Messages and substantive actions from the 22-24 November Gender Assembly held in the wings of  CHOGM during the Commonwealth People's Forum in Trinidad and Tobago are detailed below. The Commonwealth Foundation Human Development Program led the assembly, rapporteured by CWN chair Nelcia Marshall Robinson and resourced by Dr Ranjana Kumari with Foundation point fo contact Elizabeth Marsh.  Issues around te family, climate change, impacts of the economic crisis, deepening engagement via WIP programmes, inclusiveness for transgender and gay/lesbian rights and GEAR form part of the report detail below, including calls for stepped up actions from the Foundation, media, national governmentsand other stakeholders.   Gender equality is viewed not only as a goal in its own right, but also as a key factor in enhancing democracy and peace, eradicating poverty and violence against women, ensuring education for all, improving maternal health, reducing child mortality and combating HIV and AIDS.

Statement by Network chair Nelcia Marshall Robinson
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and 16 days of Activism November 25th 2009
CHOGM must address Gender based violence, says CWN
For immediate release November 25th 2009, Port of Spain, Trinidad: -- As the world marks the anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the beginning of the annual 16 days of Activism against violence campaign, Commonwealth leaders making their way to CHOGM this week must reaffirm their commitment to address gender based violence, especially in conflict zones.
The CHOGM 2009 theme of Partnering for a more equitable and sustainable future must address the formula that for futures to be equitable and sustainable, all women must be able to enjoy their basic human rights. This can only be achieved if real and innovative strategies to step up the many interventions needed for changing attitudes and horrific realities, especially for women and children caught in the crossfire of war, are brought to the table and denounced by our leaders.

Commonwealth ministers will head to Barbados in June 2010 for the 9th meeting of its kind, and the Commonwealth Women's Network is well into planning for the civil society meeting held just before the ministerial one. Civil society activists and organisers know their work doesn't end when the government one begins. They will also be keen to take up a unique privelege which has helped enrich the focus and debate of the ministerial agenda: every 6th speaker in plenary sessions of the WAMM comes from CSO 'observers' now able to feed their meeting outcomes directly into the ministerial agenda. For more information on the Commonwealth preparations for the CSO pre-WAMM sessions, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - Human Development, at the Commonwealth Foundation.