Written for girls, by girls – Girlguiding Scotland’s young campaigners launch a manifesto ahead of the 2026 elections calling for a safer Scotland.
Girls from across the country have come together to call for action to make Scotland a safer place for girls and young women.
The Speak Out panel – part of Girlguiding Scotland’s national youth voice programme – has today launched a manifesto ahead of next year’s Scottish Parliament elections. The manifesto: Scotland: for girls, by girls, sets out a clear vision for a Scotland where every girl feels safe, supported, and equal.
The manifesto highlights that too many girls in Scotland continue to feel unsafe in their daily lives – in their communities, on public transport, and even in school. According to new research commissioned by Girlguiding:
- 44% of Scottish girls don’t feel safe outside by themselves
- 26% change where they socialise to avoid sexual harassment
- 54% don’t feel safe on public transport
- 15% say they don’t feel safe in school
- 83% think that there needs to be more discussion in schools with boys about the impact of sexism and misogyny.
These findings underpin the manifesto’s central demand: that Scotland’s leaders take real, measurable steps to make the country safer for girls and young women.
The 21 authors of the manifesto, all young members aged 14-22, believe that girls deserve a safe Scotland. To achieve this they have made a number of calls for the next Scottish Government including:
- Commit to building a Scotland free from gender-based violence.
- Commit to introducing the Misogyny Bill to ensure that girls and women have legal protections from misogyny.
- Work with local authorities to ensure that public transport is safe, reliable and frequent to help keep girls safe.
- Work with local authorities to implement appropriate consequences for the perpetrators of misogynistic behaviour in schools.
Holly, age 17 and from Dunbartonshire, one of the Scotland: for girls, by girls authors, said:
“Working on the manifesto was empowering. It gave me the chance to speak up about the issues that matter most to girls across Scotland – from feeling safe at school and online, to being heard when we access healthcare. We weren’t just sharing ideas – we were building something that reflects our lived experiences and hopes for a Scotland where every girl feels supported.”
Campaign Collective is a campaign partner to Girlguiding Scotland.