News in brief

Parliamentarians from around the world were in Geneva this week for the first edition of the Global Refugee Forum organized by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The parliamentarians brought the parliamentary voice to this global gathering to take stock of

After spending more than six months in the Italian embassy of Caracas, Venezuela, two parliamentarians, Ms. Mariela Magallanes and Mr. Americo De Grazia, are now in Italy thanks to the efforts of IPU Honorary President Mr. Pier Ferdinando Casini.

Climate change and its impact on health were the focus of a parliamentary seminar on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), held in early December in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The timing coincided with the UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain. The seminar Strengthening parliamentary action on the SDGs was co-organized by the IPU and the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. It was attended by parliamentarians from eight Caribbean countries as well as representatives of international organizations, civil society and experts.

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Experts and parliamentarians meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) underscored the urgency of parliamentary action to mitigate the effects of the climate emergency. Over 100 MPs from more than 30 countries attended the IPU’s annual parliamentary meeting during the COP25.

The IPU has held its first regional information seminar in Latin America on the functioning of the organization. The seminar was held in San José, Costa Rica, on 27 and 28 November 2019 in partnership with Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly

Parliamentarians from 20 countries participating in the 2019 Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Global Gathering in Nepal have jointly signed a pledge where they commit to take action on nutrition. The parliamentarians have committed to encouraging their respective governments to

From celebrating 130 years of the IPU's rich past to empowering youth for the future, from the first parliamentary resolution on universal health care to increasing the number of women MPs, discover the highlights of the IPU's 141st Assembly in

Watch how IPU members around the world celebrated the IPU's milestone anniversary.

The IPU, the National Assembly of Zambia and the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) organized a climate change workshop in Lusaka, Zambia, on 22 July 2019 to support parliamentarians in their role to translate the international targets of the

Three years after the start of the #MeToo movement, Iceland recently hosted the first major international conference on the impact of gender-based violence, harassment and discrimination with the objective of “relegating sexual harassment to history”. Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General, presented the IPU’s landmark work on sexism and violence against women in parliaments.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General, as one of the 27 global leaders committed to fighting malnutrition through the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement. Malnutrition affects one in three people in the world and

Speakers of Parliament from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka assembled in Malé, Maldives, on 1 and 2 September 2019, for the fourth South Asian Speakers’ Summit on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As representatives of

Young parliamentarians meeting in Asunción, Paraguay, have called for the pursuit of happiness and well-being to be explicitly integrated into public policy.

On 12 August, International Youth Day, the IPU celebrates young parliamentarians and youth participation in political life.

The IPU brought together more than 140 parliamentarians from 50 parliaments to review progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the annual High-level Political Forum at the United Nations in New York.

New IPU data paints a mixed picture of the role of parliaments in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While examples of good practice have emerged, with some parliaments playing a very active role, the data also shows that implementation of the SDGs and involvement in the voluntary national review process remain primarily government-led.

IPU President Gabriela Cuevas Barron paid official visits to Cyprus and Iran in June 2019.

The Speaker of Djibouti’s National Assembly, Mohamed Ali Houmed, opened an extraordinary session of the Parliament with a speech to mark the IPU’s 130th anniversary. The Prime Minister, Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, was in the audience. The Parliament also helped raise awareness of the IPU and the anniversary by sending out the link to the video produced for the anniversary to all the MPs.

The Parliament of Bangladesh is currently displaying the IPU’s 130th anniversary exhibition. The exhibition was opened by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Speaker of Parliament Shirin Chaudhury and IPU Honorary President Saber H. Chowdhury were present at the opening, as were whips and other members of parliament.