Structure of WOSM

What is WOSM ( World Organization of the Scout Movement) ?

It is an international, non-governmental organization, composed of its recognized National Scout Organizations. There are currently 171 National Scout Organizations in the world. In addition to the 171 Member Organizations, local Scouting activities exist in at least another 52 countries and territories worldwide. The role of the NSO is to support and develop Scouting in that country, and facilitate contacts with other NSOs and the World Organization. To become a member of WOSM, NSOs must gain recognition from the World Scout Conference. There can only be one NSO per country. In the case of a country having more than one National Scout Association (NSA), a federation is formed for the purpose of national coordination and world membership.

The most recent member, Afghanistan, joined in 2020. Of the 171 NSO‟s.There are 216 countries where Scouting exists. There are more than 54 million Scouts in the world (2020). There are only 6 countries without Scouting. They are:

• Andorra - Scouting in Andorra - dormant since the 1980s

• People's Republic of China (mainland China) - Scouting in Mainland China - Scout Association of the People's Republic of China

• Cuba - Cuban Scouting prior to 1961 and in exile

• Laos - Laotian Scouting prior to 1975 and in exile

• North Korea - shared history with Korea Scout Association prior to 1950

• Vatican City - Scouting in Vatican City

Click here to check all the NSO (National Scout Organizations)

There are 38 main territories where Scouting exists, often as overseas branches of member NSOs: Aland Islands, Anguilla, Antarctica, Bermuda, Bonaire-Saint Eustatius and Saba, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Island, Cayman Islands, Christmas Islands, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, French Guiana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Guadeloupe, Guam, Head Island and McDonald Islands, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Pitcairn, Réunion, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Sint Maarten, South Georgia and the South Sandwich, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Minor Outlying Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna.

There are 14 countries where Scouting exists (be it embryonic or widespread) but where there is no National Scout Organization which is yet a member of WOSM.

Albania, Central African Republic, Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Nauru, Samoa, Somalia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

WOSM maintains official contacts with French Polynesia, which is an associate member of the Asia-Pacific Scout Region.

WOSM Emblem

WOSM Emblem

Structure of WOSM

Governance

The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) is made up of 171 National Scout Organizations all over the world, divided into six Regions: Africa, Arab, Asia-Pacific, Eurasia, Europe and Inter-america. The World Scout Conference, which takes place every three years, is the governing body of WOSM. It elects a World Scout Committee, which is the executive body of the organisation. The World Scout Bureau is the secretariat and is headed by a Secretary General.

The World Scout Conference

41st World Scout Conference

The World Scout Conference is the governing body, the "general assembly" of Scouting, and is composed of all the members of the World Organization: the National Scout Organizations (NSOs). An NSO can have a maximum of six delegates at a World Scout Conference.

The function of the Conference is to consider the policy and standards of the Scout Movement throughout the world, formulate the general policy of the World Organization, and take the action required to further the purpose of the Movement. The Conference takes place every three years. In addition to delegates, observers authorized by their National Scout Organization are also eligible to attend the event. Delegations usually include International Commissioners, the Scout responsible for relations with WOSM and with Scout Organizations in other countries.

In conjunction to the Conference, a World Scout Youth Forum is held. Through preparing inputs and making recommendations to the World Scout Conference and to the World Scout Committee, participants develop the skills necessary to take part in decision-making processes. The Youth Forum is open to members aged 18-26, of which many are also delegates at the World Scout Conference. The World Scout Youth Forum is considered as an interim measure to improve youth involvement in decision-making at world level.

Functions of the Conference includes electing members of the World Scout Committee, admitting new member countries, and selecting the venues for forthcoming World Scout Events, namely the World Scout Jamboree, the World Scout Moot, the World Scout Conference and the World Scout Youth Forum. The most recent World Scout Conference and World Scout Youth Forum took place in 2017 in Azerbaijan and 2021 in Egypt.

The World Scout Committee

The World Scout Committee is the executive body of WOSM. It is responsible for the implementation of the resolutions of the World Scout Conference and for acting on its behalf between its meetings. The Committee is composed of the following members:

Voting members:

• Twelve elected members, each from a different country. They are elected by the World Scout Conference by secret ballot, for a three-year term. The elected members are eligible for re-election for an additional term, serving a maximum of six consecutive years. Youth Advisors to the World Scout Committee Six Youth Advisors, each from a different country are elected by the World Scout Youth Forum participants, preceding the World Scout Conference.

Ex-officio non-voting members:

• The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson of each duly elected Regional Scout Committee

• The Secretary General of WOSM

• The Treasurer, who is appointed by the World Scout Committee

• A member of the Board of the World Scout Foundation

The Committee normally meets twice a year. Its Steering Committee, consisting of the Chairperson, two Vice-Chairpersons and the Secretary General, meets as needed.

Current World Scout Committee members.

Mr. Japrith Fernando was elected to the World Scout Committee in 2017.

Current Officials

Position	Name
Chairperson	Edward Andrew Chapman
Secretary General	Ahmad Alhendawi
Sarah Rita Kattan	Vice-Chairperson
Asia-Pacific Scout Committee	Dale B. Corvera

Scout Regions

There are Six Scout regions. Sri Lanka belongs to Asia Pacific Region.

The Regions are strategically managed by Regional Scout Committees, which are elected by Regional Scout Conferences. These conferences take place every three years. The Regions are supported by Regional Offices, which are part of the World Scout Bureau.

1. Inter America - Panama City, Republic of Panama

2. Asia Pacific - Manila, Philippines

3. Europe - Geneva, Switzerland & Brussels, Belgium

4. Africa - Nairobi, Kenya

5. Arab - Cairo, Egypt

6. Eurasia - Kyiv, Ukraine

Asia Pacific Region

Asia Pacific Region Logo

The Asia-Pacific Scout Region is strategically managed by the Regional Scout Committee, the members of which are elected at large by the Regional Scout Conference. The Regional Scout Conference is the general assembly attended by the leadership of all 28 member National Scout Organizations in the Region. There are 30 million Scouts in this region.

Asia Pacific Regional Committee

• Chairperson : Dale B Corvera

Click here to view all the members in the committee