Across the Commonwealth, spouses and partners already play influential roles as advocates for issues affecting people and communities. Their work spans mental health, education, gender equality, ending child marriage and gender-based violence, disability inclusion, public health and climate change. 

Established by Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Botchwey, the platform will connect and strengthen this work, encourage collaboration and amplify advocacy around shared Commonwealth priorities. 

Accelerating action 

The platform will support spouses and partners in using their influence and public profile to champion social issues that have a profound impact on people’s lives. 

Initial priority areas include: 

• youth mental health
• non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
• preventing sexual and gender-based violence
• addressing boys’ school dropout
• disability inclusion
• education and skills development. 

These priorities will support wider Commonwealth commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

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The platform will be inaugurated in November on the margins of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda. 

Spouses and partners will be able to champion priority issues in their regions and use Commonwealth meetings and other international platforms to raise awareness, build partnerships and encourage action. 

The platform will also connect their advocacy with relevant Commonwealth work, including meetings of ministers responsible for areas such as health, youth and education. 

The programme will complement existing Commonwealth structures rather than create a new structure, working in partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth of Learning and the Accredited Organisations. It will bring together advocacy, public engagement and partnerships to strengthen links between governments, civil society, international organisations and communities. 

Through the platform, the Commonwealth Secretariat aims to: 

• turn informal influence into coordinated advocacy
• bring greater attention to under-prioritised social issues
• strengthen collaboration across countries and regions
• maintain momentum on Commonwealth priorities between CHOGMs.