CPA Parliamentary Academy

Conference: AI, Disinformation and Parliament

Join our online conference on 'Ensuring the Integrity of our Digital Democracy' from 4 - 6 December 2023.
Register for the Conference
A smiling man wearing a hat moves through the corridors of the Scottish Parliament on his mobility scooter.

How to host a disability outreach event in Parliament

Jeremy Balfour MSP shares his experience of convening the Scottish Parliament’s inaugural Disability Summit.
Read the blog

Handbook: International Humanitarian Law

Download our handbook on how Parliamentarians can promote International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and ensure its effective implementation.
Download the handbook

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
About Us

About Us

Learn more about the people in our organisation, how we're governed and our history
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
Calendar of Activities

Calendar of Activities

See what events are coming up in the CPA calendar

Latest News

Botswana undertakes first ever joint CPA Benchmarks and Gender Sensitive Parliament (GSP) self-assessment
News

Botswana undertakes first ever joint CPA Benchmarks and Gender Sensitive Parliament (GSP) self-assessment

A delegation from the CPA Headquarters visited Gaborone from 20 to 24 November to support the first ever joint self-assessment undertaken by a Parliament.

Tonga's Legislative Assembly begins CPA Benchmarks self-assessment
News

Tonga's Legislative Assembly begins CPA Benchmarks self-assessment

The self-assessment process will identify recommendations for reform to strengthen parliamentary institutions in Tonga.

Parliamentary officials’ training builds capacity for CPA engagement in Africa Region
News

Parliamentary officials’ training builds capacity for CPA engagement in Africa Region

A group of CPA Branch Desk officers, parliamentary staff and Regional Secretariat team members attended the CPA Africa Region Capacity Building Workshop in Arusha, Tanzania.

CPA Benchmarks provide a framework for excellence in Commonwealth Parliaments
News

CPA Benchmarks provide a framework for excellence in Commonwealth Parliaments

Parliament of Fiji undertakes CPA Benchmarks assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening and reform

Youth engagement on the agenda at 40th CPA Australia and Pacific Regional Conference in Queensland
News

Youth engagement on the agenda at 40th CPA Australia and Pacific Regional Conference in Queensland

Focus on representation for the future and youth engagement at 40th CPA Australia and Pacific Regional Conference in Queensland

CPA and Parliament of Malawi sign Memorandum of Understanding
News

CPA and Parliament of Malawi sign Memorandum of Understanding

The new collaboration will give the CPA the opportunity to provide learning and development for upskilling the institution and its Members in several areas, including budgetary scrutiny and oversight, public engagement, and post-legislative scrutiny.

The Parliamentarian - Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments

Latest Issue:

The Parliamentarian: 2023 Issue Four: Separation of powers: 20 years of the Commonwealth Latimer House Principles:

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

Youth Engagement

Young people are of great importance to the future of the world. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Commonwealth where they form approximately 30% of the population - a demographic of over one billion people. As such, the CPA believes passionately in engaging with young people to ensure they are effective future leaders.

Learn more

Our latest resources

Handbook for Parliaments in Election Planning

This new CPA 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.