On 8 June 2021, BGIPU hosted a virtual COP26 Latin America Meeting. It gathered Members of Parliament from eleven Latin American parliaments to share details of how they are legislating and scrutinising governments to enhance climate commitments in preparation for November’s COP26 Summit. BGIPU Treasurer and COP26 IPU Rapporteur, Alex Sobel MP chaired the meeting which […]
IPU Member Parliaments have committed to taking action to address alleged human rights violations suffered by MPs in a number of countries, including Egypt, Libya, Myanmar, Philippines, Turkey, Yemen and Zimbabwe. Many of the cases concern actual physical violence against parliamentarians, including against women and young MPs. During the 142nd IPU Assembly last week, the […]
The in-person segment of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament will be held in Vienna, Austria on 7-8 September. The conference will be preceded by the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament on 6 September. Organized jointly by the IPU and the Austrian Parliament, in cooperation with the United Nations, the second part of the conference will […]
Over 1000 parliamentarians and experts from 135 countries connected this week to the concluding sessions of the 142nd IPU Assembly, held online for the first time. Over 37 per cent of registered MPs were women and some 25 per cent were young MPs, testimony to the importance attached by the IPU to gender equality and […]
On 27 May, UK Parliamentarians met virtually with members of the Austrian Parliament in the margins of the IPU Assembly. The meeting was Chaired by BGIPU Vice-Chair Rt Hon Baroness D’Souza, and was also comprised of BGIPU Chair Harriett Baldwin MP, Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP, Tim Loughton MP, Chris Elmore MP and Margaret Ferrier […]
The IPU Committee on Middle East Questions expresses its strong concerns over the recent escalations in the brutal conflict in Yemen, causing what has become known as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The Committee strongly condemns the violations of UN Security Council Resolutions regarding Yemen, especially as regards the embargo on arms sales to parties […]
Statement Chair of the 12 Plus Geopolitical Group, Arda Gerkens, at the 142nd IPU Assembly – Governing Council of 24 May 2021 On behalf of the 12 Plus Geopolitical Group I would like to raise our concerns regarding the recent imposition of sanctions on parliamentarians in a number of 12 Plus member group countries by […]
On 24 May 2021, Arda Gerkens, President of the 12 Plus Group made a statement during the IPU Governing Council on the situation in Myanmar on behalf of the 12 Plus Group: “We stand with the United Nations Security Council and call for the immediate release of all detainees and an end to all repressive […]
As highlighted in the IPU’s new Impact report, 2020 was a game-changer for the IPU. Starting in March, the IPU had to completely reinvent itself to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on its activities. Despite the lockdowns and restrictions on international travel, we remained open for business and swiftly adapted to the global turmoil […]
At its meeting on 18 January 2021, the IPU Executive Committee decided that, in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact, the 142nd IPU Assembly would be held during the week of 24 May 2021 in virtual format. In order to examine the implications of such an unprecedented virtual Assembly and to find the best […]
