Al Jazeera America has picked up on a report from the Girl Scouts Research Institute which looked at regional differences for girls, and concluded:
If you want the best for your daughter, consider moving north. Where girls live in America matters to their overall comfort, health and prosperity, according to a report ranking every U.S. state and the District of Columbia.
The latest in a series of reports on girls’ health and well-being by the Girl Scouts Research Institute shows that girls generally fare better in the Midwest, Northeast and mid-Atlantic.
More below the
Orange Omnilepticon.
There's no link to the actual report in the article by Haya El Nasser, just a summary of the findings, but they are of interest nonetheless. I admit I was not aware of the Girl Scouts Research Institute, but it certainly makes sense for them to have such a thing. As the article notes:
Girl Scouts of the USA launched the research project in response to declining participation and the changing demographics apparently behind it. The Girl Scouts today have about 2.2 million youth members, down from nearly 2.9 million a decade ago.
Almost a quarter of American girls ages 5 to 17 are Hispanic, and 14 percent are black; among girls in the same age group living in poverty, a third are Hispanic, and 38 percent are black.
“Girls are thriving in some areas, but there are portions of our population really left behind,” said Kamla Modi, senior researcher with the Girl Scout Research Institute and a co-author of the report. “It’s the first we’ve really seen how different the data is geographically. There are real issues girls are facing in the South.”
The key factors appear to be quality of available education, including pre-school; poverty and availability of economic opportunity; and race/ethnicity.
The Girls Scouts of America are seeking to adapt their programs to changing times and demographics, and they are seeking information to aid that evolution. It's the kind of basic research that needs to be done. A report available at the GSRI website summarizes the rationale thusly:
The State of Girls: Unfinished Business is a groundbreaking report from the Girl Scout Research Institute that stakes out key issues and major trends affecting girls' leadership and healthy development in the U.S. today. A report of this magnitude and breadth focusing specifically on girls has never been conducted, making it a much-needed resource in the field. As the "voice for and of girls," Girl Scouts believes it is critical for those who support girls to have up to date, accurate information about the state of girls' physical, social and psychological well-being.
The report finds that while there is promising news for girls in areas such as their educational attainment, many girls are being left behind, and not all girls are faring the same. In particular, black/African American and Hispanic/Latina girls face significant challenges in making successful transitions to adulthood. However, we know that "data is not destiny" and Girl Scouting is committed to ensuring all girls reach their full potential.
The right sidebar at
the website page has links to the full report on the
State of Girls (pdf) as well as links to sections of it. A quick scan appears to show much data worth considering, with some sobering conclusions.
There's plenty of other material worth examining at the GSRI website as well. Anyone interested in social or other issues that affect woman and girls should find plenty to ponder. Founded in 1912, the Girl Scouts are still on a mission; you can find out more here.