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 […]
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 […]
On 20 May, BGIPU convened a roundtable on the Middle East. The meeting was attended by UK MPs and Peers with an interest in the region and chaired by Baroness D’Souza, Vice Chair of BGIPU. The Ambassadors to the UK from Jordan and Lebanon and the Deputy Ambassador from Iraq gave a briefing on the […]
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 […]
Half the world’s population is under 30 and yet only 2.6% of MPs globally represent this age group. The IPU has identified six ways to change this. Discover our campaign here and take two minutes to pick one or more pledge(s) to make your parliament younger!
The Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group (PHRG), Dame Diana Johnson MP, wrote on 21 April 2021 to the Secretary General of the IPU, Martin Chungong, to express continued support and appreciation for the work of the IPU’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians and to reiterate the enduring commitment of […]
On 16 April, BGIPU and the BBC World Service co-hosted a virtual discussion on the illegal sale of Amazon Rainforest plots. The meeting was co-chaired by BGIPU Executive Committee and International Development Committee Member, Kate Osamor MP, and Climate Committee Chair, Lord Deben, and was well-attended by a group of MPs and Peers with an […]
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 […]
