Delegates elect new Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Chairperson from Ontario, Canada

Women Parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth held their 9th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference in Barbados where they held elections for the Chairperson of the CWP network on 7 October 2025.

Hon. Catherine Fife, MPP (CPA Ontario Branch) was elected as the new Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians network in succession to the outgoing CWP Chairperson, Hon. Dr Zainab Gimba, MP from the House of Representatives at the Federal Parliament of Nigeria during the CWP Conference. It is the first time that a woman from the CPA Canada Region has held the role.

The newly elected Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network, Hon. Catherine Fife pledged to renew the effort to increase women’s representation and political participation in Parliaments across the Commonwealth with a focus on education for all.

She also thanked the CWP membership for electing her to the role and said:

“The world needs more Commonwealth and leadership, and this starts with education. We also need to form more strategic alliances so that we can support each other and not focus on the divisions that we are seeing across the world but on the things that connect us.”

• Hon. Catherine Fife, MPP (CPA Ontario Branch) is a Member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly in Canada, a role she has held for 13 years. She has served in several leadership positions in Parliament, including chairing the Public Accounts Committee, Caucus groups as well as Provincial and national organisations. She is also the Chair of the Ontario Advisory Council on Tariff Response and Economic Security.

The other candidates in the CWP election were:

• Hon. Nontembeko Nothemba Boyce, MPL (CPA KwaZulu-Natal Branch);
• Hon. Kate Doust, MLC (CPA Western Australia Branch); and
• Hon. Fathimath Sauda, MP (CPA Maldives Branch).

The new CWP Chairperson was elected for a three-year term at the CWP Business Meeting. Under CPA election rules only women delegates to the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and CWP Steering Committee Members could take part in the vote to elect a new CWP Chairperson.

The CWP Election process was presided over by the CWP Steering Committee Member for the CPA Pacific Region, Hon. Lenora Qereqeretabua, MP, Deputy Speaker of the Fiji Parliament.

The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg said:

“I congratulate Hon. Dr Zainab Gimba, MP, the outgoing CWP Chairperson for the achievements she has made during her term in office. On behalf of the entire CPA membership, we are grateful for her participation over the past three years. I very much look forward to working with Hon. Catherine Fife, the new CWP Chairperson, during the next three years and wish her all the very best in this important role.”

The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) is the network of women Members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Parliament and Legislatures. The CWP network provides a means of building the capacity of women elected to Parliament to be 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.

The 9th CWP Conference took place as part of the wider 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Barbados.

One of the largest gatherings of Commonwealth Parliamentarians, the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference will bring together over 500 Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and decision makers from across the Commonwealth for this unique conference and networking opportunity.

During the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there will also be a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 41st CPA Small Branches Conference; 9th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference; meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network; the 2025 CPA General Assembly and meetings of the CPA Executive Committee; and the 59th Society of Clerks at the Table (SOCATT) meetings.

During the conference, a number of elections will also take place for the Chairpersons of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) and the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network, the CPA Treasurer and the CPA Vice-Chairperson.

The 3rd Lifaka Lecture will also take place as well as the presentations for the 2025 Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards.

-ENDS-

Further information about the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) can be found at the 68th CPC Hub.

On social media follow the hashtag #68CPC

Images of the 68th CPC are also available at the CPA's Flickr page. 

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) organises its annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) to address global political issues and developments in the parliamentary system through conference workshops and sessions for leading Parliamentarians representing Parliaments and Legislatures throughout the Commonwealth.

The CPA is an international community of almost 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance.

For media enquiries, please contact communications@cpahq.org.