Activity Reports

Through its programme of activities, the BGIPU seeks to engage Parliamentarians in key global issues and works to expand awareness and understanding of foreign relations and the contribution to be made by the UK Parliament to consolidate parliamentary democracy worldwide.

Here you can read the reports of our activities, including our Outward Delegations, IPU conferences and events and inward visits to Westminster.

You can search for specific reports by using keywords, themes, categories or date using the fields on the right.

 

©Senate of Cameroon

Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organisation calls for WTO reform

The Inter-Parliamentary Union has concluded its Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization (WTO) which took place at the Senate of Cameroon, on the eve of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14). The Parliamentary Conference on the WTO is co-organized by the IPU and the European Parliament. It brings together legislators from all regions to shape ministerial […]

The five candidates in alphabetical order from left to right.

Inter-Parliamentary Union to elect its new Secretary General at 152nd Assembly

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will elect its ninth Secretary General at the 152nd IPU Assembly, which will be held in Istanbul, Türkiye from 15 to 19 April 2026. The Secretary General serves as the Chief Executive of the Organization, overseeing the management of the Secretariat and reporting directly to the IPU Governing Council. Together with the President, the […]

Male and female MPs join the IPU’s campaign ‘Achieving gender equality. Action by action.ʼ © Parliament of Bhutan.

IPU highlights action Bhutan is taking to advance gender equality in its Parliament

Women constitute about 52% of Bhutan’s population, yet they remain significantly underrepresented in its Parliament. While Bhutan’s Constitution is grounded in the principle of equity, and progress has been made in women’s participation in local government and public services, their representation in Parliament has declined in recent years. The IPU report Women in parliament: 1995-2025, highlighted […]

The Istanbul 15 July Martyrs Bridge over the Bosphorus © GNAT

152nd IPU Assembly to take place in Türkiye from 15-19 April 2026

The Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) will convene its 152nd Assembly in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 15 to 19 April 2026. Hosted by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, the overall theme of the event is Nurturing hope, securing peace and ensuring justice for future generations. Against a backdrop of unfolding and ongoing wars, with severe humanitarian consequences, in […]

The IPU-UN Women map, presents global rankings for women in executive and government positions as of 1 January 2026.

Only 1 in 7 countries is led by a woman as global political power remains dominated by men

New Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) – UN Women data shows women remain far from having equal political power, holding just 22.4% of cabinet posts and 27.5% of parliamentary seats worldwide. Across the world, women remain vastly under-represented in political leadership, with the most powerful decisions still overwhelmingly made by men. In 2026, only 28 countries are led by […]

Voters stand in line at a polling station during general elections in Jesus de Machaca, Bolivia, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

IPU Report concludes that women’s representation in parliament sees sluggish gains

As of 1 January 2026, women hold 27.5% of national parliamentary seats worldwide, up modestly from 27.2% in 2025, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) report Women in parliament 2025. This 0.3 percentage point increase matches 2024’s rate, marking the slowest growth since 2017 for the second consecutive year. The report is based on IPU data […]

Buildings destroyed by U.S.-Israeli attacks in Tehran, Iran, on 2 March 2026. (photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via AFP)

Inter-Parliamentary Union leadership statement on conflict in Middle East

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the global organization of parliaments, was founded on the principles of parliamentary dialogue and diplomacy for peace and democracy. As such, we condemn the military strikes carried out by Israel and the United States of America on the Islamic Republic of Iran. We likewise condemn the retaliatory attacks launched by the […]

© iJeabP/Shutterstock

New IPU report: Lawmakers increasingly intimidated by the public

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) released today a new global report which reveals that members of parliament (MPs) are facing a worrying rise in intimidation and harassment from the public. When the public turns hostile: Political violence against parliamentarians draws on a broad survey of 519 MPs globally and case studies focused on five countries: Argentina, Benin, […]

Delegation with Mr Speaker in Speaker's House. © House of Commons

Delegation from Poland engage on global instability and cooperation in Europe

From 26 to 28 January 2026 BGIPU welcomed to Westminster a delegation from Poland for a bilateral visit to the British Parliament. The delegation was led by Senator Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka, Vice-President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and included Senator Stanisław Gawłowski and Senator Wiktor Durlak. As well as members of the Sejm of the Republic […]