Belgrade, Serbia, 4 June 2026
The IPU Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians 2026 concluded with a resolute call to implement the IPU Plan of Action for Gender Parity, and intensify efforts to advance women’s political participation worldwide.
Hosted by the Serbian Parliament, the conference gathered over 400 participants from more than 60 countries, including nearly 200 parliamentarians, of which 155 were women. It followed on from last year’s conference in Mexico City.
The IPU Plan of Action for Gender Parity in Parliaments sets out a roadmap to achieve 50:50 representation in legislatures worldwide. It is built around three dimensions of parity: numbers, influence and power, and culture.
Its recommendations include constitutional guarantees, gender quota laws aligned with electoral systems, equal access to leadership, stronger enforcement, and measures to tackle sexism, harassment and violence against women in politics. It also calls for gender-sensitive, family-friendly parliamentary workplaces.
The Conference highlighted in particular the persistent stereotypes and negative social norms that limit women’s participation in public office, alongside the double standards, sexism, harassment, and gender-based violence that women in politics often face.
One of the key objectives of the Conference was to identify priorities for parliamentary action to address those persistent stereotypes - including ending violence against women and girls, addressing the risks of gender-biased artificial intelligence, increasing the representation of women from marginalized and historically excluded groups, promoting more equal care, and investing more in education and equal pay.
Opening the conference, the Serbian Speaker of Parliament, Ana Brnabić, highlighted the link between gender equality and democratic quality, saying, “When we talk about gender equality, we are really talking about the quality of our institutions, the strength of our democracy. Equality is not a goal in itself; equality is a precondition of better democracy, better institutions and better society.”
IPU President Tulia Ackson said that “hard data and policy tools show that barriers are about access, not women’s ability” adding that inclusive parity must also reflect the experiences of young women, women with disabilities, rural women and marginalized groups.
Cynthia López Castro, President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, said parity is “about power and dignity, not charity, ” and stressed that women’s equal voice, safe and influence are essential goals of parliamentary work.
IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong urged participants to recognize that achieving parity requires more than just increasing numbers; it demands a transformation of social norms and attitudes. He said, “Men lose nothing when women rise; instead, democracy, parliaments, and society gain.”
The conference concluded with the adoption of an outcome document presented by Ivana Stamatović, Serbian MP and Member of the IPU Bureau of Young Parliamentarians. The document set out key recommendations to advance gender-sensitive parliaments and strengthen cooperation among parliaments, civil society, and international organizations.
Participants pledged to work actively to implement the Plan of Action for Gender Parity, turning the conference’s commitments into concrete actions in their own countries.
