For more information contact our Governance and Peace Directorate.
The Commonwealth supports governments, judges, the police and other public institutions to tackle systemic corruption by sharing best practices, training and policy research.
Main page for this area of work
The Commonwealth works with national authorities to uphold transparency and accountability in public services. We pay particular attention to strengthening anti-corruption agencies, public administration and financial management systems in small and less developed countries.
The Commonwealth Cyber Declaration was signed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London in 2018.
The Commonwealth promotes the rule of law by providing support to member countries through knowledge and expertise sharing programmes, leading on work in law and development, implementing the Cyber Declaration and promoting democracy.
The Commonwealth Secretariat's Human Rights Unit supports Commonwealth countries’ efforts to promote, protect and respect internationally recognised human rights principles, standards and practices.
The goal of the Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform is to transform the operation of justice systems and the delivery of justice across the Commonwealth, by creating useful, impactful, agile, and user-centred legal knowledge products, networks, and platforms, so that we ensure equal access to justice for all.
The Commonwealth is a pioneer in the field of international election observation and has observed over 160 elections in 40 countries since 1980. Building, supporting and strengthening legal systems and good governance in our member countries is a key aim of the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Benchmarks are recommended as good practice anti-corruption measures.
Read publication - Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Benchmarks27 April 2021 to 27 July 2021
Event
In 2021 the Commonwealth Secretariat hosted the Rule of Law Virtual Conversations, a series of webinars addressing contemporary legal topics.
It is increasingly recognised that sound investment contracts between foreign investors and host states can play an important role in helping countries to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Read publication - Environmental, Social and Economic Development Provisions in Investment ContractsThis case law handbook has been developed by judges in Commonwealth East Africa as a contribution to the development of the jurisprudence of equality.
Read publication - Case Law Handbook on Violence Against Women and Girls in Commonwealth East AfricaThe five countries featured in this book - Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, Rwanda and Seychelles - were selected because of their relatively strong scores on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, or because they had registered a significant improvement in their scores over the previous decade.
Read publication - Tackling Corruption in Commonwealth AfricaDeepening intra-Commonwealth trade and investment – and using these opportunities to empower women and young people as entrepreneurs – can help drive economic growth, create jobs and increase the prosperity of Commonwealth citizens. The theme of Commonwealth Trade Review 2018 is ‘Strengthening the Commonwealth Advantage: Trade, Technology, Governance’.
Read publication - Commonwealth Trade Review 2018The Commonwealth is far from achieving gender equality when it comes to women in political decision-making roles.
Read publication - A Handbook for Gender-Inclusive Elections in Commonwealth AfricaThe Judicial Resource Book on Violence Against Women for Asia deepens our understanding of the varying forms of VAWG and raises awareness of the important role that the judiciary can play in tackling them. It is designed to be used by judicial officers and other professionals as a practical contribution towards promoting justice and fairness in the judicial process for women who have been victims of violence.
Read publication - Judicial Resource Book on Violence Against Women for AsiaLaw is always in need of reform. To enhance justice and legal efficiency, and contribute to socio-economic development, reform needs to be of a high standard. Across the Commonwealth, there is a need for information and guidance about the different ways in which law reform can be undertaken.
Read publication - Changing the LawIn 1976, recognising that there was a shortage of trained legislative drafters in the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Secretariat first published a legislative drafting manual aimed at informing those practitioners with little or no previous experience in the skill, and assisting those with some experience who had never considered why drafting needed to be undertaken in a particular way.
Read publication - Commonwealth Legislative Drafting ManualThe Commonwealth at the Summit: Volume 4 brings together the full text of declarations, statements and communiqués issued by Commonwealth Heads of Government between 2007 and 2015.
Read publication - The Commonwealth at the SummitCorruption undermines the rule of law, good governance, and sustainable growth and development. Most countries have prohibited all forms of corruption, yet corruption persists due largely to a lack of appropriate strategies and structures to inhibit it. Such strategies include effective and comprehensive legal frameworks to prevent, punish and take the profit out of corruption.
Read publication - Common Law Legal Systems Model Legislative Provisions on Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, Preventive Measures and Proceeds of CrimeDemocratic decentralisation through ‘conventional’ institutions of local government is facing increasing challenges, whether from financial pressures, questions of representativeness, difficult central-local relations and from a perhaps growing belief that local government has failed to realise its potential and there may be better ways of achieving societal goals.
Read publication - New Century Local GovernmentThe report of the Commonwealth Observer Mission for the Pakistan elections, held 11 May 2013.
Read publication - Pakistan General Elections, 11 May 2013Across the Pacific local councils take a variety of different forms, ranging from traditional village structures to fullyfledged municipalities.
Read publication - Principles for Local Government LegislationThis user-friendly, practical handbook is designed to assist Registrars in the day-to-day performance of their duties, thereby contributing to improving the administration and efficiency of final/appellate, regional and international courts and tribunals.The handbook is divided into four sections: institutional matters; information and document management; the needs of court and tribunal users; and eradicating inefficiencies and abuses of process.
Read publication - Handbook of Best Practice for Registrars of Final/Appellate, Regional and International Courts and TribunalsThe Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group for the Zambia General Elections.
Read publication - Zambia General Elections, 20 September 2011