Theme: Trade and Sustainable Development

Darfur © WHO/Lindsay Mackenzie

Ensuring universal health coverage: New IPU/WHO resource for parliamentarians

The IPU and the World Health Organization (WHO) have produced a handbook on universal health coverage (UHC) intended to help parliaments fulfil their roles as enablers of UHC. The worst of the Covid-19 pandemic may be over, but health systems around the world are still buckling under the strain. Ensuring everybody has access to quality health care […]

The delegation from Colombia met key UK counterparts including BGIPU Chair, Harriett Baldwin MP, Baroness Meacher and Baroness Hooper.

Visiting Senate delegation from Colombia have key exchanges in Westminster and Belfast

From 21-25 November, BGIPU hosted a delegation of five parliamentarians from the Senate of the Republic of Colombia, with the objective of enhancing parliamentary relations between the two countries. The delegation was led by Senator Germán Blanco Álvarez (Colombian Conservative Party), and he was accompanied by fellow senators Carlos Fernando Motoa, Carlos Abraham Jiménez, Sor […]

Climate protesters in Toulouse © Alain Pitton / NurPhoto via AFP

IPU sees how 6 countries are fighting climate change with legislation

Legislation on climate action is critical for the implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement and to bring down global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The LSE’s Grantham Research Institute, partnering with the IPU, has created a database which has so far tracked around 3,000 laws and policies. As countries raise their ambitions, fresh legislation […]

Mali mother in a sandstorm ©Reuters

IPU and Egyptian House of Representatives convene Parliamentary Meeting at COP27

The annual COP conference is the most important international gathering on climate change. It convenes leaders, policymakers, scientists and civil society from around the globe to identify joint solutions to advance climate action. The Parliamentary Meeting to be held on the occasion of the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties of the United […]

Zimbabwe maize harvest ©Reuters

IPU explains how African parliaments are addressing the climate crisis

There is no longer any doubt: developing countries are paying the price for human-induced climate change, despite being the least responsible for it. Some sources estimate that the Global North is responsible for 92% of excess historic global CO2 emissions. And yet, 55 of the most climate-vulnerable countries suffered economic losses totalling more than half a trillion […]

The delegation enjoy a tour of Parliament led by Tim Loughton MP

Madagascar visit highlights for UK MPs/Peers climate vulnerability threats

BGIPU hosted a delegation of Madagascan Parliamentarians from 31 October to 5 November 2022, including President of the Senate HEM Herimanana RAZAFIMAHEFA, President of the UK/Madagascar Friendship Group Hon Maminiaina Solondraibe RABENIRINA, Mr Jean Andre NDREMANJARY, Hon Henri Dominique RAZAKANDRAINY, who were accompanied by Ms Hantasoa FIDA CYRILLE, the Senior Diplomatic Adviser of the President […]

The UK delegation leader Harriett Baldwin MP with Ukraine counterparts, Alona Skrum, Lesia Vasylenko and Olga Rudenko.

IPU Member Parliaments at IPU145 in Kigali commit to accelerating gender equality

Parliamentarians from around the world have adopted the Kigali Declaration Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world at the end of the 145th IPU Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda.   The Declaration represents a milestone in progress towards gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments. It encourages IPU Members to step up their efforts to […]

Puan Maharani, Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives

Parliamentary leaders call on G20 to actively engage with parliaments

The Parliament of Indonesia, in cooperation with the IPU, brought together parliamentary leaders from the world’s 20 major economies at the Parliamentary Forum and the Eighth G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit, the ‘P20’, which took place from 5-7 October in Jakarta, Indonesia. In their deliberations, the Speakers of Parliament underlined that strong parliaments are key to strong […]