Social development | Commonwealth

Main page for this area of work

Society and young people

Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting 2018

Event

The Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (CHMM) will provide member countries with an opportunity to share experience and lessons, as well as build consensus on collective action, to address non-communicable diseases in the Commonwealth

CHOGM lookback: communicable diseases in the spotlight

Last month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was a major opportunity for leaders to discuss some of the pressing health challenges facing member states.

Commonwealth supports centre to tackle extremism in Cameroon

A centre to tackle violent extremism in Cameroon has been welcomed by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Commonwealth sport continues to ‘grow and develop'

The success of the Gold Coast Games that ended last week, and the four-year journey to the next, in Birmingham in 2022, were celebrated at a sports breakfast in London this morning. Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland also met with guests over breakfast before travelling to Windsor for the Commonwealth Summit Leaders’ Retreat.

Forum to urge leaders to invest in women

The Second Commonwealth Women’s Forum begins in London on Monday with a call for women’s rights to be firmly on the agenda of leaders when they meet later in the week.

The future of Commonwealth young women is bright

Young leadership, gender empowerment and the future of women in the Commonwealth. Just three of the varied topics discussed at the Women of the World Festival (WOW) in Brisbane, Australia, where Commonwealth Secretary-General was a key speaker.

Sport pays for itself in the Commonwealth

The debate is the Commonwealth Secretariat’s signature annual event and the first to be held outside London. The inaugural event in 2016 was a tie. It focused on whether government investment should be focused on health outcomes or broader human and social development results.

Blog: Faith in the Commonwealth workshop brings young Commonwealth peacebuilders together in the Caribbean

Trinidad and Tobago has hosted the second Faith in the Commonwealth Youth Training of Trainers workshop, uniting passionate young leaders across the Caribbean in the pursuit of building more cohesive communities.

A Handbook for Gender-Inclusive Elections in Commonwealth Africa

The Commonwealth is far from achieving gender equality when it comes to women in political decision-making roles.

Read publication

Judicial Resource Book on Violence Against Women for Asia

The 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

Ministership call for ways to recognise the value of sport

Ministers say the measurement and evaluation of the contribution of sport, and making it mainstream to national development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) need to be strengthened.

Benefits of sport need to be measured

Sport helps education, health, gender equality, breaks down barriers and ensures social and economic empowerment.

Bangladesh pledges sport linked to SDGs

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has met the Bangladesh Youth and Sports Minister Dr Biren Sikder on the margins of the 9th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting at the Gold Coast in Australia.

Australia set to host Gold Coast Games and Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting

Sport is set to play a starring role in Australia from next week, with a major Commonwealth ministerial conference taking place the day before the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

An inclusive work environment is a 'must factor' for people with disabilities

The Commonwealth, in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Australia, Malta, Sierra Leone and Vanuatu, held a side event on disability inclusion in the workplace on the margins of the 37th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Gun crime and peace-building top of the agenda for Bahamas High Commissioner

The former police commissioner of The Bahamas made an impassioned plea for the Commonwealth to support initiatives that will tackle gun crime and violence through-out the Caribbean.

International Women’s Day 2018: ‘Progress for Women and the Vote in the Commonwealth’

To commemorate International Women’s Day, the Commonwealth’s Gender Section hosted an event at Marlborough House entitled ‘Progress for Women and the Vote in the Commonwealth’.

Historic signing to enhance Commonwealth sustainable education

The Commonwealth Secretariat, the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and Commonwealth of Learning (COL) have signed a historic partnership agreement to work even closer together to ensure better education for member states.

Planning for a fairer, more sustainable educational future

Almost 480 delegates, from 33 Commonwealth countries and no fewer than 22 ministers

Bringing education goals within reach

Educational opportunities in Commonwealth countries should be transformed by a new framework being launched at the 20th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (20CCEM) in Nadi, Fiji, 19 -23 February.

Education conference must ensure “no-one is left behind”

Education ministers must ensure “no-one is left behind” when they gather for a major Commonwealth conference next month, former prime minister of New Zealand Helen Clark has said.

Blog: An education approach to preventing and countering violent extremism

Last November Goodenough College and The Royal Commonwealth Society brought together four experts to discuss and debate the role that education can play in putting youth at the forefront of fostering stability, change, and a peaceful future.

20th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers – 20CCEM

Event

In February 2018 education ministers will meet in Fiji to discuss solutions to some of the Commonwealth’s most pressing education challenges, including low enrolment rates in preschool, primary and secondary schools, low adult literacy and persisting gender disparities in education.

Commonwealth marks International Human Rights Day

Forced labour, child labour and exploitation were all addressed at an event marking International Human Rights Day.

Women survivors must be at centre of fight against sexual violence

The horror of sexual violence in conflict must be challenged by educating women about their human rights and empowering men and boys as champions against such abuses, says leading women's rights activist Dr Denis Mukwege.