Girls' rights
Prioritising girls and girls' rights helps drive gender equality and a more equal world for all.
Prioritising girls and girls' rights helps drive gender equality and a more equal world for all.
Progress on girls’ rights is under threat around the world.
Today more girls are going to school than ever before. More girls are avoiding child marriage. Fewer girls are experiencing harmful practices. And fewer girls are facing unintended pregnancies while still children themselves.
But these steady gains aren’t happening fast enough. And they’re now at risk of being reversed. From the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan to the rise of gender-based violence in Sudan fuelled by conflict.
Reversing girls’ rights just doesn’t make sense. It leaves girls vulnerable and drives inequality – which benefits no one. But together we can stand with girls in all their diversity to prioritise girls’ rights and create a more equal world for all.
of all sexual assaults are committed against girls under 16 years old.
girls live in countries where harmful gender norms contribute to violations of their rights.
primary school-aged girls worldwide still do not go to school.
Girls’ rights are human rights. Which means girls should be able to enjoy life to the same degree as anybody else. But being a girl means they probably won’t.
Harmful gender norms remain strong in societies right across the world. Norms that lead to harassment, stigmitisation and discrimination. Norms which cement inequality and in their worst forms, perpetuate violence.
Examples include beliefs that girls should do more household chores. Or that they are not worthy of an education. Or that they should be flattered by unwanted sexual attention.
Often these beliefs are rooted in societies’ structures and laws, too. Some countries still have laws which restrict women inheriting property. Others’ laws seem to forget girls exist altogether, failing to protect them.
Together these beliefs and structures place limits on what girls can do, the choices they can make and the opportunities they have. In short, they contribute to the violation of girls’ rights.
Progress on girls’ rights is too slow and it’s under threat
We have made progress on girls’ rights but girls’ lives are still defined by inequality. Around the world, girls face daily discrimination and abuse, they struggle to access health services and information or quality education, while harassment and violence prevail.
In some places, hard-won rights are being reversed. In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s continued ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade has led to over 1.4 million girls being out of school. In Iraq, the age of marriage for girls has been lowered to nine years old. In Sudan, conflict has fuelled a rise in gender-based violence, compounding the already dire situation for girls.
Intersecting factors like poverty, ethnicity and disability magnify girls’ disadvantage. It’s worse for girls living in emergency settings which rob them of their homes and support systems.
Aid cuts dramatically worsen the situation for girls. Funders including governments are rolling back on previous commitments. Misinformation and disinformation seek to undermine efforts to create an equal world. Anti-rights groups and actors are often loud, well-funded and hold power. Making them a real threat to the lives and futures of girls in all their diversity around the world.
The first step to advancing girls' rights is to recognise girls as a unique demographic. This helps to identify what girls face and need across the world.
Ensuring girls can play an active role in decision making is also key. Girls are not responsible for solving the challenges they face. But their perspective makes their input invaluable.
Boosting girls' confidence to voice their opinions is also crucial. That's why we help girls learn about their rights and speak out on issues that matter to them.
And providing more opportunities for girls to learn new skills also helps. It creates the entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders of tomorrow.
All this helps equip girls to shape the world around them. And we stand with them.
We help to remove barriers by ensuring systems and laws reflect girls' unique needs. And we facilitate difficult conversations to tackle harmful gender norms and stereotypes.
Focusing on girls' rights helps create societies where all individuals can thrive.
Leah’s determination to stay in school
"I had a dream of becoming a doctor, but that dream faded when my father became ill,” says 18-year old Leah from Tanzania.
“My family decided that I should drop out of school so I could take care of the family while my brother continued with his studies. I couldn't refuse to drop out of school because I didn't know my rights."
Leah joined a club run by Plan International that helps out-of-school girls return to the classroom.
“After joining the club and learning about being assertive and gender aware, I am now aware of my rights and can confidently express my opinions," says Leah.
Girls’ rights are under attack
Stand with girls as they claim their rights across the globe.
Girls’ Rights Collective UK
The Girls’ Rights Collective UK is a space to share best practice, advocate for change and create a better UK for girls and young women.
It was created after our latest State of Girls’ Rights in the UK report showed that girls across the UK were being denied their rights and often didn’t feel safe at school, in the street or online.
Girls across the UK are determined to make change happen – and we’re here to support them.
The Girls’ Rights Collective brings together professionals, volunteers, sector experts and organisations to work more effectively and drive change together.
Celebrate girls’ rights
International Day of the Girl takes place on 11 October every year.
It’s a day to come together and celebrate girls’ rights, highlight the barriers girls still face and push for faster progress on gender equality.
Plan International UK marks the day every year, giving girls and people like you the chance to get involved too.