This year Plan Internationalās annual State of the Worldās Girls report is focused on girlsā experience of child marriage: a practice that despite large scale policy action and legislative reform, remains widespread.
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- Insights
By Amanda Newlove and Ashley Weber
The Youth Advisory Board is a group of young people from the U.S. who vocalize youth priorities by serving as ambassadors to Plan International. Each year, they organize their largest deliverable ā the Youth Leadership Academy.
The Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) is a yearlong program focused on providing leadership and advocacy tools to young activists through training and mentorship to create change locally and globally. Designed by and for youth, the program brings together participants from across the U.S. to meet and learn from inspiring activists, influencers and experts.
The five-day residential academy in Washington, D.C., held each July, kicks off a year of project-based leadership. During the weeklong intensive, participants learn about networking, fundraising, advocacy, and leadership. They explore how their talents can drive change in their communities. Afterward, theyāre paired with a mentor from Planās Youth Advisory Board to support their leadership journey.
So, how do you build a program thatās truly youth-led ā not just youth-involved? Hereās how Plan centered choice, safety, information, and voice to make the YLA a model for meaningful youth engagement.
Empowering youth through choice
Youth Advisory Board members chose how they wanted to contribute ā whether through curriculum design, recruitment, coordination or creative storytelling.
Participation in the YLA was based on an application process, putting āchoiceā at the center. Youth chose to attend ā and before each session during the in-person academy, facilitators shared what would be discussed and gave participants space to opt out if needed. Choice remained embedded throughout the experience.
Creating safe spaces
Planning for the YLA began with risk assessments for both virtual and in-person settings. These werenāt one-time tasks ā they were ongoing tools, used throughout planning and implementation.
Key steps included:
ā Identifying the types of potential risks and who they might impact
ā Evaluating likelihood and impact
ā Implementing mitigation strategies
ā Assigning clear responsibilities
This was a cross-team effort, shared with youth creators, facilitators and chaperones. Everyone involved needed to understand the risks and how to manage them. A safe environment is essential for youth to thrive.
Keeping youth informed
Plan ensured that YAB members had access to all the information they needed to lead effectively. This included reviewing agendas, outcomes and feedback from previous academies to guide 2025 planning.
YLA participants also received youth-friendly materials and program details. Plan transformed Excel-based schedules into fun, easy-to-read graphics, and held youth-only pre-YLA webinars with engaging presentations to build excitement and set expectations.
Even digital platforms were tailored to youth preferences ā for example, switching from Slack to GroupMe for more accessibility.
Centering youth voices
Plan prioritized collective youth power by creating space for the YAB to set the agenda, design the curriculum, and build out materials from start to finish.
Staff deferred to youth decision-making throughout. When staff decisions were needed, they ensured YAB members understood why and how their input shaped the final outcome.
When youth lead, everyone wins
Plan was intentional about making the 2025 Youth Leadership Academy a truly youth-led initiative ā one that honored the skills, perspectives and leadership of young people to create something that belonged to them.
We invite you to support youth-led efforts and amplify young voices ā because when youth lead, everyone benefits.
āWhere I come from, things can get really competitive. I feel like oftentimes I get in the headspace where I don’t feel comfortable being myself. I love it here because I get to be myself. I get to be vulnerable with people. People can feel safe around me. I just love talking to people about what they’re passionate about, like their leadership projects. Hearing everyone’s ideas and what everyone has to say, it’s so inspiring. This environment is so amazing, and I’m having the best time ever. I’m so honored to be here.ā
ā Tanya, YLA participant
Amanda Newlove and Ashley Weber co-authored this article.
Amanda Newlove is the senior manager of safeguarding, risk and internal compliance at Plan International USA.
Ashley Weber is a senior program coordinator working with Planās Youth Advisory Board on youth leadership initiatives.
To learn more about Planās work, get in touch: [email protected] | [email protected]
Stay updated on Plan Internationalās technical work by signing up for From Plan to Action, our quarterly newsletter.
- Blog
By Mona, Nora, Saudah and Soha
In July, Plan International USA kicked off its annual Youth Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C. The YLA was created to engage emerging activists in a yearālong program, equipping them with essential advocacy and leadership skills for their upcoming leadership projects.
This fiveāday intensive at American University advanced their knowledge on youth civic and political participation, protection from violence and health equity through workshops and discussions, while meeting influential staffers in Senate offices and learning from powerful guest speakers. Made possible thanks to Plan staff and the Youth Advisory Board, the YLA was not only successful in bringing their leadership projects to life, but ensured that youth advocacy is here to stay.
D.C. Day
One of the highlights of the Academy for many participants was āD.C. Day,ā held on the third day of the program. The day kicked off with a session led by the Youth Advisory Board on genderābased violence featuring guest speaker Cailin Crockett, a strategy consultant and advisor for online safety and responsible tech policy, former senior advisor at the White House Gender Policy Council, and longātime expert in violence protection.
Ms. Crockett discussed her own professional journey and positions she has held across three presidential administrations in roles targeting violence against women. She also offered lessons learned from advocating in many different spaces and explored cultural and policy shifts for greater online safety and protection from genderābased violence.
Ms. Crockett also shared her expertise to prepare participants for meetings with Senate staffers from five different offices later that day to discuss the TAKE IT DOWN Act and future provisions for successful implementation. In addition to providing an overview of the TAKE IT DOWN Act provisions, YAB counselors and Ms. Crockett also provided guiding principles for productive and forwardālooking conversation. Planās Head of Policy, Justin Fugle, also briefed the YLA participants and supported their Senate meetings.
Youth voices in action
At the meetings, the YLA participants met with the Senate offices of Sen. Jacky Rosen, DāNev.; Sen. Mark Warner, DāVa.; Sen. Ted Cruz, RāTexas; Sen. Richard Blumenthal, DāConn.; and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, DāMinn., to thank them for their involvement in passing the TAKE IT DOWN Act and to request measures for how the law should look in practice.
The staffers asked the YLA participants questions about their experiences online and the best way to implement the new law. Additionally, the staffers extended the meetings to keep talking with YLA participants, an unusual move on the Hill.
Reflections from participants
YLA participant Mia appreciated how Ms. Crockett shared āvaluable tips on how to project confidence and speak effectively in a room full of influential people,ā prompting her to feel more engaged and āshowing me the importance of using my voice to create positive change.ā
Katelynn shared her thoughts, too:
āHaving Cailin as a speaker was both inspiring and eyeāopening. It was fascinating to hear from someone who has worked on genderābased advocacy across different administrations and to learn what that work looks like in practice. She reminded us that the fight doesnāt end with passing the TAKE IT DOWN Act, inspiring us to use our voices not only to thank staffers for their work but also to urge them to relay broader priorities to the Senator.ā
Reflecting on Ms. Crockettās presentation, YLA participant Sriya shared:
āNot only did she provide us with valuable insight for our Senate Office meetings, but she also provided us with something even more powerful: hope. Cailinās journey into advocacy isnāt far from many of our beginnings.ā
Nuri, who visited Sen. Blumenthalās office, shared:
āBeing with the Senate staffers felt amazing. We were all passionate about the work they were doing, which made it easy to connect with them and exercise our youth voice. The atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming, and we could all tell that they wanted us there. I also got to briefly speak with Sen. Blumenthal (whom I met in one of the Senate office hallways), which was an amazing experience, since he is one of my Senate idols.ā
Mia, who was in Nuriās group and also spoke with Sen. Blumenthalās office, added:
āDuring our conversation, I also learned more about why Mr. Anderson [Sen. Blumenthalās tech advisor] is so passionate about digital safety and the strategies he believes are important for creating a safer online environment in the future. It was fascinating to hear about the legislative process from someone with firsthand experience, and I gained a deeper understanding of how policies are developed, debated and implemented.ā
Shrayanthiās experience encapsulates a common theme:
āI typically find the kindness and compassion from both Ms. Crockett and Sen. Warnerās staffer to be rare when speaking with adults in positions of authority as a teenager, so coming out of the Senate meeting and YLA intensive I felt incredibly validated in my experiences and honestly, it made me more hopeful that there are adults who are willing to not only listen to youth voices, but follow through and take action.ā
Tanya reflected:
āIt gave me a renewed sense of confidence in the value of youth perspectives and reminded me how important it is that we continue to claim space in these conversations. In that moment, I truly felt that I was able to exercise my youth voice in a way that mattered. It deepened my belief that advocacy is not about waiting until we are older or more āqualified,ā but about speaking up now and continuing to claim space in the decisionāmaking process.ā
Why youth advocacy matters
Reading through these reflections, one thing becomes evident: when young people are given the support and space to lead, they do not just speak up; they are empowered to drive change in their communities.
The 2025 YLA participants made it clear that their voices and experiences belong in the rooms where decisions are made, particularly when the choices affect their futures.
Through the YLA, Plan aims to provide the tools ā mentorship, workshops and opportunities ā necessary for youth to grow as advocates, fostering the change they believe in. Whether that is in online safety, health care or civic participation, young people will continue to be a powerhouse of change, and Plan will continue to stand alongside them every step of the way.
This blog was co-written by Mona, Nora, Saudah and Soha, members of Plan International USAās Youth Advisory Board.
Nora is a Plan International USA Youth Advisory Board Member and a 2023 Youth Leadership Academy alumna. She is deeply passionate about advocating for refugee rights and climate activism. She has helped co-create resources for youth activism, supporting initiatives that engage young leaders in activism across 30 countries.
Mona is a Plan International USA Youth Advisory Board Member, a 2023 Youth Leadership Academy alumna, and served as a counselor at the 2025 Youth Leadership Academy. As a Plan Youth Leadership Academy member, she created a youth-led nonprofit organization called Digital Online Safety and Empowerment Initiative, where she leads a group of 19 young women to raise awareness about technology-facilitated gender-based violence in their communities.
Saudah is a Plan International USA Youth Advisory Board Member. She served as vice-president of her educational inequality nonprofit Scholars for Society UK, where she hosted conferences and workshops to bridge the gap of political education and involvement for state school teens.
Soha is a Plan International USA Youth Advisory Board Member and a 2021 Youth Leadership Academy alumna. Through her YLA participation she initiated Green Allies and Environmental Advocacy, a youth-led space for climate conversations. Through her work with Plan International she was involved in Innovations Hub with The Body Shop for their youth equality campaign in 2021 and an International Day of the Girl Takeover at AstraZeneca in 2022.
Stay updated on Plan Internationalās technical work by signing up for From Plan to Action, our quarterly newsletter.
- News & press
Education Under Attack in West and Central Africa: 2025 Update
In 2025, conflict and insecurity have led to the closure of 14,829 schools in West and Central Africa ā affecting more than 3 million children. The crisis continues to deepen, especially in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central Sahel region. Children are not only being denied education but also exposed to violence, recruitment by armed groups, child labor, and sexual exploitation.
Girls are hit hardest ā often abducted, married early, or forced to stay home permanently after an attack. Even when schools reopen, years of missed education can leave lasting scars. Education is under attack, and the consequences ripple far beyond classrooms.
Plan International contributed to the 2025 regional update through the Education in Emergencies Working Group. Together with partners, the report urges immediate action: implement the Safe Schools Declaration, increase flexible education funding,= and deliver innovative learning solutions like radio-based education and accelerated learning programs.
Without urgent global support, the education dreams of an entire generation could vanish.
Read the full update and learn how to act: West and Central Africa -Regional Education in Emergencies Working Group: Protecting Education in West and Central Africa (September 2025 update)
- Blog
Why education in emergencies matters
When conflict breaks out, when hunger spreads, when disasters strike, one of the first things children lose is school. Yet education is more than a classroom. It is protection, stability and the foundation for recovery, especially during conflict and crisis. And when we talk about protecting schools, we are really talking about keeping education going, even in the toughest places.
Globally, 224 million school-age children living in crisis-affected countries need education support. Of these, 72 million are completely out of school, while another 127 million are in classrooms but not learning at even the most basic levels. Still, children and families show extraordinary determination to hold on to learning. Because every child deserves the chance to build a better future ā no matter the crisis.
Thatās why the United Nations established Sept. 9 as the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. Schools should be safe havens, not targets. And education must never be used as a weapon or sidelined in emergencies.
At Plan International, we work with children, families and communities to make sure learning continues ā from temporary classrooms to school kits to long-term research on girlsā lives.
Here are five examples of how conflict and crisis are disrupting learning and what we’re doing to fight back.
1. Gaza: Education interrupted by airstrikes
In Gaza, schools lie in ruins after months of airstrikes. Families say their children are desperate to return to learning ā not just to keep up with lessons but to reclaim a sense of normal life.
Plan and partners have set up temporary learning spaces so 500 children can continue their education, play and begin to heal. In the weeks leading up to this, we also reached nearly 100,000 people with hot meals, dignity kits and clean water ā urgent support that helped families survive long enough to think about schooling again.
2. Sudan: Displacement canāt stop learning
Sudan is now the worldās largest displacement crisis. In Gedaref state, more than 1 million displaced people have arrived, overwhelming already stretched schools. Families who lost everything in the conflict want only one thing for their children: to keep learning.
To help, 1,000 displaced children recently received school kits ā each containing a bag, pens, pencils, notebooks and basic supplies.
āDespite not having pens, paper and textbooks, we have seen determined teachers volunteer in their communities to ensure that children can keep learning, even through this brutal conflict.ā
ā Mohamed Kamal, Sudan country director, Plan International
In crises like Sudanās, girls often face the steepest barriers ā including caregiving burdens and early marriage ā that keep them out of school.
3. Myanmar: Earthquake recovery through learning
On Mar. 28, 2025, a massive earthquake struck central Myanmar, destroying nearly 4,000 schools and displacing more than 200,000 people. Children were left in shelters and open spaces, afraid and cut off from routine.
Nan, 23, remembers what it felt like. āI was quite scared when it happened. I had never experienced anything like it before. I didnāt expect an earthquake like that.ā
Instead of dwelling on fear, Nan chose action. āRather than dwelling on this, I should overcome it and focus on the things I can do for my future.ā Today, she volunteers at a child-friendly space in Mandalay, helping children recover through play and learning.
āAt the child-friendly space, I registered the children and their parents. We read poems to them. We played games with them.ā
4. Ethiopia: Hungerās hidden toll on education
In Ethiopiaās Borena Zone, drought killed crops and cattle, leaving families without food. For 11-year-old Dabo, it also meant leaving school.
āI feel hungry and sad when there is no food at home. We donāt have food, so we are hungry every day. When there is no food, I feel faint and very tired. Hunger changes peopleās lives and doesnāt make anyone happy.ā ā Dabo, 11-year-old girl, Ethiopia
Her neighbor Liban, a mother of six, knows the same struggle.
āMy 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 wasnāt for Plan, she wouldnāt be able to go to school.ā ā Liban, 37-year-old mother, Ethiopia
5. Global trends: Girls at highest risk of school dropout
When education is disrupted ā whether by conflict, poverty or disaster ā girls are often the first to lose their chance to learn:
- Out-of-school risk: Girls in crisis-affected areas are nearly 2.5x more likely to be out of school.
- Violence link: In Plan’s Real Choices, Real Lives study, 91% of girls reported experiencing violence, often in or near school.
- Child marriage: According to Planās State of the Worldās Girls 2024 report, over half of surveyed girls had missed school due to conflict, with many forced into marriage.
Why we must protect schools as safe havens
From the rubble of Gaza to the displacement camps of Sudan, from Myanmarās earthquake recovery to Ethiopiaās hunger crisis, one truth is clear: children refuse to give up on learning.
And the threat isnāt limited to conflict zones. Around the world, even in wealthier countries, education is under pressure. Abrupt foreign aid cuts and shrinking domestic budgets put childrenās futures at risk.
Children and their families are fighting to hold on to learning. Our responsibility is to stand with them ā and to protect education from attack, neglect and disruption.
Weāre calling on you to take action, because every child deserves the chance to learn, lead, decide and thrive.
Help protect a childās education
FAQs: Protecting education from attack
Q: What does it mean to protect education from attack?
A: It means ensuring schools remain safe spaces during conflict or disaster, free from military use or violence.
Q: Why are girls more affected in education emergencies?
A: Girls face higher risks of child marriage, early pregnancy, and violence when schools close, making them 2.5 times more likely to drop out than boys.
Q: How does hunger impact learning?
A: Hunger forces children to leave school and prevents them from concentrating. Families often must prioritize survival over education.
Q: Why is uninterrupted learning so important?
A: It provides safety, routine, and hope. Education is as vital in emergencies as food, water, or shelter.
Q: What can I do to help protect schools in crisis zones?
A: You can advocate, share their stories, and donate to Planās education in emergencies programs that help children continue learning.
- Blog
In Gaza, daily survival has become a race no one should ever have to run. Families cling together as bombs reduce schools and neighborhoods to rubble. Parents risk their lives just to stand in line for bread. Crowds push and scramble in desperation to reach humanitarian aid, knowing they could be shot on the way. For Gazaās children, this daily race for survival means lost childhoods, lost classroom education, and lost futures.
Itās been likened to a scene from The Hunger Games, except this isnāt fiction. This is real life for millions of children and families in Gaza.
Faces of Gaza
Behind every headline are children still dreaming of classrooms, mothers determined to keep their families safe and doctors who refuse to stop fighting for life.
Hope in Gaza has many faces: Asmaa, who writes poems by candlelight; Dr. Walaa, who heals children in collapsing hospitals; and Latifah, who carries her family forward after unimaginable loss.
Asmaaās dream: A girlās fight for education in Gaza
For 12-year-old Asmaa, dreams come alive in poetry. She writes about the sky, her future and the hope she refuses to let go of.
Before the war, school was her favorite place. She loved her Arabic lessons, playing with friends during recess and helping her younger siblings with homework. She dreamed of becoming a writer ā maybe even a poet whose words would travel the world.
Asmaa, 12, lives in a displacement camp in Gaza. She dreams of returning to school and one day becoming a poet. | Ā© Plan International / Ahmed Salama
Now, her classroom is gone. Her family lives in a crowded displacement camp, where electricity has been cut for months. She studies by candlelight, her schoolbooks worn thin from the dust and damp. Outside, the sound of shelling rattles her window. Inside, she keeps scribbling verses on scraps of paper, determined to hold on to her education.
āEducation is the only thing that no one can take away from me.ā
ā Asmaa, 12, Gaza
She still dreams of returning to school one day: of graduating, publishing her poems and telling her story to the world. Even in the middle of destruction, Asmaa finds words of hope.
Dr. Walaaās mission: Healing children in Gazaās collapsing hospitals
Dr. Walaa Wissam Abu Samra has spent her life working to protect childrenās health in Gaza. Before the war, she was a pediatrician who dreamed of opening her own practice ā a safe place where parents could bring their children for care.
Now, that dream feels impossibly far away. Every day she walks into overcrowded hospital corridors lined with children lying on the floor because there are no more beds. Supplies are nearly gone, and even the simplest medicines are out of reach. Still, she refuses to leave.
āI have treated children with burns, shrapnel wounds and starvation,ā she says. āOne father held my hands and cried because I couldnāt save his son. I will never forget his face.ā
Dr. Walaa Wissam Abu Samra continues treating patients in Gaza despite extreme shortages of doctors, medicine and safe facilities. | Ā© Plan International
āWe need the world to stand with us. Gazaās children cannot survive this alone.ā
ā Dr. Walaa, Gaza
For Dr. Walaa, the future is uncertain. But as long as there are children who need her, she will continue to fight to keep them alive ā one patient and one family at a time.
Latifahās strength: A motherās fight to protect her family in Gaza
Before the war, Latifahās days were filled with simple joys like cooking meals for her husband and five children, watching them play and planning for their future together.
That life suddenly ended when an airstrike killed her husband and two of her sons. āMy husband and two of my sons were killed in an instant. My world collapsed that day,ā she recalls.
In Rafah, Latifah, a widowed mother of three, faces unimaginable loss while fighting to protect and provide for her children amid Gazaās ongoing crisis. | Ā© Plan International / Ahmed Salama
Now, in a crowded displacement shelter in southern Gaza, she struggles to care for her three surviving children. Every day is a test of strength. They share cramped rooms with other families, stretching the little food they receive as she shields her children from the chaos outside.
āI have to stay strong for them. But I feel empty inside.ā
ā Latifah, Gaza
More than statistics
These are not just numbers on a page. They are children still determined to learn, doctors pushing past exhaustion to save lives with what little they have and parents fiercely fighting to protect their families. Each one carries dreams, hopes and goals ā just like any of us.
Yet what they long for most is the simple safety of a home. And every day, their lives hang in the balance.
How you can help families in Gaza
Every child matters. Every truck matters. Every hour matters.
Your gift today will give children food when theyāre hungry, medicine when theyāre sick and clean water when theyāre thirsty. It will provide dignity kits that restore safety and comfort, and help keep children in school so they can hold on to routine, community and hope.
Donate now to support children in Gaza
- Blog
A crisis children can’t escape
For nearly two years, Gazaās children have been living through the unthinkable. They have endured bombings, rapid displacements and the constant fear of losing everything. Homes and schools lie in rubble and entire neighborhoods have been erased. Families are starving. Hospitals are overwhelmed. Parents tell us their children go to bed hungry, and some whisper that they would rather die than endure another day without food.
More than half of Gazaās population is under 18. Children make up a heartbreaking share of the casualties, and those who survive face hunger, trauma and disease every single day.
Earlier this month, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the global authority on hunger crises, officially declared that famine is now gripping Gaza City, affecting more than half a million people, with numbers expected to rise to over 640,000 by the end of September. It is a catastrophic, man-made crisis.
Why getting aid to children in Gaza is so difficult
The world has sent trucks filled with food, medicine and clean water, but many are stopped at the border or delayed for days. Restrictions, destroyed roads and ongoing airstrikes make it nearly impossible to get aid to families when they need it most. Parents tell us they risk their lives just to collect bread, as even aid distribution points have been struck, leaving people injured or killed. Even humanitarian offices have been bombed and aid workers themselves are among the casualties.
And yet, despite the danger and delays, Plan and our partners have managed to get life-saving supplies into Gaza, proving it can be done. With more resources, we could deliver much more, much faster.
Education should never be a casualty of war. In Gaza, nine out of 10 schools have been damaged or destroyed, with many turned into shelters for displaced families. | Ā© Plan International / Ahmed Salama
How Plan is responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Plan International is on the ground, working with trusted local partners. Despite the obstacles, we have reached nearly 98,000 people with food, water, medicine and psychosocial support in just three weeks. Working closely with our partners in Egypt and Jordan, we have been able to get trucks into Gaza and critically needed aid into the hands of children and families.
Ten trucks carrying 11,250 food baskets have crossed into Gaza, reaching 45,000 people with three days of rations. Another 14 trucks with thousands more baskets are prepared and awaiting entry. | Ā© Plan International
We are also setting up temporary learning spaces so children can continue their education, even in tents. Education in emergencies is more than lessons, it is lifesaving. It provides children with safety, routine and hope in the middle of chaos. For girls especially, staying in school reduces the risk of early marriage, exploitation and gender-based violence. For every child, it builds resilience and protects their future.
Children in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, take part in play-based activities in safe spaces created to help them cope with trauma and rebuild a sense of childhood. | Ā© Plan International / Ahmed Salama
We are distributing dignity kits filled with essentials like soap, sanitary pads, toothbrushes, underwear and slippers. For women and girls who have lost everything, these kits offer safety, comfort and a small sense of normalcy in the chaos.
Plan distributes hygiene kits in Gaza, including soap, sanitary pads, toothpaste, clothing and other essentials for displaced families. | Ā© Plan International / Ahmed Salama
Scaling up humanitarian aid in Gaza
Right now, Plan is one of the few organizations able to get trucks into Gaza. Even registered international NGOs have had their trucks denied, but through relentless negotiation, strong partnerships and creative problem-solving, we have managed to break through.
This access did not come easily. It took exhausting every avenue, exploring multiple alternatives and leveraging every humanitarian relationship we had. But it worked. In the last few weeks, we have delivered food, water and essential supplies to more than 100,000 people.
But survival is only the first step. To truly protect children, we also have to safeguard their futures. That is why we are preparing temporary learning spaces and planning to launch education in emergencies programs for 500 children by September 1. In Gaza, education is lifesaving. It gives children safety, structure and hope in the middle of chaos. For girls especially, staying in school reduces the risk of early marriage, exploitation and violence.
With enough resources, we could send dozens more trucks every day and expand education support to thousands more children. The window is open, but only as long as we can keep filling it.
Numbers can never capture the full pain of this crisis, but they help show just how deeply children are being affected.
How you can help families in Gaza
Every child matters. Every hour matters. Every truck matters.
Your gift today will mean more children have food to eat, medicine when they are sick, clean water to drink and dignity kits to protect their health and safety, and continued education so they do not fall too far behind and have the routine and sense of community they need to stay strong.
Every child deserves to learn, lead, decide and thrive. So, together, we will not stop until we are all equal.
Donate now to support children in Gaza
- Insights
Meghan Mattern, senior technical advisor at Plan International USA, wrote this article. To learn more about Planās work, get in touch:
When young people have skills, confidence and supportive environments, they thrive. They graduate. They start businesses. They drive innovation and contribute to healthier, more prosperous communities.
But what happens when girls grow up believing that public spaces arenāt meant for them? When they internalize fear, limit their movements and step back from opportunity?
Plan Internationalās Real Choices, Real Lives study reveals how deeply rooted gender norms around violence and protection shape girlsā behavior ā and how those behaviors have a lifelong effect on their access to education, skills and decent work.
How social norms limit girlsā access to education and work
Too often, youth employment challenges are framed in technical terms ā skills gaps, lack of opportunity or underemployment. But adolescent girls face significant barriers before they even enter secondary or vocational school, with lifelong impacts.
Planās longitudinal study, which followed 142 girls across nine countries from birth to age 18, revealed how harmful social norms are internalized during adolescence. The findings are sobering:
- 91% of girls reported experiencing violence, starting as early as age 11.
- By ages 14ā15, 68% believed male violence was ājust the way things are.ā
- By 18, 67% believed it was their personal responsibility to protect themselves ā even if that meant limiting their movement, dress or activities.
These beliefs shape behavior. When girls feel unsafe or solely responsible for their protection, they often withdraw by skipping school, avoiding training opportunities or disengaging from everyday spaces. In losing access to these spaces, girls lose critical opportunities to develop the life and employment skills they need for the future.
āWe are told to be careful, to protect ourselves, but no one is telling boys not to hurt us.ā ā Girl, 17, Brazil
The connection between girlsā safety and skills-building
Skills-building doesnāt happen in a vacuum. If girls donāt feel safe, they miss out on training programs, apprenticeships and other economic opportunities.
And the issue isnāt limited to physical safety.
As digital platforms become essential for education, employment and connection, online environments must also be safe. Planās Building Digital Resilience report ā developed in partnership with CNNās As Equals series ā found that fear of harassment and gender-based abuse online is pushing girls offline. Many avoid sharing opinions, joining forums or using learning platforms due to threats, stalking or trolling.
This exclusion from digital spaces directly affects their ability to build skills, networks and confidence in a digital economy.
This personal exclusion has societal costs as well. According to the World Bank, violence against women can result in economic losses of up to 3.7% of a countryās GDP.
Tackling these barriers requires more than training ā it demands a shift in how programs are designed and delivered.
What program implementers can do to shift norms and boost economic outcomes
The data is clear: Adolescence is a critical window to act. When we address social norms during this formative time, we can positively shape girlsā safety, agency and long-term economic participation.
Recommendations for technical practitioners and donors:
- Pair skills and livelihoods programming with gender norms transformation. Combine financial literacy or vocational training with sessions that unpack social expectations and beliefs.
- Engage caregivers and communities. Girlsā mobility and access to opportunities are often shaped by parents or extended family. Norm change must extend beyond the classroom.
- Design for safe access. Consider transit, location and public space safety in every program ā in urban, rural or conflict-prone areas.
- Follow girlsā lead. Young people know what they need to be successful. Support mentorship groups, youth clubs or collectives where leadership and technical skills grow together.
Safety is the foundation of learning. In Cambodia, girls take part in a disaster preparedness drill through Plan Internationalās Safe Schools programme ā one way we help close the safety gap that limits girlsā education and opportunities. Ā© Plan International
Program case studies: skills, safety and success
Across multiple countries, programs that integrate psychosocial safety, self-belief and work readiness are showing real impact.
In 20 cities globally, Planās Safer Cities for Girls program has worked to build safer, more inclusive urban environments for adolescent girls (ages 13ā18). The program focuses on three goals:
- Increasing safety and access to public spaces.
- Expanding meaningful participation in urban governance.
- Enabling autonomous mobility for girls.
A midline evaluation in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Zimbabwe found 53% of participants were engaged in decent work, an 18% increase from baseline.
In Guatemala, the Connection to Success project supports young womenās economic futures by combining:
- Entrepreneurship and vocational training
- Access to internships and startup funding
- Shifting community attitudes and expectations around gender
Among the programās second cohort, 54% of participants improved their well-being through increased earned income (defined as the percentage of youth who can fully cover a minimum set of basic necessities).
āBoys can be taught to stop being aggressive.ā ā Girl, Real Choices, Real Lives study
Why safety must come first in youth economic empowerment
Too many girls grow up believing that their lives must be small to be safe. This belief, formed early, undermines their ability to develop skills, join the workforce and achieve economic independence.
But the Real Choices, Real Lives study also shows hope: By age 18, most girls involved in the study were vocal in their belief that they deserve the same freedoms as boys. Theyāre calling on adults to listen to their voices and include them in decisions that affect their safety and protection. Girls are questioning the norms they inherited. Theyāre demanding safer, more equitable futures.
Itās time for the systems around them to catch up.
Economic empowerment begins with belief.
Belief that girls are capable, that the world can be safe and that adolescence isnāt the end of possibility ā but the beginning.