Theme: Human Rights

Over 110 Speakers of Parliament from around the world are expected to come to Vienna for the first physical large-scale inter-parliamentary meeting since the beginning of the COVID pandemic.

World Conference of Speakers of Parliament to meet in person in Vienna on 7-8 September

The Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, the world’s largest gathering of the highest level of parliamentary representation, will take place in Vienna, Austria on 7-8 September. Organized jointly by the IPU and the Austrian Parliament, in cooperation with the United Nations, this in-person segment of the conference follows a virtual session held in August 2020. […]

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 20 July, BGIPU collaborated with the BBC APPG and the BBC World Service to deliver the webinar Countering disinformation: reaching new audiences.

MPs/Peers hear about global impacts of misinformation from BBC experts

On 20 July, BGIPU collaborated with the BBC APPG and the BBC World Service to deliver the webinar Countering disinformation: reaching new audiences. The event was chaired by BBC APPG Chair, Huw Merriman MP and presentations were provided by Senior Controller for BBC News Output & Commissioning, Jamie Angus, Specialist in Disinformation & Social Media Correspondent, […]

© UN Women/ Ryan Brown Women Peace and Security in Mali.

IPU welcomes Canadian funding to advance gender equality in parliament

The IPU has announced it will will receive an additional two million Canadian dollars in funding to support its gender equality work in parliament. The three-year project, Gender Equality in Politics, is designed to support the IPU’s work in increasing women’s political empowerment. The funding will also help strengthen the capacity of parliaments to support […]

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, who marked the International Day of Parliamentarism on 30 June 2021 with the raising of the IPU flag alongside BGIPU Chair, Harriett Baldwin MP and other Executive Committee members. © UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor

UK House of Commons Speaker raises a flag to the International Day of Parliamentarism

In a statement marking the day, the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, said curtailing the rights of MPs to speak out will be one of the subjects under the spotlight as Parliaments across the globe celebrate the International Day of Parliamentarism. The Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Committee on Human […]

Joana Mamombe ©Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence

IPU calls for action following increased physical violence against MPs

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 […]