Objective 4 2020
Contribute to peacebuilding, conflict prevention and security
Peace is crucial not only for democracy and the rule of law, but also to protect lives and minimize the destruction caused by conflict. More than 130 years after its establishment, the IPU still provides a vital forum for international parliamentary dialogue. We also support parliaments in countries that are emerging from conflict or transitioning to democracy, to develop as robust, democratic institutions that can help heal the scars of national division. By preventing in-person meetings, however, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented multiple opportunities to build trust and common understanding. In the meantime, arms spending has continued to rise, international arms control regimes are eroding further, and violent extremist groups are exploiting the general uncertainty. Despite this, the IPU continued on its steady path, supporting parliamentary contributions to peacebuilding, conflict prevention and security.
Advocating for peace and security
The IPU connected parliaments with several important global initiatives, for example. We supported the UN Secretary-General’s COVID-19 appeal for an immediate global ceasefire through a statement issued by the President of the IPU Standing Committee on Peace and International Security, the Chairperson of the IPU High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG), and the IPU President. We also continued campaigning for the Comprehensive NuclearTest-Ban Treaty to enter into force and promoted ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The IPU recommends that governments spend less on weapons and more in other sectors, such as health, which has been under intense pressure during the pandemic.
To mark the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325, Women, Peace and Security we produced a video to explain the negative impacts of conflict on women and the multiple ways in which women can contribute to a durable peace. The video urged parliamentarians to adopt and implement national action plans that advance women’s participation in peace and security.
The IPU’s participation in the 2020 edition of Geneva Peace Week also went online. Our digital products looked at the importance of evidence-informed arms control, good security sector governance and youth engagement in politics. The digital nature of our communications allowed them to travel further than the event itself, reaching more countries and larger audiences than ever before. They can also be used in the long run for information and training purposes.
Online discussions and webinars replaced our usual in-person presence but nevertheless afforded the opportunity to foster dialogue and the lively exchange of ideas. Our New York office organized well-attended briefings on UN processes, including a review of the UN’s peacebuilding architecture. We gathered inputs from MPs for a draft publication on parliamentary support for disarmament.
Countering terrorism and violent extremism
The IPU’s programme on countering terrorism and violent extremism organized two meetings of the IPU High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism.
As part of our ongoing efforts to support the victims of terrorism and to make their voices heard, we also organized an event – Countering terrorism and violent extremism: the perspective of victims – on the sidelines of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. We worked with the UN Office on Counter-Terrorism and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to design model legislation for victims of terror. The first four of six expert consultations took place in November and December 2020.
Parliamentary diplomacy in support of peacebuilding and reconciliation
In July 2020, the IPU Committee on Middle East Questions discussed the situations in Palestine and Libya. For the first time since October 2018, a representative from the Israeli Knesset attended the Committee meeting, engaging in dialogue with his Palestinian counterpart.
“The Austrian Parliament unconditionally supports a world free of nuclear weapons… We must continue all our efforts for a worldwide ban of all nuclear weapons and destroy all existing weapons. I am convinced that this is the only way to protect humankind from this danger.”
Mr. Wolfgang Sobotka
President of the Austrian National Council
Case study
Parliaments to assure our common future
Working with MPs and other partners, the IPU contributed to the guide, “Assuring our common future” which provides background on disarmament and examples of effective policies and parliamentary action.
Partners in the project included Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Parliamentarians for Global Action, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and the World Future Council. The Guide will support parliaments with the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s disarmament agenda “Securing our Common Future”.
Our impact
Optimism in a time of global crisis
In 2020, we partnered with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons to commemorate 75 years since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Our joint campaign promoted ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). By the end of 2020, 50 states had ratified the treaty, enabling it to come into force at the start of 2021.