The Parliamentary Centre is a Canadian, not-for-profit, non-partisan organization, dedicated to strengthening parliaments around the world. Their assessment, strategic planning and training programs help legislatures measure their performance, build capacity, tackle key issues and promote mutual learning.

Their blief is that every citizen has the right to participate meaningfully through democracy, and that effective parliaments are crucial to governance and sustainable development. They're committed to continuous learning and providing support that respects the historical, cultural and political uniqueness of countries, while fostering greater transparency and accountability in government.

 

Areas of Expertise

Legislative Expertise

• Parliaments, Oversight and Accountability
• Parliaments and Lawmaking
• Parliaments, Participation and Representation
• Parliamentary Institution

 

Economic & Social Expertise

• Parliaments and Sustainable Development
• Parliaments, Peace and Security
• Parliaments and Gender
• Parliaments and Anti-Corruption

 

 

Services

Over the past four decades, the Parliamentary Centre has helped support over 45 parliaments around the world. Their services are designed to meet the individual needs of clients and partners, taking into account historical, cultural and political distinctiveness.

 

• Assessment and Strategic Planning
  
  With a range of available performance-measurement tools, a wealth of in-house experts and contacts worldwide, the Centre is well equipped to help parliaments assess strengths and weaknesses, identify needs for skills and knowledge enhancement and create plans for better results.
  
   
• Capacity Building
  
  The Centre delivers workshops, seminars and training to elected representatives in our various areas of expertise. These programs, available as local courses and distance learning, are tailored to the specific needs of the client to provide immediate and practical benefits to participants. The Centre also delivers a range of programs to support and build the capacity of professional staff of parliament, as well as to strengthen the organization and delivery of services.
  
   
• Knowledge Exchanges
  
  The Centre can help parliaments build practical knowledge and skills through knowledge exchanges between legislators both at the national, regional and international level through study visits, round-table discussions and conferences. These knowledge exchanges are supported by in-house experts, as well as by representatives from their network of current and former Member of Parliaments, parliamentary staff and public servants.
  
   
• Research and Publications
  
  The Centre conducts research on a range of topics related to parliamentary performance and practices, and publishes briefing notes, handbooks and other practical tools and training material on important issues relevant to parliaments.
  
   
• Parliamentary Networking
  
  The Centre helps parliaments establish networks to promote mutual learning and parliamentary exchange on policy issues crucial to democratic governance. Currently, the Centre supports the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC), the African Parliamentary Poverty Reduction Network (APRN) and is closely linked to the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas (FIPA) and the Global Organization for Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC).