Chapter 1
Society after the pandemic
Girls and young women think the pandemic will have a negative long-term impact on them. They also think the past year worsened some societal issues and inequalities. And when it comes to the climate crisis, girls and young women don’t think their government is doing enough.
Pandemic impact
More than 3 in 5 (61%) girls and young women aged 11 to 21 think the pandemic will have a long-term negative impact on their mental health. Disabled girls and young women were more likely to say this (76% compared to 58% who aren’t disabled). Girls and young women of colour aged 11 to 16 were also more likely to say this (63% compared to 58% of White girls and young women).
Girls and young women think Covid will negatively impact their schoolwork in the long term. This is highest for 11 to 16-year-olds at 58% compared to 39% for those aged 17 to 21. Girls and young women of colour aged 11 to 21 were more likely to say this (55% compared with 46% of those who are White).
‘I hope that young people can be resilient and have a better future’
Girl, 11-16
‘I’m worried about catching up on schoolwork’
Girl, 7-10
Over a third (36%) of girls and young women in education think they’re behind in class because of the pandemic. Those who live in areas of high deprivation were more likely to think this (41%) compared with those who don’t (32%).
Girls and young women are worried about the pandemic’s impact on their money and income too. Those most worried about this include disabled girls and young women (51% compared to 39% who aren’t disabled), those living in areas of high deprivation (44% compared to 34% who don’t), and girls of colour aged 11 to 16 (38% compared to 31% of White girls).
Girls and young women also think the pandemic will have a negative impact on their job opportunities. Disabled girls and young women were more likely to say this (50% compared to 35% who aren’t disabled).
Girls and young women in the North of England are most worried about the pandemic’s long-term impact. Almost half (44%) are worried about the impact on their money and income, compared to 39% in London and the South and 37% in the Midlands. They’re also more concerned about their job opportunities, with 41% saying this compared to 35% in the Midlands, and 35% in London and the South.
Girls and young women in Wales are most worried about their mental health (68% compared to 61% in England, 55% in Scotland and 45% in Northern Ireland). They’re also more concerned about their money and income (43% compared to 40% in England, 38% Scotland and 30% in Northern Ireland), and their job opportunities (45% compared to 37% in England, 34% in Scotland and 28% in Northern Ireland).
‘I hope that more will be done to protect the most vulnerable in society’
Young woman, 17-21
I think the pandemic will have a long term negative impact on my…
11-21 yrs
‘Inequality between different groups of people has become worse in the last year’
Girls and young women, 11-21
Inequality and societal issues
Over 3 in 5 (62%) girls and young women aged 11 to 21 think food poverty has worsened in the last year. A third (32%) think it’s become much worse.
Almost 7 in 10 (67%) girls and young women aged 7 to 21 think the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people has become worse in the last year.
Two-fifths (40%) think inequality between different groups of people has deteriorated in the last year. And a quarter (26%) say inequality has stayed the same.
Beliefs about decreasing gender equality were also higher for girls and young women living in areas of high deprivation (33% thought it had got worse in the last year compared to 25% in areas of low deprivation).
When it comes to gender equality, reaction is mixed. A fifth (22%) say gender equality has got better in the last year, but 3 in 10 (30%) still say it’s worse, and a third (33%) say it’s stayed the same. Girls and young women in the North were more likely to say gender equality has got worse in the last 12 months (35% compared to 26% in the South).
Over half (56%) of girls and young women say eating disorders have become worse in the last year. LGBTQ+ girls and young women were more likely to think this, with 67% saying so compared to 53% who are straight.
‘I hope that everyone can live comfortably and not in poverty’
Girl, 7-10
‘My government are doing enough to tackle the climate change crisis’
Girls and young women, 11-21
Issues girls and young women care about
We asked girls and young women to rank the importance of some key issues.
Almost 2 in 5 (37%) aged 11 to 21 chose mental health as the issue most important to them. Second was women and girls’ safety, with 3 in 10 (29%) choosing it as their top issue. Young women of colour aged 17 to 21 were more likely than those who are White to choose this (32% compared to 26).
Equality and inclusion was the third most important issue, with a fifth (19%) of girls and young women choosing it as their priority concern.
Over 1 in 10 (11%) girls and young women aged 11 to 21 chose climate change as the issue most important to them. Almost 3 in 5 (58%) of this group think the climate crisis has become worse in the last year.
Almost two-thirds (64%) of girls and young women throughout Northern Ireland and England often worry about climate change. Those in the North, and London and the South were also most likely to strongly agree that they often worry about climate change (20% and 19% respectively). This is slightly lower for those living in Wales and Scotland (59% and 60% respectively).
The issues most important to me are …
Girls and young women, 11-21
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