Global Action Theme
WAGGGS’ Global Action Theme (GAT) is girls worldwide say “together we can change our world,” which focuses on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The GAT is an educational programme that everyone can get involved with! There are educational resources, such as the GAT Badge, available for members at national, local and unit level.
The theme encourages girls, young women and members of all ages to make a personal commitment to change the world around them. It also affirms WAGGGS’ commitment to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals.
What are the MDGs?
The United Nations’ eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight specific goals to be met by 2015 that aim to combat extreme poverty across the world. These goals were agreed at the UN Millennium Summit in New York in 2000. This was the largest gathering of political world leaders in history. The Millennium Declaration, adopted by the 189 heads of state and governments, promised to:
| free all men, women, and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty |
WAGGGS has a history of changing the lives of girls and young women through its projects and activities in local communities. Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting provides enriching experiences for its members, experiences that stay with them for a lifetime. By working on the GAT, WAGGGS and its members of all ages are sowing the seeds of social change for generations to come.
The MDGs address important issues that affect girls, young women and their communities. With only a few years left before 2015, governments, the Millennium Campaign and NGOs recognise that the MDGs are far from being achieved. Members of civil society must work together to hold national governments accountable.
WAGGGS’ MDG messages
WAGGGS has come up with a series of ‘girls worldwide say’ messages that you can use to promote your GAT activity or event. These logos can be downloaded and used on posters and activity sheets.
Take action with the GAT Badge
WAGGGS encourages everyone to take action and change the world around them. Action can happen at many levels. ‘Our world’ starts at a personal level, and expands to include our local community, national and international levels. You can make a start by earning a GAT Badge! The badge is an activity pack with over 100 activities suitable for 5 to 24 year olds.
Your comments
Antonette Noakes - 3 July 2010 - 2.19PM (GMT)
Troops in the city of Jackson, Michigan, in the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan Council hosted a Day Camp called "Travelin' Girls" for girls in grades K - 6 (girls in grades 7 - 12 were assistants). We wove GAT activities throughout the camp, as well as girl scout badge activities. The girls were particularly excited to "vote" on a selection of books that were then donated to the library on their behalf, assisting in literacy and promoting education as a necessary step in eliminating poverty.
ROSANNE ARMSTRONG - 29 May 2010 - 11.28PM (GMT)
I took my Guías Mayores camping a couple of months ago. The programme I prepared for their camp was exclusively GAT. They had so much fun, so now they're asking for more!
So next Saturday, 5 June Guías Mayores Dto Guadalajara in Mexico are preparing a "Wide game" based on MDG 7. Hopefully we'll have girls all ages participating. This activity has a double purpose: work GAT activities, as well as conmemorating World Environment Day.
Brenda Thomason - 25 February 2010 - 6.46PM (GMT)
We have just done the Poverty and Hunger section, as well as the education section.
We had a shop with a group having 70cents the middle group having €3.50 and the others €12.
They enjoyed this and thought it very unfair that the poor group could not buy enough to eat. We then made a menu each went to the local supermarket to price it. astonishing results one Butterfly did well at €2 one of the others was €22. They learnt a great deal.
One of the Butterflies designed a board game on Education helps boys and girls, what a lot we discussed an lovely game.
Paphos GGA of Cyprus
Tracy Crickmore - 7 February 2010 - 8.46PM (GMT)
I have started this badge with my British Brownies. For reducing child mortality we played the mosquito game, then we played a board game like 'snakes and ladders' which one of my helpers designed. Down snakes included no mosquito net, catching diarrhoea and vomiting,dad too ill to work so no food today etc and up ladders were things like vaccinated today, health clinic visits village,new latrine built and new water pump. The Brownies really enjoyed it. We have also tackled hunger and poverty and empowering women which developed into a lively debate even with 7 year olds.We have 3 more MDGs to choose and tackle but my girls really enjoy the challenges. Making water filters was really good fun and very topical when the Haiti Disaster had just happened.
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