Girls Guides want more equality

The survey shows Guides are ambitious and career-minded

Almost two-thirds of Girl Guides feel women have not achieved equality with men, according to a UK-wide survey.

The Girls Shout Out! poll carried out by Girlguiding UK asked 3,200 members aged five to 25 about issues affecting them.

It found that Dame Kelly Holmes is the top role model, while one in 10 younger Guides want to be prime minister.

But 63% of older Guides say they still feel women are not treated equally in society.

And almost three quarters (73%) believe young women are stigmatised for behaviour that young men would not be criticised for, such as binge drinking.

Chief Guide Liz Burnley said: "At a time when young people are too often stereotyped, criticised and denied a voice, we hope that our report Girls Shout Out! will be an opportunity for young women's voices to be heard."

Career-minded Guides 81% say they won't depend on their partners financially 30% aspire to be doctors and 12% to be politicians 39% worry they won't get paid as much as men

Girlguiding UK say the survey is one of the most detailed of its kind to be done by any organisation in recent years.

It shows girls of all ages to be ambitious, career-minded and optimistic, but also highlights some of the fears and pressures they face.

Despite worries over inequality, 81% of Guides aged 16 to 25 and 90% of those aged 10 to 15 believe women can do any job they want.

But almost a third say they feel they are given different careers advice at school because of their gender.

Four out of five older Guides insist they will not rely on a partner to support them financially.

And the vast majority, around 90% of those asked, said they plan to go back to work after having children.

Interestingly, 95% say Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham have the greatest influence on young women, but as few as 2% think they are positive role models.

'Cyber-bullying'

So-called cyber bullying is a real fear, with 38% of 10 to 25-year-olds saying they know someone who has had a rumour spread about them online.

Half of 16 to 25s and more than a third of 10 to 15s also know someone who had received an abusive e-mail.

Almost a quarter of younger teenagers and almost two thirds of older Guides know someone who talked about meeting a stranger they contacted on the internet.

Overall, all of those surveyed place huge value on friendships and the ability to spend time with other girls without boys around.