A briefing for journalists | 1 April 2016 Fast Facts: Commonwealth Secretary-General

 Appointed Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to South Mandate and Tenure Africa in 2012. The Commonwealth Secretary-General promotes and  Elected as the Alderman of Bishopsgate in the City protects the Commonwealth’s values, represents the of London in 2014. Commonwealth globally, and manages the Other offices include Chancellor of the University of . Greenwich, Patron of the Corporate Alliance Against The Secretary-General maintains regular high-level Domestic Violence, Patron of Lifeline (Trinidad & contacts with Commonwealth governments and civil Tobago) and the Caribbean Science Foundation. society leaders. In addition, he or she exercises a ‘Good Offices for Peace’ role to work with political leaders when the Commonwealth’s shared values come under stress. The Secretary-General is nominated by Commonwealth leaders and can serve a maximum of two four-year terms. The post was first created - alongside the Commonwealth Secretariat - at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference in 1965 in London, United Kingdom. Since then six persons have held the role. Rt Hon QC became Secretary- General on 1 April 2016 having been appointed by Heads of Government at their meeting in November 2015.

Profile: Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC – the new Commonwealth Secretary-General  Patricia Janet Scotland was born on the 19th August 1955 in Dominica. Secretary-General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC  Moved to the UK with her family, growing up in

east London.  Trained as a lawyer and became the first black woman to be appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1991. At 35 she was also the youngest woman Former Secretaries-General ever to be made a QC. o of (2008-2016)  The first black woman to be appointed Deputy o Don McKinnon of (2000-2008) High Court Judge, Recorder and Master of Middle o Chief of Nigeria (1990- Temple. 2000)  Joined the House of Lords in 1997 as Baroness o Sir Shridath ‘Sonny’ Ramphal of Guyana Scotland of Asthal going on to serve as a minister (1975-1990) in the Foreign Office, Home Office and Lord o of (1965-1975) Chancellor’s Department.  Undertook major reform of the criminal justice Learn more online: thecommonwealth.org/about- system, including the introduction of the us/secretary-general-profile Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act. Follow the Secretary-General on Twitter  Appointed Attorney General in 2007 – the first @PScotlandCSG and on Facebook women to hold the post since it was created in FB.com/PScotlandCSG 1315.  Founded the Eliminate Domestic Violence Global Foundation in 2011.