YOU can help end the stigma. PERIOD.
May 07, 2026
Period stigma holds girls back. But together, we can change the narrative — and ensure every girl can manage her period with dignity and pride.
Sexual & reproductive health & rights
Every young person has the right to make free and informed decisions about their own body, their health and their future. For millions of girls and young women around the world, that right is denied — by harmful social norms, by health systems that fail them and by laws and attitudes that limit their choices.
In 2025...
girls received menstrual health supplies
0
K
people reached with awareness raising activities
0
M
young people accessed healthcare
0
K
The challenges
Girls and young women face barriers to sexual and reproductive health and rights that are deeply rooted and wide-ranging. Many have never received accurate, age-appropriate information about their bodies or their health. Others live in communities where talking openly about sexuality is taboo, where girls have little or no say over decisions about marriage or pregnancy or where health workers hold biases that prevent girls from accessing the care and information they need. Harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation continue to affect millions of girls every year — stripping away their choices and causing lasting physical and emotional harm. And for girls living with or at risk of HIV, stigma and discrimination create additional barriers to testing, treatment and support.
What we do
We work with young people, communities, health systems and governments to make sure girls and young women can access the information, services and support they need to make informed decisions about their own health and lives. That includes comprehensive sexuality education that is honest, age-appropriate and empowering; strengthening health services so they are genuinely accessible and responsive to young people’s needs; and tackling the harmful practices and social norms that limit girls’ choices and endanger their health.
We also prioritize menstrual health, support for pregnant and parenting young women, HIV prevention and treatment and mental health and psychosocial support — recognizing that sexual and reproductive health is not separate from overall wellbeing.
Putting girls and young people at the center
Girls and young women are not passive recipients of this work — they are experts on their own lives, and their voices shape everything we do. We invest in young people as advocates and leaders, making sure they have the knowledge, confidence and platforms to demand their rights and drive change in their own communities. Because when girls can make free and informed decisions about their own bodies and futures, the benefits reach far beyond the individual — they ripple through families, communities and generations.
How you can help
Give to Plan
Our global programs are made possible by donors who believe in building a world where we are all equal. Explore ways to join our mission as a donor.
Work with us
We work with partners around the world, from local community groups to global organizations. If you share our belief that every girl deserves the chance to fulfill her potential — we’d love to hear from you.
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