Governing council

Young MPs from 51 countries have defined a youth-centred action plan that promotes inclusive democratic and socioeconomic policies for all. More than 120 young men and women MPs who attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union's (IPU) Fourth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Ottawa, Canada, on 17-18 November, took a united approach to end exclusion and marginalization of young people.

“We have heard enough talk, it is time to step up efforts and take strong and bold action now!” With these words in the outcome document, young MPs at the Regional Conference of Young Parliamentarians of Africa declared their determination to increase the number of young people in parliament. IPU research shows that although young people under 30 make up approximately 70 per cent of the African population, they make up less than 1.5 per cent of all MPs. The Regional Conference, was co-organized by the IPU and the Parliament of Nigeria in Abuja, Nigeria, on 27 and 28 September 2017 and was attended by 200 participants from 15 countries.

For democracy to be effective, decision-making must be inclusive. Involving young people gives them a sense of ownership of public affairs and strengthens public policy. To galvanize action for youth political participation, the IPU and the Parliament of Nigeria convened the Regional Conference of Young Parliamentarians of Africa, the first of its kind, on 27 and 28 September in Abuja, Nigeria

Data from the IPU shows the worrisome lack of representation of young people in parliaments. To commemorate International Youth Day 2017 (12 August), the IPU asked young MPs worldwide to share their views on how to increase youth engagement in politics. We are sharing these views through a social media campaign on Twitter and Facebook. Young MPs provide examples of how they have reached out to youth in their communities, and ensured that their concerns and actions are integrated into parliamentary debates. This campaign is part of the IPU’s work in helping to increase the number of young MPs in parliaments worldwide. This year also marks the 20 th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Democracy (UDD), adopted by IPU Member Parliaments in September 1997. Young MPs have played a pivotal role in advancing its principles.

Martin Chungong has been given a new four-year lease as Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The decision was taken at the 136th Assembly of the IPU, which took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, last week.

Expressing grave concern with the extreme political, social and economic inequalities prevalent in the world, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has called for immediate action to reverse this trend and leave no one behind. In a declaration issued at the close of the 136th IPU Assembly (#IPU136) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, IPU Members highlighted that "extreme inequalities" come at a high cost to society, stalling economic growth, undermining the democratic process and social cohesion and increasing the risk of violence and insecurity.

In the course of their duties, MPs sometimes face human rights violations, and the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians is the only international mechanism with the remit to protect them. The Committee is meeting in Geneva from

Parliamentarians from across the globe declared their commitment to raising the alarm and taking action when serious human rights challenges emerge, particularly in conflict situations. In a declaration on human rights abuses as precursors of conflict, adopted at the conclusion of the 135 th IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, IPU Members said that parliamentarians are the guardians of human rights and the rule of law, and if violations or challenges occur they are the early responders.

MPs from 138 countries will convene next week in Geneva to determine among other issues specific ways in which parliaments can respond effectively to serious human rights violations and their underlying causes, including human rights situations likely to lead to conflict.

In a historic double-first at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong has delivered a speech committing IPU to mobilizing parliaments for more successful outcomes on health, and has attended the first-ever parliamentary event at the

IPU’s Meeting of Women Parliamentarians, which for more than 30 years has been a unique opportunity for women MPs globally to meet in person and provide input into international decision-making, has a new name – the Forum of Women Parliamentarians