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We are now one week on from the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa. The CHOGM Communique, the key outcome document of this meeting, has now been published and outlines welcome commitments on gender equality and the inclusion of marginalised communities. However, it also underscores the Commonwealth’s ongoing shortcomings in fully addressing the systemic gaps that hinder progress on human rights—including LGBTI+ rights.
To unlock the full potential and future of the Commonwealth, we must first acknowledge the impact of our shared colonial past—a legacy that continues to influence the criminalisation and discrimination of LGBTI+ individuals across many regions that demands urgent, collective action.
The Communique should be more than a platform for commitments; it should serve as a catalyst for real, tangible change where pledges from member states turn into meaningful, on-the-ground improvements for LGBTI+ individuals. We cannot simply settle for rhetoric.
One of the most positive aspects of the Communique is its emphasis on building resilient societies through an intersectional, human rights-based approach. This was not the case a few CHOGMs ago; it took a lot of energy and advocacy from global civil society, including from Kaleidoscope Trust, to encourage member states to collectively move in this direction. As a result, Heads of Government, through this communique, continue to stress the importance of peace, security, sustainable development, and inclusion—acknowledging the rich diversity of the Commonwealth’s cultures, heritage, and faiths. This recognition is a step forward, but to be truly inclusive, the conversation must go further and commitments more precise.
It is encouraging to see the Communique recognise the need for respect and diversity, but this cannot overshadow the lived reality of the LGBTI+ communities who live in nearly half of the Commonwealth’s nations that continue to criminalise them based on their sexual orientation and gender identity (see our 2024 CHOGM Shadow Report for more information).
No society can claim to be sustainable or peaceful when it systematically excludes or criminalises its citizens for simply being who they are. Without addressing these fundamental issues of human rights, we cannot hope to build the resilient, inclusive societies that the Communique envisions.
The commitment to gender equality, as outlined in the Communique, is another welcome development. In Samoa, Heads of Government reaffirmed their pledge to promote gender equality and empower women in line with the Commonwealth Charter and global efforts such as Sustainable Development Goal 5. This is undoubtedly positive, but we need to see some real action plans and more concrete commitments made by governments. For example, the Commonwealth Declaration on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment 2022-2030, endorsed at CHOGM 2022, serves as a reminder that effective action plans must be guided by local civil society input and led by activists directly impacted, in collaboration with governments. However, this Declaration lacks that essential element of civil society involvement. In addition to this, a more targeted funding stream is necessary to support the Declaration’s objectives. Dedicated financial backing would ensure sustained action, strengthen cross-national collaboration, and facilitate the sharing of best practices. In other words, we need to create a pathway of change for women in all of their diversity.
A notable commitment in the Communique is the recognition of “marginalised communities” as a priority area for progress. This seems to reflect the growing awareness among Commonwealth states of the need to include those who have long been left out of development conversations. Yet, the document as it stands does not go far enough and future iterations should offer more concrete commitments. The Commonwealth cannot continue to ignore the lived realities of LGBTI+ communities, who face systemic discrimination in access to education, healthcare, employment, and public services. We need a bolder and clearer commitment to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, can access the same rights and opportunities as others.
At Kaleidoscope Trust, we have worked extensively with our partners and allies across civil society and government to positively influence conversations at CHOGM. Our collaborative efforts participating in Commonwealth processes and spaces over many years to support and enhance Global South LGBTI+ priorities and voices especially aim to ensure that LGBTI+ rights are integrated into foreign policy and development decisions, pushing for more inclusive frameworks that reflect the needs and realities of LGBTI+ communities across the Commonwealth. These ongoing partnerships are crucial to shaping policies that go beyond commitments, driving real progress on the ground.
While some parts of the Communique are a step in the right direction, we need to move beyond rhetoric and ensure Member States agree and deliver actionable plans that include measurable outcomes. Governments must utilise these opportunities to lay out pathways for real change for marginalised communities. This means implementing specific mechanisms to collect data, monitor progress, share best practices, and support smaller states in following through on their commitments.
There is no doubt that the Communique presents a foundation for change, but the Commonwealth needs to be more ambitious. This means taking bigger and more courageous steps in addressing discrimination and putting in place sustainable, long-term strategies for inclusive development. The future of the Commonwealth depends on our ability to create a world where everyone can live in dignity, free from fear and persecution.
The time for promises is over—now is the time for action. Only by doing so can the Commonwealth truly become a space of freedom, safety, and equality for all its citizens.
Stelios Foteinopoulos
International Policy and Advocacy Manager
The pressing LGBTI+ human rights challenges of our day can only be solved through collaboration, whether that be with grassroots or international human rights organisations, governments and funding bodies – and people that really care, like you.
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