Gender | Commonwealth

For more information contact our Gender team

Main page for this area of work

Action on gender equality core to success of the Commonwealth, says Secretary-General

Patricia Scotland will argue action on gender equality and women’s empowerment is “core to the success of the Commonwealth” at this Thursday’s Women Leaders’ Summit.

Read news

Commonwealth launches legal resource on violence against women

The Commonwealth will launch the first ever resource in East Africa to provide legal benchmarks on dealing with cases of violence against women.

Read news

Commonwealth project to boost the number of Tanzanian women leaders

Tanzanian citizens will be the first to benefit from a Commonwealth-wide initiative to put more women at the helm of public and private sector organisations.

Read news

11th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting

5 September 2016 to 8 September 2016

Event

The 11th WAMM will be hosted by the Government of Samoa on the theme of ‘Gender equality through sustainable development in an inclusive commonwealth’.

View event

Business groups agree plan to support Commonwealth businesswomen

Ahead of the Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting in Samoa next September, two prominent business groups have joined forces to help financial institutions support the economic empowerment of women.

Read news

Commonwealth Secretary-General says ‘No More’ to domestic violence

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland made a heartfelt appeal today in support of a new campaign to raise awareness about domestic violence in the United Kingdom.

Read news

New Commonwealth judicial book targets violence against women in Asia

Judges and human rights experts from Commonwealth countries in Asia will meet in Bangkok to develop a judicial resource book to help them handle cases involving violence against women and girls.

Read news

International Women’s Day: ‘We must put right all the ills against women’

“Any gender disadvantage in education is not only morally deficient but is also economically inefficient.” stated Guy Hewitt, the Barbados High Commissioner to the UK.

Read news

International Women’s Day 2016

Statement to mark International Women’s Day 2016 throughout the Commonwealth

Read news

International Women’s Day 2016: Ending global inequality in education

To mark International Women’s Day, the Commonwealth Secretariat will hold a panel discussion in London on 8 March under the theme, 'Sustained education of women and girls for their economic and political empowerment'.

Read news

International Women's Day - Panel discussion at Marlborough House

8 March 2016 to 8 March 2016

Event

To commemorate IWD the Commonwealth Secretariat will be holding a panel discussion on: 'Sustained education of women and girls for their economic and political empowerment'.

View event

It is time for quotas and targets on women leaders

CHOGM Women’s Forum: Clear message sent to leaders to take urgent action getting more women into decision-making roles.

Read news

Jamaican named Commonwealth Women Entrepreneur of the Year

Businesswoman Valrie Grant was awarded Commonwealth Women Entrepreneur of the Year at the first ever Commonwealth Women’s Forum.

Read news

Survivors lead charge to end child marriage in the Commonwealth

Commonwealth Champions Against Child Marriage seeks to empower survivors to raise awareness and galvanise action to end child marriage.

Read news

Women’s Forum urged to ‘be bold and hold leaders accountable’

Commonwealth’s first ever Women’s Forum participants were urged to increase pressure on leaders to take action on gender discrimination.

Read news

Malta Prime Minister opens first Women’s Forum

Delegates were welcomed to the first Commonwealth Women’s Forum ahead of the Commonwealth summit.

Read news

Amplifying the voices of women

First ever Commonwealth Women’s Forum to address lack of women leaders. The Forum will take place ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta (CHOGM).

Read news

International Day of Rural Women: statement by Secretary-General

International Day of Rural Women on 15 October is a time to celebrate and applaud the role of women in rural development, food production and poverty eradication.

Read news

International Day of the Girl Child: statement by Secretary-General

October 11 2015 is International Day of the Girl Child. The theme this year is: 'The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030'.

Read news

Statement: International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2015 focuses on the Right to Rehabilitation, a right guaranteed by Article 14 of the Convention against Torture.

Read news

Secretary-General's visit to St Kitts and Nevis

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, met the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Hon Dr Timothy Harris, on his ongoing visit to the country.

Read news

Breaking the glass ceiling in public and private sector leadership

The Commonwealth is developing decisive action plans, based on new and globally leading research, to tackle institutionalised exclusion of women in public bodies and private companies.

Read news

Women in Leadership

10 June 2015 to 11 June 2015

Event

The event will focus on findings from recent research conducted by the Gender Section on the position of women in leadership across the Commonwealth.

View event

Women’s political leadership in Africa – time to look beyond numbers

The Commonwealth Secretariat and African Union (AU) held a high-level dialogue in New York last week to address women’s political leadership in delivering democracy and development in Africa.

Read news

Women’s Forum to “unearth” solutions to gender issues

The Commonwealth Women’s Forum is needed to “unearth responses to the challenges that women and girls are facing”

Read news

Latest content: Gender