At the 140th IPU Assembly in Doha, Qatar, the global parliamentary community strongly condemned human rights violations against MPs worldwide. At the Assembly, the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, the only international body with an exclusive remit to support MPs in danger, recommended action in the cases of 187 parliamentarians in a dozen countries whose human rights have been violated.
Parliamentary dialogue and diplomacy were at the forefront of 140th IPU Assembly in Doha, Qatar, as over 800 MPs from 160 countries convened in the world’s biggest platform for global parliamentary exchange. In the final Doha Declaration endorsed at the Assembly, MPs from national parliaments underlined the critical role of education to enhance peace, security and the rule of law as well as support democracy and human rights.
From 11 to 15 March 2019, the UK Parliament was represented at the 63rd session of the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW 63) at the UN in New York by Baroness Hodgson, Baroness Gale and Baroness Watkins frim the UK House of Lords. The 63rd session had the priority theme of “Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls”.
On 21 and 22 February, the IPU and the United Nations, represented by the President of the General Assembly, brought together some 240 parliamentarians from nearly 40 countries, as well as ambassadors, representatives from UN organizations, and experts for their annual parliamentary hearing in New York. The hearing focused on the key emerging challenges posed to the future of multilateralism.
The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has released its latest decisions after considering the cases of 417 MPs from 37 countries at a meeting in Geneva last week. The Committee, the only international body with a special remit to defend persecuted MPs, took decisions on 126 MPs, most of which concern opposition MPs in Venezuela.
The IPU expresses its grave concern about the escalating crisis in Venezuela. It reminds the authorities of their duty to guarantee the basic human rights of the people, including those of peaceful demonstration. The IPU continues to monitor carefully for any attacks against parliamentarians. The IPU appeals to all sides to intensify efforts, including meaningful dialogue, to find a peaceful and non-violent solution to the crisis, and to ensure humanitarian access for all Venezuelans.
As the IPU enters its 130th year, the IPU President and Secretary General say the spirit of its founding members is still very much alive at a time when parliamentary democracy is threatened in many parts of the world. This year, we look forward to celebrating our anniversary with you, by looking back at our rich history, in order to guide and illuminate us for the future.
Preceding the Intergovernmental Conference on Migration taking place in Marrakech from 10 to 11 December 2018, MPs met at a parliamentary conference in Rabat, organized by the IPU and the Moroccan Parliament, from 6 to 7 December. The parliamentary conference follows the Declaration on Strengthening the Global Regime for Migrants and Refugees adopted by MPs during the IPU’s 138th Assembly in March 2018. The IPU has been actively involved with the Compact, ensuring that it incorporates a parliamentary dimension.
The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has announced the highest number of human rights violations against MPs on its books since it was established 40 years ago. The Committee treated 564 cases of parliamentarians from 43 countries in 2018. This is almost double the figure from five years ago. Most of the cases concern opposition MPs from the Americas and Asia. The IPU Committee is the only international complaints mechanism with the mandate to defend the human rights of persecuted parliamentarians.
On International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, IPU President, Gabriela Cuevas and PACE President, Liliane Maury Pasquier, called on parliaments to build on the momentum of the #MeToo movement to denounce the violence happening in the corridors of legislative power. They said with more women MPs exposing the extent of the problem, the entire parliamentary community needs to step up and end gender-based violence now in our workplace and beyond.
