CPA Academy

Blog: How to start a women's parliamentary caucus in 5 stages

Women's parliamentary caucuses help to strengthen the political impact of women in Parliament. Find out how to start one in your Parliament today.
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Blog: The restoration of Big Ben and examining Commonwealth Parliaments’ clock towers

This blog article examines this iconic clock tower and some of the many different clock towers in Parliaments around the Commonwealth.
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Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards 2023

Nominations are open! Submit a nomination today to recognise inspirational Parliamentarians for excelling in their field
Submit your nomination

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
Get Involved and Vacancies

Get Involved and Vacancies

Find out more about how you can get involved in our work

Latest News

CPA Post-Election Seminar: Legislative Assembly of Tonga
News

CPA Post-Election Seminar: Legislative Assembly of Tonga

Members of the Parliaments of Tonga, Tuvalu and Fiji took part in a CPA Post-Election Seminar from 21 – 23 March 2023 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga.

Commonwealth Day 2023
News

Commonwealth Day 2023

CPA celebrates Commonwealth Day 2023 across its 180 Parliaments and Legislatures

Everything you need to know from CWP on International Women's Day 2023
News

Everything you need to know from CWP on International Women's Day 2023

Register for our new online course, watch a message from the CWP Chair and find out how Parliaments are marking #IWD2023

New Handbook for Parliaments in Election Planning
News

New Handbook for Parliaments in Election Planning

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

New Speakers & Presiding Officers course with CPA Parliamentary Academy
News

New Speakers & Presiding Officers course with CPA Parliamentary Academy

New Speakers course provides expertise and professional development for current and prospective Presiding Officers in the Commonwealth

Kenyan Parliamentarians strengthen knowledge of parliamentary procedure with CPA seminar
News

Kenyan Parliamentarians strengthen knowledge of parliamentary procedure with CPA seminar

Post-Election Seminar strengthens knowledge of parliamentary procedure for Members and Senators at the Parliament of Kenya

CPA News

CPA News

Read the latest news about the CPA and its activities
Events

Events

Find out about upcoming events from the CPA

Events

Mid-Year Executive Committee Meeting 2023

Mid-Year Executive Committee Meeting 2023

Gibraltar
CPA Small Branches Workshop: Disaster Risk Management

CPA Small Branches Workshop: Disaster Risk Management

London, UK
66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

Accra, Ghana
67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The Parliamentarian - Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments

Latest Issue:

The Parliamentarian 2023: Issue One: Parliamentary innovation in the Commonwealth :

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 500,000 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.

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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.