During day three of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024 in Samoa, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) held a side event panel discussion on diversity in politics with Members of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network. The session explored the significance of inclusion and representation of marginalised groups in politics, the systemic barriers that these groups face and potential strategies to enhance marginalised voices in decision-making processes.  

The panel was chaired by Hon. Priyanca Radhakrishnan, MP from the New Zealand Parliament and current Party Spokesperson on Disability Issues. The other panellists were: 

• Hon. Steve Letsike, MNA, Member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Chairperson of The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN)
• Hon. Lenora Qereqeretabua, MP, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Fiji
• Dr Sruti Mohapatara, Disability Inclusion Expert and Chief Executive Officer of Swabhiman (State Disability Information and Resource Centre), India
• Lucy Slack, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF). 

Hon. Steve Letsike (South Africa) emphasised the need to advance LGBTI+ inclusion across the Commonwealth, particularly through addressing the discrimination and legal barriers that prevent political participation. She also stressed the importance of intersectional approaches in policy-making that uplift marginalised groups, including women and people with disabilities. 

Hon. Lenora Qereqeretabua (Fiji) focussed on gender equality in leadership. She highlighted the need to strengthen female representation in politics across Commonwealth countries, sharing insights from her work in Fiji's Parliament. She discussed the importance of creating supportive environments that encourage women’s political participation while addressing challenges such as sexual harassment and online abuse that deter women from entering politics. Reflecting on how to support marginalised people, she said: 

“You say you support LGBTI+ people, well what are you doing? You say you support women, how are you helping them to afford being a candidate?” 

Dr Sruti Mohapatara looked at the issues of inclusive policy-making, accessibility and including people with disabilities in political decision-making. She also shared best practice for inclusive governance from her work in India with Swabhiman (State Disability Information and Resource Centre). 

Lucy Slack, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, analysed how local governments and councils can drive inclusive governance, and how local, grassroots action can foster gender equality, disability inclusion and LGBTI+ rights. 

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is being represented at CHOGM by Commonwealth Parliamentarians from different jurisdictions as well as the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg. You can find out more about the work the CPA has done in the run up to CHOGM as well as updates from the conference here, and you can read about the CPA Samoa Branch visit which saw the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Parliament of Samoa here. 

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The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is an international community of 180 Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance. Founded in 1911, the CPA brings together Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and implement the enduring values of the Commonwealth. It offers a vast opportunity for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to collaborate on issues of mutual interest and to share good practice.