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.

The Blue Economy and Small States

Island nations have benefited from their ocean resources, with marine uses and activities contributing to their economic development. There is a growing appreciation of the critical role oceans play in sustainable economic growth and the need to manage and protect coastal and marine ecosystems that are the fundamental basis for that growth.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291569
  • Publication Date: Sep 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Global Youth Development Index and Report 2016

The Commonwealth's 2016 Global Youth Development Index and Report is an overview of the development of young people (aged 15 -30) in 183 countries, including 49 Commonwealth countries. It analyses 18 indicators across five domains -- education, health and well-being, employment and opportunity, political participation and civic participation.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291590
  • Publication Date: Oct 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Judicial Bench Book on Violence Against Women in Commonwealth East Africa

The Judicial Bench Book on Violence Against Women in Commonwealth East Africa situates VAW in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. By placing VAW within the socio-cultural and legal context of the region, the bench book will enhance the ability of judicial officers to handle cases of VAW, both within a human rights as well as a gender perspective.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291613
  • Publication Date: Jan 2017
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

A Handbook on Regional Integration in Africa

Brendan Vickers

This publication advises and informs on current dynamics, opportunities, challenges and policy options for Africa's regional integration agenda. It is a unique resource for supporting capacity-building on African regional trade issues.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291675
  • Publication Date: Apr 2017
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

E-commerce and Digital Trade

Paul R. Baker

E-Commerce and Digital Trade reviews the current frameworks, legal issues, empirical data, WTO member states proposals, and existing literature. It is designed for policy-makers in Commonwealth small states, LDCs, and sub-Saharan African countries to participate in global work on the subject area, including the WTO work programme on e-commerce.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291682
  • Publication Date: Jul 2017
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Transatlantic Economy 2020

Daniel S. Hamilton

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781733733984
  • Publication Date: Mar 2020
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Purchasing Contracts

Graham Fuller

Purchasing Contracts is intended to be of assistance to those whose work is with contracts for the procurement of goods and services.

  • Format: Hardback
  • ISBN: 9781904905936
  • Publication Date: Jan 2010
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5-7 Working Days

VAT and Government Departments

Martin Kaney

VAT and Government Departments is both a reference manual and a practical guide for those managing VAT in Government Departments, their advisers and key suppliers. Government Department VAT has recently been the subject of an HMRC consultation and review with new guidance published in 2015 (consolidated with revised NHS guidance).  

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781907444098
  • Publication Date: Jul 2015
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5-7 Working Days