|
Back to News
Home
 |
19 youth representatives as part of the
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts delegation to the
UN Copenhagen climate change conference have received a major boost
from The UPS Foundation, who join WAGGGS as a founding partner of
the Global Girls Fund.
The delegation from 13 countries around the world is attending
the climate change summit as part of the World Association of Girl
Guides and Girl Scouts Environment Programme, launched here at COP
15. The UPS Foundation's commitment of US$2 million over the next
five years will support WAGGGS to carry out a range of programs,
including creating platforms for girls and young women to learn,
engage and have a voice on environmental issues that affect their
communities, countries and the world.
"Today's youth will live and die as a result of the decisions made
here in Copenhagen about climate change and environmental
sustainability," said Prisca Randriamampihavana, a 20 year old youth
delegate from Madagascar. "Through Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting
and our partners, we can educate and mobilize youth in this critical
debate about their own futures. Girls and young women have the right
and the skill to participate in the process."
The WAGGGS Environment Programme will develop solutions to the
difficult issue of climate change and its impact on girls and young
women, an area of the debate that has largely gone ignored and
continues to be marginalized at COP 15.
"Girls and young women are the most affected by climate change. It
is girls' futures that are most at stake because of climate change.
Policies, programmes and treaties to combat climate change will be
more successful if girls and young women are at their heart. Yet
less than half a cent of every US dollar spent on international
assistance programmes is invested directly in girls and the UNFCCC
does not mention girls or even gender," explained Linden Edgell,
Deputy Chair of the WAGGGS World Board and leader of the COP 15
delegation.
The UPS Foundation, which has supported WAGGGS for six years, was
recently named global founding partner of the Global Girls Fund,
WAGGGS' Centenary Appeal.
"Our partnership with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl
Scouts over the last six years has helped strengthen a culture of
volunteerism and diversity around the world. As a founding partner
of the Global Girls Fund, we are excited to expand and globalize our
partnership to support the world's girls and young women - whose
voices are too often underrepresented. Together, we hope to help
them raise their own voices to be agents of change and build more
sustainable communities," said Eduardo Martinez, Director,
Philanthropy and Community Relations, of The UPS Foundation.
WAGGGS and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) also continue their long and successful partnership
with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and a Letter of
Agreement, which will see them collaborate with other partners in
developing numerous initiative such as the Youth and United Nations
Global Alliance (YUNGA), Our World, Our Food, Our Climate
publication, 2010 international year of biodiversity initiative, and
the development of numerous educational resources and activities
such as the Food Security and Climate Change Challenge Badge. The
Badge was recently launched to WAGGGS' ten million members to help
them learn about issues of environmental protection and food
security and inspire them to be an active part of solving the
problems.
"FAO is convinced that youth are part of the solution to climate
change. For this reason, it has forged a close partnership with
WAGGGS to empower girls around the world to raise awareness and
undertake concrete action on climate change," said Wendy Mann,
Senior Advisor, FAO.
About the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
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
supporting girls and young women to develop their full potential as
responsible citizens of the world. We deliver a well-established,
unique, values-based approach to non-formal learning, innovative
global programmes and advocacy on issues such as leadership, HIV and
AIDS, environmental sustainability, health and empowerment and
equality. For more information, visit www.wagggsworld.org
About The UPS Foundation
Founded in 1951 and based in Atlanta, Ga., The UPS Foundation's
major areas of focus include community safety, nonprofit
effectiveness, economic and global literacy, environmental
sustainability, and diversity. The UPS Foundation pursues these
initiatives by identifying specific projects where its support can
help produce a measurable social impact. In 2008, The UPS Foundation
directed more than $100 million in philanthropy to charitable
organizations worldwide. Visit community.ups.com for more
information about UPS's community involvement.
About FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed
and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all
nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy.
FAO is also a source of knowledge and information, helping countries
to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries
practices and ensure good nutrition for all.
www.fao.org/climatechange/youth and www.yunga.org
|
|
