Parliament is undergoing change through ongoing reforms, Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla said.

Speaking at the launch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Small Branch Workshop in Maldives, he said the reforms aim to strengthen accountability and expand public participation.

Speaker Abdul Raheem highlighted new initiatives introduced in recent years to increase citizen engagement, including the e-petition system, which allows the public to submit petitions directly to parliament through a digital platform.

“The participation of citizens in the legislative process has increased significantly through this platform,” he said.

He also pointed to programmes such as the practice parliament for youth and women, aimed at improving understanding of parliamentary work and encouraging broader involvement in democratic processes.

“These initiatives are designed to help young people and women engage more actively in decision making,” he said.

The Speaker said the efforts form part of a wider national push to strengthen democratic participation.

He added that the CPA has played a key role in supporting Parliament through capacity-building and quality improvement programmes, including assistance during various stages of reform.