Theme: Political Empowerment

Young MPs at an IPU Assembly © IPU

IPU celebrates 10 years of action to give priority to empowering youth

On 12 August, International Youth Day 2020, the IPU celebrates the 10th anniversary of its resolution, Youth participation in the democratic process. Adopted by IPU Member Parliaments in 2010 in Thailand, the resolution is a call to action to include more young people in political decision-making. It also led to the creation of the Forum […]

A community worker raises awareness about COVID-19 in Dhaka. © UN Women Asia and the Pacific

IPU Health Advisory Group calls for parliamentary action in response to pandemic

The IPU Advisory Group on Health has issued a statement on the current COVID-19 pandemic, calling on parliaments to cooperate with stakeholders to build capacity to manage health emergencies, including preparedness, prevention and response. The pandemic has placed demands on decision-makers to act quickly to stem its spread. These decision-makers include parliaments, which are crucial […]

A guard watchtower rises along a perimeter fence of what is officially known as a vocational skills education centre in Dabancheng in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region © Thomas Peter (Reuters)

BHRC report on responsibility under international law regarding Uyghurs in China

In cooperation with the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC), our partner body, the Parliamentary Human Rights Group and the APPG on Uyghurs, BGIPU Executive Committee members participated in the launch of BHRC’s new report, ‘Responsibility of  States under International Law to Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, China’, on 22 […]

MPs & Peers participated to hear from the British Red Cross and MSF on the plight of refugees and migrants facing the impacts of COVID-19

Increased Risks & Vulnerabilities from COVID-19 to Refugees & Migrant Populations

On Friday 19 June, BGIPU hosted a virtual parliamentary discussion on COVID-19: The Increased Risks and Vulnerabilities to Refugees and Migrant Populations with The British Red Cross (BRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The proceedings were chaired by BGIPU Executive Committee member, Chris Law MP, with panellists from both BRC and MSF. The event was […]

IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong says its vital to lift the lockdowns on parliaments too

IPU Secretary General Chungong says vital to lift the lockdowns on parliaments too

Op-Ed by IPU Secretary General – During the ongoing coronavirus emergency, extraordinary measures may have been necessary so that national leaders can make rapid and vital decisions that have had a restrictive effect on how we enjoy freedoms. But these measures should be short-term only. They must not become the norm. As many countries begin to […]

The webinar connected parliamentarians with world-leading experts to share best practice to “Build Back Better”

IPU President co-hosts webinar on how to ‘Build Back Better’ with the SDGs

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Parliamentarians for the Global Goals, convened the first of a series of webinars for Parliamentarians on COVID-19 response and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the aim of connecting parliamentarians with world-leading experts to share best practice to “Build Back Better” through enabling […]

IPU concerned about vulnerability of detained MPs during pandemic

The IPU is increasingly concerned about parliamentarians in detention during the COVID-19 pandemic due to greater risks of infection in overcrowded and confined spaces. In its first virtual sitting, the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians paid particular attention to the 43 Members of Parliament (MPs) currently in detention in the world, especially […]