
Region: Africa
Funder: Austrian Development Agency
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliaments and Sustainable Development; Parliaments and Gender
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Outreach; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs; Parliaments and Aid Effectiveness
Project Description:
The focus of the African Parliamentary Poverty Reduction Network (APRN) Support Initiative is to contribute to poverty reduction in Africa through stronger parliaments by providing support to increase capacity on budget oversight to key committees; helping parliamentarians advocating for pro-poor policies; create opportunities for collaboration between parliaments and civil society organizations; and to provide opportunities to share best practices & lessons learned between MPs in the region.
Status: Closed
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Region: Africa
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliamentary Institution; Parliaments and Sustainable Development; Parliaments and Gender; Parliaments and Anti-Corruption
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Legislative Oversight; Parliamentary Outreach; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliaments and the Media; Parliamentary Relations with Executive and Judiciary; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments and the Environment; Parliaments and Economic Development; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
The Africa Parliamentary Strengthening Program (APSP) for Budget Oversight is a 5 year capacity strengthening program for seven partner Parliaments: Benin, Senegal, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. The APSP program, implemented by the Parliamentary Centre’s Africa office, supports partner parliaments to develop and implement strategies to strengthen their overall role and engagement in the national budget process. The aim of APSP is to strengthen partner parliaments’ financial accountability, through training to enhance their role and authority in the budget process, as well as provide space for increasing participation of citizens. Additionally, the project aims to increase the capacity of the Africa Office and its Budget Advisory Unit to provide continued support to African Parliaments on budget oversight. The APSP also supports partner Parliaments’ anti-corruption work through the African Parliamentarians’ Network Against Corruption (APNAC).
Status: Active
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Region: Africa
Funder: The World Bank through the Public Sector Capacity-Building Secretariat (PSBCS)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliamentary Institution; Parliaments and Sustainable Development; Parliaments and Gender
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Legislative Oversight; Parliamentary Outreach; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliaments and the Media; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
The project aims to support capacity building in the strategic areas of legislation, oversight, outreach and organizational effectiveness by providing sustainable tools with which to build the capacity of parliamentarians and parliamentary staff in both the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, as well as that of journalists in Rwanda.
Status: Active
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Region: Africa
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Peace and Security; Parliaments and Gender
Sub-areas:
Legislative Oversight; Parliaments, Conflict Prevention and Peace Building
Project Description:
The Conflict Prevention through Parliaments Project is a capacity building project for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament and Secretariat to support conflict prevention and management. These capacities include fostering an increased understanding of the gender dimension of conflict in the region, developing skills and training handbooks that include gender issues, analysis, and approaches as a key facet of conflict prevention; and a creating long-term plan for raising the institutional capacities of gender sensitive conflict prevention role for ECOWAS Parliament. The Project works to build on and deepen existing ECOWAS mechanisms, individual and organizational capacities and institutional relationships for a long-term conflict prevention and management role that suits the needs and realities of West Africa.
Status: Completed
Region: Africa
Funder: UK Department for International Development (DFID)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Institution
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Organization
Project Description:
The Financial Scrutiny Project was designed to strengthen the capacity of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Ghana’s Parliament and thereby enhance the Parliament’s role as the “keeper of the public purse”. Specific objectives included improved functional and managerial capacity of Parliament and MPs to undertake effective budget and financial oversight; improved knowledge of the public financial management and scrutiny of the evidence produced by the Auditor General; and improved public support for the work of the Public Accounts Committee and Parliament.
Status: Completed
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Region: Africa
Funder: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability
Sub-areas:
Parliaments and Civil Society
Project Description:
From July 2012 until January 2013, the Centre implemented “From Mobilization to Representation: Supporting the Institution of Parliament in Egypt” with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Canada. This project was implemented in cooperation with two local organizations; One World Foundation and MADA. The project focused on improving democratic governance, making Parliament more responsive and increasing the participation of Egyptians in the decision-making process.
Status: Closed
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Region: Africa
Funder: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Institution
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Organization
Project Description:
The Ghana Parliamentary Budget and Finance Unit Project focused on strengthening the parliamentary processes in Ghana by providing capacity building support the Members of Parliament and support staff to review and analyze the national budget and engage public finance issues.
Status: Completed
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Region: Africa
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliamentary Institution; Parliaments and Sustainable Development; Parliaments and Gender
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Legislative Oversight; Parliamentary Outreach; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
Building on the partnership between the Parliamentary Centre and the Parliament of Ghana since 1994, the Ghana Parliamentary Committee Support Project-Phase II aims at strengthening accountability, transparency and participation in parliamentary governance of Ghana, with particular attention to achieving effective poverty-reduction efforts in the country. Focused on providing a multifaceted support to build committee capacity and impact, six partner Committees of the Parliament of Ghana have been direct beneficiaries of the project.
Status: Completed
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Region: Africa
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments and Lawmaking; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliamentary Institution; Parliaments and Sustainable Development; Parliaments, Peace and Security; Parliaments and Gender
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Legislative Oversight; Legislative Drafting and Review; Legislative Research and Analysis; Parliamentary Outreach; Parliaments and Civil Society;Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs; Parliaments, Conflict Prevention and Peace Building
Project Description:
In 2005, at the invitation of the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and with the support of CIDA, the Parliamentary Centre undertook an assessment on the role of legislatures in building peace in Sudan. Extensive consultations were made with both the National Assembly in Khartoum and with the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba, as well as with many civil society organizations. The result was the project Peacebuilding and Strengthening Parliamentary Institutions in Sudan. The goal of the project was to contribute to the promotion of a stable, peaceful and pluralistic political system within an open, more democratic and decentralized Sudan. Ultimately, it was hoped that the impact of the project would be such that there would be improved capacity of the two federal and regional legislative bodies in contributing to democratic development and consolidation of the peace process in Sudan. Specific objectives included: Improved legislation originated, amended and passed in both the SNA and the SSLA through support to committees; Improved services to the SNA and the SSLA by the Secretariats; Improved policy formulation, implementation and decision-making ensuring gender equality within both legislatures.
Status: Completed
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Region: Africa
Funder: Revenue Watch Institute and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliaments and Sustainable Development
Sub-areas:
Legislative Oversight; Parliamentary Outreach; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliaments and the Media; Parliamentary Relations with Executive and Judiciary; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments and the Environment; Parliaments and Economic Development; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
In 2007 Ghana pronounced it’s most significant and viable oil discovery, aptly called Jubilee. The Strengthening Parliamentary and Civil Society Oversight of Oil, Gas and Mining Revenues in Ghana is aimed at improving the use of extractive resources (petroleum and minerals) for the public good by strengthening parliamentary oversight during all parts of the extractive sector value chain, from the decision to extract, establishing the fiscal terms and legal frameworks, to overseeing that revenues from extractive industries are spent well and in the interest of the people. The project also focuses on building a strong and effective collaboration with civil society actors and the media in Ghana. Through the project, the Parliament of Ghana has been offered the most comprehensive training and technical support around issues of extractive governance yet.
Status: Current
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Region: Africa
Funder: Global Affairs Canada
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Inclusive governance; Participation and Representation; Legislative Oversight
Sub-areas:
Capacity building; Promotion of women's rights; Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Research
Project Description:
This project focuses on strengthening the capacity of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso through a multi-faceted and targeted support for the 127 MPs and the parliamentary staff that assist them to perform their functions of representation, legislation and oversight in a more effective, transparent and responsible manner. It also seeks to help facilitate coordination and collaboration between the donors and implementing partners that work with the Assembly to avoid duplication of efforts and to maximize the benefits. To help empower and build local ownership of results, the project works closely with locally based organizations and experts. All activities are carried out in a participatory and inclusive manner so that the specific needs of parliamentarians and parliamentary staff can be met.
Status: Active
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Region: Africa
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) - Kenya
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliamentary Institution;
Sub-areas:
Parliamentary Organization;
Project Description:
The focus of the Kenya Parliamentary Training Project is to provide institutional capacity building support to the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training (CPST) to become an arms-length training institution to the Parliament of Kenya. This responds to a great need of Parliament to reform and prepare for new changes that come as a result of the new Constitution, especially after the elections of 2012.
Status: Active
Region: Americas
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Sub-areas:
Project Description:
The Haiti Parliamentary Support Project (HPSP) was launched in December 2006. The goal of the project was to contribute to the strengthening of political governance and the promotion of national dialogue. The immediate objective was to increase the effectiveness of the Haitian legislature in relation to four themes: Capacity development of parliamentarians by strengthening their legislative and oversight roles; improvement of parliamentary-executive relations; increased openness of Parliament vis-à-vis the citizens; and achieving more effective management and functioning of the two Chambers (Chamber of Deputies and the Senate). Activities were suspended following the tragic earthquake in January 2010.
Status: Completed
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Region: Americas
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments and Lawmaking; Parliamentary Institution; Parliaments and Sustainable Development; Parliaments and Gender
Sub-areas:
Legislative Oversight; Legislative Drafting and Review; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments and Economic Development; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
ParlAmericas (known as Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas – FIPA – until September 2011) is implementing the five year program called Strengthening the Role of Parliaments in Democratic Governance and Sustainable Development in partnership with the Parliamentary Centre. ParlAmericas is an independent inter-parliamentary network bringing together parliaments of Central, North, South America and the Caribbean. The project includes training to improve parliamentary practices, and to increase the contribution of parliamentarians in creating hemispheric level policies. It also seeks to boost inter-parliamentary cooperation, and build consensus on key issues for the region, including on gender equality.
Status: Active
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Region: Asia
Funder: Global Affairs Canada, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Sub-national Parliaments; Participation and Representation; Parliaments and Lawmaking
Sub-areas:
Capacity building; Parliamentary research;
Project Description:
This project seeks to support democratic transition in Myanmar by contributing to the building of local capacity for policy planning and decision-making with a particular focus on sub-national parliaments, in order to achieve enhanced parliamentary research capacity at the sub-national level in Myanmar.
First, it focuses on building the capacity and practical knowledge among two Myanmar think-tanks – the Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation (EMReF) and the Open Myanmar Initiative (OMI) – on how to provide sustainable support in the building of parliamentary research capacity for sub-national parliaments. Secondly, the Parliamentary Centre will team up with the two organizations in the implementation of practical initiatives that would lead to direct results in enhancing the parliamentary research capacity of the Shan State Hluttaw. Finally, support will be provided to the EMReF to develop and test a methodology for measuring the performance of research support services in sub-national parliaments in Myanmar.
Status: Active
Region: Asia
Funder: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments; Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Participation and Representation
Sub-areas:
Legislative Oversight; Parliamentary Outreach; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliaments and the Media; Parliamentary Relations with Executive and Judiciary; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments and the Environment; Parliaments and Economic Development; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
From January 2013 until May 2013, the Centre implemented “Building Representative Governance in Burma,” with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Canada. The project focused on strengthening the capacity of Burmese Parliamentarians to represent and serve Burmese citizens within a multi-party and democratic system through a study visit to Burma by a multi-party delegation of Canadian parliamentarians and a reciprocal visit to Canada by Burmese parliamentarians.
Status: Complete
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Region: Asia
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments and Lawmaking; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliamentary Institution; Parliaments and Sustainable Development; Parliaments and Gender
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Legislative Drafting and Review; Legislative Research and Analysis; Parliamentary Outreach; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
The Cambodia-Canada Legislative Support Project focused on strengthening the capacity of both the National Assembly and the Senate of the Parliament of Cambodia to exercise its legislative, representative and oversight roles. The support provided was multifaceted and included capacity development to effectively draft and review legislation; support to MPs on constituency relations and responsiveness to the citizens; support to increase the capacity of the Secretariats to manage, administer and support the work of the National Assembly and Senate.
Status: Completed
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Region: Asia
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments and Lawmaking; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliamentary Institution; Parliaments and Sustainable Development; Parliaments and Gender
Sub-areas:
Legislative Drafting and Review; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
The Canada-China Legislative Cooperation Project (CCLCP) aimed to: increase methods of public participation in the congress system, assist legislative development processes and democratic lawmaking in the NPC and selected people’s congresses of China, and to cooperate in legislative reform in key areas related to equality, poverty reduction and participation.
Status: Completed
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Region: Asia
Funder: DeFehr Foundation
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Peace Building; Participation and Representation
Sub-areas:
Parliaments and Civil Society; Legislative Drafting and Review
Project Description:
This project aimed to equip ethnic leaders and other peace process stakeholders with an enhanced understanding of the fundamentals of democratic governance within a federal system and enhanced knowledge and skills to participate in the peace dialogue and subsequent stages of the peace process in Myanmar.
Targeting leaders of Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs), ethnic political parties and civil society organisations, a Workshop on Peace and Governance was implemented from November 23 to 26, 2016. This included a half-day Peace Forum on November 25 that provided the wider community with an update on the progress of the peace process in Myanmar. The Parliamentary Centre played a key role in the design of the activities and provided inputs by sharing experience from Colombia’s peace negotiations and the functioning of Canada’s federal system of governance.
Status: Active
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Region: Asia
Funder: Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and International Trade
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments and Legislative Oversight
Sub-areas:
Project Description:
In 2008, a bicameral parliament comprised of the National Council and the National Assembly was established in Bhutan. The National Council’s mandate is to fulfill the needs and aspirations of the people through review of public policies, legislation and scrutiny of state affairs. In February 2013, at the invitation of the National Council, the Parliamentary Centre conducted a needs assessment of the institution, to ensure what was and was not performing well. The assessment allowed for concrete ideas for projects supporting the NCB to be formulated.
Status: Open
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Region: Asia
Funder: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), Canada
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Participation and Representation; Parliaments and Gender; Parliaments and Anti-Corruption
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliaments and the Media; Role of Political Parties in Parliaments
Project Description:
From March 2009 – November 2010, the Centre implemented the Parliamentary and Political Party Strengthening Program in Pakistan (PPPSP) with support from the Global Peace and Security Fund of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) of Canada. PPPSP was implemented in cooperation with the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT). The project focused on strengthening the role played by parliamentary committees and political party caucuses in the national budget making process.
Status: Completed
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Region: Asia
Funder: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), Canada
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments, Participation and Representation;
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments and Civil Society; Parliaments and the Media; Role of Political Parties in Parliaments
Project Description:
Building on the results of a successful first stage, PPPSP II will work further to strengthen the capacity of the National Assembly of Pakistan and the Punjab Provincial Assembly to play a more proactive role in the process of considering and approving federal and provincial budgets as well as to be more responsive to citizens’ needs. Scheduled to continue until August 2012, PPPSP II will be implemented through a series of activities involving Pakistani citizens, parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, civil society organizations and the media. The project will be implemented jointly by the Parliamentary Centre and the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT).
Status: Complete
Region: Eastern Europe
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliaments and Lawmaking;
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Legislative Drafting and Review; Legislative Research and Analysis; Parliamentary Organization; Parliaments, Poverty Reduction and the MDGs
Project Description:
The Accountability Strengthening Program (ASP) was among Canada’s most successful technical assistance initiatives in the Russian Federation. The overall goal of the project was to contribute to the establishment of efficient, transparent and accountable structures of governance by increasing transparency and accountability in the use of government funds through strengthening parliamentary oversight at the federal and regional levels; to strengthen budgetary accountability in the Russian federation through the development of a system of state financial control; and to reform the internal administrative and financial management of the Russian Federal Assembly (the Duma and the Federation Council).
Status: Completed
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Region: Eastern Europe
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Institution
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Organization
Project Description:
The Canada-Russia Parliamentary Program (CRPP) was implemented by the Centre from 1994-2004. The project focused on parliamentary organizational strengthening and capacity building for staff training for both chambers of the Russian Federal Assembly and support to regional legislatures of the Russian Federation. The project also focused on strengthening the linkages between the Russian Supreme Audit Institution (the Accounting Chamber of the Russian Federation) and the Russian Federal Assembly and helped introduce performance auditing through a successful pilot project.
Status: Completed
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Region: Eastern Europe
Funder: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Areas of Expertise
Main Areas:
Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Institution
Sub-areas:
Budgetary Oversight and Accountability; Parliamentary Organization
Project Description:
The program contributed to strengthening the institutional capacity of legislatures in Southeastern Europe, with a specific focus on increasing staff capacity to provide non-partisan, professional research and administrative services. It also helped increase the capacity of parliamentarians in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to oversee government expenditures.
Status: Completed
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