Plan International’s qualitative and longitudinal research study, Real Choices, Real Lives, has been following the lives of 142 girls in nine countries – Benin, Brazil, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Philippines, Togo, Uganda and Vietnam – from their births in 2006 through to 2024 when they turn 18.
To mark the end of the study, Plan International has released a final report, drawing on 18 years of annual interviews documenting girls’ experiences, aspirations, and how gender norms influence their lives. This timely report reflects the crossroads we face for girls’ rights. In a moment of profound uncertainty and the rise of anti-rights actors shaping the development landscape, it is crucial to reflect on how far we have come so that we can navigate the path ahead.