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how we
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Our approach to advancing children’s rights and equality for girls

The human rights of everyone, everywhere are at the heart of our work. Our focus on advancing children’s rights and equality for girls is founded on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

 

All our programs are premised on realizing the rights of children with gender equality as a core objective and the critical importance of measuring the impact of our work.

Plan International Canada is a member of the global Plan International federation that works in over 70 countries around the world. We work in partnership and collaboration with country-specific members of the federation to implement our projects, ensuring that there are always local subject matter experts at the table.

How we work animation

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Two babies

Plan International Canada recognizes that violence against children and young people is prevalent throughout the world and in all societies. We are deeply committed to eradicating violence against children and young people and take very seriously our duty to safeguard all children and young people and promote their welfare.

This also means holding ourselves to account in ensuring that no child or young person is harmed or placed at risk of harm as a result of their association with us.

We have a robust child and young people safeguarding implementation framework which helps us to ensure we do all we can to make sure children and young people stay safe and protected when they engage with us and with those who represent us.

Our framework includes our clear and unequivocal safeguarding policy, Safeguarding Children And Young People Policy And Procedures, which aims to make sure no child or young person who is associated with Plan International Canada through our engagement or programming comes to any harm. The policy governs the behaviours of Plan International staff, associates and visitors, ensuring we minimize risks to children and young people and report any concerns about a child or young person’s welfare appropriately.

Gender Transformative Approach

Boy and Girl laughing together

Nowhere in the world are girls and boys, women and men, in all their diversity treated equally. Though gender inequality may be different in different contexts, it affects us all but is particularly unfair to girls and women. Being a girl or a woman often means being valued less in their societies, having fewer opportunities, having less agency in matters affecting their lives, being more vulnerable to gender-based violence, and facing stronger discrimination and barriers to realizing their rights compared to their male peers.

Plan International’s gender transformative approach to international development and increasingly our work during emergencies aspires to support women and girls and men and boys to change this reality. Our work tackles the root causes of gender inequality and reshapes unequal power relations. It focuses not only on providing equal opportunities and outcomes for all, but on removing the barriers that keep girls and women from achieving their full potential and exercising their rights.

 

Youth Leadership

Children and youth have the inherent power to take action and lead change on issues that matter to them and shape the decisions that affect their lives. Plan International Canada is led by the voices of girls and boys across our programs.

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We act with, and for, the children and young people whose futures we seek to improve by:

  • Supporting children and young people, especially girls, to hold decision-makers to account by working with existing youth led organizations or supporting the creation of youth groups in communities.
  • Influencing governments to advance children’s rights and gender equality by supporting youth led advocacy actions at community, regional and national levels.
  • Strengthening children and young people’s capacities and skills to participate and take leading roles in humanitarian action and community resilience building, particularly to cope with the effects of climate change.

This work enables:

  • Children and youth to have a stronger voice and take effective action on issues that matter to them
  • Decision-makers to build ways for children and young people, particularly girls, to voice their opinions
  • Governments to establish and enforce laws and policies that advance girls’ and young people’s rights

monitoring and evaluation

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How do we measure success and report back to our beneficiaries, donors and funders on the results of our work, learn and share from our program interventions, and report on how many children’s lives we’ve impacted?

Plan International Canada has a Program Effectiveness and Quality Unit (PEQU) that plays a critical role in putting effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) measures in place to obtain high quality data that tracks and measures progress towards our project goals as well as implement cutting edge research relevant to our priority sectors.

The PEQU works collaboratively with government and implementing partners as well as Universities and research partners to monitor, evaluate and study our development and emergency programming from start to finish.

Learn more

Policy and Advocacy

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Plan International Canada’s policy and advocacy work focuses on influencing and partnering with powerholders and decision-makers, including the Government of Canada, in order to achieve impact on children’s rights globally.

As one of the world’s largest child rights organizations and drawing on more than 75 years of experience and program evidence, we work alongside partners and within coalitions to influence policy changes that directly impact gender equality, girls’ rights and the rights and well-being of children.

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Plan International’s work and relationships are guided by these 4 values

        Values chart Values chart Values chart Values chart

Plan International’s work and relationships are guided by these 4 values

1

We strive for lasting impact

 2

We are open and accountable

 3

We work well together

 4

We are inclusive and empowering

Lasting impact

We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.

open and accountable

We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organization by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.

Work well together

We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organization, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.

inclusive and empowering

We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programs and our workplace. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

Plan International’s work and relationships are guided by these 4 values

  • 1

    We strive for lasting impact

    We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.

  • 2

    We are open and accountable

    We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organization by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.

  • 3

    We work well together

    We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organization, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.

  • 4

    We are inclusive and empowering

    We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programs and our workplace. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

© 2019 Plan International Canada Inc. Because I am a Girl, and Spread the Net names and associated logos are trademarks of Plan International Canada Inc.

CRA Charity Registration Number: 11892 8993 RR0001
*The Standards Program Trustmark is a mark of Imagine Canada used under licence by Plan International Canada.
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