Jamie Lee Curtis becomes second Maiden Factor Voice

Jamie Lee Curtis © Tracy Edwards

Jamie Lee Curtis © Tracy Edwards

Supporting The Maiden Factor project the Voices will be a group of influential and inspiring women, men and young people from around the world; coming together with the common goal of generating awareness of the importance of girls' education and championing solutions to enable access to education for girls currently denied this human right.

Gender inequality exists in many societies around the world; girls and women face countless obstacles on a daily basis simply because they were born female. Poverty, illiteracy minority status, disability, early marriage and pregnancy, as well as cultural attitudes about the status and role of girls and women are barriers that negatively impact on them throughout their lifetimes.

When The Maiden Factor resumes the world tour, the focus will continue to support and work with communities who enable girls into education and empower and support them to remain throughout their teenage years. Now more than ever this work is more important than ever; losing out on an education is one of the biggest drivers of gender inequality, with girls the most likely to be unable to return to the classroom or even access an education - literally watching a generation's futures disappear.

Commenting on her role as a Maiden Factor Voice, Jamie Lee Curtis said "I am absolutely delighted to become a Maiden Voice and to support The Maiden Factor Foundation in their work with communities around the world, enabling girls into education and empowering and supporting them to remain throughout their teenage years. It is only with equality in education that we will have equality in life. The work is vital, especially now, when studies show that, after this current crises the groups least likely to return to education are vulnerable girls and girls in poverty."

Towards the end of Maiden's World Tour, the thousands of 'Messages of Hope' written by young people at stopovers and around the world will be collated and presented as a 'Call to Action'. The Maiden Factor Voices will put their weight behind this 'Call to Action' to be presented to the UN in 2023, giving a platform for the voices of young people everywhere to be heard.

"When I was at the Board of Directors 2019 Best Documentary Award for the Maiden film last year, I was honoured to meet Jamie who is one of my heroes. She is an outstanding role model for women and girls and when she asked how she could help Maiden I was absolutely delighted. Jamie is the perfect example of how standing up for yourself and others can change the world." Said Tracy Edwards MBE.

Nearly 30 years ago, Tracy Edwards MBE sailed into the record books on Maiden with the first all-female crew in the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race. Maiden and her glass shattering crew paved the way for women, not only for those in the world of yachting.

After the race, Maiden was found abandoned and rotting in the Seychelles. Tracy Edwards MBE worked tirelessly to return Maiden back to the UK; the boat went through an extensive refit and she was restored to her former glory. The iconic yacht Maiden set sail again in November 2018 with an all-female skipper and crew on a new mission to work with and support communities across the globe who enable girls into education and empower and support them to remain throughout their teenage years.

After 30,000 miles and 22 stops around the world, due to Covid-19 the World Tour came to a halt and Maiden was shipped back to the UK. When it is safe to do so, Maiden's World Tour will continue and over the next four years visit over 40 destinations and sail 190,000 more nautical miles.

For further information, please visit: themaidenfactor.org