Young Women’s Movement aims to promote positive young women role models
A LIST OF ‘30 UNDER 30’ inspirational young Scots women published with the aim of promoting role models is dominated by activists and creatives.
YWCA Scotland – The Young Women's Movement has published the list in order to highlight the achievements of young Scots, after it felt that a recent spate of lists aimed at raising the profile of young women activists, artists and entrepreneurs had neglected Scotland.
The 30 women under 30 include SNP MSP Mhairi Black, leading trade unionist Suki Sangha, Glasgow Greens co-convenor Zara Kitson, refugee rights activists and ‘Glasgow Girls’ Roza Salih and Amal Azzudin and Chvrches singer and journalist Lauren Mayberry.
The youngest member of the list is 11 year-old actress Cherry Campbell, who was the youngest ever winner of the Bafta children’s award in 2014 for her portrayal of children’s television character Katie Morag.
“In the run up to IWD [International Women’s Day] in March, we noticed lots of fantastic blogs celebrating inspiring women, but found that the lists were quite US focused.” YWCA Scotland
A YWCA Scotland spokesperson told CommonSpace: “Our ‘Status of Young Women in Scotland’ report last year highlighted the importance of role models – as one participant put it, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. In the run up to IWD [International Women’s Day] in March, we noticed lots of fantastic blogs celebrating inspiring women, but found that the lists were quite US focused.
“Even off the top of our heads, we were able to reel off a list of incredible young Scottish women – and so 30 under 30 was born, celebrating amazing women and their achievements. From activism to music, sports to politics, entrepreneurship to STEM, Scotland has some truly awe-inspiring role models amongst its young women.
The YWCA Scotland has promised to build on the initiative in future.
The spokesperson said: “It’s by no means an exhaustive list – compiled through word of mouth and prolonged Google searches – and we’re delighted that so many have responded by adding their own suggestions of women who should be celebrated. We’d love to do more with this in the future – watch this space.”
The YWCA Scotland was formerly a global Christian organisation for promoting the interests of young women and girls, but has since developed into a more secular international civic organisation. It remains one of the largest women’s rights organisations in the world.
The YWCA Scotland Status of Young Women in Scotland report explored the experiences of marginalisation of young women in Scotland, and focused on the need for women to be better represented in public life.
The full 30 under 30 list can be read here.
Picture: Facebook
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