A city of ghosts - Plan International On 16 April 2025, twenty-four-year-old Fatima Hassouna was killed by an Israeli airstrike, along with ten members of her family.

Fatima Hassouna was a talented Palestinian photographer & youth advocate. A year ago, she was killed.

For 18 months, she documented the harsh realities of daily life in Gaza. Today, we are honouring her by sharing the world as she saw it.

📸 Fatima’s diary: plan-international.org/case-studies...

Internationale jongerenuitwisseling België - Ecuador Belgische en Ecuadoraanse jongeren ontdekken samen de kracht van onderwijs om genderstereotypen te doorbreken.

How can education break down gender stereotypes? 🤔

Belgian students went to Ecuador to exchange with young people. Together, they turned their ideas into a series of inspiring videos.

🎥 Check out their work on our page: bit.ly/4tebMs2

Libanon: bevolking heeft nood aan bescherming Hevige aanvallen in Libanon benadrukken de dringende noodzaak om de burgerbevolking te beschermen

Lebanon airstrikes: we call for immediate protection of civilians & children

More than 1.1 million people have been forced to flee their homes.

Civilians, especially children, are suffering from violence.

👉Read our full statement here: bit.ly/4cm6P9p

Baanbrekende studie toont wereldwijde, maar fragiele, vooruitgang voor meisjesrechten Real Choices, Real Lives volgde 18 jaar lang het leven van 142 meisjes

Full press release available here:
🇳🇱 press.planinternational.be/baanbrekende-studie-toont-wereldwijde-maar-fragiele-vooruitgang-voor-meisjesrechten
🇫🇷 press.planinternational.be/une-etude-novatrice-met-en-evidence-des-progres-mondiaux-mais-fragiles-en-matiere-de-droits-des-filles

Global Report: Insights From 18 Years of Research on Girls Growing up in Poverty - Plan International Explore findings from an 18 year global longitudinal study following girls from birth to adulthood. See how poverty, gender expectations, education, health, violence and climate pressures have shaped ...

"Governments, NGOs and communities must listen to girls and place them at the centre of decisions. If we don't act now, we risk failing an entire generation." — Isabelle Verhaegen, Plan International Belgium
📄 Full report available at plan-international.org/publications...

Progress is real. But it is fragile.
🔹 91% experienced violence before age 11
🔹 54% faced online abuse or harassment
🔹 Girls spend 5h15/day on unpaid care work
🔹 65% completed secondary school
🔹 Child marriage: 13% vs. 46% of their mothers

91% of girls experienced violence before age 11. 🧵
"Landmark study shows global gains for girls — but threats to progress loom." Plan International followed 142 girls across 9 countries from birth to adulthood. The Real Choices, Real Lives final report is both hopeful and deeply alarming.

As Abeer (fake name) was fleeing the war in Sudan, she endured abuse from armed men.

The situation in Darfur is catastrophic. Families are fleeing the violence & risking their lives.

Help us provide vital aid & help girls to rebuild their lives.

Donate: donate.planinternational.be/nl/crisissit...

🚨 In #Lebanon, many families flew from their homes due to the conflict & live in crowded shelters.

Children carry fear & trauma, struggling to make sense of what’s happening.

💬 Via Plan International, they find safe spaces to feel like children again.

Quand les filles osent entreprendre Beaucoup de filles ne possèdent pas de source de revenu stable. Quand elles se forment, elles augmentent leurs possibilités de démarrer leur entreprise.

Read our blog in French: bit.ly/47s15co

Wanneer meisjes durven ondernemen Veel meisjes hebben geen financiële zekerheid. Door naar school te gaan, vergroten ze hun kansen om werk te vinden of een eigen bedrijf te starten.

Today, +1 in 4 young women are not in education, employment or training. What if girls launched their own business? Via our projects, they can follow trainings to develop their skills and follow their dreams. Find out how Yorlenny, Ranju and Christine took the lead.
👉 Read our blog🔗 bit.ly/3Nl1Ehs

Soutenez les enfants au Moyen-Orient Les enfants et leurs familles fuient la violence au Moyen-Orient. Votre don leur offre nourriture, eau potable et abris. Chaque euro compte.

Link in French 🔗 bit.ly/4bdQRxu

🚨 As the conflict escalates in the Middle East, many families are forced to leave home.

Alam Janbein, Director of Programmes for Lebanon & Syria, is raising the alarm. Children, especially girls & young women, are at grave risk.

Protect children in crisis, donate now: bit.ly/3P3gjhR. 💙

Escalade du conflit : civil·es principalement touché·es L'escalade des conflits militaires en Iran et au Moyen-Orient met les enfants en grand danger.

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐫𝐚𝐧 & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭.

Children should never be targets of war.

In Lebanon & Gaza, our teams are providing essential help to the most vulnerable.

👉 Full statement: planinternational.be/fr-be/actual...

Kinderen mogen nooit doelwit van oorlog zijn Plan International is diep bezorgd over het militaire conflict in het Midden-Oosten. Dat brengt kinderen ernstig in gevaar.

👉Read: planinternational.be/nl-be/nieuws...

⚠ Children should NEVER be targets of war.

As violence escalates in the Middle East, Plan International echoes the UN Secretary‑General’s call for an immediate #CeaseFire & full respect for international humanitarian.

Protecting children must remain the absolute priority.

Girls and women, among them DJ Amelie Lens, are sharing their experiences with harassment, intimidation and violence. This is not a "women's problem", but a shared responsibility. Active bystanders play a crucial role — and that really is not as difficult as it seems. Only five letters to remember 👇

Humanitaire crisis in Soedan wordt erger Soedan staat voor een catastrofale humanitaire noodsituatie, met massamoorden, seksueel geweld, marteling... Plan International blijft hulp bieden.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐧 continues to escalate: killings, disappearances, starvation, sexual violence... Children and girls are especially at risk.
The world cannot look away. We do not look away.

Help Plan International provide aid to the population.

Full statement: bit.ly/46Yol1m

School: cruciaal in het voorkomen van kindhuwelijken Leerkrachten kunnen meisjes beschermen tegen vroegtijdige huwelijken en hun autonomie en veiligheid verbeteren. En dat door te observeren, luisteren en steunen

🫶𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲.

👨‍🏫Plan International supports teachers around the world to protect girls from child marriage. By listening, supporting or mediating, they help girls preserve and build their own future.

💙Discover their stories in our blog: planinternational.be/nl-be/nieuws...

Child marriage is a domino effect: girls drop out of school, have limited perspectives, and suffer from early pregnancy, violence & isolation.

💙 Let's stop it now by keeping girls in school, creating safe spaces where they can express themselves, and engaging with communities to change mindsets.

Soedan: 22 ngo’s maken zich zorgen over de verergerende hongersnood Plan International waarschuwt dat acute ondervoeding in Noord-Darfur zich uitbreidt en miljoenen kinderen in gevaar kan brengen.

Sudan: 22 INGOs warn of famine-level acute malnutrition in 2 new regions of North Darfur.

Without access to health services, children face greater risks of disease.

We need immediate, safe & unhindered humanitarian access and a rapid increase in resources.

Read the statement: bit.ly/3ZhqXDz

How can girls build their future when access to education & job opportunities is limited, & violence & gender norms undermine their ambitions?
🎥 Here are the concrete measures from Plan International to make a difference in Senegal!
Help us empower girls through education! #FillHerClassroom

Inondations : écoles à l’arrêt au sud de l’Afrique Au Mozambique, au Malawi et au Zimbabwe, des milliers d’enfants n’ont plus d’accès à l’éducation en raison d’inondations particulièrement graves.

planinternational.be/fr-be/actual...

Overstroming: scholen in Zuidelijk Afrika gesloten In Mozambique, Malawi en Zimbabwe kunnen duizenden kinderen niet naar school als gevolg van de ernstige overstromingen daar.

🌧️ Severe floods are hitting Mozambique, Malawi & Zimbabwe, disrupting +665,000 people's lives.

Many children's education is stopped due to damaged schools. Plan International is setting up safe spaces for them to play, learn & regain hope.

👉 Full statement: planinternational.be/nl-be/nieuws...

At 17, Rathanaty was forced into marriage.

After giving birth to a child, her future was uncertain. 💔

But with support from Plan International, she trained as a esthetician and could open her own salon. 💪

🎒 Together, let's help girls take back control of their future.

#FillHerClassroom

Quand l’éducation des filles progresse, c’est tout le monde qui avance L’éducation des filles agit comme une roue, quand on la met en mouvement, ce sont des nations entières qui progressent vers une vie meilleure.

(FR) planinternational.be/fr-be/actual...

Meisjesonderwijs betekent een betere wereld Meisjesonderwijs is als een motor: zodra hij begint te draaien, komt er een hele machinerie in beweging en gaan hele gemeenschappen erop vooruit.

Child marriage, gender norms, poverty, violence... Many obstacles deprive girls of their education and future. 📚

💙 But education is a fundamental right, and a powerful tool to prevent child marriage and build equality.

👉 Check out: (NL) planinternational.be/nl-be/nieuws...
#FillHerClassroom

FR: planinternational.be/fr-be/actual...

Scholen in Kiev gesloten temidden stroomuitval Koude en kapotte energievoorzieningen maken het voor kinderen onveilig om naar school te gaan in Kiev. Onderwijs is geen luxe – het is een levenslijn.

As schools in Kyiv remain closed due to attacks and freezing temperatures, thousands of children are stuck at home without necessities.
𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐮𝐱𝐮𝐫𝐲 — 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐍𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫. 💙

Read more: planinternational.be/nl-be/nieuws...

In Niger 2 in 3 girls are married before 18.
The longer a girl stays in school, the less likely she is to be married too young.
Braham Moumouni explains concrete actions implemented by our partner to fight this injustice.
💙 Girls are not brides. Let's support their education & end child marriage.