The 149th Assembly of the IPU will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on 13-17 October 2024. All IPU statutory bodies, including the Governing Council, Standing Committees, Committees on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians and on Middle East Questions, as well as the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and the Forum of Young MPs, will meet on […]
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), on behalf of the global parliamentary community, vehemently condemns the new “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law issued by the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan on 21 August 2024. The law adds to the litany of unacceptable limitations to women’s rights and freedoms in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover three […]
In a collaborative effort, the IPU and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) have conducted a study aimed at enhancing the capacities of national parliaments to address the health needs of vulnerable and marginalized women, children and adolescents. This study underscores the importance of evidence-based approaches and the necessity for continuous monitoring […]
As elections unfold throughout this super election year, much of the discussion has revolved around the advanced age of some candidates running for office. However, what about the younger voices that are adding fresh perspectives and energy to the political arena? The IPU has been meticulously tracking the average age of parliamentarians at national, regional […]
When ChatGPT was launched in 2022, the world crossed a new frontier in technological advancement. With the development and deployment of large language models, a new chapter opened in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). This presented an opportunity for parliaments to explore ways to close the gap between technological advancements and the pace of […]
We, the members of the IPU Executive Committee, have reviewed current developments in Ukraine. We deplore the ongoing loss of life and suffering caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the countless victims of the protracted war, which continues to cause widespread […]
The Inter-Parliamentary Union welcomes the Parliament of Gambia’s recent vote to uphold a 2015 ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), rejecting a controversial bill seeking to reverse the law. On July 15 parliamentarians voted down the proposed law following months of public debate and advocacy efforts. IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong, who had been vocal in his […]
This week, the IPU convened dozens of parliamentarians from around the world for its annual meeting at the High-Level Political Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the United Nations Office in New York. New countries attending included, for the first time, representatives of the China’s National People’s Congress, underscoring the growing relevance of this event […]
Following an intense week of elections, the IPU’s two founding members, France and the United Kingdom, have just completed their parliamentary elections. How have both parliaments fared in terms of gender equality? How do they compare to previous chambers and the IPU’s global average of women in parliament which stood at 26.9% before these latest […]
On the eve of International Day of Parliamentarism and the IPU’s 135th anniversary on 30 June 2024, the IPU is presenting the findings of its first global perceptions poll of the parliamentary community. The IPU polled members of parliament and related stakeholders from around the world to gauge their levels of optimism, their perceptions of the greatest […]
