Region: Asia-Pacific

Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint. © EyePress via AFP

Political instability accounts for record number of persecuted MPs worldwide

The IPU has recorded another all-time high number of parliamentarians suffering from alleged human rights violations according to its annual figures released on the eve of Human Rights Day. The data reveal that at least 673 parliamentarians from 44 countries are under threat, most of them in countries experiencing political instability. The 2021 numbers confirm a consistent increase since 2014 […]

Fishing under photovoltaic panels. He Huawen / Imaginechina via AFP

IPU and Indonesia host first global parliamentary meeting on achieving the SDGs

Some 70 parliaments representing all the regions of the world attended the First Global Parliamentary Meeting on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Turning the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic into opportunities for parliaments to achieve the SDGs this week. The IPU and the House of Representatives of Indonesia organized the three-day virtual event from 28-30 […]

Vital need to ensure respect for the human rights of the 316 Afghan parliamentarians and the staff who support them, and in particular to the safety of the 86 women MPs, as well as former women MPs and female parliamentary staff.

IPU Committee Chairs make statement on the plight of parliamentarians in Afghanistan

Joint Statement of the Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian law and the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the IPU on Afghanistan The Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian law and the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the IPU express their deep concern on the current human rights and humanitarian situation […]

On 24 June, BGIPU hosted the second of its regional COP26 meetings, this one focussing on the Asia-Pacific. Parliamentarians from across the region were presented with an excellent opportunity to discuss their legislative, scrutiny, budgetary and oversight roles to advance climate ambition.

UK’s COP26 Ambassador responds to climate ambitions of Asia-Pacific MPs

On 24 June, BGIPU hosted the second of its regional COP26 meetings, this one focusing on the Asia-Pacific. Parliamentarians from across the region were presented with an excellent opportunity to discuss their legislative, scrutiny, budgetary and oversight roles to advance climate ambition. Former Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Barry Gardiner MP, […]

Elected MPS wave to protesters demonstrating against the military coup as police surround the NLD party's headquarters in Yangon on February 15, 2021. © Ye Aung THU / AFP

IPU reports sharp increase in abuse against parliamentarians, driven largely by Myanmar

Press Release by the IPU on 30 March 2021 The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians is monitoring a record 601 cases of alleged violations against parliamentarians around the world. This represents a significant uptick compared to 552 cases in December 2020. The caseload includes many new claims, particularly from Myanmar and Turkey. The […]

The CRPH represents some 400 parliamentarians elected in the November elections. Its objective is to carry out parliamentary functions despite the coup, and in circumstances where the parliamentarians are under close watch by the military and police. 

IPU President and Secretary General meet with Myanmar parliamentarians

IPU President, Mr. Duarte Pacheco and IPU Secretary General, Mr. Martin Chungong met today a group of Myanmar parliamentarians elected in the general election of November 2020 but prevented from taking their seats in the new parliament following the military coup on 1 February 2021. The parliamentarians are part of the newly formed 17-member Committee […]