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Description

Four bases challenging gender bias
An activity that explores common beliefs and attitudes towards gender in different societies.

Resources

Women in Sport
Simple relay kit (cones, bags, balls, etc.)
A "barrier" aka a large handbag
A stop watch to time them.

Leadership & Politics
A copy of the photo/flags cards in the attachments

STEM Careers
tangram/LEGO challenge

Instructions

Set up 4 bases (tables/walls with info sheets + short activity). Patrols rotate through them.


1.***Education Access***
Story of Malala Yousafzai & barriers to school in some countries.
Mini task: Scouts count how many years of free education they’ve had so far, then compare with countries where girls only average 5 years.

? Education Access: Malala’s Story

Who is Malala Yousafzai?

Malala was born in 1997 in Pakistan, in an area where the Taliban controlled daily life.

The Taliban banned girls from going to school.

Malala believed all children — boys and girls — had the right to education.

She started writing a diary for the BBC under a fake name, telling the world what was happening.

In 2012, when she was just 15, she was shot in the head by the Taliban for speaking out.

She survived, moved to the UK, and continued to campaign for education rights.

In 2014, Malala became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

? Did You Know?

Today, 129 million girls worldwide are not in school.

In some countries, girls only receive 5 years of schooling on average, compared with 12–13 years in the UK.

Reasons can include poverty, war, child marriage, or beliefs that boys’ education is more important.

? Countries where many children (especially girls) get 5 years of schooling or less

According to UNESCO and UNICEF, millions of children in some parts of the world leave school by around age 10. This is most common in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Examples

South Sudan – Average 4 years of schooling.

Niger – Average 4–5 years.

Chad – Around 5 years.

Mali – Around 5 years.

Burkina Faso – Around 5–6 years.

Afghanistan – Girls especially may only get a few years of primary school.

❓ Why so little school?

Poverty – Families can’t afford uniforms, books, or fees. Children are sent to work instead.

Conflict & War – Schools are destroyed, unsafe, or used by armed groups.

Gender Inequality – Some communities believe boys’ education is more important than girls’.

Child Marriage – Girls may be married very young and leave school.

Long Distances – Rural villages may be many miles from the nearest school.

Disability & Discrimination – Children with disabilities are often excluded or schools aren’t accessible.


2.***Women in Sport***
Barriers female athletes face.
Mini task: Quick mini relay in patrols with silly obstacles (e.g., carrying a bag = “barrier”), then repeat without barriers. Discuss difference.


3.***Leadership & Politics***
Women leaders worldwide.
Mini task: Match pictures of leaders to their countries (Jacinda Ardern, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Michelle Obama, etc.).

4.***STEM Careers ***
Female scientists/engineers. Mini task: Simple puzzle (e.g., tangram/LEGO challenge). Prompt: “Would you expect a man or woman to design this?”

? Explores global attitudes towards gender roles & opportunities.

? Tangram Challenges

(print tangram sets onto card or cut from craft foam — each patrol gets one set)

Build a House – Scouts must use all 7 tangram pieces to make the outline of a house.

Make a Duck – Give them a silhouette of a duck and challenge them to match it.

STEM Twist: Explain that tangrams are used in design and engineering to explore shapes and problem-solving.

? Scoring: 10 points if they complete it in time, 5 if close, 0 if no recognisable shape.

? LEGO / Brick Challenges

(a small tub of mixed LEGO or similar bricks per patrol)

Tallest Tower – Build the tallest freestanding tower in 5 minutes.

Strongest Bridge – Build a bridge between two books (15 cm gap). Test with coins or dice until it collapses.

Creative STEM Build – “Build something that helps people” (e.g., wheelchair, rocket, wind turbine, etc.). Patrol explains it in 30 seconds.

? Scoring: Height (tower), weight supported (bridge), or creativity + explanation (STEM build).

? STEM Careers Connection

Engineers design bridges, towers, and machines.

Mathematicians use geometry (like tangrams) to solve design puzzles.

Architects use problem-solving and creativity to make buildings stand safely.

Tags

• gender equality
• International Day of the girl
• international women's day

Badge Links

• World - Gender & Disabilities