For more information contact our Gender team
Delegates were welcomed to the first Commonwealth Women’s Forum ahead of the Commonwealth summit.
Read news - Malta Prime Minister opens first Women’s ForumMain page for this area of work
First ever Commonwealth Women’s Forum to address lack of women leaders. The Forum will take place ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta (CHOGM).
Read news - Amplifying the voices of womenInternational Day of Rural Women on 15 October is a time to celebrate and applaud the role of women in rural development, food production and poverty eradication.
Read news - International Day of Rural Women: statement by Secretary-GeneralOctober 11 2015 is International Day of the Girl Child. The theme this year is: 'The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030'.
Read news - International Day of the Girl Child: statement by Secretary-GeneralInternational Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2015 focuses on the Right to Rehabilitation, a right guaranteed by Article 14 of the Convention against Torture.
Read news - Statement: International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, met the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Hon Dr Timothy Harris, on his ongoing visit to the country.
Read news - Secretary-General's visit to St Kitts and NevisThe Commonwealth is developing decisive action plans, based on new and globally leading research, to tackle institutionalised exclusion of women in public bodies and private companies.
Read news - Breaking the glass ceiling in public and private sector leadership10 June 2015 to 11 June 2015
Event
The event will focus on findings from recent research conducted by the Gender Section on the position of women in leadership across the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth Secretariat and African Union (AU) held a high-level dialogue in New York last week to address women’s political leadership in delivering democracy and development in Africa.
Read news - Women’s political leadership in Africa – time to look beyond numbersThe Commonwealth Women’s Forum is needed to “unearth responses to the challenges that women and girls are facing”
Read news - Women’s Forum to “unearth” solutions to gender issuesWomen’s minimal leadership role in national and local political spheres remains a serious concern worldwide. The Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005–2015 calls on governments to introduce measures to promote at least 30 per cent representation of women in parliament, government and business.
Read publication - The Impact of Women's Political Leadership on Democracy and DevelopmentWomen account for between 25-40 per cent of SMEs worldwide and their earning power is estimated to reach US$18 trillion by 2014 – more than double the estimated 2014 GDP of China and India combined.
Read publication - Gender Responsive Investment HandbookUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 recognises both war’s adverse effects on women and women’s important contributions to peace and security.
Read publication - Gender, Peace and SecurityThe debates on women and teaching have been wide ranging and, in some cases, contentious.
Read publication - Women and the Teaching ProfessionCEDAW – the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women – is a powerful international human rights instrument that reflects a global determination to achieve gender equality.
Read publication - Without PrejudiceThrough twenty regional and country case studies, Trading Stories pulls together the key links between trade, gender and economic development.
Read publication - Trading StoriesWomen and men experience cities in different ways and this must be addressed when planning urban development.
Read publication - Gender in Planning and Urban DevelopmentAchieving the Millennium Development Goal to promote gender equality and to empower women is a continuing aim for all developing countries.
Read publication - Exploring the BiasThe Gender-Responsive School shows teachers, headteachers and school administrators how to spot the key spaces in school life where gender is important.
Read publication - The Gender-Responsive SchoolEducation, especially girls’ education, is seen as the most effective protection against the HIV epidemic that has severely affected the school systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
Read publication - Where are the Gaps?It is now generally recognised that gender equality is essential for sustained economic growth and for democracy, peace and security.
Read publication - Small Change or Real Change?Studies on gendersensitive budgeting have concentrated on the expenditure side of government budgets.
Read publication - Gender Impacts of Revenue Collection in IndiaGender responsive budgeting is a key instrument to track how governments are investing in advancing gender equality and equity.
Read publication - Gender Impacts of Revenue Collection in UgandaThe links between gender, trade and development are increasingly being recognised.
Read publication - Gender and Trade Action Guide