Background: Plan International, an independent development and humanitarian organization, is dedicated to advancing children’s rights and fostering equality for girls. Recognizing the potential of every child, the organization addresses challenges such as poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination, with a focus on the impact on girls. Collaborating with children, young people, supporters, and partners, Plan International works towards a just world by tackling the root causes of issues facing girls and vulnerable children. The organization supports children’s rights from birth to adulthood, empowering them to navigate crises and adversity. Through advocacy and policy changes at local, national, and global levels, Plan International utilizes its reach, experience, and knowledge.
The global strategy for 2022-2027 aims to create a world where all girls stand strong, contributing to global change. The goal until 2023 is to ensure that girls and young women, in all their diversity, realize their full potential as equal and active citizens in both development and humanitarian settings. In Nepal, where Plan International has been active since 1978, the organization works to help marginalized children, families, and communities access their rights to survival, protection, and participation. Operating in 11 districts through partnerships, Plan International addresses the challenges posed by Nepal’s highly patriarchal society, with a particular focus on the vulnerability of minority groups. Girls and women face limited access to social, economic, and political power, grappling with harmful social norms and practices. Alarming statistics reveal high rates of early marriage in rural areas and significant numbers of out-of-school children nationwide. Plan International Nepal strives to address these issues and contribute to positive change in the lives of girls and vulnerable populations.
Plan International Nepal is implementing a Girls Standing Strong Project in 5 districts under the regular Sponsorship Funded Project which is being implemented in Dhanusha, Sindhuli, Bardiya, Kalikot and Jumla from July 2023 to June 2026 which envisions that ‘’All children, adolescent and youth, especially girls and young women, enjoy their right to live free from Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM). The project’s focus will be on adolescents, particularly girls and young women, Plan’s sponsorship families, rural communities, marginalized communities, Dalits, and those with disabilities. Plan International Nepal had implemented a project titled “Girls Standing Strong” in five rural/municipalities of Dhanusha (i.e. Kamala,Bideha, Janaknandani, Sabaila, Shahidnagar, and) and six rural/municipalities of Sindhuli (i.e. Tinpatan, Kamalamai, Marin, Dudhauli, Sunkoshi, and Golangor).
| Outcome 1 (Social Norms) | All CAY especially girls and young women are empowered to reduce harmful social norms, behaviors and practices that hinders them in reaching their full potential including in humanitarian setting. |
| Outcome 2 (Safety Net) | Strengthened child-friendly and gender-responsive resources and safety nets through collective efforts of families, communities and service providers. |
| Outcome 3 (Policy Formulation) | Government policies and plan ensure children, adolescent and young people have access to inclusive and gender responsive quality services. |
| Outcome 4 (Humanitarian) | System strengthening of informal and formal network, groups, institution on DRM, CC, WASH and humanitarian programming. |
Duration: February 2024- June 2024
Team: Dr. Janak Thapa, Mr. Rakeshj Yadav, Ms. Pragya Pokharel, Ms. Pabitra Magar and Ms. Salina Thapa