Plan's Work on the Goals

To reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) the Goverment depends on the world's charities, including Plan, who through it's programmes, practice and policy has focused on areas it believes vital to ensure attainment of the MDGs, including birth registration, stopping violence at school, eradicating child trafficking and creating sustainable solutions for the betterment of the lives of girls.

Plan Ireland is most active on MDG 1, 2 , 3 and 6.

Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty (MDG 1)

Plan Ireland has secured funding from the EU Food Facility to implement food and household economic security projects in Guinea and Ghana.

In Ghana the project is providing access to improved seeds and fertilizer and ploughing support for 10,000 household as well as supporting Village Savings, Loan Schemes and Inventory Credit schemes.

In Guinea the EU project is supporting inland fish farms and costal fishing villages through the formation of fishing cooperatives and providing improvements to fishing and processing infrastructure. Village Savings and Loan schemes are also being supported.

In Burkina Faso a Household Economic Security is being implemented by Plan Ireland with support from Irish Aid. This project is also focusing on the support of Village Savings and Loan schemes, with training to these VSL groups on income generating activities.

These initiatives are contributing to increasing peoples income, securing employment and addressing hunger.

Achieve Universal Primary Education (MDG 2)

Plan Ireland with funding from Irish Aid is implementing Integrated Quality Education and Learning Projects in Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso and Guinea which focus on increased access to quality education through the construction of school buildings (primary and secondary) and the training of teachers. In 2009 Plan International trained 13,476 early childhood teachers and volunteers and 63,046 teachers and volunteers. Latrine and borehole construction compliment these projects to increase child health and therefore school attendance.

These initiatives are contributing to ensuring access to primary education for all and increasing access to secondary education.

In addition to teacher training, "Learn Without Fear" is Plan's campaign to address the issue of violence in schools, which is holding back much of the progress made towards achieving this particular goal.

Support the campaign

Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women (MDG 3)

The promotion of gender equality is achieved through awareness raising of the importance of girls education throughout our education programme where conditions are created to encourage attendance of girls through school feeding, teacher training and separate latrines for boys and girls.

In Togo specific Girl Friendly Schools have been established which have separate girls toilets and washing facilities, child minding facilities and an emphasis on a safe and secure school environment.

Support our Girl Friendly Schools in Togo

In addition to these programmes to ensure gender parity within the primary education system, in Burkino Faso the Irish Aid supported project is supporting capacity building and training for women’s groups, which aims to increase their participation in the development of their communities (see case study: Adressing Gender Inequality in Burkina Faso).

Plan also runs a global campaign called "Because I am a Girl" which is based on the belief that investing in women is the key to end poverty (see the latest press release) . Every year Plan will launch a report on 'The State of the World's Girls' to examine how gender and age impacts on lives of girls in developing countries around the world. A cohort study called "Real Choices, Real Lives" follows 130 girls in nine different countries who were all born in 2007. This study will continue until the target year of the Millennium Development Goals in 2015.

Visit our "Because I am a Girl" blog and leave a comment

Reduce Child Mortality (MDG 4) and Improve Maternal Health (MDG 5)

In 2009 Plan International has trained 66,319 community health workers and traditional birth attendants to reduce the number of women and girls dying during their pregnancy or birth.

At the moment 500,000 women die annually during pregnancy or childbirth and 70,000 of them is teenage girls.

Since 2006, Plan has made 40 million birth registrations, which is very importnat. First of all it's a basic human right to be legally registered, second of all a registration means security because you then have the opportunity to get an education, and women will not that easially end up in the trafficking business.

Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases (MDG 6)

In Burkina Faso, Plan Ireland is working on an Irish Aid funded project to increase awareness and reduce stigma in relation to HIV/AIDS through HIV/AIDS clubs in secondary schools and community awareness sessions.

Similar activities have also been carried out in Mali, along with complimentary activities including the prevention of mother to child transmission and support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children. The project also includes training for people living with HIV/AIDS in income generating activities and the purchase of anti retro viral drugs (see case study: Adressing HIV/AIDS in Mali).

These initiatives are contributing to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and ensuring access to treatment for those who need it.

Plan also runs succesful immunisation programmes.

Ensure Environmental Sustainability (MDG 7)

One of Plan's achievments in 2009 was the total number of 6,673 safe drinking water points set up globally.

Develop a Global Partnership for Development (MDG 8)

Plan offered 38,445 young people and adults vocational or business training in 2009 to empower them to act and cooperate in improving their lives.

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