Girls rights in the UK
Girls’ rights in the UK
From Blackpool to Bromley, UK girls have had enough of the lack of progress on gender equality.
We know that girls’ rights are global. Wherever in the world a girl is born or lives, she should be safe, free from abuse, and have equal rights. That’s why in 2016 we published our first ground-breaking report on the state of girls’ rights in the UK.
Our 2016 report revealed that, despite living in one of the richest countries in the world, girls across the UK were being denied their rights and often didn’t feel safe at school, in the street or online. Now, at the turn of the decade, our latest research shows the true extent of gender inequality in the UK.
Our second report, The State of Girls’ Rights in the UK 2019 - 2020, shows that girls are ‘fed up and frustrated’ with the lack of progress on gender equality. They’re continuing to face very real threats to their safety in public, sexism in school and a lack of control over their bodies – and their experiences are still not being listened to.
The State of Girls’ Rights in the UK 2020
“There could be a guy beside me, not working nearly as hard, he’s going to get the exact same rewards.” – Rachel, 15, Northern Ireland
Our 2020 report reflects the experiences of girls growing up in the UK. We listened to girls and, right across the country, they’re saying loud and clear that their rights aren’t being met.
Our research also reveals that outcomes for girls vary dramatically depending on where they live, with Blackpool being the toughest place to be a girl in the UK today.
Transforming girls’ rights in the UK
We’re calling on the UK Government to bring a new focus to girls’ rights. In order to tackle the key issues raised in our 2020 report, we’ve created a list of top priorities for girls in the UK. We must:
- make all places safe for girls – without exceptions
- remodel girls’ experience of education
- raise girls’ voices
- stop controlling girls’ bodies
- gather better data on girls’ rights and lives
- advance the rights of all girls.
We’re also asking for gender champions to be appointed at national, devolved and local levels, to help deliver gender equality across the UK.
OUR UK CAMPAIGNS
Street harassment: It's not OK
Every day, girls across the UK are being harassed in public places – and told it’s just part of growing up.
Locked out
It’s time to stop locking girls out of school toilets when they have their period.
Relationships and Sex Education: It's my right
Young people are calling for mandatory sex and relationships education, stand with them
RECLAIMING THE INTERNET FOR GIRLS
Girls have the right to be online and express their views safely. But what should be an empowering space can quickly become threatening. Not only are girls facing immense pressure in the digital world, they’re also more at risk of harassment, abuse and being pressured into sending explicit images than their male counterparts.
As a result, girls are censoring what they say and in some cases withdrawing from the digital space altogether – losing their voice online. That’s why we’re calling for change at an international level, to recognise girls’ digital experiences and their right to be online.
Our work in the UK
Despite the challenges facing girls across the UK today, our research shows that – when girls’ voices are strengthened and they’re given the power to lead – they can challenge the systems of inequality and create long-lasting change.
That’s why we’re connecting girls across the country with their rights through campaigning and by setting up our first UK programmes, working with girls to tackle period poverty, change perceptions and attitudes towards girls and create a safe space for girls online.
We also work closely with the Youth Advisory Panel. Together, they provide a youth perspective on all our work, ensuring children are at the heart of our campaigning and everything we do.
Our UK reports
The state of girls rights in the UK 2016
Plan International UK's groundbreaking 2016 report puts the spotlight on UK girls and finds the best and worst places to be a girl in the UK
Street harassment: It's not OK - report
Read our report on girls' experiences of street harassment in the UK.
Break the Barriers: Girls' Experiences of Periods in the UK
How a culture of stigma and silence have turned periods into a hidden public health issue.
Girls’ rights in the digital world
The future is digital and girls must be in it, but harassment online and a lack of rights is driving them away. Download our ‘You can’t live without it’ report.