Latest content: Gender

A Commonwealth handbook launched today will help East African judicial officers proactively handle cases of violence against women and girls (VAWG), which affects up to one in three women in their lifetime.

This week Kenya is hosting the 12th Commonwealth Women Affairs Ministers’ Meeting (12WAMM), an initiative of the Commonwealth member countries which brings together ministers, senior officials, civil society organisations, academia and development partner agencies to discuss critical issues in advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality in the Commonwealth.

This month the Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting will assemble in Nairobi, Kenya. It has taken place regularly since 1985, to take stock of the current status of gender equality in our member countries, and to share perspectives and experience of how progress on this important Commonwealth priority can be achieved more swiftly.

Senior judges and officials have urged leaders to work with judiciary and the civil society to remove discriminatory gender laws and introduce equal rights in the legal system. 

Commonwealth women’s affairs ministers will assemble in Nairobi on 19 and 20 September for their triennial meeting to consider a robust strategy to achieve gender equality goals in all 53 member countries by 2030.

Accelerating gender equality for sustainable development will top the agenda when 53 ministers for gender and women’s affairs meet in Kenya for the 12th Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (12WAMM) on 19-20 September in Nairobi.

Inequality, child marriage and social and cultural norms are just some of the barriers that girls face in their pursuit of education.

A Commonwealth workshop has trained a group of Tongan civil servants on gender and development, and introduced the prevention of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. The Commonwealth hosted the two-day workshop in Nuku’alofa in collaboration with Tonga’s Public Service Commission, in line with the government’s 2019 national policy on gender and development.

Ministers have welcomed the Commonwealth’s “timely” intervention to assist St Kitts and Nevis in developing community dialogues as part of the Government’s “holistic approach to crime reduction”.

At a Commonwealth seminar entitled ‘Peace in the home: ending domestic violence together', experts in health, gender, law and human rights have called for more action aimed at eliminating gender-based violence, particularly domestic violence.

The Commonwealth has held a training session for more than 30 Cameroonians designed to highlight the role women can play in building peace, understanding conflict and countering violent extremism. Participants from Cameroon’s civil society attended the four-day workshop in Douala.

The Malawi election result shows women are gaining ground in the country’s politics. This month’s tripartite elections saw female candidates increase their share of parliamentary seats from 16 per cent to 23 per cent.

Patricia Scotland has received a Distinguished Champion award at the WEConnect Gala in Washington DC for her tireless efforts to empower women and achieve gender equality across the world.

Namibia’s Ombudsman has conducted a roundtable on sexual orientation and gender identity in his country with support from the Commonwealth.  The conference builds on an earlier roundtable that focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Patricia Scotland will receive a Distinguished Champion award at the WEConnect Gala in Washington DC for her tireless efforts to empower women and achieve gender equality across the world.

A young Nigerian woman who is helping thousands of sexual and domestic abuse victims, has been named Commonwealth Young Person of the Year. Twenty-eight-year-old Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi, from Lagos, was presented with the award by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland at Marlborough House.

High commissioners and women’s rights activists have joined Secretary-General Patricia Scotland to salute the unwavering courage of women in their struggle for equality. 

Women rights campaigners, lawyers and officials joined Secretary-General Patricia Scotland to stand in solidarity with survivors of gender-based violence and to call for a robust response to end it.

Climate change affects women more profoundly than men. Often, women bear the brunt of extreme weather events because they lack economic, political and legal power, especially in developing countries.

The Commonwealth has taken part in a two-day meeting to enhance women’s political participation and leadership in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has urged bold action to close the persistent economic gap between men and women and help pave the way to achieving the SDGs.

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland today encouraged young diplomats to take the lead in tackling the globe’s pressing social and economic challenges.

Seychelles loses over USD 65 million each year to violence against women and girls (VAWG). That’s according to a new report to be launched by the Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on her first official visit to the country.

A gathering of senior women commentators, columnists and activists heard about the Commonwealth’s practical action towards achieving gender equality across its 53 member states by 2030.