Refocus, reinvigorate, redefine… Commonwealth Foundation re-launch

1 November 2012

One year on from the call from Commonwealth Heads of Government, the Commonwealth Foundation embarks on a new phase in its commitment to strengthen and mobilise civil society. The re-launch signals the start of a new four-year strategy which strives for more effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation.

In Perth in 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government committed:

“To promote the future of the Commonwealth through the strong and important voice of its people by … re-launching the Commonwealth Foundation in 2012, while retaining its fundamental intergovernmental nature and maintaining its accountability to member states, with a revised mandate and Memorandum of Understanding so that it can more effectively deliver the objectives of strengthening and mobilising Civil Society in support of Commonwealth principles and priorities.”

Responding to this mandate, a new strategic plan was developed which breaks new ground for the Foundation, signaling a determination to apply more focus, rigour and an outcomes orientation to its work.

Participatory governance is a central concept of the new plan, with two outcome areas:

• enhanced capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) to collaborate with each other and engage in participatory governance
• increased collaboration and learning between Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and institutions in governance