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Blog
May 12, 2025

Fatima Hassouna was a hugely talented Palestinian photographer and a youth advocate for Plan International who endured 18 months of living through the conflict destroying Gaza. On April 16, 2025, the 24-year-old was killed by an Israeli airstrike, along with 10 members of her family.

For the last year and a half, Fatima shared the story of Palestinians. She wanted the world to know what they were living through in Gaza, determined that people would listen and care. Her work was published in media around the world, and Fatima used her talent to advocate for an end to the conflict. In January she celebrated the ceasefire and allowed herself to dream of a brighter future.

“I am looking forward to my life after the war and I am confident that beautiful things will come.” — Fatima Hassouna

In the weeks before her death, she created a photo diary — allowing us an insight into her world and sharing with us her thoughts and emotions.

We had originally intended to publish this photo diary anonymously, protecting her identity in a futile attempt to keep her safe. With permission from her surviving family, we proudly name and credit Fatima Hassouna for her work — her resilience and courage in the pursuit of being sure the people of Gaza are not forgotten. Fatima will not be forgotten.

A street in ruins

Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“This is my city, and what it looks like today after 18 months of brutal conflict: sandy streets, demolished homes, nonexistent facilities. Every place we loved has turned into a vast emptiness, and this city has become a city of ghosts.

“This is Al-Mukhabarat Street in the northern Gaza Strip — it used to be one of the most vibrant streets, as it led you to the beautiful sea, past the Al-Mathaf Hotel, and other places people enjoyed visiting here. But today I can see the scars of destruction, after fire belts that ravaged this once busy street — it has now transformed into something else. It took me a while to even recognize it when I got here.

“They have taken from us all the things we loved!” — Fatima Hassouna

“Every landmark in this city has changed. They have taken from us all the things we loved!”

A stadium of families

Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“This is the Yarmouk Stadium — in days gone by it was a place filled with the cheers of crowds as they enjoyed watching football matches here.

“Now it has been turned into a camp for the displaced, for families forced to flee their homes as they have been destroyed, or risk being targeted. Women who have lost their homes sit on these stands — some have lost their husbands, children or other family members, each carrying her own story.

“These women sit on the stands where they now literally live. These stands, no wider than a square meter, are where entire families must sleep. Every now and then, they sit in this small space, staring out into the distance. I imagine that they are staring at what feels like the towering piles of their worries before them.”

Color in the dust: the toy stall

Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“My Gaza is one of the most contradictory places in this world. Amid brutal destruction and devastation, you stumble across this stall filled with colorful children’s toys, standing in stark contrast to the dull colors of devastation and death — a bold defiance of oppression. There will still be hope for a better future.

“I took this photo because it tells me that even if they kill all the children, other children will be born, carrying these toys in their hands and living their childhood as it should be, one day.

“The daily life of this city never ceases to amaze me — the resilience of its people, the life on the streets just days after it was bombed to the ground. Individuals whom the daily risk of death cannot deter from going out and living. To me, this is the equation of ‘the pink against the gray.'”

My stolen sanctuary

The Rashad Al-Shawa Cultural Center, before. | Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

The Rashad Al-Shawa Cultural Center, after. | Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“This place is the Rashad Al-Shawa Cultural Center, one of the most important cultural centers in Gaza and one of the places most deeply etched in my memory.

“In these photos, you can see the main event hall where poetry evenings, celebrations and plays were always held. Sometimes, it would even turn into a cinema, as there are no cinemas in Gaza. It fulfilled the dreams of everyone who enjoyed the arts.

“The first moment I entered the place after the bombing, I felt like crying because they took something from me that they had no right to take.

“This place is part of my identity — steadfast, no matter how circumstances change.” — Fatima Hassouna

“But I know deep down they cannot really take it away from me, because this place is part of my identity — steadfast, no matter how circumstances change.”

A suffering generation

Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“Nothing here is sadder to see than the state of the children in this city.

“Many children are carrying burdens heavier than their years. At a time when they should be in schools or playgrounds, they are instead living in their schools and facing war with a small plate in hand and bare feet.

“I am not always happy when I take such photos. On the contrary, these scenes deeply sadden me and eat away at my heart. The little ones of this city cannot bear all this exhaustion. But my only consolation is the hope that this generation will one day stand against injustice and that the schools and playgrounds will be as they once were.”

The unforgotten artist, Mahasen

Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“This is the talented artist, and my good friend, Mahasen Al-Khatib, who was killed in the airstrikes. Mahasen was a role model for me and for many others. She did not let this war stop her work — she kept going. She used to sit in the attic of her house, pictured here destroyed after an attack, and draw beautiful pictures, using them as her voice, the voice of the Palestinians — speaking to the world.

“The place where this photo was taken no longer exists. The house is gone, the attic is gone, and Mahasen and her dreams are gone. But her wish came true, her art lives on, and many around the world now know that Mahasen was killed as she pursued her dream.”

A history of female courage

Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“For entire generations, women have been the primary nurturers, the legends of the struggle, and the seeds from which a tree of strength and resilience has grown.

“For ages, women have raised their children, instilling in them a steadfast belief and the idea that liberation begins with small actions — perhaps a keffiyeh.

“We must believe in a better future for ourselves — that resistance is a continuous and worthwhile endeavor.” — Fatima Hassouna

“In the same vein, I have always seen the keffiyeh as the symbol of Palestine, the lady, and we are her children, guided by the belief that we must believe in a better future for ourselves — that resistance is a continuous and worthwhile endeavor.”

The sea of strength

Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“The more I try to explain our relationship as Gazans with the sea, the less meaning my words seem to carry.

“The sea has been our only escape throughout our lives. And though they tried to keep us away from the sea, they could not. Nothing can come between us and it. Everyone here, whenever they need to breathe, heads to the sea. Just seeing this vast expanse makes you feel like you can breathe again, like you can carry on with your life, at least with a little more sense of peace than you arrived with.”

Returning home

Image credit: Fatima Hassouna

“Nothing is more beautiful than returning home, despite the hardship of the journey, the difficulty of reaching it, and the long wait to get there — it is always worth it. The moment you breathe in the air of your homeland and your home is a moment more precious than any other.

“The moment you breathe in the air of your homeland and your home is a moment more precious than any other.” — Fatima Hassouna

“This awe-inspiring scene will stay in my memory until I die. This image will remain an eternal memento for an entire generation after me, allowing them to inhale the meaning of returning home, the meaning of ‘home,’ and the sweetness of arrival after a long, arduous wait.”

The day before she died, Fatima approved her photo diary to be shared publicly. Following her death, Plan International received consent from her family to publish her work, fully crediting her.

To support Plan International’s work in Gaza, visit our Gaza-Middle East crisis appeal.

News & press
May 5, 2025

Migrant children fleeing violence, face new dangers and uncertainty at Mexico’s northern border, new report finds

PRESS RELEASE

Children migrating through Mexico in search of safety are being met with alarming levels of violence, family separation and uncertainty at the country’s northern border, according to a new study by Plan International and Save the Children in Mexico.

The research is based on 155 interviews with migrant children and their caregivers across three of Mexico’s major border cities — Ciudad Juárez, Reynosa and Tijuana — and reveals that after fleeing violence, many children found themselves in overcrowded shelters, out of school and in unsafe neighborhoods alone, where they faced further dangers and continued to be denied their rights.

While many of the children surveyed initially travelled with family or a loved one, the journey often resulted in painful separation. In Ciudad Juárez, nearly two in three children (63.5%) left home with a parent or guardian, but only about a third arrived in Mexico with someone by their side.

This separation leaves children — especially girls — more vulnerable to gender-based violence, exploitation, trafficking and forced recruitment by armed groups as they travel alone in search of safety.

Children on the move increasing

“Organized crime has many ways of finding and grabbing you. There are many areas where it’s hard to run away if you’re trying to escape,” said José*, a 16-year-old unaccompanied boy interviewed in Ciudad Juárez.

The number of unaccompanied children making the journey to Mexico has surged in recent years, jumping from nearly 69,500 in 2019 to more than 137,000 in 2023, driven by escalating violence, poverty and climate-related displacement.

For many of these children, their journey does not end in safety once they reach Mexico’s northern border, but in further hardship. Interviews with the children reveal that they are often forced to live in unsafe conditions for months at a time.

In Reynosa, for example, one in three girls interviewed had been living in displacement shelters for over six months, often confined in high-risk areas, where even basic freedoms — like stepping outside — are restricted by fear of kidnapping.

In Ciudad Juárez, children interviewed also described being forced to leave their homes to escape violence, only to encounter new forms of danger in overcrowded shelters and unsafe neighborhoods.

“When someone was watching us or making us uncomfortable, we’d say we were going to get water or to the bathroom — just so we could step away or find a way not to come back,” said Estrella*, an 8-year-old girl from central Mexico, describing how she and other girls learned to protect themselves during their journey.

Children’s education suffering

The education among migrant children at Mexico’s northern border has also been severely disrupted. Nearly three-quarters (70.3%) of children interviewed previously attended school, but over half (58.1%) are no longer learning inside a classroom.

Barriers such as administrative hurdles, security risks and a lack of formal education in shelters are major factors.

Additionally, discrimination and xenophobia in schools is worsening the situation, according to testimonies collected, because “the mothers, fathers and caregivers of the Mexican population do not want their children to live with children on the move.”

The research also found that the emotional toll on migrant children in these cities is immense, especially among those separated from their parents feeling abandoned.

Children lack mental health support

Many struggle to understand why their parents are no longer with them or why they’ve been living in shelters for extended periods with little to no contact. Despite this and the distressing conditions many face, access to mental health support for migrant children in these three cities was reported to be almost non-existent.

“This study has found that migrant children are not finding safety when they cross the border into Mexico — they’re finding more fear, more waiting and more lost time.

No child should find themselves in this situation, especially after enduring such a perilous journey to find safety. They need support now – including protection, access to safe shelter, education and mental health care. We are seeing families so desperate that children are being forced to consider returning to the very places they fled from. That should never be their only option.” – Reena Ghelani, Chief Executive Officer of Plan International.

Collective commitment of society

“Migrant and internally displaced girls face severe risks and are systematically denied their fundamental rights — including access to education and protection. Our joint study sheds light on the challenges these girls endure and presents actionable solutions to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis affecting migrant children in Mexico.

In times like these, the collective commitment of society is more important than ever. Together, we must ensure that every girl has the opportunity to thrive — no matter where she comes from or where she’s going.” – Fátima Andraca, Programs and Humanitarian Director, Save the Children Mexico.

In light of these findings, Plan International and Save the Children in Mexico are calling for an immediate and coordinated response. This includes strengthening child protection systems in border cities across Mexico, ensuring all children and adolescents — especially girls — have safe access to education and mental health care and providing dignified shelter arrangements that prioritize their specific needs as they flee violence and instability.

The report, titled “Unaccompanied Children: Risks and violence along the migration route through Mexico”, was developed by the Human Rights Programme at Universidad Iberoamericana CDMX.

*Name changed to protect identity.

For further information or interview requests, please contact:

Raquel Oviedo, External Communications Assistant, Plan International Mexico

Tel: +52 55 7152 2917

Email: [email protected]

Rilian Agunos, Global Media Manager, Plan International Global Hub

Tel: +1 519 835 5105

Email: [email protected]

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 planusa.org.

Blog
April 21, 2025

Earth Day: Planting seeds for a brighter future

What if education started in the soil? Across the world, school gardens are more than just a source of food — they are a source of opportunity. These gardens provide hands-on learning, leadership skills and nutrition, ensuring that students — especially girls — can stay in school, build confidence and prepare for the future.

For Earth Day, we’re highlighting three inspiring stories of students using school gardens to improve their lives, families and communities.

Students in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province use a protractor to measure angles in their school’s learning garden. The garden, established through a Plan project, serves as an outdoor classroom where students engage in hands-on learning. | ©Plan International

Bangladesh: A rooftop garden bringing health and happiness

For 14-year-old Pallabi and 13-year-old Razia in Bangladesh, their school’s rooftop garden is more than just a green space — it’s a classroom, a kitchen and a source of inspiration.

With the support of Plan International’s Joint Action for Nutrition Outcome project, their school created a thriving urban garden where students learn to grow fruits and vegetables.

“The garden helps us understand how food grows and why nutrition is important,” Pallabi says.

But the impact doesn’t stop at school. The girls teach their families and neighbors how to create home gardens, so they can grow their own fruits and vegetables.

“My parents were inspired to grow vegetables at home,” Razia shares. “Now, we don’t have to buy as much from the market, and we eat healthier meals.”

Even in urban spaces, this garden is proving that students can grow more than food — they can grow knowledge, health and change.

Pallabi, 14, and Razia, 13, tend to their rooftop school garden in Rangpur, Bangladesh. Through Plan’s Joint Action for Nutrition Outcome project, they have learned how to grow seasonal vegetables, use organic fertilizers and improve their nutrition. | Ziaul Haque, ©Plan International

Rwanda: A student-led nutrition club fighting malnutrition

For 16-year-old Alice in Rwanda, school gardens are not just about food — they’re about saving lives.

As a leader of her school’s nutrition club, Alice helps train parents and students on gardening, nutrition and health. The club has already helped create more than 90 kitchen gardens at homes near the school, ensuring that families — including those who have relocated seeking safety and opportunity — have access to fresh, healthy food.

“We teach families how to grow their own food so that children don’t suffer from malnutrition,” Alice explains.

Thanks to their efforts, more children are eating a mix of healthy foods, helping them focus better in school.

Alice’s leadership proves that when young people are given the tools to make a difference, they create lasting change in their communities.

Alice, 16, leads a 30-member nutrition club at her secondary school near a refugee camp in Rwanda. She and her peers grow mushrooms and kitchen gardens to tackle malnutrition and teach their community how to do the same. | Solange Iradukunda, ©Plan International

Kenya: Growing food and leadership through 4K Clubs

In Kilifi County, Kenya, sixth grader Elizabeth is determined to make a difference through her school’s 4K Club, an agricultural program where students learn to grow food, care for the environment and support their families.

With her region suffering from severe drought, Elizabeth and her classmates know that food shortages aren’t just a school issue — they’re a survival issue.

“Kenya has been experiencing a prolonged drought, fewer trees and less fresh air circulation,” Elizabeth explains. “This means we don’t have enough to eat at home or at school. That’s why I joined the 4K Club — to be part of the people who are helping Kenya.”

Through Plan’s partnership with Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, students in 4K Clubs grow crops like watermelons, yams and eggplants — not only providing food for their schools but also learning valuable agricultural skills that will help them in the future.

Elizabeth’s story shows that young leaders are already finding ways to ensure their communities have enough food — one garden at a time.

Elizabeth and her friend pick ripe eggplants from their school garden in Kenya. As members of a 4K Club, they learn sustainable farming techniques and environmental conservation through Plan’s Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems project. | Armstrong Too, ©Plan International

How school gardens transform learning and lives

— Teach hands-on skills: Students learn farming techniques, teamwork and responsibility.

— Improve nutrition: Gardens provide fresh, healthy food for students and their families.

— Encourage leadership: Girls take charge of planting, growing and maintaining gardens, building confidence and problem-solving skills.

How you can help

Through our Gifts of Hope catalog, you can support programs that provide school gardens, farming tools and nutrition programs to students worldwide.

Help students create sustainable gardens that provide food and learning opportunities.

Plant a school garden

Blog
April 16, 2025

Child-friendly spaces help children recover from the trauma of conflict

By Davis Makori, a humanitarian policy and advocacy specialist with Plan International.

We arrive just in time to catch a spirited early morning game of volleyball at the dusty court adjacent to the gathering site for displaced persons. It’s a hot and sunny morning in March, right in the middle of Ramadan.

The shrieks of delight and infectious energy as the children attempt to put together a successful serve and return sequence could easily distract a visitor from the reality that the site is only three to four hours away by road from Wad Madani, one of the frontlines of Sudan’s brutal conflict that has now raged for two years.

The gathering site hosts displaced persons from the neighbouring Khartoum, Sennar and Al Jazeera states. It also provides vital humanitarian relief and services to displaced persons living with host communities in Gadarif.

The volleyball game has now become frenetic and more competitive despite the best efforts of one Plan staff member to demonstrate the underhand serving technique to a gaggle of overeager participants. Just beyond the volleyball court, a group of younger children are sat on a mat next to a straw-covered shelter, a distinctive element of Gadarif’s architecture, absorbed with colourful puzzles, colouring books and sketchbooks under the watchful eye of a facilitator.

Child-friendly spaces have been established to provide a safe, predictable and stimulating environment where children can play and participate in recreation, leisure and learning activities designed to support their resilience and wellbeing. They are set up as safe places for children affected by emergencies such as the conflict in Sudan.

Children gather inside a child-friendly space supported by Plan International at an IDP camp in Gadarif state, Sudan. These spaces help children cope with the trauma of conflict through guided play and psychosocial support. | Mona Elfathe, © Plan International

Children, especially girls, have been disproportionately affected by the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The Sudan crisis is the world’s largest child displacement crisis, with over 4.6 million children who have fled their homes since April 2023. Nearly half of the over 30 million people who need humanitarian assistance are children.

Nearly one million children have also fled across borders, particularly to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan. Despite forming nearly half of the affected population, children’s humanitarian needs remain largely unmet. An estimated 90% of Sudan’s 19 million school-aged children have lost access to formal education.

Nasra, the facilitator at the child-friendly space, explains that the space opened in March and has multiple activities including volleyball, puzzle activities, drawing and colouring, as well as swings, skipping ropes and other play activities.

“It is in their sketchbooks that we discover their talents,” she adds, noting that many of the children have uncovered talents that they hadn’t tapped into before because they didn’t have the resources to do so. She notes that most of the children at the child-friendly space have been forcibly displaced from restricted areas and couldn’t get into schools.

“On the first day, the children were frightened, they were scared, but then we were able to integrate them into the space and the atmosphere improved. They stayed with us and the children started to play normally, but they were very nervous when they were asked to do something. But after that, they were able to understand and calmed down.”

Emergencies, displacement and crises such as the one in Sudan cause turmoil and uncertainty for many children. Child-friendly spaces provide a safe space for children to be children — to play, explore, laugh with their friends, interact with trusted adults, and have a place they know they can go to for help.

Child-friendly space facilitator Nasra Abdalla helps children read a storybook at a displacement camp in Gadarif state, Sudan. | Mona Elfathe, © Plan International

They provide routine and stability that is important for children’s recovery in the aftermath of a crisis. Group activities provide opportunities for children to come together in a predictable and stimulating environment to be safe, to learn, to express themselves, to make connections and to feel supported. It is well recognized that regular engagement in these activities can positively impact well-being, enhance resilience and reduce stress.

At child-friendly spaces, protection workers such as Nasra observe children and identify those who are vulnerable or experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation or violence and provide necessary support and appropriate referrals. There has been a steep and alarming rise in gender-based violence against women and girls. These spaces also allow protection workers to identify children who are experiencing severe distress and refer them to more specialized support services.

The volleyball game concludes as some of the older children take a break and Nasra rallies volunteers to collect the puzzles, drawing books and toys for storage. It is not lost on her that the conflict still wages on further afield — and that millions of children face a bleak and uncertain future unless the guns fall silent. The conflict has now waged for two years, but Nasra still hopes that the children will one day return home, to school and to a life of normalcy.

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News & press
April 11, 2025

Rockefeller Foundation and Plan International Launch Emergency Response to Support Earthquake-Affected Children in Myanmar

The Rockefeller Foundation has launched an emergency response in collaboration with Plan International to support children affected by the recent earthquake in Myanmar. This $200,000 grant focuses on delivering lifesaving assistance in the form of safe spaces, psychosocial care, and nutritional support in the hardest-hit regions of Mandalay and Sagaing. Following the March 28, 2025 earthquake—Myanmar’s deadliest in over a century—the Foundation’s response addresses urgent needs while laying the groundwork for long-term recovery and resilience. Children, particularly girls, are among the most vulnerable in disaster scenarios, and this joint effort aims to protect their well-being and future. Through this partnership, The Rockefeller Foundation continues its mission to foster equity and resilience in crisis-affected communities across Asia.

Read the full press release: Rockefeller Foundation and Plan International Launch Emergency Response to Support Earthquake-Affected Children in Myanmar

Blog
April 11, 2025

Why the Take It Down Act matters

This article was written by members of the Youth Advisory Board at Plan International USA. To get in touch with the YAB, contact [email protected].

The Economist reports that 85% of women online have witnessed online violence such as video- and image-based abuse, defamation, cyberharassment, doxing and more. Plan’s research shows this abuse is pushing women and girls out of online life, with 1 in 5 disengaging for their own well-being. The UK, European Union and some U.S. states have passed laws to address these issues, but so far, no laws protect all girls and women across the United States from online harassment and abuse.

Profile page on social media or online portal. Man reading feed, status update or post with mobile phone. Follow, like or send friend request. Using personal or professional business network website.

Now, the “Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deep Fakes on Websites and Networks Act” — or TAKE IT DOWN Act — is an online safety bill designed to help address the problem. It criminalizes knowingly publishing or threatening to publish nonconsensual intimate imagery (i.e., explicit photos or videos shared without permission), including content generated through AI, online. Specifically, it targets deepfake and revenge pornography (intimate images shared to humiliate or harm someone). The act also requires online platforms to remove child sexual abuse material and nonconsensual intimate images within 48 hours of being notified by a victim to stop the rapid spread online and prevent further harm.

As a notable bipartisan movement, the bill is gaining traction in Congress. It was introduced in the Senate in June 2024 by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and reintroduced into the House in January 2025 by Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla. By February 2025, it passed the Senate unanimously — an extremely rare occurrence — and is currently advancing through the House with significant support from many tech companies, President Trump and the first lady.

As a body of young people vocalizing the needs of youth, we recognize the new challenges facing our generation in this country and urge fiercer protections for ourselves and our peers as they continue to live in a chronically online world. Over two years, the U.S. saw more than 13,000 cases of sextortion of minors through deepfakes, primarily victimizing 14- to 17-year-olds. The risks are real and growing.

Therefore, as the Youth Advisory Board of Plan International USA, we call on policymakers, youth advocates and caregivers to support and help pass the Take It Down Act.

The Take It Down Act not only holds offenders accountable via criminalization, but also ensures survivors are empowered and victims are protected in good faith through exemptions, such as to law enforcement or for medical purposes, while protecting free and lawful speech. The act specifically includes AI-generated content, as up to 95% of all internet deepfake videos depict nonconsensual intimate imagery, a staggering percentage that underscores the urgent need for action to protect minors and women this content principally targets. The Take It Down Act is the first of its kind in the online safety space, offering nationwide protections where only 20 states currently have explicit laws covering deepfake NCII. Even with these laws, victims have struggled to have images depicting them removed. This can lead to retraumatization, the continuous spread of said content and allowing perpetrators to evade responsibility. This reality makes swift action all the more urgent.

This act changes that. It would establish criminal penalties for publishing NCII across all states and require platforms to remove NCII within 48 hours of a victim’s request. Instead of placing the burden — especially financial and emotional — on victims to bring civil action to remove NCII, the responsibility would shift to perpetrators and online platforms. It would send a clear signal to all American citizens that online abuse is not tolerated and that victims deserve respect and empowerment.

Like the Kids Online Safety Act, which we also support, the Take It Down Act is not perfect, but it is a net positive that would address a threatening situation that is currently spiraling out of control. This is especially relevant given that social media platforms — where deepfake pornography and other forms of image-based abuse spread and surface — have reduced their content moderation policies, while AI has accelerated the production and dissemination of NCII and child sexual abuse materials. For example, a 2024 survey by Plan and CNN’s As Equals found that NCII is now the most common form of online harassment and abuse, with more than 40% reporting they received or saw unwanted sexual images online.

To stay updated on the Take It Down Act, visit the National Center on Sexual Exploitation and Design It For Us for more youth perspectives on this bill and other key legislation. As the Youth Advisory Board, we encourage readers — especially young readers — to stay informed not only about the Take It Down Act but also other bills impacting women and girls across the country. By staying informed, we can help build a more inclusive, safe and resilient society where all women and girls are empowered and protected online.

Insights
April 9, 2025

When disaster strikes, girls pay the highest price

Centering girls’ protection, education and mental health in disaster response

Frank Manfredi, vice president for humanitarian programs at Plan International USA, wrote this article. For more information on Plan’s work, please get in touch with Frank Manfredi at  [email protected]. When a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, the world’s attention quickly shifted to the destruction. Homes, hospitals and schools were destroyed. Roads and bridges collapsed. Families were displaced overnight, forced to seek shelter wherever they could. The confirmed toll now exceeds 3,500 deaths, with nearly 5,000 injured and over 200 people still missing. But for thousands of girls, the most dangerous aftershocks were just beginning. In displacement settings where normal social and protective structures break down, girls face heightened risks of trafficking, violence and being pulled permanently out of school. Without urgent action, thousands of girls are at risk of losing their future. At Plan International, we are committed to standing with girls during this critical time. Despite challenges on the ground, our focus is clear: protect children’s rights, ensure adolescent girls are not left behind and provide survivors with the tools they need to rebuild their lives with dignity. The scale of devastation is massive. Beyond the physical destruction, displacement has severed the critical support systems children — especially girls — rely on. Without the stability of school, family networks and safe spaces, protection risks escalate quickly. In the chaos that follows a disaster, adolescent girls are often the first to lose access to education — and the last to regain it, if they return at all. Globally, around 129 million girls are already out of school. Emergencies like this one push that number even higher, closing the door on opportunity for generations to come. Today, girls in Myanmar face escalating threats, including: — Increased risk of human trafficking due to displacement and dislocation. — Violence and exploitation in displacement settings. — Growing mental health challenges without access to services. — Long-term disruption to their education. Over 24,000 schools have been affected, with 1,800 schools damaged or destroyed, further threatening girls’ access to education.

Children share a meal at a temporary shelter set up in a temple after the earthquake in Myanmar. About two weeks after the disaster, large parts of the country remain without essential services. | © Plan International

We are already seeing troubling signs on the ground. Displacement camps have limited access to clean water, electricity and basic health care. Girls face increased risks of violence and abuse, while the need for mental health support is growing, especially among young survivors traumatized by the disaster. With the breakdown of law and order in many areas, the risk of human trafficking has spiked alarmingly. Our teams are delivering critical support to survivors, with a strong focus on girls’ needs, including: — Child protection services to prevent violence, abuse and trafficking. — Psychological first aid and referrals for ongoing mental health care. — Safe spaces and education activities to help children return to learning. — Hygiene kits, menstrual health supplies and household items. Girls’ voices are not just being heard — they are shaping our response. Through our GirlEngage approach, we are committed to involving girls in decisions that affect their lives, even in emergencies. We are actively including girls in our rapid response analysis to ensure their needs, priorities and solutions are reflected from the very beginning. Their leadership, ideas and perspectives are essential to building a recovery that is not just about survival, but about resilience and equality.

Children play next to a collapsed building in Mandalay after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar. Aid is slowly reaching affected communities, but widespread destruction and blocked roads continue to threaten recovery efforts. | © Plan International

Our experience responding to crises worldwide tells us that flexible funding is the most powerful tool we have right now. It allows us to adapt quickly as needs shift, purchase and distribute essential supplies and support recovery programs that keep girls safe and learning. This response is about more than immediate relief — it’s about the future. If we fail to protect girls now, the impacts will reverberate for years. Educating girls doesn’t just change individual lives; it transforms entire economies. Research shows that educating girls to the same level as boys could benefit low-income countries by at least $112 billion each year. In the chaos left by disaster, girls deserve more than survival. They deserve a future. You have the power to help girls reclaim their future. Your contribution today can deliver critical supplies, create safe spaces and keep girls learning — giving them the strength and support they need to rebuild their lives with dignity, hope and opportunity. Donate now to support girls Stay updated on Plan International’s technical work by signing up for “From Plan to Action,” our quarterly newsletter. 

Donate now to support girls

News & press
April 3, 2025

CNN Newsroom: Haider Yaqub on Plan’s earthquake response in Myanmar

In a recent CNN Newsroom segment with anchor Rosemary Church, Haider Yaqub, Plan International’s Country Director in Myanmar, shared firsthand insights from Mandalay following the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake. He described the widespread destruction and emphasized the “very bad” conditions facing children and girls—many of whom are now living on the streets with no access to basic services. Yaqub urged the global community to act quickly, warning that without immediate support, more lives could be lost.

The Myanmar earthquake Plan International response is challenged by continued aftershocks, civil conflict and damaged infrastructure. Yaqub noted that while local support networks are helping transport the injured, aid delivery is extremely difficult in conflict-affected areas. He called on all players to work toward peace and recovery, and emphasized the urgent need for trauma care, clean water and protection for children.

Read the full transcript: CNN Newsroom – April 1, 2025, Segment 20