Urgent Call to Support Vulnerable Communities
Plan International Australia is urging the Australian Government and major donors to increase support for 240 million adolescent girls in the Asia Pacific. These girls are at risk due to the cascading effects of the ongoing Middle East crisis.
Fuel and fertiliser shortages, exacerbated by the crisis, are causing food insecurity and economic instability in the region. Countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Papua New Guinea face rising costs, pushing vulnerable households deeper into poverty.
Adolescent girls are experiencing severe risks as a consequence, including increased gender-based violence, school dropouts, and child marriage. Investments in these girls can lift communities out of poverty, yet less than 1% of global aid is directed towards them.
Plan International has been working with vulnerable communities in the region for over 50 years. The organisation emphasises that evidence shows adolescent girls, when supported, can significantly contribute to community upliftment.
Global Conference Highlights Gender Equality
The Women Deliver conference in Melbourne is a significant event. A coalition of 22 aid and gender organisations is using it to highlight the crisis’s disproportionate impact on adolescent girls.
The conference underscores the economic benefits of investing in adolescent girls, who represent a significant demographic in the Asia Pacific. The coalition is also drawing attention to the impacts of climate change, conflict, and global aid cuts on these girls.
Plan International Australia CEO Susanne Legena remarked, “The ripple effects of the Middle East crisis and fuel shortages across Asia are deeply concerning and risk undermining already fragile economies and communities.”
Kary, a 23-year-old from Cambodia, exemplifies the positive impact of investing in girls. She resisted early marriage pressures and now attends university, leading educational forums that have reduced child marriage in her community by 65%.
Plan International Australia urges the Australian Government to commit $50 million over four years to initiatives benefiting adolescent girls. These initiatives would focus on education, health, violence prevention, climate response, and economic participation.
The Women Deliver conference, taking place this week in Melbourne, features Plan International youth delegates from various countries, including Australia. They are participating in over 20 events advocating for adolescent girls’ rights and support.
Last updated: 29 June 2026, 12:18 pm
