This year’s IPU-UN Annual Parliamentary Hearing, entitled Fighting corruption to restore trust in government and improve development prospects, is designed to ensure a parliamentary contribution to the Political Declaration of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session against corruption (UNGASS 2021) which will be held from 17 to 18 February 2021. The hearing will be […]
The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CHRP) is very concerned about the situation of several Members of the Myanmar Parliament who are under house arrest or whose movements are being severely curtailed. The IPU strongly condemned the coup in a statement issued last week. The CHRP calls for the immediate release of the […]
Op-Ed by IPU President and Secretary General On 6 January 2021, the world watched in horror as a mob waged an outrageous assault on the US Capitol building. Congress was in session, performing the usually calm and orderly ritual of confirming the election results and certifying the victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Democracy […]
On 28 January, BGIPU co-hosted a briefing with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Nigeria. The meeting was chaired by Ms Kate Osamor MP, BGIPU Exco Member and Chair of the Nigeria APPG and was attended by a range of MPs and Peers, all with a keen interest in the country. Mr […]
The IPU and the parliamentary community call on governments to give fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccination through support for COVAX, the only global mechanism to distribute vaccines equitably across the world. The positive news of the roll-out of safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines offers hope to the millions who have been affected by […]
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.
On 14 December, BGIPU hosted a European Ambassador Roundtable which was moderated by BGIPU Vice-Chair Ian Liddell-Grainger MP. This virtual roundtable was a great opportunity for UK Parliamentarians to hear from Ambassadors and ask about recent developments in their countries. The presentations were given by HE Mr Raffaele Trombetta, Ambassador of Italy to the UK […]
On 10 December, BGIPU hosted a African Ambassador Roundtable which was moderated by BGIPU Chair, Harriett Baldwin. The roundtable was an opportunity for Ambassadors to brief MPs and Peers of the situation in their country and an opportunity for the Members to ask questions. The briefings were given by HE Teferi Melesse Desta, Ambassador of […]
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 […]
