The Swiss National Council © The Swiss Parliament
We empower parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace,
democracy and sustainable development.
The IPU is deeply concerned by reports that the prison conditions of detained parliamentarians in Myanmar have worsened and that the military authorities have banned all prison visits.
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The IPU Task Force for the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine has concluded its initial mission to Kyiv and Moscow. The Task Force – led by MP Dr. Ali Al Nuaimi of the United Arab Emirates and composed of eight prominent parliamentarians representing the global parliamentary community – was set up following the 144th IPU Assembly in March 2022.
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Parliamentarians from the National Assembly of Djibouti have been showcasing their work to promote and protect human rights through a new communications campaign launched by the President of the National Assembly and targeted at the country’s citizens.
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As part of the IPU series called 'A conversation with...', we interview parliamentarians from all over the world to find out who they represent and what motivates them. In this edition, we discover Petra Bayr, a parliamentarian from Austria.
Watch
Research shows that female political leadership directs countries to adopt more robust climate change policies. Even though women globally are just 26.3 per cent of all parliamentarians, they are able to make a disproportionate impact.
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Statements
News in brief 
News in brief 
News in brief 
Events
An in-person/virtual panel debate on Thursday 15 September 2022 on International Day of Democracy
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News and Stories
As part of the IPU series called 'A conversation with...', we interview parliamentarians from all over the world to find out who they represent and what motivates them. In this edition, we discover Golriz Ghahraman, a parliamentarian from New Zealand. The views and opinions expressed by the parliamentarians are their own and do not necessarily reflect the IPU’s position.
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Basic Page
Declaration adopted without a vote* by the Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 161st session (Cairo, 16 September 1997) The Inter-Parliamentary Council, Reaffirming the Inter-Parliamentary Union's commitment to peace and development and convinced that the strengthening of the democratisation process and representative institutions will ...
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Section Page
MPs can sometimes be subject to human rights violations, ranging from arbitrary detention and exclusion from public life to even kidnapping and murder in the worst cases. The IPU has been defending MPs in danger for the past 40 years through its Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. The map below shows the latest alleged violations of ...
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Events
Publication
In 2017, as we set out on a new strategic cycle, our objective was “the advancement of democratic values, the rule of law and strong, representative institutions, and the promotion of gender equality and human rights.” Five years on, what impact ...
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Publication
The third Global Parliamentary Report examines public engagement in the work of parliament. The information, findings and recommendations in this report set out a road map for enhanced public engagement by parliaments and parliamentarians, working collaboratively with the community to ...
Read moreHalf the world’s population is under 30 and yet only 2.6% of MPs globally represent this age group. The IPU has identified the six ways to change this.
We help strengthen parliaments to make them more effective and representative.
We work to increase women’s representation in parliament and empower women MPs.
We defend the human rights of parliamentarians and help them uphold the rights of all.
We help parliaments fight terrorism, cyber warfare and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
We create the global space for parliamentary diplomacy, dialogue and networking.
We encourage youth participation in parliaments and empower young MPs.
We support parliaments in implementing the SDGs with a particular focus on health and climate change.
We bring a parliamentary dimension to United Nations processes to ensure international commitments become national realities.
