The 2026 Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Africa Region Gender Sensitisation Workshop has taken place from 14 to 16 July 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. Parliamentarians from across the CPA Africa Region were hosted by the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and took part in sessions on the Workshop theme ‘Resilient Women, Inclusive Parliaments: Driving Change for Africa’s Future.’  

Over 100 delegates from 38 Parliaments attended. The Workshop was opened by the Chairperson of the CWP Africa Region, Hon. Ndangiza Madina, MP (Rwanda) and the Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, Hon. Daylin Mitchell, MPP.  

Hon. Ndangiza Madina said: 

“Annual Regional Gender Sensitisation Workshops are more than events on our calendars. They are platforms for solidarity, learning, and action. They strengthen our institutions, deepen our partnerships, and remind us that the pursuit of gender equality is a shared responsibility. If Africa's future is to be inclusive, prosperous, and resilient, then women must not merely participate in shaping that future; they must help to lead it.” 

The CWP International Chairperson, Hon. Catherine Fife, MPP (Ontario), gave a video message to the workshop and said: 

“The women and girls of the Commonwealth have shown time and time again that their collective strength is at the core of our communities. We know that when we ensure women reach their potential, we all gain. We need to protect the integrity of our democracies and balance gender representation in politics is the best way for us to achieve the goal of equality and social justice.” 

Watch her full video message here:

The CWP Africa Workshop provided sessions on a wide range of topics, including integrating gender rights with climate action; equipping women to lead through education and skills; protecting women’s safety and dignity through responsible AI; advancing women’s economic empowerment; and the impact of cultural norms in social change and legal reform.

As well as Parliamentarians, experts from UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health; Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF); Pan African Women Empowerment Summit (PAWES); Africa Liberal Network and Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) attended the Workshop. 

This workshop was supported by the 2026 CWP Gender Strengthening Fund. This is an annual grant made available to each of the CPA’s 180 Branches and nine Regions to advance the CWP’s mission to ‘promote the representation of women in CPA Branches and women's full and equal participation in political and parliamentary leadership at all levels.'

The 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference is due to take place in Cape Town, South Africa in September 2026. Find out more here. 

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The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network was founded in 1989 to increase the number of female elected representatives in 180 Parliaments and Legislatures across the Commonwealth and to ensure that women’s issues are brought to the fore in parliamentary debate and legislation. The network campaigns for gender equality in all spheres. For media enquiries, please contact communications@cpahq.org. 

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is an international community of 180 Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance. Founded in 1911, the CPA brings together Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and implement the enduring values of the Commonwealth. It offers a vast opportunity for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to collaborate on issues of mutual interest and to share good practice.