All 54 Commonwealth nations announce a historic commitment to eliminate orphanages, at the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali
Today the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) has made an historic commitment to the elimination of orphanages, agreed by all 54 Commonwealth nations: The Kigali Declaration.
Over the last four years, we’ve been working behind the scenes with the Government of Rwanda, hosts of CHOGM 2022 and Chair of the Commonwealth for the next two years, on a declaration that will liberate millions of children confined in harmful orphanages across its member states.
Over one third of world’s children live in the 54 nations of the commonwealth.
On Saturday 25th June, the Commonwealth announced that this declaration has been unanimously agreed. It is one of only four unanimous declarations at the summit.
A milestone moment in the fight against orphanages
This agreement is a milestone moment in the movement to rid the world of harmful and unnecessary orphanages. Orphanages that deprive children of a family and expose them to neglect and abuse. Over 80% of children in orphanages have living parents but are confined to orphanages because of disability, discrimination and poverty.
Over 30 years, we’ve shown it is always possible for children to grow up in loving families: keeping families together, reuniting families and, when needed, building new families. Working with governments to reform systems and provide support services to keep families together.
Our work in Rwanda has transformed child protection and care. Rwanda is on the brink of becoming Africa’s first orphanage-free nation.