The future girls want is one where they can learn, lead and live without limits. But right now, too many obstacles stand in their way. In our “Future girls want” blog series, we’re shining a light on how education is the key to unlocking the future girls want for themselves, and how it impacts every area of their lives — from health to safety to civic participation.
The future girls want is brimming with possibilities. They envision classrooms filled with knowledge, not fear. They see themselves as leaders, confidently shaping their communities. But for many girls around the world, these ambitions are overshadowed by a lack of safety — both online and offline.
Plan International believes that education is the key to unlocking a safe and empowering future (and present) for girls. Here’s why:
Education shields girls from abuse
Girls with access to education are less likely to become victims of early marriage, trafficking or other forms of abuse, but poverty often gets in the way of a girl finishing school. Desperate to survive, parents might arrange a marriage for their daughter or send her off with a recruiter looking for workers under the belief she’ll be supported.
Only when it’s too late do they find out their child has been taken by a human trafficker.
Plan’s PROTECT project helped fight back against trafficking in India and Nepal. By running activities in both community centers and schools, Plan trained students and families how to spot and stop human trafficking, child marriage and gender-based violence. And, we helped provide skills trainings so young women can get real, safe jobs instead of falling victim to false promises.
“Now if there are child marriages taking place, the parents and mothers are themselves raising their voices, saying that we have to stop the child marriages. I feel happy to see that change.” — Project participant in Nepal
Additionally, child protection groups, transportation workers and border patrol agents received training on intervention and prevention of trafficking.
Through PROTECT, more than 12,100 children were educated on human trafficking, gender-based violence and inappropriate behavior, and 900 people at risk of trafficking were intercepted at the India-Nepal border.
The project also trained ambassadors to spread awareness about trafficking and gender-based violence in their communities.
“If anyone tried to entice us with promises of a good education, lucrative jobs and the notion that you don’t have to work hard — [that] you can make good money comfortably — then we should not fall into that trap,” Hima, an ambassador in Nepal, says.
Education builds the foundation for online safety
Education empowers girls to recognize and navigate the digital world safely. By developing critical thinking skills and digital literacy, girls can better identify online harassment and abuse and distinguish between reliable and unreliable information.
Read more: The misinformation machine is hurting girls, and there are no signs of it stopping
Plan International’s groundbreaking report, Building Digital Resilience, reveals the alarming reality of girls’ online experiences. Published in partnership with CNN As Equals, the research offers critical insights into the challenges girls face in the digital world. A staggering 75% of girls and young women surveyed reported having harmful online experiences, and 40% experienced monthly harassment.
Educators, community leaders and policymakers can use this data to develop effective strategies to protect girls online. Girls across South America, Africa, and Asia emphasized the need for better digital literacy education. By understanding these specific challenges, schools and governments can implement measures that both teach girls how to stay safe and create safer online environments for everyone.
To support girls’ digital literacy and increase safety in digital spaces, PROTECT developed an AI chatbot for Facebook messenger to share information about trafficking with users. More than 30,000 people have used the chatbot to learn about human trafficking.
“Whether it’s listening to stories, obtaining information about human trafficking, or learning how to file cases, all the necessary information is easily accessible,” Regina, another project ambassador, says. “Overall, I found the app to be quite helpful and engaging,”
Education empowers girls to become advocates for change. When a girl is educated, she gains the confidence and knowledge to shape her community and fight for a better future. Plan International and its partners are at the forefront of this movement, advocating for legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act to protect young people online.
No longer a statistic in a report about online harassment, an educated girl can become a vocal advocate for online safety. She can rally movements to protect more girls and young women and create the safe spaces – online and offline – that they need to build the future they want.
