CPwD Regional Champions
In 2020, the network established its governing committee of nine regional champions. The CPwD Regional Champions have been chosen to represent each of the CPA’s nine Regions and will promote the rights of Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities in their Region and represent disability interests within the CPA.

The current list of CPwD Regional Champions are as follows:

• CPA Africa Region: Hon. Dennitah Ghati, MP, Member of the National Assembly of Kenya
• CPA Asia Region: Hon. Zill-E-Huma, MNA, Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
• CPA Australia Region: Hon. Gareth Ward, MP, Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
• CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region: Hon. Paul Maynard, MP, Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
• CPA Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region: Senator Paul Richards, Member of the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago
• CPA India Region: Smt. Supriya Sule, MP, Member of the Parliament of India
• CPA Pacific Region: Hon. Viam Pillay, MP, Member of the Parliament of Fiji and Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment
• CPA South East Asia Region: Senator Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi, Member of the Senate of Malaysia

Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD)

The Honourable Kevin S. Murphy was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly as MLA for Eastern Shore on October 8 2013 and was re-elected in 2017. Shortly thereafter on October 28, 2013 Kevin was elected the Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.

Kevin is the first Speaker of the House to hail from the riding of the Eastern Shore, and embraces the responsibilities this role requires of him. He is the first Speaker in any Canadian jurisdiction to have a permanent long term physical disability. Kevin is a spinal cord injured quadriplegic as a result of a hockey accident in 1985.

He attended Saint Mary's University where he obtained his Bachelor of Commerce in 1992 and has remained in the community of the Eastern Shore operating several successful small businesses over the past 3 decades. Kevin has also worked for 5 years for the Canadian Paraplegic Association in Nova Scotia as a Peer Counsellor, and 7 years for the Rick Hansen Foundation as a the National Solutions Coordinator.

He is Chair of the Assembly Matters Committee. He is also a member of the House of Assembly Management Commission.

In August 2020, an investment fund was established to improve the physical accessibility of parliaments such as the procurement of assistive technology, or supporting persons with disabilities to seek higher office. This fund will be available for CPA regions to apply for over the course of 2021 and beyond.

Video Series

In December 2019, the CPA Headquarters Secretariat began preparations for a 5-part video series. Advancing the understanding and involvement of persons with disabilities in parliament, the instructional videos explore, how through a parliamentarian’s role, disability perspectives are incorporated into all aspects of policy and legislation; the effective implementation of existing disability laws and policies; and the mainstreaming of disabilities across society. The first two videos in the series were released in September 2020 on the CPA Headquarters Secretariat on legislating and on representation. The remaining videos will be released in early 2021.

Disability Inclusive Communications Guidelines

In September 2020, the network published two new toolkits as part of its Disability Inclusive Communications Guidelines. These toolkits on ‘Facilities of Inclusion’ and ‘Linguistic Principles’ provide guidance to Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures on how to enhance and sensitise their communications with persons with disabilities. The CPA Headquarters Secretariat has conducted research amongst its membership of 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures as well as non-governmental organisations to create these two Disability Inclusive Communications Guidelines for Parliaments. The guidelines provide various examples of best practices that can be adopted by both Parliaments and Parliamentarians in order to continue to ensure that they sensitively address Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff with disabilities.