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Theme: Human Rights

The UK delegation led by Rt Hon Ann Clwyd MP meets with the President of Iraq, HE Fuad Massoum.JPG

UK delegation visits Iraq at pivotal time for its future

A UK parliamentary delegation which visited Iraq 13-16 February 2018 saw the country poised at a crossroads in which the upcoming elections will be crucial. The policy approaches and political stability of any government resulting from these elections will be a key determinant in whether a largely positive trajectory on the back of the victory over Daesh will continue. Political stability, addressing corruption and economic/social progress are pre-conditions for the full delivery of the $30 billion pledged recently to rebuild the country. 

Middle EastHuman RightsOutward Delegations
VenezHR.JPG

IPU Committee denounces wide scale repression of opposition MPs

The Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians condemns the exclusion and repression of opposition MPs in the lead-up to critical elections in Cambodia and Venezuela, and the pattern of intimidation against opposition parties worldwide.  The IPU Committee, during a recent meeting, adopted decisions on 18 cases of violations against 252 MPs in 14 countries. A majority of these cases concerned opposition MPs.

Global IssuesHuman RightsIPU Activities & Conferences
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IPU-UN Parliamentary Hearing to focus on migration

The United Nations is in the process of negotiating a Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration that will be formally adopted at a conference in Morocco in December.  This year’s IPU-UN Parliamentary Hearing will contribute from a parliamentary perspective to the Global Compact. The Hearing, on 22-23 February in New York, will build on a number of parliamentary debates since the landmark 2015 IPU Declaration on “The imperative for fairer, smarter and more humane migration”.

Global IssuesHuman RightsIPU Activities & Conferences
Lord Dubs with represented of the IPU's joint host, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Meditteraneanen, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.JPG

MPs commit to promoting fair, smart and humane migration

A conference, co-organized by the IPU with the Parliament of Malta and PAM took place in Valletta, Malta, from 16 to 17 November 2017. It concluded Parliaments can play a vital role in ensuring safe and humane migration through the ratification and effective implementation of international treaties. They can also help to change the negative discourse around migration by putting in place and strengthening legislation against xenophobia and racism and by promoting balanced and empirically sound public debate.

EuropeHuman RightsIPU Activities & Conferences
Violations of the human rights of MPs in 2017.jpg

IPU links democracies in crisis & human rights abuses against MPs

Human rights abuses against parliamentarians reached a new high in 2017, according to IPU statistics. Parliamentarians from Cambodia, Maldives, Turkey and Venezuela alone, where the political situation has been worsening in recent times, account for 35% of the cases.  Cases of abuses against women MPs have also reached a record number this year, having tripled since 2014. The IPU’s annual review reports that, in 2017 the Organization’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians examined the cases of 507 MPs in 41 countries.

Global IssuesHuman RightsIPU Activities & Conferences
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MPs worldwide call for end of intolerance, mistrust and violence

Parliamentarians from 155 countries have committed to pursuing cultural pluralism and peace through interfaith and inter-ethnic dialogue.  In a declaration issued at the close of the 137th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly (#IPU137) in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, IPU Member Parliaments have called for transparency, accountability and respect for human rights and the rule of law to serve as the basis for building sustainable and peaceful diversity.

EuropeHuman RightsIPU Activities & Conferences
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Key perspectives on social issues in Peru from UK visit

During its recent visit to Peru the UK delegation looked at the impact of a range of social issues in Peru.  This included measures and social models to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in Peru.  The delegation also met with the Minister for Women’s Affairs to discuss womens rights and domestic abuse and heard about efforts to achieve justice for past abuse of indigenous peoples through forced sterilsation in the 1990s.  There was also discussion of the Ombudsman network designed to tackle human rights issues in the country.  

AmericasHuman RightsOutward Delegations
maldives.JPG

IPU condemns military lockdown of Maldives Parliament

The IPU condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the military’s interference in the business of the Maldives parliament. The IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong and the IPU President Saber Chowdhury have called for calm and for the Parliament to be allowed to carry out its functions without intimidation. There are also increasing concerns at alleged violations of the rights of opposition MPs. The IPU Secretary General confirmed today that he will bring this matter before the IPU governing bodies at its Assembly in October.

Asia-PacificHuman RightsIPU Activities & Conferences
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BGIPU Members discuss priorities with UK Ambassadors

Taking advantage of the presence in London of British Ambassadors for the annual FCO Leadership Week, BGIPU arranged roundtable meetings on 12 July 2017 for MPs and Peers to discuss recent developments in key African and Latin American countries on our forward programme. This was a unique opportunity for parliamentarians to engage directly with the UK’s senior diplomatic representatives to receive updates on national priorities, hear recent developments in bilateral engagement and learn more about key regional trends.

AfricaHuman RightsBGIPU Seminars & Events

IPU applauds Human Rights Council boost for cooperation with parliaments

On 23 June, the UN Human Rights Council adopted without a vote a resolution in support of stronger cooperation with parliaments.  The resolution encourages States to involve parliaments in all stages of the Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), under which the Council examines the human rights situation of each UN Member State.  Welcoming this, the IPU said it looks forward to working ever more closely with UN human rights bodies in support of stronger ties between the Council and parliaments.

Global IssuesHuman RightsIPU Activities & Conferences
 

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Africa Americas Asia-Pacific Europe Middle East Global Issues

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Africa Americas Asia-Pacific Europe Middle East Global Issues

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Inward Delegations Outward Delegations Executive Committee IPU Activities & Conferences BGIPU Seminars & Events APPGs

ACTIVITY

Inward Delegations Outward Delegations Executive Committee IPU Activities & Conferences BGIPU Seminars & Events APPGs

THEME

Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Human Rights Peace & Security Trade and Sustainable Development Political Empowerment

THEME

Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Human Rights Peace & Security Trade and Sustainable Development Political Empowerment

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YEAR

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