18. the Commonwealth

• Commonwealth of Nations

  A voluntary group of independent countries, most of which used to be ruled by Britain
• Microcredit


  Making small loans to individuals to help them help themselves
• Two million people live in Commonwealth countries today
• Commonwealth


  • Helps promote democracy, human rights and sustainable development in its member countries
• Zimbabwe was thrown out of the Commonwealth in 2003 because human rights were broken and its elections weren't democratic
• Common features of Commonwealth countries

  • English as common working language
  • Similar systems of law, public administration and education
• Queen


  Head of the Commonwealth
• Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation

  1. Promotes economic and social development

  2. Helps to get rid of poverty in member countries
• Commonwealth youth credit initiative

  1. Small enterprise scheme for young people

  2. Providing microcredit, training and enterprise development

  3. Enables young people to support each other

  4. Encourages saving and paying back of loans

  5. Has low interest rates, low training costs and ongoing training and monitoring of enterprises
• All members must commit to the Commonwealth's mission
• Commonwealth

  • A platform for building global agreement
  • Holds conferences that bring all the countries together to discuss major issues
  • Helps everyone to work together better
  • A source of practical help for sustainable development
  • Helps people to work so they can look after themselves
  • Has programs that aim to look after the environment
  • A force for making democracy work
  • Helps its members to develop working democracy
  • Sent observers to check that elections are carried out properly