COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
A Commonwealth important to all
The Charter is an expression of member states’ commitment to the development of free and democratic societies and the promotion of peace and prosperity. Moreover, it acknowledges the important role that civil society plays in supporting the goals and values of the Commonwealth.
When I attended the
Commonwealth Youth Forum in Papua New Guinea in April I saw this for myself. The Commonwealth is not about leaders and followers: it is about citizenship and talking to one another. There were some truly inspirational people there with ideas about how we can combat climate change, create
sustainable development and engage people from smaller Commonwealth realms.
I was struck but just how young the Commonwealth is. This is no half- dead institution, but a living breathing body with words that resonate. People may not want to listen to political figures, but the voice of the future Commonwealth is altogether more appealing. The Charter is for them. It is a document they will need to be happy with if they are to modernize as they want to. And that is important to the future of the Commonwealth, where over 1 billion people are under the age of 25.
Agreement to the Charter was an important milestone in modernizing the Commonwealth: no mean feat
110 | The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue Two
when you consider that it represents over two billion of the world’s people, large and small countries, rich and poor. For 64 years we went along knowing what we believed in and assuming other members felt the same way.
By sitting down and agreeing a way forward we now know what matters to other countries and what we can do to make a difference. All 54 sovereign and independent member states agreed to this and they attach real importance to it. This is not least because the Commonwealth provides a consensus-based forum for Commonwealth member states to improve the common interests of their peoples, promote international
understanding and allow them to influence international society. It is not just another document. It is now the document of the Commonwealth.
Clear standards for accountability
The Charter has been adopted at a time in which the world is rapidly changing: new trade and economic patterns are opening up whilst there is an increased worldwide surge in popular demands for democracy and human rights. Consequently, the need and the potential for the Commonwealth as a network for effective co-operation and promoting development have never been greater. The creation of a Commonwealth Charter which sets
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