To challenge gender inequality during the 'Cost of Living Crisis', we must ensure cost is never a barrier to support

With gender inequality growing, girl children desperately need more engaging after-school activities, where they can be brave, challenge themselves and learn to be unstoppable.

Countless research reports from all around the world show us the tremendous impact the Covid-19 Pandemic has had on gender inequality. But we also know from first-hand experience just how desperately girls and young women need support to bridge growing gaps.

While a quick look at global news headlines can give us some insight into declining gender equality in other nations, many remain unaware of the growing barriers appearing before girls in England and Wales.

Our volunteers are increasingly bringing up the topic of mental health in girls, but they also tell us there has been a noticeable drop in social skills among the youngest girls.

The girls displaying the most significant struggles with socialising were at an important developmental age during the lockdowns. These girls are not alone in their experiences.

Since the Pandemic, NHS England and Public Health Wales have found disproportionate impacts to the mental health and well-being of girl children. While, STEER Education found that girls’ ability to self-regulate (the healthy ability to adjust how we respond in different social-emotional situations) has declined by 33% since the first lockdown.

Alongside the growing need for mental health support, we are seeing the very gendered impact of the Cost of Living Crisis, which will have rippling and long-lasting affects for girls and women. Especially those with multiple protected characteristics.

On top of the growing period poverty recently noted by Plan UK, studies have found that children from low-income families are facing rising stress from the rising Cost of Living Crisis.

In fact, while the State of the Nation Report found that 31% of children surveyed were worried about finding a job in the future, they also found the girls and were much more likely than boys to be concerned about this.

Given current rates of unemployment among women, these are understandable worries. Women lost employment at much higher rates than men during the Pandemic, with many still struggling to return to work.

And although women were more likely to lose paid labour, women and girls have also been forced to pick up more unpaid and unrecognised work. That means girls and women have even less disposable income than ever before, and very little accessible support to help address the rising social challenges they face.

So, where does that leave girls with family finances too tight to allow them to join after-school activities, groups or sessions to better their well-being and confidence?

In order to challenge gender inequality, we must be inclusive. That means cost should never be a barrier to girls or a burden to their families. Which is exactly why we keep the costs of our groups as low as possible and run a fee waiver system for all girls who need them.

Fee waivers are always reimbursed by the head office, because a group's access to resources should never be determined by the girls' ability to pay or not. Regardless of the amount of waivers needed, every group has at least one fully funded trip per year.

All girls deserve access to the same opportunities. And we hope to ensure that those girls worst affected by rising cost and inequality will always have a place to go for support, experiences and friendship.

We know times ahead will be tough. But that's all the more reason why support for girls can't be put off til tomorrow or given only to those whose families have higher incomes.