Inter-Parliamentary Union
Better parliaments, stronger democracies
Latest News
IPU Members Back Democratic Governance as a Post-2015 Development Goal
Results from a survey carried out during the 128th IPU Assembly in Quito have revealed that 80 per cent of MPs back democratic governance as a stand-alone objective for the United Nations Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nearly all (96 per cent) of the 240 MPs surveyed from 619 MPs present in Quito, believed that the key elements of democratic governance – participation, transparency and accountability – should be embedded into the other SDGs to ensure their success. Men and women MPs from all regions and both developing and developed worlds participated in the IPU survey.
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MPs Explore Ways to Reduce Risks from Disasters at Global Platform
A joint meeting organized by IPU and UNISDR to determine how parliaments can minimise the threat of natural disasters will take place at the fourth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Geneva on 20 May 2013. It is the last Global Platform session to take place before the new post-2015 development goals are finalized. The parliamentary meeting will identify the roles and responsibilities of MPs in helping to prevent disasters and reduce their impact. In the last 12 years, 1.2 million people have been killed and a further 2.9 billion people affected by disasters, causing an estimated 1.7 trillion USD in damages. A high level of disaster risk is often the consequence of inadequate development planning and practices ...[read more]
Ecuador and Bangladesh Elect Women Speakers for the First Time
The election of Gabriela Rivadeneira as Ecuador’s first woman speaker of parliament in mid-May comes hard on the heels of another such first. Earlier in the month, Bangladesh also elected Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury as its first ever speaker of parliament. This brings the total number of women speakers in the world to 41 in 39 countries. Dr. Chowdhury, a former minister for women and children affairs and member of the Awami League Party, was unanimously voted into office after the previous speaker Abdul Hamid became President. Bangladesh now has women in three of its top four political posts. Previously a Supreme Court lawyer, she worked on many human rights cases involving constitutional issues.
...[read more]The global organization of parliaments, IPU works to establish democracy, peace and cooperation among peoples.
Representative Democracy
A strong and efficient parliament is critical to democracy. IPU works to make parliaments more effective in fulfilling their government oversight and legislative roles, in guaranteeing people’s rights and liberties and in securing peace and development.
Women in Politics
Democracy means all voices are heard. IPU is committed to ensuring that women - half of the world’s population - are able to participate equally in politics. Its unique research and data on women’s political participation is a widely used barometer on progress.
International Peace and Security
IPU’s primary goals are peace and democracy. It gives special priority to preventing and eliminating conflict through political dialogue. It responds to crises which affect world or regional security and monitors certain conflict situations.
Promoting Human Rights
Parliament has a special responsibility to ensure human rights are respected. IPU provides protection and redress to MPs at risk of abuse and helps parliaments to make human rights a reality for everyone.
Sustainable Development
Parliaments play a critical role in social and economic development. IPU supports parliaments on key international development goals, on making development aid more effective and on strengthening parliamentary action on climate change.
Cooperation with the UN
IPU works closely with the United Nations and other multi-lateral bodies to ensure there is a parliamentary dimension to international cooperation, global governance as well as in the resolution of major international issues.
Key Events
IPU brings together parliamentarians from around the world to actively find solutions to global and regional problems.
You can find a list of Future Events here.
Parliamentary meeting at 2013 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
GENEVA, 20 May
Promoting universal birth registration in Latin America and the Caribbean
LIMA, 7-9 June
New Model Act
A new Model Act aimed at providing national parliaments across the world with a legal
framework to ensure a more effective aid response to natural disasters and so lessen the impact of catastrophes on human lives has been produced... [read more]