Reports & Publications

In theory, girls are entitled to the exact same human rights as boys; but in reality, girls face double the discrimination in developing countries all over the world, simply because of their gender and their age. Girls are denied an education: excluded from healthcare: forced into early marriage and subjected to sexual violence, exploitation, and genital mutilation.

The most heartbreaking part is that the cards are stacked against girls before they are even born.

Aiming to educate policymakers and inspire a global movement, The Girl Report series covers the current state of the world’s girls and lays out specific recommendations for action. Each report documents the injustices and inequalities with undeniable facts and stats, as well as quotes and stories from real girls.

Adolescent Girls' Views on Safety in Cities

Girls in cities face increased risks but have increased opportunities. Sexual harassment, exploitation, and insecurity are common in an urban environment; however, girls are more likely to be educated, less likely to be married at an early age, and more likely to participate in politics.

Download: Full Report

A girl's right to learn without fear

Since 2000 there has been a focus on achieving universal access to primary education and gender parity as part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); however, 66 million girls are missing out on the education that could transform their own lives and the world around them. Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign aims to eliminate barriers preventing girls from successfully moving beyond primary to secondary education.

Download: Full Report | Executive Summary

2012: Learning for life

There are 39 million 11-15 year-old girls out of school. Completion rates for girls lag behind boys’ and the pressures of poverty and discrimination still mean that girls leave school: because their families are not convinced of the value of their education; because they experience violence at school; or because they get pregnant or married.

Download: Full Report | Executive Summary

2011: So, what about boys?

Girls and women cannot tackle the challenge of gender equality alone—fathers, husbands, brothers, and boyfriends all have their parts to play. If men and boys believe in justice and fairness, they will be able to see that their mothers, sisters, and girlfriends do not have the same opportunities to make choices about their lives.

Download: Full Report | Executive Summary | Youth Summary

2010: Digital and Urban Frontiers

Two of the 21st century's fastest growing areas—the explosion of technology and the boom in city populations—open up incredible opportunities for girls. But they can also create great prejudice, poverty, and peril for a girl who is ill-prepared to protect herself on the city streets and online.

Download: Full Report | Executive Summary | Youth Summary

2009: Girls in the Global Economy

Fact: the failure to educate girls is costing the world’s poorest countries billions of dollars each year. Without an education, girls are confined to dangerous and unskilled work. Due to the economic downturn, often girls lose their jobs befor boys, ending up in the sex trade and dying young.

Download: Full Report | Executive Summary | Youth Summary

2008: In the Shadow of War

The story of girls and conflict is not limited to horrific sexual violence and exploitation. It is also a story of displacement and lost childhood. Dedicated to the 200 million girls living in conflict situations, this report sheds a critical light on the their lives before, during, and after war.

Download: Full Report | Executive Summary 

2007: The State of the World’s Girls

Facing double the discrimination because of their gender and age, girls remain at the bottom of the social and economic ladder. The first in The Girl Report series, this comprehensive examination explores the inequality and denial of rights faced by millions of girls throughout the developing world.

Download: Full Report | Executive Summary

Invest in a girl and she will change the world.

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