Archives: Shorthand

As part of relief efforts following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar at the end of March, Plan International Myanmar Country Director, Haider Yaqub travelled to Mandalay and was faced with unimaginable devastation. He writes about the reality on the ground, and the resilience he has witnessed.

View the story

On the ground in Myanmar: Urgent relief after disaster 

As part of relief efforts following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar at the end of March, Plan International Myanmar Country Director, Haider Yaqub travelled to Mandalay and was faced with unimaginable devastation. He writes about the reality on the ground, and the resilience he has witnessed.

Scene of devastation caused by earthquake and fire in Mandalay

Scene of devastation caused by earthquake and fire in Mandalay

Entire communities have been reduced to rubble.

Since a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on 28 March, the scale of destruction has been overwhelming. More than 3,000 people are confirmed dead, and millions more have been impacted.

The needs on the ground are immense. Homes, schools, hospitals, roads, water sources, and communication lines have all been badly damaged, leaving communities stranded and vulnerable.

Over the past few days, aftershocks have continued to terrify survivors. In the hardest-hit areas, people’s homes have been completely decimated. Even the buildings that remain standing are too dangerous to enter and many families now face the heartbreaking reality of sleeping outside on the street, just steps away from their former homes.

In one village, I stood before the remnants of what was once a place of prayer, now a flattened ruin. The chilling sight of bodies being pulled from the rubble will stay with me forever.

Rubble of a collapsed mosque in Mandalay following the earthquake.

Rubble of a collapsed mosque in Mandalay following the earthquake.

Tragically, hundreds of people are still missing, and as the window to find survivors closes, communities are in pain and beginning to mourn the loss of loved ones whose whereabouts remain unknown.

The people I have spoken to are still processing the suddenness of this catastrophe. I have met young children in shock, confused about why they’re now living on the street, asking, “Why am I outside?” and “Why can’t I go home?”. Their world has been shattered.

In times of crisis, children face even greater risks. Girls, in particular, are vulnerable to exploitation, violence, being pulled out of school permanently, and to being forced into early marriage. That’s why, beyond providing necessities like food, blankets and clean drinking water, Plan International is also working to ensure that children have safe spaces to learn and play and girls have access to safe and clean sanitation facilities. Mobile toilets, especially for women and girls, are critical in maintaining dignity and protecting them from further harm.

Despite the immense hardship, I have been moved by the resilience of the people here. Amid their tears, they have shared their hopes for the future and their determination to support relief efforts to rebuild their lives and communities. The people I met are desperate to return to work, to restore their homes, and to regain a sense of their normal livelihoods.

While the full extent of the disaster is still unfolding, from my experience in humanitarian response, the effects of a disaster like this will be felt for years. The rebuilding of homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods will take time, and the emotional scars will linger even longer.

And while those impacted are showing staggering resilience in the face of losing everything, this alone is not enough. The people of Myanmar have experienced some of the worst things imaginable, and they need all the support they can get to recover and rebuild.

Distribution of emergency relief aid to families in Mandalay

Distribution of emergency relief aid to families in Mandalay

How is Plan International responding?

The first days after a disaster are critical to saving as many lives as possible. Plan International is on the ground and ready to ensure children are protected in the aftermath of the Myanmar earthquake. With your help, we can provide:

  • Food, shelter and warm blankets to families who have lost everything
  • Safe water and hygiene kits so communities can maintain their health and dignity
  • Safe spaces for children to play and receive emotional care
  • Protection for children at risk of violence and abuse
  • Support to reconnect children with missing family members
  • Counselling support to those who have suffered trauma
  • Distribute cash vouchers so families can buy urgent household goods like medicine
  • Temporary learning centres and back-to-school kits to minimise the impact on children’s education
DONATE NOW

*Any donations we receive over and above what’s needed for this emergency will be redirected to our emergency standby fund to allow us to respond quickly and effectively to future humanitarian emergencies. Thank you for your generosity.

TopBuilt with Shorthand

A girls’ right to education

View the story

Five fundamental girls’ rights under threat in 2025

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day this year takes place against a backdrop of unprecedented ideological attacks, the erosion and reversal of hard-won rights around the world and severe defunding of critical work, making efforts to advocate for girls’ rights more important than ever before.  

Without urgent action, global gender equality could be worse in 2030 than when the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were agreed in 2015. Today’s girls’ risk having fewer rights than their mothers and, in some cases, even their grandmothers.  

Over recent years, globally, we have seen the regression of rights in several areas which directly impact the lives of children and young people, especially girls. Examples include lowering the age of legal child marriage, restricting access to education, health care and the banning of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education. 

This negative shift is not incidental – it is part of a deliberate effort by a growing anti-rights movement, which uses divisive narratives to polarise the public and maintain patriarchal norms and power structures. Anti-rights groups are focusing their pushback on key issues that are at the core of girls’ rights.

Here are five crucial girls’ rights at risk without urgent action: 

  • A girls’ right to education
  • The right to a life free of violence
  • The right to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
  • The right to life and a healthy environment
  • The right to participate in society

A girls’ right to education

Globally, 122 million girls remain out of school, often due to domestic work, child marriage and harmful gender norms that undervalue their education. Even for girls in school, discrimination, harassment, inadequate resources and gender-biased environments limit their potential and opportunities.   

The combination of being young and female, along with restricted access to quality education, places girls at a significant disadvantage, with lifelong consequences for their opportunities and well-being. Funding has been critical to efforts to increase the number of girls in education worldwide and must not be threatened.  

Diana and her friend outside of their classroom in Tanzania.

Diana and her friend outside of their classroom in Tanzania.

The right to a life free of violence

Globally, over half of children experience violence, with girls disproportionately affected. Annually, 60 million girls face sexual assault in schools, and 1 in 4 adolescent girls (aged 15– 19) report experiencing physical or sexual violence from partners. Online harassment impacts more than half of adolescent girls, with 90% of child abuse material victims being girls.   

Girls with intersecting identities – those living with disabilities, from racial or ethnic minority backgrounds, or those identifying as LGBTQIA+ – face heightened risks both online and offline. Anti-rights movements pose further challenges by replacing gender-based concepts with sex-based terminology while actively restricting references to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).   

Harmful social norms and gender stereotypes are often the root causes of violence against children. By promoting and reinforcing them, anti-rights actors are not only perpetuating inequality but also strengthening the very legal and social systems that enable and justify this violence. Coordinated global action is essential in dismantling these systems and ensuring safe, inclusive environments for girls and women.  

Girls in Guatemala find a safe space at their school.

Girls in Guatemala find a safe space at their school.

The right to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)

Adolescents aged 10-19 represent a pivotal age group for promoting well-being, health, and development, yet 1.2 million die each year from preventable health-related causes. Despite progress over the past 20 years in maternal health, HIV prevention, treatment and care, and contraceptive use, many SRHR issues remain stagnant or are regressing.   

Globally, pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause of death for girls aged 15-19, with risks doubling for pregnancies before age 15. In low-resource settings, 23 million girls aged 15– 19 lack access to modern contraceptives, and 4 million undergo unsafe abortions annually. Gender inequality and the undervaluation of girls disproportionately exposes them to violations of their rights often denying them of their autonomy and the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. 

Bibi with her six-year-old daughter Habiba.

Bibi with her six-year-old daughter Habiba.

The right to life and a healthy environment

Girls experience crises differently to other demographics and are often exposed to heightened risks of violence and exploitation due to their age and gender. Yet, policymakers and the humanitarian community often overlook adolescent girls, and exclude them from decisions that directly affect their lives.   

Girls’ unique needs frequently fall through the gaps of programs designed for all children or women, leaving critical issues unaddressed. This neglect has devastating consequences for their well-being, especially in prolonged crisis settings. The climate crisis impacts everyone, but girls are often the hardest hit. For example, girls are frequently the last to eat when food becomes scarce, gender-based violence tends to rise during disasters, and child marriage often increases when resources are limited. 

 Over one billion children remain at extreme risk from the climate crisis, which not only hinders development but also exacerbates humanitarian crises globally. Anti-rights movements increasingly target climate change discourse and policies, framing them as threats to economic growth, dismissing scientific consensus, and propagating misinformation. This pushback leads to climate inaction which disproportionately impacts adolescent girls, exacerbating existing inequalities, and preventing them from accessing key services like SRHR education and access.  

Young woman celebrates International Women’s Day in Fiji.

Young woman celebrates International Women’s Day in Fiji.

The right to participate in society

Globally, children and young people, especially girls and young women, face significant challenges in realising their right to freely express their views and participate in civic and political processes. They are often dismissed as too immature for political involvement or stigmatised as potential disruptors, rather than recognised as capable leaders and drivers of positive change.   

Human rights defenders, particularly girls and young women, are increasingly impacted by a political landscape that offers fewer opportunities for their advocacy and input. According to Plan International’s State of the World’s Girls report (2023), 61% of girls and young women involved in activism reported facing negative consequences because of their advocacy work. Among them, 27% were deterred by negative views from their communities and families.  

Young women continue to bear the impact of historical exclusion, and encounter barriers to accessing political spaces. These include entrenched societal expectations about what girls can and cannot do, an underrepresentation in leadership roles, and the persistent risk of discrimination and harassment. Young people, who are often at the forefront of feminist movements, employ protests to make their voices heard however they’re at a heightened risk of crackdowns and restrictive laws. This is most clearly seen by the targeting of youth-led gatherings advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights, feminism, and other progressive causes. 

We must push for gender equality.

Girls take part in workshop to address the unique challenges faced by girls in Nepal.

Girls take part in workshop to address the unique challenges faced by girls in Nepal.

Girls’ rights are universal. Regardless of where a girl is born or lives, she should be safe, free from abuse, and be able to fully realise her rights.  Gender equality benefits everyone and a world where all people have access to the same rights, opportunities and outcomes would be a fairer, safer, healthier, more sustainable, and more prosperous place for everyone.  

Plan International Australia stands in solidarity with girls and women in all their diversities around the world whose rights are under threat. We advocate for all children, adolescents and youth everywhere, including and especially girls, who are so often marginalised and overlooked.  

Create Change for Girls

TopBuilt with Shorthand

The Real Fathers’ Club is challenging traditional stereotypes in Ghana and ensuring the harmful practice of FGM does not resurface.

View the story

Fathers fighting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

The Real Fathers’ Club is challenging traditional stereotypes in Ghana and ensuring the harmful practice of FGM does not resurface.

Michael with his six daughters.

Michael with his six daughters.

In a small rural community in Ghana’s Oti Region, near the Togolese border, the Real Fathers’ Club is in session. Michael, a 41-year-old, teacher, farmer, and father of eight children – including six daughters, is talking about girls’ rights with the other men of his village.

“Real change starts with us. When we share the work at home, everyone benefits.”

Michael

The club was established in April 2024 as part of Plan International’s efforts to promote positive masculinities and gender-responsive parenting in Ghana’s Oti Region. It serves as a platform for men, primarily crop farmers, to share experiences and learn about their roles in creating harmonious and equitable households.

Traditionally in the region, cooking, caring for children, and household work is the sole domain of women, with men focusing on more ‘manly’ pursuits: farming and other outdoor tasks. Now, this narrative is being rewritten, largely thanks to a Real Fathers’ Club providing a platform for men to discuss and redefine masculinity.

Now, because of the club’s activities, numerous fathers in the community are stepping up to share household responsibilities with their wives, bond with their children, and challenge deeply engrained gender and masculinity norms that have shaped their communities for generations. Their efforts are seeing a positive change in preventing the practice of FGM, which has been entirely eradicated from local culture and life.

Real Fathers’ Club members.

Real Fathers’ Club members.

Stronger together

Michael says he used to think unpaid care work was solely for women, but since he joined the Real Fathers’ Club this year, he thinks differently:

“Men would let their wives carry firewood with babies on their backs while we carried only tools,” he explains. “Now, I carry the firewood so my wife can carry the baby. The Real Fathers’ Club has been very helpful. We share ideas on how to assist our wives with house duties so they can rest, and we encourage the children to help out too. When my wife is cooking banku, I help by cutting the okra so we can finish early, and have time for family discussions,” explains Michael.

Michael believes their new marital collaboration not only lightens his wife’s workload, but also strengthens their relationship, creating a more harmonious home for their children. Michael’s eldest daughter, Enyonam, 17, who is at secondary school, has noticed a real difference in her father’s attitude to family life, and his children.

“I feel happy that my father is promising to support us,” she says. “Some of my friends say their parents don’t spend much time interacting with them or asking what they need. Parents should show love toward their children, just like my parents do.”

Agbeko, a 47-year-old, hunter, farmer and, father of six, is a fellow member of the Real Fathers’ Club, and echoes Michael’s sentiments – “I always encourage my daughters to share their aspirations with me. If they want to work hard, I’ll support them, unlike my father, who didn’t support me. People often mention that I have a lot of daughters, and I am proud of that.”

Michael and his wife, Elizabeth, now share a stronger bond.

Michael and his wife, Elizabeth, now share a stronger bond.

Keeping FGM out of the community

For many fathers here, these radical new attitudes towards parental responsibility extend beyond the home. The Real Fathers’ Club has also opened up important discussions about protecting daughters from teenage pregnancy and traditional harmful practices such as FGM.

Agbeko says he is very glad that the practice of FGM has died out in the community. “They used to practice FGM here, but it has stopped now.” His daughter, Naomi, agrees; “My message to other communities is that they should stop FGM because it can cause infections and even death, which is not good. Families should not put their daughters through it, whether for tradition or not, because they could lose their daughters.”

Though FGM is no longer practised here, Michael believes education and awareness campaigns remain crucial in ensuring that the practice does not resurface. As part of the Real Fathers’ Club program, Plan International is supporting families like Michael’s, providing sanitary pads and training sessions on menstrual health. With a membership of 24 men, the club meets twice a month to discuss topics such as supporting women in unpaid care work, bonding with children through caregiving, and redistributing household responsibilities to reduce women’s workload.

The project is proving that change is possible, even in the most traditional communities.

Real change, as Michael puts it, starts with real men.

Michael takes his daughter Peace, 5, to school.

Michael takes his daughter Peace, 5, to school.

Photographs: Michael Aboya 

Words: Jane Labous and Regina Asamoah 

TopBuilt with Shorthand

The effects of climate change are increasing in severity, and it is the world’s poorest communities – those least responsible for global warming – that are suffering the most. Community leader Caroline won’t accept this reality for her community and is rebuilding a section of the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests in Kenya, one seedling, and one football game, at a time.

View the story

Forest Mama

Caroline’s quest to protect Kenya’s sacred coastal forests

The effects of climate change are increasing in severity, and it is the world’s poorest communities – those least responsible for global warming – that are suffering the most. These communities often live in the most vulnerable areas and lack the resources to adapt to the growing frequency of climate crises. 

Community leader Caroline won’t accept this reality for her community and is rebuilding a section of the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests in Kenya, one seedling, and one football game, at a time. With support of Plan International through the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (COSME) project, Caroline is leading efforts to nurture a legacy that will thrive for generations to come.

As chairperson of a local conservation group in Kenya, Tumaini (meaning “hope”), Caroline leads efforts to balance preservation with community needs. The group has already planted 5,000 indigenous seedlings, including Mzambarau (java plum) and Mibuyu (baobab) – trees the elders called miti ya kukinga baridi, or “medicine trees for colds and asthma.”

 How COSME is providing solutions to climate change:

The Plan International COSME project is working with local communities around the world to support environment conservation and restoration and development of sustainable farming.

Mangrove restoration

Mangroves protect coastal communities from storms and rising sea levels, storing up to four times more carbon than inland forests. Restoration helps reduce the damage of climate-related events for communities.

Sustainable seaweed farming

Seaweed reduces coastal erosion and creates fish habitats. It can be farmed for export or processed into marketable products like shampoo and lotion.

Forest conservation

Eastern Africa’s costal forests are biodiversity hotspots under threat. To ensure that the natural environment is not depleted, it’s necessary to employ conservation techniques like the planting of native species, use of solar water heaters, and incorporate alternative livelihood methods like mushroom foraging.

Kenya’s sacred forest

The Sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests are a UNESCO World Heritage site spread over 200km along Kenya’s coast. The forest contains the remains of fortified villages, known as kayas, created by the indigenous Mijikenda people.

“Every tree here holds a story. My elders taught us this forest isn’t just land. It’s our home, our history.” As a child, Caroline played games within the forest, amongst the towering baobab trees. She remembers being guided by her elders about sacred boundaries and ancestral spirits that protect the forest and call for rain. 

Growing up, Caroline has watched the effects of climate change on the sacred trees of her childhood, as they’ve been threatened and destroyed by timber harvesting, deforestation, and land clearing.

Tumaini project participants water seedlings.

Tumaini project participants water seedlings.

Tumaini project participants water seedlings.

Tumaini project participants water seedlings.

How are women affected by climate change?

Climate change is magnifying the inequalities that girls and women disproportionately face. 

“Women bear the brunt of these challenges. With delayed rains, food scarcity has become a pressing concern. We rise before dawn to get our work done, hoping to finish before the sun blazes overhead. Many of us walk up to five kilometres along dusty roads just to fetch water, a task that is both risky and time-consuming.”

For Caroline, it’s important within her community that they create a way to bridge the gender divide. While Tumaini started as a women’s conservation group, it has evolved into a community-wide movement. 

Caroline and conservation group members with tree seedlings they grow.

Caroline and conservation group members with tree seedlings they grow.

Her husband, initially sceptical, has joined a men’s group, Heri (meaning “goodwill”), that partners with Tumaini. Their collaboration comes to life in a surprising way; through mixed gender football matches where only women can score goals. 

“We never imagined we’d be playing – especially alongside our husbands!” Caroline says with delight. The games help build alliances off the field as well. “Sometimes, when a woman is cutting down a tree, she might disregard my advice,” Caroline explains. “Women often don’t take advice from other women. But if a man intervenes, she listens. It works the other way, too: Men are more receptive when women speak about sharing household tasks, including bringing water to the home. Collaborating is essential.” 

This partnership has transformed both forest and family dynamics. “We’re not there yet with the forest, but now my husband respects me more,” Caroline reflects. “He even seeks my opinion on family matters.”

Caroline and her husband are rebuilding the forest.

Caroline and her husband are rebuilding the forest.

Climate change progress

The project goes beyond mere tree planting. In Caroline’s compound, fruit trees now provide food and shade, while solar water heaters have helped replace the need for firewood. “We’re showing our community that conservation creates abundance,” Caroline says, gesturing to the thriving orange and mango trees around her home.

“Seeing big, sturdy and fruitful trees makes my heart sing. I long for things to return to how they were before. If I could, I would make the forest my permanent home, guarding it and enjoying its beauty every single day.”

Tumaini women’s conservation group member with tree seedling.

Tumaini women’s conservation group member with tree seedling.

The groups’ success has had an impact throughout the community. They’ve sold seedlings to Plan International, earning 80,000 Ksh (A$994) that has helped families send their children to school. The seedlings are then replanted in the forest by COSME participants. 

“We’re the freedom fighters of clean air and good medicine,” Caroline declares, her commitment to Kaya Chonyi unwavering. By recycling milk bags found by the roadside into seedling containers, they are ensuring the survival of the next generation of trees – a testament to how traditional wisdom and modern conservation can nurture both forest and community.

Caroline and the Tumaini conservation group.

Caroline and the Tumaini conservation group.

Hope for future generations

Through her connection to the land and her unwavering determination, Caroline embodies the spirit of Plan’s COSME project, a remarkable initiative that empowers communities to cultivate hope, resilience, and sustainability for the future. It’s not just about planting trees; it’s about nurturing a legacy that will thrive for generations to come.

“My dream is for our children to inherit a forest that still breathes. I want them to grow up knowing that we did everything we could to protect this place,” says Caroline.

Caroline with her three grandchildren.

Caroline with her three grandchildren.

Learn more about our climate action work

TopBuilt with Shorthand

Our approach to emergency response is rooted in collaboration and partnership. In the face of disaster, we work closely with community members, other charities, UN agencies, and local governments to ensure the most effective outcomes for those affected. By sharing our resources, expertise, and real-time information across these partnerships, we improve the delivery of aid and increase our collective impact. 

View the story

Humanitarian action 

25-year-old mother Kesha and her two-year-old son Gudata live in Ethiopia, where food shortages have reached critical levels.

25-year-old mother Kesha and her two-year-old son Gudata live in Ethiopia, where food shortages have reached critical levels.

Our approach to emergency response is rooted in collaboration and partnership.

In the face of disaster, we work closely with community members, other charities, UN agencies, and local governments to ensure the most effective outcomes for those affected. By sharing our resources, expertise, and real-time information across these partnerships, we improve the delivery of aid and increase our collective impact. 

But our commitment to supporting vulnerable communities extends beyond immediate disaster relief. We work before crises occur to help communities build the knowledge and capacity to prepare for and respond to future disasters and the impacts of climate change. Our goal is to ensure that women, children and young people including those with disabilities grow up in resilient communities that are capable of providing protection and dignity, both during and after disasters and conflicts. 

Our focus is always on the most vulnerable, particularly girls, who face unique challenges in emergencies. From displacement and violence to losing access to education and essential health services, crises disproportionately affect the lives and futures of girls. Through our ongoing emergency responses, we strive to create safer, more resilient environments where children can survive, recover, and realize their rights, no matter the challenges they face. 

As disasters, conflicts, and disease outbreaks continue to threaten millions of lives globally, Plan International is committed to being there when children and families need us the most, supporting them to rebuild their lives with dignity, safety, and hope. 

Our collective global impact in FY24 

87 disaster responses were carried out globally, ranging from localised responses to large-scale national and regional emergencies. 

35 Education in Emergency programs across 28 countries 

49 Child Protection in Emergency programs across 33 countries 

22 Cash and Voucher Assistance programs across 20 countries 

14 Health – including Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights – in Emergency programs across 13 countries 

34 Food Security and Nutrition programs across 28 countries 

12.2 million children and adults were reached by our disaster work, including 3.2 million girls 

Our impact on the Global Hunger Crisis 

Plan International has been actively responding to the global hunger crisis in some of the most affected countries, including Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Haiti.

Through a combination of emergency food relief, nutrition support, education programs, and livelihoods assistance, we have been providing critical support to families and communities facing extreme food insecurity. 

  • 858,191 people received food assistance 
  • 191,339 people reached by the Emergency Action Alliance hunger response 

Our response emergency food packages are critical to preventing malnutrition, while cash transfers give families the dignity and flexibility to purchase whatever they need.

We’re also working to protect girls from the heightened risks of gender-based violence, child marriage, and exploitation that often arise during food crises, with our child protection programs raising awareness of such risks.  In South Sudan, for example, we have seen an increase in child marriage, where girls are sometimes seen as an economic burden to already struggling families, and early marriage is seen as a way to alleviate some of the financial strain.  

By working with local partners and communities, we are also supporting long-term solutions to food insecurity.  

Originally from Sudan, 12-year-old Lena arrived in Renk with her family after fleeing from the conflict in Khartoum. Lena spends her days at the child friendly space in the centre, a safe space where children can spend time playing, forging friendships and recovering from the trauma of war.

Originally from Sudan, 12-year-old Lena arrived in Renk with her family after fleeing from the conflict in Khartoum. Lena spends her days at the child friendly space in the centre, a safe space where children can spend time playing, forging friendships and recovering from the trauma of war.

Our impact in Gaza   

In Gaza, Plan International has been working in collaboration with a range of key partners including Taawon, TDH, and Juzoor, to deliver our humanitarian response.

Despite the many challenges posed by the conflict, our joint efforts have had a meaningful impact across several critical areas, including food security, health, and protection. 

  • More than 23,000 hot meals delivered to families in Gaza 
  • Provided 1,196 households with cash assistance 

One of the most urgent needs in Gaza has been food security, and Plan International, working alongside Taawon, launched a hot meals distribution program to support displaced families. Phase 1 and 2 of the program saw more than 23,000 hot meals distributed to 5,300 individuals, providing essential nutritional support to families living in shelters, particularly in the Middle and South regions of Gaza, including Khan Younis. Phase 3 is underway, and 14,517 meals have already been distributed in South Gaza, ensuring continued access to food for vulnerable communities. 

Recognizing the need for flexibility in addressing a range of urgent needs, Plan International, in collaboration with TDH, also launched a multi-purpose cash assistance program. This initiative has reached 1,196 vulnerable households, offering families the autonomy to meet their basic needs. With plans to assist an additional 154 families by November, this cash support has proven invaluable, helping families cope with the immediate challenges of displacement and loss. 

In the health sector, Plan International partnered with Juzoor to support a polio vaccination campaign targeting children in northern Gaza. Despite significant access and logistical barriers, the campaign has been critical in reaching children with life-saving vaccines. The effort has been coordinated with various UN agencies to ensure the success of the vaccination drive, underscoring the shared commitment to public health in the midst of crisis. 

Throughout this response, Plan International has faced significant obstacles, particularly with access restrictions that have delayed the entry of essential supplies. However, the organization’s effective coordination with both local and international partners has allowed it to reach underserved communities, reinforcing their resilience and ability to withstand the ongoing instability. 

Plan staff pack boxes of emergency supplies ready for transport to Gaza.

Plan staff pack boxes of emergency supplies ready for transport to Gaza.

TopBuilt with Shorthand

Education is the key to a better world, one where children, especially girls, can break free from cycles of poverty, challenge inequality, and contribute to building stronger, more resilient communities. 
Plan International partners with communities to raise awareness about the importance of girls’ education, addressing the root causes of educational barriers such as gender-based violence, child marriage, and early pregnancy, so that girls are able to complete their education and choose their own futures. 

View the story

Education for All 

A mother in remote Timor Leste helps in her daughter’s classroom.

A mother in remote Timor Leste helps in her daughter’s classroom.

Every child has the right to an education that equips
them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to
shape their future.

Education is the key to a better world, one where children, especially girls, can break free from cycles of poverty, challenge inequality, and contribute to building stronger, more resilient communities. 

Plan International partners with communities to raise awareness about the importance of girls’ education, addressing the root causes of educational barriers such as gender-based violence, child marriage, and early pregnancy, so that girls are able to complete their education and choose their own futures. 

Our collective global impact in FY24 

17.7 million children and adults accessed inclusive, quality education 

5.2 million girls gained better access to education  

770,000+ girls with improved skills and work opportunities 

433,000+ community members trained in gender equality 

We believe that every girl should have the opportunity to access education in a safe and supportive environment, and through gender-transformative education, we aim to shift societal norms and power dynamics that have historically marginalized girls and other vulnerable groups. 

By addressing gender biases and promoting equality, we aim to break down the barriers that hold girls back from fulfilling their potential. Our programs actively challenge traditional gender roles, equipping girls with the confidence to pursue their dreams, and champion change in their societies. 

Studies have shown that when girls are educated, entire communities benefit. Educated girls are more likely to start businesses, invest in their families, and become leaders in their communities. This ripple effect is essential in addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues, from climate change to economic inequality. 

Our work also includes communities, governments, religious leaders, and families in the process of transforming education systems. We recognize that lasting change can only occur when these key stakeholders are involved in challenging and shifting societal attitudes about gender and education. By creating a collective commitment to end gender inequality, we can help create educational spaces where all children—regardless of gender—can thrive. 

 Students enjoy a school meal together in Cambodia

 Students enjoy a school meal together in Cambodia

School Learning Gardens 

In Cambodia, our School Learning Garden Program is a powerful example of gender transformative education that challenges gender norms while fostering hands-on learning experiences that go beyond the traditional classroom. 

The School Learning Garden Program provides schools with the resources to create gardens where students, boys and girls can learn about growing and preparing nutritious food and caring for the environment. These gardens serve as a practical tool for educating students about agriculture and food security, teaching them not only how to grow crops but also why sustainable farming practices are crucial for the future. 

One of the key successes of this program is its ability to engage students in active, experiential learning, with students learning science, literature, and math right in the gardens. By connecting classroom theories with practical experiences—like measuring plots, calculating water needs, and discussing the food system—children gain valuable knowledge while developing healthy attitudes towards eating. These lessons extend beyond the classroom, as students share what they learn with their families, fostering a culture of health and sustainability within the community. 

Importantly, the program also works to challenge and disrupt limiting gender norms, encouraging both girls and boys to try new roles, such as cooking in the kitchen, challenging traditional notions of what boys and girls can do, and empowering them to become change-makers in their communities. 

Children in Cambodia learning and cooking nutritious meals thanks to their school gardens.

Children in Cambodia learning and cooking nutritious meals thanks to their school gardens.

The School Learning Gardens have already benefited over 25,000 primary school children across 90 schools in Siem Reap.

This year, the initiative was officially adopted by the Cambodian Education Ministry as part of the national curriculum for grades four to six, which will enable an even greater impact on some of the country’s most marginalized and disadvantaged children. 

  • Parents have reported improved student health, greater environmental awareness, and stronger community bonds. 
  • 97% of parents noted that their children enjoy school more because of the program, with many saying it has positively changed their children’s attitudes towards healthy eating.  
  • 73% of parents observed that their children are collaborating better, regardless of gender, with boys taking on roles such as cooking and cleaning at home. 

Children in Cambodia learning and cooking nutritious meals thanks to their school gardens.

Children in Cambodia learning and cooking nutritious meals thanks to their school gardens.

The School Learning Garden is delivered in partnership with the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), and with support from the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program and funds generously donated to Plan International Australia by the Australian public.

TopBuilt with Shorthand

The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly severe, and it is the world’s poorest communities—those least responsible for global warming—that are suffering the most. These communities often live in the most vulnerable areas and lack the resources to adapt to the growing frequency of climate-related disasters.

View the story

Building Climate Resilience for the Future 

Members of women’s groups and disability organisations are involved in mangrove planting activities conducted by the Government of Sumbawa District. Photo: Yayasan Plan International Indonesia

Members of women’s groups and disability organisations are involved in mangrove planting activities conducted by the Government of Sumbawa District. Photo: Yayasan Plan International Indonesia

The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly severe, and it is the world’s poorest communities—those least responsible for global warming—that are suffering the most. These communities often live in the most vulnerable areas and lack the resources to adapt to the growing frequency of climate-related disasters.

At Plan International we are committed to supporting communities to build climate resilience, especially children, women, and marginalized groups. 

 

Working with Communities Across Southeast Asia and the Pacific 

Our climate resilience programs span across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts.

We work closely with local communities, ensuring that the voices of girls and women, in particular, are included in the planning and implementation of climate projects. This inclusive approach ensures that solutions are designed to meet the specific needs of those who are often the most affected by climate change. 

Our projects focus on practical, community-based solutions to enhance resilience. These initiatives include the planting of climate-resilient vegetable gardens at schools, mangrove and tree planting to protect coastal areas from floods and storms and improving agricultural practices to help communities better cope with changing weather patterns. We also engage in disaster preparedness, helping communities plan for and respond to climate-related crises. These efforts reach children, families, and local communities through educational programs, school curriculums, and community outreach. 

The Gender Dimension of Climate Action 

Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities, particularly for girls and women. When disasters strike, it is often girls who suffer the most.

Climate-related crises, such as droughts and floods, can force girls out of school as they are tasked with fetching water, gathering firewood, or caring for family members. In many cases, girls are also at a heightened risk of exploitation, abuse, and child marriage. 

However, climate action can also serve as a pathway to greater gender equality. Educating girls is one of the most effective ways to build climate resilience, as studies show that for every additional year a girl stays in school, a country’s climate resilience improves. We are working to ensure that girls are not only protected from the impacts of climate change but also empowered to lead climate action efforts in their communities. 

Female leadership has proven to be particularly effective in conservation and climate adaptation efforts. Women are more likely to pursue sustainable solutions that benefit the whole community, and their voices are critical in shaping the policies and decisions that affect their lives. 

 

 

Plan International Australia’s impact: 

In Timor Leste 

  • 98% of respondents who were surveyed following water conservation and water management training agreed or strongly agreed that there is now greater acceptance of women and youth in leadership positions within water resource management. 
  • Following training on regenerative agriculture, 81% reported having adopted climates-smart regenerative practices in their farming practice. 

In Indonesia 

  • the IWM Forum program implementation has reached and benefitted around 115,000 people across the district 

Climate-Resilient and Inclusive WASH in Indonesia  

In Indonesia, we’ve been working to address the critical intersection of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and climate resilience.  

Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) and Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB) are two provinces facing severe climate impacts, including extreme floods, droughts, cyclones, and sea-level rise. These hazards have disrupted essential services like agriculture, health, and education, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities, particularly for women, girls, and people with disabilities. 

Together with Yayasan Plan International Indonesia, Plan International Australia, through the Water for Women project, has been implementing the Climate-Resilient and Inclusive WASH project. This initiative is focused on improving WASH systems to withstand climate-related disruptions while promoting gender equality and enhancing community resilience. By working with local governments, communities, and organizations, we’re helping to establish systems that ensure access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene even in the face of climate change. 

In Sumbawa, NTB, for example, the project has led to the formation of the Sumbawa Integrated Water Management Forum, which includes government representatives, community groups, and organizations supporting women and people with disabilities. This forum has been instrumental in developing and implementing a coastal revitalization program that involves planting 120,000 mangrove seedlings to combat seawater encroachment and coastal erosion. These nature-based solutions are crucial in protecting coastal communities from rising sea levels and extreme weather events. 

Additionally, the project has influenced local policies, including Sumbawa’s draft Long-Term Development Plan, which now includes climate-resilient water management strategies. The Water for Women initiative also ensures that all levels of government are supported in delivering equitable water and sanitation services, helping to safeguard water resources for future generations. 

Through these efforts, we are not only enhancing climate resilience in Indonesia but also fostering inclusive decision-making processes that empower marginalized groups to take part in action on climate change. 

The Climate-Resilient and Inclusive WASH project is delivered in partnership with the Australian Government through the Water for Women Fund. 

TopBuilt with Shorthand

There might be 27 years between Tume and Tume, but both their lives have been impacted by Ethiopia’s drought.

Plan International is actively helping women and girls affected by the drought by providing cash transfers, livelihood support, and educational materials to help children return to school and complete their education.

View the story

A tale of two Tume’s

There might be 27 years between Tume and Tume, but both their lives have been impacted by Ethiopia’s drought

The first Tume is a 37-year-old mother of six, currently living in a host community after the drought forced her family to leave their home. 

“We used to depend on animal fat and milk. We used to be independent. And we used to help others,” she recalls. But when the drought devastated Tume’s crops and caused the death of her livestock, everything changed. 

“We have six children; my firstborn is deaf and disabled. We can’t work and we can’t farm. That is why our life is so hard. We eat once a day and sometimes we don’t even get that one meal, then we sleep without eating. I feel very sad. When you don’t have anything and your children are very hungry, you end up thinking negative thoughts,” says Tume.

 

Tume, a mother of six, was forced from her home after drought killed her animals and crops.

Tume, a mother of six, was forced from her home after drought killed her animals and crops.

The other Tume is 10 years old and has been living in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp since the drought ravaged her family’s home and livestock too.

“Life was very good before the drought,” she remembers. “We depended on our animals. We lost all our animals and that is why we came here. Our father is sick and we don’t have anyone to take care of us children.”

40 years on from the famine that devastated Ethiopia, the country continues to face a range of food insecurity issues caused by weather events and ongoing conflict. Although Ethiopia has made significant progress since the famine of the 1980s, millions of people still don’t know where their next meal will come from.

More than 13 million people in Ethiopia, including 4 million internally displaced people, are currently in urgent need of humanitarian food assistance, and millions of children are out of school or at risk of dropping out.

10-year-old Tume has been able to return to school with Plan International’s support.

10-year-old Tume has been able to return to school with Plan International’s support.

Plan International is actively helping families affected by the drought by providing cash transfers, livelihood support, and educational materials to help children return to school and complete their education. 

37-year-old Tume was chosen by her community to receive assistance from Plan International, and already the support is making a difference. “My daughter, who is deaf, is supported by Plan to go to school, she received a school bag, pens and books and a torch so she can study. If it wasn’t for Plan, she wouldn’t be able to go to school.”

“I also received household items such as buckets, jerrycans, pots, basins, blankets and dignity kits. I got four sheep and four goats and a cash transfer which I used to buy food and medicine. If it wasn’t for Plan’s support, we could have died. Now I have hope for the future because the goats Plan gave us are pregnant and I’m so happy because soon we’ll have milk.” 

After arriving at the camp with only a few belongings, 10-year-old Tume could not attend school, but things have changed since Plan intervened. “I got schoolbooks and textbooks and was able to continue my studies. I also like going to the child-friendly space to meet friends and play,” she shares. “I have my hope back and I love education.”

Tume and her family received goats and household items thanks to Plan International.

Tume and her family received goats and household items thanks to Plan International.

TopBuilt with Shorthand

Climate change is a significant threat to the island nation communities of the Pacific ocean, with the region experiencing significant loss and damage to it’s land, sea and waters. Pacific Girls in a Changing Climate documents the lived experiences of climate change for girls, adolescents and young women aged 10 to 18 in the Pacific and their recommendations for action to protect and promote their human rights.

View the story

Climate change is a significant threat to the island nation communities of the Pacific ocean, with the region experiencing significant loss and damage to it’s land, sea and waters.

Pacific Girls in a Changing Climate documents the lived experiences of climate change for girls, adolescents and young women aged 10 to 18 in the Pacific and their recommendations for action to protect and promote their human rights.

The girls that participated told us that climate change is reshaping their lives. It is exacerbating existing inequalities as well as creating new barriers for them as they enter adulthood.

Yet girls in the Pacific are not passive actors. They are at the forefront of activism and influencing governments to take climate action. The report captures how Pacific girl-led change can be supported, resourced and strengthened by all actors.

Pacific girls have clear strategies and recommendations for changes in law, policy and development practice that will dismantle barriers and create pathways into a future in which they can thrive.

We surveyed 319 girls across the Pacific region including from the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.

This is what they told us.

Girls are not passive actors,they are leaders and activists

Pacific girls are climate justice activists

34% of surveyed girls participate in climate justice activism.

Pacific girls want to build a stronger girl-led movement

72% of surveyed girls want to be connected to climate justice groups.

Pacific girls want to shape a just future

57% of surveyed girls want their voices to shape climate policy and action.

Pacific girls want tools to build a better future

66% of surveyed girls want education on how to adapt to climate change.

Impacts of climate change on Pacific girls

Environmental

Pacific girls experience a range of environmental impacts from climate change including increased heat, water scarcity, sea level rises and extreme weather events. Overall, 73% of surveyed girls identified increasing temperatures (“getting hotter”) as the most common impact.

Access to water, food and housing

Water scarcity

Many Pacific communities rely heavily on groundwater as the only reliable source of fresh water, however changes in rainfall patterns and sea-level rises as well as pollution in urban regions is placing water resources at risk.

“I would like to have water tanks to reduce work for our mothers in fetching clean water and our community water source to be treated to reduce skin diseases and sickness. Request if the Ministry of Health and Infrastructure could pay a visit to my community to see the issues faced and provide awareness. If my community are supplied with good water tanks and water sources are treated, we will have clean and safe water to use and good health.”

Filo, a 14-year-old girl with a disability living in a rural village in Fiji.

Food insecurity

Cyclones, storms, coastal erosion and flooding affects freshwater availability, contributes to salination of lands and reduces fertile land for farming and access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Additionally, Pacific communities are heavily dependent on oceans for food and income, but acidification, ocean warming, overfishing, and pollution is poisoning marine food sources.

“My drawing describes how poor fishing is happening in my villages which affects my livelihood. Before when I go out fishing, I usually collect a lot of seaweeds, sea grapes, fish etc. but now it has [become] extinct due to land reclamation and dumping of rubbish in the sea. We can reduce by placing taboos [restrictions on fishing] in reserved areas for a period of time to let the marine resources grow again.”

Ruci, a 15-year-old Indigenous girl living in a rural area in Fiji.

Photograph of Ruci’s drawing.

Photograph of Ruci’s drawing.

Housing insecurity

Disasters such as cyclones have damaged critical infrastructure, including housing. 27% of girls said that climate events had damaged or destroyed their homes, displacing their families.

Disaster response: accessibility and inclusion

Girls, especially those with disabilities, face unique challenges around access and inclusion in disaster response, including poor access to disaster information and lack of disability inclusive evacuation facilities.

“Some of my friends are visually impaired and have hearing impairments and miss out accessing information about cyclone. When we have television news, there are no interpreters so it’s hard to know what’s going on… There is still not enough support from government for our group especially for my other friends and colleagues who have visual and hearing impairment. Lack of disability friendly facilities at evacuation centres and even in our everyday life.”

Participant in co-design workshops.

Girls’ health and wellbeing

Physical health

Close to half of surveyed girls (48%) reported the most common impact of climate change on their health is feeling very hot, thirsty or tired. Girls also reported skin and stomach problems due to a lack of access to clean water for cooking and bathing, poor sanitation, overcrowding, dietary deficiencies, dusty air, and pollution. Girls have experienced diarrhoea and disease due to contaminated water, and struggle to manage their hygiene and menstruation due to climate change impacts on freshwater supply.

Mental health and well-being

In the survey, girls shared that as a result of the very real impacts of climate change on their lives, they experience feelings of worry, fear, being unsafe and insecure, stressed, sad and confused.

“Hot temperatures in weather causes raises and boils on the head. Frequent changes in weather patterns causes sicknesses like short of breath, headaches. During hot sunny days it causes headaches.”

An Indigenous girl, aged 10, living in an urban area in Fiji.

“There’s a lot of information about the effect of climate change but the most worrying of this is about the future. We (next generation) don’t know what’s going to happen to our home island.”

Indigenous girl, aged 18, living in a rural area in Kiribati.

Girls’ education, play and livelihoods

Access to schools and learning

33% of surveyed girls said their schools have been damaged or destroyed due to disasters.

Girls also shared that they cannot access their school due to rain, floods, heat and droughts. A lack of roads, bridges, transport, streetlights, footpaths and other services such as internet and phone connectivity are barriers, particularly for girls in regional and remote areas.

“My issue is, we don’t have any bridge to go to school, town, etc. I had to cross the river every day of my life to reach school or access services. When water level rises my mom had to carry me across to go to school….”

Lusiana, a 10-year-old Indigenous girl living in a rural area in Fiji.

Sport, play and household labour

Girls explained that disasters destroy or flood sporting areas and schools, while heat distress, lack of access to fresh water and poor health affects girls’ ability to participate in recreation activities.

Additionally, girls shared that they are undertaking more household labour due to climate change with 19% of surveyed girls saying they work longer on household tasks and 11% travel further to collect food, firewood and water, or to go to school.

Family livelihoods

22% of surveyed girls said that climate change has caused loss of money or work for their parents. This can have flow on consequences for girls access to education.

Community and culture

Girls in the Pacific identified a range of community and cultural impacts of climate change. This includes the impacts of relocating communities from coastal to non-coastal regions, as well as damage to religious and community buildings.

Poem from an 18-year-old Indigenous girl living in rural Fiji.

Pacific girls’ calls for action on climate change

Overall key message:

Governments and donors must centre Pacific girls and their diverse lived experiences in climate policies and programs.

Action 1: Governments can prevent climate change

  • Pacific governments must implement strict rules to stop deforestation, plant more trees and mangroves, and reduce water usage. They must stop sedimentation in the ocean, stop removing sand from the beach, and build seawalls.
  • All actors globally must reduce pollution from industrialisation and the use of fossil fuels and gas, reduce carbon pollution, improve waste management, and increase renewable energy through technology.

“Stop sending plastic to Kiribati. Reduce gas emissions. Stop fishing in our ocean. Stop oil spillage both on land and sea. Stop mining phosphate.”

Recommendation from a girl, aged 13, living in a rural Kiribati.

Action 2: Governments can help girls cope with climate change and build climate resilience

  • Pacific governments and donors can strengthen climate change education for girls, from early years through to university levels, by providing climate change focused programs and workshops alongside integrating climate change into school curriculums.
  • Pacific governments and donors can improve girls’ standard of living in the face of a changing climate by ensuring clean water, proper shelter, and improved waste management.
  • Donors and Pacific governments can provide support for sustainable livelihoods, improve farming, and create jobs and opportunities to study and work overseas.

Action 3: Governments can create girl-responsive emergency responses and disaster risk resilience

  • Pacific governments and donors can teach children how to prepare for disasters including drills in schools, by using social media and engaging with families.
  • Pacific governments and donors can improve early warning systems and ensure accessible evacuation facilities.
  • Donors can provide aid to Pacific communities during disasters, including food, clean water, clean clothes, medical support and sanitary aids such as care packs and menstruation packs.

“Prepare ourselves in advance before a disaster strikes. Having to run up the hill before a tsunami when we are alerted before it strikes.”

Recommendation from an Indigenous girl, aged 10, living in an urban area in Fiji.

Pacific girls’ activism for climate justice

Pacific girls want to engage in climate justice activism

Currently one third of surveyed Pacific girls said that they take part in climate justice activism. Girls aged 16-19 are more likely to be involved in activism, and they are mostly engaged through school activities, community education, environmental projects, and campaigning. When asked, Pacific girls in the survey had a range of ideas for how girls could be part of the movement for climate justice.

  • Letter writing to governments and talking to community leaders.
  • Participating in youth parliaments.
  • Striking and protesting.
  • Campaigning on social media.
  • Taking part in conservation projects such as planting days and community clean ups.
  • Taking part in disaster preparation and climate change education.

“We as Pacific girls, we can get into groups and make a petition on papers, signboards and together we march into public areas.”

Indigenous girl from a religious minority group, aged 14, living in an urban area in Fiji.

Pacific girls can be supported to be climate justice activists

Pacific girls identified three key enablers to help them take part in climate justice activism.

Education and awareness

Girls said that education and awareness about climate change and activism would help strengthen their engagement in activism; this could be education and awareness delivered through school, workshops, learning resources or the media.

“I will encourage my Kiribati young girls to be aware about climate change, so we can establish [a] body that only consists of Kiribati young girls, and then we can volunteer ourselves to do anything that deals with climate action or take on climate justice.”

Indigenous girl, aged 17, living in a rural area in Kiribati.

Opportunities to engage in collective action

Girls said they want opportunities to act collectively, identifying that forming a girls’ group (separate from boys) or joining an existing climate justice group or organisation would assist them.

Community support

Girls explained that community support would help them take part in climate justice activism. Some girls said that if their families and friends were involved, they would join in activism. Some girls also said that approval from elders and community leaders is important for them to take part in climate justice activism.

Barriers to girls engaging in climate justice activism

Being a girl in the Pacific

Girls shared that social and cultural norms regarding girls and their role in communities are key barriers to participating in climate justice activism.

Lack of support and resources

Girls said that some elders, parents and community members do not support action on climate change.

Lack of knowledge and opportunities

Project partners explained that the dissemination of climate change information and education is a challenge with climate information held by leaders and government agencies, while grassroots communities have limited access to simple and factual climate information.

“Some of the barriers in engaging in climate justice activism is geographical location, since I live in a rural area, which is more than 150km away from town. Network is an issue and I live in a very conservative community, my voice as a young person living with disability is not heard and valued.”

Filo, a 14-year-old girl with a disability living in a rural area in Fiji.

Recommendations:

Pacific girls’ strategies for change

The Pacific girls who worked on this report as co-researchers have developed recommendations for all actors to uphold the human rights and active participation of girls in a changing climate.

Who are these recommendations for?

  • Pacific governments and donor governments.
  • International non-government organisations and development banks investing in and delivering programs in the Pacific.
  • Industries working in the Pacific.
  • Pacific civil society organisations and all actors in feminist and climate justice movements.

How should these recommendations be implemented?

These recommendations for change must reach and benefit girls that are most at risk of climate change and its impacts. This includes girls with intersecting experiences of inequity, injustice and exclusion due to their disability, Indigeneity, race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status and/or living in rural and remote regions.

The recommendations for change must also be implemented with girls – they should be at the centre of co-designing, informing and guiding the development of law, policy and programs that are intended for them.

Protecting Pacific girls’ rights in a changing climate.

Pacific girls have access to well-managed, safe and climate resilient essential infrastructure.

Pacific girls have access to quality education, including during and after climate events.

Pacific girls’ rights to health and safety are protected during and after disasters.

Pacific girls are supported, mentored and resourced as agents of change and first responders in climate change adaptation and disaster resilience.

Law and policy

Pacific Governments review, strengthen and enforce laws to protect forests, oceans, rivers, fresh water sources, air and land.

Policy-makers actively engage with Pacific girls to inform their decisions on climate change law and policy.

Policy-makers collaborate across-departments to protect Pacific girls’ rights in a changing climate.

Movement building

Resource and support girls to build girl-led feminist movements for climate justice in the Pacific.

Create inclusive spaces for Pacific girls to collectively co-learn and advocate on climate justice.

Mentor and resource Pacific girls to document their lived experiences of climate change and their climate activism.

Methodology

The Pacific Girls in a Changing Climate report is informed by the principles and practices of feminist participatory action research (FPAR), combining research, gender justice and climate advocacy.

FPAR is a co-designed process facilitated and co-led by communities, involving ongoing cycles of planning, acting, observing and reflecting. Communities collaboratively undertake research and action to generate knowledge about their lives and address systemic injustices.

Over 350 Pacific girls living in six countries including the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu contributed to different stages of this report between 2021 and 2024. They actively contributed to and lead co-design of the research methodology, art-based storytelling workshops, a regional survey of 319 girls, participatory data analysis and writing, as well as advocacy and campaign planning.

The APWLD website has more information on the FPAR research approach.

This project has been a collaboration between Plan International Australia, Kiribati Climate Action Network, Edith Cowan University’s Centre for People, Place and Planet, and the Australian National University.

TopBuilt with Shorthand

You may have heard about the success of Plan International Australia’s School Learning Garden program in Cambodia, but soon our innovative approach is set to make an even greater impact on the lives of some of the country’s most marginalized and disadvantaged children.

The initiative has officially been adopted by the Cambodian Education Ministry as part of the national curriculum for grades four to six!

View the story

Celebrating a Transformative Initiative:

Plan International Australia’s School Learning Garden
Program 

You may have heard about the success of Plan International Australia’s School Learning Garden program in Cambodia, but soon our innovative approach is set to make an even greater impact on the lives of some of the country’s most marginalized and disadvantaged children.

The initiative has officially been adopted by the Cambodian Education Ministry as part of the national curriculum for grades four to six!

 

Growing Knowledge and Nutrition 

The School Learning Gardens have already benefited over 25,000 primary school children across 90 schools in Siem Reap, one of Cambodia’s poorest provinces, which is increasingly vulnerable to climate challenges. The program not only enhances educational outcomes but also improves nutrition through a school feeding partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), providing students with a nutritious breakfast each day. 

Imagine students learning science, literature, and math right in the gardens! By connecting classroom theories with practical experiences—like measuring plots, calculating water needs, and discussing the food system—children gain valuable knowledge while developing healthy attitudes towards eating. These lessons extend beyond the classroom, as students share what they learn with their families, fostering a culture of health and wellness within the community. 

The School Learning Gardens were designed with guidance from celebrated Australian chef Stephanie Alexander and her Kitchen Garden Foundation, and since its launch in 2017, has been supported by the Australian Government’s Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) along with generous supporters of Plan International Australia. 

  

A broader impact

The School Learning Gardens also serve as a platform to challenge and disrupt negative gender norms and behaviours. Girls and boys have opportunities to try new roles, such as cooking in the kitchen, challenging traditional notions of what boys and girls can achieve, which not only empowers the students but also influences teachers, families, and entire communities to embrace more equitable attitudes. In addition, students also receive education on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), fostering awareness and understanding of gender stereotypes and discrimination. 

The results speak for themselves. Parents have reported improved student health, greater environmental awareness, and stronger community bonds. An astounding 97% of parents noted that their children enjoy school more because of the program, with many saying it has positively changed their children’s attitudes towards healthy eating. Additionally, 73% of parents observed that their children are collaborating better, regardless of gender, with boys taking on roles such as cooking and cleaning at home. 

As Cambodia grapples with high malnutrition rates, costing the economy over $400 million annually, the knowledge and skills fostered by programs like the School Learning Garden are vital. They equip students with the know-how to grow climate-appropriate crops and understand climate resilience — critical in a region facing the full force of the climate crisis, with prolonged droughts, erratic floods and storms and changes to the Mekong River wreaking havoc on food supplies for farmers. 

 

 

Witnessing change firsthand 

Last month, Plan International Australia CEO Susanne Legena and ambassador Benjamin Law visited a school in Siem Reap’s Angkor Chum District to see our School Learning Garden program in action. 

Susanne reflected on the effectiveness of the program:  

Almost all of the teachers we work with have recorded increased attention and enthusiasm for learning, greater pride and ownership of accomplishments, and reduced classroom management and discipline problems amongst their students. They have also recorded improved reading, writing, maths, science and social science skills. Outdoor environments provide children with an opportunity to wonder and develop empathy and scientific knowledge and processes in a natural space, encouraging their feelings of belonging to the natural world and understanding their environment and the role climate change is having on it.” 

Ben was inspired by the enthusiasm of the students and the commitment of the teachers:  

It was galvanizing to witness the impact such a practical approach can have for these students and their families, and it is so encouraging that the Cambodian Government has now recognized this and that we are going to see this scaled. The teachers I met spoke of other school principals from other far-flung part of Cambodia, travelling for hours and hours to come and see how the program works, and take it back to their own schools to replicate. The children were bright and so engaged and genuinely excited about learning and showing us their school and what they had learned. 

 “I have grown up around food, as the child of restaurateurs, and have seen how wonderfully the Stephanie Alexander model has been implemented within Australia’s own schools, which are significantly better funded and resourced that the schools Plan supports in Cambodia. So for me, I felt it is such a great and inspiring example of cultural exchange and the transformative, cross-culture power of gardens and education, and how we all benefit from being more connected to nature.”

50 years of ANCP support 

The School Learning Garden program exemplifies the transformative power of education, nutrition, and community engagement, and we are excited to see the impact it will have as part of Cambodia’s national curriculum.  

In addition to funds donated by the Australian public, this program would not be possible without the generous support of the Australian Government’s ANCP program, which is currently celebrating 50 years of helping Australian INGOs to deliver life-changing programs to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. 

In the last financial year, through our ANCP-funded programs, Plan International Australia reached 79,784 people. 

TopBuilt with Shorthand

This year for Day of the Girl, we asked Australians to join our movement and to help us take inequality out of the equation for girls everywhere, especially those living through conflict and crisis. Hosting a telethon in our office, our supporters and generous Match Partners answered the call, exceeding our original target of $80,000, to raise an incredible $130,000 in just 24 hours!

View the story

Day of the Girl 2024

Everyday Plan supports girls living through crisis, protecting their rights, ensuring their safety, and celebrating their infinite potential. When they’re not held back, they are capable of extraordinary things.   

This year for Day of the Girl, we asked Australians to join our movement and to help us take inequality out of the equation for girls everywhere, especially those living through conflict and crisis. 

 

Girls take part in a leadership activity at a school in the Philippines.

Girls take part in a leadership activity at a school in the Philippines.

What is Day of the Girl?

Since its inception, International Day of the Girl has been synonymous with Plan International and represents everything that this organisation works so hard towards every day.  

You’ve heard of International Women’s Day and you might also be aware that there’s an International Day of the Child. But in the past, both days have failed to recognise the unique challenges faced specifically by girls, simply because they are young and female.  

12 years ago, Plan International recognised this gap and built support for a dedicated day to celebrate girls and their rights. As a result of Plan’s campaign, the United Nations officially designated October 11 as International Day of the Girl in 2012, and we have played a leading role on Day of the Girl ever since. 

So how did we celebrate this year? 

  

On October 11, we held our annual Giving Day!

Hosting a telethon in our office, our supporters and
generous Match Partners answered the call, exceeding our original target of $80,000, to raise an incredible $130,000
for girls in just 24 hours. 

Thanks to the generosity of this community, we can help girls across the globe access an education, fight back against child marriage, and other forms of disadvantage – especially those girls trapped in conflict and crisis situations.  

Your support will empower them to secure their right to safety and equality so they can reach for their dreams no matter the setbacks they face. 

We’d like to express our gratitude to our Matched Fund partners for their vital contribution this year – David Collins, L’Oreal Paris, The Digital Picnic, Engage & Experience, The FIN Agency, Dataro, Precision, Patricia Faulkner AO and all of our Giving Day Champions.  

14-year-old Jenisha from Nepal has been part of Plan International’s sponsorship program for most of her life. 

14-year-old Jenisha from Nepal has been part of Plan International’s sponsorship program for most of her life. 

Your support is helping to take child marriage out of the equation for girls like Rishu. 

12 million girls under the age of 18 are married each year. At 13, Rishu refuses to be one of them. 

I was afraid of getting married at a young age like my older sisters and friends. I didn’t want to leave my family… and become just a thing for my husband.” 

After joining a children’s rights club run by Plan International at her school in Nepal, Rishu now feels empowered to stand up against child marriage in her community: “Being part of the children’s club has taught me about my rights and opened my eyes to the reality of child marriage. I am determined to spread awareness and protect girls like me from this harmful practice.” 

Rishu’s passion and commitment to peer education has inspired many other young people in her community to join the movement against child marriage. Through her efforts, she is making a positive impact, encouraging dialogue, challenging norms and working towards a future where every child, especially girls, can thrive and reach their full potential. 

I want to create a world where every girl can dream without fear and reach for the stars.” 

13-year-old Rishu, an eighth-grade student, is making waves in her community by campaigning to end child marriage.

13-year-old Rishu, an eighth-grade student, is making waves in her community by campaigning to end child marriage.

We partnered with
Phoebe Tonkin x Stan 

Wanna watch some stereotype smashing TV that champions girls in all their diversities?  

This year for Day of the Girl, we partnered with streaming platform Stan, and brought our wonderful ambassador, the actor Phoebe Tonkin, together with 15 of Plan’s incredible youth activists in a fun and inspiring workshop to curate a stellar list of empowering, women-led films and series.  

Our curated list will still be available for a couple more days, head to Stan.com.au to check it out! 

Our social circle made some noise

Our ambassadors and friends took to social media with posts and stories, celebrating and raising awareness about Day of the Girl and Plan’s work. 

We launched our latest State of the World’s Girls Research

The State of the World Girls is a series of research reports released every year for International Day of the Girl.

This year’s report, Still We Dream, focuses on the wars and conflicts that are raging around the world. We’ve spoken to over 10,000 girls and boys from 10 countries, from Sudan to Lebanon, Ukraine to the Philippines.

Despite having their lives upended, the resilient young people we spoke to still have big dreams and ambitions for the future. They want support to return to school, and they still hope to become doctors, teachers, journalists, engineers and pilots.

Read the Report

We amplified the voices of girls around the world

Our animated series features the real stories and voices of girls Plan works with from around the globe.

Meet Kupa

Meet Nastya

Meet Lena

Meet Fatima*

Meet Mary*

It’s not too late to be part of the movement!

While our annual Giving Day is over, you can still help support girls living through conflict and crisis by becoming a regular giver to our Children in Crisis Fund.

Learn More

Watch and share our animated video series featuring girls from around the globe.

Watch + Share

Keep up to date with our work by subscribing to our monthly e-Newsletter! 

Join the conversation

TopBuilt with Shorthand

The world is less stable than it has been for generations, with conflict, the climate crisis, soaring poverty, and rising child marriage putting girls at even greater risk. The state of the world can feel overwhelming, but making a difference doesn’t have to be. Join the movement on International Day of the Girl.

View the story

What is Day of the Girl?

International Women’s Day and International Day of the Child have long been celebrated, but neither recognise the unique position of girls, who are discriminated against simply for being young and female.

Over the course of a two-year campaign, Plan International built a coalition of support for a day that would celebrate the inherent power of girls while raising awareness of the unique barriers they face.

In 2011, thanks to Plan’s efforts and the support of the Canadian Government, the United Nations made it official, and on October 11, 2012, the world celebrated the first ever International Day of the Girl.

This Day of the Girl, we’re taking inequality out of the equation.

The world is less stable than it has been for generations, with conflict, the climate crisis, soaring poverty, and rising child marriage putting girls at even greater risk.

At this rate, it’ll be 134 years until we achieve global gender equality. That’s five more generations of girls. We say enough is enough.

Every day Plan supports girls living through crisis, protecting their rights, ensuring their safety, and celebrating their infinite potential.

When they’re not held back, they are capable of extraordinary things.

Join us on October 11 and be part of the movement for girls.  

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

Here’s how you can be part of the movement

Donate

We’re celebrating Day of the Girl with our annual Giving Day. Donate on October 11 and your gift will be doubled!  

That means providing twice as many girls with the support they need to forge their own destinies. 

Watch + Share

Watch our animated video series featuring girls from around the globe.

Join the conversation

This #DayOfTheGirl, join the conversation with @plan_australia and follow the hashtag #UntilWeAreAllEqual 

And if you want to keep up to date with our work, subscribe to our monthly e-Newsletter! 

Hear from girls around the world

For International Day of the Girl, we’re sharing a series of animated stories featuring the real stories and voices of girls Plan works with from around the globe.

Meet Kupa

Meet Nastya

Meet Lena

Meet Fatima*

Meet Mary*

The State of the World’s Girls Research

The State of the World Girls is a series of research reports released every year for International Day of the Girl.

This research seeks to raise the voices of girls and young women across the globe by focusing on the issues that matter most to them. 

2024: Still We Dream

This year’s report focuses on the wars and conflicts that are raging around the world. We’ve spoken to over 10,000 girls and boys from 10 countries, from Sudan to Lebanon, Ukraine to the Philippines.

Despite having their lives upended, the resilient young people we spoke to still have big dreams and ambitions for the future. They want support to return to school, and they still hope to become doctors, teachers, journalists, engineers and pilots.

Read the Report

2023: Turning the World Around

With a focus on girls’ and young women’s activism, this research is one of the largest studies of girl and young women activists to date, involving over 1,000 adolescent girls and young women across 26 countries. 

Face-to-face interviews were led by 70 young women researchers who are themselves activists and their findings are supported by focus group discussions using participatory techniques.

Read the report

2022: Equal Power Now

In the 2022 State of the World’s Girls report, hear from 29,000 girls and young women from 29 countries as they navigate the political landscape. 

+ Girl, Interrupted – 10 years of girls’ rights in Australia 

A special Australia-focused report for the 10th anniversary of Day of the Girl, looking at the progress, the setbacks and how to accelerate equality for all. 

Read the report

2021: The Truth Gap

The 2021 State of the World’s Girls report explores how misinformation and disinformation online affect the lives, learning and leadership of girls and young women, and examine the behaviours, attitudes and beliefs that limit girls’ freedom and opportunities in specific environments or sectors. Plan International spoke to 14,000 girls in 22 countries around the world, ages 15 to 24. 

Read the report

TopBuilt with Shorthand