RSS FeedDraft Commonwealth Conversation Recommendations
In November 2009 we published the emerging findings of the Conversation. Click here to read the report: Common What?. Throughout the Conversation we have heard much to concern us, not least that the association’s profile is unhealthily low. And when we dug deeper into why profile is so low, we discovered an urgent need for the Commonwealth to refocus on its principles, priorities and people.
However, we have also heard much to give us hope. The Commonwealth has all the ingredients to be a leading, effective and influential international association in the 21st century…but it is essential that all members of the Commonwealth family make better, more strategic use of these assets.
As we near the end of the Conversation, we have begun to draft 10 key recommendations based on all that we have heard, which are shown in the slides below. Let us know what you think of these 10 recommendations so far by giving each slide a ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’. You can also leave longer comments at the bottom of the page. You can download a PDF of all these slides here: Draft Commonwealth Conversation Recommendations. In order for us to incorporate your comments, please let us know what you think by Thursday 18th February.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
This is a timely and focused reflection on how the Commonwealth’s relevance to the world, and a new generation, can be underscored. It is an excellent distillation of views and I sincerely hope it forms the basis of institutional renewal.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
These are fantastic! Congratulations on putting together a birilliant report.
Tiny comment:
In point 4 you mention ‘a new Commonwealth charter.’ I’m pretty sure the Commonwealth doesn’t have an old formal charter! I would scrap the word ‘new’ from the sentence.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Kevin
ditto
February 11th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
I fully support J. Kevins views and hope that action follows soon. Just one comment about the web page I had difficulty with the voting nothing happened so I tried again then after a few minutes I found i had several votes instead of just one.
February 11th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
In looking at slide 1, surely the Commonwealth nations are already part of larger groupings guided by principles such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and some of us are part of the OAS, etc.
There should be some committment to reforming the oppressive colonial legislation which still exists in many countries – beating children in schools, sodomy laws, etc
February 11th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
I congratulate this initiative and hope it achieves the support of the Commonwealth Sec and the sister Foundation. As Commonwealth people, we cannot change the system from the outside and through leaders who are just as set in their ways and comfort zones as the institutions set up to serve us. So here’s hoping.
February 11th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
@ Geoffrey. Our apologies if the page is a little slow to load, and the voting takes a while to register. There are a lot of people viewing the site at the moment, but don’t worry, your votes are being registered! Thanks everyone for your comments.
February 11th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
I absolutely agree with Recommendations 6 and 7. I believe that for the relevance of Commonwealth to the world we should not forget the involvement of children and students. There is high need for encouraging their participation in achievable and stimulating activities. An optimum use of IT for global sharing of knowledge and experience for these future active members of the Commonwealth family will surely open the window for reaching a wider target.
February 11th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Good on general principles – short on specifics. One clue to the widespread scepticism about the Commonwealth is the ability of member states to act in the most horrendous ways – that would never be tolerated if directed at any other group – by targetting homosexual people for the death penalty (ie Uganda at the moment), or complete denial of human rights (The Gambian President last year) to take just two recent examples. Remember the campaigs against apartheid? And that was against a system whose stated objective did not officially include the murder of its citizens. Where is the campaign against homophobia? Which Commonwealth institution is prepared to take the flak for being as principled in defence of the rights of gay people as the Commonwaelth as whole was in defence of the principle of racial equality?
February 11th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
I will like to agree with most of these statements. We have seen through some of these statements the apathy that evolves from a colonial past. Something that can be used to our advantage to serve as a birthing of the ‘new commonwealth’. We also need to have a statement from Her Majesty to bring closure to that era. She can make her monarchy the greatest one by this statement having stood the time between two millennia.
The various heads of government can contribute to the birthing by identifying and stating their role as a commonwealth partner. We are no longer strangers but brothers and sisters taking the ‘new commonwealth’ forward into the next millennium.Borders should not be an issue in terms of intellectual and social exchange We have to keep in mind the need to have young people involved and the programmes we expose them to should carry both ‘old’ and ‘new’ with an eye to the future.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
The report is sound. What matters is implementation and needed results. On this would like to see Strategy becomes Operationalised with specific Tactics at all Royal Commonwealth Society locations throughout the world, amongst other relevant entities. Thanks.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Excellent.
Now, to put it into practice!
February 11th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
This is a good initiative. Communicating and acting on our shared common values is crucial in the creation of an equitable global economy giving all citizens of the Commonwealth of Nations equal access to our global common wealth.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Makes a great read and I commend the project.
But the document is on the edge of the old Commonwealth ‘spin’ again! Shorten all the aspirational stuff and focus on the the Commonwealth as an organisation of working projects – to the real benefit of the millions of its disadvantaged
citizens, the discriminations they still suffer, and the natural environments at risk.
The Commonwealth will never talk its way back to relevance! That will only come by positive actions over time – some poltical, but mostly social, economic and environmental.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:55 pm
All the initiative taken by the Commonwealth to give a voice to voiceless and involve the to contribute thier views on Climate Change is all a BIG THUMBS UP!!! for me. Im so happy that we did something and that we are in a process of forming an organisation that considers the public views with great care and concern. I agree with all the points laid above and will be behind you to the end. Together we can bring change to climate change. Lets join hand and do this together as one big family.
Thank you for letting us participate in all these discussions and bringing us together.
Davies
February 12th, 2010 at 4:19 am
The 10 Key areas are on point & an excellent summary of the many submissions you would have received from members of Commonwealth Nations. Great work indeed.
The Big Commonwealth Conversation has indeed cut across barriers at all levels allowing each and every person, groups, organisation, academics, experts & the likes to connect. This is magical. Lets keep it this way. Follow through & implementation of key factors identified will be the biggest challenge.
Thank you for giving us all the opportunity to participate. We wish the Commonwealth Conversation team the very best and look forward to more invigorating & innovative forum as such.
February 12th, 2010 at 6:58 am
That is a well articulated article and should be the blueprint of the rejuvenation of the Commonwealth; I particularly like the phrase that this is an UNCOMMON association with a WEALTH of potential.
The Commonwealth needs also to refocus its commitment to reaching out to the youth in its expansive family; from Asia, Africa, Carebbean as well as the Pacific Regions. The youth need to have a basis to identify with the modern Commonwealth.
With the above 10 recommendations put in place, there is no doubt the Commonwealth will be more relevant
February 12th, 2010 at 8:34 am
You guys are doing wonderful job here for common wealth for the future purpose. All the outline focus, to me they are all ok. i will like to suggest that there is need to train our common wealth leaders here in NIGERIA. Thank you very much and may the Lord reward you people for the good work to change the world and unite everybody.
February 12th, 2010 at 8:56 am
Thumbs up. Now CW is Talking!
February 12th, 2010 at 9:43 am
A great job! The Commonwealth needs a reform and this is the process to that reform. I believe! coming generations will no doubt enjoy a better influence and impact of the Commonwealth…The future is bright!
February 12th, 2010 at 10:03 am
Great report but as most people say, implementation and involvement of all remains a challenge.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:09 am
I wonder whether the Commonwealth will not go on being bogged down by its history while so much of it seems British, and so many institutions are based in a country which is not terribly interested in the Commonwealth. This issue has been touched on by some participants in the Conversation. Yet the Commonwealth of Learning is in Vancouver, the Iwokrama Forest Programme is in Guyana, and the non-governmental Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative is headquartered in New Delhi. Might not a more multi-centred Commonwealth increase the sense of ownership? The intergovernmental organisations would not find it easy to move from London, but more Commonwealth NGOs could.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:44 am
The implementation of this wonderful report will definitely take the Commonwealth a giant step forward. I feel impressed!
February 12th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I am please with this ten recommendation cited, and hope in line of working together in attaining these objective ,i believe in co-operate ideals from all members and also working positively towards this plans. Once again i say thanks to everyone for all contribution and Pray God to continue increase all knowledge/ideals for the futuredevelopment of commonwealth organisation.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
This is on time and needs to be carried out vigorously and timeously.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
You have done a good job but it should not end here. Leadership is important and it needs to coordinate well and involve people so as to tap on the innovation of the masses rather than a few individuals.
February 12th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
This is really great work and it gives evidence on what young people in the Commonwealth can do when given space to lead these processes. Thanks to this great team of young people who have put this together and modulated these discussions.
February 12th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
I think that this goes a long way toward addressing the issues that face the fading commonwealth in the modern world. I think two of its most important goals should be to make the Commonwealth more relevant to the young, as they will be the leaders of tomorrow, and to increase its role in international politics, in order to raise its profile, and make a more tangible difference on the world stage. However, I hope that the proposals of this report will go some way toward accomplishing both of these aims.
February 13th, 2010 at 8:01 am
The 10 recommendations are a great start to reforming the way the Commonwealth takes part in international affairs in the future. More action please.
February 13th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
As many people have said, these are excellent recommendations but the key will be how Commonwealth institutions – particularly the Secretariat – will take this forward. How innovative will they be? Will they actually take people seriously? Or will it be more of the same…
February 13th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
After all this excitement with the Conversation, I have this sinking feeling that the Eminent Persons Group will be a bit of a damp squib. Lets hope they prove us wrong.
February 13th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
As a student I would like to say the 10 points are relevant and keeping with the times. congratulations
February 13th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
This is an interesting and engaging exercise. Commendable use of new media.
I suspect though, that these ten points reflect ideas which have already been put forward in the past, and as such, I am, regrettably pessimistic and cynical about where this will all go.
We cannot ignore the foundation of the Commonwealth, and what I have not seen is reference to the fact that there is that there is deep offence taken to the very term Commonwealth because of how we all came to be part of this group.
I have been trying to forecast the direction of the Commonwealth and the CS in particular and I think, unless the group is committed to be a strong voice in the world in the interest of its countries, then, we will always question its relevance.
But of course all the countries in the Commonwealth have other essential interests and partnerships which may conflict with their obligations to the commonwealth family.
The recommendations have not spoken specifically to the power and influence of the commonwealth and its capacity to be a true force in the world. I’m sure the UK values its relationship more highly with the US than it does with Uganda. And that Ghana values its relationship with the UK more than it would, its connection with Jamaica. So let’s talk about power positioning and where that can really take the Commonwealth.
Let’s also be brave enough to talk about disbanding the CS, doing away with this notion of the Commonwealth if it is under serving its member countries in areas that are considered to be most critical.
February 14th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Very good and relevant list. The importance of communication is highlighted, and I think we should stop using ‘insider’ acronymns like CHOGM – which to those not in the know sounds like an old-fashioned steam train!
February 15th, 2010 at 9:53 am
The Commonwealth is once again missing a trick by not making better use of Commonwealth Day the 2nd Monday in March (8 March 2010) as a way of getting an annual focus on the Commonwealth.
A concerted effort could help raise awareness but with less than 4 weeks to go even the Commonwealth’s official website doesn’t have any obvious reference to it.
In a Global News enviroment, it should be relatively simple to encourage Commonwealth supporters around the globe to use this day to raise awareness amonst the Commonwealth as a whole hopefully by contacting the BBC and other fellow Commonwealth broadcasters to swap news stories, compare and contrast.
February 15th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Good report! Very short and precise! i hope this goes a long way to help save a very drowning Commonwealth! Lets see what comes out of it!
February 16th, 2010 at 11:34 am
I think we have an excellent equivalent to the Ten Commandments. Now, may I be permitted to add a few more, to focus on what is pertinent to the entire Commonwealth community :
1. Reduction of arms manufacture & sales, and diversion of funds towards poverty alleviation….after all, the latter is the biggest killer of them all !
2. Tackling terrorism internationally,in place of burying our head in the sand; by sharing information more openly amongst the caring section of civil societies everywhere, apart from Governments…
3. Addressing Climate change rationally, scientifically, and
with a positive mind-set, in place of endless bickerings…after all,we are one world; countries like Maldives will probably disappear, North America and UK are likely to have repeated snow-storms followed by droughts (?), continental Europe’s getting flooded yearly, and the Indian subcontinent is experiencing the most bizarre monsoon ever (apart from measurable temperature rise).
“Everybody talks about the weather”, Mark Twain was supposed to have remarked, “…but nobody does anything about it !”
Can’t we collectively do something about it…with our combined human resources, diversity, and ageless experience ?
February 16th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
A very good start, but it still needs some work. I agree with all of the points, but sadly you have not addressed one key point and that is making the Commonwealth meaningful to ordinary people by offering them advantages with work and travel among the member countries. Without this, it won’t make much difference. Giving the Commonwealth a new focus on today rather than the past is an excellent point that needs work – change people’s perceptions from seeing it as an historical organisation to seeing it as future-focused. The Commonwealth has to become future-oriented.
February 17th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
2 of the top 5 most active forum topics were in regards to the role of the British monarchy in the Commonwealth. Yet not a word about this in the recommendations.
You can’t be “innovative and bold” and yet afraid to tackle issues. People on both sides are obviously passionate about it.
Provide some “strong leadership” and clarity on the issue.
Take action. Don’t just talk action.
February 17th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Great report, like the recommendations, continue to focus on issues which affect our common wealth, particularly to engage the young and young at heart.
February 18th, 2010 at 7:46 am
A most comprehensive set of recomendations. Some are rather skimpy on detail, but on some points we need some clarification.
The Commonwealth is based upon a historical phenomena, and structure. The only reason that we exist is because of the last 700 years of history (650 plus to be more exact!). To downplay the value and significance of that relationship and how it has impacted upon our world and association, is not only wrong, but contributes to our identity crisis. To say that we should not focus so much on the relationships of the past does the organization a disservice.
The common commonwealth commonalities of law, language and parliamentary democracy, are the bedrock upon which this organization sits, it is its ground norm if you like. From these tenents have flowed the relationships in business, politics, culture, sport and other areas of interaction. Why else would Malawi, New Zealand and Guyana sit at the same table together? It is because we speak the same language, can understand one another’s legal and political processes and because we have a similar education system, have read the same books, and follow the same sports that we can come together in fellowship and understanding.
Unlike other international organizations there are no translators within Commonwealth organizations. This is our greatest strength, unity in diveristy. It is the bedrock or foundation from which we should extend the organization.
When the Commonwealth advocates enhanced Parliamentary democracy and greater co-operation between its members in areas such as education, it does well. As a grass roots organization it does great work. Its myriad of civil society organizations do great work, but for those in various countries who are not lawyers, parliamentarians, or tree surgeons, we are left out and stand on the outside looking in.
By not addressing the two most significant issues in the west today, security and economics/trade, the commonwealth is no longer relevant to policy makers and politicians in many countries. This translates into the attitudes of bureaucraracies and then to the media. It is partly for this reason that the commonwealth is not important to the young, as no one bothers to market it properly in the market place of ideas and international organizations.
To say that the organization has internationalist values is a mis-statement. We are the ultimate global citizens, but what we promote are Commonwealth Values, not Internationalist ones. To get that you should go to the world federalist association or the UN. WE ARE UNIQUE! WE PROMOTE PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY! WE USE AND PROMOTE THE USE OF ENGLISH (NOT ESPERENTO)! OUR INSTITUTIONS ARE CHILDREN OF A COMMON ORIGIN! These are not internationalist values, nor are they something to be found in the UN Charter. By trying to become a poor man’s UN or African Union, we do ourselves a disservice. We are the Commonwealth! Stand up and be proud of this and don’t try to steal the UN’s tattered cloak!
In regards to giving the SG greater powers, it is unlikely to happen in an organziation which is based upon consensus. Consensus is, for historical reasons, a very neccessary and important tool in the Commonwelath’s tool box. It makes getting results that much harder, but those things which are accomplished have the support of the member states. For that reason, we must hold our representatives to account for what they decide at CHOGM. How to compel sovereign governments to live by their agreements has long been a bug bear in internatinal relations.
Our organization is far too focused upon Africa and its problems. We are an organization which has membership all over the globe, and so that the rest of the world does not feel left out, perhaps a greater focus on other parts of the world would be a good idea.
To dispel the idea of the Commonwealth not being the Empire, perhaps greater decentralizaton of its institutions would be a good idea. Too much is centred upon London. That might do more for the organization than any other reform contemplated.
We try to be all things to all people, and looking back upon the organization and its predecessors, that has always been the case. The Commonwealth and its predecessors have always been as much of an ideal, a movement a concept than a solid, concrete construct, set in stone, or entrenched in some binding document, like the US constitution. This has allowed the organizations to evolve and exist as broad tent-like structures, and I think that by not boxing the organization into too tight a corner as we move forward, we will allow the next generation to make it work as they would have it work to suit the needs and problems of their era, as we do so, or try to do so, for our own.
February 18th, 2010 at 7:52 am
The role of the Sovereign as institutional head is one of the most significant aspects of the Commonwealth. By being above party and the corruption associated with politics, the sovereign as protector of the Commonwelath can do just that! The current one has been a great \chief of chief’s\ or \Boss Lady\ for some nearly 60 years. Her role replicates that found within many societies within the Commonwealth and it should continue. This is especially important when one considers the transient nature of some governments and their leadership. Much can be said for continuity and a safe pair of hands in an ever changing world.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:15 am
This is just a bit of fun – but a potentially fabulous profile raiser. Recommendation 1 & 5 reference profile raising and profile raising was one of the themes of the feedback discussion. Here’s an idea…
Approach Simon Cowell and get him to run a ‘Commonwealth’s Got Talent’. A show case of arts and culture from across the Commonwealth would be a spectacle and a half and would just with this alone help to capture the world’s attention. The competition/television medium and specifically the hosts (the Ant and Dec of the competition) could also be used to promote and present on who the commonwealth is, what it does, who’s involved, showcase some success stories, encourage people to get involved etc….
I’m sure the Queen would be happy to have the winners at the Royal Variety Performance!
February 18th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Emphasising the Role of Development
With reference to Recommendations 1 & 2, the Commonwealth is recognised as being a key development network. We may not have many high profile cases in the last 10-20 years that singularly evidence our success, but the work the Commonwealth network has done and the support it has provided in development has certainly placed Commonwealth nations in a better position to negotiate on the international forum. So although we (‘the Commonwealth’) doesn’t have specific issues that we can put our name too – the Commonwealth has most probably played a significant role through development support in most of the major international achievements over the past 10-20 years – how can we evidence this?
February 18th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Evidencing the Intangible
In reference to Recommendations 1 & 2 – where we are seeking to better evidence our practice and stick with our principles – one of the comments that resonated with me from the feedback from the discussion is how to you evidence the ‘Commonwealth Approach’. The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) has recently been grappling with the same issue for it’s member branches. RLSS is a Commonwealth organisation and we also have ILS (the International Lifesaving Federation) which is a global international organisation. The majority of our members are members of both organisations and often struggle to justify to others just why they are involved with RLSS as well as ILS – and for them it comes down to ‘The Approach’ and the sense of Family. But how do you evidence to people outside the Commonwealth what ‘The Approach’ is? Common langauage and laws certainly help but it is the non-threatening, non-competitive forum that has a philosophy of the greater good as opposed to what’s in it for me that makes the Commonwealth an effective forum for discussion, decision, support etc. But how do we evidence ‘The Approach’ and if we could evidence it – would that help to support our cause and provide a model for best practice in International Relations?
February 18th, 2010 at 11:19 am
Recommendation 3 suggests we focus on wisely selected key priorities and at the feedback session you requested thoughts on what the next Big Issue might be. This may initially appear as a plug for lifesaving but I think the figures and evidence speak for themselves.
Drowning IS the next Big Issue:
Why?
Hospital and Medical sourced data used by WHO in the Burden of Disease provided an estimate of over 400,000 drowning deaths annually worldwide. This method of estimation misses many drowning deaths in low resource nations where drowning deaths rarely present to a health system. Most of the drowning deaths in the world occur in low resource nations with high population density. Children have a disproportionate burden of global drowning mortality.
Scientific estimates based on all drowning deaths would place the global drowning mortality at more than 1 Million deaths per year. World public health initiatives in the past have focused on communicable diseases. Malaria and HIV/AIDS are still the number one health issues on both the International and Commonwealth agendas.
As low resource populations improve their health, their nations reach an epidemiological transformation point when the percentage of injury mortality exceeds the percentage of deaths from infection and gastrointestinal disorders. Many of the developing high density populations of South East Asia have made this transformation. Injury mortality has become the highest priority. Drowning is a leading cause of mortality and the greatest cause of child mortality in the high density low resource nations of the world.
Whilst the number one priority globally is still communicable diseases we are reaching the epidemiological transformation with the focus shifting to Injury Prevention. With drowning being the leading cause of mortality it will be the next Big Issue.
With Millenium Development Goal 4 being Reduce Child Mortality – reducing Drowning deaths in 0-19’s is and will continue to be a key priority.
How it links to the Commonwealth
Many would consider drowning a very specific issue and therefore wonder how it fits against broader Commonwealth Priorities.
Taking the outcomes Communiqué from the November 2009 CHOGM meeting, RLSS did a very simple mapping exercise of how Drowning Prevention and Lifesaving fit into the broader Commonwealth Agenda and Priorities:
Human Rights (Page
– Right to water comes under this, and therefore safe access to water links in strongly. A key drowning prevention strategies is around creating safe environments which include safe access to safe water.
Under Human Rights also comes Racial Discrimination and Women. Lifesaving organisations are historically an education and training organisation and through its public awareness, education and skills programmes can play an active role in promoting equality and peace and therefore tie in with this agenda.
World Economic Situation (Page 9) – How does Lifesaving link with Economics I hear you say? For RLSS it has to as that is the only way governments of Developing/Low resource Nations will listen to us – a life lost by drowning of one able bodied teenager is the future economic livelihood of his/her village.
Climate Change (Page 14) – The climate change section makes reference to climate-resilient economies and given that the majority of deaths as a result of natural disasters are via drowning, swimming and lifesaving education, skills and leadership can support building climate-resilient communities.
Food Security (Page 16) – tying in with Human rights, again it’s about access to water and therefore safe access to safe water
Education (Page 19) and Health (Page 20) – These are the historical functions of lifesaving organisations. Lifesaving organisations are traditionally education and training organisation that address a significant public health issue (injury prevention – drowning).
Youth (Page 22) – Lifesaving Organisations utilise Lifesaving Sport (competition sport) as a vehicle to attract and engage young people in lifesaving, positive participation, leadership and the organisation.
Drowning as a Health Issues provides an opportunity to look at how one issue can impact on and represent multiple Commonwealth agendas and engage governments and organisations right across the Commonwealth.
February 24th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
contact me for all event ……
March 8th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Thank you very much everyone for your comments on the Draft Recommendations of the Conversation. They have been immensely helpful and we hope that you will see many of your comments, queries and questions reflected in the final report of the Commonwealth Conversation which was launched today.
See http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2010/03/commonwealth-conversation-final-report/.
December 15th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
Digg…
While checking out DIGG yesterday I found this…
January 16th, 2012 at 10:38 am
The role of the Sovereign as institutional head is one of the most significant aspects of the Commonwealth. By being above party and the corruption associated with politics, the sovereign as protector of the Commonwelath can do just that! http://www.annuitystraighttalk.com/