About

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is divided into nine geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Australia, British Islands and Mediterranean (BIM), Canada, the Caribbean, the Americas and Atlantic (CAA), India, the Pacific, South-East Asia. Each region engages in its own programme of activities. 

CPA UK is part of the British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) and also serves as its Secretariat.

Along with CPA UK, the other branches that make up CPA BIMR are: Alderney, Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta, Northern Ireland, St Helena, Scotland and Wales.

Three Regional Representatives from each CPA Region sit on the international CPA Executive Committee. The current BIMR representatives are:

Chris Elmore MP (UK Parliament)
Stuart McMillan MSP (Scotland)
Deputy Mary Le Hegarat (Jersey)

Election Observation

As part of its commitment to strengthening democracy and good governance, CPA UK regularly carries out and supports election missions across the Commonwealth in its role as secretariat for CPA's British Islands and Mediterranean Region.

Through election observation, CPA BIMR expresses the Commonwealth's interest and concern in promoting democratic elections within its wider policy of support for democracy, the rule of law and human rights. CPA UK is committed to ensuring a professional approach based on observation of all aspects of the electoral process.

Find out more about our work here.

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) works on a regional basis, with each of the nine regions of the CPA coordinating programmes, conferences and meetings among its legislatures. CPA UK coordinates the British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR).

CWP BIMR's focus is on working with women across the region to increase global representation of women in parliaments and politics and connecting women through the Commonwealth network. CWP BIMR is represented on the international CWP Steering Committee by Rt Hon. Maria Miller MP (UK).

The objectives of CWP BIMR are to:

• Maximise the role of women parliamentarians. Working with local organisations and campaigns to promote women's representation. Undertake Gender Sensitive Parliament Audits to identify the barriers to equal female representation in Parliament and closely monitor the implementation of recommendations. 

• Build the capacity of women Parliamentarians and proactively encourage a central role in gender mainstreaming at all levels of decision making. Run programmes in the region involving stakeholder groups, creating peer-to-peer learning opportunities to put issues that particularly impact women in the fore of Parliamentary debate and legislation.  Reflect the CWP thematic priorities in our regional work: women in leadership, eliminating gender-based violence, economic empowerment and equal access to national resources. 

• Advocate for mentoring and knowledge sharing amongst women parliamentarians. Offer mentoring opportunities for new women parliamentarians in the region. Act as advocates for CWP and seek opportunities to promote its work. 

• To increase our influence. Identify key partner organisations at branch, regional and Commonwealth level.  Work in partnerships with other like-minded organisations to amplify messages about women’s representation, gender equality and women’s empowerment.

If you would like to get in touch with the CPA BIMR Secretariat, please contact cpabimr@parliament.uk. 

Resources & Reports

52nd British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Conference Report - From 25-27 April 2023, CPA UK hosted the 52nd BIMR Conference on Inclusive and Sustainable Parliaments, welcoming over 40 delegates from across the British Islands and Mediterranean Region to Westminster.

CPA BIMR Strategy 2019-2024 - CPA BIMR Branches set out their vision, objectives and priority themes for the period 2019-2024.

51^st British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Conference Report - The Isle of Man Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hosted the CPA BIMR Conference from 23^rd – 25^th March 2022 on the theme of  ‘Impactful Scrutiny’.

CPA BIMR Covid-19 Strategic Theme Report 2020-2021 - A report on four virtual events, delivered from 2020-21 by members of the CPA BIMR Covid-19 strategic theme group, outlining the impact of Covid-19 on their respective legislatures and the varied responses across the region to ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic.

50th British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Conference Report - From 20 – 23 September 2021, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Northern Ireland Assembly Branch hosted the 50th annual British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Conference, where parliamentarians representing 11 of the 13 regional branches were given the opportunity to share ideas and exchange good practice.

Effective and Inclusive Parliaments Report - CPA BIMR documents how Gender Sensitive Parliament practices are being implemented across the region, particularly in light of institutional responses to the pandemic, and recommends 'best practice' reforms. 

9th British Islands & Mediterranean Region Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians’ Conference Report - Members of Parliament from across the CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region participated in the 9th BIMR Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference, delivered jointly by CPA Gibraltar and the CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region Secretariat, on 5 & 6 October 2022.

Images from left to right: A member of polling station staff at the Cayman Islands General Election June 2021; Election Observation Team in Jersey during May 2018 General Election; Participants at the CWP BIMR Conference in 2018