ChaseRiverGuides

WORLD THINKING DAY 2013

The 2013 theme

We have chosen two Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as themes this WTD – MDG 4: Reduce child mortality and MDG 5: Improve maternal health. Our messages for 2013 are “together we can save children’s lives” and “every mother’s life and health is precious”. MDG 4 and 5 are closely linked and both are key issues affecting girls and young women around the world.

Focus Countries


World Thinking Day is a way for girls and young women to learn about life for their peers in other countries and to explore the similarities and differences in the Girl Guide and Girl Scout experience across the globe. For 2013, we have identified five focus countries – Republic of Ireland,
Jordan, Malawi, Pakistan and Venezuela.



Did you know ...
• The mortality rate for children born to mothers under the age of 20 is 73 per cent higher than the children of
mothers over the age of 20
• Violence against girls and women – along with other forms of gender inequality – is one of the root causes of child
and maternal death. Girls’ and women’s rights are an important tool for achieving MDGs 4 and 5
• Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 years in many
low- and middle-income countries
• Child and maternal deaths are not just an issue in the developing world. Children in the United States are less likely
to reach their fifth birthday than in 40 other developed countries
• The number of child deaths fell from 12 million in 1990 to 7.6 million in 20103. While this is good news, it is still
well below the target of a 67 per cent fewer child deaths by 2015