The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.5 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 33 of our members are small states, including many island nations. Our member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. Our values and principles are expressed in the Commonwealth Charter.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is the intergovernmental organisation that supports member countries to achieve the Commonwealth’s aims of development, democracy and peace. It publishes authoritative, evidence-based research and knowledge products for policymakers, academics, professionals and wider publics across the world. Our areas of focus and expertise include small and developing states; environment and climate change; democracy, law and government; and social issues concerning young people, gender, health and education.

Transitioning to a Green Economy

Nadine Smith

What does the concept 'green economy' look like in practice? This book contains case studies from eight small states: Botswana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mauritius, Nauru, Samoa and Seychelles. It provides insights into the success of various initiatives and highlights how small states themselves are making practical progress.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291279
  • Publication Date: Mar 2014
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

A Future for Small States

This report provides an analysis of key issues concerning small states' security and development. It sets out a series of recommendations to counteract vulnerability arising from such factors as globalization, environmental degradation and global warming, and international crime.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850925111
  • Publication Date: Jan 1997
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Pollution Control and Waste Management in Developing Countries

Rogers W'O Okot-Uma

A practical view of environmental management, focusing on pollution control and waste management. It records the experience gained through Commonwealth Secretariat regional seminars conducted in Africa over several years. It uses real examples to illustrate the points made.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat and SFI Publishing
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850925579
  • Publication Date: Jan 2000
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Gender Equality and the Judiciary

Kirstine Adams

This volume fills the gap in existing literature on the promotion of the human rights of women through the judiciary. It presents useful actual experiences of judges and experts, and highlights case laws which demonstrate successful applications of international standards to advance women's interests in national courts.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850925777
  • Publication Date: Jan 2000
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Gender Budgets Make Cents

Debbie Budlender

Providing an understanding of gender responsive budgets, this text is part of the inter-agency programme of the Commonwealth Secretariat, IDRC and UNIFEM. It covers the theoretical framework, the evolution of work in this area, the role of different stakeholders and the lessons learned to date.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850926965
  • Publication Date: Jan 2002
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

The Shaping of Tertiary Education in the Anglophone Caribbean

Vivienne Roberts

As tertiary education in the Caribbean enters a period of expansion and maturity, this book is a timely study into how the sector should evolve if it is to meet its target of increasing enrolment from under 10 to 15 per cent by 2005.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850927320
  • Publication Date: Jan 2003
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Small Change or Real Change?

Gender equality is essential for sustained economic growth and for democracy, peace and security. This book presents key thinking on a topic that is of international concern: how to ensure that sufficient financial resources are available through aid modalities and from domestic sources to effect the changes to make gender equality a reality.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9780850928662
  • Publication Date: Dec 2008
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Enhancing Investment in West Africa

T. Ademola Oyejide

A study that explores the options available to ECOWAS states for promoting, protecting and guaranteeing flows of domestic and foreign direct investment, in the context of the ACP-EU Economic Partnership Agreements, so that development gains are realised in these economies.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290029
  • Publication Date: Apr 2009
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Municipal Infrastructure Financing

Munawwar Alam

Presents an overview of the municipal finances and the extent of private sector involvement in the delivery of municipal services in selected Commonwealth developing countries. This title examines four cities: Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Kampala in Uganda, Dhaka in Bangladesh, and Karachi in Pakistan.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290036
  • Publication Date: Feb 2010
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Achieving the Goals - 2009

Steve Packer

Commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat for the 17th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2009, this report explores progress towards achieving good quality basic education for all.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290128
  • Publication Date: Feb 2010
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Small States

This unique annual collection of key economic and statistical data on states with fewer than five million inhabitants is an essential reference for economists, planners and policy-makers working on issues of concern to small states. This volume contains 54 tables covering development indicators and 3 articles focusing on trade in services.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290166
  • Publication Date: Jul 2010
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5-7 Working Days

Supporting Investment and Private Sector Development in Times of Crisis

Dirk Willem te Velde

Documents the effects of the global financial crisis on investment and private sector development in small states. It uses case studies (St Lucia, Vanuatu and Mauritius) to draw lessons from policy responses and propose further support required at both the national and international level to support the private sector through the economic crisis.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290173
  • Publication Date: Apr 2010
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Social Policies in Grenada

Patsy Lewis

This paper assesses developments in social policy approaches and delivery in Grenada, including the economic strategies pursued and their effects on social policy, particularly in respect of children. It looks at the challenges faced by governments and presents a brief case study of Hurricane Ivan.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290258
  • Publication Date: Nov 2010
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Resource Guide on Decentralisation and Local Government

Zoë Scott

This topic guide provides practical guidance for designing, implementing and evaluating decentralisation reforms and local government practices to ensure they are as effective as possible. It includes summaries of key texts and provides links to cutting edge research and recent case studies.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290296
  • Publication Date: Jul 2011
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Small States

This unique annual collection of key economic and statistical data on states with fewer than 5 million inhabitants is an essential reference for economists, planners and policy-makers working on issues of concern to small states. This volume contains 68 tables covering development indicators and 3 articles focusing on public private partnerships.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290371
  • Publication Date: Jul 2011
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5-7 Working Days

The Contract System of Employment for Senior Government Officials

Faamausili Dr Matagialofi Lua'iufi

This publication reviews the effects of the reforms implemented under the 'new public management' programme on the roles and conditions of service of permanent secretaries and directors in the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290531
  • Publication Date: Jul 2011
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days