67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
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CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures

What are the CPA Benchmarks?

What are the CPA Benchmarks?

Learn more about the CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures.
Origins and Evolution - CPA Benchmarks

Origins and Evolution - CPA Benchmarks

Learn more about the history of the CPA Benchmarks.
Use and Application - CPA Benchmarks

Use and Application - CPA Benchmarks

Learn more about how to use the CPA Benchmarks and why benchmarking is important.
Outcomes - CPA Benchmarks

Outcomes - CPA Benchmarks

Learn more about some of the positive outcomes from the CPA Benchmark Assessments around the Commonwealth.
Benchmark Reports

Benchmark Reports

Find all recent Benchmark Self-Assessment Reports

Building on the Commonwealth Latimer House Principles on the separation of powers, the CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures provide a framework for excellence in Commonwealth parliamentary and legislative practice.

The original CPA Benchmarks published in 2006 comprised of 87 indicators and were drafted by CPA Parliamentarians representing different Commonwealth regions. The CPA Benchmarks were the outcome of a Study Group in late 2006 hosted by the Legislature of Bermuda on behalf of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the World Bank Institute (World Bank Group) with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Parliament and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI).

Reinforcing the belief that effective Parliaments are one of the principal institutions of any functioning democracy, the Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures provide a minimum standard and a guide on how a Parliament should be constituted and how it should function. The CPA Benchmarks are therefore fundamental to the wider values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter, adopted by Commonwealth Heads of Government on 14 December 2012, which expresses the commitment of member states to the development of free and democratic societies.

Emphasising the position of the parliamentary system as a dynamic one, all Legislatures can be sources of valuable innovations regardless of their size or age. Different experiences, approaches and attitudes foster variations in practices and policies which stimulate innovation everywhere. Reflecting new parliamentary developments and practices as well as important international developments such as the implementation of the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The CPA Benchmarks were revised and updated in June 2018 by a second Study Group of CPA Parliamentarians representing different Commonwealth regions, which met at Wilton Park, West Sussex, United Kingdom. These updated CPA Benchmarks will continue to play an important part in developing the effectiveness of parliamentary institutions across the 180 Parliaments and Legislatures of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Key Documents

CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures (2018)

Building on the Commonwealth Latimer House Principles on the separation of powers, the CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures provide a framework for excellence in Commonwealth parliamentary and legislative practice.

Field Guide: CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures (2018)

The Field Guide is a useful resource to support legislatures to conduct their own internal self-assessment against the CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures. 

Since the updating of the CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures in 2018, 32 of the 180 Commonwealth Legislatures which make up the CPA have undertaken self-assessments. 

These include the following: Anguilla, Australian Capital Territory, Belize, Botswana, Cayman Islands, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Isle of Man, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malawi, Maldives, Montserrat, Namibia, Pakistan, Samoa, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St Lucia, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, Tanzania, Tonga, Uganda, Queensland and Western Cape. 

2023 Evaluation of the CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures Programme 2018-2022

Latest Issue:

2023 Evaluation of the CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures Programme 2018-2022:

In 2023, the CPA commissioned a review of its recent Benchmarks programme of work. The report presents the findings of the review and includes recommendations for future work.

Latest News and Stories on the Benchmarks

Parliament of Eswatini undertakes CPA Benchmarks Self-Assessment
News

Parliament of Eswatini undertakes CPA Benchmarks Self-Assessment

The Parliament of Eswatini undertook a CPA Benchmarks Self-Assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening and reform.

CPA delegation met with the Parliament of Niue as part of a CPA Benchmarks self-assessment
News

CPA delegation met with the Parliament of Niue as part of a CPA Benchmarks self-assessment

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

Montserrat Legislature endorses new Privileges Bill for Members
News

Montserrat Legislature endorses new Privileges Bill for Members

The new regulations resulted from the CPA's Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures report.

Parliament of St Kitts and Nevis undertakes CPA Benchmarks self-assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening and reform
News

Parliament of St Kitts and Nevis undertakes CPA Benchmarks self-assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening and reform

A CPA delegation visited the National Assembly from 20 to 24 May 2024 to support the self-assessment process.

Parliament of Cayman Islands publishes CPA Benchmarks self-assessment report on parliamentary strengthening
News

Parliament of Cayman Islands publishes CPA Benchmarks self-assessment report on parliamentary strengthening

The final CPA Benchmarks report provides recommendations for strengthening the Parliamentary institutions in the Cayman Islands.

CPA launches updated Codes of Conduct for MPs and the Parliamentary Workplace
News

CPA launches updated Codes of Conduct for MPs and the Parliamentary Workplace

Updated ‘Standards for Codes of Conduct for MPs and the Parliamentary Workplace’ launched by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

Pacific nation of Samoa promotes parliamentary reform through CPA Benchmarks self-assessment
News

Pacific nation of Samoa promotes parliamentary reform through CPA Benchmarks self-assessment

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

CPA delegation met with the Parliament of Lesotho as part of a CPA Benchmarks self-assessment
News

CPA delegation met with the Parliament of Lesotho as part of a CPA Benchmarks self-assessment

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

Parliament of Kiribati undertakes CPA Democratic Benchmarks assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening
News

Parliament of Kiribati undertakes CPA Democratic Benchmarks assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening

A CPA delegation from CPA Australia Region visited Kiribati from 19 to 22 February 2024 to support the Parliament's self-assessment against the CPA Benchmarks.

Parliament of Maldives undertakes CPA Benchmarks self-assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening and reform
News

Parliament of Maldives undertakes CPA Benchmarks self-assessment to focus on parliamentary strengthening and reform

A CPA delegation visited the Parliament from 12 to 16 February 2024 to support the self-assessment process.