Plan International UK is the UK branch of the global children's rightsnon-profit organisation Plan International, which works to advance children's rights and equality for girls all over the world through sustainable development and humanitarian response activities in 50 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. The organisation also helps communities to build resilience prior, during and after emergencies. It is a registered charity in the UK and has no religious or political affiliations. Plan UK works across a range of sectors, including education, health, child protection and participation, economic security and water and sanitation. The organisation's current focus is the promotion of the rights of adolescent girls and disaster response and preparedness. Tanya Barron became Chief Executive of Plan UK in January 2013 having been International Director at Leonard Cheshire Disability from 2004 to 2012. She holds various trusteeships and is currently a board member of the World Bank's Global Partnership on Disability and Development. In 2003 Barron was given the European Woman of Achievement award.
Merger with Interact Worldwide
In 2013, Plan UK fully merged with the sexual and reproductive health and rights charity Interact Worldwide – a UK-based NGO which works with communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The two organisations had entered a part-merger in 2009. Interact's projects relating to maternal health, family planning, HIV & AIDS, as well as other sexual and reproductive issues have been integrated into Plan UK's work.
A minimum of 80p in every pound donated to Plan UK is spent on the organisation's development projects in the countries where it operates. The remainder is spent on fundraising activities and maintaining an international network of support staff. In 2010, 84p of every pound was spent on development work and 16p on fundraising and administration. In 2006, Plan UK was awarded first place in the Charities Aid Foundation’s Online Accounts Awards for high quality financial reporting. The awards were presented to charities "whose reports and accounts represent excellence relative to their size."
