Child Sponsorship and Rights-Based Interventions at Plan: Tensions and Synergies

Abstract

Plan International is one of the oldest, largest and most geographically diverse children’s development and child rights organizations. In 2013, it impacted 78 million children in 90,229 communities throughout developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas (Plan International, 2013). Plan is independent, with no religious, political or governmental affiliations. Child sponsorship (CS) funded interventions have been an integral part of Plan’s work since inception during the 1936–1939 Spanish Civil War and CS remains important as a significant source of funding for innovative programming which includes rights-based advocacy for poverty reduction. In 2013 there were just over 1.5 million children sponsored by Plan globally. Although Plan’s commitment to children remains unchanged, the methods used to protect, nurture and empower children have evolved considerably, moving from the historic provision of safe havens for war affected children to the current rights-based interventions.