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.
On 24–25 January 2019, the IPU helped co-organize the Arab Regional Parliamentary Forum on the 2030 Agenda with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Islamic Development Bank Group
The IPU expresses its grave concern about the escalating crisis in Venezuela. It reminds the authorities of their duty to guarantee the basic human rights of the people, including those of peaceful demonstration. The IPU continues to monitor carefully for
The IPU is concerned by the prosecution of Mr. Jacques Ehouo and the detention of Mr. Alain Lobognon, both MPs in the National Assembly of Côte d’Ivoire, and the violation of their parliamentary immunity enshrined in Articles 91 and 92