CPA ANNUAL REPORT AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW 2021
Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is working with over 180 CPA Branches across the Commonwealth through its new network for Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD). In 2021, the CPA Headquarters Secretariat supported and further developed the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network.
COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES REAFFIRMS ITS PRIORITY OF PROMOTING DISABILITY INCLUSION IN PARLIAMENTS AS IT RELEASES ITS NEW THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN The Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network published the CPwD Strategic Plan 2021-2024, setting out its core priorities for the next three years. The network will work to encourage both Parliamentarians with disabilities, and Legislatures, to advance issues around disability inclusion and to advocate for greater representation of persons with disabilities in Parliaments across the Commonwealth. Developed following a series of consultations with the nine Regional Champions of the network, the new strategy will focus on addressing the following areas of concerns and key priorities: Leadership positions for Parliamentarians with disabilities; Sensitising Parliaments to the needs and rights of persons with disabilities and; Methods for the implementation of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The CPwD Chairperson, Hon. Dennitah Ghati, MP (Kenya) said: “I encourage all Parliamentarians across the CPwD’s membership, Branches and Regions of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to actively utilise and take ownership of this new Strategic Plan 20212024. Its success will be determined by our collective dedication to its implementation. I look forward to working with all Parliamentarians to successfully fulfil this Plan.” To access the CPwD Strategic Plan 2021 – 2024, please visit www.cpahq.org. Three versions of the Plan are available: an original PDF version, an accessible, plain-text PDF version, and a plain-text web version designed for use with text-to-speech tools.
NEW CHAIRPERSON FOR COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES NETWORK ANNOUNCED Following a virtual meeting of the Regional Champions of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network, Hon. Dennitah Ghati MP from the National Assembly of Kenya was announced as the new CPwD Chairperson in 2021. The CPwD network was established by the CPA to support Parliamentarians with disabilities to be more effective in their roles and to help improve awareness of disability issues amongst all Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff. The CPwD Regional Champions represent each of the CPA’s nine Regions and promote the rights of Commonwealth Parliamentarians with disabilities in their respective Regions and represent disability interests within the CPA. Hon. Dennitah Ghati MP succeeded the first CPwD Chairperson, Hon. Kevin Murphy (Nova Scotia) who was crucial in the establishment of the new CPwD network in 2019. As CPwD Chairperson, Hon. Dennitah Ghati MP will lead the network’s engagement with the CPA Executive Committee and the CPA Headquarters Secretariat and liaise with Commonwealth Parliaments on behalf of the network. The CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg, welcomed the announcement and said: “I look forward to working with the new CPwD Chairperson, Hon. Dennitah Ghati to increase awareness of disability issues in Commonwealth Parliaments and to promote the rights of Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff with disabilities.”
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