In the meeting of the Committee of the Whole, held today in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM), Commat (the Commonwealth Medical Trust) called on Heads of Government to promote the full inclusion of the ‘social pillar’ for the post-2015 development agenda. In particular Commat urged them to support a stand-alone goal on gender and women’s empowerment; address the needs of young people; and to ensure that the mistakes of the MDGs are not again repeated, by fully including sexual and reproductive health and rights.

CSOs in Commonwealth countries are urged to write to their Heads of Government and relevant Ministries to urge them to ensure that these ‘asks’ are included in the CHOGM Communiqué.