The Commonwealth Charter states: ‘We are committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights covenants and international instruments. We are committed to equality and respect for the protection and promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, for all without discrimination on any grounds as the foundations of peaceful, just and stable societies.

We note that these rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated and cannot be implemented selectively. We are implacably opposed to all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour, creed, political belief or other grounds.’

This CPC workshop will explore the role of the Commonwealth in promoting the human rights of all its citizens, including those who are currently facing persecution for a number of reasons. We will also explore the role that Parliamentarians have in upholding these rights and how they can do so inside and outside of Parliament. The session will also examine the role of civil society and the positive affect they can have on the ground.

Click here to read the full report from the human rights workshop.

The workshop, by majority, endorsed the following recommendation that:

• The Commonwealth Charter should apply to all Commonwealth citizens irrespective of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or political views and Parliaments should be actively working to promote the human rights of all.

Click here to read the full report from the human rights workshop.

General Resources

• The Commonwealth Charter

The Parliamentarian: Related Articles

• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Three: View from the CPA Chairperson - The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: Values and principles for Parliaments to uphold
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Three: 'Cornerstones, Institutions and the Rules-Based International System: The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on' by Mr Martin Chungong, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Three: 'The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: The role of Parliaments and Parliamentarians in protecting human rights' by Marie-Claire Mukasine, Chairperson, National Commission for Human Rights of Rwanda and Chairperson, Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (CFNHRI)
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Three: 'Living up to the Commonwealth Charter? A human rights perspective' by James Robbins, Chair of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, UK 
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue One: View from the CPA Chairperson - 10 years of the Commonwealth Charter
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue One: View from the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Chairperson - 10th anniversary of the Commonwealth Charter
• The Parliamentarian 2021, Issue Four: Article about the work National Human Rights Institutions from across the Commonwealth have been undertaking to uphold the human rights of disabled people during the pandemic
• The Parliamentarian 2018, Issue Four: Human Rights in the Modern Era: 70th Anniversary of the UDHR