what we’re doing
Our goal is to invite and facilitate the conversation. Everyone is invited to participate, from moms and dads to teachers, academics, behaviorists — anyone who cares about girls’ well being.
Report: Global Media Coverage of Girls Under 12
We wanted to determine how local media around the world covered the subject of girls — including their maturity and self-esteem — and analyze how the treatment of these subjects differed from region to region.
Key findings:
- In Brazil, the media depicts a culture fixated on female beauty. At the same time, many children live in poverty, making their aspirations unattainable.
- In China, the basic concept that female children have value to the family, and to society, is buried.
- In Europe, much of the focus is on girls as sophisticated consumers who are subject to early sexualization as a result of their brand-savviness.
- In Mexico, the media focuses on basic survival concepts, since a significant percentage of its citizens live in poverty. Coverage of self-esteem or leisure habits is non-existent.
- In the U.S., issues of self-esteem, tweens, and play are everywhere. But the coverage is often conflicting, and girls frequently face contradicting pressures.
Overall, we found that regardless of region, girls are under enormous pressure, whether it is simply to survive amid great poverty or to live up to conflicting societal standards.
Worldwide Mom & Daughter Survey
In partnership with Cheryl Dellasega, PhD (mother of 3, founder of Club Ophelia, author of Surviving Ophelia, Girl Wars, Mean Girls Grown Up and a new fiction series for girls, Bloggrls), we are also fielding a research study spanning 10 countries to better understand what contributes to a healthy and happy girlhood worldwide.
This survey of 2,000 moms with daughters between the ages of 6 and 12 explores regional similarities and differences in how mothers provide for their daughters.
What’s Next?
In the coming months we will be developing further programs and projects to address the needs of girls and their parents everywhere. We invite you to join us in shaping these activities by telling us what you think.
global media report
In 4 out of 5 regions surveyed, the importance of play for young girls was rarely addressed in the popular media. get the report
