International Day of the Girl is a key global moment to celebrate the power of girls and highlight the barriers they face. Plan has been leading the movement around this day since 2011, when we asked the United Nations to make it official.
On Dec. 19, 2011, Plan International’s advocacy efforts at the U.N. resulted in International Day of the Girl being declared for the first time ever as an annual day of remembrance each year on Oct. 11. International Day of the Girl was celebrated for the first time on Oct. 11, 2012.
Why is this day important?
Here at Plan, International Day of the Girl is the most important day of the year! We celebrate girls’ power and potential every day — but on this day, the world joins in on the celebration.
We’ve known for a long time that investing in girls and young women can exponentially benefit families, communities and even nations. Plan has been fighting alongside girls and young people since 1937 to unleash their power and show the world what is possible when gender inequality is a thing of the past.
Read: Do you know this humanitarian who helped save thousands of child refugees?
International Day of the Girl is a global day of action for Plan and its partners to support gender equality, amplify girls’ voices and show that girls belong in leadership roles. We do this through Girl Takeovers and our annual State of the World’s Girls research report, which celebrates the power and potential of girls while highlighting the barriers they face. Each year has a different theme, with research informed by adolescent girls and youth activists, in all their diversity, across the globe. Past themes include girls in politics and misinformation online.
What are Girl Takeovers?
Since 2012, Plan has marked International Day of the Girl with Takeovers, where girls “take over” an executive’s role for the day to lend their voices, experiences and thought leadership to addressing key business challenges.
This is more than just a day to shadow a CEO or government official — Takeovers put girls in the driver’s seat, giving them a day to actually make decisions in leadership roles. They provide a forum for girls to gain real-world experience and increase their opportunities to harness their own power. As girls get a seat at the table, they provide a youth voice and perspective, and get hands-on leadership experience.
This year, Plan once again held Girl Takeovers around the world — including at our Washington, D.C. office, where a young leader named Garvey took over for Plan USA President & CEO Shanna Marzilli.
Plan will also be partnering with UNICEF to co-host an event titled “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being.” The event on Oct. 11 is open to the public and will be a celebration of the importance of girls’ voices.
What is Plan’s theme for International Day of the Girl 2023?
For International Day of the Girl 2023, Plan is shining a light on girls’ activism — celebrating the achievements of girl and young women activists worldwide, the challenges they face every day as they campaign for change and what allies can do to support them.
Read: This International Day of the Girl, meet the activists fighting for equality around the world
This year’s State of the World’s Girls report, titled “Turning the world around: Girl and young women activists leading the fight for equality,” engaged over 1,000 activists from 26 countries, making it one of the largest research surveys of girl activists to date. According to the report, 1 in 5 (17%) girls and young women activists have feared for their safety while carrying out their work. But despite the challenges they face, nearly all young female activists (95%) say campaigning for what they believe in has had a positive impact on their lives, making them feel proud, empowered and capable. A clear call to action in the report is to create safe spaces and remove the barriers that prevent girls from speaking out and sharing their views at all levels of society.
Every day, despite the odds being stacked against them, we see the incredible achievements of girl activists. This month, we’re highlighting these incredible young leaders and sharing the impact they have on the fight for gender equality — adolescent girls like 19-year-old Lesly, who is part of the Guatemalan Girls Empowerment Movement supported by Plan. The movement provides a safe space for girls and young women in Guatemala to come together and discuss the issues they face, and to find solutions.
“We work as a team in the search for lasting change,” Lesly says. “That is youth participation, right? Young women are able to get involved and make decisions in important spaces. I feel that this is an opportunity that all girls deserve.”
How can I join in the festivities for International Day of the Girl 2023?
Everyone has a role to play in elevating the voices and role of girls in society. Here are some of the ways you can join Plan in celebrating girls on International Day of the Girl, and all year round!
Find your girls’ rights alter ego
To achieve gender equality, the world needs more activists (like you!) Ever wonder what girl activist you’re most like? Take our quiz to find out — and unlock a donation to Plan!
Read girl leaders’ stories
Girls are leading the way, raising their voices against climate change, hunger, gender-based violence and more. Check out our “In her own words” blog series and meet girl leaders fighting for a more equitable world.
Take the pledge for girls
Girls know what they need to thrive, but they need your support. Take our pledge to uplift the girls around the world who are pushing for change. Let’s fight gender inequality together!
Attend an event
Join Plan youth leaders, staff and representatives from the United States Agency for International Development to learn about innovative humanitarian relief that prioritizes the needs of girls!
Invest in girls’ futures
A gift to Plan USA is a gift to girls. Your gift to Plan funds programs designed for and with girls, to build a more equitable world for everyone.
