intro
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_414x500_mobile_Scarlett.webp?v=1720452726000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_896x473_desktop_Scarlett.webp?v=1720452755000 A girl standing infront of a street of houses, looking into the camera Scarlett is part of Champions of Wales, a girls’ rights movement, working to change perceptions and attitudes towards girls so they can live free from gender inequality. Run in partnership by Plan International UK and four local organisations, the programme will support at least two hundred young people over three years, enabling them to build skills, confidence and an understanding of girls’ rights and gender equality. © Plan International UK.
“We want happiness, we want respect, we want to be treated equally.”
Scarlett, 12, Merthyr Tydfil
How tough is it to be a girl where you live?
summary
room to improve
Where you live is among the better places in the UK to be a girl, but...
...girls still face big injustices in your area: ❌ Violence and harassment ❌ {notGoodKS4}% leave school without good grades ❌ {childPoverty}% of children in poverty
falling short
Where you live can be a tough place to be a girl
Girls face big injustices in your area: ❌ Violence and harassment ❌ {notGoodKS4}% leave school without good grades ❌ {childPoverty}% of children in poverty
{indexScorePercentile10Description}
Where you live is among the toughest places in the UK to be a girl
Where you live is one of the toughest places in the UK to be a girl
Urgent!
Thousands of girls in {localAuthorityShortName} are being held back.
They’re facing injustices every day – stopping them living safe, healthy, happy lives and reaching their potential.
It’s 2024. This just isn’t good enough.
What do you want to do?
I’ve had enough of this injustice…
Take action now 🌟
Show me more about the reality for girls in my area…
Violence 🚩
Health ❤️
Education 📚
Money 💷
theme
“I feel I’m not safe walking the streets by myself. I’ve been catcalled. It’s scary”
14-year-old girl, North West England
“Many girls my age including me have been sexually harassed but no-one listens to us.”
14-year-old girl, East of England
“I don't feel safe walking home from school.”
15-year-old girl, North West England
“I want to go for a walk in nature, but I don’t feel safe going alone.”
20-year-old girl, East of England
**stat**
unsafeAloneAtNight1inX
**nations**
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
**type**
1inX
**text1**
**text2**
people in your area feel very unsafe alone at night
**text3**
**labels**
**image**
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-visualisation_images_414x896_mobile_violence.webp?v=1720452789000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-visualisation_images_896x560_desktop_Violence.webp?v=1720452809000 A park bench at night Photo by sq lim on Unsplash
6%, 27%
England, Wales
barChart
No wonder girls are anxious for their safety
Women in England and Wales are over 4 times more likely to be assaulted in their lifetime
Men, Women
3.6%, 16.2%
Scotland
Women in Scotland are over 4 times more likely to face sexual harassment in their lifetime
Three-quarters of girls
Northern Ireland
bigText
in Northern Ireland, aged 12-17, have experienced at least one form of violence
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_414x500_mobile_Vee.webp?v=1720452729000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_896x473_desktop_Vee.webp?v=1720452756000 A girl looking directly into the camera Vee, 18, Great Yarmouth. Photographer: Sam Care. © Plan International UK.
This has got to change.
Take action now
Or keep scrolling to see how girls’ health suffers where you live
“I struggle with my mental health and often feel like I have no support.”
16-year-old girl, Wales
“I’ve had a lot of health problems, but my pain is continually dismissed as anxiety.”
21-year-old girl, Northern Ireland
“My mental health isn’t good, and I just don’t see a future for myself.”
20-year-old girl, East Midlands
“I’m disabled which makes life really hard and expensive.”
21 -year-old girl, West Midlands
mentalHealthWaitWeeks
England, Wales, Scotland
bigNumber
is how long young people must wait to get a first mental health appointment in {localAuthorityShortName}
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-visualisation_images_414x896_mobile_health.webp?v=1720959870000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-visualisation_images_896x560_desktop_health.webp?v=1720959872000 A girl looking sad checking her phone sitting on the floor at home. Photo by dragana991 on iStock
mentalHealthWaitingOver9Weeks
In Northern Ireland
young people are waiting over 9 weeks just to get a first mental health appointment
healthyLifeExpectancyComparison
years
Girls where you live can expect {healthyLifeExpectancyComparisonDescription} in good health
compared with the best area in the UK
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_414x500_mobile_Charlotte.webp?v=1720452708000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_896x473_desktop_Charlotte.webp?v=1720452731000 A girl sitting on a tram platform, smiling and looking into the camera Charlotte is a part of our Young Health Programme (YHP), in partnership with AstraZeneca. For Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 she talked about how we could tackle loneliness among young people. In October 2020, we announced the Young Health Programme UK, a partnership between Plan International UK and AstraZeneca. The Young Health Programme UK is a programme to support young people to realise their right to good mental health and wellbeing, regardless of gender. © Plan International UK.
Every girl deserves a healthy life. Will you help make change?
Or keep scrolling for impacts to girls’ education where you live
“Sexism is ridiculously common in schools and is completely ignored.”
13-year-old girl, South West England
“I don’t think girls are taught enough sexual education to prepare them for life.”
18-year-old girl, Yorkshire
“I believe that a better education for men on consent and harassment is vital.”
21-year-old girl, West Midlands
“I’m pursuing a career in STEM. I don’t want to be sidelined as a woman.”
20-year-old girl, Yorkshire
“We're taught what happens to our bodies, instead of what we feel when it happens, which is sad.”
21-year-old girl, North West England
notGoodKS4
leave school without good GCSE results in {localAuthorityShortName}
This is {goodKS4ComparisonDescription} than the best area in the UK (GCSEs or equivalent)
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-visualisation_images_414x896_mobile_education.webp?v=1720452775000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-visualisation_images_896x560_desktop_education.webp?v=1720452791000 Young girl doing some homework Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
stem
icons
{stemComparisonDescription} girls take science and maths A Levels than the best area in the country
(A Levels or equivalent)
Best area, Your area
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_414x500_mobile_Edda.webp?v=1720452715000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_896x473_desktop_Edda.webp?v=1720452739000 A girl sitting standing in front of some garages, looking into the camera. Edda, 16, Great Yarmouth. Photographer: Sam Care. © Plan International UK.
Girls want a fair start in life. Are you with them?
Or keep scrolling for how money restricts girls where you live
“I’m worried what the cost-of-living crisis means for my future and my goals.”
18-year-old girl, North West England
“I’m very lonely, struggling with money which is taking a toll on me.”
“I’m in a bad financial situation, I have no income and have not been offered a job.”
21-year-old girl, Scotland
“I don't have enough money to get the education I need to get the job I want.”
childPoverty1inX
are living in poverty in {localAuthorityShortName}
100%, {genderPayGapInverse}%
doughnutChart
The gender pay gap
women earn {genderPayGap}% less than men on average in {localAuthorityShortName}
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-visualisation_images_414x896_mobile_money.webp?v=1720955881000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-visualisation_images_896x560_desktop_money.webp?v=1720955882000 Two stacks of an assortment of British coins Photo by Sarah Agnew on Unsplash
women earn {genderPayGap}% less than men on average in Northern Ireland
final
Girls deserve equality. Will you add your voice?
Girls simply aren’t getting the gender equality they’ve been promised.
We can’t let another generation of girls grow up with the UK like this, and the injustices in {localAuthorityShortName}.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Will you take a stand?
https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_414x500_mobile_Jaiza.webp?v=1720452720000 https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/59/SOGR-standard_images_896x473_desktop_Jaiza.webp?v=1720452748000 A girl standing on some grass in front of buildings, looking into the camera. Jaiza is part of Champions of Wales, a girls’ rights movement, working to change perceptions and attitudes towards girls so they can live free from gender inequality. Run in partnership by Plan International UK and four local organisations, the programme will support at least two hundred young people over three years, enabling them to build skills, confidence and an understanding of girls’ rights and gender equality. © Plan International UK.
“For everything to be fair is all we really want.”
Jaiza, 13, Cardiff
Want to know even more about what life’s like for girls in {localAuthorityShortName} and across the UK?
Explore The State of Girls' Rights in the UK 2024 report and get informed.
Read the report
For media enquiries: please contact [email protected] – they can support with questions about the report or data and setting up interviews. Information on the data can be read below, and the full methodology can be found in the report.
This tool is based on the Index of Local Authorities constructed by Plan International UK. The full Index uses 12 different indicators collected from publicly available sources and freedom of information requests. We prioritised indicators which were comparable across the four UK nations and relatively complete in order to give a comprehensive picture of the state of girls' rights in the UK. These indicators were combined into five domains that were relevant to the lives of girls and young women covering education and economic lives, poverty, health, violence and participation and voice.
Please see the full State of Girls' Rights in the UK 2024 report for further analysis and methodology.
Data taken from a range of sources.
Violence
Health
Education
Money
