Bold commitments to adolescent girls at Generation Equality forum

2 JULY 2021

Plan International is proud to have made a set of 30 commitments across all six Action Coalitions at the Generation Equality Forum today.

These commitments aim to amplify adolescent girls’ voices, advance their rights, and resource and support their leadership and meaningful engagement in Generation Equality over the next 5 years.

Over $20m in commitments

Our commitments include initiatives totalling more than $20m, alongside technical expertise, advocacy and new collaborations with partners and adolescent girls, at the global, regional, national and local levels. 

The Generation Equality Forum (GEF) is a landmark global initiative, driving commitments that embed gender equality as a central component of Building Back Better from COVID-19 to fuel significant and lasting change for generations to come. 

GEF brings together representatives from Member States, UN Entities, the Private Sector and civil society, including youth organisations and networks, to accelerate progress for gender equality around the world. The Generation Equality Forum Action Coalitions are the world’s roadmap for gender equality, mobilising a global set of commitments that will run for five years (2026) to deliver on agreed goals and objectives set out in the Global Acceleration Plan (GAP).

Putting girls at the heart of the process

Over the last year and a half Plan International has worked in partnership with adolescent girls, the GEF Youth Task Force, the Adolescent Girls Investment Plan (AGIP) and others to ensure that adolescent girls are central to the GEF process and the Action Coalition blueprints, and to support their meaningful engagement in the GEF process, including the implementation of commitments and accountability arrangements.

In particular, we are proud to launch a new Girls’ Fund with Purposeful and the Government of Ireland to resource girl-led and girl-centred young feminist groups as part of our commitments to the Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership.

Changing how girls are funded

The Young Feminist Manifesto is calling for funds to be directed primarily to youth-led and youth run organisations themselves. The Girls’ Fund is responding to this call and seeks to change how girls are funded. Our funding process is designed by girls and young activists and is fast, accessible and inclusive. It will support the engagement and organising of girls and their allies in Generation Equality by providing small flexible grants through multi-year funding committed by the Irish Government. 

Together Plan, Purposeful and the Government of Ireland have committed $969,000 (to 2026) to launch the Girls’ Fund. 

Share