Theme: Peace & Security

Ms. Ackson said: “I feel happy that the first IPU event that I am opening as IPU President is for African parliaments, covering a vital issue requiring urgent attention for women, gender equality and democracy at large.

Eliminating violence against women in Africa: Ackson opens first event as IPU President

As part of her three-day visit to IPU Headquarters, newly elected IPU President Tulia Ackson spoke at a webinar on violence against women in African parliaments, organized by the IPU in partnership with the African Parliamentary Union (APU). The webinar was held in the lead-up to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on […]

Rafah crossing point where humanitarian aid to enter Gaza as pause starts. Abed Rahim Khatib / Anadolu via AFP.

IPU leadership statement applauding the humanitarian pause to the fighting in Gaza

We applaud the humanitarian pause to the fighting in Gaza and the deal to release Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. We hope the pause will alleviate the immense suffering of the people of Gaza and allow essential food, medicine and other supplies to enter the Gaza Strip. We urge all parties to use this opportunity […]

IPU & partners launch new tool to measure parliaments’ democratic credentials

The IPU and partner organizations have published a new tool called the Indicators for Democratic Parliaments, which offers a new approach to measuring parliamentary capacity, resilience and performance. Using a framework of 25 indicators, parliaments can evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses against established standards with a view to becoming stronger democratic institutions. The Indicators align […]

IPU leadership statement on the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza

We are deeply concerned by the escalation in fighting in Gaza. We are increasingly worried by the rising death toll in the West Bank We are horrified by the unprecedented extent of casualties on both sides and the immense human suffering that this conflict is causing to innocent civilians, including women, children and the elderly. […]

BGIPU Chair, Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP addresses the General Debate at the 147th IPU Assembly.

UK very active at IPU Assembly which sees key outcomes on future institutional governance

Key Policy Outcomes At its 147th Assembly from 23-27 October 2023 in Angola, IPU members adopted the Luanda Declaration on Parliamentary action for peace, justice and strong institutions. The Declaration highlights the critical role that good governance plays as a means to achieving sustainable development. It calls for parliamentarians to “strengthen trust and ensure the more […]

IPU finds that lawmakers are getting younger but not everywhere

The latest IPU report on Youth Participation in Parliament reveals that parliaments are getting slightly younger, with small increases in the number of parliamentarians under 45 years old. However, despite the progress, parliaments are still a long way from representing young people proportionately. The report tracks changes in youth representation in parliaments following elections held between September […]

Speaker Birla and President Pacheco with other Speakers of Parliament in front of the old Indian Parliament Building

Heads of Parliament of the world’s largest economies convene in New Delhi

The Parliament of India, in cooperation with the IPU, brought together parliamentary leaders from the world’s 20 major economies at the Ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit and Parliamentary Forum, the so-called ‘P20’, from 13-14 October in New Delhi, India. The Summit follows a meeting of the heads of state of the Group of 20 world economies […]

© CITIZENSIDE/ Jorge Mejía Peralta

IPU & UN Human Rights launch toolkit to encourage parliaments to champion human rights

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the UN Human Rights Office have today launched a toolkit to help parliaments better integrate human rights into their work. Parliaments and Human Rights: A self-assessment toolkit provides a practical introduction to assessing how human rights can be better mainstreamed into parliamentary processes and structures. The toolkit is designed to empower parliamentarians […]