Young Women's Rights in Schools - Youth Assembly Rights and Equality Committee

Overview

The Youth Assembly’s Rights and Equality Committee are looking into young women’s rights in schools. We would like to examine attitudes and behaviours towards young women including healthy relationships, rights in the curriculum, period dignity, school uniforms and PE kits, and school policies.

Our survey links to the Executive Office’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls’ strategy. The overall emphasis of the strategy is on prevention, tackling the root causes and stopping violence before it starts. In order to prevent violence against women and girls effectively, there needs to be a society wide focus on changing attitudes, behaviours and social norms, equipping everyone to enjoy healthy, respectful relationships and ensuring that women and girls are safe and feel safe everywhere.

“Schools are very well placed to lead the way in attitudinal and behavioural change, with a whole school environment which equips and supports the empowerment of future generations to develop healthy, respectful relationships and gender equality. Addressing the root causes of violence against women and girls will be a central part of achieving this outcome.”

(https://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/execoffice/strategic-framework-evawg.pdf)

You can find out more about the work of the Youth Assembly here: Northern Ireland Youth Assembly – Help Shape Your Future

Why your views matter

Your views are very important to us.

The survey will take approx. 15 minutes to complete.

We will collate all the survey responses and plan to present our findings to the Executive Office Committee and to Ministers in the summer.

We are asking for your age because this survey is for pupils aged 11-18.

We are asking for your gender as we would like to find out if there is a difference in how the issues in the survey are perceived by people of different genders.  

We are asking about school type as we’d like to know if there is a difference in how the issues in the survey are tackled in different types of schools.

All survey responses are anonymous.

You can ask an adult to help you complete the survey.

Please do not disclose any information which might identify individuals or schools.

Some of the issues raised in this survey are sensitive. If you have been affected by any of the issues in the survey, help may be found through the following organisations:

Women’s Aid

Childline

Domestic and Sexual Violence Helpline