The Black Lives Matter movement brings back painful memories for many people who lived under racial discrimination during colonial rule in Africa. Commonwealth Correspondent Jacob Masenga from Zambia draws parallels between the issues that led to the current social protests and calls for justice in the United States after the death of George Floyd and the situation …
Children in Pakistan are all too often compelled to work as labourers and denied access to education. Faisal Saleh Yaqub, 19, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Lahore, says their plight must not be forgotten. Child labour is a great menace that affects millions. It is a mind-boggling issue limiting the lives of children not only in Pakistan, …
"Child labour laws should be enforced and violators punished" Read More »
Nigeria’s foremost child rights activist has been named to a prestigious International Leadership program operated by the U.S. State Department. The nomination puts Dayo Israel in the ranks of more than 300 global leaders who are alumni of the program, says Tayo Elegbede, 23, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Lagos, Nigeria. Nigeria’s foremost child rights activist …
“He was at the forefront of the Child Rights Act” Read More »
The Commonwealth is training Caribbean youth workers on educating young people about their human rights. The first regional workshop is being held in Nassau, The Bahamas, this week. The training aims to increase the number of young people who are informed about their rights to enable them to advocate for strengthened rights protection and promotion …
Young people from four Commonwealth Pacific countries have completed a one week Training of Trainers’ course in human rights and democracy. The training conducted by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s human rights and youth affairs programmes took place in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 8 to 12 July 2013 and drew twenty-four participants from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, …
Commonwealth trains Pacific youth in human rights Read More »
Over the past ten years, India’s shoot-to-kill policy at its borders has cost over 1,000 lives, most of them unarmed Bangladeshis. Shooting poor, unarmed villagers is not how the world’s largest democracy should behave, argues Mehzabin Ahmed, 29, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Dhaka in Bangladesh. Perhaps the most recognizable image of India’s Border Security Force …
“India’s shoot-to-kill policy defies human rights” Read More »
Thousands of youth took part in Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Day, writes Madusha Erandi, 21, a Correspondent from Colombo in Sri Lanka, where they demonstrated the vital role young people can play in promoting basic human rights. It is a very basic fact as humans that all of us should know that human rights are …
UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva provide an opportunity for Sri Lanka to look carefully at how it will negotiate its place among world powers, writes Salma Yusuf, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Sri Lanka. As the heat builds up in an otherwise wintry Geneva, capital cities of the world are abuzz with preparations for …
The concept of human rights has been one of the most debated issues throughout the world in the last half of this century, writes Musa Temidayo, 24, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nigeria, but that concept can compete with culture and circumstances. “Problem is, these days human rights come in more flavors than coffee or soft drinks. Would …
Children brim with positive spirit and eagerness to learn in spite of dire surroundings, writes Geetha Kanniah, 18, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Malaysia who is volunteering to teach at a refugee centre. I hope I can get you to picture this: I get off the bus, a two hour journey from home and walk towards …