- World Vision Australia hosted its third annual Day of the Girl Breakfast at Parliament House in Canberra on 16 September 2026, bringing together parliamentarians, ambassadors and supporters to mark International Day of the Girl and relaunch its 1000 Girls campaign, which calls on Australians to sponsor 1000 vulnerable girls by 11 October.
- The event was attended by Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong, Deputy Opposition Leader Senator Jane Hume, and campaign ambassador Jelena Dokic, with a focus on the challenges facing girls globally, including child marriage, lack of education and gender-based violence.
- Key statistics highlighted at the event include: a girl is forced into child marriage every three seconds; 122 million girls are currently out of school; and almost one in three women and girls will experience violence in their lifetime.
- Through its Child Sponsorship program, World Vision Australia reached over 3 million women and girls globally in 2025, and for every girl sponsored, four additional children benefit due to the organisation's community-focused approach.
- Last year, Australians exceeded the campaign's goal, resulting in more than 5,000 sponsorships; Australians are again invited to sponsor a girl at worldvision.com.au/sponsor-a-girl or by calling 13 32 40 before 11 October.
For queries and media requests, please contact:
Domi Gonzales at [email protected] or 0413 788 380.
Claire McIlroy at [email protected] or 0422 925 100.
World Vision Australia has brought together parliamentarians, ambassadors and supporters at Parliament House in Canberra this morning to celebrate International Day of the Girl and the return of its 1000 Girls campaign: an invitation to Australians to sponsor 1000 of the world’s most vulnerable girls by 11 October.
Hosted in the Enid Lyons Alcove and joined by the Foreign Minister Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Senator the Hon Jane Hume, and campaign ambassador Jelena Dokic, the breakfast shone a light on the girls around the world facing violence and being forced into child marriage, particularly in Bangladesh, and on the power of everyday Australians to change their future.
Every day, millions of girls around the world face violence, miss out on an education and are robbed of the chance to choose their own future. Every three seconds, a girl is forced into child marriage. Globally, 122 million girls are out of school, and almost one in three women and girls will experience violence in their lifetime.
World Vision Australia CEO Grant Bayldon said the morning was a celebration of what Australians make possible: “Behind every number is a girl with a name, a family and a dream for her future. When a girl is safe in school, everything changes for her, for her family and for her whole community,” Mr Bayldon said.
“We’re so grateful to the parliamentarians from across the political spectrum who joined us this morning, and to Ministers Aly and Wong for their support. Most of all, we’re grateful to the everyday Australians who, through child sponsorship, are rewriting the stories of girls around the world. Last year Australians exceeded our goal with more than 5000 sponsorships. That’s Australian generosity in action.”
In support of the campaign, Minister for International Development the Hon Dr Anne Aly MP said: “Every girl, everywhere, deserves to grow up free from fear, secure in her home, safe in her school and free to imagine her own future. The generosity of Australians, through organisations like World Vision, is helping make that possible for thousands of girls around the world.”
Campaign ambassador Jelena Dokic travelled to Bangladesh with World Vision to meet girls and women supported through child sponsorship and said the campaign was deeply personal.
Through its Child Sponsorship program, World Vision has spent decades investing in programs that protect children from violence, exploitation and abuse. Over 3 million women and girls were reached through World Vision Australia's work globally in 2025, boosting their education, wellbeing and opportunities and more than 2.9 million people were reached through initiatives that boost child protection.
For every girl sponsored, four more children benefit because of World Vision’s community-focused solutions, meaning 1000 sponsorships will reach 4000 more children. And every additional year a girl spends in school can increase her adult earnings by up to 20 per cent, helping her care for herself and her family and break the cycle of poverty.
Australians are invited to be part of a powerful collective and sponsor one of a thousand girls by International Day of the Girl on 11 October. Protect a girl from violence: sponsor now at worldvision.com.au/sponsor-a-girl or call 13 32 40.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- The 1000 Girls campaign’s third annual Day of the Girl Breakfast was held in the Enid Lyons Alcove, Australian Parliament House, on Wednesday 16 September 2026, hosted by World Vision Australia.
- The 1000 Girls campaign was conceived by World Vision Australia’s local team in 2018 and has since been adopted across 16 countries in the World Vision partnership. This August, World Vision Australia relaunched the campaign to find 1000 sponsors for 1000 girls by International Day of the Girl (11 October).
- In 2025, Australians exceeded the campaign’s goal of 1000 sponsorships. In total, 4000 girls and 1500 boys were sponsored at the end of last year’s campaign.
- Statistics: a girl is forced into child marriage every three seconds; 122 million girls globally are not in school; almost one in three women and girls worldwide experience violence in their lives; if every girl completed secondary school, child marriage could be reduced by up to 66 per cent.
- Interviews: Grant Bayldon (CEO, World Vision Australia) and Jelena Dokic (campaign ambassador) are available for interview in Canberra on 16 September. Vision and stills from the breakfast and from Jelena’s recent field visit to Bangladesh are available on request.
About us:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian and development organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision and their partners are working in communities to improve families’ economic prospects, strengthen violence prevention and child protection services, and improve education systems. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
Contact details:
Domi Gonzales | [email protected] | 0413 788 380.
Claire McIlroy | [email protected] | 0422 925 100.
