Community mapping exercise as a child/girl-friendly research tools

A mapping exercise is a participatory and visual research method through which participants create drawings or spatial representations of their environments, experiences and social realities. When applied with children, particularly girls, it becomes an empowering methodological approach that positions them not merely as respondents, but as co-researchers and active producers of knowledge. This approach recognizes that participants often communicate more effectively through visual and creative expression than through conventional verbal or written methods. By using drawings, symbols and storytelling, mapping creates a safe, engaging and inclusive space where participants can freely express their lived realities. It is particularly valuable in uncovering nuanced, sensitive, or hidden experiences that may otherwise remain unspoken, such as feelings of insecurity, exclusion or fear.