Recent suicides of gay American teens have struck a chord with millions of people around the world, forcing a re-evaluation of issues surrounding high-school bullying, writes Alisha Lewis, 19, a Commonwealth Correspondent from New Zealand. Jamey Rodemeyer was a normal, American teenage boy. He had brown hair, liked camping and loved music. The only thing that …

“Gay bullying and homophobia in schools is devastating” Read More »

Recent suicides of gay American teens have struck a chord with millions of people around the world, forcing a re-evaluation of issues surrounding high-school bullying, writes Alisha Lewis, 19, a Commonwealth Correspondent from New Zealand. Jamey Rodemeyer was a normal, American teenage boy. He had brown hair, liked camping and loved music. The only thing that …

"Gay bullying and homophobia in schools is devastating" Read More »

An alarming number of young people are succumbing to the worldwide epidemic of negative body image, says Janine Wan, 15, a Correspondent based in Melbourne, Australia. At the same time there are efforts to counteract the harmful messages about so-called ideal bodies. On the 10th of May 2013, it was announced that the Positive Body Image …

“Negative messages hurt the right to self esteem" Read More »

Citizen journalism can play a vital role by empowering the poor and the marginalised, argues Achuth Menon, 20, a Correspondent from India. It can raise issues that are ignored by the mainstream media, and become a force for social change.   Citizen journalism in India is an outcome of modern technology.  It plays a vital …

“Citizen journalism gives opportunity to all” Read More »

Tourism is increasingly important to the Caribbean in difficult economic times, writes Ariela St. Pierre-Collins, 16, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Barbados, but it means a balancing act between the image of idyllic holidays and policing a disenfranchised population. As the Caribbean region continues to suffer from a deepening recession, the problem of escalating crime against …

"Solving crime versus protecting tourism" Read More »

Many Bangladeshi graduates leave the country, writes Kazi Prottoy, 20, a Correspondent from Dhaka in Bangladesh, who argues that enticing young professionals to stay means the government must tackle some significant urban problems. It has been seen as a trend for some years now that Bangladeshi graduates almost religiously go for the prospect of leaving …

"Fighting the brain drain in Bangladesh" Read More »