Nigeria is lowering the age limit for elected positions, but Alabidun Sarat, 22, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Lagos in Nigeria, wonders if younger candidates are ready to run for office – and if so, what changes they will bring. As of this February, 24 out of the 36 states in Nigeria have now signed the …
Tag: Democracy
Gender Equality is Not a Destination—It’s a Constant Rebalancing
November 6by Similoluwa Ifedayo Lately, I’ve been thinking deeply about gender inequality, equity, and equalit …
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Read moreLeveraging Youth Leadership for Strengthening Democracies and Youth Engagement and Participation
October 22by Jasmine Koria The Commonwealth Youth Forum in Apia, Samoa opened on October 21 with an engaging P …
Read moreHurricane Irma brought destruction that displaced Caribbean residents, writes Ariana Joseph, 18, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Antigua and Barbuda, but also highlighted an ongoing controversy over land ownership. Hurricane Irma did not just destroy the homes on some Caribbean islands. It shattered the hopes and dreams of their people and left some residents in a …
Adopting best practices is a seen as positive, but Muhammed Badamasi, 22, a Correspondent from Lagos in Nigeria, argues that cultural bias must be considered in making assessment of what is best for the situation. The term cultural cringe was developed by A.A. Philips, in his controversial 1950 essay of the same name. Cultural cringe is …
Democracy requires both leadership and institutional strength, writes Metolo Foyet, 20, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Cameroon now living in Niger, who argues for robust changes that will allow economic growth and trust in the social contract. Decades ago, Africa witnessed a multitude of coups. Many were organised by disenchanted armies who disliked bad governance and …
Did the announcement of HRH Prince Charles to succeed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth influence how young people view the Commonwealth? Angelique Pouponneau, 27, a Commonwealth Correspondent from the Seychelles, reflects on the decision. I was born in 1990 to the sovereign Republic of the Seychelles. I learned our history – having been a colony of both …
Africa struggles with some concepts imported from western philosophies, writes Metolo Foyet, 21, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Cameroon now living in Niger, as she surveys the interplay of democracy and choice. As I have mentioned, Africa has a legacy of imported western philosophies adopted through colonisation. In order to develop its nations, the North exploited the …
Nigeria has both natural resources and inherent problems, writes Nnabugwu Chukwuebuka, 25, a Correspondent from Uzii in Nigeria, who argues the country’s greatest asset is the attitude of its people. A promising country, sitting as the hub of Africa, Nigeria finds itself adorned with beauties of different colours of indigenes, ranging from light- to dark-brown …
Correspondent Bryan Opany, 25, from Nairobi in Kenya, is a photographer. He shares his photos from a demonstration over a controversial coal-fired power plant project in Kenya. “I was invited by the grassroots environment movement 350 Kenya, to produce feature stories highlighting the concerns of environmental activists about the Lamu coal power plant in Kenya. …
Theories abound about the sources of Africa’s problems, writes Metolo Foyet, 21, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Cameroon now living in Niger, who argues that leadership is critical in the effort to nurture democracy on the continent. “One of the main causes of terrorism is poverty. The vulnerability of Africa’s porous borders should be tackled. Police …
Young people make up more than half of Fiji’s population – but they are mostly excluded from policy formulation and decision-making. Broderick John Mervyn, one of this year’s Commonwealth Youth Awards finalists, is working to change that through his initiative Ignite4Change. Oghenekevwe Oghenechovwen, a 21-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Warri in Nigeria, spoke to Broderick about …