On Human Rights Day, The Commonwealth's Dr Shavana Haythornthwaite and Dr Justin Pettit, explain that human rights are also a crucial part of the solution to effectively addressing environmental degradation and climate change.
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Human Rights Day: From recognition to action on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
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At a time when the world is going through multiple challenges that have, to a large extent, been amplified by the debilitating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is incumbent upon peacebuilding institutions to ramp up investments in national and international efforts to strengthen inclusive, equitable and sustainable structures for long-term post-pandemic peace and prosperity.
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Blog: Building Strategic Partnerships to Support Peaceful and Inclusive Elections in Member States
Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, shares a video message to mark International Day of Peace, which is observed globally on 21 September.
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2021 Peace Day message by the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
27 July 2021 to 28 July 2021
Event
The webinar will focus on the role that the Commonwealth (Latimer House) Principles on the Three Branches of Government can play in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
At a virtual ceremony today, the winner of the first ‘Christof Heyns Memorial Commonwealth Prize’ was announced during the 13th Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition.
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Winner of Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition announced
21 June 2021 to 24 June 2021
Event
The Commonwealth Secretariat is hosting its 11th Regional Conference for Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa, from 21-24 June 2021.
18 May 2021 to 20 May 2021
Event
The Commonwealth Secretariat is partnering with the Government of Fiji and the Convention Against Torture Initiative (CTI) to host an online three-day workshop to help strengthen anti-torture commitments in Pacific States.
2 June 2021 to 2 June 2021
Event
The Commonwealth Secretariat, in partnership with the Global Infrastructure Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), has published a landmark set of measures to support efforts to fight corruption: the Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Benchmarks.
A landmark set of measures to support international efforts in tackling corruption has been launched by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
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Commonwealth benchmarks to help countries fight corruption
The new public debt management legislation passed by The Bahamas will help the country navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Minister of State for Finance, James Thompson.
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The Bahamas passes critical debt management law with Commonwealth Secretariat support
An important resource to help countries maximise the sustainable development benefits from foreign investment contracts and avoid large losses has been published by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
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New resource to help Commonwealth countries avoid foreign investment pitfalls
20 April 2021 to 22 April 2021
Event
The Commonwealth Secretariat is hosting a series of discussions on cyber and tech issues of common interest to Commonwealth member countries.
The Commonwealth Secretariat is holding a webinar to launch a new publication: Environmental, Social and Economic Development Provisions in Investment Contracts: A Resource for Government Lawyers in the Commonwealth.
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Event: Launch of new Commonwealth resource to support negotiating investment contracts
Commonwealth Law Ministers have called for increased international co-operation to enable equal access to Covid-19 vaccinations.
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Law Ministers call for international co-operation on COVID-19 vaccines
The Commonwealth Secretariat has launched an online training programme on performance management for member governments.
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Online performance management training for governments launched
Ahead of the 2021 General Elections in Uganda on 14 January, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, has called on all Ugandans, in particular political leaders, to uphold Uganda and the Commonwealth’s shared values of peace, tolerance and inclusivity.
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Statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-General ahead of the 2021 General Elections in Uganda
Commonwealth human rights experts held an anti-torture workshop for senior government officials from the Caribbean.
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Commonwealth event helps to strengthen Caribbean anti-torture commitments
Amid stringent health precautions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, voters formed orderly queues at polling stations in Ghana, as the general election got under way.
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COVID-19 precautions taken as polls open in Ghana’s general election
The first instinct of women planning to escape violence is to reach the police and justice system for protection. As they take the brave step to report, often they are met with a failing system.
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Blog: Justice system should not fail in protecting victims of gender-based violence
If you are a woman and want to work or operate on an equal footing with men, it is almost certain the laws in your country will hinder your right to do so.
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Blog: ‘Time’s up’ – Countries should reform laws that discriminate against women
Commonwealth countries are using innovation and ingenuity to counter threats of injustice and inequality from Covid-19.
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Covid-19 has spurred changes to justice systems
A key indicator of progress towards the UN’s sustainable development goal five: Gender Equality measures the number of women in leadership. In the lead up to the 2030 deadline for this target, we must see those numbers surge in the political sphere.
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Blog: More women in leadership means more sustainable and inclusive development
Members of parliament have a crucial role in countries’ response to the “human rights emergency” caused by Covid-19, the Commonwealth Secretary-General has said.
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Parliaments have key role in response to ‘human rights emergency’
A specialised course for diplomats has highlighted the Commonwealth’s essential role on the global stage, with delegates commending its timely focus on international cooperation in a post-COVID world.
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Commonwealth diplomatic course hailed as ‘timely’ and ‘illuminating’
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) held its fifty-seventh meeting by video conference on 19 October 2020.
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Statement on Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting