This workshop was organized by the Forum for Education NGOs in Ugandan, Africa Network Campaign on Education for All, and the Commonwealth Secretariat. The workshop set out to discuss and make practical recommendations to CHOGM on ways and means of achieving the Education for All (EFA) goals and MDG-targets in education and ensure access for the disadvantaged. The workshop identified disadvantaged groups as children with disabilities, nomadic communities, out of school/not enrolled, people pushed out by socio-cultural and economic factors, orphans, girls, people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, geographically isolated communities, child workers, and former child soldiers. Workshop participants noted and re-emphasised that education is a fundamental human right and key to social transformation, poverty alleviation, justice and equity and particularly gender Justice, which are among the core Commonwealth values. The workshop called on Commonwealth Member States to: provide leadership in realising all the EFA goals; address earners and educators needs; and remove social, cultural, financial and other obstacles. Participants all urged Member States to develop innovative mechanisms to mobilise additional resources by enhancing budgetary allocation and Official Development Assistance to fill the financing gaps. Participants further urged Commonwealth Member States to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and particularly implement Article 24 providing for an inclusive education system for children with disabilities

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the British Council, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, Interaction Leadership Association Uganda, and Pan African Organisation for Sustainable Development. The workshop explored leadership within civil society with special emphasis on accountability and leveraging partnerships among civil CSOs and with government, development partners and communities. Several resource persons made presentations on sharing leadership experiences, overcoming challenges and developing innovative solutions in support of transformation in some Commonwealth Member States. In order to sustain efforts towards greater social accountability, workshop participants underscored the need for stronger partnerships among CSOs, and between CSOs, governments and other development actors. Participants noted that accountability at all levels is central to good governance, and the development and welfare of communities across the Commonwealth. They further noted that investment in leadership capacities at the individual, organisational and national levels is required. Participants highlighted ongoing efforts in knowledge management, setting of standards of practice, self-regulation, mentoring of CSO leaders and boards and building of coalitions and alliances to ensure social accountability. Stressing that government and civil society partnership were vital to transform Commonwealth societies, participants also recommended that Heads of State and Governments invest resources in the professional development of civil society leaders to improve accountability and effectiveness.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit, and Association of Commonwealth Amnesty International Sections. Workshop participants discussed pressing issues of human rights concern, including: the rights of marginalised and vulnerable communities; threats to civil society across the Commonwealth; counter-terrorism measures that violate human rights standards; and the need for measures to ensure effective and accountable policing. Particular countries of concern included Pakistan, Fiji, The Gambia and the host country, Uganda, as well as former Member States, such as Zimbabwe. Recommendations included the immediate suspension of Pakistan from the Councils of the Commonwealth, investigation into The Gambia, and Commonwealth engagement with the people of Zimbabwe. Participants also discussed Commonwealth processes and the need to ensure genuine civil society participation, including introducing a formal mechanism for civil society engagement with the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. In addition, the role of Commonwealth Member States in the United Nations was discussed, with the need for member states to fully implement their pledges and commitments to the promotion and protection of human rights at the UN Human Rights Council, including full participation in the Universal Periodic
review.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the British Council, Futerra Sustainability Communications, and Advocate Coalition for Development and Environment Uganda. Workshop participants focused on collecting stories around climate change communications based on common human experiences that reinforce the collaborative and mutually beneficial aspects of the Commonwealth. Participants decided to establish an informal Commonwealth Media Network on Climate Change, through which ideas, expertise and new creative approaches can be shared and disseminated. Workshop participants highlighted the role of effective and appropriate communications in tackling climate change. Case studies, presented at the workshop, illustrated that positive outcomes can be achieved through creative and consistent messaging. Participants agreed that in order to deliver effective communications, it is essential to understand the needs of the target audience, identify available communications channels, and develop effective messages. Participants also stressed the importance of measuring and analysing message’s to ensure successes are replicated and lessons learnt.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda and Commonwealth Foundation. Noting that culture is a driving force for people-centred development, participants affirmed that culture should be one of the fundamental pillars of Commonwealth programmes and projects, alongside those relating to development and democracy. Participants identified the need for all Commonwealth Member States to ratify the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and meaningfully involve and support civil society in its implementation at national, regional and international levels, particularly in the development and application of cultural policies and strategies. Participants also recommended that Commonwealth bodies support civil society to follow up, move forward, and identify practical ways to make ratification and effective implementation happen before the next CPF in 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Commonwealth Consortium for Education and City of Manukau Education Trust (COMET). Workshop participants endorsed the recommendations of the Ministers of Education at the 2006 Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers 14on the need for a holistic ‘quality education for the good of all,’ and the interconnections between education, health, HIV and AIDS, security, employment and other aspects of human welfare. Participants stressed the need for due attention to secondary and tertiary levels of education, especially scientific, technical and vocational education. Participants noted that efforts to achieve the MDG goals of universal primary education and gender parity should be placed within the wider framework of the Education for All goals agreed in Dakar in 2000. These include a concern for equity, the quality of education, inclusive education early childhood education, adult education, literacy, and skills development. Participants stated that successful implementation of education policies depends on partnerships and noted that civil society is a strong partner of government, and should be supported in carrying out its role. Workshop participants urged CHOGM to use the 50th anniversary of the first Commonwealth Education Conference to identify opportunities for collaboration. In the context of the report of the Commonwealth Commission on Respect and Understanding Report ‘Civil Paths to Peace,’ participants urged Ministers of Education to report ways education systems could contribute to a culture of peace, mutual respect and other key
Commonwealth values at CHOGM 2009.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Commonwealth Human Ecology Council’s of Uganda and Nigeria, Community Based Impact Assessment Network for Eastern Africa, and Prolinnova. Workshop participants recognised the importance of integrated energy policies emphasising the increased use of renewable energy sources at both the macro and micro levels, for example, both large and micro-hydroelectric schemes. Participants noted that while biofuels offer an alternative to fossil fuels, their present use is inefficient, and stressed that the loss of land from production to grow crops for biofuel must be avoided. Participants urged the prioritisation of providing clean, safe cooking fuels and reliable light to rural communities and highlighted the need to encourage affordable rural electrification to improve equity in society, and the ability of children to study at night. Participants noted that locally generated biogas from waste and electricity from solar and wind power is feasible and that the use of waste for biogas can be achieved through practical education at schools and community one-stop centres. Participants also recommended that ecologically sound water resource development required integrated river basin management (IRBM) with watershed land use planning that avoids contamination of supplies. They stressed that water from surface rivers, underground aquifers and direct rainfall should be captured, at both large and local scales, in order to rapidly increase the numbers of poor people enjoying safe water. Participants further stressed that both gender mainstreaming, and distributional equity, should be built into all energy and water projects.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by Development Network of Indigenous Voluntary Associations, Danish Association for International Cooperation- MS Uganda, Network of Ugandan Researchers and Research Users, Uganda Advocacy Consortium, and Individualland. The workshop aimed at following up issues of local governance, local democracy and international human rights issues and included role-plays, case studies, presentations and interactive discussions. The objective of the workshop was to: stimulate debate and awareness on governance, participation and human rights in the Commonwealth Member States; facilitate greater citizen and civil society involvement in the processes and practices of decision-making under local governance; and generate relevant information for submission to the Commonwealth Heads of State Government. The workshop developed and adopted a civil society petition demanding that a standard minimum percentage of Commonwealth Member States annual budgets be directly remitted as support to qualifying CSOs playing critical roles in society. This would guarantee a relevant and independent role of the civil society sector. The workshop also called on civil society to embrace genuine participation in order to realise people’s potential through civic education and creating space as opposed to manipulation. Participants also called on civil society to work jointly and proactively to influence government and donor policies.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Civil Society Advisory Committee, African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, Tanzania Coalition on Debt and Development, Caritas Uganda, Mozambique Debt Group, and North-South Institute. Workshop participants identified the need to reduce donor dependence while increasing available resources as a key objective. They also stressed the objective of increasing domestic mobilisation of resources (“starting inside” in Ugandan terms) measures such as capital controls and progressive tax policies to retain resources are essential, as are measures to recapture resources which have taken flight through payments on odious debt, tax evasion, intracorporate transfer pricing and corruption. Workshop participants urged the Commonwealth to monitor and make transparent these international flows and called on Commonwealth donor governments to set short-term targets to reach 0.7% GNI for ODA, focused on poverty eradication. Participants stressed that additional, predictable and sustainable resources are required to meet the MDGs, assure prevention, universal access to treatment for HIV and AIDS and other deadly diseases and assure mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Participants urged Commonwealth Member States to join the Leading Group on Solidarity Levies and the airline levy for drug purchase, and develop and apply a currency transaction tax and carbon tax to assure adequate scale of resources for development. Workshop
participants identified three events where Commonwealth Member States and civil society can play a constructive role, namely: the climate change meeting in Bali (December, 2007), the High Level Meeting on aid effectiveness in Accra (September, 2007) and the UN Review Conference on Financing for Development in Doha (November-December, 2007). Participants also recommended the formation of a joint Commonwealth and civil society working group to develop and pursue innovative proposals on resources directed to both the Accra and Doha event.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by Uganda National Council of Science and Technology, Imperial College, London, Studies Forum International and the Association of Commonwealth Universities. The objective of the workshop was to foster deliberations on harnessing knowledge and innovation for economic transformation, with particular reference to scientific knowledge and technological innovation, especially through Commonwealth partnerships, with a view to identifying strategic areas of knowledge and innovation for transforming economies and societies towards sustainable political, economic and social development.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Uganda Human Rights Commission, Interights, Uganda Network on Law, Ethics and HIV/AIDS, Action on Disability and Development, and National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda. The workshop discussed how to strengthen the role of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) for the protection of human rights, particularly economic and social rights in the Commonwealth. Participants felt strongly that the challenge of justiceability and enforcement of economic and social rights at the national level stemmed from the lack of commitment on the part of governments to domesticate the provisions of international human rights instruments that provide for economic and social rights which they have ratified, particularly the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The workshop further noted the critical need for human rights education and awareness creation, particularly given the significance of economic and social rights for the full enjoyment of all rights and the indivisibility and interrelatedness of human rights. The workshop also noted that government commitment to enhancing and promoting nondiscrimination and equality is the key to realisation of the rights of persons with disabilities. Participants made several recommendations on how to strengthen NHRIs, and enhance the role CSOs and other actors in the protection of economic and social rights.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Commonwealth Dental, Medical, Nurses and Pharmaceutical Associations, and Basic Needs Trust. The workshop addressed five key health issues: human resources; maternal and child health; lifestyle diseases; safe health practices; and mental health and development. The purpose of the workshop was to identify issues and develop strategies around the five key health issues to present to CHOGM in order to improve the health of Commonwealth peoples. Participants noted that governments need to develop and implement improved strategies for the ethical recruitment, education, training and retention of health workers in order to attain self-sufficiency in their health workforces. They further noted that governments need to provide adequate resources to upgrade maternal and child health care programmes and services in order to achieve MDG- 4 (reducing child mortality) and MDG-5 (reducing maternal mortality) by 2015. Participants urged government to strengthen their health systems in order to combat non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer and promote healthy lifestyles. Participants further urged governments, together with civil society and other agencies, to make concerted efforts to achieve the MDGs related to health and other international health targets. They argued that failure to meet the MDGs will have serious effects on political, economic and human development and the realisation of people's potential.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth.
Discussions at the workshop recognised that rapid urbanisation is a major economic, environmental and social challenge that needs to be addressed by the Commonwealth. It is inextricably linked to the problems of climate change, hazard mitigation and the urbanisation of poverty. Participants noted that getting urbanisation right is fundamental to most MDGs. Urban growth will create massive economic opportunity in the next generation. If planned and managed properly, it can help lift people out of poverty. The workshop welcomed the importance attached in the UN-HABITAT Medium Term Strategic and Institutional Plan to ‘Urban planning, management and governance, ’and ‘Leadership for new approaches to urban planning and development’ in the ComHabitat Strategic Plan, as endorsed by the Commonwealth Consultative Group on Human Settlements in 2007. The workshop called on CHOGM to recognise that rapid urbanisation, climate change and the urbanisation of poverty requires Commonwealth action if the MDGs, and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development objectives and economic transformation are to be achieved. Participants also called on CHOGM to: produce a State of the Commonwealth’s Cities report for the next CHOGM, which would assess opportunities and threats of urban growth and recommend
inter-governmental actions; and work with the Commonwealth associations and ComHabitat to identify quantitative and qualitative capacity shortfalls, and explore ways in which the Commonwealth of Learning and the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation might address the needs.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by BUILD, Infectious Diseases Institute Kampala, African Palliative Care Association, and Uganda Joint Christian Council. The workshop explored the benefits of community links across the Commonwealth. Building on the commitment by Commonwealth Education Ministers to encourage school partnerships, the workshop focussed on the importance of health care and faith partnerships. Presentations were made on school links and research into the impact that these partnerships are having on teachers and learners in UK, Africa and Asia. Links between environmental health and health care institutions in Uganda and UK and collaboration between faith-based institutions and NGOs were highlighted by speakers. The workshop agreed that community based partnerships are of crucial importance in terms of learning, personal and professional development, in contributing to the MDGs and to social cohesion and peace. Participants recognised that the quality of partnerships was of great importance and agreed that partnership be based on mutual respect and learning. Participants further called on CHOGM to support community partnerships across the Commonwealth.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the International Trade Union Confederation and Commonwealth Trade Union Group. Workshop participants reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of universal human and trade union rights and called on the Commonwealth to keep up the pressure on Zimbabwe and support civil society until the government brings fundamental improvements in the human rights situation, respects fully all core labour standards, and cease harassment against trade unions. As a prerequisite to democracy and good governance, the participants called on the Commonwealth Secretariat to monitor progress towards the universal ratification by all Commonwealth Member States of the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Convention 144 and initiate tripartite Consultation by the time of CHOGM 2009. Participants expressed serious concern at the limited progress towards meeting the MDGs and emphasised that the key to progress is investing in people, and their access to justice, labour protection, education, health care, and to clean water. Participants concluded that although ‘decent work’ has been recognised by the UN as key to poverty alleviation and as an indicator for the achievement of the MDGs, CHOGM should establish a fund for capacity enhancement activities by trade unions, covering inter alia workers in informal work and export processing zones and linked to ILO assistance and
technological cooperation.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Commonwealth Women's Network. The workshop discussed civil society actions in the run-up to the third High Level Review of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness in Accra, Ghana in 2008 and stressed the importance of working towards targets for the international financing for development instruments for any development agenda. Participants also discussed the role and contribution of women to social transformation in the Commonwealth and suggest the way forward in promoting women’s rights as an integral part of actions taken towards poverty alleviation, democracy and development. Participants emphasised the need for engendered policy making processes in resource allocation for economic and human development spheres of the Commonwealth and stressed the centrality of financing gender, in particular the promotion of women’s rights to achieve the MDGs. Workshop participants agreed to call on CHOGM to develop a gender disaggregated baseline study of gender equality in all Member States using a standardised set of indicators that is regularly updated. Participants also underscored the need for the Commonwealth to build the capacity of government instituions for gender budgeting and to commit finances for the implementation of the Commonwealth Action Plan for gender Equality 2005-2015. Participants further urged CHOGM to: ensure compliance with international agreements and conventions through enshrining them into national laws; develop a Commonwealth Plan of Action for Children along the lines of the UN convention on the rights of children; review labour and employment laws and opportunities for women; address women’s ownership and use of land and property rights; and develop a Commonwealth Plan of Action for women in post conflict reconstruction.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by Television Trust for the Environment and the Royal Commonwealth Society. Presentations included practical demonstrations through film, radio and the internet of the role media played in communicating development. Key discussions stemmed for the acceptance that the character of the media influences the character of a country's democracy. Participants argued that a free and plural media underpins people's participation in development. It was also recognised that such a media is a vital prerequisite for the achievement of the MDGs successful action against climate change and other crosscutting development actions. The workshop called on Member States to enact and enforce access to information and freedom of information legislation, and remove other barriers that constrain media freedom. Discussions also encouraged the transformation of state broadcasters into independent public interest broadcasters capable of supporting and commissioning diverse and independent programming. Participants felt that the Commonwealth needed to have a more substantive consultation, conference and report on the role of media, and democracy and development.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by the Ethical Fashion Forum. This workshop looked at three main themes around the creation of sustainable livelihoods through values led models for trade- including product and market, people, and environment. The workshop included an introduction to the opportunities and challenges associated with sustainable business and trade practices through inspiring case studies based in Commonwealth countries, drawn from fashion and other product sectors. Through its three themes the workshop examined issues of design, culture, market access and emerging markets, people, skills and innovation, and the environmental impact of business practices and trade. Participatory techniques where used to encourage dialogue, information exchange and collaboration around the three workshop themes.

GO UP

This workshop was organised by Makerere University Business School. Participants acknowledged that business and civil society serve the same people and yet, hardly ever work together. Civil society, under the Commonwealth has a productive, collaborative culture that communicates more and can achieve a lot more if they work together bringing their various strengths to the negotiating table. Although civil society and business’s have traditionally been at loggerheads worldwide, business schools in the Commonwealth can and need to take advantage of the interactive nature of the Commonwealth as a social organ to set a new standard for dialogue between capital and civil society. This would impact the curriculum so that it creates more interaction between civil society and corporate interests for the transformation of developing countries and especially in the reduction of poverty. Business schools should be left to operate with minimal or no interference from government and encouraged to act as entrepreneurial bodies and as they develop commerce and business education which is their mandate. The business schools should spearhead a change of attitude and restructure their course content with the stakeholders, to ensure adequate percentages of academic and practical skills and continuously compare and update their curricula and other engagements, to ensure quality standards.

GO UP