The recent surge in public debate over the crisis facing boys and young men has overshadowed significant challenges experienced by girls, according to experts who warn against pitting the two groups against each other. While headlines highlight boys falling behind in education and employment, statistics show girls in England are grappling with severe mental health issues and systemic pressures.
Rachel de Souza, the Children's Commissioner for England, told the Guardian: 'We can’t pit boys against girls, because these are shared issues for every child.' Her comments come amid a flurry of reports, including the Centre for Social Justice's 'Lost Boys' study, which noted that girls outperform boys from nursery to university and that young men earn less and face higher unemployment. Yet men still earn significantly more over their lifetimes, with women's earnings falling sharply after childbirth.
A Europe-wide OECD study found that English girls are the sickest and unhappiest in Europe, with nearly two-thirds of 11-year-olds reporting multiple health issues weekly. Meanwhile, NHS data reveals a sharp rise in hospital admissions for self-harm and eating disorders among girls, with eating disorder admissions growing from 478 to 2,938 in a decade. Dr Elaine Lockhart of the Royal College of Psychiatrists described these cases as 'the tip of the iceberg'.
Research from the University of Manchester indicates that the pressure to outperform takes a toll on girls, who feel less safe and more disenchanted at school. Dr Ola Demkowicz noted that some girls feel 'there’s this assumption that we’re fine', despite significant struggles. A Lancet study found a 65% increase in children admitted to hospital for serious mental health concerns in England over ten years, with girls particularly affected.
