International day

of the girl

International day of the girl

International Day of the Girl takes place every year on 11th October and it is a day to celebrate the incredible potential of girls. Because the talent, ideas and strength of girls have the power to change the world.

Yet every day, girls continue to feel unsafe, unrepresented, and unheard. Change isn’t coming fast enough, and girls have had enough of the empty rhetoric.

Girls across the world are coming together to make their voices heard and challenging the inequalities they see around them.

We want to make sure that International Day of the Girl becomes more than just a day in the calendar - and here's why.

why we need change

1290 million

girls are currently unable to go to school

120 million

girls are forced to marry each year

5000 million

women and girls don't have what they need to manage their periods

Girls' Takeover

Every year on International Day of the Girl, Plan International UK celebrates the power of girls with our Girls Takeover programme.

Girls and young women take over leadership positions, from businesses to boardrooms and brands. Across science, politics, sport, technology, engineering and media, girls are flipping the status quo, breaking barriers and showing everyone what they can do.  

During Girls' Takeover, girls have previously taken the reins as the First Minister of Wales, and at LADbible group, National Grid and AstraZeneca. 

Find out more