News in brief

On 18 November 2020, thirty-four members of Sierra Leone’s parliament held a day-long meeting on Engaging Members of Parliament on Female Genital Mutilation: An innovative approach to attaining SDG 5. These select members represent the newly formed first-ever parliamentary Caucus

Twenty-five years after the Beijing Declaration to advance women’s rights, young women are still one of the most under-represented groups in political leadership positions. IPU figures show that only 2.2 per cent of MPs worldwide are under 30, of which

Assuring our Common Future is a new guide for parliaments to support disarmament for security and sustainable development. The IPU contributed to the guide in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Parliamentarians for Global Action, Parliamentarians for Nuclear

In a new research paper, the IPU shines the spotlight on parliamentary staff, the people who support the Members of Parliament. The paper analyses key dimensions of parliamentary autonomy in administrations – from recruitment practices to budgetary powers – across

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reaffirm the right of all people to a decent life, peace and a healthy environment. Parliaments are essential to achieving this ambitious agenda. They play a key role by enacting legislation, adopting national budgets and

Watch the fourth in a series of short videos on the Sustainable Development Goals 5 - gender equality. This video shares some shocking facts about violence against women and outlines steps that parliaments can take against this scourge. This is

Watch the third in a series of short videos on the Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality. This video on legislation for gender equality looks at how countries can achieve full gender equality, something that none of them have

On International Day of Democracy, the Austrian Parliament has announced the publication of a new report, Parliaments Promoting Democracy – Report on Programmes of National Parliaments Promoting Democracy and Human Rights. The report showcases examples of how some 50 countries

The latest resolution on the interaction between the United Nations, parliaments and the IPU has just been adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution, co-sponsored by 76 UN Member States, reaffirms the commitment of all parties to continue

As part of their research to produce a handbook to address the issue of legislation that discriminates against women, the IPU and UN Women recently held virtual consultations with parliamentarians from around the world. Laws that discriminate against women affect

On 12 August, International Youth Day 2020, the IPU celebrates the 10th anniversary of its resolution, Youth participation in the democratic process. Adopted by IPU Member Parliaments in 2010 in Thailand, the resolution is a call to action to include

The IPU Advisory Group on Health has issued a statement on the current COVID-19 pandemic, calling on parliaments to cooperate with stakeholders to build capacity to manage health emergencies, including preparedness, prevention and response. The pandemic has placed demands on

The IPU is calling on Speakers of Parliaments to promote national action and investment to advance universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The IPU has partnered with UHC2030, a multi-stakeholder movement whose

Organized by the IPU, the virtual Parliamentary Forum at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will look at lessons learnt from the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only exacted a tragic toll in terms of deaths and

In a courtesy visit to IPU headquarters in Geneva, Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai donated 1,500 medical masks for IPU staff as a gesture of solidarity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. New Permanent Representative of Viet Na​​m to the

The IPU congratulates the United Nations on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations signed on 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, USA. The Charter of the United Nations was born at end of

On 26 June, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the IPU calls on parliaments to use all their powers to help eradicate state-sponsored physical and psychological abuse and all other forms of serious ill-treatment. The day also

On 30 June 2020, the IPU and the parliamentary community will celebrate the third edition of International Day of Parliamentarism and the anniversary of the foundation of the IPU. The IPU was founded 131 years ago on 30 June 1889

This year’s IPU information seminar has gone online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since participants cannot travel to Geneva, the IPU is holding a week of webinars for parliamentary staff in French. Every year, the IPU holds an information seminar

The Parliament of Myanmar (Hluttaw) recently held its first virtual session to discuss a COVID-19 economic relief plan with technical support from the IPU and the UN Development Programme. Some 40 MPs registered for the session joining from all over