Commonwealth Secretariat

The Commonwealth The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent and equal sovereign states. It is home to 2.2 billion citizens, of which over 60% are under the age of 30. The Commonwealth includes some of the world’s largest, smallest, richest and poorest countries, spanning five regions. Thirty-one of its members are small states, many of them island nations.   The Commonwealth Secretariat The Commonwealth Secretariat provides guidance on policy making, technical assistance and advisory services to Commonwealth member countries. We support governments to help achieve sustainable, inclusive and equitable development.   Our work promotes democracy, rule of law, human rights, good governance and social and economic development. We are a voice for small states and a champion for youth empowerment.   Priority areas of work are agreed at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, which occur every two years. The next summit is in Malta in 2015.   The Commonwealth Secretariat is structured into divisions and units: Economic Policy DivisionGovernance and Natural Resources DivisionHealth and Education UnitHuman Rights UnitPolitical DivisionRule of Law DivisionTrade and Debt Division