New project report highlights successes in strengthening parliamentary democracy across the Commonwealth

A new report highlights successes in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Good Governance Project, with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), to further parliamentary democracy and good governance across the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth Good Governance Project 2023/2024 Outcome Report has been developed to provide a summary overview of the project and assess the success of the project against its planned outputs and outcomes. The report provides a background to the project, a summary of outcomes and key learnings as well as case studies from Fiji, Tonga, Namibia, The Maldives, Kiribati, Lesotho, Samoa and The Gambia.

In July 2023, the CPA embarked on the project to support Parliaments to undertake a CPA Benchmarks self-assessment to measure their current practices. The CPA’s Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures provide a framework for excellence in Commonwealth parliamentary and legislative procedures.

The outcomes reports and accompanying recommendations from the individual self-assessments help Commonwealth Parliaments and their leadership to identify clear roadmaps for effective and targeted reforms.

The CPA, through the FCDO’s project funding, is then able to support Parliaments to fulfil any recommendations through CPA Technical Assistance Programmes, which could involve updating the rules of procedures, training for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, or developing corporate policies.

The CPA Democratic Benchmarks, which were adopted by the CPA’s 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures, provide a minimum standard and a guide on how a Parliament should be constituted and how it should function. They play an important role in developing the effectiveness of parliamentary institutions.

To read the Commonwealth Good Governance Project 2023/2024 Outcome Report please click here.

To find out more about this project please email hq.sec@cpahq.org. The CPA's Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures are available to download on the CPA website.

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The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is a UK Government department, supported by 11 agencies and public bodies. The FCDO pursues national interests and project the UK as a force for good in the world. It promotes the interests of British citizens, safeguards the UK’s security, defends its values, aims to reduce poverty and tackle global challenges with its international partners. The FCDO Commonwealth Unit works in support of the Commonwealth to implement the principles set out in the Commonwealth Charter and works with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the many accredited Commonwealth organisations (including the CPA). Click here for more information.

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.

For media enquiries, please contact communications@cpahq.org.