Gender equality: How can we support girls' rights around the world?

We are witnessing the shrinking and shifting of civic space. Progress on gender equality is stalling, and the right to protest is severely restricted in many countries around the world. Girls’ and young women’s right to make their voices heard – and to continue pushing for change and accountability – has to be protected and championed.

Since 2007, Plan International has been surveying thousands of girls to better understand the opportunities and challenges they face. From their experiences in conflict and crisis settings to how they’re navigating digital spaces, to how they’re learning via formal and non-formal education and their stories of harassment and violence. This research has been informed by a diverse range of adolescent girls and youth activists from around the world, with the goal of energizing the global girls’ rights movement and driving forward the girls’ rights agenda, in partnership with girls themselves. And while some gains have been made, the stark reality is that in many ways girls’ rights and gender equality progress has stalled – or has even been reversed.

We’ve seen around the world that girls and young women are ready and willing to advocate for themselves – from leadership in climate activism to speaking up for sexual and reproductive health and rights. They are standing up for their rights and changing their communities for the better. Nearly all girl and young women activists (95%) say campaigning has had a positive impact on their lives, making them feel proud, empowered and capable. More than half we surveyed say the impact of their activism has met or exceeded their expectations. But it’s not easy – being a girl activist can be tough and unrelenting.

More than half of adolescent girls and young women surveyed identified lack of finances as the main barrier stopping them from engaging in activism. One in five girl and young women activists have feared for their safety while carrying out their work. And one in four girls cited negative views from members of their family or community as a frequent barrier.

Activism takes a huge toll on girls’ mental health and can come at huge personal cost. Many of the girls we spoke to have experienced anxiety, depression, burnout and emotional exhaustion. One in four say they’ve felt emotionally unwell or anxious while engaging in activism work, for LGBTIQ+ activists, this figure rises to one in three.

“For me, I don’t think there are open chances for girls, and their opinions are not usually considered like boys. If we have a male and female sitting in the same room, then the priority will be for the male to share his opinion.” Julia, aged 16, Jordan.

Right now girls are concerned about the current state of the world – where they still feel unsafe, are dropping out of school, experience sexual and gender-based violence, are unable to access adequate healthcare, cannot equally access digital spaces, are denied meaningful employment, and bear the brunt of climate injustice. Girls and young women have to be at the table when decisions about their wellbeing are being made. The world will collectively fail to reach the Sustainable Development Goals – or any future iteration of global targets – if girls are excluded from meaningful engagement in creating a world where they can thrive.

Research has also taken place at both the global and local levels – for example the recent State of Girls’ Rights in the UK report which spoke to almost 3,000 girls and young women about their experiences and life in their communities. While some things varied across contexts, most of the research held true to the issues coming up for girls globally. Girls told us strongly that they aren’t experiencing the progress on gender equality they’ve been promised, and increasingly feel their rights are under attack. They feel held back in their daily lives and choices, and worried about their futures in the context of the cost-of-living crisis, climate emergency and rise of the “manosphere”.

Just one in 20 girls in the UK said they felt completely safe in public spaces. Only just over half (54%) felt they had the same educational and employment opportunities as boys or men their age. And only one in four felt involved in decisions about how the country is run.

“I’ve got a twin brother and even though we were raised the same, we were treated differently as a female and male. I was raised to believe that I can do anything, but in reality, I’ve had a few challenges.” – Bridie, aged 25, UK.