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THE CHARTER OF THE COMMONWEALTH


“Given today’s global dynamics and its impact on our countries, the Charter should be a living document that responds to the prevailing challenges of the times in which we live.”


principles of governance manifested in all its forms, including a free press and full accountability, therefore constitute core values of the Commonwealth.


Therefore the Charter represents the codification of widely accepted and entrenched political norms and values across the Commonwealth and as such, can be regarded as the glue that unites and, in some sense, shapes our organization. I am particularly gratified that the Charter specifically addresses issues related to women and girls and the importance of gender equality. Developmental evidence continues to underscore the contribution of women, not only to their families and communities but also to national development.


The Commonwealth must, of necessity, ensure the protection and care of women and girls and collaboratively work to provide the full range of services and responses needed to arrest the spread of violence against women. Our youth also constitute a large and vibrant segment of the Commonwealth. The Charter, quite rightly, recognizes the positive


and active role of young people in promoting development, peace and democracy and in promoting and protecting Commonwealth values. Young people make up over 60 per cent of the world’s population. In the Commonwealth that’s over one billion people. As inheritors of our actions, I urge member nations to adhere to the Charter in its call for facilitating youth development through the creation of opportunities for youth employment and entrepreneurship.


In the global context The Commonwealth has in fact established and maintained a highly credible profile and reputation as an intergovernmental body, whose influence derives from its legitimacy and structure as an association of sovereign states.


Commonwealth action and its contribution to the discourse on international issues have been well recorded over the life of the organization.


Its clear position on apartheid, for instance, was and remains today well known. The influence of the Commonwealth in several


areas of national and international life – education, health, economic development, disaster preparedness and management, and institution- building to promote democracy and good governance – has had, and continues to have, a lasting favourable impact on lives across the membership of the 54 countries. During the World Health Assembly in 2010, an international code of practice for the recruitment of health professionals was approved as a resolution by the Assembly. That code had its genesis in the Commonwealth and was based on a fulsome discussion on a draft during the Meeting of Commonwealth Health Ministers in Geneva, preparatory to the Assembly, at which the matter was successfully brought to the floor.


Here is one compelling


example of the Commonwealth’s demonstrable effectiveness in its role as advocate. And there are others. On developmental issues in particular, which have been a pivotal aspect of the mission of the Commonwealth, a significant record of achievement has been established in several areas through advocacy and international co-operation such as in the following areas:


• Institutional strengthening for the participation of Commonwealth developing countries in interna- tional trade negotiations including the establishment, in 2010, of the Commonwealth Small States Office in Geneva, Switzerland, to provide ac- commodation and technical support to member states unable to afford an independent office at that location; and • A high level of engagement on the part of the Commonwealth on


climate change issues which affect all members of our grouping, albeit disproportionately so in the case of the small island developing members in the Caribbean and Pacific regions, in particular.


What the Charter does is to further elevate the profile of the Commonwealth, by publicly branding it as an intergovernmental organization of global reach and influence.


From Trinidad and Tobago’s perspective, what is desirable is that the Commonwealth is impactful, both in supporting and boosting the quality of life of Commonwealth citizens in their home countries and, as well, in representing legitimate Commonwealth views and aspirations across the arena of international relations.


I am satisfied it has already gone a long way in demonstrating its capacity in both areas and I have no doubt that a further improvement of that respectable performance is to come.


What lies ahead


Given today’s global dynamics and its impact on our countries, the Charter should be a living document that responds to the prevailing challenges of the times in which we live. I anticipate that the need will arise in the future to revisit the Charter and update it in order to maintain its relevance and appeal.


Trinidad and Tobago, under my premiership will lend its full support to the Charter.


We remain proud of our Commonwealth vocation and committed to working collaboratively with our partners for the success and higher levels of achievement for Commonwealth peoples everywhere.


The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue Two | 107


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