"Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life." Nelson Mandela, speech on ‘Make Poverty History’, London 2005.
The past 60 years have seen steady progress on human rights in Commonwealth countries. Commitment to universal rights, such as freedom of speech, is a cornerstone of our membership criteria. Yet almost a third of our nations have still to ratify key covenants on civil, political, economic, cultural and social rights.
Respect for human rights cuts across all our work areas and programmes. It guides our approach to development, our grant making and our advocacy work. Through working with our member governments and offering training to human rights defenders, we help strengthen action against all forms of discrimination.
We equip civil society with the skills and knowledge to improve respect for all human rights, providing organisations and individuals with the space at international forums to influence, impel or applaud governments over their implementation of agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In adopting a rights based approach to development – for instance, in our project to build human rights capacity in British Overseas Territories – we give a voice to the marginalised, ensure adherence to international law, and safeguard human dignity for all Commonwealth people.