Thank you.
Is it as simple as saying to very young boys and girls that girls are equal and they should have every opportunity, the same as boys, and that they deserve respect? I'm looking for a definitive message that we can get out there.
I bring this up because a witness from Actua in the last session talked about how young girls in grade 4 are very interested in various topics, including science and technology. Once they're in grade 6 and grade 7, their interest levels drop. I'm trying to determine, is it puberty? What makes girls' interests in certain issues drop, whereas boys go on to achieve success in those fields? I'm trying to understand, from your knowledge, what you think causes girls at a certain age to lose interest and not necessarily go into those fields and what you think we as the status of women committee can do to encourage them, and also to include men and boys in that equation to encourage our young girls to continue with their interests in those particular areas.