Asia Pacific Regional Committee

World Board Member & Asia-Pacific Region Committee Chair, August 2025 - Present

Niumath brings decades of Guiding experience, rooted in the very establishment of the Maldives Girl Guides Association in 1983, when she got trained as an adult leader at just 16 years old. Her journey began as a Girl Guide at the age of 11 and she has since been an exemplary pioneer in adoption and implementation of the strategic framework, programme development, and capacity building within her Member Organization.

Over the years, she has held numerous leadership roles in MGGA, including National Secretary, deputy chief commissioner, culminating in her tenure as Chief Commissioner from 2015 to 2025. Looking ahead, Niumath is deeply committed to supporting Member Organizations in adopting best practices, foster meaningful collaboration, and nurture an inclusive, diverse, and supportive environment where both volunteers and members feel valued and connected.

Francine brings 12 years of experience in the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting movement, where she currently serves on the Central Board of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines as Vice-Chair of the Real Properties and Buildings Committee. In addition to this role, she has overseen portfolios that strengthen programme delivery and design for young women and adult leaders, whilst also supporting international events and fundraising initiatives.

She co-founded ILAW, a youth-led initiative at the climate–energy–gender nexus, and has also contributed her time to values-aligned organisations such as the YWCA of the Philippines, Inc. and the Philippine Red Cross. Professionally, Francine advances her commitment to women’s leadership as a Marketing and Communications Associate at Wedu, a regional organisation working to close the gender leadership gap across South and Southeast Asia through education funding and leadership development.

Her service has been recognised with the Diana Award and the Blue Triangle Award, alongside the University of the Philippines’ highest student distinction. Trained as a geologist, Francine has since found a deeper calling in applying her critical thinking and STEM background to enrich women’s quality of life, bringing both scientific rigour and a spirit of advocacy to her work. Her leadership reflects a commitment to building inclusive, sustainable pathways for girls and young women across the Asia Pacific region.

A Girl Guide from Malaysia since 13-year-old and began her magical journey since then. Over the years, Gwen has been with WAGGGS in different roles, a volunteer at her own MOs, a volunteer and staff at Sangam World Centre, facilitated leadership and advocacy events at a global level and a Committee Member led by the World Board at the last Triennium.

Gwen is a person who is not afraid of hands-on work, with the attitude of ‘let’s solve these issues now’ and also loves governance processes that focus on building strong foundations.

Gwen is excited to come into this role, and she hopes she can support MOs in the region in a holistic way, identify the gaps and strengthen it, have more collaborations in the region, and provide more space, meaningful discussions with youth and young women, and empower them to create a better world.

May Myat Moe’s journey in Guiding is defined by passion, adaptability, and steady impact across all levels of the movement. Starting as a young leader in Myanmar Girl Guides, she rapidly advanced through grassroots and international roles, driven by a strong commitment to empowering young women. May demonstrated resourcefulness as an Academic Coach, Timetable Organiser, and technology enthusiast, leading regional projects and facilitating community training. Her leadership includes key roles such as JLS 2024 Tech Team Lead and Asia Pacific Regional Capacity Building Support, where she organised webinars, conferences, and initiatives addressing real-world challenges for girls. May’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is visible in her advocacy and mentoring, ensuring leadership opportunities are accessible for all. Being the youngest regional committee member from an associate member organisation, she is ambitious to foster Meaningful Youth Participation and strengthen the intergenerational leadership all while enhancing the capacity of the Asia Pacific Region and the movement.

Deeply rooted in both public service and guiding, I serve as a State Commissioner with the Bharat Scouts and Guides and as a Dental Surgeon in the State Health Services. My work in leading polio and COVID-19 health campaigns, running adolescent health clinics, and supporting community wellness reflects my commitment to equity and inclusion. I focus on bridging intergenerational gaps, encouraging informal education, and strengthening mental health and economic opportunities for women. I believe every woman and girl deserves to be heard—and that real change starts by listening to them.

Shinetsetseg Lkhagvasuren joined the Girl Scouts of Mongolia in 2010 and has served as Training Commissioner, Program Commissioner, and Board Member of the association. She contributed to the translation of WAGGGS’ educational programs, including the Biodiversity Challenge Badge and World Thinking Day activity pack, into Mongolian, and supported the development of training programs for trainers and troop leaders. Professionally, she is an Ecologist with a Master’s degree in Business Administration and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Gender Studies. With over 10 years of experience in project management, policy analysis, and training, she focuses on climate change adaptation and resilience, biodiversity finance, gender-responsive programs, and youth empowerment. She is passionate about creating inclusive environments where girls and young women can thrive as leaders and changemakers.