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What Girls Say, a report outlining the concerns of 4,500 Australian girls aged 5 – 17 years, was launched today by Lynne Price, Chief Commissioner, Girl Guides Australia – the largest girls and young women’s organisation in the country.
Each girl was asked to identify ‘what three issues in the world, in Australia and in your community do you care about?’ and identified the following top five issues of concern:
1. Water conservation in Australia – 21%
2. The environment 18% and global warming – 19%
3. Poverty – 15 %
4. Addictions: drugs, smoking, gambling and alcohol – 8%
5. Animal cruelty 8%
The girls also gave equal attention to global and local issues with equal rights for women and cultural discrimination, poverty, crime (serious), government (hospitals, schools and roads) and bullying ranking high in the top ten issues.
The survey targeted two groups of girls 5 to12 years and 13 to 17 years who are members of Girl Guides. The report has been assembled with a national, state, metropolitan and regional /rural issues focus to spotlight variations around Australia. (Age group, national and state based statistics are available within the full report).
The report has been presented to Australian Government Minister’s Jenny Macklin (Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) and Kate Ellis (Minister for Youth; Minister for Sport) as key Ministers responsible for policy in some of the key issue areas highlighted in the report.
Reinforcing the importance of Australia’s first national young women’s survey, Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce and current Patron of Girl Guides Queensland embraced the What Girls Say report.
“I am thrilled to know that across Australia, girls and women are finding their voices and fulfilling their potential. Through its careful listening and recording, the Guides Say… survey amplifies that collective voice and resonates the pride and gratitude we all feel when our young girls blossom into mature, confident, and resolute women, leading us to fresh and wonderful places,” said Ms Bryce.
Girl Guides Australia conducted the survey to stimulate thinking and engagement amongst its young members.
“Australia’s female leaders are high profile examples of women who have committed their lives to community service and advocacy. Macklin and Ellis, along with their contemporaries in public service, inspire young women to advocate on behalf of the issues that affect the next generations,” says Lynne Price, Chief Commissioner, Girl Guides Australia.
Ms Price says the results of this survey have significantly contributed to World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) international policy and advocacy agenda. This clear voice from Australian Guides on global issues will be heard at the World Guides Conference WAGGGS in South Africa in July and by world leaders including United Nations agencies. Conference WAGGGS in South Africa in July and by world leaders including United Nations agencies.
At that conference an advocacy toolkit will be launched to equip members with information on how to develop and implement advocacy campaigns at local, national and international level. The areas of interest highlighted in the report reinforce one of eight new training modules to be launched for worldwide adoption by Guides Worldwide at the South Africa conference dedicated to advocacy.
Further international impact will be felt as the results regarding attitudes and concerns about global warming and the environment in Australia will underpin a new WAGGGS positioning statement on the environment for Guides worldwide.
A key objective of the survey was to develop an understanding of civic duty and advocacy for Guides and young women in Australia. The results of the survey will provide policy and advocacy focus, development of program and training resources and to influence the broader community’s understanding of the issues for Guides Australia’s 30,000 members.
“All young women are aware of the issues that affect their lives. Guides has the ability to support and provide direction for those young women who want to learn how to advocate, contribute to their community and take action around these issues at a local, national and international level,” says Ms Price.
The detail of each response within the survey reinforces the need for each young girl to have their own voice on issues. “What a young girl of 12 thinks about issues is significant considering current governments and community are supposed to be acting on her behalf. Guiding provides national and international strength to the importance of these issues, empowers young women to speak out, provides advocacy and community service training and ultimately lends weight to today’s decision making,” said Ms Price.
AAP