Where is she off to now?

This Saturday I will be flying to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to the United Nations Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development.  I am one of a delegation of 16 young women from 13 countries representing the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.  To find out more about the delegation click here.

With ten million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from 145 countries across the world, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is the largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women in the world.

The World Association supports girls and young women to develop their full potential as responsible citizens of the world. We focus on leadership development and active citizenship. These are delivered through our innovative global education and community and advocacy programmes.

We deliver a well-established, unique values-based approach to non-formal learning, that is international and intergenerational. Girls and young women develop life skills through self-development, challenge and adventure.

To find out more about WAGGGS click here.  To find out more about Guides in Australia click here.

What is Rio+20?

Official Blah

Rio+20 - the short name for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012 - is an historic opportunity to define pathways to a safer, more equitable, cleaner, greener and more prosperous world for all.

History Lesson

This girl was 12 years old in 1992.  Her speech is amazing (and not that long).  If you want to know what young people can offer to these forums, watch the video. If you get bored at any point - think about what you were doing in year 6.  This was 20 years ago, hence Rio+20.

What are we doing?

At Rio+20, our delegation will represent the voices of girls and young women throughout the world.  We are part of the Major Group for Children and Youth,  and we will focus on education, gender, and youth issues at Rio+20.

Specifically, our delegation supports the following:

• Inclusion of non-formal education in the text
• Inclusion of eliminating violence against women and girls in the text
• Proposal for a High Commissioner for Future Generations
• Proposal to develop a global strategy on youth employment
• Development of aspirational global sustainable development goals

I leave on this Saturday 9 June.  For regular updates check back here or follow me on Twitter: @jane__harris