Scouting is proud to have given generations of young people equal opportunities to grow and develop their full potential through empowering and enriching experiences regardless of their background. The Movement is open to everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from. At the 41st World Scout Conference, we pledged to support UN Women’s HeForShe initiative by inspiring millions of Scouts to work towards creating a better, gender-equal world by 2020. Since then, Scouts from all over the world have responded with a resounding “Count me in!” While much has been achieved, a lot more still needs to be done. That’s why UN Women and World Scouting have together developed a HeForShe Action Kit for Scout Leaders that includes a series of activities designed to get young people of all ages thinking about gender equality and what they can do about it. It is designed for use in all kinds of Scouting activities, from hiking to training sessions, and can be adapted depending on the age and maturity of the Scouts themselves. We invite you to use the Action Kit and make a commitment to become an advocate for gender equality in your community! We recommend the following steps to start your journey:
1. Know Why to Act
2. Make the Commitment
Once your Scouts are aware of the benefits of gender equality, encourage them to discuss HeForShe and make their commitment to a gender-equal world using the following link:
3. Plan your Next Move
Let’s think about what else Scouts can do to spread the word, and change the world by taking action for a gender equality in their local groups and communities. You could start an awareness campaign, organise an activity or workshop focussing on one of the areas in the Action Kit, or even create a video advocating for gender equality. Do share your projects on social media through Instagram, Facebook, Youtube or Twitter and use the hashtags #Scouts and #HeForShe. **National Scout Organizations are encouraged to implement the HeForShe Action Kit in their national Scout events, as well as to partner with UN Women to explore opportunities for collaboration on SDG 5: Gender Equality. The regional support centres of World Scouting are ready to assist NSOs