WOSM has a total of 176 Member Organizations, with the last triennium welcoming four new members:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Congo
- Mali
- Albania
Antigua and Barbuda
On 24 November 2022, World Scouting welcomed the Antigua and Barbuda Scout Association (ABSA) as its 173rd member. Scouting in Antigua and Barbuda has a long history, starting in 1917, operating under The Scout Association as one of its overseas branches. Since 2007 the association slowly progressed towards becoming an independent National Scout Organization, a process supported by The Scout Association and the World Scout Bureau. Since then, a package of support was implemented with The Scout Association and WOSM to help ABSA complete its WOSM membership journey.
The current membership of the NSO amounts to 105 members. ABSA demonstrates a solid commitment to build its capacity and bring Scouting to new communities by tapping the potential of more than 21 000 young people aged 10-24 years that live in the country. The World Scout Bureau is supporting the membership growth by working closely with ABSA to support their growth plans by supporting the renewal of the Youth Programme.
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Scoutisme Congolais
On the 9th of August 2023, World Scouting welcomed the Scoutisme Congolais as its 174th member. This marks an important milestone for the Scouting movement in the country.
Scouting was introduced in Congo in the 1930s through French Scouting, firstly in public and private schools but banned in the period 1965 until 1991. In 1991, following a period of political reform in the country, the ban on Scouting was lifted. From then onwards, a total of nine associations were able to resume Scouting in the country. WOSM has provided support since the 1990s through a series of missions and support efforts by the African and the Global support centre that led to the unification of different Scouting associations in the country into one entity, Scoutisme Congolais.
The current membership of the NSO amounts to 17 466 members (8 323 boys and 9 143 girls) spread in 435 groups across the country. With activities across the whole country and a proactive approach towards new communities, Scoutisme Congolais has demonstrated a solid commitment to building its capacity and bringing Scouting to new communities by tapping the potential of more than 1.6 million young people aged 10-24 years who live in the country.
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The Association des Scouts et Guides du Mali
On 9 June 2024, World Scouting welcomed the Association des Scouts et Guides du Mali (ASGM) as its 175th member. The membership in WOSM is expected to contribute to the expansion of Scouting in Mali as they continue to enable more young people to become active citizens who are making an impact in their communities.
The Scout Movement in Mali (then French Sudan) began in the 1930s and expanded throughout the territory from 1942 until the country gained independence in 1960. The establishment of a single-party state in subsequent years, coupled with the nationalisation of organisations and youth movements, led to a decline of Scouting in the country.
After more than 30 years, the movement was re-established on 8 January 1994 in Badalabougou. After continuous and close support from WOSM, the Association des Scouts et Guides du Mali (ASGM) was established from the merger of three previous National Scout Associations that was formalised in 2021 in Bamako.
The current membership of the NSO amounts to 5,026 members spread across the country. ASGM demonstrates a solid commitment to build its capacity and bring Scouting to new communities by tapping the potential of more than 6.8 million young people aged 10-24 years that live in the country.
Read more about the Association des Scouts et Guides du Mali
Scouts of Albania
On 16 August 2024, World Scouting welcomed the Scouts of Albania as its 176th member. The membership in WOSM is expected to contribute the growth of Scouting in Albania, ensuring that more young people across diverse areas and communities have the opportunity to experience the benefits of Scouting.
Scouting in Albania has a rich history that dates back to the 1920s. Albania was a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1922 until the National Scout Organization dissolved in 1939 due to political events on the eve of World War II. Scouting was subsequently banned, but it reemerged in 1991 after the collapse of communism in the country Scouting reemerged and went through a period of transition for several decades.
In 2019, the European Scout Region began to support the development of Scouting in Albania with a strategic and sustainable approach to growth leading to a unified, co-educational, multi-ethnic and inter-religious movement in the country, and putting the organisation on a path towards full membership status.
Currently, Scouting in Albania involves 390 children, 160 adults and 49 trained Scout leaders spread across the country. Scouting in Albania is committed to expanding its reach, leveraging the potential of more than 700,000 young people between the ages of 5 and 24 who live in the country.
Read more about Scouts of Albania