2025-10-20

Gender equality threatened when girls fall behind in school

At the same time that young girls are performing worse in school, beauty ideals are reinforcing their mental health. Zonta International is watching the development with great concern and is now calling for political action, writes Margareta Munge, governor of Zonta International's District 21, Sweden-Latvia.

Girls have long performed better than boys in school. Now, new data from the Swedish National Agency for Education shows that girls' school results are declining, especially in mathematics. This worries us at Zonta International.

Girls still perform better than boys, but the differences in school results have narrowed in recent years. In grade 9, for example, the difference has never been as small as it is now. According to the National Agency for Education's report, "Gender differences in school performance"The same tendency is visible in the grade statistics for grade 6 and in upper secondary school."

Girls have less fun at school

According to the study, there is no single factor that can explain why girls have started to perform worse. It points out that girls are increasingly unhappy in school, that they experience less study anxiety and increased stress over schoolwork, and that they feel they receive less support and encouragement from their teachers.

Several other recent studies, for example from Agency for Youth and Civil Society Affairs (MUCF), shows the same worrying trends.

This shows that many younger girls today feel significantly worse than boys their age. The girls sleep worse, feel stressed and have more headaches and stomachaches. They worry increasingly about not being able to live up to both their own and others' expectations. 

Concerns about appearance and weight

Half of the girls surveyed in the MUCF survey “This is what young people think in 2025 – health, leisure and future”, often worry about their appearance or weight. One in three young girls has been worried about their mental health in the past six months.

The same worrying trend also appears in Tjejzonen's latest investigation where nine out of ten girls experience negative pressure due to prevailing beauty ideals. Significantly more girls than boys compare their appearance with others on social media, according to the Swedish Media Institute.

It is clear that social media in many ways reinforces the focus on girls' appearance in a negative way. Comparing oneself to how others look on social media is associated with increased dissatisfaction with one's own body and eating disorders.

Screen time affects grades

The Swedish National Agency for Education also points out that there is a strong negative correlation between using social media in their free time and results on the so-called Pisa test. Students who turn off social media notifications before going to bed, or during lessons, perform better on the test.

Although most young people have a bright outlook on life, the above trends and tendencies are worrying and must be taken seriously. We cannot stand by and watch as young people suffer while gender equality deteriorates.

Don't let the girls fall behind

Now a broad coalition is needed, from parliament and government, authorities to municipalities, civil society and individual teachers, to help and once again lift our young girls. The cooperation between the different bodies must be improved.

At Zonta International, we work to inspire young women to pursue education, careers, and leadership positions in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); areas where women are still underrepresented.

The fact that it is precisely in these areas that girls are now losing ground is very worrying.

Margaret Munge
Governor of Zonta International District 21, Sweden-Latvia