CPA Online Community Platform

Nominations are open for the 2025 Parliamentarian of the Year Awards

Submit your nominations before 7 August for outstanding Parliamentarians, and find out more at our Parliamentarian of the Year Awards hub.
Find out more

New Podcast with UK MP Dame Emily Thornberry

Discussing global politics, barriers for women in political life and the role of the ‘modern’ Commonwealth
Listen to the Podcast

CPA blog: Republics in the Commonwealth hiding under the Crown? A historical perspective

This blog by SOAS Lecturer Dr Manjeet Ramgotra looks at the history and future of republicanism in the Commonwealth, from the Indian Republic to Barbados.
Read the blog

Professional Development: The CPA Parliamentary Academy

Access our online courses on parliamentary processes, with free and paid options available.
Register for the Academy

Directory: Our Branches

The CPA is made up of 180 Parliaments and Legislatures across the Commonwealth. Browse our directory to find out more about each CPA Branch.
CPA Branches A to Z
What We Do

What We Do

Find out more about our projects, programmes, outputs and activities
Where We Work

Where We Work

Find out more about the CPA's Regions and Branches
Knowledge Centre

Knowledge Centre

Discover CPA resources from our library, blog, podcast and research service
Blogs

Blogs

Find policy case studies, resource collections, interviews and personal reflections from Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff across the Commonwealth
CPA News

CPA News

Read the latest news about the CPA and its activities
Events

Events

Find out about upcoming events from the CPA

Latest News

Women Parliamentarians meet in Rwanda to champion gender equality
News

Women Parliamentarians meet in Rwanda to champion gender equality

The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Africa Regional Gender Sensitisation Workshop was held at the Parliament of Rwanda from 19 to 23 May 2025

4th COTSC held in UK for discussion on parliamentary democracy and Artificial Intelligence
News

4th COTSC held in UK for discussion on parliamentary democracy and Artificial Intelligence

Commonwealth Speakers from UK and Overseas Territories meet in London for discussions on technology and parliamentary democracy

Tobago House of Assembly undertakes CPA Recommended Benchmarks Self-Assessment
News

Tobago House of Assembly undertakes CPA Recommended Benchmarks Self-Assessment

Tobago House of Assembly undertakes CPA Democratic Benchmarks Self-Assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening and reform.

Speakers and Members meet for CPA Executive Committee in London, UK
News

Speakers and Members meet for CPA Executive Committee in London, UK

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Executive Committee hold Mid-Year meetings in London to address key governance issues

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians convene in The Bahamas for CWP Workshop
News

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians convene in The Bahamas for CWP Workshop

The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Network convened in Nassau, The Bahamas for a four-day workshop under the theme “Parliamentarians as Drivers of Women’s Economic Empowerment.”

News from the CPA and Commonwealth Parliaments (April 2025)
News

News from the CPA and Commonwealth Parliaments (April 2025)

Our monthly round-up of the latest news, events and activities with the CPA and in Parliaments and Legislatures around the Commonwealth

Upcoming Events

54th CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference

54th CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference

Cardiff, Wales
International Day of Parliamentarism / World Parliament Day 2025

International Day of Parliamentarism / World Parliament Day 2025

International
Online Workshop on The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Online Workshop on The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

CPA Parliamentary Academy: Advanced Residency for Leadership in Parliament for Clerks & Officials

CPA Parliamentary Academy: Advanced Residency for Leadership in Parliament for Clerks & Officials

Wellington, New Zealand
61st CPA Canada Regional Conference

61st CPA Canada Regional Conference

Québec City, Québec, Canada
54th CPA Africa Regional Conference
(c) Matthew Salik

54th CPA Africa Regional Conference

Banjul, The Gambia

The Parliamentarian - Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments

Latest Issue:

The Parliamentarian: 2025 Issue One – Women Speakers: Leading Roles:

The Parliamentarian is the quarterly Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments published by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and features articles, news and legislative reports written by Members of Parliament, parliamentary staff and international experts across the Commonwealth about a wide range of global issues.

Find out about the publication here, or to read this issue on ISSUU, our online reading platform, click here ->

CPA Small Branches

Established in 1981, the network represents Commonwealth jurisdictions with populations under 1,000,000 and operates within the framework of the CPA. The CPA Small Branches network seeks to "empower small parliaments to overcome national and global challenges through cooperation, advocacy and the strengthening of parliamentary democracy and good governance"

Learn more

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP)

The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) was founded in 1989 to increase the number of female elected representatives in Parliaments and legislatures across the Commonwealth and to ensure that women’s issues are brought to the fore in parliamentary debate and legislation.The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network provides a means of building the capacity of women elected to parliament to be more effective in their roles; improving the awareness and ability of all Parliamentarians, male and female, and encouraging them to include a gender perspective in all aspects of their role - legislation, oversight and representation and helping parliaments to become gender-sensitive institutions. 

Learn more

Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD)

Recognising the need to increase representation of persons with disabilities in political institutions, the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network has been established to facilitate activities and programmes to champion and increase representation of persons with disabilities in Commonwealth parliaments and to work towards the mainstreaming of disability considerations in all CPA activities and programmes.

Learn more

Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

The CPA's annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) brings together Parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth to discuss global political issues.

Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

Our latest resources

Standards for Codes of Conduct for MPs and the Parliamentary Workplace

As a result of extensive research and consultation with Parliaments across the world, the ‘Standards for Codes of Conduct for Members of Parliament and the Parliamentary Workplace’ provides guidance for Parliaments and Legislatures. With the need for continuous improvement and tackling the additional challenges of harassment, bullying and abuse in the workplace as well as the challenges of new technology and online harms, the CPA Secretariat worked with Deakin University to develop an updated set of Standards for Codes of Conduct.

Front cover of the Parliamentary Handbook on Disinformation, AI and Synthetic Media
Parliamentary Handbook on Disinformation, AI and Synthetic Media

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of disinformation, including its different forms and the various techniques used to spread it. It also covers the basics of AI and synthetic media, including their potential applications and implications for democracy, within and beyond the electoral cycle. You can also view the handbook on our ISSUU platform click here >

Handbook for Parliaments in Election Planning

This new Handbook for Parliaments in Election Planning is designed to assist Legislatures in planning for an election and the influx of Members of Parliament that follows with examples of best practice from across the Commonwealth.

CWP Gender-Sensitising Parliaments: A Seven-Step Field Guide

This Field Guide complements the 'CWP Gender Sensitising Parliaments Guidelines', providing a blueprint for Parliaments interested in undertaking a gender sensitive review and making their institution more inclusive and representative.

Mental Health Toolkit for Commonwealth Parliaments

This toolkit provides guidance, advice and education on how to protect and promote the mental health and well-being of Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff.

Engagement, Education and Outreach Handbook for Commonwealth Parliaments

This Handbook provides guidance to Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures on how to increase public engagement and outreach, to ensure the public get a greater say in how they are governed.