'Girl Guides' or 'Girl Scouts' is a parallel movement to
Scouting. When Scouting was founded in 1907 by
Robert Baden-Powell it was intended for boys only. As early as 1909, girls wanted to join the Scout groups. Baden-Powell rejected these wishes and asked his sister
Agnes to start a parallel movement for girls. Other influential people were
Juliette Low in the USA,
Olga Malkowska in Poland and
Antoinette Butte in France.
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Early programs for Girl Guides included educating the girls in home economics with items like nutrition, cooking or nursing, as well as camping, sailing, knotting and signalling. Today, most Guide and Scout programs are similar.
Even when most Scout organizations became coeducational Guiding remained separate in many countries to provide a female-centered program. Internationally it is governed by the
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts with member organizations in 144 countries.
References
1. Our History
See also
★ Sections:
Rainbow Guide,
Brownie Guide,
Girl Guide and Girl Scout,
Ranger Guide
★
List of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts members