Gender Sensitisation Workshop to be Hosted in Cape Town

The 2026 Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Africa Region Gender Sensitisation Workshop will be hosted by the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) from 14 to 16 July 2026 in Cape Town. The workshop is organised under the auspices of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), a global network connecting parliamentary institutions across the Commonwealth to promote democratic governance, human rights and parliamentary strengthening.

The CWP serves as the CPA’s dedicated platform for advancing gender equality in parliamentary representation and governance. Each year, the CWP Africa Region convenes a Gender Sensitisation Workshop to strengthen the capacity of women parliamentarians, promote inclusive legislative practice, and build solidarity across member branches on the continent.

The 2026 workshop is themed “Resilient Women, Inclusive Parliaments: Driving Change for Africa’s Future.” It will bring together approximately 110 delegates (women parliamentarians and officials from across the Commonwealth Africa Region) across five thematic panel sessions:

1. Integrating gender-based violence prevention, reproductive and sexual health rights and climate action;
2. Equipping women to lead through skills, education and political participation;
3. Rights-based responsible AI: Protecting women’s safety, dignity and democratic participation;
4. Advancing women’s economic empowerment through access to finance and gender-responsive budgeting; and
5. Cultural norms, legal reform, and social change.