CPA Zone VII Conference 2026 Concluded: It Calls for Inclusive Governance and Youth Engagement

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone VII Conference was concluded in the Goa. The conclusion of the conferences comes with the strong emphasis on women representation, youth participation and the democratic strengthening. Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla highlighted the the time has come to need to expand women’s role in the policymaking from grassroots to Parliament. This two-day event have brought up together the legislators to discuss the key issues such as trade, sustainable development and the blue economy.

CPA Zone VII Conference Concludes in Goa

This conference was held under the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the event saw the participation from 51 legislators across the India Region Zone VII.

The event also served as a platform for lawmakers to,

• Exchange ideas on governance
• Discuss the policy challenges
• Also to strengthen parliamentary practices

It also reinforced the role of the state legislatures to shaping national development goals.

Call for Greater Women’s Representation in Politics

The main highlight of the conference was the strong push for to enhancing the women’s participation in the governance.

Om Birla also emphasized on the,

Women’s representation must be expand from panchayats to national level.
Also the inclusive policymaking leads to the stronger democratic outcomes.
And the gender balance is essential for the equitable development.

This agenda was aligns with India’s broader push towards the women-led development.

Youth Participation Key to ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’

Another major theme was the conferences was the importance of the youth engagement in legislative processes.

Speaker of Lok Sabha mentioned that to empowering young legislators is critical for achieving the Viksit Bharat 2047 as the youth brings innovation, fresh perspectives and the energy to governance. Also the active public participation strengthens the democracy.

The discussion also stressed the need to create the opportunities for young leaders in policymaking.

Focus on Blue Economy and Coastal Development

The event also addressed the emerging economic theme such as the blue economy which focused on the sustainable use of ocean resources.

Key discussions included about the,

• Maritime management
• Coastal infrastructure development
• Trade and economic growth

Also the states like the Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa were highlighted as the examples of the successful coastal development models which are contributing to economic progress.

About Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

• It is one of the oldest established organizations in the Commonwealth.
• It was founded in the year 1911.
• It is a membership association which brings together Members, who are united by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms.
• The Association is made up of over the 180 Legislatures (or Branches) divided up between the nine geographic regions of the Commonwealth.
• The mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance, youth engagement in democracy, gender equality and equal representation.
• Headquarters: London, United Kingdom.

Details of CPA India Region

It comprises the total of 32 Legislatures After the Africa Region India has the largest number of member Branches of the CPA.

Administratively, the CPA India Region is divided into 9 zones.

Zone	States Comprising
Zone 1	Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand
Zone 2	Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab
Zone 3	Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura
Zone 4	Odisha, West Bengal
Zone 5	Bihar, Jharkhand
Zone 6	Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan
Zone 7	Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Zone 8	Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana
Zone 9	Kerala, Puducherry (UT), Tamil Nadu

The CPA India Regional Chairperson: Lok Sabha Speaker, Parliament of India

Secretariat: It is based within the Lok Sabha at the Parliament of India.