Plan International celebrates International Women’s Day with ‘Empower Girls. Change the Future’ campaign  

PRESS RELEASE

Global campaign drives action for girls’ education, leadership and equality with a call to action: ‘Her Future Starts Now.’ 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 6, 2025 – To celebrate International Women’s Day, Plan International has launched its “Empower Girls. Change the Future” campaign in partnership with Paramount and KFC. This initiative champions education and leadership opportunities for girls worldwide, ensuring they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. 

The need for action is urgent. The global gender equality gap is now projected to take 137 years to close — three years longer than in 2024, signaling a troubling reversal of progress. Without intervention, girls will continue to face barriers that limit their potential. Plan works alongside girls to remove obstacles and create pathways to leadership. 

“Girls need our support now more than ever. When we invest in their education and leadership, we’re not just changing their futures — we’re changing the world,” said Shanna Marzilli, president and CEO of Plan International USA. “Through our partnerships, we’re giving girls the tools to overcome barriers and lead with confidence.” 

Join the movement at www.planusa.org/international-womens-day. 

Spotlight on partnerships

Paramount – Championing girls’ education and equality 

Plan and Paramount have partnered since 2015 to raise awareness about girls’ education and equal opportunities. Building on this long-term collaboration, they have once again joined forces for International Women’s Day. Nickelodeon released exclusive content featuring beloved bilingual explorer Dora, who speaks directly to grown-ups about the importance of girls’ education and equal opportunities.  

This content continues the story started on International Day of the Girl 2024, when Plan and Paramount distributed backpacks filled with school supplies to young people in Cambodia, Mexico, Nepal, Ukraine and Zimbabwe. Inspired by Dora’s iconic purple backpack, these backpacks symbolize the tools needed for learning and adventure, giving girls the resources they need to stay in school and pursue their dreams.  

Paramount and Plan also continue to amplify girls’ voices through the 8M Infinito campaign on MTV in 2025 across Latin America, reinforcing its commitment to gender equality. 

Help girls go beyond their backpacks at www.planusa.org/dora 

KFC’s Girl Takeovers – Leading with confidence 

KFC partners with Plan to create pathways to leadership, education and employment for youth, especially girls and people with disabilities. This partnership supports KFC’s commitment to promoting gender balance in leadership roles through its community impact strategy, Feeding People’s Potential.  

In February 2025, KFC hosted Girls Takeover events at two KFC corporate offices: Plano, Texas and Bangkok, Thailand. During these takeovers, girls stepped into leadership roles, including Chief People and Culture Officer and Chief Development Officer, challenging stereotypes and demonstrating their potential.  

These inspiring moments will be shared on social media, amplifying girls’ voices and encouraging others to support youth leadership. 

Click here to learn how KFC is helping youth build skills and lead. 

Campaign overview 

The “Empower Girls. Change the Future” campaign showcases how education and leadership empower girls to shape their futures. Aligned with the global advocacy theme “Accelerate Action,” it underscores the urgency of closing the gender gap so girls can learn, lead, decide and thrive. 

Through strategic partnerships, impactful blogs and inspiring Girl Takeovers, the campaign highlights what’s possible when girls have the support they need to lead. The #HerFutureStartsNow social media challenge encourages meaningful conversations about leadership and future goals, inviting people everywhere to join the movement. 

About Plan International

Plan International is an international development and humanitarian nonprofit that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of challenges children face. We are there from birth until adulthood, and we support children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity, while particularly focusing on the experiences of girls. With more than 85 years of experience, we work to transform lives in more than 80 countries. We won’t stop until we are all equal.  

Learn more at www.planusa.org. 

For more information or interviews, please contact: 

Vannette Tolbert

Senior Manager, Communications

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: +1 240-778-9077

www.planusa.org