Baroness Scotland told The Royal Commonwealth Society today that she wants to put the “wealth” back into The Commonwealth, through collaboration and working in partnership to tackle corruption, gender inequality and violence against women.
The Baroness says it will be one of her greatest priorities to collaborate across the 53 nations to end corruption in the Commonwealth:
“We didn’t understand how big it was, how much it corroded our democracy and undermined what we wanted to do. I think now all of us understand it’s non- negotiable, we have to address it together.”
The Baroness also acknowledged the work that The Royal Commonwealth Society has done in promoting gender equality and raising awareness of violence against women and says she is looking forward to working in partnerships to tackle these challenges:
“When I look at all the things I’ve been able to achieve in the past, it has always been in collaboration with others; an important partner is civil society.”
Baroness Scotland is committed to seeing the Commonwealth grow and to strengthen:“I’m saying to everyone, please don’t leave, stay and fight and make our world the world we want for our children, as opposed to the world we have now."
The first Secretary-General says she is thrilled about the representation of women at high levels in the Commonwealth and is honoured to be the first female Secretary General for the Commonwealth family.
“I’m the first Secretary-General who’s a woman, but I certainly hope I won’t be the last.”