Global Youth Forum 2012 Delegate Profiles
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Stephanie Darmanin from Malta
Having joined the village Brownie Pack at the tender age of 7, little did I know that I would be ending up in various youth committees and platforms. I represented the Malta Girl Guides (MGG) at the Organisations Committee at the National Youth Council and had the opportunity to participate in youth conferences about the EU enlargement and its implications for youths both at local and European level.
I was a member of the Advocacy Working Group of the WAGGGS European Region during the last triennium. This was a big stepping stone for me to deal with girls and young women issues, to analyse the main obstacles in various European countries and to explore the way forward for them. Through this role, I had the chance to understand advocacy with the rest of the team, to realise WAGGGS’ mission and to facilitate workshops during European Guide events like Roverway and other youth events. I also worked with YWCA on their advocacy training programme and various other women organisations at the MEP’s lobby meeting on violence against women which took place at the European Parliament last year.
Gender issues have always been an interesting subject for me. In fact, I have just finished a Master in European Law and the focus of my thesis was the burden of proof in discrimination cases in European jurisprudence.
The Global Youth Forum should be another golden opportunity for me to discover more about issues which affect girls and young women from a global perspective rather than a European one.
My experience in the GYF thematic areas:
Staying Healthy: The MGG led the campaign Get Going triggered by the statistical data which showed that Maltese children are the most obese in Europe, hence the aim of the campaign was to make girls more active and educate them on the importance of healthy eating and physical activities. I was also involved in the Teenage Pregnancy campaign with our members.
Sexuality, families and rights: I am active in the campaign launched earlier on this year – Stop the Violence against girls and young women. I am coordinating activities with other local partners. We have just conducted a survey amongst Maltese youths on the various forms of violence in relationships and we are expecting the survey analysis shortly. The MGG was in the pilot project of the worldwide campaign and is currently working on its badge curriculum with WAGGGS office. In the past, I followed trainings organised by the Council of Europe on All Different All Equal campaign and carried out relevant activities on local level.
Moon Noh from South Korea
My name is Moon Noh and I live in Seoul, Korea. I am studying theatre and I have worked as a performing arts manager and designer. When I became 21 years old went to Sangam and became a volunteer there for five months where it was the most valuable time in my lifetime.
As regards Girl scouting, I started to be a member when I was 9 year-old girl on the invitation of my mother, who had been also a member of Girl scouts. Since then, I've been in Girl scouting for 13 years and now I'm an active Young Leader of Catholic Scouts. I have worked on positive lines as a Mugunghwa Scout which is the highest honour in Girl Scouts of Korea and Gold Scout which is also honourable symbol in my MO. And in this year, I'm helping for my MO as a vice-president of Mugunghwa committee.
My experience in the GYF thematic areas:
Sexuality, families and rights: In 2009, I worked in the performance group that performed about neglected girl as an assistant of director. We could have time for sharing our opinion and social news about neglected women caused by sexuality, families and rights issues. I also learnt how we can 'speak out' in various ways.
Fully inclusive civic participation: I worked for Korean students for 6 years as a student president of community organization. I have heard many voices from my friends and students around me, and tried to find solutions. We tried to show people our opinion about school system, education, environmental issues and so on. It was good way to speak out as a youth of my country. But I think I still have a lot of unsettled things in my head. I'm sure I can share these experiences and problems with others!
Pippa Gardner from UK
I am Pippa Gardner from the UK and I joined our youngest section (Rainbows) when I was 5 and have been a member ever since. I chaired our youth forum for the region in the east of the country for 4 and a half years and finished recently.
Now I sit on our national council. I was one of our delegates to the young women’s world forum in 2010 and set up my own MDG related project as a result. I’ve since been to the commission on the status of women and Rio+20 UN events as part of the WAGGGS delegation. I’m currently in the USA (Massachusetts) for a few months, and hope to find a girl scouts troop to get involved with here.
My experience in the GYF thematic areas:
Staying healthy: I am a peer educator for Girlguiding UK and I have lead session about risky behaviours around alcohol, drugs and sex. We also have activities relating to adequate exercise and healthy eating in most of our sections programmes. I was involved last year with a challenge badge aimed at our Brownie section in my county about being Happy, Active and Healthy. It included physical and mental health aspects and finished with a day event where the girls did activities from learning first aid, through to running and obstacles course and doing art activities.
Sexuality, families and rights: My academic studies have included research around family, sexuality and gender, and I am particularly interested in LGBT rights. I also volunteer with an organisation called Stonewall in the UK.
Fully inclusive civic participation: As youth forum chair I was involved in ensuring youth participation in guiding decision making, and that ethos extends beyond guiding to. My organisation is currently building itself as the voice of girls in the UK and we do annual surveys of girls’ attitudes and present these findings to government and media through a panel called Advocate.
Thamonwan “Praewa” Na Nakara from Thailand
I started guiding 6 years ago when I started my secondary school and I have been a guide since then. Now I am one of the young board committees of the Girl Guides Association of Thailand. I have been fortunate to attend the Young Women’s World Forum in 2010, the Girls’ World Forum 2012 (as a chaperone) and the 56th Commission on the Status of Women in 2012 as a WAGGGS youth delegate. I am so glad to have an opportunity to represent WAGGGS and my country again in this Global Youth Forum.
My experience in the GYF thematic areas:
Staying healthy: Two years ago I started working with my member organization on a project called “valuing girls” which aims to empower girls and young women in the Northern part of Thailand. The main purpose is to help the girls realise what they can do and at the same time slowly try to change the ideas of the hill tribes (ethnic groups) people about stopping education and married young. The project also introduce the girls MDGs and 7 key messages which are discover your potential, adolescent pregnancy, drugs, healthy eating, smoking, HIV, and sex. The project has been conducted for 7 years now and there are also young volunteers who help the girls get the right understanding about the issues.
Fully inclusive civic participation:
I am one of the committees of the Asian Law Student’s Association (ALSA) of my university. The association brings together law students from Asian countries through conferences, study trips, forums and camps to discuss and share about the social issues. Last week, on behalf of my university, I was one of the organizing staffs of the ASEAN Student Forum where participants from 9 countries of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meet together and exchange their thoughts about ASEAN issues and develop their own action plan to create ASEAN Mind among people in the region.
Romena “Tamira” Browne from St. Vincent and the Grenadines
I became a member of WAGGGS from the tender age of 4 and this year I celebrated 20 years of involvement; hopefully it is the start of another 20 or more years. My growth in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts starts from a Brownie Guide, to a Girl Guide, to a Ranger Guide (where I commenced the Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme – I’m now a Gold Awardee) and now serve as a guider/leader. I have also worked on several projects to address the Millennium Development Goals spearheading projects on education development, environmental sustainability, HIV/AIDS, poverty alleviation and the empowerment of women. I have also been trained and work with dedication as a peer counselor since 2002. As for my education, I am now pursuing a Master’s of Science in Integration Studies. Since September 2nd, 2009 I have worked at the Emmanuel High School Mesopotamia as both Mathematics and Accounting teacher while diligently working as CARICOM Youth Ambassador and now serve as the Vice Dean of Regional Initiatives of the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme
My experience in the GYF thematic areas:
In my work as CARICOM Youth Ambassador I have addressed the key areas of the Global Youth Forum: 1. Staying healthy, 2. Comprehensive education, 3. Transitions to decent employment for youth, 4. Sexuality, families and rights and 5. Fully inclusive civic participation. These areas are also outlined as CARICOM Youth Development Goals. My work in this regard has been done through the development of several programmes and actions with various groups and with the sponsorship from government and business organisations. I am interested in participating at the Forum because I have been involved in youth work for all my life. I have travelled the Caribbean region and heard about issues that affect youth and I would love the opportunity to bring these issues to the attention of the global community.
Chathurangi De Silva from Sri Lanka
My name is Chathurangi De Silva and I come from Sri Lanka. At the moment, I am the Director of Publications for the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association and I am employed at Leo Burnett Solutions as an Art Director.
My experience in the GYF thematic areas:
I have worked on a number of projects over a period of time covering various issues that this forum is focusing upon. The work I am involved in and the work that I am most passionate about revolves under 3 main categories: youth empowerment, climate change and most importantly violence against women and children as well as gender equality. Over the past 7 years I have organized and carried out many projects addressing these issues around the country.
Following are some of these projects:
- ‘Be the Change’ social & educational project together with the International Association of Leo Clubs (2012) (continuous project)
- Actively involved in projects with the Sri Lanka Anti Narcotics Association, 'Fight Hunger-Walk the World' UNFPA project, AIDEX sports meet, Alzheimer's Foundation
- ‘Cleaner Coast 2010’ Beach Cleaning Campaign & Solid Waste Management Campaign at Labuduwa, Galle. (ongoing project)
- ‘BOND 2006’ Community & Social Project at Rambukkana, themed 'Gender Equality & women's Empowerment'
- ‘Lend a Hand’ Tsunami Relief & Rehabilitation Project, Ahangama (2004-2007)
- 'Let Butterflies Fly' project for the welfare of children together with Dr. Athula Wijesundara at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (largest children's hospital in the world)
In addition to being at a decision making level at SLGGA, I am also actively involved in many other youth organizations such as the International Association of Leo Clubs & the World University Service, where I am exposed to different individuals & expertise that I am able to share with at this conference.
Georgette Razafindratsara from Magadasca
I am Georgette Razafindratsara and I am member of the national team in the Catholic Girl Guide Association of Madagascar. I have been a member of Girl Guides since the age of 6 and I am now responsible for the red branch (17 to 25 years old). I have already represented my Association and my country, in several occasions, trainings and workshopsorganized by UN in Madagascar, during the TUNZA Conference that was held in Indonesia last year.
My experience in the GYF thematic areas:
My expertise in the forum keys, I am now member of the group Tanora Garan’teen, a project by youth, to youth from youth, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Leisure in Madagascar and the UNFPA country office. This project aims to not only educate young people in Madagascar to be independent end free to make the good decision in term of sexuality, family, human’s right, gender, violence and all the issues and all problems that concern youth, it but also to allows young people to express themselves freely, without restriction and discrimination. The right to expression is one of the project’s challenge.
Job opportunities for youth: Malagasy youth have difficulties on finding jobs, especially those who are just graduated. This forum is an opportunity for me to see, learn and share with young people from other countries what they are doing to cope with this kind of difficulties and other problems that young people face.
Koto Harada from Japan
My name is Koto Harada, I'm from Japan and I've been involved with scouting since I was 4. I joined a 2-week-programme at Our Cabana in Mexico in 2004 and worked in Pax Lodge for 3 months in Summer 2010. Through scouting I learnt a lot of things, met so many great people and got to know about the world and myself. My life wouldn't be the same without scouting for sure.
My experience in the GYF thematic areas:
Transitions to decent employment for youth: I studied Psychology in Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland for four years and that academic background gave me to learn three things: basic knowledge of Psychology, cooperation with people from different countries and backgrounds, and difference between Japan and Europe.
Among the three, the most significant impact on my life was a huge gap between Japan and Europe about employment system. Every year becomes more and more difficult to find a job and there are many extreme cases with people feeling desperate due to unemployment. I have written an article on my blog about this, which was shared on the Internet and raised people's awareness.
I would like to share my experience at the forum with other youth. To begin with, I would like to have a youth forum to discuss those 5 areas with other young scout leaders in Japan. We already hold camps for young leaders every year, so I would like to put that idea into a programme in one of the camps.