Gender Champions at the IPU

At the IPU, we are strongly committed to gender parity. As part of this commitment, we have three Gender Champions: IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong, Paddy Torsney, IPU Permanent Observer to the UN in New York and Brigitte Brenner, IPU Permanent Observer to the UN and other International Organizations in Vienna.

The International Gender Champions is a network of decision makers, male and female, who have committed to breaking down gender barriers. Gender Champions sign the Gender Parity Pledge to strive for gender parity in all discussions. Also see the IPU Secretary General's guidelines to implement gender parity on panels.

Below are pledges made by Mr. Chungong, Ms. Torsney and Ms. Brenner: 

Martin Chungong
As a Gender Champion and recipient of the Inaugural SDG5 Male Champion for Change Award, I commit to undertake the following:

• Make IPU Assemblies ever more gender-responsive, including by: a) Encouraging IPU Members to continuously improve gender equality in participation at Assemblies and ensuring they comply with existing statutory obligations; and b) Implementing a new framework to promote a sexism-free and harassment-free environment at IPU Assemblies starting in 2024.
• Pursue efforts to ensure that gender equality is part and parcel of the IPU's work and functioning, with a specific focus on the empowerment of girls and young women as part of our Generation Equality engagement, in particular by: a) Conducting a gender mainstreaming workshop for all IPU programmes of support to parliaments in 2024, including the youth programme; and b) Organizing at least one activity in 2024 with a specific focus on diverse groups of adolescent girls and young women.

Paddy Torsney
As a Gender Champion, I commit to undertake the following:

• Mentor women in their careers, particularly young women as they graduate, talking to them directly, ensuring they see openings and coaching them to success.
• Promote the full implementation of the IPUs anti-harassment policy, encouraging people to embrace the policy, and standing with them when they do so.

Brigitte Brenner
As a Gender Champion, I commit to undertake the following:

• I will serve as second mentor for a young colleague in the UN mentoring program who wishes to work inside of Austria in international affairs. I will continue my guidance and support for younger colleagues.
• I will promote IPUs anti-harassment policy and encourage women to speak out and stand with them when they do so.