The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference was held on the 7th and 8th of this month in Barbados, in conjunction with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC). This year marked the ninth occasion of the CWP Conference, which was held under the theme “Parliaments since Beijing +30: Progress, challenges and the road ahead for gender equality.”

The theme symbolized 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women, organized by the United Nations (UN) and held in Beijing, China, in 1995.

The conference was inaugurated by the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Hon. Dr. Zainab Gimba, MP, Member of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Nigeria. The CWP President (2025), Hon. Marsha K. A. Caddle, MP for Barbados, also addressed the gathering, sharing her experiences as a legislator and emphasizing the Caribbean region’s continued advocacy for gender equality.

During the sessions, a new Chairperson was elected to lead the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians for the next three years. Hon. Catherine Fife, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and representative of the Ontario Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, was elected to this position.

The conference also featured a series of sessions and workshops with the participation of parliamentary leaders to discuss contemporary issues.

The conference also featured a series of sessions and workshops with the participation of parliamentary leaders to discuss contemporary issues.

Among the more than 100 women parliamentarians and delegates from across the Commonwealth who attended the conference was the Sri Lankan delegation led by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs, participating alongside other representatives.