- 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 2018 facts and figures on the participation of young people in politics. Learn about the IPU's work on youth empowerment.
This map shows the number of violations of MPs' human rights in 2018.
The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians is the only international mechanism with the remit of protecting and defending MPs suffering human right violations. This map lists the number of human rights cases being examined by the Committee
This map is a unique visual tool that captures women’s participation in executive government and in parliament on a given date—1st January 2017. The map of Women in Politics not only provides a country ranking for both ministerial and parliamentary
The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians is the only international mechanism with the remit of protecting and defending MPs suffering human right violations. This map lists the number of human rights cases being examined by the Committee
Summary of 2015 facts and figures on the participation of young people in politics.
IPU is at the forefront to support parliaments in their efforts to provide better health outcomes for all, especially the most marginalized. This infographic presents IPU action on health, identifies parliaments supported and highlights the results achieved at national, regional
A unique visual tool to capture women’s participation in executive government and in parliament on a given date – 1st January 2015. The map of Women in Politics not only provides a country ranking for both ministerial and parliamentary representation
Download this infographic on the statistics and trends on human rights abuses of MPs during 2015 revealed through the work of IPU's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.
The poster is a ʺsnapshot ʺ of the presence of women in the Executive and Legislative branches of Government, in January 2014. The poster provides information on the percentage of women in ministerial ranks, women in parliaments, women in the
Download this infographic on the statistics and trends on human rights abuses of MPs during 2014 revealed through the work of IPU's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. This publication is only available in PDF format.
The poster is a ʺsnapshot ʺ of the presence of women in the Executive and Legislative branches of Government, in January 2012. The poster provides information on the percentage of women in ministerial ranks, women in parliaments, women in the