72 mio. tvunget på flugt

Mere end 72 millioner børn og voksne er på verdensplan fordrevet fra deres hjem. Det svarer til 1 ud af 100 verdensborgere, som tvinges til at forlade deres hjem som følge af konflikter, vold, naturkatastrofer, politiske omvæltninger mm. Det viser en ny rapport fra International Røde Kors, som blev offentliggjort i sidste uge.

Ifølge rapporten, med navnet "World Disasters 2012", bliver flere og flere børn og deres familier tvunget til at migrere. Faktisk er 20 millioner mennesker fordrevet i en langvarig periode.

49 % af migranterne er kvinder og piger, og hele 46 % er børn under 18 år. Tvungen migration går især ud over børnene og kvinderne.

Lige nu findes der fx mere end 118.000 internt fordrevne i Mali i Vestafrika, som er flygtet fra deres hjem, fordi islamiske grupper - som gerne hverver børnesoldater og sætter kvinder til salg - har overtaget deres lokalområe.

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In pictures: Latin America 'Because I am a Girl' photo competition

View the winning shots from the first Latin America 'Because I am a Girl' photography competition, organised by Plan and Spanish news ageny EFE.

The competition invited professional photographers from Latin America to capture their view on life and the exclusion of girls across the region.

Andreina Lucchesi's image, 'Ana', was the overall winner out of hundreds of entries from 11 countries. The photo depicts a teenager in Kuna Yala, an indigenous region of Panama.

In close second was Ecuadorian Fabricio Morales, with his image 'Participation'. Colombian Pabon Hector Fabio Zamora's photo 'Wounaan' won third place.

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Malala - Because I am a Girl urgent action appeal

On 9 October, 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan was shot in the head because she is a girl and dared to defend every girls’ right to an education.

Malala’s story has awakened people everywhere to the fight to make education a reality for all girls - no matter where they are born.

On 10 November, Gordon Brown, the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, will meet Pakistan's President Zardari and deliver a petition calling for urgent action to support girls’ education.

Please add your voice right now - sign the petition on the UN Education Envoy website.

We need 1 million signatures. Please spread the word and share the link with all your friends.

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Oversvømmelser i Pakistan

5 millioner børn og familier er lige nu påvirket af de alvorlige oversvømmelser, som ramte Pakistan i september som følge af monsunregnen. Værst ramt er Sindh-, Punjab- og Balochistan-provinserne.

De altødelæggende vandmasser har kostet 370 mennesker livet og såret cirka 1.200 børn og voksne.

91 % af de ramte familier har reduceret antallet af måltider pr. dag, og 300.000 mennesker har brug for ekstra ernæring.

Mere end 3.200 skoler er ødelagte, mens 550 skoler nu bebos af indbyggere, der har været tvunget til at forlade hus og hjem. Dermed går dette års monsunregn ud over hele 500.000 skoleelever.


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Three girls, one day: Life through their eyes

Could you imagine feeling like the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders? Lia, Hue, and Hap, three girls living in rural Vietnam, can relate to that feeling.

See life through the eyes of these three girls and discover what a day in their life looks like. Hear about their hopes, dreams and the struggles they face living in their rural communities.

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A school for Tanseiga

If sending your children to school meant a five-mile walk on an unsafe road twice a day, what would you do?

Until last year, this was the dilemma facing parents in Tanseiga, a village in central Burkina Faso. Sending children to school involved a five mile walk on a long and sometimes dangerous road. While parents were aware of the value of educating their children, this was not a choice that many parents were prepared to make. As a result, only 7 percent or 35 out of the 500 children in the village went to school. 

Frustrated by the barriers they faced in getting their children to school, parents in Tanseiga approached Plan to find a solution. Plan worked with parents, children, and the local education authority to plan the construction of a new school in the village.

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5 ways to end poverty around the world

World leaders recently committed themselves to cutting the number of people living in extreme poverty in half by 2015. That includes people whose income is less than one dollar a day.

This is no easy feat, therefore working together is crucial. Countries from all over the world must work together to help end the cycle of poverty.

Poverty is passed from one generation to the next. Through our work, Plan gives children, families and communities the tools they need to break the cycle of poverty. 

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African musicians launch Because I am a Girl song

African musicians have released a pop song to celebrate and promote the global launch of Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign.

The musicians, South Africa’s Yvonne Chaka Chaka – dubbed the ‘Princess of Africa’; African music legend Oliver Mtukudzi of Zimbabwe and the ‘Tracy Chapman of Africa’, Suzanna Owiyo from Kenya (pictured above), attended the official pan-Africa Because I am a Girl launch in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 11 October 2012 - the first ever international Day of the Girl.

Through the song, the musicians hope to send a message to all generations that educating girls should be a top priority, as well as ensuring that girls are respected and protected.

Listen to the Because I am a Girl song

Flood victims offer their girls as young brides for dowry

When the President of Cameroon has been a long time outside of the capital city, something exceptional must be happening. President Paul Biya had spent four days in North and Far North Regions of Cameroon, comforting his countrymen who had been displaced by the flood and had congratulated aid agencies for their hard work. As he left Maroua, I was on my way to Kai-Kai, located near the Chad border.

When I was first told that I would be going to Kai-Kai, it sounded like a place in China! That was the first time that I had heard of this tiny rural town. But my colleagues told me: “Visit Kai-Kai and you will understand the gravity of the situation”. And so I agreed to visit.

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A youth club leader in her own words

18% of Ghanaians live in extreme poverty, and the region of Volta is one of the poorest in the country. As a result, people living in Volta struggle with low literacy rates, low school enrolment, few economic opportunities, and poor access to health facilities and clean drinking water.

In spite of these hardships, there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about Volta. It is home to some dynamic young leaders who are working hard to bring about real change.

One of these young leaders is Jenifer, who is the leader of a community-run youth club that meets once a week. The club discusses issues like peer pressure, adolescent development, and the environment.

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Sådan går det børnene i Mali

Det nye skoleår er for længst startet de fleste steder i verden, og i Danmark nyder skoleeleverne lige nu deres efterårsferie. Men for børnene i Mali er situationen en ganske anden. De har været på "sommerferie" siden marts og kan ikke vende tilbage til deres skole af flere dystre årsager.

For det første er den nordlige del af deres land overtaget af islamiske grupper, som gerne sværger til vold, rekruttering af børnesoldater og salg af kvinder for at få indført den strengt religiøse sharialov. Derfor har mange børn og deres forældre været tvunget til at flygte fra deres hjem og alt, hvad de ejer. Der findes nu mere end 118.000 internt fordrevne i det hårdtprøvede land i Vestafrika. Imens er mange skoler besat af militære grupper. Alene i Mopti i det centrale Mali er 14 grundskoler blevet besat, og næsten 5.000 skoleelever må holde sig væk.  

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Belgian girls forced to labour at school

In several Belgian schools, Plan changed the schedule for one day. The girls were given manual labour while the boys continued their lessons. Watch the clip to see how the girls reacted to this injustice.

Globally, 1 in 3 girls is denied an education. Many of them are forced to carry out domestic chores while their brothers go to school.

13 år og brud

"Jeg troede, han var min far", fortæller Ramatou fra Niger. I en alder af 10 år blev hun gift med en fremmed mand, som hun aldrig havde mødt før. Ramatou forberedte også sin 13-årige datter, Mariama, på at blive gift. Heldigvis fik familien støtte af Plan til at ændre planerne.

Mariama fik beskeden en torsdag morgen: Hun skulle giftes med en mand, hun ikke kendte. Den 13-årige pige brød straks i gråd, men lige lidt hjalp det. Senere på ugen skulle hun giftes med en totalt fremmed mand. Hun var bange og forklarede sin familie, at hun ikke var klar til at have sex.

Alligevel tog Mariamas mor kontakt til en mand i midten af 20'erne og fik ca. 1.200 kroner i medgift for at gifte sin datter bort. Som enke havde Mariamas mor svært ved at skaffe mad på bordet til alle sine børn. Derfor var den eneste løsning, at hun giftede sine døtre bort.
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Child marriage flash mob takes over Copenhagen station

A flash mob took over the central train station in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 11 October to mark the first ever international Day of the Girl and global launch of Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign.

A young bride and groom waltzed around the concourse while the rest of the 'mob' comprising of members from Plan Denmark's youth board spread campaign messages.

The slogans on their T-shirts read: 'Every third second a girl is forced into marriage'.

Some 10 million girls across the world are married before the age of 18 each year - and all too often they are forced out of education and get pregnant, which can have a devastating effect on their health.

Vores flash mob er blevet verdenskendt!

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Tackling child marriage in Burkina refugee camps

When the Taureg fled the fighting in northern Mali into neighbouring Burkina Faso they brought part of their culture with them – the practice of child marriage.

More than half of the 1,016 refugee girls, aged 11-17, living in Plan-supported camps in Burkina Faso (since escaping Mali in March) may already be either married or engaged.

In Taureg culture, early marriage is seen as a mechanism to prevent girls from having sex outside of marriage, which is regarded as a sin.

All too often these child brides are forced out of education and pregnancy can have a devastating effect on their health.

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Børneægteskaber i Indonesien

Forestil dig at blive gift som 13-årig med en mand tre gange din egen alder. Det er virkeligheden for mange piger i verdens fattigste lande. Hvert år tvinges 10 millioner piger under 18 år til ægteskab. Det svarer til en pige hvert 3. sekund.

Børneægteskaberne har længe været et problem i landdistriktet Kebumen, som ligger i Indonesiens Java provins. Mens pigerne stadig er børn, bliver de trukket ud af skolen for at blive gift og starte en familie. Dermed fratages pigerne muligheden for at få en uddannelse og udnytte deres fulde potentiale.

"Et af de største problemer for børnene her er børneægteskaber," fortæller en mandlig indbygger: "Det skyldes traditioner. Familierne føler stolthed, når deres datter er den første, der bliver gift."


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Plan is celebrating Global Hand-Washing Day

Today, Plan will be holding a number of events around the world, in celebration of Global Hand-Washing Day. 

Hand-washing – at the right times and in the right way – is a basic yet important way to help safeguard children’s wellbeing.

We’re working with children, schools, communities and governments to raise awareness of the benefits of clean hands and good hygiene.

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A kid's perspective: Why a quality education matters

Every child has a dream growing up – to be a doctor, a scientist, an artist or a sports star. When you're a kid, possibilities are endless and the world is your oyster, but this isn't the case for children living in the developing world.

Here at Plan, we help children around the world realize their full potential by promoting quality educationand child participation.

Millions of children are missing from school, including 75 million girls. A lack of quality education is keeping these children from escaping the cycle of poverty and improving their own lives.

To get to the heart of the matter, we asked our kid experts to tell us why education matters.

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Hunger for education among displaced Malian students

Oumar, 16, was preparing for exams when insurgents overran his historic town of Timbuktu in Mali. The town was first captured in March by fighters from the Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) who want an independent state in North Mali. And then, weeks later, Islamist extremists seized the town from them.

For five months all schools were closed and Oumar had nothing to do. Many of his classmates and neighbourhood friends joined the Islamic Ansar Dine army but he was not interested.

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Flooding in Cameroon may result in child-brides-in-waiting

The North and Far North of Cameroon is currently facing one of the worst flood disasters the area has ever known. Rising flood waters have left an estimated 67,000 people displaced. This flooding has destroyed homes, cattle, crops, and has disrupted entire households.

In the Far North, Plan has been providing displaced families with emergency assistance. But a far more insidious future problem awaits: child marriage.

It takes nearly five hours or over 155 miles to travel from the district capital of Maroua to Kai-Kai, a village close to the Chad border. However, the last 31 miles consists of a dirt road that is half-submerged by the rising flood waters. Families from surrounding villages are camped out inside of a Catholic primary school. Overcrowded, squalid conditions have made worse by continuous rainfall. With the worsening conditions, we are concerned that many girls will soon be in danger of becoming child brides. 


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Queen Rania: When girls prosper, everyone benefits

Queen Rania of Jordan describes the ugly reality for 900 million girls worldwide and tells how education can make all the difference. "When girls prosper, everyone benefits" is her key message as Plan launches its global Because I am a Girl campaign.

If you agree with Queen Rania, show your support for girls: Raise your hand NOW for girls

In pictures: World glows pink for girls campaign launch

Landmarks across the world are being lit up bright pink to celebrate the global launch of Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign today - the first ever international Day of the Girl.

Globally, 1 in 3 girls is denied an education. Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign aims to support millions of girls to get the education, skills and support they need to transform their lives and the world around them.

Read more on the launch activities taking place across the world.

Show your support for girls' education: Raise your hand NOW for girls

View our gallery of pink landmarks - and check back as we add more throughout the day.

Slumdog star Freida Pinto launches girls’ day

Hollywood star Freida Pinto took to the skies above London to help launch the first-ever UN Day of the Girl.The Slumdog Millionaire and Planet of the Apes actress was on the EDF Energy London Eye – which will host an all-female takeover today 11 October on the first ever UN International Day of the Girl.

Led by Southbank Centre and Plan UK, the takeover marks the launch of WOW Girls, a day of activities to help highlight girls’ inequality around the world. “I grew up in Mumbai and have seen the inequality faced by girls,” says Freida. “I was blessed but millions aren’t. They face being pulled out of school, married early and having children before they’re ready - and, in some cases, not being born at all since girls are unfortunately considered to be worthless.”

“Girls across the world should have the right to decide their own futures. That’s why on the first-ever UN Day of the Girl, I’m supporting Plan’s call to make girls’ education a priority.  Raise your hand if you believe the same.”

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Because I am a Girl: I'll take it from here

Watch this innovative stop-motion film on the plight and power of girls around the world.

Shot in Malawi with the participation of children and young people in the community, it shows how education can give girls the chance to move from poverty to oppportunity.

75 million girls around the world are out of school. Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign aims to support millions of girls to get the education, skills and support they need to transform their lives and the world around them.

Please Raise Your Hand to support girls' right to quality education at raiseyourhandNOW.com

On the Day of the Girl: The importance of learning for life

Today is the first ever International Day of the Girl, a day to recognize the unique challenges that girls face around the world, as well as celebrating their power and potential.

This year, we are marking the Day of the Girl by releasing a report, Learning for Life. The report focuses on girls’ education, especially the importance of education for girls when they reach adolescence.

This report finds that universal access to, and completion of, at least nine years of quality education is fundamental to girls gaining the necessary skills and knowledge they need to fulfil their potential, and to break the cycle of poverty in their lives and for generations to come.

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FNs Internationale Pigedag

Vi har længe talt ned og set frem til i dag: FNs og verdens første Internationale Pigedag. I dag går Plans globale kampagne 'Because I Am a Girl' for alvor i gang.

Verden over er berømte monumenter badet i pink lys: Empire State Building, London Eye, Real Madrids stadion, Pyramiderne, Niagara Falls og ikke mindst Den lille Havfrue på Langelinie.

Plan har siden 2009 været en af de primære drivkræfter i arbejdet for at sikre pigerne deres egen mærkedag. Vi glæder os over, at den i dag er en realitet og håber, det øger engagementet for pigers rettigheder verden over.

Alle Plan-lande markerer dagen med forskellige events, heriblandt oplysningen af de verdensberømte monumenter. Følg med i Plan Danmarks aktiviteter på Pigernes Dag her: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Plan-Danmark/354883793883

Be a part of the Day of the Girl!

After a successful campaign led by Plan Canada’s Because I am a Girl initiative, October 11 was declared the International Day of the Girl Child by the United Nations! This day will help us advocate and recognize girls’ rights globally.

In celebration of the first Day of the Girl, we are focusing on the importance of girls’ education. Because we know that educated girls marry later, have children later, and are more able to pull themselves and their communities out of poverty.

Sadly, millions of children don’t go to school just because they are girls.

Over the next five years, we are going to help 4 million girls get an education. We know they will use this education to change their own lives, and the lives of their community members.

Girls campaign goes global

Join us for the global launch of Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign on 11 October – the first ever international Day of the Girl.

Events will be taking place in more than 60 countries across the world - from a rock concert in India to a radio blitz in Ireland.

The celebrations will culminate in a global event in New York, which will be attended by UN Women executive director Michelle Bachelet, actress Marcia Cross, journalist Mariane Pearl and Plan-supported girl ambassadors from around the world, who will be sharing their experiences with policy makers.

The Empire State Building and London Eye are among a number of landmarks that will be lit up bright pink to mark the occasion.

Raise Your Hand and spread the word right now at raiseyourhandNOW.com

For all the campaign launch action, please follow us on twitter.com/planglobal andfacebook.com/planinternational