Investing in girls is the smartest thing the world can do.
The philanthropic arm of Plan International
When girls have the agency to lead, the education to succeed, and the platform to be heard, they become the architects of a more equitable and prosperous world.
Hard-won gains for girls are being rolled back. At the current rate, it will take 171 years to achieve full global gender equality and Sustainable Development Goal 5.1 Focused, well-run investment in girls is more urgent than at any point in a generation.
133M
girls are out of school worldwide. Source: Plan International, Inclusive Quality Education: A snapshot of our evidence from 2025, p3.
75%
Nearly 75% of youth aged 15-24 are off track in acquiring employment-relevant skills. Source: UNICEF, Recovering Learning (2022), p19.
351M
women and girls are projected to still live in extreme poverty by 2030. Source: UN Women and UN DESA, Gender Snapshot 2025, p2.
1 in 5
girls is married before the age of 18 globally. Source: UNFPA, unfpa.org/child-marriage.
One commitment: partnering with global changemakers to deliver a truly gender-equal world that will last for generations.
Global Girls Foundation was founded to champion the rights of girls to transform their futures: giving girls agency, increasing access to education, amplifying youth voices, and addressing gender equality in a complex world by co-creating innovative solutions with girls and connecting a global community of thought leaders.
Plan International’s scalable, evidence-based program models drive systemic change by transforming the policies, institutions, and social norms that shape girls’ lives, helping to close gender gaps and create lasting opportunities in education, health, economic empowerment, and humanitarian settings for millions of girls and children worldwide.
Whether you choose to make an immediate impact, provide sustained annual support, fund a programme that reflects your passion, or establish long-term capital for future generations, your philanthropy can help transform the lives of girls around the world. Significant giving starts with a shared vision and a conversation about the difference you want to make.
Annual Giving Fund
Sustainable investments for our Flagship Programmes.
From Education Uninterrupted, to Ending Child, Early, and Forced Marriage, to Humanitarian Integrated Life-Saving, you choose the flagship you want to support and we fund the flagship’s programming where the need is greatest.
Donors have the opportunity to direct their gift to a specific programme or area of work that aligns with their philanthropic interests. Whether supporting education, humanitarian response, girls’ leadership, climate resilience, or another priority initiative, your contribution can be designated to help advance the outcomes that matter most to you. A designated gift is restricted to what you choose, and that decision is yours.
The Global Girls Foundation is guided by an accomplished Governing Board of leaders and changemakers who provide strategic oversight, uphold the Foundation’s mission, and ensure the highest standards of governance, accountability, and impact for girls worldwide.
Independent Swiss foundation (Stiftung), established September 2022
A published five-member board, chaired by Dr. Werner Bauch
Tax exempt for its public benefit (Zurich Cantonal Tax Office)
Global Girls Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Plan International, supporting programmes in more than 80 countries worldwide. Through Plan’s flagship programme the Global Girls Foundation is supporting girls and children worldwide to realize their full potential through access to quality education, protection, economic opportunity, and the resources they need to thrive.
Our Changemakers and Philanthropic Leaders
The Philanthropy Council
The Global Girls Foundation Philanthropy Council (PC) is a self-governing advisory forum of distinguished philanthropists, private sector leaders, and thought leaders. The Philanthropy Council accelerates the Foundation’s mission by mobilising networks, opening doors, and amplifying the case for investing in girls.
