The Girls’ Fund

Facts about Girls in Canada

  • Girls start out their lives better than boys. When they arrive at school, they are more likely than boys to do well; especially at reading and writing, and forming relationships with their peers. Yet, many girls face a serious loss of self-esteem as they approach early adolescence: starting around grade six (age 11) girls are less confident and less happy than boys.1
  • Girls are more likely than boys to be dissatisfied with their appearance2, to wish they were someone else, and to be on a diet.3
  • Girls are much more likely than boys to be coerced into having sexual relationships when they do not want to: this is especially true for girls who have special needs or disabilities.4
  1. King, Trends in Health of Canadian Youth, 1999
  2. Boyce, Young People in Canada: Their health and well being, 2004
  3. The McCreary Centre Society, The Girls’ Report, 2001
  4. Boyce, The Canadian Youth Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Study, 2003