Bureau of Women Parliamentarians

The Bureau of Women Parliamentarians makes sure that women’s issues are placed at the very heart of our work.  

It organizes the work of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians, which meets during our twice-yearly Assemblies to address gender equality issues and to contribute to the decisions made by our Membership.

The Bureau works to make our Organization more aware of gender issues by developing a sustained programme on women’s issues, and to promote greater participation of women MPs in all our senior posts.

Formerly called the Coordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians, the Bureau has over the years also taken on the task of guiding the work of the Gender Partnership Group and presenting recommendations and reports to the Governing Council.

Set up in 1990, it was the first permanent structure created within IPU to drive forward our work on gender equality and women’s issues. It meets at all our Assemblies.

The Bureau is elected by the Forum of Women Parliamentarians. It is made up of women from all six of our geopolitical groups. It has a President and two Vice-Presidents. 

The President automatically becomes a member of our Executive Committee, adding a voice to those of the women MPs already serving there. In turn, female members of the Executive Committee are also automatically members of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians.