Our
vision
A Commonwealth of equal, just, and inclusive societies where everyone can live in dignity and freedom.
Our
mission
To contribute to that vision by supporting civil society, grassroots communities and creative practitioners to turn dialogue into action; to connect people and governments and strengthen their capacity to protect and advance democracy and human rights.
A Message from the Director-General
Razmi Farook
The first year of my term as Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation has been marked by a period of strategic evolution. It has been an immense privilege to lead the organisation through the design and development of our 2026-2031 Strategic Plan, which I am thrilled to be sharing with you. We find ourselves at a profoundly pivotal moment in history. Working against a backdrop of converging trends of democratic backsliding, expanding inequalities, rising economic instability, and intensifying climate crises, we must remain responsive to evolving challenges for civil society. Now more than ever, the international rules-based order is under pressure, directly impacting the civic spaces, rights, and everyday realities of citizens across our 51 member countries.
Yet, within these challenges lies a transformative opportunity. The Commonwealth Foundation holds a unique position, bridging governments and the civil society actors they serve together. Within this strategy, we seek to best utilise this position in our collective, proactive response to a rapidly changing world.
It was important to me that our strategic planning process was robust, rigorous and consultative. Through working with independent reviewers, establishing an expert Peer Review Committee of governors, and holding civil society consultations across different regions of the Commonwealth, we sought to ensure our strategic direction was directly informed by those it would go on to serve. We also worked closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, to ensure our strategic directions are closely aligned. Through this, we have looked honestly at our past performance to identify which strengths and successes we should carry forward, while also understanding the critical areas where we must build more durable, long-term civic ecosystems. I am grateful to all those who participated in this process and know that our Strategic Plan is all the richer and more responsive for it.
Over the next five years, the Foundation will focus its resources and platforms on three core strategic impact areas. We will continue to build on the success of our previous work in freedom of expression and climate and environmental justice, as well as broaden our scope to tackle rising wealth gaps through introducing a new focus on economic inclusion. Our cross-cutting priorities will see us strengthen our existing focus on gender and intersectionality and work to advance the interests of small states. We will also continue to consider the importance of youth as a critical constituency in shaping the future relevance and legitimacy of the Commonwealth.
To deliver on these priorities, we are reshaping how we work. We will prioritise culture and creativity across our programmes, recognising that artistic expression is a vital avenue for civic voice. An enhanced focus will be placed on monitoring and evaluation processes, enabling us to listen, adapt and grow in response to learning.
Our goal remains unyielding: to honour Article 16 of the Commonwealth Charter by supporting civil society, grassroots communities and creative practitioners to turn dialogue into action; to connect people and governments and strengthen their capacity to protect and advance democracy and human rights.
I extend my deepest gratitude to all those involved in shaping this vision. Together, let us turn this strategy into lasting, impactful change that resonates with the aspirations of Commonwealth citizens and fosters a more equitable just world.
Strategic
impact areas
Building on our lessons of the past five years, the Foundation’s strategic impact areas for 2026-2031 respond to challenges faced by Commonwealth civil society.
Freedom of expression
The Foundation stands firm on civic freedoms and voice by placing freedom of expression at the heart of our mandate. Creative expression is the corollary to freedom of expression: it cements transparency and trust between governments and their citizens and determines how citizens can contribute to debates that shape the future.
We will act as a vital platform for civil society, enabling organisations and individuals to amplify their voices and engage effectively in advocacy. Creative expression remains an integral aspect, and we will leverage our creative programme to empower artists and storytellers and inspire compelling narratives that not only reflect personal experiences but also advocate for social justice.
Economic inclusion
The Foundation understands that access to basic services, including healthcare, food and shelter, is not merely a goal but a fundamental right. Socio-economic inequality remains one of the most pressing issues of our time, with vast populations across the Commonwealth lacking access to basic resources, opportunities, and rights, stunting economic growth and social cohesion and leading to declining trust in institutions.
We will prioritise issues on economic inclusion for our grant-making and creative programmes. Through our platforms we will facilitate civil society engagement in policy dialogue and amplify voices of marginalised and disadvantaged communities on key economic issues. We will target multilateral forums and appropriate Commonwealth spaces to communicate civil society priorities and positions.
Climate and environmental justice
The Foundation recognises that climate change is the defining challenge of our time, and that the health of our planet directly influences human wellbeing. As the landmark International Court of Justice advisory opinion confirmed in July 2025, climate change is not just an environmental crisis but a matter of justice, rights, and international law.
Our response will prioritise strengthening and amplifying the voices of grassroots civil society as central agents of climate and environmental justice. We will leverage our unique position as a connector and convener to facilitate knowledge sharing among civil society, particularly where climate-accelerated displacement, conflict, and inequality intersect.
Cross-cutting priorities
Learning from our past strategic period has reaffirmed the need for a sharpened and sustained focus on ‘small states’ and ‘gender and intersectionality’. We will continue to prioritise these themes throughout our programme delivery; from civil society capacity development to amplifying civil and creative voices in national and global policy processes.
Gender and intersectionality
The Foundation’s commitment to inclusive participation is grounded in the recognition that social structures and systems are not neutral; rather, they are shaped by and operate within power dynamics that often reflect and perpetuate inequality and discrimination. These power dynamics create the environments in which people live, impose constraints on their lives, and influence how they are able to engage, as well as broader societal implications.
In recent years, we have witnessed a troubling backlash against women’s rights and the rights of marginalised communities, manifesting in various forms, such as restrictions on reproductive rights, gender-based violence, and the erosion of protections against discrimination. The regressive movements that threaten progress necessitate the reinforcement of gender equality across our portfolio of work.
Small states
The Commonwealth Charter commits member countries to advance the interests of small states, recognising the unique needs and distinct challenges of the Commonwealth’s small island developing states and most vulnerable countries. At CHOGM 2024, held for the first time in a small island state of the Pacific region, leaders reaffirmed that the challenges facing small states, particularly climate change, economic vulnerability and environmental degradation, are shared Commonwealth concerns requiring collective action.
We will ensure the Foundation’s work integrates a tailored approach to the varying needs of small states within our efforts to represent the interests of all member countries in advancing sustainable development across all regions of the Commonwealth.
