Because I am a Girl campaign is central to the advocacy work conducted by Plan International and it has become a visible part of Plan’s work in North and South.
With development work, Plan aims to promote the rights of all children. Solid research information and over 70 years of experience of development work by Plan International show that the girls in the world’s poorest countries need special support. We strive for stopping the maltreatment of girls.
Did you know that in Burkina Faso only half of the girls go to school? Or that in Niger, 62 percent of girls aged 15-19 have already married? In Guinea, Mozambique and Sierra Leone it is every second girl that age. Some girls are married off before the age of ten. Pregnancy or complications related to pregnancy are the most common cause of death of girls 15-19 years old.
Since 2007, Plan International has studied extensively the hardships millions of girls in poor countries face. Plan Finland campaigns for girls’ rights. According to the research, improving the life of girls increases the income of the whole family and community as well as societal stability and wellbeing. Moreover, it is simply just.
The cycle of poverty can be broken by improving girls’ status and giving them the same possibilities boys have. Because I am a Girl campaign focuses on increasing girls’ education and protection. The campaign will run until 2015.
Even though the challenge is global, everyone’s input is important: a year of schooling for a girl in Uganda costs less than 50 euros, school material for a girl in Laos only a couple of euros and the sanitary necessities for a girl in Haiti less than one euro.
By supporting the Because I am a Girl Campaign, you support Plan Finland’s projects in Laos and Dominican Republic, for example. As a part of Plan International we promote girls’ rights in hundreds of projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Read more about our development programmes.
Give girls a chance. You can help by donating or by sponsoring a child.
Like Plan Finland’s Because I am a Girl campaign page on Facebook.
More Information:
Anna Könönen, Plan Finland Project Manager for Because I am a Girl (firstname.lastname@plan.fi, tel. +358968698056)