What have we missed?
Posted by ZoeWare - 17/07/09 at 09:07 pmIn putting the Commonwealth Conversation website together we have tried to allow for discussion in as many general areas as possible, to allow you to comment as you want. However, we are sure that there will be other topics that you would like to see covered.
This is your chance to tell us what we have missed! Let us know what other themes, comments, links, articles etc. you would like to see included in the Conversation and we will include them . . .
Category : What's Missing?
Tags: missing
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July 20th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
With the energy problem and climate change so prominent and so pressing, a failure to properly discuss the energy and environmental opportunities surrounding a modern and enterprising Commonwealth risks making a modernisation look out of touch or misguided.
After all, if the Commonwealth can work together to promote human rights and democratic principles, I’m sure it can work together to help ensure a safe future for all of us.
Indeed, one could point to the Harare Declaration reference to “sound management of technological change” as evidence that green energy is already within the remit of the Commonwealth…
July 27th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I think this would be a space for the commonwealth to recognize Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (LGBTI) people! The commonwealth/CHOGM has never commented or recognized sexual orientation or gender identity as human rights issues.
Like India is in the process of doing, I think that the colonial-era sodomy laws in many commonwealth countries should be struck down!
July 27th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
It would be nice to have a topic on what the commonwealth should look like after 60years. In order to keep up with the changing world trends and needs. If someone says it has not been relevant, may be they should let us know what the commonwealth should do differently.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:29 pm
At the instigation of East-West Centre(New York), Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention and Human Security was launched in October 2008 and its first national chapter was launched in March 2009 in the British parliament. Parliamentarians in Commonwealth countries(and all other countries too) should be encouraged to have their own national chapters and work tirelessly for world peace and prosperity.
Conficts are gobbling up (dwindling) material resources and the scarce human resources that should be used for construction and not for destruction.
As a Sri Lankan Tamil I cannot wish for anythingelse more.
August 1st, 2009 at 12:02 am
http://www.parliamentariansforconflictprevention.net/declaration/declaration-g20-london-summit-april-2-2009
gives the Declaration of the Network to the G20, London Summit April 2, 2009
August 1st, 2009 at 11:11 am
Hope this Network will see a decrease in the need for the proliferation of Conflict Resilution and Peacebuilding Groups all around the world – parliamentarians are the most crucial people in finding ways and means for JUSTICE FOR ALL and thus reduce conflicts.
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Nature Conservation needs to be discussed – we’ve been burrowing too much from the future.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Climate Change.
The evidence is all there. The melting ice sheet in both the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic (over which the Commonwealth holds considerable suzeranity), the erratic and constantly worsening weather conditions, floods across Europe, and Asia…
And let’s not forget the science. Carbon emissions are forming an additional layer in our atmosphere which trpas the sun’s heat and radiation within it, negating the remaining ozone which we have.
The Commonwealth must dedicate the next sixty years, and the next six hundred after that, to fighting the causes of Climate change. And the way forward is science.
The Commonwealth’s educational and research institutions are second to none. The sheer amount of potential in all Commonwealth states is staggering.
I suggest that the Commonwealth pool this resource and institute a Commonwealth Scientific Forum where the brains of all member states can convene.
First on the agenda must be developing alternative forms of transportation to the existingones. Currently, the greatest volume of Carbon emissions comes from international shipping. Fossil-fuel burning engines must be altered and ships converted to alternative forms of propulsion – possibly some form of wind turbine or electric motor.
Similarly, the most harmful carbon emissions come from Aeroplanes releasing CO2 directly into the upper atmosphere. luckily, a workable alternative technology already exists to counter this: Airships.
While images of theburning Hindenburg usually accompany any image of the historic zeppelins, the fact remains that, in most cases, even Hydrogen-filled airships were perfectly safe. With modern safety regulations such incidents would nevr again occur. Added to this, Helium, the marginally heavier buoyant gas, is totally safe and actually fire retardent.
Some models of semi-rigid workable airships have been produced by Commonwealth scientists in recent years. If the Commonwealth can design and manufacture a workable model of a 21st century airship then it will have done more for the health of the planet than a thousand rock concerts could ever achieve.
The Commonwealth must mobilise all its scientific resources to overcoming these fundamental practical obstacles. This is a new role for the organisation, and one which, if the opportunity is missed, will see the loss of a great deal of human life.
Charles, Prince of Wales, is campaigning to save the Amazon Rainforset. The Commonwealth must lend impetus to this and other campaigns like it, and put its own house in order with regard to deforestation. Member states who depend on the export and trade of Timber must be given help to find new sources of income. Environmental damage must be reduced to zero, and new conservation and natural restoration projects must be carried out.
Climate change and our impact on the planet will be the primary issues of this century. The Commonwealth must start the ball rolling as an international body. The United Nations won’t, nor will anyone else.
Commonwealth, make a start and set the example!
August 5th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Nature Conservation/Reducing Waste/Reducing Pollution
We can all do our bit: I TRY to buy things with minimum packaging.
We can buy fresh milk and fruit juice in paper-only cartons in the Continent but not in the UK!
We used to get toilet tissue rolls wrapped in paper. But not any more. ALL wrapped in plastic.
We used to get packs of envelopes bound by a strip of paper. Now they come in plastic cover.
Professional journals by post come wrapped in plastic. Sunday newspapers have bundles of magazines in glossy paper – all thrown away in a few minutes/hours.
Advertisement leaflets through doorflap that mostly go straight into the bin come in glossy paper.
variety of brochures for seasonal sales come in glossy paper.
We’re making landfills on which our future generation will have to live.
When they dig the soil to plant seeds they are going to find plastic bottles and their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts threw – no space for their plant seeds to grow !!!!
August 5th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
This website could be better on USABILITY – the ease with which it can be used. Finding a particular posting or an old comment isn’t easy.
August 6th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Whoops – thought this was a discussion about what the Commonwealth had missed in general. I’ll repost that last comment.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
The missing issue: The Health & care situation of females specially pragnant women in Backward areas no-developed areas like North Pakistan, Afghanistan, some area in Africa. Similarly, in that areas, Education opportunities are almost not available whereby no development means no institution, the educational issue must be addressed irrespective of gender.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
we all need to primarily focused on creating an awareness of people regarding their basic rights, all other things comes later, because mostly people do not know about their basic rights even in educated society, people dont know their rights. All member countries should take up those steps whereby an awareness regarding the basic rights among peoples emerged.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:02 am
I think RFLowingws has made a good point about the difficulty of keeping continuity on a particular topic in this conversation. I hope we can fond a way to keep discussions going on particular without diversiions or interruptions. Perhaps this will happen later.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
There needs to be far more focused discussion within the Commonwealth of the vital role that Higher Education plays in the Economic Development of some its member states and the fact that the Tertiary Education sector in most developing Countries is unable to compete internationally with Higher Education Institutions in the Developed World or even meet the local and national demands and aspirations of their native populations.
Whilst we should applaud the focus that the Millennium Development Goals has placed on the attainment of universal basic education for all, I believe to a certain extent that this has clouded the issues around education and national development generally by shifting attention away from the role that Higher Education plays in effective governance, policy making, social inclusion and ultimately in the elimination of poverty.
If we look at the South East Asia experience, we can see the link between the expansion of the Tertiary Education sector and greatly enhanced human capacity development. Between 1960 and 2005 South Korea raised enrolment rates from 5% to 91%, while in taiwan the number Higher Education Institutions increased from 8 in 1952 to 117 in 1989. China has made good use of its HE sector to do the smae, while India’s current growth is undoubtedly linked to its long term investments in developing a high level national skills base. The only cautionary note is that for some Countries, expanding the Higher education sector in its current form is likely to further concentrate opportunity amongst relatively priveleged groups.
In my view there needs to be a paradigm shift in how we finance the HE Sector. Greater autonomy needs to be given to the Higher Education Institutions tehmselves to have more say and control over their own affairs with Government having appropriate oversight. The Purplepeeple.com model which is based on placing greater emphasis on the responsibility of the marketplace for Graduate talent in giving something back to the Higher Education sector. This is not a new idea but if adopted could transform the capability of the HE sector in most developed countries and their economic development. For further details please go to wwww.purplepeeple.com.
September 11th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
This website is very interesting & positive! I wish to read more about support (if any) that the Commonwealth offers to Civil Society in the various and different countries.
Thank you…
September 11th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Commonwealth Free Trade
Creating a free trade zone within the commonwealth would be an acheivable and worthwhile goal.
Free trade is to the economies of both rich and poor nations what the rising tide is to all boats: everyone benefits. It works for Europe, and it works for Canada, the US and Mexico under NAFTA.
We are already united by a common language of business, similar forms of democratic government, and a common, if complex, shared history. Let us be united in pursuing an economic arrangement that increases the quality of life for ever citizen within the commonwealth
It is time to begin to work toward a Commonwealth Free Trade Agreement.
September 20th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
If enough people agree, how can we persuade the USA become a member of the Commonwealth?
President Obama’s father was from the British Empire, his grandfather fought for the King’s Africa Rifles. Thousands of Loyalists in the American Revolution were freed slaves who moved on with other loyalists to other Empire countries. Their descendants would fight with distinction in two world wars in all theatres.
The US is still eligible to join the Commonwealth. Why should they be excluded still given the massive shared heritage and origins millions of people across the exisiting Commonwealth have with them?
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Heritage conservation is an important and urgent issue to be addressed by the existing Commonwealth. Many Commonwealth member countries require technical knowledge and direct help in maintaining / preserving their countrie’s built Heritage. Any future loss of it is a permanent loss of the nation. The urgent needs to better preserve the cultural heritage of a country is sharing ideas, concepts, knowledge and research results etc with the countries who have developed technologies, proven techniques etc in the field of conservation, particularly for built heritage, the Commonwealth can do the best.The Commonwealth has already taken up the issue of climate change. Now it can also take up the relevant issue of “climate change and its impact on built heritage”. The member countries who have rich cultural heritage as their national properties should be well aware of the damaging impacts of climate change and adopt appropriate measures to eliminate or at least to minimise the damaging impacts of climate change on it’s cultural built heritage. Lots of studies,seminars,researches etc on this issue are already being conducted in UK and also in few more countries, outcomes of these can be shared with other member countries of the Commonwealth who do not yet have even enough awareness on it but they need it urgently for the suvival of their cultural heritage.
October 9th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
The Commonwealth needs to
1) change how it selects its leadership. Leaders should not selected through governmental stitch-ups. They should not be career diplomats, bureaucrats or technocrats, rather they should come from political or activist stock. They actually need to be tested for their ‘leadership’ qualities prior to selection.
2) must not be afraid of offending and naming and shaming member states, on occasion. and not worry about awkward moments over canapes with high commissioners in london.
3) think carefully and consistently about its overall image – across all Commonwealth organisations and associations
4) narrow its focus. you can’t do everything
5) significantly boost its focus on democracy and democratisation – and particularly elections monitoring
October 9th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
A major issue that needs addressing, that I have so far seen very little about, is how the commonwealth’s activities are funded. I think that what finance the Commonwealth of Nations has, and what it can therefore do, will be a large factor determining what it can achieve. At present I feel its budget is too small to achieve a real impact where it may wish to.
I also think the issue and potential of trade has been underplayed. I think more trade cooperation between memebers on this issue could really help some of the issues, such as poverty.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
The Commonwealth is only as good as its leaders…
that’s my humble submission to ‘what’s missing’… and what is missing, is the right kind of leadership in the Commonwealth.
Just a quick sampling shows that even amongst the Commonwealth’s heavyweights, things are not so rosy. My own supreme boss, Dr Manmohan Singh, is a great and clever man, but has to take orders like a stooge from his Italian boss. South African chief Zuma is being feted ‘as a true African man’ for his apparent prowess and showing he can beat rape charges; a very unfair caricature of African men everywhere. Gordon Brown, though a good manager, looks like he can’t rally the UK population around him; Dr Badawi of Malaysia is another good manager, but his country is being allowed inexorably to slip into intolerant versions of Islam; Kevin Rudd is another bright and honest gent who can’t make the simplest climate commitment and stand up against polluting big business; Canada’s Stephen Harper – oh lord, is this the product of Canadian democracy?
And we haven’t even come to the usual suspects: the Kibakis, Musevenis, Zardaris, Rajapaksas,and the shadowy generals who rule tiny Pacific nations. Most of them pay nothing more than lip service to democracy and development, a stance which has earned them good brownie points from the Old Commonwealth powers. Truth is, they have achieved very little. Please note: I don’t include Mugabe in the above list. He never pretended to be a democrat and actually achieved quite a lot, before screwing up a lot.
But think about it: change rarely comes from the grassroots in the Commonwealth (except India, South Africa and the “white” Commonwealth). Mostly, it’s engineered by handfuls of elites and those who wield-guns. Now, if these anachronisms are in power, it is little wonder they never want to leave; and little wonder they can achieve anything more than their own longevity.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:00 am
We are British citizens living in Bermuda and would like to adopt a child. So far our research has proven that this is quite a difficult thing to do from Bermuda. UK Agencies won’t consider us as we are not ordinarily resident in the UK. Despite the fact that there are many British children in fostercare waiting to be adopted!Apparently, though, they are not allowed to be adopted outside of the UK. Why can we not work with a UK Adoption Agency? Bermuda is too small and there is not enough demand to have its own Adoption Agency. Some American agencies will work with us – wonderful news! But this seems ridiculous – We are British, Bermuda is a British colony and we have a similar legal system here. It would be much easier to work within the British system. Obviously British citizens living in the UK can adopt locally or from overseas, Canadians in Canada can adopt, but what about the rest of us living in smaller Commonwealth countries that don’t have the resources to do this independently? There should be some sort of discussion amongst the Commonwealth Countries to address this issue and help people like us who want to make a difference in a child’s life.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:33 am
A system is only as good when fully owned by its subjects. The Commonwealth is as good when it creates its ownership among its member states and its people. When you have young students discussing the commonwelth as part of their history lessons here in Kenya, that sounds red alarms to your ears. I shows that we need to do things differently. We need to go and cascade the principles and articles of the commonweath to the grassroots, we need to have people across nations intrested to listen, hear, understand and look forward to resolutions of the Heads of states meetings, (CHOGM), young people need to know how they can influence policies through this forum and not just a s passive participants but rather the more pro active participants. The Commonwealth needs to shape the policies and discussions that shape the new world order. Now…there is a very big opportunity on the issue of the Climate Change, Nile treaty and so many more. And I agree with one comentator up there, the opportunities that are there in the Commonwelath aslo needs to cascade to the commoner, issues of education and opportunies in the Commonwealth, Water and sanitation in sub saharah Africa, issues of reforms e.t.c
November 13th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
I would like to be able to participate in a North American Chapter of Friends of the Commonwealth. This chapter would be located in Canada. In fact, I have a friend in Scarborough, ON Canada who is also interested in working on this project. I live in one of the former colonies (USA to be exact) and would like to see if there is a way for Americans to fully participate in this proposed new chapter of Friends of the Commonwealth. We’ve written to the folks in London and gotten no response.
I hope someone will read this post and send me an e-mail reply.
Sincerely,
William Cerf
Brooklyn, NY USA
December 8th, 2009 at 4:45 am
You missed out “Religion.”
December 18th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Ask what people would consider should be the pririoty areas of commonwealth and how should commonwealth intervene in those areas.
We can talk about a lot but we can only make a difference by concentrating our efforts on a few.