
Girls Inc. is committed to helping every Girls Inc. girl envision a bright future and prepare to achieve it. But in 2012, we know this aspiration involves beating the odds.
• Women run just 12 of the Fortune 500 companies and make up just 19% of Congress and 25% of the House of Commons.
• Nearly all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the next decade will require at least some background in STEM, but girls and women continue to lag in these crucial fields.
• Women continue to be clustered in so-called pink-collar jobs, such as secretarial, cosmetology, retail, and waitressing. These jobs often have lower pay and benefits than jobs in the male-dominated skilled trades.
• Women are more likely to be poor than men across all ages and races. By the time they reach old age, women are twice as likely as men to live in poverty.
• Nearly one in four women is a victim of domestic violence, and financial dependence is the strongest predictor of a woman’s decision to remain in an abusive relationship.
During Girls Inc. Week, Girls Inc. affiliates in Canada and USA will highlight how they prepare girls to be the success stories, innovators, and job creators of the future. During the week, girls will network with women business leaders and entrepreneurs, discover their own strengths and interests, invent something new, or learn about the range of occupations that are open to them.
To find out how you can help contact Jen Nash at jnash@durham.girls-inc.org