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• Human Rights
  • Our Work
  • Our Challenges
  • Project Examples
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Human Rights

The Secretariat aims to increase awareness of and respect for human rights in the Commonwealth.

We work to ensure that all people:

• enjoy equal rights regardless of gender, race, colour, creed or political belief can fully exercise the inalienable right to participate in free and democratic political processes; and
• can benefit from and contribute to equitable and sustainable development.

The impact of our work is realized through a number of different programmes examples of which include:

• Assisting in the adoption of international standards on human rights and the implementation of major international human rights instruments
• Capacity building for the preparation of reports and effective participation in the Universal Periodic Review process
• Enhancing capacity and strengthening of police and national human rights institutions
• Mainstreaming human rights into the work of the Secretariat across other units and divisions
• Developing documentation on best practices and manuals for training purposes

The Commonwealth celebrates Women as Agents of Change