The Scout movement, also known as Scouting or the Scouts, is a voluntary non-political educational movement for young people. Although it requires an oath of allegiance to a nation's leaders and, in some countries, to a god, it otherwise allows membership without distinction of gender, race or origin in accordance with the principles of its founder, Lord Baden-Powell. The purpose of the Scout Movement is to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. During the first half of the twentieth century, the movement grew to encompass three major age groups for boys: Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Rover Scout. In 1910, the Girl Guides was created, encompassing three major age groups for girls: Brownie Guide, Girl Guide and Girl Scout and Ranger Guide. It is one of several worldwide youth organizations.
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Guiding and Scouting organizations in 152 countries. It was established in 1928 in Parád, Hungary, and has its headquarters in London, England. It is the counterpart of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). WAGGGS is organized into five regions and operates five international Guiding centers. It holds full member status in the European Youth Forum (YFJ), which operates within the Council of Europe and European Union areas and works closely with these bodies.
Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs is the largest Scouting and Guiding organization in Austria and the only one approved by World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). The association claims more than 300 troops with more than 85,000 Scouts nationwide. WOSM and WAGGGS give quite smaller membership values for the PPÖ: 9,503 Scouts and 10,508 Guides.
The Afghanistan Scout Association was officially founded in 1931 in Afghanistan by a royal decree. The site of Robert Baden-Powell's second posting in 1880, Afghanistan was a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1932 until the Afghan government dissolved the Scout Association in 1947. Afghan Scouting was formed again from 1964 to 1978 and recognized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
The Association of Scouts of Azerbaijan, (ASA) the national Scouting organization of Azerbaijan, was founded in 1997, and became the 150th member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement on 20 August 2000. In 2017 it was admitted as a full member in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The coeducational association has 1,748 members as of 2012, about 35 % are girls.
Scouting in Tuvalu was first introduced in 1914, while known as the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Scouting operated as branch of the Scout Association (UK) in the early years. The Gilbert and Ellice Scout Association was founded in 1927, and joined the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1933. The Gilbert and Ellice Islands were separated administratively in the 1970s to become the independent Commonwealth nations of Tuvalu and Kiribati, and their Scouting movements took different paths.
Scouting Nederland is the national Scout organisation of the Netherlands with approximately 110,000 members (53,324 male and 54,663 female, 87,000 youth members, as of 2010.
The Bangladesh Scouts is the national Scouting organization of Bangladesh. Scouting was founded in 1914 in East Bengal now Bangladesh as part of the British Indian branch of The Scout Association, and continued as part of the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association until the country's divided sections split in 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Following its independence, in 1972, the Bangladesh Boy Scout Association was officially formed as successor of the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association. Bangladesh became an independent member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1974. The organization changed its name to "Bangladesh Scouts" in 1978. The organization has 1,474,460 members as of 2015.
Girl Guides of Canada is the national Guiding association of Canada. Guiding in Canada started on September 7, 1910 and GGC was among the founding members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) in 1928.
Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Liechtensteins is the national Scouting and Guiding association of Liechtenstein. Scouting in Liechtenstein started in 1931, and Guiding followed in 1932. The Boy Scouts became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1933, and the Guides joined the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1952. In 1989 both organizations merged and formed the present Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Liechtensteins. The PPL has about 1,100 members of both sexes and is organised in ten troops.
The Fiji Scouts Association, is the national Scouting organization of Fiji. Scouting in Fiji was founded in 1914, and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1971. The Fiji Scouts Association has 3,926 members as of 2011.
The National Organisation for Scouts and Guides is the national Scouting and Guiding organization of Oman. It was founded in 1975, and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1977 and of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1996. The coeducational National Organisation for Scouts and Guides has about 19,000 members as of 2010.
Savez Izviđača Srbije, English: Scout Association of Serbia) is the primary national Scouting organization of Serbia. A referendum on independence was held in Montenegro on May 21, 2006, voting to leave its state union with Serbia by a narrow margin. Montenegro became the world's 193rd recognized sovereign state, which has then split the Savez Izviđača Srbije i Crne Gore, as happened with Czechoslovakia in 1993, meaning that the membership in the World Organization of the Scout Movement was transferred to Savez Izviđača Srbije.
Scouting and Guiding in Ontario has a long history. Although there is some dispute about the founding of the first Scouting Group, both 1st Merrickville and 1st St. Catharines Scout Group have a documented existence from 1908. In 1955, the 8th World Scout Jamboree was held at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Scouting continues in Ontario to the present day, serving thousands of youths in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
The Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association is the national Guiding organization of Sri Lanka. It serves 54,824 members. Founded in 1917, the girls-only organization became a full member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1951.
The Scout and Guide movement in Fiji is served by
The Scout and Guide movement in Japan is served by
Scouting and Guiding in the United Kingdom is served by several different organisations:
Myanmar Girl Guides is the national Guiding organization of Myanmar. The organization was founded in 2014 and is currently an associate member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. It serves 29,067 members.
Girl Guides is a movement found worldwide, which was originally and still largely designed for girls and women only. This organization was introduced in 1909, because girls demanded to take part in the then grassroots Boy Scout Movement.
