Recommendations from the workshops
CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Main Issues & recommendations from the floor during discussions
Shared
Africa
Asia
Small States
Main Issues
1. Deficit in adaptation and
mitigation
2. Small nations and vulnerable
populations are not given enough
importance in the discourse
3. Less emphasis on mitigation as
compared to adaptation
1. There is a gap between on-ground
practice and the climate change
concerns at the policy level
Consensus Recommendations
1. Efforts are to be undertaken to create a
mechanism for constant capacity building
of actors
2. Mainstream their voices at least through
Forums such as the Commonwealth
3. Energise discourse around both the
issues.
1. Create communication and knowledge
base to help promote the issue at the
grassroots; and upstream local concerns at
the policy level.
1. Lack of baseline information
1. Develop capacity and the discipline of
2. Lack of holistic approach and collecting data
preparedness to climate change 2. Promote Conscious consumerism as a
adaptation and mitigation
part of Post-2015 framework
3. Certain nations are highly 3. Create a cross-boundary support
vulnerable
mechanism to help address problems
1. Issues are less understood by the 1. Raise their voice through forum such as
global community
the CPF
2. Very survival is in question.
2.
Create effective mechanism for
compensation and investment in mitigation
and adaptation
CLIMATE CHANGE
Main Issues & recommendations
Shared
Africa
Asia
Main Issues
1. Deficit in adaptation and
mitigation
2. Small nations and vulnerable
populations are not given enough
importance in the discourse
3. Less emphasis on mitigation as
compared to adaptation
1. There is a gap between on-ground
practice and the climate change
concerns at the policy level
Consensus Recommendations
1. Efforts are to be undertaken to create a
mechanism for constant capacity building
of actors
2. Mainstream their voices at least through
Forums such as the Commonwealth
3. Energise discourse around both the
issues.
1. Create communication and knowledge
base to help promote the issue at the
grassroots; and upstream local concerns at
the policy level.
1. Lack of baseline information
1. Develop capacity and the discipline of
2. Lack of holistic approach and collecting data
preparedness to climate change 2. Promote Conscious consumerism as a
adaptation and mitigation
part of Post-2015 framework
3. Certain nations are highly 3. Create a cross-boundary support
vulnerable
mechanism to help address problems
1
Small States
1. Issues are less understood by the 1. Raise their voice through forum such as
global community
the CPF
2. Very survival is in question.
2.
Create effective mechanism for
compensation and investment in mitigation
and adaptation
FOOD SECURITY
Main Issues & recommendations
Main Issues
1. Links to international trade
2. Provision of subsidies to local
farmers
3. Availability of social security nets
and secure incomes
4. Roles of donors, banks and FDI
Shared
Consensus Recommendations
1. Perth declaration on food security
should be followed with the measurement
of progress
2. Small farmers should be protected and
supported
3. Promote sustainable land management
GOVERNANCE AND DIVERSITY
Key recommendations:
1. Develop a People’s Charter to assert human rights, and mandate consultation and recognition
of civil society as the makers of our own destiny.
2. Put people at the centre of Governance by ensuring access, authority and accountability at all
levels, and ensure capacity building initiatives ask people what they want at the local level,
rather than impose or provide assumed solutions from the top down.
3. Commonwealth institutions of Governance should do more to include Indigenous peoples,
including recognition in the Commonwealth Charter and as a priority in the Commonwealth’s
post 2015 agenda.
4. Move away from historical models of only providing institutional care rather than empowering
independence, choice and control amongst citizens.
MIGRATION
Key Issues
-
Rights of migrant workers to
decent work
-
Migrants
role
in
economic
development of both host and
country of origin (Diaspora
remittance to Africa is more than
what Africa receives in Aid, as
agents of knowledge and skills
transfer)
-
Factors that lead to migration
that
include
increased
unemployment, tribal clashes,
Recommendations
-
Both countries of origin and recipient countries
need to promote protection of right to decent work
by migrant workers and their families weather
document migrants or undocumented migrants
-
Need for a Harmonised, Transparent, accountable
and
participatory
negotiations
and
policy
formulation processes that will guarantee the rights
of migrant workers and families
-
Need for Migration Management capacity and
enhancing of international cooperation
-
To recognize and strengthen the role of
migrants/Diaspora as a development partner or
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war and political instability
-
Politicizing
of
migration.
(securitization of migration i.e as
an excuse to insecurity in host
countries, as campaign tool that
affects having sound migration
policies in host countries)
-
The uniqueness of the small
states migratory partners i.e the
oceanic islands
contribution to development, factoring in both
peace and security of countries of origin
RECONCILIATION
Recommendations for best practice:
1. Importance of giving a voice to all sides of a conflict – the crucial role of a space to talk and
negotiation.
2. Acknowledging each side’s voice and needs, develops respect for individuals and groups to
regain their sense of identity and to re-humanise both sides of the dispute. Religion can be
used as a tool to achieve this.
3. Essential to set out the process in advance – agreement of parameters.
4. Giving weight to the twin needs of justice and forgiveness enables disputants to look to the
future.
5. Referencing and learning from other contexts, nationally, regionally and internationally.
WOMEN’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
Recommendation 1:
We call upon CHOGM for a Stand-alone Goal to empower girls & women and achieve gender
equality be included in the Post-2015 Development Agenda [UN Secretary General’s High Level
Panel Report (May 2013); Outcomes of the Women Affairs Ministerial Meeting (June 2013).
Recommendation 2:
We call upon CHOGM for Women Empowerment to be reflected in the Stand-alone goal and be
intergrated into all other relevant goals, focusing on the following areas:

Economic Empowerment:That women be empowered through entrepreneurship training; assistance and/or mentoring
in setting up of small & medium enterprise; facilitate easy access to finance, credit, land and
information, creation of safe and decent jobs ensuring that working conditions are consistent
with conventions of the international labour standards.

Social Empowerment:That legislative changes be made and/or established to reduce violence against women at
home and/or in public, quality education for all girls, ending on early marriage; and
mechanisms be set up to help victims; and that early education of girls in secondary schools
on women empowerment to facilitate their understanding on these issues.

Political Empowerment:3
That affirmative action such as quotas be taken to increase participation of women in
Parliament; and human rights based approached be adopted to ensure inclusiveness to achieve
quality education, economic empowerment, access to finance, land, property, environment
sustainability, decent jobs, and peace & security.
Recommendation 3:
We call on GHOGM for political commitment on the ratification of the UN Conventions related to
women & children including the:

Convention for the Elimination & Discriminations Against Women (CEDAW);

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC);

Core Conventions of International Labour Standards (ILS).
YOUTH
Practical recommendations responding to the issues raised

Encourage self-employment through entrepreneurship. Government subsidized loans could be
offered so that young people can start their own businesses. Necessity brings entrepreneurship
and that’s an incentive for young people to start something of their own

Get young people involved in volunteer activities and volunteerism early on so that they can
acquire some real job skills. This will help them get their first job. This was mentioned by
several persons from the audience

Encourage and facilitate mobility among countries around the Commonwealth so that youth
with skills needed somewhere else can leave their own country and find employment; in this
respect, encourage the youth to learn not just one, but maybe two or three languages

Increase the possibilities for apprenticeships by encouraging collaborations between higher
education and business/employment sectors. Increase the possibilities for skills-based learning
after school/college

Educate youth to learn how to network. Include this in the curriculum, as networking is an
important ability that can provide job opportunities

Encourage youth to be more risk taking in their approach to getting a job
One of the speakers ended with the following which I think was good: "Have confidence in the young
people, give them a chance, and they will surprise you." - Kofi Annan
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