I started my journey as a philanthropist at the doors of Plan Australia. They simple made it easy for me to start this wage against poverty, hunger, crime and disease because I believed their principles. Start with the children.

Plan Australia focuses on child centred community development. Plan’s vision is of a world in which all children realise their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity. Child Centred Community Development is a rights-based approach that translates this vision into the practice of international development.

Children are at the heart of everything we do. Their work focuses on children who are living in poverty, children who are excluded and marginalised, and children affected by conflict and disasters.

Their work is guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which spells out the human rights of all children. Listening to what children have to say about their rights and concerns is critical to the approach. Plan encourages them to take part in decisions that affect their lives, to speak out and have their voices heard.

The organisation works from the perspective that all children hold equal rights so protecting children from discrimination – including gender discrimination – is a key principle of Child Centred Community Development. They are committed to working for, with, and on behalf of children to claim their rights and to hold duty bearers, such as governments, to account to respect these rights.

Child Centred Community Development Principles at a Glance

1. Children are at the centre of everything they do
2. They are guided by human rights and their principles
3. They champion child rights and hold duty bearers (including ourselves) to account
4. All children hold equal rights – they work to protect children from discrimination
5. They promote gender equality
6. Children are active participants in their own development

Plan’s Five-Year Strategy: Champion for Child Rights

Champion for Child Rights is the five-year strategy (2012–2016) that outlines Plan International Australia’s potential for further and sustained growth, emphasising quality impact and influence to benefit children.

Child rights sits at the centre of this strategy. It will continue to form the basis of the programming efforts. It will also be the theme of the engagement with the general public, donors and other institutions, enabling them to educate the public on the importance of child rights, and be recognised as the leading child-rights agency in Australia.

Champion for Child Rights – Plan’s strategic plan for 2012-2016 (1.41Mb, 9 pages)

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