REGISTER NOW!
23 February – 8 March 2021
In advance of the formal Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) which is due to be held between 21-27 August 2021 in Halifax, Canada, the CPA Headquarters Secretariat will be delivering a set of virtual workshops for Commonwealth Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff.
Each workshop will bring together leading experts from private, public, academic, political and international backgrounds.
The virtual workshops taking place include:
- Tuesday 23 February 2021 – National Action Towards Climate Change: Role of Parliaments and Parliamentarians of the Commonwealth – click here to register
- This workshop will address the central role parliament plays in shaping national climate policy and filling the important gaps between the global, national and local levels. It will explore how they can support national legislative responses to climate change, including the Paris Agreement ratification process; improve transparency and accountability of national actions in line with Paris Agreement commitments, and; strengthen the capacity of fellow parliamentarians around climate change challenges in order to improve their legislative oversight functions.
- Thursday 25 February 2021 – Promote and Respect for International Humanitarian Law – Placing Humanity First – click here to register
- While the Executive is, generally speaking, primarily responsible for matters relating to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), IHL is nonetheless relevant to Legislatures and to Parliamentarians. Although the roles of the Executive and Parliament differ across jurisdictions, Parliamentarians at all levels can perform a number of important roles that can contribute to strengthening IHL. This workshop will provide an open and engaging discussion on the importance and applicability of IHL to the role of parliamentarians, through the involvement of international experts and parliamentarians themselves.
- Tuesday 2 March 2021 – Social Media – A Curse or a Blessing – click here to register
- Social media marketing and the exposure that these platforms provide has undoubtedly had a great impact on the larger global economy, particularly in mitigating the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The movement of surveillance capitalism has recently been the talk of mainstream media and political spaces for many reasons and this workshop will explore how the use of personal data in attracting consumers in these spaces is used as a means of maximising potential by businesses and suppliers. This workshop will look at how the role of social media companies and parliamentarians meet by exploring the powers and influence that parliamentary representatives and social media companies alike possess in regards to regulation, specifically to privacy laws.
- Thursday 4 March 2021 – Leading the Way: How the Commonwealth can Empower Persons with Disabilities? – click here to register
- Through the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network, the CPA has committed to not only recognising the vital contributions of persons with disabilities in parliaments across the Commonwealth, but also increasing and building off these contributions. This workshop will look to highlight the importance of drafting disability-sensitive legislation, improving the accessibility of our legislative institutions in both a physical manner and otherwise, and maintaining an informed and intelligent culture within the walls of Parliament. The webinar will also provide an opportunity to highlight the work undertaken to date by the CPwD network and the important work still to come.
- Monday 8 March 2021 – Youthquakes and Rising Youth Activism in the Commonwealth– click here to register
- In response to the COVID-19 crisis, political activism of young citizens around the Commonwealth has been emboldened. In contending with physical distancing rules, young people and youth-led movements have embraced digital technologies to campaign and raise awareness. From climate change activism to advocating for racial justice, youth activists are continuing to fight inequalities online. This workshop will explore the actions of young political activists and organisations, as well as the role of parliaments in engaging with these stakeholders to improve how they legislate on issues affecting their growing young populations.
If you are interested in attending any or all of these virtual CPC workshops, please register at the links above. You can also contact us at hq.sec@cpahq.org.
Further information on the main 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference taking place later in 2021 will be issued direct to CPA Branches.
Follow #65CPC for updates on social media.
