that participants would accept the order of a male but they do not accept my order. When you give an order to them, and if they do not [accept] that, [then] confict will arise. So I refused… Now, I wish I had taken the post… but I was concerned that if they do not accept my order what could I do?… But now I’m thinking… I want to be their leader… I think they might respect the word of a girl and want to go ahead with her… Some may accept, some of them refuse… The current leader [a male], he would accept the change.