Around the world, girls and young women are set back because of their age and gender, and are denied opportunities to fulfill their potential.
This is then heightened when crises strike resulting in their futures slipping through their fingers. But by working together, you can support the world’s most vulnerable girls.
Worldwide over 12 million girls under the age of 18 are forced to marry – that’s one every 2 seconds. These are often children as young as 11 forced to marry a man sometimes 3 times their age. If we don’t take action 150 million girls will become child brides by 2030.
This year for International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting the work of women around the world who are working to end child marriage in their communities. They’re actively working to challenge social norms that lead to child marriage, advocate for girls to stay in school, and drive lasting change.
Gender equality is a fight we must take on together, with young people leading the charge for a fair and equal world.
Our comprehensive, inclusive approach to Gender Equality programming encourages girls and women to unlock their full potential by stepping into positions of leadership. Girls identify the challenges they face, and we work together to come up with resilient solutions that empower them to learn, lead, decide, survive and thrive.
We work with young women to stay in school and decide for themselves whether, when and whom to marry through our programmes. Plan International takes a holistic approach to address the root causes of this harmful practice and identify opportunities for change. We help girls work with parents, community leaders and governments to end early and forced marriage around the world.
