International Day of Democracy, held each year on 15th September, is ‘an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world.’

To mark the day, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has launched a blog series, titled 'Democracy Looks Different: How the pandemic changed Commonwealth democracies.' The articles review how Commonwealth democracies have changed the way they operate in the last year, examining the lessons learned and forming a picture of what post-pandemic democracies might look like.

Topics include campaigning during a lockdown, postponing elections, online voting and livestreaming, with case studies and examples from across the Commonwealth, including from small jurisdictions such as Guernsey and Turks and Caicos Islands to the biggest chambers in the Commonwealth, like the Lok Sabha of India and the UK House of Lords.

Read | The 'Democracy Looks Different' series

Watch | The CPA Secretary General in conversation with Hon. Akierra Missick

Exploring the theme of how democracy in the Commonwealth looks different since the pandemic, the CPA Secretary-General Stephen Twigg sat down with Hon. Akierra Missick, Minister for Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development for the Turks and Caicos Islands, to discuss her recent experience of campaigning in an election during the pandemic. The Secretary-General was visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands to meet with leaders of the House of Assembly, including Hon. Missick and Speaker Gordon J. Burton, CPA Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Regional Chairperson and a member of the CPA Executive Committee.

Beyond the CPA | The game-changing women leading human rights movements in the Commonwealth

Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the Kaleidoscope Trust worked with NGOs in Mauritius during the Commonwealth Equality Project.

In addition to our 'Democracy Looks Different' series, the CPA also invited Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and Kaleidoscope Trust (KT) to tell us more about the Commonwealth Equality Project and their work providing funding, resources and support to help effect meaningful change in the areas of children's rights, women's rights and LGBT+ rights. 

In a blog post, they shared examples of women making a difference and leading human rights movements in the Commonwealth, with case studies from Oyo State (Nigeria), Mauritius, Belize and Namibia. 

Read the WFD blog

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The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association connects, develops, promotes and supports Parliamentarians and their staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and the implementation of the enduring values of the Commonwealth. The CPA is an international community of around 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance.

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