Our focus areas

In 2025…

countries

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communities served

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girls reached

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Plan International works in more than 80 countries to tackle the root causes of poverty and inequalities that girls and their communities face. By working together, we can transform lives and create a world where we are all equal. Everything we do is shaped by a set of core principles that guide our work — not as add-ons, but as the foundation of who we are and how we operate.

Gender equality and inclusion sit at the heart of our mission: we don’t just work to improve girls’ daily lives, we work to change the systems, norms and power structures that hold them back in the first place, and we engage boys and men as essential allies in that effort. A youth-driven approach complements this, ensuring that girls and young people are not just the focus of our work but active leaders and co-creators of change in their own communities.

We also recognize that the climate crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time — and one that disproportionately impacts girls and young women. That’s why we embed climate resilience, adaptation, and green skills and opportunities across every focus area, treating climate action not as a separate agenda but as inseparable from our commitment to gender equality. Together, these principles make our work not just effective, but transformative for girls and young people everywhere.

Education & early childhood development

Every child deserves the chance to learn, grow and thrive — from the earliest years of life through to young adulthood. Education and early childhood development sit at the heart of Plan International’s work, and we believe that getting both right is essential to building a fairer world for children, especially girls.

Health, nutrition & WASH

Every girl deserves to grow up healthy — but for millions, that basic expectation remains a struggle. We work to change that, making sure girls and young women can access the health services, nutrition and basic support they need to survive, develop and thrive at every stage of their lives.

Economic empowerment

Economic independence is essential for girls to live safely, freely and on their own terms — but for millions of young women around the world, it remains out of reach. We work to change that, making sure young women have the skills, opportunities and financial tools they need to earn a living and build the futures they deserve.

Sexual & reproductive health & rights

Sexual and reproductive health and rights are fundamental to every girl’s well-being, yet millions of young women around the world still cannot access them. We work to change that, making sure girls and young women can access appropriate health care and make free and informed decisions about their own bodies, their health and their futures.

Protection

Every child has the right to grow up safe from violence, exploitation and harm. Yet for millions of girls and young people around the world, that right is violated every day — at home, in school, in their communities and increasingly online. We work to protect girls and young people from violence in all its forms, and to provide support to families, communities and systems that keep them safe.

Humanitarian assistance

When conflict, displacement or natural disaster strikes, girls and young women are among the hardest hit and the last to receive support. We respond where the need is greatest, delivering life-saving assistance while making sure that girls’ specific needs and rights are never overlooked in an emergency. We also support communities through recovery and help build the long-term resilience that protects girls when the next crisis comes.