- 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
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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
Case studies aim to gather first hand experiences from parliaments on working methods, procedures, challenges and opportunities for working towards more inclusive parliaments. Interviews with leading actors inside and outside parliament inform the preparation of each case study.
Case studies aim to gather first hand experiences from parliaments on working methods, procedures, challenges and opportunities for working towards more inclusive parliaments. Interviews with leading actors inside and outside parliament inform the preparation of each case study.
Case studies aim to gather first hand experiences from parliaments on working methods, procedures, challenges and opportunities for working towards more inclusive parliaments. Interviews with leading actors inside and outside parliament inform the preparation of each case study.
Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 35 parliamentarians between March and November 2009. Interviews were designed to gather data on (a) the ways in which members of minority and indigenous groups become parliamentarians, (b) the experiences of members of minority
The Global overview contains an analysis of responses to a questionnaire sent to all national parliaments in 2009. The aim of the survey was to gain a better understanding of the nature of parliamentary inclusion of minorities and indigenous peoples
Jointly produced by the IPU and UNODC, the Handbook on Combating Trafficking in Persons is intended to encourage parliamentarians to take an active part in stopping human trafficking. It offers guidance on how national legislation can be brought in line
This Handbook is the result of a combined effort by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Its purpose is to assist parliaments and their members to bring address the question of missing persons and
Jointly produced by the IPU and UNICEF, the Handbook provides recommendations and examples of good practices to enable parliamentarians to follow up the recent United Nations Secretary- General's Study on Violence against Children. The Handbook was formally launched on 2
This tool, produced by IPU and UNICEF, is designed specifically for members of parliament from South Asia. It focuses on the particular issues and challenges related to juvenile justice in the region. The regional guide is based on the results
Handbooks
The Handbook explains in practical terms the rationale and objectives of a new Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol. It also delves into the ways in which parliaments can translate the rights and principles
As part of its efforts to strengthen the capacity of parliaments to promote and protect human rights, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in collaboration with the International Commission of Jurists and the Association for the Prevention of Torture, organized this seminar, which
Reports
How does a nation deal with a legacy of extensive human rights abuse, and thus with the moral, legal and political dilemmas most commonly associated with post-conflict transitions? The regional seminar made it possible for parliamentarians of African countries to