How does the Commonwealth respond to human rights concerns?

The Commonwealth Secretary General, Shirley Botchwey, says the November 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting  will be a “summit of delivery” in which member states “will work together to renew” democracy.

This briefing sets out the Commonwealth’s core human rights principles, rights challenges and debates across the association, and the tools the Commonwealth has to police rights abuses and encourage reforms.

A separate Library briefing on the Commonwealth introduces the association, its history, its membership and the UK’s relationship with it.

What are the major rights declarations?

The Commonwealth’s core principles on democracy, human rights and the rule of law are set out in several declarations made by heads of government:

• The 1971 Declaration of Commonwealth Principles, signed in Singapore, says the association believes in the “liberty of the individual”, equal rights “regardless of race, colour, creed or political belief” and an “inalienable right” to participate by free and democratic political means.
• The 1979 Lusaka Declaration is against “distinction or exclusion based on race, colour, sex, descent, or national or ethnic origin”.
• The 1991 Harare Declaration reaffirmed “fundamental principles”, such as those outlined above, and said leaders would “redouble” their efforts.
• The 1995 Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme set out actions the Commonwealth Secretariat (the body that coordinates Commonwealth work and is led by the Secretary General) can take to promote and protect human rights and democracy (see below).
• The 2013 Commonwealth charter includes additional commitments on the rule of law, the separation of powers between the three branches of government, and the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

What are the human rights challenges?

The Secretariat has raised concerns for participation and trust in democracy and says the association must “stand firm” on its values. Secretariat reports have found mixed progress on the rights of women and girls in Commonwealth states, while rights groups have raised the continuing criminalisation of same-sex relations in 30 of 56 Commonwealth states.

Debates on reparatory justice for enslavement and chattel slavery continue, with the Caribbean community and African Union (many of whose members are in the Commonwealth) calling for steps to be taken to address its legacy and impact. The 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting agreed talks would continue. The UK says it will not agree to financial reparations.

What actions can the Commonwealth take?

The 1995 Millbrook action programme sets out a process for Commonwealth action when a member is judged to be “clearly in violation” of the Harare declaration and when an elected government has been overthrown. The association’s response will begin with public disapproval by the Secretary General and an offer of support, but can escalate to states cutting trade and other ties and the country’s suspension from the Commonwealth. Gabon was the most recent state to be partially suspended, after a military coup in 2023, but most suspensions occurred in the 1990s and early 2000s (PDF).

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), formed of eight Commonwealth foreign ministers, can monitor and make recommendations on areas of concern, such as media and democratic freedom. It meets several times a year and publishes brief summaries of its outcomes.

Observers consider that since the early 2000s the Commonwealth has put increasing focus on the “good offices” of its Secretary General to mediate disputes and encourage talks, on which little information is published.

The Secretariat also runs a human rights unit, monitors some elections, and works with other bodies like the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

How well does it promote human rights?

Several UK Parliamentary committees have argued CMAG should be strengthened and some academics consider the Commonwealth’s promotion of democracy to have declined in recent years. The 2013 charter has also been subject to criticism for not explicitly including protections for LGBT+ rights, though the UK Government at the time disagreed with this assessment.

Reforms, such as establishing a commissioner for human rights and democracy, which could support CMAG and the Secretariat, have not proceeded due to opposition from some states. An external review has found that many election observer missions are slow to be published and available funding for election monitoring has varied significantly from year to year.