Advocacy
Protect Teens From Dating Violence - the "Demi Brae Cuccia Law"
Act Now! Help protect teens from dating violence – the “Demi Brae Cuccia Law”. The State House passed legislation that would help protect Pennsylvania teens from the dangers of teen dating violence. The bill now awaits action in the State Senate. See how you can help make this bill a law!
DISCOVER
Girl Scouts of the USA's advocacy efforts help demonstrate to lawmakers that Girl Scouts is a resource and an authority on issues affecting girls. Based on almost 100 years of experience and developed from extensive research, the Girl Scout Public Policy and Advocacy Office:
- Encourages healthy living through combating Relational Aggression and promoting girl-positive media images;
- Promotes girls' involvement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM);
- Gives a voice to girls in under-served communities;
- Ensures girls feel emotionally and physically safe;
- Prevents youth violence in communities; and
- Develops financial literacy skills through programs like the Cookie Program.
Girl Scouts of the USA first established a Public Policy and Advocacy office in 1952. Since that time, the organization has worked to build strong relationships with members of Congress, as well as with officials at the White House and federal departments and agencies. Through national advocacy efforts, the Girl Scouts of the USA informs and educates key representatives of the government's legislative and executive branches about issues important to girls and Girl Scouting and lobby for increased program resources.
Watch What You Watch is a national PSA campaign to promote healthy media images for you. The campaign was created in partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA, The Creative Coalition, National Cable & Telecommunications Association, and the National Association of Broadcasters. Watch What You Watch encourages all of us to pay attention to the media images that are influencing the nation’s youth. The PSA, directed by actor and Co-President of The Creative Coalition Tim Daly, features actors Felicity Huffman, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Andrea Bowen, Seth Green, Rachael Leigh Cook, Kaycee Stroh, Kathryn Joosten, Carrie Ann Inaba, Teri Polo, Shay Mitchell, Ayla Kell, Josie Loren, Vanessa Lengies, Rachel Blanchard, Brooke Nevin, Lisa Gay Hamilton, and recording artist Chuck D.
CONNECT
Girl Scouts has been successful in producing girls of courage, confidence, and character who develop and promote healthy, caring relationships among their peers. For this reason, community-based organizations that serve youth, including the Girl Scouts, are vital partners in creating and delivering solutions in the area of relational aggressions. Through our Facebook page, Stop RA, we hope to share ideas and encourage discussion between educators, families, organizations and girls themselves so that we can all become more successful in addressing relational aggression.
TAKE ACTION
The Girl Scouts Advocacy Network provides a tool for you to become the voice for girls and to make a difference in your community and across the nation. Girl Scout members, volunteers, board, staff and supporters can educate policymakers and community leaders on issues that directly affect girls and the Girl Scouts. By being an advocate, you will have an impact on girl policy issues that are moving through Congress and state legislatures. Sign up today at www.girlscouts4girls.org and take action!
Healthy Media for Youth Act
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced bipartisan legislation on March 24, 2010 that establishes a national taskforce that would develop voluntary guidelines and other measures to promote positive images of girls and women.
The bill, the Healthy Media for Youth Act (H.R. 4925), which was developed in collaboration with the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), would support media literacy programs, promote research on the effects of media images, and encourage the adoption of voluntary guidelines to promote healthier media images for young people.
The Healthy Media for Youth Act is a part of a wider effort by Girl Scouts at the federal, state, and local level known as Live Healthy, Lead Healthy, which seeks to engage policymakers and community leaders around key health and well-being issues affecting girls. In February, Girl Scouts released a study that found that nearly 90 percent of American girls feel intense pressure from the media to have an ideal body type. The same study found that girls want to see healthier, more realistic images of women in media. Girl Scouts is moving to respond to this need through the release later this year of its newest program, It's Your Story—Tell It! (to be available to girls fall 2010) that focuses on helping improve girls' self-esteem and media literacy skills.
By promoting the Healthy Media for Youth Act, Girl Scouts is being a voice for girls on an issue that directly and disproportionately affects them. Girl Scouts recognizes the need to bring attention to this important issue, which affects girls' self-esteem, body image, eating habits, and social and emotional development.
Senate Bill 850 Cuts Key Services for Women and Children in the 2009/2010 PA State Budget
The Pennsylvania Commission for Women thought it important to let women across this state know that the PA Senate has passed a Bill that would substantially reduce funding for critical programs that serve women and children. Yes, this is the same Bill that proposes to eliminate the PA Commission for Women. In devaluing the needs of women and children, the Senate is debilitating families and the communities in which they live.
It is time to protest on behalf of women and families in this commonwealth. Call your legislators and make your voice heard.
Senate Bill 850 will dramatically cut the following services:
- PA Commission for Women, cut 100%
- Medical Assistance - Obstetric and Neonatal Services, cut 100%
- Community based family Centers
- Childcare Services
- Childcare Assistance
- Teen Pregnancy and Parenthood education
- Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening
- Maternal and Child Health
- Accessible Housing
- Public Library subsidy
We ask that you call, write or email your Senator and your State Representative. In particular, please also call, Senators Dominic Pileggi, Jake Corman and Joseph Scarnati, sponsors of the Bill, and demand that they reinstate funding for these critical, much-needed services, and reinstate the PA Commission for Women budget for 2009/2010.
It is important to note that there is a companion Bill in the House of Representatives (House Bill 1416) which would restore funding for these essential services. We strongly urge you to contact your legislators immediately to support HB1416.
Who’s my Senator or State Representative? Identify your Legislators and find their contact information here. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/.
