A practical guide to the CommonwealthCOMMONGROUNDA practical guide to the CommonwealthCOMMONGROUND

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CONTENTSOrigins 03Empire roots 04Towards independence 05Creation of the Commonwealth 06

Membership 09A different kind of organisation 10Common aims 11Joining the Commonwealth 12Around the world 15

Organisation 17How does the Commonwealth work? 18

Co-operation 21Just and honest government 22Closing the gap 24Health and education 26Climate change and sustainable development 28Culture and sport 30Opportunities 32

The Commonwealth is anassociation of 54 independent

countries, who work together topromote democracy, good

government, human rights andeconomic development.

This book has been written toexplain how the Commonwealthcame about and to describe itspurpose and function today.

COMMONGROUND

ForewordThe Commonwealth is sometimes seen as a complexbody, due in part, perhaps, to the number of levels onwhich it operates. This timely and helpful bookletcould not be clearer in explaining the history,organisation and work of the modern Commonwealth.Based on a values system that embraces consultation,negotiation and consensus, the Commonwealth todayspans 54 countries and represents over 2 billionindividuals – almost one third of the world’spopulation. It reaches across geographical, politicaland social divides to help individuals and communitiesbuild stronger nations; and stronger nations are betterplaced to meet the increasing number of globalchallenges we face today. I am sure you will findCommonGround both interesting and informative, andessential background reading for a betterunderstanding of the modern Commonwealth.

Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General

‘Strength in diversity’ is a saying that could have beeninvented specifically to describe the Commonwealth.With a membership extending from Australia toZambia, Trinidad and Tobago to Tuvalu, today’sCommonwealth represents an amazing diversity ofcultures, beliefs, and nationalities. The CommonwealthFoundation is instrumental in promoting the rights ofindividuals across this broad spectrum. Working withnot-for-profit groups, charities, professional networks,and other similar organisations, we encourageindividuals to speak out on a range of developmentissues that affect them. CommonGround provides aninvaluable resource not only for those wishing to findout more about the Commonwealth, but for thosewho seek to play a more active role in helping toshape and develop it.

Dr. Mark Collins, Director, Commonwealth Foundation

Empire roots 04Towards independence 05

Creation of the Commonwealth 06

3A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Origins

Origins

4Antigua & Barbuda

Origins

Empire rootsThe Commonwealth is the world’soldest political association of sovereignstates. Its roots go back to the BritishEmpire, which once covered a quarterof the world’s land area, and includedabout the same proportion of theworld’s population.

How did the Empire develop?Unlike many previous empires, theBritish Empire was not created byconquest, although military support didplay an important part. Instead, it grewhaphazardly, in piecemeal fashion, fromthe sixteenth to the nineteenth century.It was driven by a number of factors,listed below, and involved thesettlement and control of lands inAfrica, India, North America, South EastAsia, and the Caribbean.

Trade � The British government’s rulein India originally developed from the

activities of merchants, trading mainly incotton, silk and tea. Trade also formedthe basis of what became British controlin South East Asian states, includingHong Kong, Malaya and Borneo.

Piracy � The British presence in theCaribbean and southern parts of theUnited States was initially prompted bypiracy and an opportunity to establishgains over rival Spanish and Portugueseempires. In time, this led toestablishment of plantations growingsugar and tobacco and the extensiveinvolvement of Britain in the slave tradewith West and Central Africa.

Settlement and exploration �

Settlement was an important drivingforce in the expansion of the Empire.In the 1620s, pilgrims left England toestablish a new social and religiousorder in America; the early colonisationof Australia was partly a result ofBritain’s policy of sentencing largenumbers of convicts to compulsorytransportation; and millions, in the

Australia The Bahamas Bangladesh

nineteenth century, settled in NorthAmerica, Australia and New Zealand toescape from poverty in Britain. Britons were also prominent, during

the nineteenth century, in exploring theinterior of Africa – searching for mineralwealth and markets for goods, andseeking to spread Christianity. Althoughthese areas had long-establishedindigenous populations, Britain claimedthe lands as its own.

War � In the late eighteenth and earlynineteenth centuries, Britain’s victory inthe Napoleonic War against Franceadded further countries to the Empire,including Mauritius, Sri Lanka (thenknown as Ceylon), Trinidad and Tobago,St Lucia and Malta.At the end of the First World War, a

number of German colonies in Africaalso became part of the British Empire,as reparations. These included parts orall of the states today known asCameroon and Tanzania.

Power and controlThe main motive behind theestablishment and expansion of theEmpire was to increase Britain’s wealthand political power. Often, but not always,this was at the expense of local people,particularly the non-white populations.

Towards independenceIn the early years of the Empire, theBritish government made little attemptto influence the way in which thecolonies were governed. However, bythe end of the seventeenth century,more direct rule began to be imposedfrom London. This was not welcomedby the American colonies, and a tug ofwar developed between centralgovernment in London and thecolonists’ own elected assemblies. Thisbecame the major cause of the pushfor independence by the settlers inNorth America.

Assemblies and advisory councils After the defeat of British troops andthe loss of its American colony in 1781,Britain no longer tried to direct itscolonies centrally from London. Insteadpower was placed in the hands of thecolonies’ own assemblies or advisorycouncils. Although members of councilswere often nominated by Britain, thecouncils and assemblies neverthelesshad some authority. People of localstanding could not generally be ignoredby those with responsibility forgoverning the colony.

Independence The movement towards independencestarted in the colonies of settlement. In 1867, Canada became the first Britishcolony to gain a significant degree ofindependence, followed by Australia,New Zealand and South Africa.

5A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Origins

6

Origins

Britain was slow to allow representativegovernment in India, and resisted callsfor a democratically elected parliament.But, in 1909, it did permit theintroduction of a small elected elementinto the Legislative Council; and this wasextended in 1919. By 1921, the mainlaw-making body in India was composedof a majority of locally electedrepresentatives, but progress towardsfull independence was interrupted bythe Second World War. However in1947, after partition, India and Pakistancame into existence as separate andindependent nations.Independence was granted to Sri

Lanka in 1948 and to Malaya in 1957.Ghana became independent in 1957,and Nigeria, in 1960. During the 1960s,several Caribbean states achievedindependence, including Jamaica andTrinidad and Tobago (both 1962) andBarbados (1966).

Creation of the CommonwealthDominionWhen a colony was granted the right toself-government, usually before fullindependence, it became known as adominion. The term was first applied tothe Canadian province of Nova Scotia in1848.At first, however, dominion status did

not necessarily give a country greaterpolitical or legal power. For example,when Canada itself became adominion in 1867, the Parliament inWestminster was still able to overrulelocal Canadian law. This power,however was rarely used, and by theend of the nineteenth century wasincreasingly seen as unacceptable. Over the next 20 years, the

constitutional position of theDominions (which by then also

A Commonwealth ofnations � The first time theword ‘Commonwealth’ waspublicly used in the context ofthe Empire was by the Britishstatesman Lord Rosebery in1884, in a speech inAdelaide. In commenting onAustralia’s bid fornationhood, Lord Roseberysaid “Does this fact of yourbeing a nation implyseparation from the Empire?God forbid! There is no needfor any nation, however great,leaving the Empire becausethe Empire is aCommonwealth of Nations.”

Barbados Belize Botswana Brunei Darussalam

Sir ArchibaldPhilip Primrose5th Earl ofRosebery and 1stEarl of Midlothian© University ofGlasgow ArchiveServices

included Australia, New Zealand, andSouth Africa) was graduallystrengthened. No new laws werepassed, but Britain’s dealings with eachcountry allowed them an increasingdegree of independence. The First World War acted as a further

catalyst for change, largely because ofthe very significant part played bytroops, nurses, porters and labourersfrom the Empire. A third of all Britishtroops came from the colonies, withthe largest contingent from India. Atenth of the population of New Zealandserved overseas, either in the armedforces, or as nurses. During the War itself, the colonies

were represented in the Imperial WarCabinet, and when hostilities came toan end, the Dominions signed theTreaty of Versailles independently,alongside Britain.The great contribution made by

colonial troops signalled a newrelationship between Britain and theDominions.

Equality of statusThis new relationship, however, wasslow to evolve. Britain was oftenresistant to the Dominions acting ontheir own behalf, although during the1920s, things gradually began to change.

In 1926, at the Imperial Conference inLondon, an agreement was reachedestablishing the principle that theDominions were self-governing stateswithin the British Empire, equal instatus, and not subordinate to theUnited Kingdom. This declaration wasmade law in 1931 under the Statute ofWestminster. From this stage, theEmpire became known as the BritishCommonwealth of Nations, or BritishCommonwealth, for short.

The modernCommonwealthAs they had done 25 years previously,Commonwealth countries provided amajor part of the fighting force against

Germany, Italy and Japan in theSecond World War. Almost as manyfighting troops came from theDominions, India and Africa as fromBritain itself. By the end of the war, however, itwas clear that Britain no longerhad the means, or the wish, tosustain an empire and, in theyears that followed, a new ordercame about.

The Halibut Treaty � In 1923,Canada became involved innegotiations with the United Statesover fishing rights in the NorthPacific. Under normal circumstancesthe final agreement would need to besigned by Britain, as well as Canadaand the US. This practice, however,was opposed by the Canadian PrimeMinister, who successfully arguedthat the treaty was a matter betweenCanada and the United States alone,and something that Canada shouldsign in its own right.

7A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Origins

8

Of particular significance at this timewas the independence of India andPakistan in 1947, the outcome of whichestablished a pattern for the modernCommonwealth. Until this point, all self-governing

Commonwealth states had retainedBritain’s King or Queen as Head ofState. However, India’s constitutionalassembly wanted the country tobecome a republic and to remainwithin the Commonwealth. These twinambitions precluded the Monarch fromremaining as India’s head of state. Atthe Commonwealth Prime Ministers’Meeting in 1949, it was agreed in theLondon Declaration that India mightremain a member of theCommonwealth, and a republic, byaccepting the Monarch “as a symbol ofthe free association of independentmember nations, and as such Head ofthe Commonwealth”. This development allowed other

countries that had become republics(or had a national monarch) to becomeCommonwealth members.

The Commonwealth todayThe use of the word ‘British’ in the titleof the Commonwealth has long gone.Today, the Commonwealth is theworld’s oldest political association ofsovereign states, with 54 independentmember states. Thirty three of these arerepublics, five have their ownmonarchs, and 16 have QueenElizabeth II as Head of State.Queen Elizabeth II is Head of the

Commonwealth, but has no authorityto interfere in the affairs ofCommonwealth member states. (Seealso page 20). Although the focus of the

Commonwealth today is on improvingthe lives of people living in its memberstates, it also addresses issues of widerinternational concern, such as terrorismand climate change. The Commonwealth runs a range of

programmes focussing on economicdevelopment, democracy andgovernance, education, health,environment and the strengthening ofcivil society.

Origins

Cameroon Canada Dominica

HM Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth,speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2009Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting(CHOGM), Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 27November 2009.

Republic of Cyprus

A different kind of organisation 10Common aims 11

Joining the Commonwealth 12Around the world 15

9A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Membership

Membership

10The Gambia

MembershipA different kind of organisationIt is not always recognised how muchthe Commonwealth differs from otherinternational organisations. There is noformal treaty or document marking itsestablishment, nor is there a pre-defined set of rules that all countriesare expected to follow. Instead,Commonwealth policy is established,shaped, and developed throughagreement between member states,and is characterised by an emphasis onnegotiation and flexibility.Unlike the United Nations and

European Union, countries that belongto the Commonwealth have an equalsay within the organisation.

DiversityAlthough sharing a common languageand history, the Commonwealth is alsocharacterised by its great diversity. Commonwealth member states are

amongst both the largest and smallestcountries in the world. Canada has thesecond greatest land area of any nation,and India the second highestpopulation. By contrast, Nauru andTuvalu each have a population of about10,000, and Nauru is no more than sixkilometres at its widest point. Wide differences also exist in culture

and religion. An estimated 800 millionHindus live in Commonwealthcountries, 500 million Muslims andabout 400 million Christians. Commonwealth states also vary

considerably in the life chances theyafford to their citizens. For example, lifeexpectancy in Singapore, Australia,Canada and New Zealand is over 80years. In Zambia and Swaziland, it isunder 40.

Ghana Grenada

Free from Empire � In the mid1980s, the leaders ofCommonwealth states argued forstronger sanctions against apartheidin South Africa. They were opposedby Britain’s Prime Minister,Margaret Thatcher. Although themeasures eventually taken were notas strong as some Commonwealthleaders would have wished, theCommonwealth’s programme ofaction nevertheless did include anarms embargo, the cutting ofsporting and cultural ties, and a banon certain exports to South Africa.

Fiji (suspended 2009)

Common aimsIn 1971, at a conference in Singapore,Commonwealth Heads of Governmentagreed that the Commonwealth wasbased on a number of key principles.These include: • international peace and

co-operation • equal rights for all citizens,

regardless of race, colour, religiousor political belief, and

• the right of all citizens to be able toshape the society in which they livethrough free and democratic politics.

Member states also agreed to:• fight against racial prejudice• work to overcome poverty,

ignorance and disease, and• encourage the flow of resources

towards helping developingcountries.

ConfirmationTwenty years after the SingaporeDeclaration, the world had changedsignificantly. Far fewer countriesremained under colonial rule, manystates had moved to more democraticforms of government, and the politicalsituation in countries such as SouthAfrica and the Soviet Union was verydifferent from what it had been in 1971.At their conference in Harare, the

capital of Zimbabwe, in 1991 (a timewhen Zimbabwe was still a member ofthe Commonwealth), CommonwealthHeads of Government reaffirmed theSingapore Principles, and agreed in theHarare Declaration to concentrate on:• developing just and honest

government• protecting human rights• providing universal access to

education• reducing poverty• supporting free and fair trade• promoting sustainable

development• helping small Commonwealth

states, and• working towards international

agreement on world economic,political and social issues.

In 2009, the Commonwealth’s corebeliefs were brought together in onedocument, the Trinidad and TobagoAffirmation of Commonwealth Valuesand Principles.

11A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Membership

Opening session of the first Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment Meeting (CHOGM) in Singapore, 1971.

Joining the CommonwealthAlmost all Commonwealth memberstates have at one time been directly orindirectly ruled by Britain. However, notall eligible states, such as Burma, Israel,Jordan, and the Republic of Irelandhave chosen to apply.

New membersThe criteria for new members joiningthe Commonwealth have beengradually developed since 1931, througha series of documents, shaped andagreed by Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment, and reaffirmed in 2009.Amongst the most important of these

are the Singapore and HarareDeclarations, see page 11, requiring allCommonwealth member states torespect and uphold democracy andhuman rights. Under guidance agreed in 1997, and

updated in 2007, new member statesshould, in addition:• demonstrate their commitment to

democracy, the rule of law, humanrights and equality of opportunity

• use English as the language ofCommonwealth relations, and

• recognise Queen Elizabeth II asHead of the Commonwealth.

Membership

Not a member � The Republic ofIreland was briefly a member of theCommonwealth between 1931and 1949, although it did notattend any Commonwealthmeetings beyond 1936. Itsstruggle against incorporationinto the United Kingdomplaced it in a very differentsituation from otherCommonwealth memberstates.

12India Jamaica KenyaGuyana

Although the greatest period ofgrowth in Commonwealthmembership took place in the1960s and 70s, interest in joiningthe Commonwealth continuesto be shown by a number ofcountries. Approaches formembership have been madeby the Palestine Authorityand Yemen and, in 2009,Rwanda became the54th and mostrecent member of theCommonwealth.

An enlarged membership? � Thenumber of states belonging to theCommonwealth has steadily increasedover the last 60 years and, during thistime, the criteria for membership havealso changed. Once upon a time it wasunthinkable that a republic orcommunist state could become amember of the Commonwealth. Thequestion of membership for smallstates was also, at one stage, widelydebated, particularly in the context ofjoining the Commonwealth as equalmembers.None of these issues, however, has

thrown the Commonwealth off course.Rather than remaining fixed andunbending, it has chosen to adapt tothe prevailing circumstances withoutcompromising its basic values.

Outside the Empire � Mozambique,a former Portuguese colony, joined theCommonwealth in 1995. It was thefirst member state not to haveassociations with the British Empire.Mozambique was admitted to the

Commonwealth as a special case, afterholding democratic elections in 1994and in recognition of its support for theCommonwealth’s stand against white-minority rule in Rhodesia (nowZimbabwe) and South Africa.Mozambique also had close links witha number of member states, includingits five immediate neighbours.

13A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Membership

14

Around the worldCapital Population First joined the

(2008) Commonwealth

AfricaBotswana Gaborone 1.9m 1966Cameroon Yaoundé 18.9m 1995The Gambia Banjul 1.8m 1965Ghana Accra 24.0m 1957Kenya Nairobi 38.6m 1963Lesotho Maseru 2.0m 1966Malawi Lilongwe 14.3m 1964Mauritius Port Louis 1.3m 1968Mozambique Maputo 21.8m 1995Namibia Windhoek 2.1m 1990Nigeria Abuja 151.5m 1960Rwanda Kigali 10.0m 2009Seychelles Victoria 85,000* 1976Sierra Leone Freetown 6.0m 1961South Africa Tshwane 48.9m 1931Swaziland Mbabane 1.1m 1968Uganda Kampala 31.9m 1962United Republic Dar es Salaam 41.5m 1961of TanzaniaZambia Lusaka 12.1m 1964

AsiaBangladesh Dhaka 161.3m 1972Brunei Darussalam Bandar Seri Begawan 398,000 1984India New Delhi 1,186.2m 1947Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 27.0m 1957Maldives Malé 311,000 1982Pakistan Islamabad 167.0m 1947Singapore Singapore 4.5m 1965Sri Lanka Colombo 19.4m 1948

CaribbeanAntigua & Barbuda St John’s 84,000 1981The Bahamas Nassau 335,000 1973Barbados Bridgetown 295,000 1966

Membership

Lesotho Malawi MalaysiaKiribati

15A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Membership

Capital Population First joined the(2008) Commonwealth

Caribbean (cont)Belize Belmopan 294,000 1981Dominica Roseau 72,000* 1978Grenada St George’s 106,000 1974Guyana Georgetown 736,000 1966Jamaica Kingston 2.7m 1962St Kitts and Nevis Basseterre 48,400 1983St Lucia Castries 167,000 1979St Vincent and Kingstown 121,000 1979the GrenadinesTrinidad and Tobago Port of Spain 1.3m 1962

EuropeMalta Valletta 408,000 1964Republic of Cyprus Nicosia 864,000 1961United Kingdom London 61.0m

North AmericaCanada Ottawa 33.2m 1931

PacificAustralia Canberra 21.0m 1931Fiji (suspended 2009) Suva 844,000 1970Kiribati Tarawa 100,000 1979Nauru No official capital 10,000 1968New Zealand Wellington 4.2m 1931Papua New Guinea Port Moresby 6.5m 1975Samoa Apia 189,000 1970Solomon Islands Honiara 507,000 1978Tonga Nuku’alofa 101,000 1970Tuvalu Funafuti 10,000* 1978Vanuatu Port Vila 232,000 1980

* Figures for 2006.Source: Commonwealth Yearbook 2009

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting(CHOGM) 1995. New Zealand Prime MinisterJames Bolger(left) and and CommonwealthSecretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaokuannounce the suspension of Nigeria inQueenstown, New Zealand.

Suspension and expulsionA Commonwealth member state thatfails to uphold the basic principles ofdemocracy, human rights, or the rule oflaw, risks being partly or fully suspended,or even expelled, from the organisation.Decisions on this are taken by the

Commonwealth Ministerial ActionGroup (CMAG), made up of theForeign Ministers from nine memberstates, with the authority to recommendthe suspension or expulsion of anystate that infringes any of theCommonwealth’s fundamentalprinciples.Action of this kind is a public

indication to the rest of the world of thefailure of a member state. Suspensionmeans that a country will be preventedfrom taking part in Commonwealthprogrammes and meetings, and will nolonger be eligible for aid and technicalsupport. However, existing programmesmay be allowed to continue in order tolimit the effects of suspension on acountry’s citizens.However, suspended states are

deliberately not isolated. For instance,when Nigeria was suspended from theCommonwealth in 1995, after themilitary government ordered theexecution of nine dissidents, the

Commonwealth continued to work torestore just and fair government, with its voluntary and civic organisationskeeping their links. Suspension waslifted in 1999, as the country returnedto democracy.

Withdrawal � Sometimesgovernments choose to withdraw fromthe Commonwealth. This happened in1972, when the Government ofPakistan decided to leave theCommonwealth after other memberstates had agreed to recogniseBangladesh. Pakistan, however, rejoinedthe association in 1989.Following suspension from the

Commonwealth in 2002, Zimbabwedecided to end its membership in2003. The communiqué issued byCommonwealth Heads ofGovernment at the end of theirmeeting in 2009 said that theylooked forward to the conditionsbeing created in which Zimbabwecould return to theCommonwealth.

16

Membership

Malta Mauritius Mozambique

Fiji � In 2009, Fiji faced fullsuspension from the Commonwealthfollowing the failure of the interimmilitary government to meet theCommonwealth’s deadline to restoredemocracy after taking power in abloodless coup in 2006. Although Fiji has lost access to newCommonwealth aid and has beenexcluded from the CommonwealthGames, contact between theCommonwealth and Fiji will continuein an effort to restore democracy.

Maldives

How does the Commonwealth work? 18

17A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Organisation

Organisation

Marlborough House, gardens andmember country flags.

18Nauru

OrganisationHow does the Commonwealth work?Every two years, CommonwealthHeads of Government meet to discussissues affecting both the Commonwealthitself, and the wider world – now and inthe future. Their decisions shape anddetermine Commonwealth policy andpriorities for the next two or three years.It is the job of the Commonwealth

Secretariat – the Commonwealth’sadministrative centre – to put thesedecisions and plans into action.

Deciding on policyCHOGM � Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment Meetings are normallyheld each time in a different memberstate. The Meeting in 2009 was held inPort of Spain, in Trinidad and Tobago.The next summit, in 2011, will be inPerth, Australia. At the Meeting, Commonwealth

leaders discuss a wide range of globaland Commonwealth issues. Theopening ceremony is held in public,but, for the most part, discussionsbetween leaders take place in private,where the atmosphere is less formal.This is designed to enable people tospeak more frankly than they mightunder the public gaze of the media. Decisions are normally reached by

consensus and, at the end of theconference, a series of statements are issued on which all member stateshave agreed.

The consensus debate � Publicstatements from CHOGM meetings areunusual in that they are almost alwaysbased on the unanimous view of thosepresent. Consensus of this kind ensuresthat the organisation is speaking withone voice and enables the views ofsmall states, like St Lucia and Tonga, tocarry as much weight as their muchlarger counterparts.Whilst this approach has clear

benefits, critics argue that it can resultin bland statements that do notchallenge the status quo.

Other meetings � CHOGMs are notthe only way in which theCommonwealth discusses anddevelops its policies. Numerous otherconferences take place betweenCommonwealth ministers on morespecialised issues, such as education,health, and economic development.

Grass roots � Although theCommonwealth is a major inter-governmental organisation, its prioritiesand direction do not entirely come fromsenior politicians in member states. TheCommonwealth is also driven by theideas and vision of its peoples, throughthe mechanism of civil society.

New Zealand Nigeria

CHOGM 2009 Final Press Conference

Namibia

The Commonwealth fosters, listens to,and draws upon the expertise of a hugenumber of organisations, such as thoserepresented in the CommonwealthPeople’s Forum, which takes placebefore each CHOGM. This could beseen at the 2009 CHOGM meeting inTrinidad and Tobago, where Headsacknowledged a number of civil societyconcerns over, for example, humanrights, climate change, unsustainablefishing and the burgeoning use of smallarms.

The Commonwealth Foundation:strengthening civil society � Civilsociety refers to all those groups thatare not part of government or businessin which people come together toachieve a particular objective. Thesegroups take many forms, includingpressure groups, trade unions, faithgroups, NGOs and those representingprofessions or academic interests. The strengthening of civil societywithin the Commonwealth is a majorpart of the work of the CommonwealthFoundation, an intergovernmental bodyestablished in 1965 and based atMarlborough House in London.

Putting policy into actionThe Commonwealth Secretariat �

The Commonwealth Secretariat israther like the civil service of theCommonwealth. It organises all themajor Commonwealth meetings; itgives advice and technical assistance tomember states; and develops theprogrammes to carry out decisionsmade by the Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment. It is based, along with theCommonwealth Foundation, in Londonat Marlborough House – a royalresidence until 1953. The Secretariat is headed by the

Commonwealth Secretary-General, whohas responsibility to ensure thatdecisions and plans agreed atCommonwealth Heads of GovernmentMeetings are properly carried out. The Secretary-General must be

impartial, putting the needs andinterests of the Commonwealth as awhole before those of individualmember states.The holder of the post is chosen by all

the Heads of Government of memberstates. The current Secretary General isMr Kamalesh Sharma, from India, whotook office in April 2008. His fourpredecessors have come from Canada,Guyana, Nigeria and New Zealand.

The Commonwealth MinisterialAction Group � The CommonwealthMinisterial Action Group is made up ofa rotating group of Foreign Ministersfrom nine Commonwealth states. It hasthe job of investigating and assessingreports of Commonwealth countriesfailing to uphold any of the basic

19A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Organisation

CHOGM 2009 Family Photo

The currentdirector of theCommonwealthFoundation isDr Mark Collinsof the UK.

20

principles of Commonwealthmembership, such as respect forhuman rights and the rule of law. Seealso page 11.

Upholding Commonwealth values � Today, there is some debateover the way in which theCommonwealth should respond tooppressive or undemocratic actions bymember states. Many believe that the most effective

strategy is for the Commonwealth towork quietly and discreetly behind thescenes, persuading and helping aparticular member state addressparticular difficulties and challenges. However others argue for a more

direct approach and public stand,particularly where human rights areconcerned.

The Head of theCommonwealthThe present Head of the Commonwealthis Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Herposition, however, is not inherited, andit is up to the Commonwealth Heads of

Government to decide who, if anyone,will be her successor.About a third of the Queen’s overseas

visits are to Commonwealth countries,where she often meets communitygroups, as well as Heads of Government.She also has regular contact with theCommonwealth Secretary-General,through whom she keeps up to datewith current developments.

How is the Commonwealth financed?Compared to many other internationalorganisations, the Commonwealth hasa tiny budget. It works on less than oneper cent of the budget of the UKDepartment for InternationalDevelopment.The work of the Commonwealth is

funded principally through annualsubscriptions by member states paid tothe Secretariat and Foundation inLondon. Levels are fixed according toeach nation’s gross national product. Inaddition, voluntary contributions aremade to the Commonwealth Fund forTechnical Co-operation, theCommonwealth Youth Programme(with offices in Guyana, India, SolomonIslands and Zambia), and the Vancouver-based Commonwealth of Learning.

Organisation

Papua New Guinea

Rwanda

HM Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey atCommonwealth Day Observance, 10 March 2008.

Commonwealth Day �Commonwealth Day is celebrated everyyear on the second Monday in March.The idea was proposed and discussed byCommonwealth leaders in 1975, and itis marked by a large number of events,including a message from The Queen,designed to promote understandingabout the work of the Commonwealth,and highlight areas of concern.

Pakistan St Kitts and Nevis

Just and honest government 22Closing the gap 24

Health and education 26Climate change and

sustainable development 28Culture and sport 30

Opportunities 32

21A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Co-operation

Co-operation

Co-operationJust and honest governmentA democratic promiseThe Singapore and HarareDeclarations in 1971 and 1991 (seepage 11) commit the Commonwealthto promoting and supportingdemocracy in all member states.Democracy is the best guarantee forthe maintenance of the rule of law,human rights, and good governance. Itdoesn’t guarantee the absence ofserious conflict within or betweenstates, but it does reduce the likelihoodof it occurring. Good governance is alsoan effective remedy against poverty.

What is democracy? � Democracyrefers to a system of governmentwhere decisions are taken either bypeople directly, or throughrepresentatives whom they haveelected.

Government based on representativedemocracy has a number of furthercharacteristics; it … • is based on regular and free

elections• shows a willingness to reflect and

respond to public opinion• allows individuals, civil society

organisations, and the media tocriticise governmentpolicy, and it• protects the rights of individuals and minority groups.

Over the past 60 years, theCommonwealth has acted on manyoccasions to reduce conflict and tosupport or help restore democracy inmember states. Central to theCommonwealth’s work is theestablishment of dialogue betweengovernments, political parties, and civilsociety groups. The Commonwealthalso offers member states training andguidance on managing elections,helping citizens understand more aboutthe election process, and monitoringthe conduct of elections, including therole of the media.

Conflict resolution � In 2002, thePresident of Guyana asked for theCommonwealth’s support in dealingwith hostility between the country’stwo main political parties, which washampering effective democraticgovernment. For the next four years,the Commonwealth’s special envoy, SirPaul Reeves, worked in Guyana, withgroups right across the politicalspectrum, encouraging dialogue andtransparency in government. After a while, Parliament began to

work noticeably better, the Oppositionreturned, and a new party emergedjust before the 2006 election. A mediamonitoring unit was set up, and themajor media outlets agreed not toreport statements inciting racialhatred. The elections were the most peacefulin 40 years, but distrust and insecurityremain of concern. The Commonwealthcontinues to monitor events in Guyanaand provide advice and support.

22SeychellesSt Lucia St Vincent and

the GrenadinesSamoa

Encouraging civil society � TheCommonwealth believes that civilsociety organisations are of particularimportance in promoting democracyand protecting human rights. There canbe a tendency, particularly in times ofheightened international security, forgovernments to limit the scope fordebate and dissent. TheCommonwealth encourages people’sparticipation in government, activelypromoting this through the work of theCommonwealth Foundation (see page 19)

Human rightsThe protection of human rights is afundamental principle ofCommonwealth membership, and theCommonwealth works in a number ofways to develop and uphold humanrights standards in member states.

Best practice � A wide network ofCommonwealth professional and civilsociety organisations provide adviceand training on human rights. Thiscan take many forms,including helping memberstates to establish their ownhuman rights commission;training groups like thepolice, civil servants andjudges, on ways of upholdinghuman rights; andencouraging memberstates to adoptpractices reflecting thehighest human rightsstandards.

Dealing with abuse � Although agreat deal of work is done by theCommonwealth helping member statesdeal with human rights issues, theCommonwealth nevertheless facescriticism for failing to be more vigilant indealing with member states who fallseriously below accepted internationalstandards. At the recent CHOGMmeeting in Trinidad and Tobago,representatives from a number ofmember states and civil societyorganisations urged theCommonwealth to take a more pro-active role in dealing with this.

23A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Co-operation

Too low � New Zealand is one ofmany countries working to achieve theCommonwealth target of havingwomen occupying at least 30 per centof the seats on local councils. Inresponse to this, the New ZealandHuman Rights Commission ran a seriesof regional workshops and eventsdesigned to increase the nationalrepresentation of women.

Commonwealth Photographic Awards 2004: RunnerUp - Africa. This photograph was taken in a smallrural village in southern Botswana.

24

Closing the gap Another wayAmongst its members, the Common-wealth has some of the richest andpoorest nations in the world. It has someof the fastest-growing economies, butalso some of the world’s smallest states. This diversity equips the Commonwealth

with considerable expertise, but itsbudget for the alleviation of poverty isvery small, particularly compared toother specialist organisations. The Commonwealth, therefore, is not

a big player in providing cash for aid oreconomic development. Instead, as inother aspects of its work, it tends tooperate behind the scenes, advising andguiding member nations, and helpingthem obtain the support they need,often directly from other member nations.

Programmes and initiativesThe Commonwealth, through its manyaffiliated organisations, runs a largenumber of development programmesand initiatives for both the public andprivate sectors, helping member statesimprove their efficiency in finance,manufacturing, and farming, andadvising on ways of diversifying exportsand attracting new investment.

Fast track � At the request of theKenyan authorities, the CommonwealthSecretariat undertook a study of theorganisation of the customs facilities atNairobi airport and at the docks inMombasa. Recommendations from thiswork led to the time taken for goods topass through customs falling from anaverage of eight to two days.

Co-operation

South Africa

An engineer with hard-hat andsurvey equipment in Dominica.

Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands

25A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Co-operation

Support for agricultural research andtraining programmes is an importantpart of the Commonwealth’s work,using its professional links andnetworks to disseminate informationand good practice to help farmers moreeffectively manage the effects ofclimate change.The size and extent of the Common-

wealth also enables it to createpartnerships with other major internationalorganisations and to have a directimpact on world opinion. One of thebest examples of this is the pioneeringwork of the Commonwealth on debtrelief for the world’s poorest nations.It was at a meeting of Commonwealth

Finance Ministers in Barbados in 1987,that debt relief was first discussed.Commonwealth Foreign Ministers andcivil society groups continued to lobbyfor the idea during the 1990s and,because of their initiative, more than$110m of debt has been removed fromsome of the poorest states, releasingfunds for health, education and otherimprovements.

New businesses � Commonwealthsupport is particularly directed at thedevelopment of small and medium sizebusinesses and helping to improveprospects for younger people.

Small states � Thirty twoCommonwealth countries are classifiedas small states. These are technicallydefined as having a population of 1.5million people or less. With limitedresources, small states face particularchallenges. However, as members ofthe Commonwealth, they have anequal voice with larger member states,and a major international organisationas a platform for representation.

Starting off � The CommonwealthYouth Credit Initiative helps youngpeople start businesses by offeringthem small loans and business training.The scheme has helped thousands ofbusinesses get off the ground. Onebusiness owner, a young woman fromAhmadabad, in Gujarat, in India, said:"I didn't know I could ever dosomething useful. My family is veryproud of me. I have money over everyweek, after making the repayments. I put some of it back into mylaundrette and most of the rest goes tosupport my children".

Help and guidance � Under presentinternational law, coastal states controlthe undersea resources up to 200 milesfrom their shore. However, the UnitedNations’, has recently given countriesthe opportunity to apply to extend thislimit to give themselves rights over amuch wider area, if they can show thatthe national natural landmass extendsbeyond this limit.Making a case of this kind requires

detailed scientific surveys and analysis,which small nations may find difficultto organise. To date, theCommonwealth has helped 15countries lodge claims for additionalareas of the seabed, giving greateraccess to mineral deposits and othermarine resources, and providing anopportunity for greater long termeconomic development.

Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative(CYCI) launch in Gujarat India.

26

Health and education The need for good health carePeople in Commonwealth developingcountries often suffer as a result of poorhealth care. With relatively littleinvestment in public hospitals andmedical staff, patients either fail to seekhelp, or are required to travel longdistances for treatment. The problemcan be heightened by the loss oftrained medical staff overseas. One wayin which the Commonwealth hasworked to address this has beenthrough the development of a code ofpractice for the international recruitmentof health workers, which aims to protectthe most vulnerable states from theunmanaged exodus of skilled staff.

The challenge of HIV and AIDS �

More than 65 million people havebecome infected with HIV since thepandemic began more than 20 yearsago; and more than 25 million of thesehave died. Today, about 60 per cent ofthe world’s HIV cases are amongstCommonwealth citizens, and dealingwith this is a major challenge.Through advice and training obtained

from Commonwealth programmes,government officials in a number ofCommonwealth countries have beenable to negotiate better access toantiretroviral drugs, which slow downthe progress of the disease. Today,almost 30 per cent of Commonwealthcitizens requiring antiretroviral therapyare receiving it, compared with just twoper cent in 2003.

Positive living � The CommonwealthYoung Ambassadors for Positive LivingProgramme enables young peopleliving with HIV to share theirexperiences with others, and creategreater awareness. There are nownational and regional Programmes inAfrica, Asia and the Caribbean,particularly targeting young people inthe 15-29 age group.With support from the Secretariatand Foundation, the CommonwealthHIV and AIDS Action Group is workingto reduce the stigma anddiscrimination often associated withpeople living with HIV and AIDS.

Crisis in non-communicablediseases � Heart disease, diabetesand other non-communicable diseasescause half of all deaths worldwide,often tipping vulnerable familiesbelow the poverty line. In 2009Commonwealth Heads of Governmentcalled for a worldwide strategicapproach to monitor the diseases andaddress their causes and repercussions.

Co-operation

Swaziland Tonga Trinidad and Tobago

Children receiving dietary supplements froma mobile clinic in Garissa district, Kenya.

Sri Lanka

27A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Co-operation

The importance of educationEducation is one of the most effectivelong-term ways of raising a nation’sstandard of living. It is a central priorityfor the Commonwealth, which works inmany ways to enhance the lives ofyoung people, in school, at work, and inhigher education, see page 11.

Millennium Development Goals �

In September 2000, under the auspicesof the UN, leaders of the world’snations committed their countries to along-term programme of help for thepoorest people in the world. Theirdeclaration took the form of eightMillennium Development Goals, to beachieved by a target date of 2015. One of the Goals is the provision of

universal primary education; another isgender equality. With an estimated 30million of its children not attendingprimary school, and a disproportionatenumber of these being girls, theCommonwealth is an active partner inworking to achieve these aims.

Meeting the demand � Bringingmore children into school requiresgreater funding, more teachingresources, and the creation of anincreased number of qualified staff.The Commonwealth works with a largenumber of groups helping memberstates to address these issues.

The Commonwealth of Learning �Based in Vancouver, and created by theCommonwealth Heads of Government,the Commonwealth of Learningspecialises in open and distance learningthrough information and communicationstechnology. Its school-focussed projectsinclude teacher development, teachereducation resources, and the electronicnetworking of schools and teachertraining colleges.

Gender equality � Equal access toeducation for boys and girls, and theequal treatment within schools, areimportant ways of improving the livesof both individuals and entirecommunities. The Commonwealthworks in partnership with a wide rangeof organisations to help achieve thisMillennium Development Goal.

Closing the gap � Nearly 30Commonwealth education networkscome together under the banner ofthe Commonwealth Consortium forEducation. The Consortium drawstogether voices from across theCommonwealth to makerecommendations to the three-yearlymeetings of the CommonwealthEducation Ministers.

A key initiative is the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan which, forfifty years, has enabled students to undertake courses overseas. Many go on tomake significant contributions towards their areas of specialism.

Pupils atBudo Juniorschool in the

district ofWakiso.

28

Climate change and sustainable development Climate changeDealing with climate change is one ofthe greatest challenges facing the worldtoday. All countries are affected; butsome are especially vulnerable –particularly small and low-income states.In 1987, the Commonwealth was the

first major inter-governmentalorganisation to commission a scientificstudy on the effects of variations in theworld’s climate. Published two yearslater, the Holdgate Report warned:“Changes in climate will change thefrequency of extreme climatic eventssuch as severe tropical storms, floods,droughts or extremes of heat”, andcalled for a major international initiativeto establish global responsibilities forpreventing unmanageable rises in theworld’s temperature.

The same year, at their meeting inMalaysia, Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment issued the LangkawiDeclaration, in which they undertook totake immediate action to promotesustainable development. They alsocalled for a wider international agree-ment under the auspices of the UnitedNations. This came three years later atthe Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit.

Small states � The wording of theLangkawi Declaration also drewattention to the distinct environmentalproblems faced by some developingcountries arising from poverty andpopulation pressures, and by someisland and low-lying areas, threatenedby rising sea levels.Today, the Commonwealth takes a

leading role in representing small stateson the international stage, and providesthem with training and guidance toincrease their effectiveness in climatechange negotiations.

Co-operation

Tuvalu Uganda United Kingdom United Republic of Tanzania

Under threat � The Maldives comprise 1,190 islands and atolls in the IndianOcean, with a land area of about 115 sq miles (300 sq km). The highest point of theislands reaches no more than eight feet (just over two metres) above sea level, whichmeans that, as sea levels rise, the very existence of Maldives becomes in jeopardy. Ifnothing is done to combat this, it is believed between 50 and 80 per cent of theislands will disappear in 50 years time.

29A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Co-operation

MiningMining and energy production are important industries for any country, but not allgovernments have the knowledge of how to develop these sectors in the long termnational interest. However, Commonwealth states such as Australia, Botswana, andSouth Africa have considerable experience in this kind of resource managementand, with help from the Commonwealth, are able to share this expertise with othermember nations.

Since the discovery of significant oil stocks in Belize in 2005, the Commonwealthhas been helping the Government develop a petroleum tax and royalty structuredesigned to benefit the management and investment of the new oil revenues.

ForestryAs well as providing a habitat formillions of species, the world’s forestsare of both economic and ecologicalvalue. Forests provide many valuableproducts, but also exert a significantinfluence on climate patterns.

An international centre � At the1989 Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment meeting, Guyana’sPresident announced the setting asideof one million acres (370,000hectares) of rain forest for purposes ofresearch as a wilderness preserve andfor sustainable use. Today theIwokrama International Centreprovides practical guidance on the bestways of managing and maintainingforests of this kind, along withimportant data on the ways in whichforests regulate climate.Iwokrama now works under a broad

alliance that includes the EuropeanCommission, the United Nations, and awide range of specialist agencies.

FisheriesThe decline of fish stocks is a problemconcerning many countries throughoutthe world, and is of particularimportance to the 47 member stateswith coastlines.The impact of over-fishing is greatest

on those least responsible for theproblem – members of poorer, morevulnerable, communities, who fishprimarily to survive. As well asmarginalising these groups, the loss offish stocks means that people may turnto hunting – something generally muchless desirable than coastal fishing.

Commitment to action � Between2007 and 2009, three Commonwealthorganisations, headed by theCommonwealth Foundation, ran aseries of programmes designed to raiseawareness about the problem of illegalfishing and the need for greatermeasures to help sustain existing stocks.These concerns were put toCommonwealth Heads of Governmentat their meeting in Trinidad and Tobago,with leaders agreeing to undertakeurgent action to strengthen marinemanagement, particularly in the watersof more vulnerable member states.

30

Culture and sportThe promotion of culture and sport arenot obvious ways in which to addresssome of the world’s most pressingissues. But the Commonwealthbelieves that cultural expression,creativity, and competition can be astrong force for human developmentand social justice.

The cultural connectionCulture – in the sense of arts andcultural expression – may be harnessedto benefit communities in many ways. Creative industries can make a

significant contribution to both localand national economies. With relativelylow start-up costs, they may also offeran effective means of introducinggreater economic diversity.

A legal framework � TheCommonwealth supports the PacificIslands Forum in its work to developlaws and guidelines designed to helpproducers of traditional arts and craftsprotect their intellectual property fromunwanted commercial exploitation.

Culture may also be used as aninstrument of social or political change.The visual and performing arts can beparticularly effective (especially in hard-to-reach communities) in conveyingmessages about legal and politicalrights, or health and environmentalconcerns.Promoting and valuing culture is also

central to developing respect andunderstanding between people withdifferent identities. A failure to takeculture seriously may result in missed

opportunities, the marginalisation ofgroups or communities, and thedestruction of habitats and livelihoods.

Taking culture seriouslyThe promotion of culture is central tothe work of the CommonwealthFoundation, see page 19. It runs anumber of prizes and programmeshelping Commonwealth artists, writers,musicians and filmmakers to make aliving from their work. Amongst thebest-known of these is theCommonwealth Writers’ Prize,established in 1987 to take the best ofCommonwealth writing in English to awider audience.Culture also plays an important part in

the Foundation’s other work ongovernance, democracy and humandevelopment, through the use of music,drama, and street theatre to convey keyideas about political rights or healthconcerns, to both mass and hard-to-reach audiences.

Co-operation

Vanuatu Zambia The Commonwealth Flag

Musicians performing at a CommonwealthDay celebration in the CommonwealthYouth Programme (CYP) Africa RegionalCentre in Lusaka, Zambia.

31A practical guide to the Commonwealth � Co-operation

SportThe Commonwealth Games arearguably one of the most widely-knownCommonwealth activities. The idea wasfirst raised in 1891 by the Rev AstlyCooper, who suggested the competition“as a means of increasing the goodwilland good understanding of the Empire.” The first Games, however, were not

held until 1930, after a proposal byCanadian, Bobby Robinson. Knowninitially as the British Empire Games,the first competition took place in theCanadian city of Hamilton, with$30,000 being provided by the city tohelp cover the travel costs of theparticipating nations.Since then, the Games have been

held every four years, except in 1942and 1946 as a result of the SecondWorld War, and today they are knownsimply as the Commonwealth Games. For many years, the programme

consisted of only single sportscompetitions, such as athletics, boxingand swimming. The 1998 Games inKuala Lumpur were the first to includeteam sports.A further development took place in

2000, with the introduction of the

Commonwealth Youth Games, open toathletes aged 18 and under. The firstcompetition was held in Edinburgh andthe next, in 2011, will be on the Isle ofMan. In 2002, Manchester hosted the Games

and, for the first time, at any multi-sportworld event, a number of events wereheld for athletes with a disability.New Delhi won the right to hold the

Games in 2010 and Glasgow in 2014.In the first Commonwealth Games,400 competitors took part in 59 eventsin six sports. Today there are 17 sports;and the Games village in Delhi has thecapacity to welcome 8,500 competitorsand officials.

The ties of sport � Although theCommonwealth Games is the sportingevent that unites all Commonwealthcountries, other sports, such as cricket,football, rugby, hockey, and badminton,are also played widely throughout theCommonwealth, serving to bringpeople and nations together.International Test cricket is playedprimarily between Commonwealthmember states.

Medal Winners at the 2002Commonwealth Games in Manchester, UK.

32

OpportunitiesAlthough the Commonwealth is rightlyperceived as a major internationalorganisation, its structure is built arounda wide array of civil society groups,which play a vital part in informing andshaping Commonwealth policy.However, the Commonwealth alsoencourages involvement fromindividuals through consultation,competitions and exchanges. A numberof these opportunities are listed below.

The CommonwealthPeople’s ForumFor more than ten years, theCommonwealth Foundation hasprovided an opportunity, at eachCHOGM venue, for individuals as wellas civil society groups, to meet anddiscuss issues of current concern. Aparallel event for 15-29 year-olds is alsoheld alongside the main Forum. Detailsof the most recent meetings in Trinidadand Tobago are available from theFoundation’s website,www.commonwealthfoundation.com.

Youth programmesA great deal of the Commonwealth’swork relates to the present and futureneeds of younger people. The RoyalCommonwealth Society organises anumber of activities specifically foryoung people, and some of these arelisted below. More details can found onthe Society’s website, www.thercs.org

Youth Summits � An opportunity foryoung people to come together anddebate important issues of the day.

Youth leadership � Nkabom,meaning ‘coming together’, is a ten-dayprogramme open to about thirty 18-26year-olds, from all parts of theCommonwealth. Held every two years,in a different Commonwealth location,the Programme aims to help youngpeople engage more effectively withtheir own and the internationalcommunity, and to give them skills andconfidence to act as effective agents ofchange.

Competitions and awards � Eachyear the Royal Commonwealth Societyholds competitions and awards foressay writing, photography and film-making. They are open to anyone underthe age of 30, with prizes that includecash, equipment and further guidance.

Exchange Schemes � TheCommonwealth Youth ExchangeCouncil can provide support, guidanceand funding for youth exchangesbetween the UK and otherCommonwealth countries. Details ofplanning and organising this areavailable from the Council’s website,www.cyec.org.uk.

Co-operation

Delegates at the sixthCommonwealth Youth

Forum, Entebbe, Uganda,November 2007.

A

B

C

D

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J

L

Association of Commonwealth Archivistsand Records Managers www.acarm.orgCommonwealth Association of Architectswww.comarchitect.orgRoyal Agricultural Society of theCommonwealth www.commagshow.org

Commonwealth Broadcasting Associationwww.cba.org.uk/index.phpCommonwealth Business Councilwww.cbcglobal.org

Commonwealth Countries League www.ccl-int.orgRoyal Commonwealth Societywww.thercs.orgThe Commonwealth Associationwww.comassoc.org

Commonwealth Dental Associationwww.cdauk.com

Commonwealth Consortium for Educationwww.commonwealtheducation.orgCommonwealth Council for EducationalAdministration and Managementwww.cceam.orgCommonwealth Education Trustwww.cet1886.orgCommonwealth Engineers Councilwww.ice.org.uk Council for Education in theCommonwealth www.cecomm.org.uk/home

Commonwealth Forestry Associationwww.cfa-international.orgCommonwealth Foundationwww.commonwealthfoundation.comFriends of the Commonwealthwww.commonwealthfriends.org

Commonwealth Games Federationwww.thecgf.comCommonwealth Geographical Bureauwww.commonwealthgeography.org

Commonwealth Association for Health andDisabilities supramaniam@lineone.netCommonwealth HIV and AIDs Action Group(Para55) www.para55.orgCommonwealth Human Ecology Councilwww.chec-hq.orgCommonwealth Human Rights Initiativewww.humanrightsinitiative.org

Commonwealth Journalists Associationwww.commonwealthjournalists.comCommonwealth Judicial Education Institutewww.cjei.org

Association for Commonwealth Literatureand Language Studies www.aclals.ulg.ac.be/Commonwealth Association of Law ReformAgencies www.calras.orgCommonwealth Lawyers Associationwww.commonwealthlawyers.comCommonwealth of Learning www.col.orgCommonwealth Legal Education

M

N

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RS

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Association www.cleaonline.orgCommonwealth Local Government Forumwww.clgf.org.uk

Commonwealth Association of Museumswww.maltwood.uvic.ca/camCommonwealth Magistrates and JudgesAssociation www.cmja.orgCommonwealth Medical Associationwww.commonwealthmedics.orgConference of CommonwealthMeteorologists www.commonwealthmet.org

Commonwealth Nurses Federationwww.commonwealthnurses.org

Commonwealth Association for PublicAdministration and Managementwww.capam.orgCommonwealth Association of PaediatricGastroenterology and Nutritionwww.capgan.orgCommonwealth Association of Plannerswww.commonwealth-planners.orgCommonwealth Parliamentary Associationwww.cpahq.orgCommonwealth Pharmacists Associationwww.commonwealthpharmacy.org

Royal Overseas League www.rosl.org.uk

Commonwealth Secretariatwww.thecommonwealth.org Commonwealth Association of Science,Technology and Mathematics Educatorswww.castme.org Commonwealth Organisation for SocialWork www.sasw.org.sg/coswCommonwealth Association of Surveyingand Land Economy www.casle.orgCommonwealth Scholarships Commissionwww.cscuk.org.ukInstitute of Commonwealth Studieswww.commonwealth.sas.ac.ukRoyal Commonwealth Ex-Services Leaguewww.commonwealthveterans.org.uk

Commonwealth Association of TaxAdministrators www.catatax.orgCommonwealth TelecommunicationsOrganisation www.cto.intCommonwealth Trade Union Groupwww.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-17116-f0.cfmLeague for the Exchange of CommonwealthTeachers www.lect.org.uk/home.aspx

Association of Commonwealth Universitieswww.acu.ac.uk

Commonwealth War Graves Commissionwww.cwgc.orgCommonwealth Women's Networkwww.commonwealthwomen.net

Commonwealth Youth Exchange Councilwww.cyec.org.uk

ContactsListed below are some of the many organisations associated with the Commonwealth.

CommonGround A practical guide to the Commonwealth is written foranyone who wants to know more about the history and work of theCommonwealth today.

Written in a simple and accessible style, with illustrated case studies andinformation panels, CommonGround outlines changes from the former BritishEmpire to the modern Commonwealth of today, including information on:

• how the Commonwealth was created • its members• aims and purposes• how it reaches decisions• the actions that it takes, and • the opportunities that it provides …

… with full details of where to get further help and information

COMMONGROUND

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