Social Transformation Programmes
The Social Transformation Programmes Division (STPD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat comprises of Education, Gender and Health Sections.
The Secretariat is committed to supporting the globally agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Through STPD’s activities, the Secretariat aims to assist member countries meet the goals that promote human development as the key to sustaining social and economic progress and achieving peace and democracy.
We give professional advisory and make technical contributions to support the Secretariat’s work, particularly in commitments to promote gender equality, supporting goals to achieve universal primary education, improvement of maternal and child health, and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases by 2015.
Key Documents
Commonwealth Code of Practice for the international recruitment of Health Workers
The Commonwealth Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health Workers is one output from the deliberations of Commonwealth Health Ministers on the complex issue of migration of health personnel. It is premised on Commonwealth values of mutual support and fairness and provides a framework for interaction between countries as they seek to meet the basic health needs of their populations.
This Protocol aims to balance the rights of teachers to migrate internationally, on a temporary or permanent basis, against the need to protect the integrity of national education systems, and to prevent the exploitation of the scarce human resources of poor countries. The protocol also seeks to safeguard the rights of recruited teachers and the conditions relating to their service in the recruiting country.
Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015
Gender equality is one of the fundamental principles of the Commonwealth. The new Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015 (PoA) provides the framework within which the Commonwealth will contribute to advancing gender equality in the decade ahead. The PoA builds on past achievements, seeks to close persistent gaps, reflects the Commonwealth’s response to global changes as they impact differently on women and men, and engages with new and emerging challenges. It forms part of the Commonwealth’s contribution to the United Nations Beijing+10 Global Review in 2005.