Girls in the North unhappier than those in the South, research finds

Charity Girlguiding found nearly a quarter of girls and young women (22 per cent) aged 11-16 in the North of England say the fear of sexual harassment holds them back at school, compared to 16 per cent in London and the South.

Over a quarter (26 per cent) of girls and young women in the North say gender stereotypes hold them back at school, compared to 18 per cent in London and the South.

And girls in the North of England are significantly less happy with their lives than those in London and the South with 63 per cent reporting they want to change many things in their lives compared to 56 per cent.

Girls and young women in the North (51 per cent) are more likely to feel unsafe in public compared to those in London and the South (41 per cent), the research found.

The charity is now calling on the Government to ensure “levelling up is meaningful for girls and young women.”

The findings are part of the annual Girls’ Attitude Survey of 3000 girls and young women aged 7-21.

Girlguiding Advocate, Erin, aged 20, said: “Girlguiding’s flagship research finds the regional inequalities girls and young women face in their sense of safety, their mental health and their confidence are stark.

"However, I am proud that we are becoming more empowered to challenge this discrimination.

“As a Girlguiding advocate I want to see the new government read these statistics with caution and take significant action to end regional inequalities faced by girls and young women in our post-pandemic world. Levelling up is meaningless to us unless it includes this action.”

Girlguiding chief executive Angela Salt said: “" Our research shows just how common discrimination, stereotyping and sexism is in our society and how unsurprisingly this creates barriers to happiness, confidence, and success.

"Coupled with the disparities in girls’ experiences across the country, it is vital we act now to address these issues.”