Young Women’s World Forum
19 – 24 October 2010
Guiding history was made when Girlguiding UK created
and hosted the first Young Women’s World Forum in October 2010
as part of our Centenary celebrations. With delegates from 60
countries and all five regions of WAGGGS (the World Association of
Girl Guides and Girl Scouts), the forum focused on three of the UN
Millennium Development Goals as voted for by WAGGGS members:
- Ending Poverty
- Achieving Gender Equality
- Environmental Sustainability
Prime Minister David Cameron visited the forum and gave the
delegates some tips on how to grab the attention of politicians. He
also fielded questions from delegates from several countries and
stressed the government’s commitment to its overseas development
priorities. He emphasised that guiding organisations, both in the
UK and internationally, have an important role to play in his
vision for the ‘Big Society’.
Amelia Schofield, one of the two UK
delegates, said: “It was such a surprise that the Prime Minister
visited and we were all delighted that he was able to visit the
first Young Women’s World Forum. I was really impressed with his
public speaking skills – it was great that he took questions from
us and he seemed really interested in what we had to say. We are
all really inspired now that through our guiding networks we really
can make a difference to our communities.”
Other
speakers at the event included Lema Gbowee, a Liberian peace
activist, Jo Swinson, one of the youngest MPs in the House of
Commons, and Girlguiding UK’s former Chief Guide, Liz
Burnley.
The Forum culminated with the delegates creating a declaration
of their recommendations to achieve the three Millennium
Development Goals aimed at world leaders, WAGGGS and civil society.
This will be taken to the Young Women’s World Forums in 2011 at the
WAGGGS World Centres and the 2012 Forum, which will be hosted by
Girl Scouts USA. Each delegate also created a personal action
plan to effect change in their own communities and in 2015 WAGGGS
hopes to be able to report to the UN on how guiding around the
world has contributed to achieving the Millennium Development
Goals.
Read Daniella Wilson's article on the Guardian website -
Daniella, 22, was a delegate at the Young Women's World Forum from
Sierra Leone.