Latest content: Democracy, government and law

Human life is sacred and every individual deserves an equal chance in life. We have a common desire, we all want to lead a free, fulfilling existence, with dignity, where our basic needs are met, with opportunities to advance and equal treatment under the law. These are fundamental human rights, protected by international law, which we all have a shared responsibility to protect.

Foreign Ministers from across the Commonwealth met yesterday for the 22nd annual Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM). The meeting was held in person at the Commonwealth Secretariat headquarters, Marlborough House, in London.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, in her keynote speech at the 23rd Commonwealth Law Conference (CLC) held in Goa, India this week, called on lawmakers and the legal community to use their skills to take on the challenge of protecting the environment, improving governance, enhancing freedoms and enabling the most vulnerable. 

Nigeria’s 2023 general elections were “largely peaceful” despite administrative and logistical hurdles at many polling units, according to an independent group of Commonwealth observers.

Commonwealth observers are today watching as the voting takes place across Nigeria and millions of people head out to elect their presidential and national assembly representatives.

In the leadup to Nigeria’s General Elections which are to take place on Saturday February 25th, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, arrived in Abuja for the signing of the National Peace Accord.

Last week the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London held a seminar at Marlborough House on the decriminalisation of Poverty and Status in the Commonwealth.

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group to Nigeria, H.E. Thabo Mbeki, has urged the country’s political parties, candidates and their supporters to play their part in ensuring peaceful, transparent and credible elections on Saturday, 25 February 2023.

Former President of South Africa, H.E. Thabo Mbeki, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to Nigeria, which will be holding Africa’s largest democratic exercise later this month when it holds general elections on 25 February 2023.

Former President of Seychelles, H.E. Danny Faure, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to Antigua and Barbuda for the country’s general election, scheduled for 18 January 2023.

The Commonwealth Observer Group has presented its preliminary findings on the 6 December general elections in the Commonwealth of Dominica.

The Electoral Office of the Commonwealth of Dominica has released preliminary results following the country’s general elections on 6 December.

The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has started its work in preparation for the general election in the Commonwealth of Dominica, scheduled for Tuesday 6 December.

Commonwealth law ministers have adopted a new model law to strengthen rules for protecting and handling the personal data of the 2.5 billion people living in the association’s 56 member countries.

At the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, a Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) will be deployed to observe the country’s general elections scheduled for 6 December 2022.

Today after three days of deliberations, the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting 2022 concluded with a set of proposed actions to be taken at the national and Commonwealth level to realise equal access to justice and justice transformation for all by 2030.

Today Commonwealth Law Ministers unanimously agreed to recommend the 'Commonwealth Principles on Freedom of Expression and the Role of the Media in Good Governance' to Commonwealth Leaders to consider at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). 

Law Ministers are meeting in Mauritius to set clear directions on a range of legal, rule of law and justice issues.

A delegation led by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, arrived in Mauritius today ahead of the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting 2022 (CLMM).

A blog by Dr Elizabeth Macharia, Legal Adviser, Law Development Section, Governance and Peace Directorate, Commonwealth Secretariat.