Region: Global Issues

The discussion moderated by BGIPU Chair Harriett Baldwin MP, who was joined by John Penrose MP, the Prime Minister’s Anti-Corruption Champion, IPU/UN hearing participant, Owen Thompson MP, as well as Daniel Bruce and Alex Runswick from Transparency International UK

Virtual follow-up discussion on IPU Hearing on fighting corruption

In partnership with Transparency International UK, BGIPU arranged on 14 April a virtual follow-up event to take up the key themes of the IPU’s Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations “Fighting corruption to restore trust in government and improve development prospects” where the Chair of the global board of Transparency International had delivered the keynote […]

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 […]

Call to Action- On young women’s political participation and leadership

Call to Action- On young women’s political participation and leadership

Following a virtual event on 18 November 2020, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth published today a call to action on young women’s participation in politics. The call to action identifies three priority areas for increasing young women’s representation in politics: Priority 1: Nurturing Young Women’s Political Aspirations Priority 2: Supporting […]

BGIPU Chair Harriett Baldwin MP sits in a socially distanced hybrid House of Commons during a debate in May 2020

BGIPU remains extremely active and engaged despite marking one year under lockdown

With UK Parliamentary travel suspended since March 2020 and all IPU meetings cancelled or being held virtually online, the COVID-19 global pandemic represents the most serious disruption to the work of BGIPU since the two World Wars of the 20th century.  Over the last year, as the global pandemic spread to an estimated 120 million […]

Marking IWD 2021, the meeting had a timely focus on the importance of inclusive parliaments in the response to the gender impacts of the global pandemic, not least with the recent release of the Centenary Action Group’s report on the Remotely Representative Parliament: Lesson Learning from the Hybrid Parliament written by Dr Jess Smith with Professor Sarah Childs. Copyright UK Parliament/ Jessica Taylor

BGIPU Chair leads parliamentary event marking International Women’s Day 2021

On Tuesday 9th March, in association with the Women in Parliament APPG, BGIPU hosted an event to celebrate International Women’s Day. BGIPU Chair Harriett Baldwin MP moderated the esteemed panel which included academics Dr Jessica Smith and Professor Sarah Childs who were joined by Clerk Assistant, Sarah Davies, Chair of the Procedure Committee, The Rt […]

UK parliamentary launch of ‘Assuring our Common Future: Parliamentary Handbook on Disarmament for Security and Sustainable Development’ was chaired by BGIPU Vice-Chair, Rt Hon Baroness D’Souza.

UK launch of Handbook on Disarmament for Security & Sustainable Development

On 9th March, BGIPU co-hosted with Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) and the APPG for Future Generations, the UK parliamentary launch of ‘Assuring our Common Future: Parliamentary Handbook on Disarmament for Security and Sustainable Development’. The meeting was chaired by BGIPU Vice-Chair, Rt Hon Baroness D’Souza and presentations were provided by Lord Hannay […]

2020 elections in New Zealand saw an unprecedented increase in the numbers of women and traditionally under-represented groups. © Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images via AFP

Proportion of women MPs globally inches up but gender parity still far off

Following elections in 2020, the global proportion of women in parliament reached a record 25.5 per cent, representing an increase of 0.6 points compared with 2019, according to the IPU’s latest Women in Parliament report. The IPU has tracked women’s participation in parliament for decades, allowing it to measure progress and setbacks. Every year, the IPU […]