2022 Annual Report | DIGEST

PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE

NEWS FEED – EL SALVADOR

Naming Rights Gender-identity law empowers transgender people.

SPOTLIGHT COMMON GROUND

Because I am a Girl (BIAAG) supporters contribute to projects running in countries that all have their own cultures and customs. But they all have something in common: Girls living in these countries face massive barriers to leading a life of their choosing. They are

Plan International is working with transgender activists and other advocacy groups in El Salvador to challenge the Name Law, which doesn’t permit people to change their name or gender on their identity documents. In February 2022, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice in El Salvador ruled that the law was unconstitutional and discriminatory. The new Gender Identity Law hasn’t been enacted yet, but Plan International and other groups continue to support activists in lobbying for this change. “This law is key because without it, an individual may not be able to access education, health care or employment,” explains Dr. Erika Silva, health advisor at Plan International Canada. “We support the empowerment of this population so they can continue fighting for their rights. They may be born a man, but if they are dressed as a

woman when they go to a health facility, they are rejected.” This law addresses the prejudice, discrimination and violence that many transgender people face. With the support of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the McLean Smits Family Foundation, we also created private safe spaces, like mobile vans for health care workers to offer HIV testing and distribute HIV-prevention kits. 25 , 600+ HIV-prevention kits were distributed to high-risk populations.

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often undervalued, undermined and underestimated. Today, in many parts of the world, gender inequality is increasing because of COVID-19, armed conflict, climate change and poverty. In 2022, BIAAG funds supported more than 70 projects in 30 countries. Each of these projects shares these three goals:

Strive to end gender inequality.

Continually promote girls’ rights.

Lift girls out of poverty through education.

IN 2022

out-of-school girls were protected from child marriage in Bangladesh. girls in Burkina Faso were able to continue their studies until graduation thanks to safer schools.