Plan has distributed emergency food supplies to more than 50,000 people who have fled clashes between rival tribes in Jonglei state.
“The situation on the ground is grim - people left their homes with nothing and have been in the bush for several weeks,“ said Plan’s Country Director in South Sudan, Fikru Abebe.
“Amid the chaos, some children have been abandoned and have been found wandering alone and crying.”
“People haven’t had food, they haven’t had access to clean water and some are wounded and have no shelter.”
Plan is one of the first international organisations to respond to the crisis, distributing cereals, beans and other food items to the homeless - mostly women and children.
The organisation is preparing to deliver water and hygiene kits as well as fishing tools to 5,000 households and seeds to 1,000 households.
“We are launching an appeal for more than £700,000 to get more aid to people caught up in the fighting,” said Mr Abebe.
“We need to take action now as the number of displaced people is growing every day and the conflict is expected to continue, even more so escalated as a result of anticipated revenge attack”
“More South Sudanese who had settled in the North are likely to return in the coming months – and this could exacerbate the existing conflicts.”
The agency is trying to reach as many at-risk people as possible, especially children.
“In addition to the physical needs like water and food, providing emotional first aid for young people is a key requirement,” explained Mr Abebe.
“We are also implementing programmes to keep children safe and help them continue their education during this time of upheaval.”
Read more about Plan’s work in South Sudan.
Editor’s notes:
Plan’s Country Director in South Sudan Fikru Abebe and Plan’s Head of Disaster Preparedness and Response Dr Unni Krishnan are available for media interviews.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Atem Dut
Communication Officer, Plan South Sudan
+211 957165104
Regis Nyamakanga
Regional Communications Manager (Eastern and Southern Africa), Kenya
+254 712 205 860
Davinder Kumar
Press Officer, Plan International Headquarters, UK
+44 7739 326164
Plan’s scaled-up response comes as the UN doubled the number of people in urgent need of aid in the strife-torn state from 60,000 to 120,000.
The organisation has secured additional relief supplies from the World Food Programme (WFP) enabling it to significantly increase its initial target of reaching 14,000 people. According to the agreement, WFP is providing food supplies and transporting them to Pibor, whereas Plan is carrying out food distribution.
“Our efforts are focused on meeting food needs of children and communities. Nearly 1,600 metric tons of food rations will be distributed by Plan to reach 50,000 affected people,” said Fikru Abebe, Plan Country Director for South Sudan.
The latest round of retaliatory fighting between Lou Nuer and Murle communities - two of Jonglei’s largest ethnic groups, has made the humanitarian situation worse.
According to UN, in 2011, more than 1,100 people lost their lives, and some 63,000 people were displaced by inter-communal violence in the state.
“The capacities of the aid agencies were already stretched before the fresh clashes. Children are particularly vulnerable in the escalating situation and their needs must be met as a priority,” said Fikru Abebe, Country Director of Plan in South Sudan.
Plan has an on-going programme in Pibor and Akobo where it is responding to emergency food needs of 4,500 children through a school feeding programme. This includes children affected by inter-communal violence. The programme is currently suspended as the schools are closed for summer holidays and will resume when the classes restart in February.
Plan’s aid response in South Sudan will also address issues like emotional support for people and child protection in emergencies. The organisation has also deployed specialist capacities to support its relief operation.
In Pibor alone more than 32,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Insecurity issues and accessibility of many areas only by air is making transportation of food relief from Juba a very big challenge and an expensive operation for aid agencies.
“We are committed to continue expanding our relief to reach affected children as long as security prevails in Pibor and if UN agencies continue to fulfil their commitment to transport food from Juba to Pibor and Akobo,” said Mr Abebe. “We support the development of a long-term strategy to guarantee safety of children and the affected community.”
Plan is appealing for US$ 3 million to support its relief work in South Sudan, including US$ 880,000 for relief food distribution in Pibor.
Read more information about Plan’s work in South Sudan.
Editor’s notes:
Fikru Abebe, Plan Country Director for South Sudan, is available for media interviews.
Media contacts:
Atem Dut
Communication Officer, Plan South Sudan
+211 957165104
Regis Nyamakanga
Regional Communications Manager (Eastern and Southern Africa), Kenya
+254 712 205 860
Davinder Kumar
Press Officer, Plan International Headquarters, UK
+44 7739 326164
The additional food supplies, secured from the World Food Programme, will now reach some 14000 people over the next three months.
Plan has an on-going programme in Pibor and Akobo in Jonglei state where it is responding to emergency food needs of 4500 children through school feeding programme. This includes children affected by the inter-communal violence.
The latest round of fighting that broke out in late December between Lou Nuer and Murle communities - two of Jonglei state’s largest ethnic groups, has made the humanitarian situation worse. According to UN, in 2011, more than 1,100 people lost their lives, and some 63,000 people were displaced by inter-communal violence in the state.
There are fears that violence may worsen as Lou Nuer and Murle tribes prepare for revenge attacks which could lead to a protracted conflict. Reports have also emerged from the area suggesting a rise in abduction of children by warring tribes
“The capacities of the aid agencies were already stretched before the fresh clashes. Children are particularly vulnerable in the escalating situation and their needs must be met as a priority,” said Fikru Abebe, Country Director of Plan in South Sudan.
Plan’s response team in South Sudan will roll-out a comprehensive aid response which will address issues like emotional support for people and child protection in emergencies. The organisation has also deployed specialist capacities to support its relief operation.
In Pibor alone more than 32,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Insecurity issues and accessibility of many areas only by air is making transportation of food relief from Juba a very big challenge and an expensive operation for aid agencies.
“We are committed to continue expanding our relief to reach affected children as long as security prevails in Pibor and if UN agencies continue to fulfil their commitment to transport food from Juba to Pibor and Akobo,” said Mr Abebe. “We support the development of a long-term strategy to guarantee safety of children and the affected community.”
Plan is appealing for US$ 750,000 to support its relief food distribution efforts in South Sudan.
Find out more about Plan's work in South Sudan
Editor’s Notes:
Plan Country Director in South Sudan Fikru Abebe is available for media interviews.
Media contacts:
Atem Dut
Communication Officer, Plan South Sudan
+211 957165104
Regis Nyamakanga
Regional Communications Manager (Eastern and Southern Africa), Kenya
+254 712 205 860
Davinder Kumar
Press Officer, Plan International Headquarters, UK
+44 7739 326164
There are still some 500,000 people living in temporary shelters among them many tens of thousands are children and young people.
“Haiti is a very young nation with around half of its population aged under 18. There are many vulnerable young people at risk if we allow this to become simply 2010’s forgotten crisis,” said Plan’s director in Haiti, John Chaloner.
“Many of them in the camps lack the most basic of resources, proper support and protection. This resilient young generation needs continued support in quality education and employment to give them real hope for the future and the opportunities they deserve.”
Plan, like many non-governmental organisations (NGO), believes the government of Haiti must fulfil its responsibility and take leadership on shelter, healthcare, education and economic growth. But with the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere still struggling to rebuild, the challenge is still major.
Plan is concentrating its focus on 3 areas:
Mr Chaloner said: “If Haiti is to rebuild from this terrible disaster as a self-sustaining, successful country its young people need strong child protection systems and access to quality health care and education and we remain optimistic that can be achieved.”
Editor notes
Plan, has operated in Haiti for almost 40 years and currently has projects in the following areas: Beudet, Cayes-Jacmel, Croix-des-Bouquets, Dolney, Fort-Liberté, Frères, Jacmel, Lavallée, Ouanaminthe and Trou-du-Nord.
In the last 24 months, Plan has:
For more details contact:
In Haiti:
Jessica Theodore
Communications Manager, Plan International Haiti
+ (509) 3 445-2702
Skype: donmoisa
Jessica.Theodore@plan-international.org
At Plan HQ
Stuart Coles
Media Manager
+44 (0) 7500 066 891
Stuart.coles@plan-international.org
The severe flooding and devastation caused by the tropical storm on 16 December last year left over 1,200 dead and affected nearly 118,000 families. Over 80,000 families evacuated following floods are still homeless.
Plan is responding to the life-saving needs of families in the worst affected parts of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Negros Oriental. The organisation is aiming to reach nearly 150,000 affected people and has started distributing relief items including 10,000 hygiene kits, 10,000 water-purification kits, 15,000 mosquito nets and 20,000 traditional blankets (Malong) among other essential supplies.
Carin van der Hor, Plan’s country director in the Philippines, said: “The need is overwhelming. We are working with local government, UN and other humanitarian actors to reach out to the most vulnerable groups.”
Children continue to remain the main focus of Plan’s aid response. The organisation has distributed 290 tents in Iligan and 20 in Cagayan de Oro for use as shelters and temporary learning spaces for children. So far Plan has conducted 8 sessions with 537 children and 87 adults in Cagayan de Oro to address their emotional needs.
Dr Unni Krishnan, Plan's Disaster Response Policy Coordinator, said: “Children living in displaced settings and separated from families are extremely vulnerable. Their health, protection, emotional care and education should be the main priority.”
Plan has been working in the Philippines since 1961 and runs a project along with UNICEF supporting children formerly associated with armed groups in parts of Mindanao. Even though Plan’s programme areas in Mindanao escaped the typhoon, the organisation is responding to the overwhelming needs of thousands affected by the flood.
Plan is appealing to raise US$1.5m towards its initial response. It has so far mobilised nearly US $1m in confirmed and under-negotiation grants.
Find out more about Plan’s work in the Philippines
Editor’s notes:
Plan Philippines Country Director Ms Carin van der Hor is available for media interviews.
Media contacts:
Mardy Halcon
Communications Officer
Plan International - Philippines
Mobile: +63 917 5435210
Davinder Kumar
Press Officer
Plan International Headquarters (UK)
Mobile: +44 7739 326164
In order to highlight the unique challenges and issues facing girls in many developing countries, Plan has led the call for this world day as part of its ‘Because I am a Girl’ campaign.
"By designating October 11th as Day of the Girl we are all agreeing to put a special focus on the rights of girls throughout the world. We know that in many countries girls get left behind in all areas of life from school to work and many are prevented from fulfilling their true potential by severe discrimination and prejudice,” said Plan International CEO Nigel Chapman.
Mr Chapman said Plan applauded the Canadian Government which sponsored the proposal at the UN. They became involved after Plan brought a delegation of girls and young women to the UN's Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, earlier this year.
Many girls and young women globally have been calling for such a day of recognition for some time.
At the CSW, Lil Shira, a young woman from Cameroon, said: “Girls are being neglected, marginalised, and discriminated in families and society. Most of the girls are ignorant about their rights. The ‘Day of the Girl’ will make girls feel respected, recognised and their contributions valued in society."
2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee has been a long standing supporter of Plan’s Day of the Girl campaign. Gbowee said: “I think the international day of the girl child would be a great day for the issues of the girl child to be brought to light for media institutions, for government institutions, and for educational institutions to take the time to think: Girls are the future of the world and we definitely need a day dedicated to their issues.”
Research has shown that investing in girls and young women has a disproportionately beneficial effect in alleviating poverty - not only for girls but for their families, communities and entire countries. Girls who spend an extra year at school will on average increase their lifetime income by 10 to 20%.
Deepali Sood, Director of Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign said: “Women's empowerment begins with girls' empowerment. Breaking the cycle of gender discrimination requires that we promote and protect the rights of girls. At the same time we also need to equip them with the skills and opportunities they need to transform their lives and those of their communities.”
Research has shown that simply being born a girl can leave a child at a huge disadvantage in life. In the poorest societies a girl faces greater risk of malnutrition, hunger and disease compared to her brothers. She will have fewer opportunities for an education and career. In many developing countries 1 out of 7 girls marries before age 15.
Editor's notes
Because I am a Girl is Plan's campaign to fight gender inequality, promote girls' rights and lift millions of girls out of poverty.
Across the world, girls face double discrimination due to their gender and age, leaving them at the bottom of the social ladder.
Research has shown that girls are more likely to suffer from malnutrition; be forced into an early marriage; be subject to violence or intimidation; be trafficked, sold or coerced into the sex trade; or become infected with HIV.
Plan is producing one girl report each year in the run up to 2015, the target year for the Millennium Development Goals. Each report provides tangible proof of the inequalities that still exist between boys and girls.
Join our campaign and help us transform the lives of the world's poorest girls.
]]>The US Secretary of State called for wider support for universal birth registration at the largest conference on refugees and statelessness – a crippling issue which affects an estimated 12,000,000 stateless people worldwide.
Addressing the UNHCR conference in Geneva, she outlined the terrible effects of how discriminatory laws in developing countries prevent millions of women from registering the birth of their child, marriages or even family deaths.
"These laws perpetuate generations of stateless people who are often unable to work legally or travel freely. They cannot vote, open a bank account, or own property. They often lack access to healthcare and other public services. And without birth registration or citizenship documents, stateless children often cannot attend school,” she said.
Secretary Clinton added that in this compromised position, women and children are particularly vulnerable to abuse, violence and exploitation including trafficking, arbitrary arrest and detention.
Plan through its Count Every Child campaign has been lobbying for universal birth registration since 1998.
Head of Global Advocacy Nadya Kassam said: “Secretary Clinton has been an advocate for birth registration campaigns for some years and we strongly support her comments. Some 51,000,000 children go unregistered every year and among them are the most marginalised, vulnerable and disenfranchised children in many countries.
“A birth certificate can help all children to access their rights so we join the call on all states to take steps to ensure universal birth registration.”
Ms Kassam said Plan would continue to play its part in partnerships which persuade governments to change discriminatory nationality laws and also to encourage states to establish procedures and systems which make citizenship for stateless people far more accessible.
Editors' notes:
Media contacts:
Geneva:
Davinder.kumar@plan-international.org
+44 (0) 77 393 261 64
London
Stuart.coles@plan-international.org
+44 (0) 7500 066 891
In order to highlight the unique challenges and issues faced by girls in developing countries, Plan has led the call for this world day as part of its Because I am a Girl campaign.
The call was first raised by girls themselves at a UN gender summit in 2009 as a crucial recognition of their rights. Since then girls have lobbied for this day, with the support and guidance of Plan.
The campaign has won backing from governments across the world. The Canadian Government is leading the resolution at the UN and over 100 member nations have already pledged their support.
The resolution was adopted by consensus at the Third Committee of the General Assembly and will go to the full Assembly for adoption the week of 19 December.
"The International Day of the Girl Child puts a special focus on the needs of girls throughout the world. We know that in many countries girls get left behind in all areas of life from school to work and in the worst cases aren’t even allowed to be born”, said Plan International Chief Executive Officer Nigel Chapman.
Leymah Gbowee, the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been a long standing supporter of an international day dedicated to girls. She said it would help bring to light the issues of girls before governments, media and educational institutions. “Girls are the future of the world and we definitely need a day dedicated to their issues.”
Research has shown that simply being born a girl can leave a child at a huge disadvantage in life. In the poorest societies, a girl faces greater risk of malnutrition, hunger and disease compared to her brothers. She will have fewer opportunities for an education and career. In many developing countries 1 out of 7 girls marries before age 15, resulting in them having to drop out of school before they have a chance to receive the education they deserve.
Deepali Sood, Director of Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign, said: “Women's empowerment begins with girls' empowerment. Breaking the cycle of gender discrimination requires that we promote and protect the rights of girls. At the same time we also need to equip them with the skills and opportunities they need to transform their lives and those of their communities.”
Plan’s study, ‘The State of the World's Girls 2009: Girls in the global economy’ shows that investing in girls and young women has a disproportionately beneficial effect in alleviating poverty - not only for girls but for their families, communities and entire countries. Girls who spend an extra year at school will on average increase their lifetime income by 10 to 20%.
Editor's notes:
Davinder Kumar
Press Officer (International Headquarters, UK)
Global roaming: +44 (0) 7739 326164
Davinder.Kumar@plan-international.org
Skype: davinder.ih
Ms Løj comes to Plan with a wealth of international experiences, including most recently as Head of the UN Mission in Liberia, a country which just have had its second democratic election since the end of its brutal 14-year civil war. She will assume her role as Chair by February 2012, when her assignment with the UN ends.
Paul Arlman retiring after 6 years serving as Plan International Chair said he was extremely pleased that: “a person of such broad and deep international experience as Ellen Løj declared herself prepared to take the Plan Chair.”
"Plan as an international NGO in development needs profound experience and knowledge of both development processes and of the international scene. The challenges for Plan in a rapidly changing world are simply put, enormous, and I have the greatest confidence that Ellen will contribute to Plan's work for children very successfully.”
Ms Løj said: “I am very pleased to have been selected for this position and I am looking forward to working closely with Plan. By using my experiences, I will do my best to ensure that Plan continues to make a difference on the ground through the delivery of the highest possible service for children and their communities and by working for the rights of children worldwide.”
Following a long career in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and many years in international diplomacy, including 6 years as Ambassador to the UN in New York, she was asked in 2008 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to lead the UN operation in Liberia.
She is currently responsible for the UN mission which includes some 8,000 peacekeeping soldiers, 1,400 police officers and 1,500 civilian staff overseeing security and stability in the country. The Liberian civil conflict claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people and displaced over 1,000,000.
She was previously the Danish Ambassador to the Czech Republic and prior to that, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN in New York, serving as the Danish representative on the UN Security Council in 2005-2006.
Born in Gedesby, Denmark, Ms Løj graduated from Copenhagen University in 1973 with a Master’s degree in political science and began her diplomatic career in the Danish Foreign Ministry the same year.
From 1977 to 1980 she served as First Secretary of the Danish Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, and until 1985, she was Counsellor within the Danish Representation to the European Union, Brussels. From 1986 to 1989 she was Head of Departments in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 1989 to 1992, she served as the Danish Ambassador to Israel and from 1996 to 2001 she was Under Secretary and then State Secretary of Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Plan operates in 68 countries worldwide working with 1,200,000 sponsored children, nearly 58,000 communities each year and reaching a population of some 56,000,000 children.
Editor’s notes
For more information please contact:
Stuart Coles
Media Manager, Plan International
Stuart.coles@plan-international.org
+44 (0) 7500 066 891
This pledge is on top of the $113,000,000 Plan already spends on education projects reaching over 56,000,000 students. Plan’s pledge comes as global leaders gather in Copenhagen to commit additional funds to education programmes across the world. It is hoped governments and NGO’s will pledge to fill the $8 billion funding gap that exists in order to meet the ‘Education For All’ goals between now and 2015.
Speaking ahead of the Global Partnership for Education Replenishment event in Copenhagen today, Plan International CEO Nigel Chapman said, “Girls make up the majority of the 67 million children who are not in school in developing countries and by 2015 we need to reduce this number. We need countries to ensure that when they pledge funding to education, a significant part of these funds are allocated specifically to close the education gender gap.”
Research has shown that investing in girls and young women has a disproportionately beneficial effect in alleviating poverty - not only for girls but for their families, communities and entire countries. Girls who spend an extra year at school will on average increase their lifetime income by 10 to 20%.
“We are here today not only to hold governments and donors to account and ensure they commit essential funding to education, we are also here to talk about how we can enable safe learning spaces for all children, especially girls,” says Chapman.
The millions spent on education are wasted if girls are simply too scared to go to school, because of fear of violence. Quality education cannot be achieved unless international organisations, governments, local communities, teachers, parents and children work together to uphold this basic right.
“Every girl has a fundamental right to a quality education no matter where in the world she lives. Plan is stepping up to provide funding and expertise for education programmes globally. We are now calling on all governments and donors to do the same. Now the hard work of ensuring the pledges make here in Copenhagen are lived up to and delivered on,” says Mr. Chapman.
Editor's notes:
Plan International CEO Nigel Chapman is available for interviews from Copenhagen. Mr. Chapam will chair a panel event on girl’s education on November 8th.
The Global Partnership for Education is seeking US$2.5 billion over 3 years for its pooled Global Partnership for Education Fund. In the Global Partnership developing partner countries, this level of funding will achieve:
The replenishment pledging event in Copenhagen will be held on November 7-8, 2011 and will be built around a results-focused approach where future funding will be contingent on concrete results. The goal is to achieve more predictable aid from donor partners and a commitment to concrete results and sustained levels of domestic resources for education from developing country partners.
Because I am a Girl is Plan's campaign to fight gender inequality, promote girls' rights and lift millions of girls out of poverty.
Plan is producing one girl report each year in the run up to 2015, the target year for the Millennium Development Goals. Each report provides tangible proof of the inequalities that still exist between boys and girls.
Join our campaign and help us transform the lives of the world's poorest girls.
Plan’s global Learn Without Fear campaign calls for an end to violence against children in schools and enshrine the belief that every child has the right to a safe school environment.
For further information and interviews contact:
Louise Finan, Press Officer, Plan International HQ
Direct Line: +44 (0)1 483 733 330
Mobile: +44 (0) 7739 325 807
Louise.finan@plan-international.org
27 October 2011: Campaigners have called for Commonwealth leaders to prove that the association has real teeth by including a commitment to end early and forced marriage of teenage girls in the final leaders’ communiqué on Sunday.
The call for action gained support from high-profile speakers at a key People’s Forum debate last night, including Australian member of the Eminent Persons Group Michael Kirby, Baroness Ashton of the EU, and the Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
Speaking at the event, ‘Silence is not an option’: Strengthening the role of the Commonwealth in protecting human rights, Plan International Australia chief executive called on the association’s 54 leaders to commit in their closing communiqué to end early and forced marriage.
Mr Wishart said the issue of early and forced marriage was a clear example of how the Commonwealth could take real and tangible action on human rights issues.
“We call for the Commonwealth Secretariat to be mandated to implement, in full, the recommendations of the Sydney Law Ministers’ meeting, where they urged member states to lead action to end the practices of forced and servile marriages,” he said.
“We also want leaders to direct the Secretariat to facilitate dialogue between civil society organisations and Member States to strengthen the implementation of existing laws on early and forced marriage, or, where needed, to identify missing measures to protect girls from early and forced marriage.
“And we call on the Commonwealth Secretariat to be mandated to report on progress on this issue annually.”
Last night’s event was hosted by Plan and the Royal Commonwealth Society. All of the speakers were unanimous about the importance of ending early forced marriage, supporting gender equality, and working to ensure girls all over the world have access to quality education as a means to ending poverty.
Dr Surujrattan Rambachan, Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, opened the evening with a story of his mother who was married at the age of 13, and had to give up her education. He said the experience made her passionate about ensuring her own children – sons and daughters - made the most of their education.
“I can hear you shout at us, as leaders, that culture and tradition should not be used as an excuse to perpetuate a practice which is a major barrier to education and good health, and therefore threatens the life chances of over 75,000,000 girls worldwide not in school,” he said.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the needs and vulnerabilities of our women and girls. As a collective body of the Commonwealth, we must tackle this pressing issue head on. Silence is not an option.
“Let us resolve to work together to overcome the stigma attached to the birth of a female child, to surmount the obstacles to women’s equal participation, to put an end to all forms of discrimination against women and girls.”
Michael Kirby affirmed that the Eminent Persons Group report has references to early and forced marriage, and “that it is a very strong view of the EPG” that girls should not be forced into marriage.
Baroness Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, who led the UK’s forced marriage bill through the House of Lords, also emphasised action on early and forced marriage as one of many human rights issues that the global community needs to maintain focus on.
Speaking about the EU and perhaps giving subtle advice to the Commonwealth, she said: “Human rights is a silver thread throughout all our work. It is not an add-on.”
She said that early and forced marriage was a tragedy for girls and their families.
“It’s time to stop it,” she said. She emphasised that achieving this goal requires strengthening existing laws as well as working with families and communities to help them to understand why children should not be married early.
Plan International and the Royal Commonwealth Society have been campaigning on the issue of early and forced marriage as a key human rights violation that could be dramatically reduced if the Commonwealth’s member states were willing to take concrete action.
“One in 7 girls in the world’s poorest nations are married before they turn 15. When they are married, they invariably have to leave school, robbing them of the opportunity of a better life,” said Mr Wishart.
“Action on this issue will have a hugely positive impact on the life opportunities of literally millions of girls around the world who will otherwise be trapped in a cycle of poverty, ill-health, illiteracy and abuse.”
As part of their push for action on the issue, the organisations have released a CHOGM briefing paper called: Empowering Girls: what the Commonwealth can do to end early and forced marriage.
The paper highlights that early and forced marriage is one of the greatest ongoing barriers to girls’ education, maternal health and economic empowerment, and calls for the Commonwealth to do more to prevent young girls being forced to marry against their will and before they are ready.
Notes to editors
Last night’s event, titled ‘Silence is not an option. Strengthening the role of the Commonwealth in protecting human rights’, featured addresses from:
In March 2011, Plan and the Royal Commonwealth Society released a report called: Because You’re a Girl: Growing up in the Commonwealth. The report highlights the many barriers still faced by girls and women across the Commonwealth to participating fully in social, political and economic life.
For more information go to: http://bit.ly/q9gTdl
To download the report, go to: http://bit.ly/g1eQcP
Plan UK recently released an extensive report on early and forced marriage called Breaking Vows: Early and Forced Marriage and Girls’ Education.
To download the report, go to: http://bit.ly/krxGcn
For more information, go to: http://bit.ly/lPmIOc
For more information or to speak to Ian Wishart from Plan, or Peter Kellner from the Royal Commonwealth Society, contact:
David Cook
Media Officer
Plan International Australia
Mobile: 0448 816 900
Email: david.cook@plan.org.au
Ashley Johnson
Communications Assistant
Royal Commonwealth Society
Mobile: 0426 891 262
Email: ashley.johnson@thercs.org
Plan International and the Royal Commonwealth Society have released the briefing paper Empowering Girls: what the Commonwealth can do to end early and forced marriage, ahead of October’s Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Perth.
Over half of the 20 Commonwealth countries have the highest rates of early and forced marriage in the world.
The paper highlights that early and forced marriage is one of the greatest ongoing barriers to girls’ education, maternal health and economic empowerment. It calls for the Commonwealth countries to live up to their values and to do more to prevent young girls being forced to marry against their will and before they are ready.
Plan International CEO, Nigel Chapman says that early and forced marriage traps girls in a cycle of poverty, ill health and illiteracy: “Around the world, 10,000,000 girls under the age of 18 marry each year - that’s 1 every 3 seconds.
“Early and forced marriage re-enforces the cycle of poverty for girls and women and is one of the most significant barriers to reaching the Millennium Development Goal targets on infant and maternal health, universal primary education, poverty reduction and gender equality and empowerment.”
“Breaking these cycles requires that we promote and protect the rights of girls. Girls who are married early are more likely to experience violence, abuse and forced sex, increased problems with their sexual and reproductive health, and are much more likely to miss out on their education and to be illiterate.
In countries across the commonwealth, Plan is working with governments and communities to end this practice and is urging governments to take more serious action on this pressing issue.
“Global consensus around the need to end early and forced marriage is building,” say the paper’s authors.
“If the Commonwealth acts now it can demonstrate the global moral leadership that can define its unique identity on a crowded international stage.”
Notes to editors
In UK:
Stuart Coles
Media Manager
Plan International HQ
+44 (0) 1483 733 211
+44 (0) 7500 066 891
In Australia:
David Cook
Media Officer
Plan Australia
+61 3 9672 3652
+61 448 816 900
]]>The non-profit organisation which works in 50 developing countries will see its logo take pride of place on the nose of the AT&T Williams team’s cars for the inaugural race on October 28-30.
The amazing opportunity was created by Thomson Reuters, a long-term partner of AT&T Williams, which generously donated its usual branding position on the cars to help highlight Plan’s work.
The race at the Buddh circuit in Uttar Pradesh is very timely for Plan as the populous state will also be the location on October 31st for its major campaign on girls’ rights.
According to United Nations’ estimates, the world population will pass the 7 billion mark on October 31. Plan is using the occasion to raise awareness of the increasing problem of millions of ‘disappearing’ girls in India and globally through the continued practice of foeticide and infanticide.
Hundreds of thousands of female babies are being terminated in India every year even though sex-selective abortions and use of ultrasound technology for foetal sex-determination are illegal in the country. Plan’s Let Girls Be Born campaign in India has been very active in trying to combat this damaging and growing gender gap.
Plan International CEO Nigel Chapman said: “We are extremely proud to be so prominently involved in this first Indian Grand Prix and very grateful to both Thomson Reuters & AT&T Williams for this marvellous and generous opportunity.
“It will enable Plan to significantly raise our profile and for us to further our work in India on this and many other pressing issues adversely affecting the lives of children in poverty there.”
Internationally acclaimed actor Anil Kapoor and Plan’s patron in India said: “Plan is bringing a lasting change in the lives of over a million children in India and it’s a great opportunity to showcase Plan’s work on the global platform. I will be there personally to cheer the AT&T Williams Formula 1 team and celebrate Plan’s success.”
Editor's notes:
For more details please contact:
Stuart Coles
Media Manager
Plan International HQ
Stuart.coles@plan-international.org
+44 (0) 7500 066 891
In India; Davinder Kumar
Press Officer
Global roaming: +44 7739326164
India: +91 8802224894
Davinder.kumar@plan-international.org
“The scale of the disaster is such that it will take several months to bring back some degree of normality in the lives of the affected people. We will work quickly to ensure children have food, clothes and their families are looked after in the wake of the floods,” said Plan Thailand acting country director Sunan Samrianrum.
In Ayutthaya, many mothers rely on powdered milk so their babies can be fed while they work in factories. Now, they are facing grave challenges in trying to feed their babies as powdered milk is a scare commodity. Plan is working with the Thai government to establish infant feeding stations at evacuation centres, and to help educate mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding.
About 110,000 people around the country have sought refuge in the 1000 shelters dotted around the country. Many families (50,000 alone in Bangpa-in district) are stranded in homes on the upper floors of their houses with supplies of water and food running out. The government estimates that serious flooding will remain a problem for another 2 months.
Out of the 2.4 million people affected across Thailand, 700,000 are believed to be children. So far, heavy monsoon rains have killed some 300 people, destroyed millions of acres of farmlands, inundated hundreds of factories, and put hundreds of thousands of workers’ out of work. The situation is expected to worsen in Thailand with continued heavy rains, high tides and run-off from the north.
For more information, please contact:
Apiradee Chappanapong
Communications & PR manager, Plan International, Thailand Office
Mobile: ++66 89 452 1611
Email : apiradee.chappanapong@plan-international.org | Skype : jaaomcm3
Nopporn Wong-Anan
Regional Media Specialist
Plan Asia Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 204 2630/4 ext 116
Mobile: +66 81 839 3032, Skype: nop.anan
On October 31, the day when the world population is projected to surpass 7 billion, Plan will celebrate the birth of a girl as the world’s 7 billionth child near Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh.
The organisation is using the occasion to draw world attention to India’s growing gender gap. The world’s emerging economic superpower, estimated to overtake China to become the most populous nation by 2030, has 7 million girls ‘missing’ from its population.
Hundreds of thousands of female foetuses are being terminated in India every year even though sex-selective abortions and use of ultrasound technology for foetal sex-determination are illegal in the country.
According to India’s 2011 Census, the ratio of girls to boys has dropped to an all time low since records began. Today, the national figure has fallen to an alarming 914 girls for every 1,000 boys between 0 and 6 years. In some states like Punjab that ratio is as low as 846 girls to 1,000 boys.
Nigel Chapman, Plan International CEO said: “Girls throughout the world are still being denied their rightful access to many things – but this is the most grave of all – the right to be born itself. Globally millions of girls are either never born because of a skewed preference for sons or die in early childhood or in reproductive years. We must bring a stop to this injustice.”
Plan is advocating girls’ rights and empowerment through its global campaign ‘Because I am A Girl’. As part of its commitment, the organisation has launched the ‘Let Girls Be Born’ initiative in India to galvanise action to address the issue of female foeticide.
Bhagyashri Dengle, Executive Director of Plan India said: “We are the world’s most rapidly growing nation, yet among the most challenging for girls. Plan has been working in India for the last 3 decades and survival rights of girls have been a key focus of our community development work. With ‘Let Girls be Born’ we hope to reach out to people to make them realise the consequences of the declining sex ratio, and encourage them to be active in celebrating girls.”
Plan chose Uttar Pradesh to mark the birth of Baby 7 Billion as the state accounts not only for the highest number of births but also the highest number of ‘missing girls’. With a population bigger than that of Brazil, it has just 899 girls for every 1,000 boys. The situation is similar in other states such as Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and country’s capital Delhi.
On October 31, Plan will celebrate the birth of ‘Baby 7 Billion’ at a public function near Lucknow. The newborn will be issued with a birth certificate by state authorities. The organisation has made registration of birth an integral part of its girls’ rights campaigns.
Nadya Kassam, Plan’s Global Head of Advocacy said: “A birth certificate is recognition of a valued life and is a passport to citizenship and many rights. In places like India particularly, it gives live data on the gender gap and serves as a vital indicator to track where girls are being lost.”
Editor's notes:
Davinder Kumar
Press Officer (International Headquarters, UK)
+44 (0) 7739 326164
Davinder.Kumar@plan-international.org
Shompa Mohanty
Communications Manager (India)
+91 (0) 1146558414
Shompa.Mohanty@planindia.org