The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.5 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 33 of our members are small states, including many island nations. Our member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. Our values and principles are expressed in the Commonwealth Charter.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is the intergovernmental organisation that supports member countries to achieve the Commonwealth’s aims of development, democracy and peace. It publishes authoritative, evidence-based research and knowledge products for policymakers, academics, professionals and wider publics across the world. Our areas of focus and expertise include small and developing states; environment and climate change; democracy, law and government; and social issues concerning young people, gender, health and education.

Tackling Corruption in Commonwealth Africa

Roger Koranteng

Tackling Corruption in Commonwealth Africa identifies the institutions in five countries that have taken the lead in reducing the impact of corruption and accounts for the factors – both technical and political – that have enabled these institutions to implement successful anti-corruption strategies.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291828
  • Publication Date: Nov 2018
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

A Guide to Graduating from Least Developed Country Status

Jodie Keane

This publication provides tools to analyse the trade-related effects of tariff preference and how to integrate private sector consultations and survey methods to take in the perspectives of lead firms and buyers. Essential reading for policy-makers and development partners to support LDCs to adapt to the challenges arising from graduation.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291835
  • Publication Date: Dec 2018
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Gender Equality in the Commonwealth

This report documents progress made by the Commonwealth's 53 member countries in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment. It records performances on available indicators covering four themes: women in leadership, women's economic empowerment, ending violence against women and girls and gender and climate change.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291842
  • Publication Date: Mar 2019
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Quantifying the Barriers to Services Trade in the Commonwealth

Quantifying the Barriers to Services Trade in the Commonwealth focuses on addressing policy barriers within services sectors in Kenya and Rwanda, including commercial banking, distribution and road transportation, which are key enablers of trade.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291859
  • Publication Date: Feb 2019
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

WTO Reform

Teddy Soobramanien

WTO Reform: Reshaping Global Trade Governance for 21st Century Challenges is a valuable resource for governments, trade negotiators, journalists, academics and researchers who are attempting to sort through the complexities of the organisation and the role they can play in supporting a fairer, more inclusive WTO and multilateral trading system.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291866
  • Publication Date: Apr 2019
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Case Law Handbook on Violence Against Women and Girls in Commonwealth East Africa

This case law handbook illustrates the manifestations of VAWG in the respective jurisdictions in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, application of the law (national and international), procedures, current and recommended court practices, sentencing, remedies, ratio decidendi, relevant obiter dicta and the recommended judicial process.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291880
  • Publication Date: Sep 2019
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Strengthening Disaster Resilience in Small States

Wonderful Hope Khonje

Strengthening Disaster Resilience in Small States: Commonwealth Perspectives offers timely and expert analysis of differentiated exposure of small states to natural disasters, including an examination of specific interventions for strengthening small states' resilience to this phenomenon.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291897
  • Publication Date: Oct 2019
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

The State of the Digital Economy in the Commonwealth

This first volume in the Commonwealth Connectivity Series explores some of the issues facing policy-makers in the Commonwealth in the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It provides policy recommendations that Commonwealth members can use to address the challenges and realise the benefits of the digital age.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291903
  • Publication Date: Feb 2020
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Commonwealth Economic Development Report 2019

This first volume of the Commonwealth Economic Development Report reviews macroeconomic developments across the Commonwealth, highlighting key issues through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals. It further lays out the appropriate actions Commonwealth member countries can take to arrest development challenges.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291934
  • Publication Date: May 2021
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Trade, Gender, Climate

This book offers new analysis of gender issues in the trade and climate arenas. It informs the development of strategies to support national governments in mainstreaming gender issues within trade and climate, which is critical to the post-2030 development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291958
  • Publication Date: Aug 2020
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Environmental, Social and Economic Development Provisions in Investment Contracts

Motoko Aizawa

This book provides detailed guidance for government drafters and reviewers of investment contracts in the Commonwealth to achieve fairness and balance in investment relationships with respect to environmental, social and economic development matters.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291965
  • Publication Date: Mar 2021
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Global Youth Development Index and Report 2020

The Youth Development Index is a resource for researchers, policy-makers and civil society, including young people, to track progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) associated with youth development.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849292009
  • Publication Date: Sep 2021
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

A Future for Small States

This report provides an analysis of key issues concerning small states' security and development. It sets out a series of recommendations to counteract vulnerability arising from such factors as globalization, environmental degradation and global warming, and international crime.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850925111
  • Publication Date: Jan 1997
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Pollution Control and Waste Management in Developing Countries

Rogers W'O Okot-Uma

A practical view of environmental management, focusing on pollution control and waste management. It records the experience gained through Commonwealth Secretariat regional seminars conducted in Africa over several years. It uses real examples to illustrate the points made.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat and SFI Publishing
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850925579
  • Publication Date: Jan 2000
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Gender Equality and the Judiciary

Kirstine Adams

This volume fills the gap in existing literature on the promotion of the human rights of women through the judiciary. It presents useful actual experiences of judges and experts, and highlights case laws which demonstrate successful applications of international standards to advance women's interests in national courts.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850925777
  • Publication Date: Jan 2000
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Gender Budgets Make Cents

Debbie Budlender

Providing an understanding of gender responsive budgets, this text is part of the inter-agency programme of the Commonwealth Secretariat, IDRC and UNIFEM. It covers the theoretical framework, the evolution of work in this area, the role of different stakeholders and the lessons learned to date.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850926965
  • Publication Date: Jan 2002
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days