Latest content: Governance and law

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.

Commonwealth Law Ministers have called for increased international co-operation to enable equal access to Covid-19 vaccinations.

The Commonwealth Secretariat has launched an online training programme on performance management for member governments.

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.

Commonwealth human rights experts held an anti-torture workshop for senior government officials from the Caribbean.

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.

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.

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.

Commonwealth countries are using innovation and ingenuity to counter threats of injustice and inequality from Covid-19.

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.

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.

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.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) held its fifty-seventh meeting by video conference on 19 October 2020.

Anti-corruption and asset recovery efforts by agencies in Africa have been praised by the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Commonwealth countries are at risk of losing foreign investment and trade from not having modern dispute resolution systems available to their business communities.

Commonwealth countries have shared how innovation has been the difference between keeping the wheels of justice turning, and legal systems coming to a grinding halt.

Countries’ response to Covid-19, their long-term development and the meeting of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are all threatened by the “invisible infection” of corruption, the Commonwealth Secretary-General has warned.

International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia takes place on 17 May. This year’s theme is 'Breaking the Silence', which seeks to highlight the voices of the most vulnerable and marginalised in society while embracing our individual identities.

The Commonwealth is joining forces with law firms to give member countries expert help on mitigating the devastating effects of Covid-19 on people’s livelihoods.

The Commonwealth is making the internet a safer place, by helping countries make new cybercrime laws and fight crime together.

News and events from around the Commonwealth this week.