On Educating Girls Ep 10: Girls Who Run….for Office

Loading player...
Quote:
With women being the minority in every government in the world, it is vital that we don’t allow ourselves to be cut out of discussions due to who we are and what we represent, and that we fight for our position and our beliefs. (Student at Canberra Girls Grammar School)


When a young woman aspires to enter the political arena, she faces an array of challenges–from societal bias to the discouragement of family and friends. According to statistics maintained by the United Nation, as of September 2021, there are a mere 26 women serving as Heads of State or Government in nations around the world. Even more astounding, there are still 27 countries in the global realm in which women account for less than 10% of parliamentarians. In this episode, our conversation focuses on what adults can do to ensure that girls with political aspirations become women whose ambition and courage place them in rooms where their voices will make a difference in the legislative agenda. Along the way, we discuss the barriers they confront and ways to prepare them to challenge those barriers.

Host Trudy Hall invites Julie Joritssma, Acting Principal, and Winifred Hanson, Head of Academic Engagement, from Canberra Girls Grammar School in the Australian capital city of Canberra, to talk about a program designed to ensure girls understand and engage in the political realm. They offer lessons learned, practical advice and a savvy understanding of the skills girls need to successfully enter the political fray. They take the responsibility for preparing girls for a life of service very seriously; they want girls to be able to “open the door, enter the room, and join the conversation.”

The resources you need to know about:

NCGS: https://www.ncgs.org/

Canberra Girls Grammar School:
https://www.cggs.act.edu.au/student-life/co-curricular/the-house
20 Jun 2022 English South Africa Education · Kids & Family

Other recent episodes

The Connected Girl: Give them a sporting chance with Dr. Nicole LaVoi

Participating in school sports and physical activities is proven to boost confidence, resilience, and the ability to work as part of a team. These benefits extend beyond childhood into adults’ professions and relationships, making a positive difference in almost every aspect of life. But the UN reports that girls drop…
18 Mar 38 min
 trailer  

Introducing The Connected Girl S3

In this new season of The Connected Girl, a podcast series curated by the International Coalition of Girls Schools, we’re exploring agency. The idea that girls have the ability to own their own decisions and their own directions in life. Why does this matter? And how can the adults around…
18 Mar 3 min

The Grown-Ups Guide to Girls: Learning to disagree without disconnecting

👂🤝 In a healthy democracy, it’s inevitable that we will disagree with others. In fact, it’s necessary! What would it look like if we spent more time engaging in debate without tearing each other down? How can we teach respectful disagreement in classrooms and beyond? In this episode, we hear…
4 Feb 11 min

The Grown-Ups Guide to Girls: When Good Enough is the Goal

🏆🥇Do you know a perfectionist who struggles when things don’t go according to plan? A so-called good girl who works hard to please everyone except herself? (Maybe this is you!) For expert guidance, we turn to Nicky Whitham-Blackwell. As associate principal at Westlake Girls High School in Auckland, New Zealand,…
7 Jan 13 min

The Grown-Ups Guide to Girls: Talking to Girls Who Don’t Want to Talk

🖇️💌 Does the question “How was your day?” elicit a one-word reply? Do you find it difficult to connect with a girl you care about? For expert guidance we turn to Ann Muno, a girls’ rights advocate and acclaimed author of Powerful Girls: Raising Strong, Just and Compassionate Young Women…
3 Dec 2025 15 min