The Executive Committee oversees our administration and makes recommendations to our Governing Council on various matters, including applications by national parliaments or regional parliamentary assemblies wishing to join us. It also assesses candidates for the post of Secretary General, and submits a recommendation to the Governing Council. The Committee sets the date and venue of our Governing Council sessions and a provisional agenda. It also proposes the IPU’s annual work programme and budget. It meets at least twice a year before our Assemblies, and can also hold extraordinary sessions if needed. The Executive Committee makes sure that decisions taken by our Assembly and Governing Council are put into practice.
It is made up of our President, 15 members from our different geopolitical groups, and the President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. Each member serves a four-year term. Three of all elected members of the Executive Committee—20 per cent—have to be women.
Our Gender Partnership Group and Sub-Committee on Finance, composed of members drawn from the Executive Committee, are also part of this Committee’s work. The Gender Partnership Group aims to ensure that the interests and visions of men and women are taken into account equally in all IPU’s activities and decisions while the Sub-Finance Committee reviews and makes recommendations on financial matters to the Executive Committee.