It has been recognised the world over that to accomplish the targets, as set out by the MDGs, women must be at the heart of development policy. In spite of incredible progress over the past decade, many Commonwealth governments have far to go in creating a level playing field between females and males. Millions of women around the Commonwealth still have limited access to education, jobs or political representation.

Coinciding with International Women’s Day centenary celebrations, the Commonwealth Day heralded the unique contribution and transformative role women make to development, culture and the lives of others through the 2011 Commonwealth theme ‘Women as Agents of Change’. It gives Commonwealth Organisations an opportunity to showcase their work and highlights the need to invest in women and girls to accelerate social, economic and political progress.

Through our programme work, we support projects which bolster the unique strengths of civil society organisations so that they can better address gender issues across the Commonwealth. With our assistance civil society is better equipped to influence local, national and global policy on gender equality.

We also provide civil society access to high-level intergovernmental forums such as the Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meetings, to raise the tenor of debates and provoke positive actions across the association’s 54 member nations.

All our work areas and programme activities are guided by the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015 and tested to ensure that they are sensitive to gender considerations and attuned to maximise the participation, rights and ambitions of men and women, boys and girls.
 

Projects

• Engagement of Civil Society in inter-Governmental Processes
In fostering continued active engagement of civil society in inter-Governmental processes on gender equality, the Foundation facilitates civil society participation and contribution to the Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action Monitoring Group (CGPMG) and WAMM meetings. In 2010, the Foundation undertook a mid-term review of CSOs to assess civil society engagement with the PoA. The report ‘Mid-term review of civil society organisations' implementation of the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality’ provides a summary of actions taken and results obtained, that was presented to Women’s Affairs Ministers at their meeting in Barbados and to the CGPMG in New York early 2011.