Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians

Register for this week | Joint seminar on Empowering Young Women in Politics

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association will co-host a hybrid Rule of Law Seminar focused on advancing the participation of young women in politics in member countries.

The seminar will bring together Parliamentarians, experts and emerging leaders to share experiences, discuss challenges and identify practical ways to increase women’s participation in political and parliamentary processes.

Panellists will include:
- Professor Sarah Childs is Chair of Politics and Gender at the University of Edinburgh and leading gender expert.
- Hon. Tanya August-Phillips, MLC is a Member of the Isle of Man Parliament (Tynwald Info) and the inaugural winner of the CPA New Parliamentarian Award.
- Councillor Cylcia Manwa is an elected politician serving in Thurrock Council in Essex, one of the youngest councillors in the United Kingdom.
- Ms Adriana Quiñones is the Chief of the Human Rights and non-discrimination section at UN Women and the Deputy Head of UN Women Geneva Office.

Discussions will highlight proven approaches that have helped break down structural and cultural barriers to women’s political participation. Participants will also explore how these approaches can be adapted and scaled in different country contexts to support more young women to enter and lead in politics.

Date: 13 May 2026
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (UTC+1)
Location: Hybrid - in person at Marlborough House, London, UK and online

Find out more and register to attend in person or online ⬇
https://www.cpahq.org/events/joint-seminar-on-empowering-young-women-in-politics/

CPA BLOG: Democracy Under Pressure: The Backlash Against Women in Politics

Following discussions at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations earlier this year, this blog by the CPA’s Gender Lead Bénite Dibateza looks at how authoritarian populism has contributed to democratic backsliding, with a renewed backlash against and increasing violence against women in politics.

Read online ⬇
https://www.cpahq.org/knowledge-centre/blogs/2026-csw-blog-gender-backlash/

Image credit: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Register | Joint seminar on Empowering Young Women in Politics

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Secretariat will co-host a hybrid Rule of Law Seminar focused on advancing the participation of young women in politics in member countries.

The seminar will bring together Parliamentarians, experts and emerging leaders to share experiences, discuss challenges and identify practical ways to increase women’s participation in political and parliamentary processes.

Discussions will highlight proven approaches that have helped break down structural and cultural barriers to women’s political participation. Participants will also explore how these approaches can be adapted and scaled in different country contexts to support more young women to enter and lead in politics.

Date: 13 May 2026
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (GMT+1)
Location: Hybrid - in person at Marlborough House, London, UK and online

Find out more and register ⬇
https://www.cpahq.org/events/joint-seminar-on-empowering-young-women-in-politics/

In recognition of the centenary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II on 21 April, we are re-sharing our special supplement of the CPA's Journal, The Parliamentarian, which brought together Parliamentary tributes to the former CPA Patron.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was the Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and visited almost every Parliament in the Commonwealth during her long reign.

The special supplement featured some of the many parliamentary tributes from across the Commonwealth as well as reflections on her life and legacy as Head of the Commonwealth.

To read this special supplement on our online reading platform ⬇
https://issuu.com/theparliamentarian/docs/patron_supplement_final_online_single

The Royal Family Royal Commonwealth Society The Commonwealth

Find highlights from International Women's Day Events across the Commonwealth, including the launch of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands CWP Group and the States Assembly - Jersey’s elected parliament Women's Parliamentary Caucus.

Find out more about events from the National Assembly of Zambia, New Zealand Parliament, Tynwald Info, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PAKISTAN and Βουλή των Αντιπροσώπων - House of Representatives (Cyprus) here ⬇️
https://www.cpahq.org/news/2026_03-iwd-news-story/

Want to know what Parliaments near you are doing for International Women's Day 2026? Read our news round up, which includes:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, launches Women Empowerment Policy,
events in States Assembly - Jersey’s elected parliament, New Zealand Parliament and the Isle of Man Tynwald Info.
Women's Caucus in Northern Ireland Assembly brings together women Parliamentarians from across the UK and Ireland ⬇️

www.cpahq.org

Want something to listen to this International Women's Day? In our most recent podcast episode we sat down with three senior women Parliamentarians to discuss the fight for equal representation in Parliaments, their favourite political moments & what they like to do outside of politics ⬇️

International Women's Day 2026: Women in Power - Parliamentary Conversations in the Commonwealth What does it mean to lead as a woman in politics today? In this special fireside chat, hosted by Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Coordinator Avni Kondhia, three women Parliamentarians and CPA Officers come together for a candid and infor...

The UN theme of this year's International Women's Day is justice, rights and action for all women and girls. Read our blog on a CWP outreach event in British Columbia, and how it brought together Parliamentarians and members of civil society to fight for gender justice ⬇️
https://www.cpahq.org/knowledge-centre/blogs/supporting-women-into-leadership-roles-in-canada/