It is disturbingly common to see young girls hawking in the streets in Northern Nigeria, writes Folmi Yohanna, 27, a Correspondent from Kano in Nigeria. who notes that girls from a poor background must be determined, ambitious and hardworking to achieve their educational goals. In recent years the Boko Haram menace has made it even harder …

“New structure needed for education of girls” Read More »

The arrest of an opposition leader made headlines around the world, but McPherlain Chungu, 22, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Zambia now studying in India, examines whether the so-called crisis is a distraction from other serious political issues. When the news broke that the leader of the main opposition, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, was brutally arrested and …

“Political ‘crisis’ is a distraction from big issues” Read More »

Taking stock of the first few months of the new Presidency of the United States, Shannay Williams, 19, a Correspondent from St. Thomas in Jamaica, looks at how the founding values of truth and liberty are faring under an extraordinarily changed landscape. “We Hold these Truths to be Self Evident”, states one of the opening …

“Events prompt the call: God bless America” Read More »

Rapid growth of pop television is distracting students from studies and introducing mature content to young audiences, writes Kenneth Gyamerah, 26, a Correspondent from Kumasi in Ghana. He recalls television’s early days, and calls for measures to protect children from inappropriate programming. When I was growing up in the early 2000s , people who had televisions were …

“Telenovelas influence education in Ghana” Read More »

The Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) Athlete Impact Labs are interactive sessions designed exclusively for athletes and officials at The Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games as part of the official cultural and personal development programme. Many Commonwealth athletes have become role models – inspiring others on and off the field of play – and these fun, …

Commonwealth Youth Games Athlete Impact Labs Read More »

As social media reaches saturation level, concern grows about the impact on road safety. Mary Adeyi, 24, a Commonwealth Commonwealth Correspondent in London, UK, writes that earlier hopes about hands-free devices offering a solution are being dashed as researchers find that distraction not tied to just one technology.  New penalties to combat drivers using their mobile …

“Bigger penalty for driving while on the phone” Read More »

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is creating headlines around the world. Aisha Anne Habiba, 27, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Mombasa in Kenya, looks at the history of the conflict and examines some of the broader politics involved. The Yemeni Civil War began in 2015 as a Houthi-led revolution against the de jure Yemeni Government.  The …

“Teetering on the brink: Yemeni crisis” Read More »

The world counts on humanitarian intervention when human rights are violated. Here, Abhay Shah, 18, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Siliguri in India, looks at how the imperative for humanitarian intervention flows from the principle of “responsibility to protect”, and what that means for policy and assessing need for action. Humanitarian intervention is the state of use …

“Principles behind humanitarian intervention” Read More »

A tax on sugar-loaded soft drinks is being advanced as a way to counter the rise in childhood obesity. Ruth Adeyi, 24, a Commonwealth Correspondent in the UK, looks at the reaction from health professionals and the soft drink industry. In 2015 the sugar tax was debated in Britain’s House of Commons after an online petition …

“Sugar levy aims at childhood obesity” Read More »