- Our impact
The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.We help strengthen parliaments to make them more effective and representative.We work to increase women’s representation in parliament and empower women MPs.We defend the human rights of parliamentarians and help them uphold the rights of all.We help parliaments fight terrorism, cyber warfare and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.We create the global space for parliamentary diplomacy, dialogue and networking.We encourage youth participation in parliaments and empower young MPs.We support parliaments in implementing the SDGs with a particular focus on health and climate change.We bring a parliamentary dimension to United Nations processes to ensure international commitments become national realities. - Parliaments
Every country in the world has some form of parliament. Parliamentary systems fall into two categories: bicameral and unicameral. Out of 193 countries in the world, 79 are bicameral and 113 are unicameral, making a total of 272 chambers of parliament with over 46,000 members of parliament. IPU membership is made up of 179 national parliaments. Discover the world's nationalFind a national parliament
The Swiss National Council © The Swiss Parliament
We help strengthen parliaments to make them more representative and effective.. - Knowledge
Discover the IPU's resources
Our library of essential resources for parliamentsYour one-stop-shop for data for and about national parliamentsLatest data and reports about women's participation in politicsRecent innovations in the way parliaments do their work
South Africa
South Africa
Data points :
Parliament, National Assembly
The IPU data corresponds to the lower chamber if the parliament is bicameral. For information about upper chambers, refer to Parline
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cases currently treated by the Committee on the Human Rights of MPs
- Population 55.29 million people
- Number of MPs 400 MPs
- Legislature bicameral
- Last election May 2019
- IPU Membership
- Common principles signatory
- Website www.parliament.gov.za
- More data from Parline
This page contains the latest IPU news and data for this parliament. The percentage of women in parliament and the percentage of youth participation correspond to the lower chamber if the parliament is bicameral. The number of MP human rights cases corresponds to the latest decisions of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.
Innovation stories
With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the South African parliament was quick to adopt digital innovations to ensure continuity of parliamentary functions. Parliamentary meetings were held entirely virtually or in a hybrid format.
The European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation (ECPRD) held its ICT2019 Seminar at the Riigikogu of Estonia in Tallinn on October 3 and 4, 2019. The seminar is the annual gathering of senior ICT officials from parliaments across Europe and further afield, who come together to share knowledge and experiences. The 2019 seminar focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in
Related news
Press releases
18/11/2019
Hosted by the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), and organized by the IPU in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the African Regional Parliamentary Conference on Comprehensive Responses to Refugee Situations – Effective Parliamentary Approaches, took place from
Related events
Conference on "Ensuring Everyone’s Right to Nationality: The Role of Parliaments in Preventing and Ending Statelessness", organized with UNHCR
Cape Town,
South Africa
118th IPU Assembly and Related Meetings
Cape Town,
South Africa
In the region
