'Girls in Focus' Conference Postponed
Read the full update below.
Girls in Focus
Understanding the Impact of the Digital Era on the Girl Child
Important Update Re: 'Girls in Focus' Conference | September 18, 2025
As you may know, support workers at colleges across Ontario, including Humber Polytechnic, went on strike Thursday September 11, 2025.
Out of respect for the parties involved, the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment will be postponing our ‘Girls in Focus’ Conference, originally scheduled for October 20th and 21st, 2025 at Humber Polytechnic.
We remain committed to the community and students at Humber Polytechnic. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this evolving situation.
For updates, please visit www.jeanaugustinecentre.ca or the Centre’s Instagram or Facebook pages.
​Hosted by the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women's Empowerment and Humber Polytechnic, 'Girls in Focus' is a two-day conference that will investigate how misogyny and sexual harassment thrive online, the role of parents, policy makers, and other stakeholders in creating safer online spaces, as well as how young women can harness the power of digital tools like AI.
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Join us for an unforgettable gathering featuring illuminating keynote speakers, panel discussions, and Q&As, led by leaders in the academic and nonprofit sectors.​
Why Understanding the Impact of the Digital Era on Girls is more Urgent Than Ever
In April, the Guardian reported that online misogyny has become such a serious issue that the U.K. government was creating a task force to address the growing epidemic of misogyny among young men and boys in Britain. In June, the United Nations' issued a warning at the rise of misogyny online, calling it a “serious threat to gender equality.”
While conversations on the disturbing consequences of the “manosphere” are a step in the right direction, there is a distinct lack of research or data on the effect that misogynistic rhetoric has on the girls and women it is directed toward.
With findings from The 2023 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey showing that girls in grades 7 to 12 are more likely to report “excessive social media use” (i.e. 5 hours or more) than their male peers, it's clear there is a need to create online spaces girls can feel safe from abuse, harassment, and casual misogyny.
'Girls in Focus’ will kickstart a critical and overdue conversation on the impact of online misogyny on girls’ wellbeing and safety and generate solutions for safer online spaces.
As social media becomes more ubiquitous than ever, it will take a concerted effort by all of us as parents, educators, youth-serving organizations, and governments to ensure that girls have the chance to grow up in a world where online misogyny is not the norm.
Conference Partners
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