Latest content: Gender

A leading international academic on the prevention of violence says the Commonwealth is uniquely placed to take forward cross-sector policy interventions that could protect millions of lives.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has made her inaugural speech at the High Level Segment of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

A delegation of more than 30 speakers and parliamentary officials met with Secretary-General Patricia Scotland last week to hear her plans and share advice on how to best work together to achieve equality.

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera has expressed hope that the Commonwealth will continue to fight for the values that have strengthened Sri Lanka in recent times, such as human rights, rule of law and democracy.

Enala Ngulu lives in Karonga, in rural Malawi. She lost both her parents when she was only eight years old. At the age of 13 she was married to a man of 47. He had two other wives. At a time when she should have been in school, learning about the world and how to make a contribution as a young woman, she was forced to grapple with adult responsibilities such as a marriage, a household and child-bearing.

The “Together We End Violence Against Women” award will recognise and celebrate simple, innovative activities and practices that promote ending violence against women.

Exactly a quarter of a century ago, on 20 October 1991, Commonwealth heads of government signed the historic Harare Commonwealth Declaration which defined the association’s fundamental political values.

October 1991: Commonwealth vows to safeguard democracy and human rights

Tackling the issues facing women and girls should be at the heart of all the internationally-agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Secretary-General Patricia Scotland told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

Addressing a crowd of more than sixty thousand people in New York’s Central Park, Secretary-General Patricia Scotland pledged the Commonwealth’s support to help countries “level the law” to end discrimination against women and girls.

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland today urged Commonwealth citizens to hold their governments to commitments made on the internationally ratified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS).

Women affairs ministers at a high-level Commonwealth meeting have promised to take action to end gender discrimination and violence.

Ministers and lawmakers at the Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting today received a “cutting-edge” resource to help beef-up East African laws that protect women against violence.

The under-representation of women and increasing gender inequalities must be reversed if sustainable development goals are to be met, according to the Commonwealth at the Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting in Apia.

Climate change impacts are affecting, in very similar ways, countries as far away from each other as Lesotho in Southern Africa, the Marshall Island in the Pacific, Jamaica in the Caribbean and India in Asia. All of these countries and the millions of girls, boys, women and men living in them are experiencing severe droughts and water challenges.

This week, Commonwealth governments and leading campaigners will form an alliance to deliver on the promise of gender equality and end violence against women and girls, including achieving justice for women in the courts. One in three women worldwide is a victim of domestic violence, and it is the greatest cause of death in women and girls.

With the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the time is ripe for fresh approaches to gender-responsive climate action. Most Commonwealth states are vulnerable developing countries, which are expected to be adversely affected by climate change.

Featured article by Commonwealth youth correspondent, Nutifafa Geh of Ghana.

Sustainable development in an inclusive Commonwealth makes the most of all its resources. With 60 per cent of the population of the Commonwealth aged 29 and under, and highly empowered women of all ages, it would be a missed opportunity if the Commonwealth did not bring generations together to advance gender equality.

Gender equality has come a long way since the emergence of feminism in the 19th and early-20th century. Yet, not much headway seems to have been made in terms of the economic empowerment of women.

Great strides have been made to advance women’s education, civic rights and empowerment across the world. Women in entrepreneurship is one such example.

Featured article by Commonwealth youth correspondent, Michael Gyekye of Ghana.

Visionary women leaders in government, business and civil society from across the Commonwealth came together in London today to identify practical steps to achieve gender equality and the protection and empowerment of women and girls.