“What divides us pales in comparison to what unites us.”

-         As rightfully said by Ted Kennedy to give us the essence of family.

On our years together, as we roam this planet; we have come to not identify our duties towards mankind as obligations but rather a form of affection, a conglomerate of kindness and adoration to our motherland - a land not only our mothers shared but a land that we have come to love as much as we love our mothers. We have crossed by far glorious years together against all the ordeals and it is at a time like this when we must take a moment to appreciate, reflect and recount how far we have excelled in our journey to create a basic framework for a sustainable, ambient and eco-friendly future.

 The world we grew up in has evolved into a global village. We live in a time period where technologies concerning computers and A.I have gained momentum and the impact that the digital revolution has on the lives of people is drastic. Social media platforms are a buzz in times the whole world was made to stay locked indoors during the pandemic. As developing and developed economies it becomes crucial to weigh out the pros and cons of the digital world that has already become important in our lives. While the internet has provided us means to tackle some unfathomable wars, served as a means of expression, it has also brought in its own set of problems; which when left unmonitored can expose all of us to a digital catastrophe.

 The portrayal of 'perfect lives' over social media has negatively impacted majority of the youth population, who are rendered with stress and depression; which when left untreated gives rise to the skyrocketing figures of teen-suicide cases across the globe. Eating disorders among teens, spiking cyber crime stats and the circulation of illegal, child-pornography in some of the nations across the Commonwealth is alarming.

It is essential to develop networking systems that refrain from false portrayals and demotes the 'pretense culture'. Tech leaders should be encouraged to cultivate social engineering that elevates the youth and empowers them to be just and honest. Cyber grooming is a by-product of negligence for which social media has played a catalytic role. Family time and healthy social-interactions have taken a backseat in our busy lives while the social media platforms provide us a cheap compensation for the same. Healthy interactions provide us a space to think and question our being for good which in-turn enhances holistic development. The social media with its likes, shares and heart figures has kept us caged in our own minds.

While the problem seems to be at a personal level, the effect of the same is exhibited globally. The work culture needs to improve and treat men and women as individuals and not as machines. Invading personal space, cutting off on vacations and discouraging essential leisure activities lurks people into the 'dopamine shot from social media'. It is essential that as Commonwealth nations, we bring forth the need to be socially, mentally and physically healthy in the real world rather than in our social media profiles.

For a long time, gender roles are debated upon. Majority of Commonwealth nations have stood out as exemplary specimens of gender equality, however the truth being spoken, in remote parts of many developing economies the practice of gender indiscrimination is prevailing seamlessly. While in lower societies these evil practices include but are not limited to physical molestation, domestic violence, child marriages, dowry, female foeticide and infanticide, they take elite forms in higher societies as unequal pay, gender based bias in workplace and disparity in opportunities. A Census Bureau data from 2018 cites that women of all races earn 82 cents for every $1 earned by men of all races.

To say that only the female gender is subjected to gender discrimination would be a falsification of the reality. The male gender on the other hand has to deal with problems of toxic masculinity- whereby all of the males are stereotyped to behave in a way the society allows them to. A major proportion of suicide victims are men and toxic masculinity has only added to the numbers. Noel McDermott from Yorkshire Post in his recent article about toxic masculinity stated-

“On the world stage, we can look at the war launched against Ukraine through this lens (toxic masculinity). Here we have man asserting his toxic beliefs of supremacy, power and control.”

We must put forth the question whether the idea of gender was created to cause great deals of inconvenience in the society or to help us understand the world a bit better? As Commonwealth leaders and pioneers of equity, we must strive to break the barriers that divide us among ourselves and hence a need to define gender in a more liberal perspective.

The aim is to understand that we may be different in physique, in appearance and that these differences are the sole thing we have in common. As humans we must set trends for generations to learn to embrace this diversity -in colors, in genders, in thoughts with not only ‘black lives matter’ but also as 'all lives matter' and to structure a society that is not bordered with wars of superiority. Needless to say that our deeper understandings of the notion will help us tackle some of the huge battles we are facing today, including but not limited to - population explosion, social stigmas and stereotypes, gender based crimes, etc.

The Commonwealth nations are growing rapidly in the industrial sector, more now than ever. With digitalization, industrialization is skyrocketing in developing economies that have seen a significant advent in globalization and liberalization. But the cost paid for the same is a global loss. A few feats of said economic success are overshadowed by degraded air quality, melting ice caps at Arctic and Antarctic, an increase in global warming, rise in number of natural disasters, irregular weather patterns and many more environmental ailments. The pandemic has given us a moment to reflect on the fact that as much as we have grown splendidly with technology, we have lagged behind in nurturing Mother Nature. The virus outbreaks in the African continent, the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected us globally had escalated because of the temperature irregularities as a result of global warming, as stated by World Health Organization (WHO), Africa.

 Growth is an essential and inevitable component for any sustaining economy however the rate at which its negative impacts are affecting the biosphere is disastrous. Majority of the developing nations depend heavily on natural resources to provide for the basic necessities of the population however their unreliable industrialization patterns affect their existing systems adversely. This not only causes huge loss but also worsens their existing conditions. Considering sustainable development goals, the financial conditions of nations should be taken into consideration before imposing inconsistent and impractical laws in the name of environment protection. Surely, the developed nations have reached milestones with their industrialization practices; however it is not fair that the developing countries are left to fend off on their own in the name of growth. Considering sustainable development goals, the financial conditions of nations should be taken into consideration before imposing inconsistent and impractical laws in the name of environment protection.

Those nations of Commonwealth, who are able and worthy, shall lend a hand to those who are trying their best to follow their footsteps as they grow into majestic and sustainable economies. The environment is left unattended in parts of Africa and South - East Asia due to political and socio-economic backwardness. As cited by New York Times-

“It doesn’t help that the rich world has failed to deliver on $100 billion aid to help poor countries cope with climate damage.”

 The local problems of corruption, child labor, lower literacy rates have a global impact. It becomes a necessity that we nurture not only the beauty of our own lands but also cherish that of our fellow friends with the idea that-

'Growth should be a global parameter.'

As Mahatma Gandhi said,

“The future depends on what you do today.”

We hold the key to the future. Change is inevitable and we can only guide the course of it. With all our might, it is necessary that we march forward as torchbearers of a future where there’s credibility for all things pure, compassion and sense of equity for each other, up liftment of poor and fore mostly love for all things living.