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 […]
To provide guidance in what can sometimes be a challenging and even dangerous space, the IPU has published a new Social Media Guide for Parliaments and Parliamentarians. The guide is designed as a practical tool on how to use social media in a safe and measured way while getting the maximum benefit from it. The IPU […]
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 15 December, BGIPU hosted a bilateral meeting between parliamentarians from the UK and Uzbekistan. The meeting was co-chaired by Alex Sobel MP, BGIPU Treasurer, and Andrew Bridgen MP, Uzbekistan APPG Chair. They were joined by The Lord Bowness CBE DL, Catherine West MP, Nigel Mills MP, The Lord Balfe, The Lord Sheikh, The Baroness […]
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 […]
Twenty-five years after the Beijing Declaration to advance women’s rights, young women are still one of the most under-represented groups in political leadership positions. IPU figures show that only 2.2 per cent of MPs worldwide are under 30, of which women only make up a small proportion. On 18 November 2020, the IPU and the […]
New allegations of human rights violations against parliamentarians in countries holding elections have recently been brought to the attention of the IPU. The cases involve opposition MPs whose basic rights to freedom of expression, assembly and movement have reportedly been severely curtailed in the context of elections, particularly in Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania. In […]
In a new research paper, the IPU shines the spotlight on parliamentary staff, the people who support the Members of Parliament. The paper analyses key dimensions of parliamentary autonomy in administrations – from recruitment practices to budgetary powers – across the globe. Since 2016, the IPU has conducted research through global surveys and in-depth case […]
