The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.
We help parliaments build peaceful and inclusive societies, fight terrorism and violent extremism and curb the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Nearly every country in the world has some form of parliament. Parliamentary systems fall into two categories: bicameral and unicameral. Out of 188 national parliaments in the world, 81 are bicameral (162 chambers) and 107 are unicameral, making a total of 269 chambers of parliament with some 44,000 members of parliament. IPU membership is made up of 183 national parliaments
Throughout the year, the IPU and its Members organize many events for parliamentarians to exchange good practices, acquire the latest information and identify avenues for action.
The IPU has been collecting data on parliaments since its inception in 1889, including information on women’s participation in politics since 1945. In this section, discover the IPU's knowledge bank for and about parliaments.
IPU and UNDP have published a third Global Parliamentary Report (GPR), that focuses on public engagement in the work of parliament. The report provides an analysis of the current status of public engagement, supported by good practice examples and case
IPU, in cooperation with a number of partner organizations, is developing a set of Parliamentary indicators based on SDG targets 16.6 and 16.7 (the “Indicators). The Indicators are intended as a tool to support parliaments in their learning and development
The consultant will play a central role in the effective functioning of the Centre for Innovation in Parliament. The Centre is a partnership between the IPU and parliaments to support parliamentary innovation through improved use of digital tools. It focuses
Although the concept of “science diplomacy” is barely a decade old, it is becoming a well-established marriage of the two fields in which the soft power of science is harnessed to encourage countries to work together, and diplomacy supports scientific
The Global Parliamentary Report 2022, published jointly by the IPU and United Nations Development Programme, takes a detailed look at why public engagement matters and how parliaments across the world are engaging with their communities. The findings reveal major trends
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments. It has a membership of 178 Member Parliaments. The IPU promotes democratic governance, institutions, and values, working with parliaments and parliamentarians to articulate and respond to the needs and
Organizational setting and reporting relationships The consultant will play a lead role in the research activities of the Centre for Innovation in Parliament. The Centre is a partnership between the IPU and parliaments to support parliamentary innovation through improved use