Plan Ireland launch Photographic Exhibition for IWD

04 March 2010

Plan Ireland, the children’s development NGO, today announced plans to stage a Photographic Exhibition in association with Trinity College Dublin to celebrate International Women’s Day on Monday 8th March.  The Photographic Exhibition will run from 8th to 11th March at the Trinity Sports Centre, Trinity College and is being used  to visually highlight the plight of girls growing up in the 48 developing countries where Plan operates.

The powerful Photographic Exhibition contains photographs taken by some of the world’s leading photographers and form part of an exhibition, commissioned by Plan International, which has been on a Worldwide Tour.  Admission is free and is open to the public from 8am to 10pm daily.

Present at today’s launch was Plan Ireland’s Ambassador and TV Personality Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh, who stated  “International Women’s Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate being women in Ireland, with all the opportunities and advantages this gives us, but with this privilege comes responsibilities. We may sometimes think we have it tough here at home and we often do, but when you compare this to what it is like being a woman in the developing world there really is no comparison and I really do believe that we should be doing more for these women and girls.”

Bláthnaid decided to become an Ambassador for Plan Ireland after reading a recent report that Plan published called, “Because I Am A Girl”.   The report is part of an annual series which highlights the inequalities that exist for women growing up in the developing world. The most recent report focuses on education.  It explains that millions of girls across the world are denied their right to education because culturally boys are considered more worthy and better earners.   The report states that failure to educate girls is putting them at risk and costing the world’s poorest countries billions a year in lost income.

Bláthnaid added, “When I read the report, it immediately struck a chord with me and I really wanted to do something constructive with Plan to highlight the inequalities that exist for women in the developing world.

“The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for all” so we couldn’t be picking a more appropriate time to highlight the vital aid that Plan provides in the developing world, especially among girls and young women.”

To celebrate International Women’s Day Plan Ireland is asking people around Ireland to support their campaign by sponsoring one of 500 girls in West Africa urgently in need of help or by raising funds for projects supporting girls living in the world’s poorest countries.   

For more information call 1800 829 829 or visit www.plan.ie.