THE COMMONWEALTH CHARTER 10 YEARS ON: VALUES AND PRINCIPLES FOR PARLIAMENTS TO UPHOLD
BRIDGING THE GAP: THE COMMONWEALTH OF LEARNING AND THE COMMONWEALTH CHARTER In the sphere of international diplomacy, where declarations and charters often fall victim to verbosity, the Commonwealth Charter of 20131 shines as an illuminating beacon. Its articulation of principles central to the democratic fabric – human rights, the rule of law, and sustainable development – does not merely resonate on paper but finds tangible manifestations in today's pressing global challenges. The interplay of these principles with current imperatives such as gender equality, environmental stewardship and the welfare of vulnerable youth is particularly intriguing. Since 1987, the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has played a pivotal role in crystallising these ideals into reality. Partnerships are at the core of COL’s work. Hosted by the Government of Canada with headquarters in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, COL is the world’s only intergovernmental organisation solely concerned with the promotion and development of distance education and open learning. Learning for Sustainable Development: A Delicate Balancing Act The global clarion call for "sustainable, inclusive economic growth and transparent governance" finds an echo in the Commonwealth Charter, and COL's alignment with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) serves as a testament to this commitment. Since adopting Learning for Sustainable Development as its framework for action in 2015, COL has been at the forefront of integrating lifelong and distance learning at all levels with the development of open educational resources. Tailoring solutions to the diverse and unique challenges faced by Commonwealth countries, COL’s work stands as a harbinger of economic progress that aligns with environmental sustainability and social equity. Through support for policymaking, capacity building of professionals in the education sector and increasing access to learners for skill development and livelihood improvement, COL has contributed to helping impact all three dimensions of economic empowerment, social inclusion and environmental conservation. Innovation is at the heart of COL’s work with Member States. Gender Equality: From Rhetoric to Realisation The Commonwealth Charter's emphasis on gender equality and women's empowerment has been met with more than just verbal agreement. Through COL's unwavering commitment to these principles, tangible steps have been taken to empower women
and girls in far-flung and under-resourced regions. For instance, in Bangladesh's Sundarbans region, COL's collaboration with local organisations has opened up technology-enabled centres, bringing online skill training to thousands of women for the first time. COL’s GIRLS Inspire2 initiative has trained approximately 130,000 women in skills for income generation. Most live in disadvantaged circumstances and locations in member countries in Africa, Asia and the small island developing nations of the Pacific. CommonwealthWiseWomen3 is a unique initiative that brings together foremost women leaders and experts in Commonwealth countries to mentor aspiring younger women in living and working in remote locations, benefitting hundreds. Through its work in gaining formal recognition for its outcomes of informal learning, COL has facilitated the linking of over 80,000 learners in the last two years to traditional financial resources. Most of the learners are women. Such initiatives translate grand pronouncements into concrete actions, reflecting a genuine realisation of the Charter's goals. Environmental Stewardship: Crafting a Green Learning Agenda Environmental sustainability is no longer a mere buzzword; it's an imperative that commands global attention. The Commonwealth Charter's focus on "sustainable development and environmental protection" finds a passionate advocate in COL. Working closely with Ministers of Education, universities and NGOs, the organisation has laid down a Green Learning Agenda4 that is robust and multifaceted. Reduction, Raising awareness, Reskilling, and Resilience – these four R's are at the heart of the COL's push for climate action in education. COL’s advocacy of open and distance learning (ODL) – based on sound practices for control of carbon emissions for ODL – has a carbon footprint that is just one-third of typical face-to-face learning. Besides offering open online courses for thousands of learners on the Blue Economy and adaptation to climate change, COL’s work with assetless farmers has focused on teaching techniques of soil and water-conserving agriculture. The farmers are reached using innovative methods that involve basic mobile phones. Over the last two years, nearly 50,000 have undergone such training in eleven countries alone. Over 150,000 teachers have received training through COL’s Green Teacher programme in Africa and Asia. Whether it's large-scale online courses on environmental literacy or the empowerment of assetless farmers, the green learning agenda
Dr Venkataraman Balaji is the Vice-President of the Commonwealth of Learning
(COL), based in Metro Vancouver, Canada. He has been a senior member of COL since 2010. Active in applying technology to increase the access of people in remote and rural areas to education and training, Dr Balaji’s interests in technology include informal as well as formal learning. During the past ten years, he has developed innovative educational technology products such as Aptus – a micro-server that can help learners in remote areas access highquality digital educational resources. His current work is focused on bringing the advantages of generative AI to communities and institutions in the Pacific region.
220 | The Parliamentarian | 2023: Issue Three | 100 years of publishing