- ImpactWe help parliaments to become greener and to implement the Paris agreement.We support democracy by strengthening parliamentsWe 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 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.
- Parliaments
Nearly every country in the world has some form of parliament. Parliamentary systems fall into two categories: bicameral and unicameral. Out of 190 national parliaments in the world, 78 are bicameral (156 chambers) and 112 are unicameral, making a total of 268 chambers of parliament with some 44,000 members of parliament. IPU membership is made up of 180 national parliamentsFind 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 parliamentsGlobal data for and about national parliamentsLatest data and reports about women in parliamentResolutions, declarations and outcomes adopted by IPU MembersRecent innovations in the way parliaments workThe latest climate change legislation from the London School of Economics' database
Publications
Summary of facts and figures on the participation of young people in politics based on 2023 figures. Learn about the IPU's work on youth empowerment.
Young people form a large share of the global population, but they make up only a small proportion of members of parliament around the world. This disparity is greatest among younger cohorts: while half of people worldwide are under age
The third Global Parliamentary Report examines public engagement in the work of parliament. The information, findings and recommendations in this report set out a road map for enhanced public engagement by parliaments and parliamentarians, working collaboratively with the community to
Summary of facts and figures on the participation of young people in politics based on 2020 figures. Learn about the IPU's work on youth empowerment.
This report is the fourth biennial IPU review of youth participation in national parliaments. It builds on the previous 2018 report by adding new data from the last two years, using age data from 148 parliamentary chambers, as well as other quantitative and qualitative data from 258 chambers.
Summary of 2018 facts and figures on the participation of young people in politics. Learn about the IPU's work on youth empowerment.
This annual report provides the latest data and information on young people in parliament.
Summary of 2015 facts and figures on the participation of young people in politics.
This report, based on information from 128 counties, raises the alarm on the significant under-representation of young people in the world’s parliaments. It offers 10 recommendations for action by parliaments, political parties and other relevant groups to engage more youth
Democracy depends on all voices in society being represented in parliament. Less than two per cent of MPs are below the age of 30. Youth engagement and participation in formal politics is critical to the future of democracy. This report
This handbook, a collaborative effort of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UNICEF, addresses some of the key ways in which parliamentarians can guarantee that children's voices, concerns and interests find expression in and are taken into account by parliaments. It aims