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Programmes

In its work to promote Parliamentary Democracy and good governance, the CPA carries out an extensive range of programmes and activities with Parliaments and other organisations to achieve its mission.  This includes conferences, seminars and workshops, expert groups and study groups, as well as its publications, the Parliamentary Information and Reference Centre and the CPA website. It is through its Programmes that CPA aims to provide to Members and parliamentary officials a range of core functions to promote parliamentary knowledge and Commonwealth parliamentary co-operation.

The CPA’s wide ranging programme of seminars and workshops aims to provide both established and newly elected Parliamentarians and Parliamentary Staff with continuing professional development, and also to share experience and knowledge with other Parliaments.

 

Commonwealth Parliamentary Task Force on Climate Change

The CPA, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa, Globe International and the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank and the World Bank Institute are working together to promote the vital role of Members of Parliament in tackling Climate Change.

The CPA and its partners aim to support Members effective participation in setting and implementing policy frameworks related to climate change. Recent activities have involved encouraging Members to influence international negotiations on climate change issues. Web and tele conferences, as well as, workshops bring together Parliamentarians, Climate Change Negotiators and key officials from international organisations under the CPA Climate Task Force. 

 

Workshops on the International Trading System

Working in partnership with the World Trade Organisation, a series of Regional Workshops on International Trading System have been organised. The series is aimed at fostering greater understanding of the multilateral trading system and its key issues. Through these fora Parliamentarians are able to communicate to WTO officials the concerns of their constituents and the effects of WTO policies on their countries. Participants have also been able to discuss issues of particular relevance to countries in a particular region in an informed and open debate on the role of trade in fostering development.

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians

Recognising the need to enhance women’s participation in Parliament, the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) work programme includes a workshop on Gender and HIV/AIDs and a workshop for potential women candidates in the Pacific Region. In 2010, the second CWP Conference will be held at the time of the Annual CPA Conference and will be the largest gathering of Women Parliamentarians in the Commonwealth.

Technical Assistance Programmes

A few Commonwealth Parliaments have benefitted from three-year Technical Assistance Programmes (TAP).  By intensively supporting one Branch, in partnership with an international development institution, or another developed Parliament, the CPA TAPs aim to provide a particularly vulnerable Parliament with a tailor made, sustained and concentrated level of assistance.

Branch Development Assistance Fund

The CPA has been able to respond to specific requests for assistance from Legislatures through its Branch Development Assistance Fund. A few CPA Branches have benefitted from CPA financial assistance for developing their parliamentary library facilities, assistance with computerisation of in the Chamber and providing technical assistance with Parliamentary Organisational Review.

CPA Outreach Programme

The CPA conducts an annual programme that targets the young people of the Commonwealth. Since 1993, the CPA has held a Commonwealth Day programme at its Secretariat to provide an induction to the Commonwealth and Parliamentary Democracy. In addition, a CPA bursary assists Parliaments to perform their own Commonwealth Day celebrations in their own legislatures that focus on the theme of Commonwealth Day.

Workshops on Parliament and the Public

Recognizing that parliamentary democracy is stronger when the public is fully informed about political issues and the parliamentary system, the CPA runs workshops on freedom of information and on Parliament’s relations with the media to improve parliamentary communication with the public.  Sometimes organized in collaboration with the World Bank Institute and national aid agencies, these workshops familiarize Members and parliamentary staff with ways to provide effective freedom of information regimes and to strengthen relations between a Parliament and the media which cover its activities.

 

Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminars

Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminars have been held annually since 1989 and each year is hosted by a different Branch, on a regional rotation. Topics discussed include:

  • The Commonwealth and the Role of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
  • The Roles of a Member of Parliament
  • Voting Systems 
  • The Parliamentary and Political Scene in the Host Country
  • Role of the Media
  • Parliamentary Committees and the Committee System
  • The Role of Local Government in the Host Country
  • The Case for Free Trade
  • Members and their Political Parties
  • Estimates Committees and the Estimates Process
  • Financial Scrutiny of the Executive
  • The Role of the Presiding Officers
  • Climate Change
  • A Bill of Rights

The CPA Canada Region has hosted an annual Parliamentary Seminar since 2001 in the capital Ottawa.

Workshops on Public Accounts Committees

Since 2006, the CPA has in collaboration with La Trobe University in Victoria, Australia, and the World Bank Institute, conducted Summer Residency Courses for Public Accounts Committees (PAC). Members of the PAC, the Clerk supporting the PAC and the Auditor General from invited Branches meet to develop practical methodologies to improve Parliamentary Financial Scrutiny.

Workshops for the West Africa Region and Asia Region have also been developed using this same method.

Topics discussed include:

  • The Parliament and the Budget Process
  • Comparison of legislative oversight mechanism internationally
  • The PAC – AG Relationship
  • Understanding the Relevant Oversight Documents: Annual Reports, Other Financial/ Accountability Statements
  • Evolving Issues for the PAC/ A-G Relationship – Public Procurement (International Good Practice and Procurement Auditing/ Reporting)
  •  Public Procurement – A Regional Snap Shot Focusing on the Relationship between PACs and SAIs
  • Regional Associations of PACs

Post Election Seminars

For the past 15 years the CPA has conducted numerous Post Election Seminars for Parliaments that have either a high number of new Parliamentarians or are entering a new political system or era, or following a period of conflict. This long standing programme introduces Members to different Parliamentary systems and methods of working. These Seminars usually take place after a general election and are delivered by senior or highly experienced Parliamentarians and parliamentary officials from throughout the Commonwealth. The objectives are two-fold, to disseminate good practice in Commonwealth Parliaments as way of providing options for the Parliamentarians concerned; and to promote an understanding of the way parliamentary procedures and practices can embed good governance into a system. Topics discussed include:

  • The Evolution of Parliamentary Democracy and the Constitution of the Country
  • The Role of Parliamentary Committees in Democratic Governance
  • Interpretation and Application of Rules of the House, and Practice and Procedure in the House
  • Institutional aspects of the Parliamentary System including the relationship between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary
  • Parliament, democracy and civil society
  • The Role of Members of Parliament including the Role of the Backbencher
  • Women in Parliament
  • Parliament and Human Rights
  • Parliament and the Media
  • Party Organisation within Parliament
  • Privilege and Members’ Interests
  • Ethics and Accountability of Members of Parliament
  • Administration and Financing of Parliament

Collaborative Workshops and Seminars

Government and Opposition Workshops on Roles, Rights and Responsibilities A series of joint workshops with the Commonwealth Secretariat offered discussions on the role of leadership and the opposition in a democracy. This series has been conducted on a regional basis involving members of political parties and representatives from Civil Society.

Discussions are organised under the following areas:

  • The Challenge of Leadership?
  • How Should Governments Govern?
  • How Should Oppositions Oppose?
  • The Role of Parliament
  • Political Parties and Elections
  • Accountability – Oversight Institutions, the Media and Civil Society
  • The Broader Context – Gender, Human Rights and Conflict Resolution

CPA Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures

In collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank Institute, the CPA Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures programme defines the basic minimum benchmarks of democracy that legislatures could check their own performance against. Regional versions of the CPA Benchmarks were developed by Parliamentarians and Parliamentary Staff in the Pacific Region and the Asia Region.

Benchmarks under the following headings are discussed:

  • Procedure and Sessions, and Committees
  • Political Parties, Party Groups and Cross Party Groups
  • Parliamentary Staff
  • Legislative, Oversight and Representational Function
  • Accessibility, and Ethical Governance