WAGGGS is governed by a World Board made up of active Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting members from around the world.

The World Board consists of 17 voting members: 12 are elected by Member Organisations at the World Conference for a term of six years, and the five Chairs of the Regional Committees are elected at their respective Regional Conferences and serve for three years. So far as practicable, the World Board should have a minimum of two women under the age of thirty at their time of election.

The WAGGGS World Board has overall responsibility for the direction, strategy, governance and control of the organisation and is collectively accountable for compliance with relevant UK legislative and regulatory requirements.

The World Board is supported in its work by a number of Committees and Working Groups to which it allocates specific duties.