Category: Berita CPA

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hosts its first CPA Parliamentary Academy residency programme in New South Wales

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The first CPA Parliamentary Academy residency programme has been held in Australia for 31 Commonwealth Parliamentarians. The CPA programme examined how MPs can be better performing legislators and scrutineers and provided an extension of the CPA Parliamentary Academy, the CPA’s portfolio of online courses specifically for Parliamentarians and parliamentary officials.

The inaugural CPA Advanced Parliamentary Development Residency Programme was hosted by the Parliament of New South Wales from 22 to 26 May 2022 and attended by MPs from a wide range of Commonwealth jurisdictions including Anguilla; Australian Capital Territory; Bangladesh; Belize; New South Wales; Niue; Pakistan; Saint Lucia; Selangor (Malaysia); Sri Lanka; Tanzania; Queensland; Western Australia; and Western Cape (South Africa).

Participants were mentored throughout the programme by current and alumni Parliamentarians and Clerks from across the CPA Australia Region including:

• From New South Wales, the current Deputy Speaker, Hon. Leslie Williams MP; former Member and CPA Vice-Chairperson, Hon. John Ajaka; and former Clerk, Mr Russell Grove.
• From Western Australia, current Member, Hon. Kate Doust MLC.
• From the Australia Federal Parliament, former Member, Hon. Kevin Andrews.

The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg spoke at the opening and said:

“This residency programme is an initiative of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, an organisation created to foster deeper connections between Commonwealth Parliaments as well as to create opportunities for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to share knowledge.”

The residency programme in New South Wales began with a traditional ‘Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony’ performed by Marrawarra and Barkindji man, Brendan Kerin, from the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council.

The CPA Parliamentary Academy will be expanding further in 2022 with new online courses aimed specifically at Speakers and Presiding Officers and Members of the CPA’s various networks including courses on climate change in small jurisdictions; developing effective women’s parliamentary caucuses; accessibility of Commonwealth Parliaments to Persons with Disabilities; and Parliaments’ role in the Sustainable Development Goals. A second Residency programme will also be held later this year.

For further information about the CPA Parliamentary Academy courses please email hq.sec@cpahq.org.

Source: https://www.cpahq.org/news/2022_05-parl-acad-residency-nsw/

2022 Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards

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Dear Officers and Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well.

In accordance with the approval and recommendations of the CPA International Executive Committee, the CPA Headquarters Secretariat is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the inaugural Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. Inn recognition of this fact, please find attached an Invitation Letter welcoming nominations to these awards and an Information Booklet providing further details on this initiative. We would welcome your assistance in ensuring these documents reach as wide an audience as possible and many thanks in advance.

Our offices kindly invite Branches and Regions to provide their respective nominations through the official form available on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s website, at the following address: https://www.cpahq.org/forms/cpa-commonwealth-parliamentarian-of-the-year-award-2022/, no later than Thursday 23 June 2022. As this was the deadline approved by the CPA Executive Committee and is tied to the start of the forthcoming 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, nominations received after this deadline will not be considered and we encourage the provision of nominations at the earliest opportunity. When completing the online form, please also ensure that you select the correct award category in the Award Type field.

Please also kindly take note of the various nomination criteria outlined in the Branch Information Booklet before making nominations, as all nominations will be considered against this criteria before being accepted, and please also kindly note that self-nominations are not permitted and will not be considered.

Should you have any questions or points of clarification regarding the attached or the Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards more generally, please do not hesitate to advise accordingly and our sincerest thanks again for your kind consideration and cooperation.

Best wishes,
James Pinnell
Deputy Head of Programmes – Multilateral Engagements
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)

T: +44 (0)20 7227 1682 (direct)
T: +44 (0)20 7799 1460 (CPA switchboard)
E: james.pinnell@cpahq.org

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Diversity in Parliament: CPA launches case study compilation on Parliamentary Workplace Equality & Diversity Networks

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The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has launched Parliamentary Workplace Equality & Diversity Networks: Case Studies from the Commonwealth, a new publication that introduces Workplace Equality & Diversity Networks (WEDNs) and offers examples of their use in different Parliaments across the Commonwealth.

WEDNs provide a forum for employees of Parliaments to discuss, consider and promote vital equality rights-related issues. These issues include disability, race, gender, sexuality and age, amongst others. WEDNs can be an effective mechanism for Parliaments to champion a plurality of voices in decision-making within the institution and promote a sense of belonging amongst Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff.

The case study compilation features 13 Commonwealth Parliaments* and showcases how WEDNs are used to encourage diversity and inclusion within these institutions. It also explains how WEDNs, or related initiatives, can be launched in small Parliaments, with case studies from jurisdictions of all sizes. It will be an invaluable tool in supporting Parliaments to develop new, or improving existing, WEDNs.

Blog: WEDNs in the UK Parliament

 

Irving Anderson, a member of parliamentary staff at the UK Parliament, writes about how the introduction of Workplace Equality Networks has helped to create a diverse and inclusive workplace for all.

Read the blog ->

 

Writing in the foreword, Hon. Solomon Tsenoli, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, stated that,

“It is important that Parliaments are environments that facilitate genuine equality, and ought to be exemplary institutions leading the way towards ever greater diversity and inclusivity. Without appropriate steps taken by Parliaments to resolve disparities in equity amongst Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, they cannot be considered truly representative.”

The publication was compiled from responses that Commonwealth Parliaments provided to a request for information from the CPA’s Commonwealth Parliamentary Research Service. This service, available to CPA Members and partners, undertakes comparative research on Commonwealth Parliaments and encourages the sharing of best practice.

The case study compilation has been produced in line with the CPA’s commitment to the Commonwealth Charter, particularly Article IV on Tolerance, Respect and Understanding. The publication also goes towards the CPA’s contribution to the pursuit of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, particularly Indicator 16.7 on ensuring “responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

The case study compilation is available to download below. If you are interested in establishing or improving WEDNs in your Parliament, or you have any further questions regarding the publication, please contact Clive Barker, Programmes Manager at clive.barker@cpahq.org.

* The full list of featured Parliaments includes: Parliament of Australia, Parliament of Fiji, States Assembly of Jersey, Parliament of Mozambique, Parliament of New South Wales, New Zealand Parliament, Parliament of Pakistan, The Scottish Parliament, Parliament of South Africa, UK Parliament, Parliament of Victoria, Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament, Western Cape Provincial Parliament.

-ENDS-

Source: https://www.cpahq.org/news/2022_03-wedns-in-parliament/

Invitation to Commonwealth MPs and parliamentary staff to attend global parliamentary exchange on International Day of Education (24 January)

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Each year, on 24 January, citizens across the world mark International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. To mark International Day of Education 2022, the International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd) is convening a global parliamentary exchange on transforming education systems to recover from the impact of COVID-19.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is sharing the invitation to join this event with CPA Members. Please do share this email with your Members of Parliament and relevant parliamentary staff. This event will bring together Commonwealth and international parliamentary champions for education. Full details of the event, including information on how to register, are available below.

This event will be an opportunity for parliamentary champions for education to share their experiences with fellow Parliamentarians from around the world. In addition to an opening address, some of the roundtable will take place in small groups to encourage discussion between parliamentary colleagues and the expert speakers.

Tackling the global learning crisis: A pathway to recovery

An online global parliamentary exchange

Date: Monday 24 January 2022

Time: 14.00 – 15.00 UTC

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwufuqtrDwjGda30fFDY_DWuwA7pbnfy8Do

The panel will feature guest speakers from Human Capital Africa, UNICEF and the Pratham Education Foundation, India and will be co-chaired by Anita Vandenbeld MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Development in the Canadian Parliament and IPNEd Founding Member, and Hon. Florence Mutua MP, Chair of the Committee on Education and Research in the Kenyan National Assembly and IPNEd Regional Representative for Africa.

Please note: This event is being hosted by IPNEd, with promotional support from the CPA. If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact the IPNEd Secretariat at info@ipned.org. The meeting will be conducted in English, with simultaneous translation to French and Spanish.

– ENDS –
 
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)

CPA Headquarters Secretariat
Richmond House
Room 103/104
Houses of Parliament 
London SW1A 0AA
United Kingdom
 
T: +44 (0)20 7799 1460 (CPA switchboard)
E: hq.sec@cpahq.org
 
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New book explores Parliament buildings of the Commonwealth to mark the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s 110th anniversary

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To mark the conclusion of the 110th anniversary of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association this year, the CPA has published a special anniversary book showcasing over 180 Parliament buildings around the Commonwealth and giving an insight into their varied histories.

The book features a special message from the CPA’s Patron, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, who congratulated the Association on its anniversary year. The Queen has visited almost every Parliament building in the Commonwealth during her long reign.

Please click here or on the image above to see preview/sample pages of the book.

The CPA was founded on 18 July 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association by Members of Parliament from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Newfoundland and South Africa. 110 years later, the membership of the CPA, which succeeded the Empire Parliamentary Association in October 1948, has grown to more than 180 Parliaments and Legislatures across the 54 countries of the ‘modern’ Commonwealth. Physically, in their composition and in the way they operate, the Parliaments of today are virtually unrecognisable from the Parliaments of 1911.

This commemorative book features more than 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures at national, state, provincial and territorial level amongst the CPA’s membership and includes information about each Parliament, as well as over 350 photographs of their buildings and chambers.

The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg said:

“Over the decades, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has experienced a transformation in our membership to a more diverse composition which better reflects the people that we aim to represent. During this time, the Parliament buildings of the Commonwealth have adapted to meet the requirements of the modern world, while, at the same time, maintaining heritage buildings and Parliamentary Chambers. This special 110th anniversary book showcases their remarkable histories.”

All of the 180 Parliaments and Legislatures in the CPA’s membership will be sent a copy of the book for their Parliamentary libraries. Copies will also be available to purchase from the CPA Headquarters Secretariat.

Parliament Buildings of the Commonwealth | Published by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, 2021 | ISBN: 978-1-3999-0968-6 | Price: £25 plus postage (£5 UK/£15 international postage)

To view preview/sample pages of the book please click here or view on ISSUU.

The book is available for pre-order for delivery in January 2022. To purchase a copy of the book please email hq.sec@cpahq.org for payment details. 

-ENDS-

Source: https://www.cpahq.org/news/2021_11-110th-anniv-book/

Commonwealth Parliamentarians and human rights leaders join workshop to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities

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The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (CFNHRI) co-hosted a virtual workshop on protecting and promoting disability rights to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2021.

The workshop, titled ‘How NHRIs and Parliaments can protect and promote disability rights,’ took place on 2 December 2021 and brought together Commonwealth Parliamentarians, national human rights commissioners, civil society leaders and activists. The focus of discussion was the many opportunities for collaboration between Parliaments and national human rights institutions in the effort to defend disability rights, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Above: Senator Floyd Morris (Jamaica, right) opens the workshop, accompanied by an American Sign Language interpreter.

The CPA works though its Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network to encourage Commonwealth Parliaments and Parliamentarians to enable effective and full participation of persons with disabilities at all levels. The CFNHRI is a member-led network of human rights institutions, ombudsmen, and public defenders. It is working towards a Commonwealth where human rights are respected, protected and enjoyed.

The CPwD Chairperson, Hon. Dennitah Ghati, HSC MP (Kenya), in her opening remarks at the workshop, said:

“Members of Parliament have a responsibility to ensure that draft legislation is in conformity with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We have a responsibility to work with National Human Rights Institutions to ensure government decisions comply with international human rights treaties. And we must liaise with civil society organisations to implement relevant laws and legislation to protect disability rights.”

The joint workshop is one of several CPA activities marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The latest edition of The Parliamentarian, the CPA’s Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments, is also dedicated to persons with disabilities. The theme for the edition is ‘the challenges and barriers facing people with disabilities in the Commonwealth.’ It will be launched next week to continue the momentum of discussion and activism on disability issues.

A range of articles will consider the role that Commonwealth Parliaments can play in advancing and supporting people with disabilities. Contributors include Parliamentarians from Kenya, Fiji, Jamaica, Pakistan, Nigeria and Scotland, plus international experts from Microsoft, the Global Disability Hub and the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum. To receive the digital edition of The Parliamentarian straight to your inbox, sign up to our mailing list.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is marked every year on 3 December. It was established by the United Nations in 1992 to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Source: https://www.cpahq.org/news/2021_12-international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities/

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association agrees new cooperation on parliamentary strengthening, human rights, climate change and gender equality with Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean

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At a special ceremony on Thursday 18 November 2021, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM).

The new collaboration will bring the two organisations together to share expertise in several areas including parliamentary strengthening, sustainable economic development, the protection of human rights, addressing climate change, gender equality, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and parliamentary diplomacy for peace and security.

The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg (right) and the PAM President, Hon. Gennaro Migliore MP (left) sign the MoU between the two organisations watched by the PAM Secretary-General, Ambassador Sergio Piazzi (back right). For further images please click here.

The PAM is an international parliamentary organisation, and a Permanent Observer at the United Nations General Assembly, which brings together 34 Member Parliaments from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions. Two of its Member Parliaments – Cyprus and Malta – are also Members of the CPA. The CPA is an international community of 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures at national, state, provincial and territorial level who working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance.

Through this new collaboration, the two organisations will bring together their Members to engage in productive discussions, share legislative experience, and work towards constructive approaches to achieving political consensus.

The signing of the MoU took place at the 43rd PAM Bureau meeting hosted by the PAM President, Hon. Gennaro Migliore MP (Italy) and the PAM Executive Body, composed of senior MPs from Italy, France, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Portugal, Algeria and Morocco as well as the PAM Secretary-General, Ambassador Sergio Piazzi.

The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg signed the MoU with PAM on behalf of the Association and said:

“One of the CPA’s strategic priorities is to increase its work with international partners and so I am delighted to sign this new MoU with PAM to cooperate on important areas, including human rights, good governance and the Sustainable Development Goals. There are many areas of shared importance between our two organisations and our Members will benefit from these new partnerships.”

The PAM President, Hon. Gennaro Migliore MP (Italy), said:

“We are really impressed by the wide scope of the CPA network as it links over 180 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments and Legislatures, divided up between the nine geographic regions of the Commonwealth. Therefore, we truly believe that our cooperation will lead to a very interesting and unique policy exchange. I am also confident that this agreement will allow for both parties to actively participate in each other’s activities, thereby increasing the valuable exchange of practices.”

Several other MoU signatories with PAM took place during the same ceremony including the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, UNITE, University Parthenope and Vittorio Occorsio Foundation.

 

Commonwealth Parliamentarians convene in Nigeria to discuss COVID-19 challenges at CPA Africa Regional Conference

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From 9 – 13 November 2021, Commonwealth Parliamentarians from across Africa met in Abuja, Nigeria to attend the 51st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Regional Conference on the theme of ‘African Parliaments and the Challenge of the COVID-19 Pandemic.’ The main programme included workshops examining COVID-19 challenges through a range of thematic lenses, including gender, youth and sustainable development.

Above: His Excellency Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, speaks at the opening ceremony

At the official opening ceremony, the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Prof Yemi Osinbajo, delivered the keynote address stressing the importance of the institution of Parliament in promoting democracy and fostering economic development. He also called on international leaders to put in place appropriate transitional climate change arrangements for Africa, saying:

‘the international community must meet its pledges to Africa and the developing world in terms of financing and technology, to support mitigation and adaptation to climate change’.

In his welcome address, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria and President-designate of the CPA Africa Region, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, appealed for full integration in Africa, taking advantage of the available regional legislative instruments to have a common passport, market and a single customs and monetary union. Hon. Christopher Kalila, MP (Zambia) addressed delegates on behalf of the CPA Africa Region Executive Committee, whilst Hon. Dr Zainab Gimba, MNA (Nigeria), as Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Africa Regional Chairperson, called for greater focus on gender inclusion and women’s participation in political, social, economic and development processes.

The Acting CPA International Chairperson, Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP (United Kingdom) attended the Regional Conference in person as part of a CPA Secretariat delegation, alongside the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg and CPA Deputy Secretary-General, Jarvis Matiya. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Acting CPA Chairperson reiterated the CPA’s commitment to continue pushing for a change in the legal status of the CPA, whilst the CPA Secretary-General took the opportunity to welcome back several Nigerian sub-national Legislatures that have recently been re-admitted to the CPA’s membership.

Source: https://www.cpahq.org/news/2021_11-africa-regional-conference/

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians contributes to key discussions at the 2021 Reykjavík Global Forum

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The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network has continued its association with the Reykjavik Global Forum – Women Leaders, through its attendance and contributions at the 2021 programme, which took place from 9-10 November 2021 in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Co-hosted by Women Political Leaders (WPL), the Government of Iceland and the Parliament of Iceland, the Forum brought together women leaders from the political, private and non-governmental sectors to discuss pressing issues including women’s political and economic empowerment, women’s healthcare, reducing the gender pay gap, the ongoing climate crisis, and women’s entrepreneurship.

The Global Forum also provided the opportunity for participants to hear about ongoing global perceptions about women in leadership and concerning data trends showing a lack of support for women in positions of leadership in younger demographics.

 

Above: Hon. Samantha Sacramento MP (left), Chair of the CWP British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR), with Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland

During the Forum, the CWP Chairperson, Hon. Shandana Gulzar Khan MNA, spoke at a virtual ‘LeadersTalk’ on ‘Healthy Women, Healthy Economies: Policy Innovations and Solutions’, co-hosted by Merck KGaA. Moderated by the writer and broadcaster, Vickie Remoe, the hybrid panel discussion also featured another Commonwealth Parliamentarian, Canadian Senator Kim Pate.

At the session, panellists from the public and private sectors, global institutions and academia shared transformative policy innovations and solutions for building more equitable health systems and societies. The discussion focussed on the need to ensure a more equitable distribution of unpaid health work and caregiving and examined the lessons to be learnt from COVID-19 in the post-pandemic re-building process.

The CWP network was represented at the event by Hon. Samantha Sacramento MP, Chair of the CWP British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) and Minister for the Health Authority, Justice, Multiculturalism, Equality and Community Affairs in the Government of Gibraltar.

The Reykjavik Global Forum was established as an annual event in 2018 by Women Political Leaders and the Government and Parliament of Iceland, after the success of the 2017 Women Political Leaders Forum. Women Political Leaders is an independent, international, post-partisan and not-for-profit foundation based in Reykjavik, Iceland, which seeks to increase the number and influence of women in political leadership positions by optimising the power of communication and connection to build new communities of knowledge for women political leaders and by convening women political leaders who have the drive and the influence to create positive change.

CPwD network reaffirms its priority of promoting disability inclusion in Parliaments as it releases its new three-year strategic plan

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The Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network has officially published the CPwD Strategic Plan 2021-2024, setting out its core priorities for the next three years. The network will encourage both Parliamentarians with disabilities, and Legislatures, to advance issues around disability inclusion and to advocate for greater representation of persons with disabilities in Parliaments across the Commonwealth.

The CPwD network was founded in 2018 to support elected representatives with disabilities in Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures. It also works to ensure that issues related to and raised by persons with disabilities (PWDs) are brought to the fore in parliamentary debate and mainstreamed across the legislative, oversight, and representative functions of Parliament. The network campaigns for equality for PWDs in all spheres.

The CPwD Chairperson, Hon. Dennitah Ghati MP (Kenya), said:

“I encourage all Parliamentarians across the CPwD’s membership, Branches and Regions of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to actively utilise and take ownership of this new Strategic Plan 2021-2024. Its success will be determined by our collective dedication to its implementation. I look forward to working with all Parliamentarians to successfully fulfil this Plan.”

With the intention of progressing the work accomplished in the network’s previous activities, overseen by the CPwD’s preceding Chairperson, Kevin Murphy (Nova Scotia), this Strategic Plan 2021-2024 further refines the Network’s focus by streamlining its outputs and priorities. Developed following a series of consultations with the nine Regional Champions of the Network, this new strategy will focus on addressing the following areas of concerns and key priorities:

  • Leadership positions for Parliamentarians with disabilities
  • Sensitising Parliaments to the needs and rights of persons with disabilities
  • Methods for the implementation of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg, welcomed the launch of the CPwD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 and stated:

“Diversity is a huge strength of the Commonwealth which the CPA reflects in our important networks like CPwD. The new CPwD Strategic Plan outlines our commitment to mainstreaming disability issues in our work and supporting Parliaments to be more inclusive.”

 

Accessing the CPwD Strategic Plan 2021 – 2024

The CPwD Strategic Plan 2021 – 2024, and a plain-text, accessible PDF version of the Plan, are both available to download below. We have also published a plain-text web version of the Plan, designed for use with text-to-speech tools. To read the plain-text web version, click here.

If you have any difficulties accessing the Plan, please contact Clive Barker, Programmes Officer at clive.barker@cpahq.org.

Source: https://www.cpahq.org/news/2021_9-cpwd-strategic-plan/