Inspiring inclusion in Scouting!
We believe in empowering all young people through Scouting, and that includes the 16+ million girls and women in Scouting today! Through our collective support for World Scouting, we strive to enable opportunities to forge a diverse, equitable and inclusive world. Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, we’re excited to celebrate inspiring Scout action to empower women and drive gender parity with updates from around the world.
Leading the way!
Scouts in Saudi Arabia are empowering women as Scout leaders through a ground-breaking, multi-partner and multi-university project! 25 enthusiastic leaders participated in a second-level leader training at King Khalid University in February to develop essential skills to lead and establish student Rover Scout clans. Each clan will engage 24 women Rovers in a rich educational programme including skills development and volunteer work, which aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, fostering global citizenship and community support among the university students.
Local Saudi Scout Manayer al Dabbas is just one of the inspiring women involved in delivering leadership opportunities for more women. Having achieved her own accredited leadership training (Wood Badge) in an early phase of the project with Princess Nourah University in Riyadh, she now leads the national first-level leader training and was a co-lead for this latest second-level training at King Khalid, alongside a sister-Scout trainer from Oman!
Feedback from participants at the training was incredibly positive, with one saying that the training was a revelation, that she felt a newfound sense of responsibility towards herself and her community, and was eager to now connect with the Rovers and students to pass on her knowledge and experience.
This latest training was run in partnership with the Saudi Arabia Scout Association, the Aseer Development Authorities and our long-standing partner and champion of the Saudi University Rover Project, Alwaleed Philanthropies. It’s also just one piece of a broader capacity-building initiative. Upon completion, leaders will earn the internationally-recognised Scout Wood Badge, certifying their ability to establish and lead clans effectively. Additionally, they'll collaborate with university teams to implement the educational programme campus-wide. It's an exciting step forward for female empowerment and education in Saudi Arabia
Five years on…
It’s five years since the Boy Scouts of America welcomed young women into Cub Scouting and Scouts BSA and today, there are more than 176,000 girls and women involved!
Reflecting on the anniversary last month was Angelique Minett, the first female Chairperson of the Scouts BSA programme, who shared the following inspirational words:
“I am so, so proud of each and every one of them and the strong, confident young women they're becoming. They had these life-changing experiences and friendships because someone said "yes, you belong too". I have had the honour of serving all Scouts as the first female chairperson of the Scouts BSA programme because someone said, "yes, you belong too". Yes, you belong too. Let's go have an adventure!”
In 2023 alone, 1,900 young women earned their Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA programme. To become an Eagle Scout, young people must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, complete a large community service project, and take on leadership roles in their troop or community. We look forward to sharing more of their stories in our upcoming e-news and reports!
Wings to fly
Team Wings is a passionate group of young women and men who advocate for women’s rights and help to empower women, including the most underprivileged, in Bangladesh. Founded in 2019 by Bangladeshi Scout and Young BP Fellow Humayra Ibnat Badhon, and with support from another BP Fellow, most recently, Team Wings has helped 50 vulnerable girls in Nabiganj, in the Habiganj District in the Division of Sylhet, to join the Gohinpur Open Scout Group, where they can enjoy fun and educational activities in a safe environment, gaining in confidence and skills.
“We are trying to reach every girl to tell them: You can do it! You have that power. You are strong enough.” Humayra Ibnat Badhon
Empowering women refugees
Scouts leaders in the Arab Region from countries including Syria, Jordan, Tunisia and Lebanon have received regional-level training on literacy and women’s economic empowerment to support refugee women. National trainings were also run for 107 participants in Lebanon, 160 in Tunisia, and 120 in Jordan.
The training is vital to boost the refugee women’s skills, so they can implement projects to support themselves economically and raise their standard of living. The training for Scout leaders has therefore focused on the provision of psychological support, community integration techniques, project planning, support for reading, writing, mathematics and budgets, project implementation, and effective communication.
Your support makes all the difference
It's easy to set up a monthly donation via our website to provide sustainable support to World Scouting. Together we can grow the Scout Movement so even more young people can experience Scouting. As always, all donations can be counted towards ongoing BP Fellowship.
Photo Credits: Humayra Ibnat Badhon/Team Wings, Boy Scouts of America, A. Leslie, A. Minett. World Scout Foundation.