Girls' health
One of the central concerns of the Women’s Health Center is to strengthen girls’ health.
Girls and boys are confronted with unequal conditions in our society and have specific health needs. This is where gender-specific health promotion comes in. Gender is a determining factor of health. The WHO is conducting a cohort study exploring the health behavior in school children (HBSC-Survey) showing that girls have fewer chances to be healthy and free of ailments than boys. The self perceived general health and quality of life of girls decrease drastically during puberty.
During the 1990s, the amount of daily smoking 15-year-old girls tripled. Girls aged 15 consume alcohol in the same amounts boys do, regardless of the fact that alcohol has different and more negative long-term consequences on girls than on boys. The percentage of daily physical exercise in girls decreases from 22% in 11-year-olds to 7% when girls reach the age 15.
Girls’ self-esteem is closely linked to beauty and appearance and decreases drastically when the girls’ bodies change and they start having their period. According to a Viennese study, 44% of 14-17 year-old girls consider themselves overweight and 24% of the girls are very or extremely unhappy with their bodies. These facts concerning girls’ health confirm the significance of health promotion specific for girls.
Girls’ health promotion provides answers for girls during their transition towards womanhood. It provides information, prevents health problems, increases girls’ self esteem, encourages choices, strengthens the social competence of young women, helps to recognize eating disorders at an early stage, shows where to find support in an emergency and empowers young women. The Women’s Health Center offers specific services for young women such as:
- Information on sexuality, sexual orientation, contraception, menstruation, pregnancy, emotional health, eating disorders, HPV vaccination
- Counseling: alone or with a friend, in person, via e-mail, online (www.fgz.co.at|) or via telephone (0316/83 79 98)
- Psychotherapy: anonymous, confidential and for free upon request
- Pregnancy test (free of costs)
- Library: books, magazines and videos on girls’ health topics (borrowing and copying possible)
- Website www.fgz.co.at| with information, online counseling and a girl’s guide on events in four provinces of Styria.
- UNIQUE! Short film concerning cosmetic surgery – made by and for girls and multipliers. Available for download on YouTube.
- Workshop PRETTY ME (GANZ SCHÖN ICH) in schools and youth centers covering the issues body, sexuality, eating disorders, pleasure (for girls only)
- Workshop LOVE SEX AND MORE (LIEBE, SEX UND MEHR): everything girls want to know about sexuality, their bodies and relationships
Advanced trainings are also available for multipliers.
Project: Girl’s Health in Styria
To increase girls’ health effectively, it is vital that organizations and professionals of various fields are working together. Networking develops structures and quality standards that allow for regular, mutual exchange on girls’ health promotion and promoting of girls' health.
To encourage successful cooperation, increasing knowledge and awareness of girl’s health promotion the Women’s Health Center started a project ensuring and promoting cooperation, increasing awareness in multipliers and employees of youth facilities, stimulating structural changes and improvements and promoting the development of new service offers for girls.
Project activities
- Survey of needs and wishes of girls
- Participation of girls
- Expert meeting on girl’s health
- Task forces
- Presentations, workshops for youth workers
- Encouraging girls’ oriented services
- Pool of experts for girls and multipliers
- Public relations and community outreach
Link to the German site|