The theme for World Thinking Day 2013 is girls worldwide say "together we can save children's lives." This theme is based on United Nation's Millennium Development Goal 4, which is focused on reducing child mortality rates around the globe.

To earn the award, girls complete one or more activities below.


 

• On a map of the world, identify countries with the highest child mortality rates based on the CIA World Factbook listing. Then, read this LA Times article about child mortality in the US and investigate the reasons for high infant mortality rates in the U.S. and intervention strategies. Write an op-ed article on this topic, including why this issue is significant to you. Review the article with other Ambassadors and try to publish it in your school or a local newspaper.
• It is essential for women to remain healthy when they are pregnant. Learn why by interviewing an obstetrician or midwife. Then find out about maternal health practices in a developing country. What can be done to provide good maternal health care for all women? Educate others about your findings.
• Check out Kids Count data about the percentage of American children who live in poverty. Investigate some local solutions to addressing poverty in your community, region or state.
• Track stories regarding infant mortality in the news for one week. What are international leaders saying and doing about the issues? What more could they do?
• Join UNICEF's Voices of Youth to share your thoughts with youth around the world on what can be done to address global poverty and hunger.
• Have you ever visited your local health department? Go there and look up facts about child health in your community. Then develop a take action project to improve child health in your community. Where are the greatest needs? For example, consider arranging school visits by doctors or other health professionals, a health fair, or a sporting event.
• Every day nearly 5,000 people die from diseases like diarrhea which are caused by dirty water. Worldwide, more than two billion people lack adequate access to basic sanitation. It is much more difficult to stay clean and healthy when safe water is scarce and has to be carried over long distances. Take the Improving Access to Water and Sanitation Webquest to investigate water and sanitation issues around the world. Apply your WebQuest research to consider what can be done to increase awareness about water and sanitation issues. Got some ideas? Take the Justice Girl Scout Leadership Journey to carry out your take action project.
• Invite a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer to speak to your group about her/his Peace Corps experience in the country where she/he served. Specifically, ask the volunteer to speak about her/his experiences working with children and what their lives were like in the community. Were they able to help prevent childhood illnesses? Not familiar with the Peace Corps? Watch A Legacy of Service and see Peace Corps Speakers Tip Sheet (PDF). If you cannot find a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer in your community, contact a local university and invite an international student to speak.