Child marriage is a problem that has persisted in spite of continuous struggle to eliminate it from society, writes Jamila Haruna, 25, a Correspondent from Kaduna state, Nigeria, who describes the system that forces young girls into becoming wives and mothers.  A Global Citizen record shows that at least one girl gets married off every two seconds, …

“Let her be a girl child, not a child bride” Read More »

Domestic workers are an essential yet almost invisible part of many households, writes Monica Islam, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Dhaka in Bangladesh, who argues for the recognition and fair treatment of these household members. Bangladeshi families are familiar with the word bua or bai. It has become the Bengali or Hindi equivalent of “maid …

“She is not just a Bua, but a valued worker” Read More »

A false accusation can ruin dreams and lives, writes Richmond Setrana, 25, a Correspondent from Tema, Ghana, who calls for better investigations and protection for the innocent. “In a fleeting moment, all my hard work, burning the midnight candle and pursuing that dream of helping save lives came to an abrupt end. In the school …

“False accusations bring pain, ends dreams” Read More »

Physical violence against women is a persistent problem in spite of enlightened legislation, writes Badru Walusansa, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Kampala in Uganda, who is dismayed with comments from an elected official. There is a trending video on social media in which Onesmus Twinamatsiko, the Bugangaizi East County Member of Parliament, publicaly made disheartening …

“Concerted effort needed to end violence” Read More »

McLloyd Kudzingo, 27, a Correspondent from Malawi, advocates education, laws and research to end the misconceptions about people with albinism and allow them to live in safety. On 9th March this year, a 22 year old man with albinism, Mcdonald Masambuka, went missing in the Eastern part of Malawi. His was found dead on April …

“People with albinism risk being killed” Read More »

by Cody Mitchell Australian legislation is aimed at slavery that exists in the modern economy, writes Cody B. Mitchell, 17, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Moree, Australia, and has prompted a comparison to William Wilberforce and his effort to stop the slave trade. On the 3rd of May 2018, members from all political parties rose to …

“Australia introduces modern anti-slavery bill” Read More »

White privilege is the norm in Western nations, writes Laila Johnson-Salami, 21, a Correspondent from Ibadan in Nigeria, who is perturbed to find that it is also the preponderant influence over social status in predominantly Black society. Society entrenches benefits to those who simply do not have an overabundance of melanin in their skin pigmentation. I was born …

“White privilege exists beyond the West” Read More »

Tradition and superstition are hurting opportunity for widows, writes Amit Jain, 26, a Correspondent from Pune, India, who argues that access to education will allow widows to support themselves and their families.  Many scholars, leaders and famous personalities have said, “Knowledge is Power”. Yes, indeed knowledge is power, which can unleash a lot of possibilities …

“Knowledge is the key – widow empowerment” Read More »

When young people have meaningful conversations, the inspiration and lessons learned can be profound. Solo Matthewsella, 30, a  Correspondent from Suva, Fiji, reflects on some of the thought-provoking moments at a recent Commonwealth training in London for youth leaders. In the course of an intense week of training, heavy conversations, culture eats, late nights, jet-lag and …

Let’s meet each other in the middle Read More »