Vammaiset tytöt wins Plan International Finland’s Girl Award

Insights|December 5, 2025

Vammaiset tytöt is a media platform that has built space where disabled girls and young women can be visible, connect with one another, and shape the conversation on their own terms. Their work addresses both everyday exclusion and deeper structural barriers. Alongside sponsoring the award, we also support Plan International Finland through pro bono legal work, contributing expertise that helps strengthen Plan’s long-term efforts to advance girls’ rights.

Plan International Finland has named Vammaiset tytöt the 2025 recipient of its Girl Award, recognizing the nationwide community for amplifying the voices and rights of disabled girls and young women in Finland. The award, which we are sponsoring for the second year, highlights impactful work advancing girls’ rights and equality.

To mark the announcement, last week we welcomed representatives from Plan International Finland and Vammaiset tytöt, the recipient of this year’s Plan Girl Award, to our office. At the event, we heard from Baharak Bashmani, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Plan International Finland, and Vammaiset tytöt representative Anni Täckman, who spoke about the purpose of the Girl Award and what this year’s recognition means. While Plan’s mission centers on girls’ rights, the organization emphasizes community-wide change and works with boys and men alongside girls.

The Girl Award is designed to spotlight a Finland-based actor – whether an individual, organization, company, or media outlet – that has significantly promoted girls’ rights. Candidates are publicly nominated through Plan’s website, after which a nine-member expert jury selects three finalists and chooses the winner. Baharak highlighted how meaningful it was that the award retained the same sponsors as the previous year, signaling long-term commitment to girls’ rights. “It warms our hearts to see all last year’s sponsors return, showing we’re doing something meaningful,” she said.

Vammaiset tytöt began with a simple wish voiced by disabled girls themselves: a platform where they could tell their own stories and be visible on their own terms. The idea emerged during a youth-focused project in 2020 and became reality in 2022 through support from Kalevala Jewelry. Since then, the community has grown quickly, bringing together girls from across Finland. Because many members face barriers to mobility or in-person participation, the platform offers a safe and accessible online space where everyone’s identity and communication style are respected.

Anni described the award as a breakthrough moment, not only for the community but for the disability field more broadly. “Disabled girls and young women are too often overlooked in public life, and this recognition strengthens their right to be seen and heard,” she said. The win has already expanded the community from roughly 60 active young participants to around 90, driven by increased visibility and engagement.

Beyond media content, Vammaiset tytöt fosters peer support, friendships, and confidence. The group organizes hybrid activities such as online camps, Zoom meetups, and virtual discos, all shaped by the girls’ own ideas. The broader organization behind the initiative reaches 2,000 to 3,500 disabled girls and women annually. Its work focuses on issues that disproportionately affect them, including inaccessible health screenings and vulnerability to violence, alongside empowerment linked to education, leadership, and full participation in society.

About Plan International Finland and the Girl Award
Plan International Finland, active in 80 countries, has been a force for change since 1998. Last year alone, Plan reached over 43 million children globally, working with girls, boys, and communities to promote equality and opportunity. The Girl Award recognizes actors in Finland who have made significant contributions to advancing girls’ rights.