Today, people across the globe will pause to focus on one of the most persistent and vicious epidemics in our history: AIDS. Three letters that have caused unprecedented suffering and loss across generations and around our world.
The Commonwealth is deploying a team to observe the general election in Ghana scheduled for 7 December.
Beyond the immediate human impact, violence against women and girls also costs billions of dollars a year, be it in lost work, damaged children, hospital fees or police time. The global cost of violence against women and girls was estimated at $1.5 trillion in 2016 – making everyone across the world at least $200 poorer that year.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, it was clear that the pandemic was not only a health crisis but also an economic threat. Little did we know that the impact of COVID-19 containment measures and economic pressures would be felt across communities with violence in the homes, particularly against women, rising at an alarming rate.
Today, many women and girls are trapped in cycles of abuse, struggling to find an escape route. This is a tragedy, not just for them personally, but for the whole of society.
Commonwealth countries are using innovation and ingenuity to counter threats of injustice and inequality from Covid-19.
Violence against women and girls is a global epidemic, yet one of the least talked-about barriers to climate action.
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.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed on 25 November every year. It launches 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence until Human Rights Day on 10 December.
Health advocates, cancer survivors and celebrities have joined the Commonwealth’s campaign to eradicate cervical cancer in its 54 countries.
