Celebration of the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on 22 January 2021 The Inter-Parliamentary Union welcomes the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons which sets a new international norm whereby the development, possession, and use of nuclear weapons are not only immoral, […]
The unfolding tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic also offers parliaments a unique chance to address climate change while rebuilding and reimagining national economies. A new IPU policy note, Green approaches to COVID-19 recovery: Policy note for parliamentarians, published in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme, provides practical guidance on how to seize this historic […]
The IPU and the parliamentary community strongly condemn the violence and the assault on the US Capitol on Wednesday 6 January. The integrity of this bastion of democracy and of the representatives of the people of the United States must be respected. IPU President, Duarte Pacheco, said “I thoroughly condemn this attempt to violate the […]
2020 has been a year unlike any other. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the world into turmoil, with the resulting lockdowns, quarantines and border closures bringing economies to a standstill. It has been endless; as societies sacrifice freedoms to subdue one wave, on comes another. And another. Of course, the other challenges facing the world […]
As the pandemic threw most of the world into turmoil, the IPU remained open for business to support its Members and continue its work of empowering parliaments and parliamentarians for democracy. Discover our end-of-year animation here.
Mr Duarte Pacheco, a Portuguese Member of Parliament since 1991, was elected to the IPU Presidency in an historic virtual vote in November, winning 56 per cent of the votes in the first round. In his first video interview for the IPU, the new President sets out his vision and his priorities for the three […]
In the lead-up to Human Rights Day on 10 December, the IPU has released its yearly figures on the human rights abuses experienced by parliamentarians around the world. The numbers confirm an upward trend of reported violations against parliamentarians. They also reveal an uptick in acts of intimidation and violence, with women MPs suffering more […]
Twenty-five years after the Beijing Declaration to advance women’s rights, young women are still one of the most under-represented groups in political leadership positions. IPU figures show that only 2.2 per cent of MPs worldwide are under 30, of which women only make up a small proportion. On 18 November 2020, the IPU and the […]
Assuring our Common Future is a new guide for parliaments to support disarmament for security and sustainable development. The IPU contributed to the guide in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Parliamentarians for Global Action, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the World Future Council, […]
New allegations of human rights violations against parliamentarians in countries holding elections have recently been brought to the attention of the IPU. The cases involve opposition MPs whose basic rights to freedom of expression, assembly and movement have reportedly been severely curtailed in the context of elections, particularly in Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania. In […]
