Plan International Australia

We wish everyone a joyful and safe festive period 💙

Here are the facts 👇 📌12,000 girls everyday are at risk of FGM 📌More than 230 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM in 30 countries 📌Between 2015 and 2030, 68 million girls are at risk of FGM 📌9 of the 15 countries with the highest rates of FGM are deemed 'fragile states'. With your support, we can change the facts and ensure the next generation of girls never experience FGM: https://lnkd.in/gKeBkfyB

We are devastated by reports that three World Food Programme aid workers in Sudan have been killed in an aerial bombardment. Aid workers are protected under International Humanitarian Law, and must never be a target. Our statement: https://lnkd.in/dXU-AiD8

Everyday 12,000 girls are at risk of undergoing FGM. That trauma and pain can be long-lasting. But, this doesn't have to be the reality. With the support of community leaders, mothers and healthcare professionals, we can ensure this practice ends and protect the next generation of girls. You can act now: https://lnkd.in/gKeBkfyB

Come, let’s sail through the Pacific, on this journey with Niue, Samoa and Solomon Islands ⛵ Working with artists, content creators, elders, educators, parents and caregivers in Niue, Samoa and Solomon Islands, Storytime and Play are proud to launch part 1 of the first ever locally produced children’s TV series. It's available to download: https://lnkd.in/g7K3jpmJ Apple Store: https://lnkd.in/gthuEdQi Storytime & Play is implemented in the Pacific by Plan International Australia with support from New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade International Development Cooperation Programme and working in partnership with partners – Dream Cast Theatre Solomon Islands, Samoa GEM, Rocksteady Studios Ltd and BighART.

A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu on Tuesday, causing widespread destruction. The quake reduced buildings to rubble, triggered landslides, and disrupted power and telecom infrastructure. Multiple aftershocks have further compounded the challenges, leaving communications disrupted and the airport closed. Mudasser Siddiqui, Deputy CEO of Plan International Australia on the urgency of the situation. “We must act swiftly and inclusively to provide essential aid such as emergency food, water, shelter, and psychosocial support. In collaboration with our partners on the ground, Plan is exploring opportunities to secure funding through mechanisms such as the Australian Humanitarian Partnership.” Read our full statement: https://lnkd.in/gswbZ7nf

Pagirinya refugee settlement in Uganda has the highest refugee population in Uganda, the majority being women. Alim was forced to flee her home in South Sudan when conflict erupted and settled in Pagirinya. Our Adolescent Girls in Crisis project, with support from Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade #ANCP and the Judith Neilson Foundation, empowers adolescent girls and young mothers with the knowledge, skills and agency they need to break the cycle of gender inequality. Alim believes the buddy system is a powerful force against early marriage, teenage pregnancies, and gender-based violence. #AdolescentGirlsinCrisis #GenderBasedViolence

Last week, the team at Plan Australia celebrated the end of another fantastic year together. Our celebrations are more than just a party but an expression of our continued commitment to practising Feminist Leadership Principles. This year the team successfully: 👉 Rolled out comprehensive leadership development programs for our middle manager and aspiring leaders group, with a particular focus on coaching, feedback and leading through complexity and change 👉 Demonstrated agility and resilience through significant transformations like ANCP Accreditation and the implementation of a new CRM 👉 Demonstrated our commitment to psychological safety and Respect @ Work principles 👉 Continued embedding feminist leadership principles into the ways we work 👉 An enhanced focus on maintaining culture and connection in a hybrid environment These milestones represent not just technical accomplishments, but our collective commitment to strengthening Plan's impact in the communities we serve and are a result of our team collaboration and mutual support. P.S. The team was having so much fun that we didn't capture an updated team photo but enjoy this one from our previous All Staff day!

Mothers are pushing back against ingrained cultural practises like FGM and breaking the cycle for their daughters and for generations to come. With your help, we can support mothers and community leaders ensure the next generations of girls never experience the debilitating pain of FGM. https://lnkd.in/gKeBkfyB #HelpFightFGM

Child marriage. Female genital mutilation. Gender-based violence. When girls aren't educated and support, experience poverty and are trapped in cycles of conflict and crisis, their risks of experiencing early, forced and child marriage, FGM and gender-based violence increases. In Marie Claire's December issue, our ambassador Benjamin Law's reflections on his recent trip to Cambodia and Plan International Cambodia, a country with one of the highest rates of child marriage in South-East Asia. Go and get yourself a copy! "It's also apparent how stifling and limited the options are for many of these girls. The value placed on their labour, their ability to bear children and the importance their dowry might have for a family in abject poverty. How little consideration there is for their agency and choice. It is hard to imagine how small, tiring, boring and isolating their worlds might be." No girl deserves this. All girls have a right to an education, a life free from violence and the right to bodily autonomy.