Plan International is a nonprofit organization that funds children’s programs internationally and provides additional services for girls. It also advocates for public policies and funding of social services that specifically serve women. ¹

Plan International funds “education” programs in foreign countries that include sex education, where children are encouraged to make their own decisions regarding sexual reproduction and receiving abortion services, as well as courses that teach girls that they are victims of climate change. ^{2 3 4}

Plan International also advocates for governments globally to adopt left-of-center policies on LGBT issues, including legalizing same-sex marriage and allowing individuals to choose their gender on official documents. ⁵

Background

Plan International is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1937 to provide social services for children globally. ⁶ Its website states that in 2017 Plan International began focusing on engaging in activities that support the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals that were set for 2030. As a result, it states it began focusing on left-of-center gender issues as it pertains to providing social services for children. ⁷

Plan International provides social services such as funding education programs and engages in political advocacy with international governments to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It argues that girls require extra services and policies as Plan International claims there is a prevalence of discrimination against them. Its campaigns and policy advocacy programs are predicated on the idea that women are discriminated against and do not receive equal acknowledgment of their human rights. ⁸

Advocacy

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals are a list of 17 social goals created in 2015 that it wants participating governments, businesses, and individuals to work toward achieving by 2030, which include ending poverty and hunger, achieving gender equality, reduced inequalities, and reliance on environmentalist energy. ⁹

In September 2023, Plan International released several blog posts arguing that governments, businesses, and people are not doing enough to help women reach the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and that there should be more advocacy for policy changes and social services benefiting women. ^{10 11}

LGBT Issues

Plan International advocates for liberal policies on LGBT issues as well as societal acceptance in countries whose cultures and religions do not tend to support LGBT interests. It advocates for same-sex marriage laws and for governments to allow individuals to choose their gender and sex as they appear on official documents. ¹²

Champions of Change Programme is a Plan International campaign across 20 countries that promotes ideas that girls should be supported and boys should be criticized based on an assumption that they discriminate against the LGBT community by naturally having so-called “harmful, dominant masculinities.” The campaign goes to schools and other educational services it provides to teach such ideas and condemn beliefs that oppose left-of-center views on LGBT issues. ¹³

Sex Education and Abortion Restrictions

Plan International engages in campaigns in support of policies that implement sex education for children as well as providing its own sexual education programs. It advocates for sex education for children to encourage children to make their own decisions regarding sexual reproduction, including access to abortion and various forms of birth control. Plan International argues that sex education programs for children and unrestricted access to abortion services are human rights. ^{14 15}

Environmentalism

Plan International argues girls are “disproportionately” affected by climate change and also claims that 12.5 million girls might be unable to finish school by 2025 because of climate change. It has a joint campaign with Transform Education called #EducationShiftsPower through which it advocates for governments, philanthropic organizations, and businesses to fund what it describes as “gender transformative, climate-aware education” programs. ¹⁶

Financials

According to its tax returns, Plan International  received $783 million in total revenue in 2022, $768 million of which came in the form of direct contributions. ¹⁷ It also reported $756 million in total expenses, including $334 million to foreign entities and people and $209 million on salaries and wages. ^{18 19}

Leadership

Stephen Omollo serves as the CEO of Plan International. Previously, he served as vice president of World Vision International and as Regional Director for Eastern Africa. He has also served the Commonwealth of Nations Secretary General as Special Advisor and Head of Good Offices and Mediation Services in London and worked in emergency response operations. ²⁰

1. “The Sdgs Are Failing Girls – It’s Time to Act.” Plan International, September 15, 2023. https://plan-international.org/blog/2023/09/15/sdgs-are-failing-girls/.
2. “Access to SRHR Services.” Plan International, May 10, 2023. https://plan-international.org/srhr/access-to-srhr-services/
3. “7 Awesome Women Demanding a New World for Girls.” Plan International, April 11, 2022. https://plan-international.org/girls-get-equal/7-awesome-women-demanding-a-new-world-for-girls/.
4. “Climate Change Activism.” Plan International, May 10, 2023. https://plan-international.org/youth-empowerment/climate-change-activism/.
5. “LGBTIQ+ Inclusion.” Plan International, May 10, 2023. https://plan-international.org/srhr/lgbtiq-inclusion/.
6. “The Organisation.” Plan International, June 5, 2023. https://plan-international.org/organisation/.
7. “Programmes and Influencing.” Plan International, March 21, 2022. https://plan-international.org/how-we-work/programmes-and-influencing/.
8. “Programmes and Influencing.” Plan International, March 21, 2022. https://plan-international.org/how-we-work/programmes-and-influencing/.
9. “The 17 Goals | Sustainable Development.” United Nations. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
10. “The Sdgs Are Failing Girls – It’s Time to Act.” Plan International, September 15, 2023. https://plan-international.org/blog/2023/09/15/sdgs-are-failing-girls/.
11. “Girls at Risk of Being Left behind by Sustainable Development Goals.” Plan International, September 18, 2023. https://plan-international.org/news/2023/09/15/girls-at-risk-of-being-left-behind-by-sustainable-development-goals/.
12. “LGBTIQ+ Inclusion.” Plan International, May 10, 2023. https://plan-international.org/srhr/lgbtiq-inclusion/.
13. “LGBTIQ+ Inclusion.” Plan International, May 10, 2023. https://plan-international.org/srhr/lgbtiq-inclusion/.
14. “Access to SRHR Services.” Plan International, May 10, 2023. https://plan-international.org/srhr/access-to-srhr-services/.
15. “7 Awesome Women Demanding a New World for Girls.” Plan International, April 11, 2022. https://plan-international.org/girls-get-equal/7-awesome-women-demanding-a-new-world-for-girls/.
16. “Climate Change Activism.” Plan International, May 10, 2023. https://plan-international.org/youth-empowerment/climate-change-activism/.
17. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Plan International Inc. 2021. Part I, Lines 8-12.
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Plan International Inc. 2021. Part I, Line 18.
19. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Plan International Inc. 2021. Part IX, Lines 3-7.
20. “Biography.” World Health Organization. Accessed October 8, 2023. https://pmnch.who.int/about-pmnch/biography/stephen-omollo.