Girls are capable of great things. When they are healthy and educated, they can transform the world around them. But girls are also regularly denied the opportunity to fulfill their potential, hemmed in by the realities of poverty and rampant inequality.
Too often, girls are missing out on a quality education.
Rather than going to school, they are expected to take on the role of housekeeper and caregiver, bearing a disproportionate burden for domestic chores compared to their brothers. They are sometimes married too young, to men they did not choose, and they become mothers when they themselves are still children. They are subjected to violence and harassment on a routine basis.
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About the author
Alexandra Makaroff
Alexandra Makaroff is Plan International’s EU representative. As head of the organization’s Brussels office, she is responsible for Plan International’s work to advance children’s rights and equality for girls by influencing relevant EU policies and programs. Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization working in 71 countries worldwide.
