CPA launches 2025 Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards

As part of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s mission to strengthen parliamentary democracy through the promotion of good governance and sharing best practice, the Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards will again take place in 2025. 

The awards are open to nominees who are current Parliamentarians across the Commonwealth, with a main Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Award 2025, as well as three further awards for the following categories: Parliamentary Equality and Diversity Award; New Parliamentarian Award; and Parliamentarian Life-time Achievement Award. 

The awards aim to recognise and highlight inspirational and active Parliamentarians for excelling in their field, and the CPA will share these case studies from amongst its membership with a wider audience. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s unique membership includes national, state, provincial and territorial Legislatures, and the awards are open to Members of the CPA’s over 180 Parliaments. 

Last year, Hon. Khurram Ijaz Chattha, MPA, a Member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab in Pakistan, was the recipient of the 2024 Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Award, in recognition of his parliamentary service and promoting good governance. 

Hon. Nelly Mutti, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, was announced as the recipient of the 2023 Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Award, in recognition of her commitment to transparency in parliamentary processes. 

In 2022, Hon. Kate Doust, MLC, from the Parliament of Western Australia became the first recipient of the CPA Parliamentarian of the Year Award, in recognition of her long parliamentary service and her work to promote people with disabilities and women in her community. 

The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg said:

“The Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards align to our strategic objective of promoting the values of the Commonwealth, parliamentary democracy and sustainable development to a wide audience, and form one of the highlights of our annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. Through these awards, the CPA recognises and highlights the invaluable contributions that Parliamentarians are making to their local communities and both nationally and internationally within the Commonwealth.” 

Nominees should be sitting Members of Parliament in a Commonwealth Legislature, or have been a sitting Member of Parliament in a Commonwealth Legislature during the award period. The award can be made posthumously. Full entry criteria and nomination forms can be found here, and the closing date for the 2025 awards will be 7 August 2025.

The award recipients will be announced at the forthcoming 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Bridgetown, Barbados in October 2025.

-ENDS- 

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.