Civil war and modern human resources policies have impinged on the role of trade unions, writes Indooshan Shanthakumaran, 25, a Correspondent from Colombo in Sri Lanka, but he argues that they remain crucial to labour rights. Every year when Labour Day comes the trade unions get active; there will be parades and meetings, the city turns in to …

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Writing is a blessing that can be used to motivate change, writes Lyn-Marie Blackman, a 27-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Barbados, as she discusses the legacy of Dr. Maya Angelou. “I am a woman.  Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.”-Maya Angelou She shared her smile and elegance with the world. She wrote for us, danced for us …

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Behaviour can be a reaction to stereotypes, but as Harmanan Singh, 17, a Correspondent from Mumbai in India writes, there is much to learn from looking beyond first impressions. It was yet another crowded, packed day at the railway station. I scuttled with a million others as I took the eternal climb on the staircase …

"To the kid at the station: you taught me a lesson!" Read More »

Timi Olagunju, 28, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Lagos in Nigeria, was among the guest speakers at a one-day summit celebrating International Youth Day. Academics and decision-makers talked with students about post-2015 goals and the role for Nigeria’s youth.  International Youth Day in Nigeria had as its theme ‘The Role of Youths in Advancing Development Goals and the Post …

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Dennis Ekwere, 34, of Kaduna, Nigeria, is a ‘Youth Practitioner’ who is making a difference by role modelling and teaching social change aimed at peace. Here, he describes how his organisation works within the community. Children and Young People Living for Peace (CYPLP) is a youth-driven organization working in areas of disadvantaged and vulnerable young people …

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Education is critical to personal growth, but Lyn-Marie Blackman, 28, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Barbados, says world betterment depends on how that education is applied. From the time an individual is born to the day that they die, learning and the acquirement of knowledge is paramount. Having an education – whether it is from a school, life, a friend …

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Dreaming of the future while acknowledging the difficulties of the present, Musa Temidayo, 24, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nigeria, describes the hopes everyday citizens hold for their country. “All men dream, but not equally.” T. E. Lawrence The topic “The Nigeria of my dreams” is one of the most talked about issues at different levels of education and …

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 A fresh take on New Year’s resolutions comes from Oghenekevwe Oghenechovwen, 17, a Correspondent from Warri in Nigeria, who argues that asking questions is the first step in making meaningful change. “We thought that we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong.”  – Bono. Almost everyone had made resolutions for year 2016: promises …

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A more systemic approach is needed to entrench citizen engagement in democratic governance, writes Christine Shahbenderian, 23, a Correspondent from Nicosia in Cyprus, who argues that it is high time for us to do democracy differently.  “[The] key characteristic of democracy is the continuing responsiveness of the government to the preferences of its citizens, considered …

“Reinventing democracy in the digital era” Read More »