Resultat af IPU-session efterår 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page(s)
Meetings and other activities
139th
Assembly
1. Opening of the Assembly .................................................................................................... 4
2. Participation ......................................................................................................................... 4
3. Choice of an emergency item .............................................................................................. 5
4. Debates and decisions of the Assembly and its Standing Committees ........................... … 6
5. Concluding sitting of the Assembly ..................................................................................... 10
203rd
session of the Governing Council
1. Membership and Permanent Observers of the IPU ............................................................ 10
2. Financial situation of the IPU ............................................................................................... 10
3. Draft programme and budget for 2019 ................................................................................ 11
4. Implementation of the IPU Strategy for 2017-2021 ............................................................. 11
5. Cooperation with the United Nations system ...................................................................... 11
6. Recent specialized meetings ............................................................................................... 11
7. Reports of plenary bodies and specialized committees ...................................................... 12
8. Future inter-parliamentary meetings ................................................................................... 12
9. Amendments to the Statutes and Rules .............................................................................. 12
10. Elections to the Executive Committee ................................................................................. 12
280th
session of the Executive Committee
1. Proceedings and decisions .................................................................................................. 13
2. Sub-Committee on Finance ................................................................................................. 14
3. Questions relating to the Secretariat of the Inter-Parliamentary Union ............................... 14
Forum of Women Parliamentarians ........................................................................................ 15
Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
1. Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians ........................................................ 15
2. Committee on Middle East Questions ................................................................................. 16
3. Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law .................................. 16
4. Gender Partnership Group .................................................................................................. 16
5. Advisory Group on Health ................................................................................................... 17
6. Group of Facilitators for Cyprus ........................................................................................... 18
7. Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU ...................................................................... 18
8. High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism…………........ 18
Dansk Interparlamentarisk Gruppes bestyrelse 2018-19
IPU Alm.del Bilag 3
Offentligt
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 139
th
Assembly
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Other events
1. Meeting of Presidents of the Geopolitical Groups ............................................................... 19
2. Meeting of the Presidents of the Standing Committees ...................................................... 19
3. Open briefing session of the Committee to Promote Respect for International
Humanitarian Law on Ending Statelessness by 2024 – Pledges, Action and Results ....... 20
4. Panel discussion on Where do parliaments stand in the fight against sexism
and harassment?................................................................................................................... 20
5. Panel discussion on The role of parliaments in combating terrorism and
violent extremism................................................................................................................... 21
6. Side event on Legislating on food and nutrition: Lessons learned, challenges and
opportunities for parliamentary action ................................................................................. 22
7. Panel discussion on Building bridges between the parliamentary and
scientific communities............................................................................................................ 22
8. Panel discussion on What can MPs do to sort fact from fiction in the age of fake news? .. 23
9. Parity debate on Ensuring that children enjoy their rights and grow up protected
from violence ....................................................................................................................... 23
10. Joint IPU-ASGP workshop on How good is parliament at holding government
to account? How well am I performing my oversight role? .................................................. 24
Elections, appointments and membership of the
Inter-Parliamentary Union
Elections and appointments
1. Vice-President of the Executive Committee.......................................................................... 24
2. Vice-Presidents of the IPU .................................................................................................... 24
3. Executive Committee.............................................................................................................. 24
4. Sub-Committee on Finance ................................................................................................. 25
5. Bureau of Women Parliamentarians ................................................................................... 25
6. Committee on Middle East Questions ................................................................................. 25
7. Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law .................................. 25
8. Gender Partnership Group .....................................................................................…………. 25
9. Bureaux of the Standing Committees .................................................................................. 25
10. Rapporteurs to the 141
st
Assembly ..................................................................................... 26
11. Internal Auditors for the 2019 accounts................................................................................. 26
Media and communications .................................................................................................... 27
Membership of the Inter-Parliamentary Union ........................................................................ 29
Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139th
Assembly of
the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Agenda .................................................................................................................................... 30
Outcome document of the General Debate on Parliamentary leadership in promoting
peace and development in the age of innovation and technological change ........................ 31
Subject items
 Resolution: Strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation on migration and
migration governance in view of the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe,
Orderly and Regular Migration....................................................................................... 34
 Results of the roll-call vote on the unfinished business of the 138
th
Assembly: Do
you agree that the Assembly can change the work plan and agenda of the
Standing Committees? ................................................................................................ 38
 Results of the roll-call vote on the unfinished business of the 138
th
Assembly: Do
you agree that at the 140
th
Assembly the Standing Committee on Democracy
and Human Rights holds a panel debate that will not lead to a resolution, entitled
"The role of parliaments in ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and
gender identity, and ensuring respect for the human rights of LGBTI persons?" ........ 39
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 139
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Emergency item
 Results of the roll-call vote on the requests for the inclusion of an emergency
item in the agenda of the Assembly............................................................................... 40-42
 Resolution: Climate change – Let us not cross the line................................................. 43
Reports of the Standing Committees
 Report of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security...................... 45
 Report of the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development,
Finance and Trade......................................................................................................... 49
 Report of the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs ..................................... 52
Declaration on the 70th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights .............. 54
Concluding remarks by the IPU President on the values and principles of the IPU ............... 55
Reports, decisions, resolutions and other texts of the Governing
Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Presidential Statement on recent developments on the Korean Peninsula ........................... 56
Reports, decisions and other texts
 IPU Budget for 2019 .................................................................................................... 57
 Scale of contributions for 2019 .................................................................................... 58
 Cooperation with the United Nations system: List of activities undertaken by the
IPU between 15 March and 15 September 2018 ........................................................ 62
 Report of the Committee on Middle East Questions ................................................... 65
 Terms of Reference of the High-Level Advisory Group on Countering
Terrorism and Violent Extremism ................................................................................ 66
 Statistics of the Gender Partnership Group ................................................................. 67
 Amendments to the Statutes and Rules of the IPU ..................................................... 68
 Composition of the Preparatory Committee for the Fifth World Conference of
Speakers of Parliament in 2020..................................................................................... 69
Future meetings
 Future meetings and other activities ............................................................................ 71
 Agenda of the 140
th
Assembly ..................................................................................... 73
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 139
th
Assembly
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139th
Assembly
1. Opening of the Assembly
The 139
th
IPU Assembly was opened on Monday 15 October 2018 at 11 a.m. at the Centre International
des conférences de Genève (CICG) with the IPU President, Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Barron (Mexico), in
the chair. She was assisted in chairing the proceedings of the Assembly by several Vice-Presidents:
Mr. K. Molatlhegi, Deputy Speaker (Botswana), Mr. J. Epola, Leader of the delegation (Congo),
Ms. J.F. Luveni, Speaker of Parliament (Fiji), Mr. R. del Picchia, Senator (France), Mr. P.F. Casini,
Leader of the delegation (Italy) and Honorary IPU President, Mr. W. Simina, Speaker of Parliament
(Federated States of Micronesia), Ms. A. Tolley, Leader of the delegation (New Zealand) and
Mr. N. Prea, Speaker of Parliament (Seychelles).
The IPU President delivered an opening address on the main theme of the General Debate,
Parliamentary leadership in promoting peace and development in the age of innovation and
technological change. In the age of the fourth industrial revolution, parliamentarians were encouraged to
embrace change and innovation, science and technology and to place those at the service of the
policies they formulated and the laws they passed. They also had the responsibility to set ethical limits
on science and technology and to establish a legal framework to ensure that machines did not take over
to the detriment of humans. The gap between the political and scientific communities must be bridged
and the IPU must open itself up more to young people and attract their energy and talent.
The world of instantaneous news and information had its advantages and drawbacks. However, as
representatives of the people, parliamentarians must keep up with the times and engage young people
in new information and communication technologies (ICTs). As part of the efforts to stay relevant, the
IPU must update and innovate in the way it conducted its business. IPU Assemblies must be greener
and more interactive. Parliamentarians needed to move away from the traditional rhetoric and speak up
about the issues that really mattered to their constituents.
In his video message to the 139
th
IPU Assembly, the United Nations Secretary-General,
Mr. A. Guterres, welcomed the IPU’s focus on promoting peace and development in an age of rapid
technological change. Advances in technology brought gains that could hugely accelerate work on the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was, however, the responsibility of all to "nurture a digital
future that is safe and beneficial to all" and, in that context, parliamentarians were in a unique position to
ensure that no-one was left behind. Also, the issues of innovation in technology and science had to be
discussed in the private sector and in university laboratories.
Ms. F. Gianotti, Director General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), made a
presentation on the organization she led - the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. CERN’s
founding motto, when it had been established in 1954, was "Science for Peace". It presently had
22 Member States, eight Associate Member States, and six Observers to its Council.
The aim of CERN’s collaboration with the IPU on the Science for Peace Schools programme was to
realize the vision of unity through science for peace through the establishment of networks that would
serve as a platform for dialogue between parliamentarians. In addition, CERN had organized daily visits
to its compound for parliamentarians during the week of the Assembly and had set up a stand in the
Knowledge Fair on the ground floor of the Conference Centre. It was hoped that such interaction
between the scientific and parliamentary communities would indeed bridge the gap between both worlds
and lead to more informed policy-making based on empirical data, mainstreaming of science into
decision-making and higher numbers of female students pursuing studies in STEM (science,
technology, engineering and mathematics) education.
2. Participation
Delegations from 145 Member Parliaments took part in the work of the Assembly
*
:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Botswana, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
*
For the complete list of IPU Members, see page 29
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 139
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France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of),
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea,
Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste,
Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The following seven Associate Members also took part in the Assembly: the Arab Parliament, the East
African Legislative Assembly (EALA), the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the
Parliament of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), and the Parliament of
the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Observers included representatives of: (i) the United Nations system: Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO), the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of
Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Health Organization
(WHO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); (ii) the
International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO);
(iii) the League of Arab States; (iv) the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA), the African
Parliamentary Union (APU), the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU), the Asian Parliamentary
Assembly (APA), the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, the Forum of Parliaments of the
International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (FP-ICGLR), the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on
Orthodoxy (IAO), the Maghreb Consultative Council, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and
Disarmament (PNND), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), the Parliamentary
Assembly of the OSCE, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, the
Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Member States (PUIC), the South
African Development Community Parliamentary Forum; the World Scout Parliamentary Union; (v) the
Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; (vi) Socialist International; (vii) the Geneva Centre
for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC), and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
Of the 1,545 delegates who attended the Assembly, 737 were members of parliament. Those
parliamentarians included 51 Presiding Officers, 50 Deputy Presiding Officers, 233 women (33%) and
138 (19.3%) young MPs.
3. Choice of an emergency item
Before the Assembly met, Uruguay withdrew its proposal entitled Redoubling efforts to end the
proliferation of nuclear weapons: The role of parliaments. The delegations of Jordan and Kuwait, which
initially submitted individual proposals, subsequently merged those proposals into the one mentioned
below.
On 15 October 2018, the President informed the Assembly that the following five requests for the
inclusion of an emergency item had been proposed:
 Restoring peace and security in the Sahel: The role of parliaments (Burkina Faso);
 Cutting off aid to UNRWA — A humanitarian blockade and violation of international law:
Addressing the issue of stopping aid to UNRWA and assessing the impact of this decision on
Palestinian refugees and the Palestinian issue as a whole (Jordan and Kuwait);
 Climate change – Let us not cross the line [Seychelles, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Micronesia
(Federated States of)];
 The urgent need to resolve the humanitarian crisis caused by the deterioration of parliamentary
democracy in Venezuela (Netherlands and the United Kingdom);
 Addressing the issue of missing persons: The role of parliaments (Israel).
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 139
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After brief presentations, the joint proposal of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom and the proposal
submitted by Israel were withdrawn before the vote.
The Assembly proceeded with a roll-call vote on the three remaining items (see pages 40-42). All
proposals received the required two-thirds majority of the vote. The joint proposal put forward by the
Seychelles, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Micronesia (Federated States of), which had received the highest
number of positive votes, was adopted and added to the agenda as Item 8.
4. Debates and decisions of the Assembly and its Standing Committees
(a) General Debate: Parliamentary leadership in promoting peace and development in the age of
innovation and technological change (Item 3)
During the three days of deliberations, 126 delegates from 107 Member Parliaments – including
38 Presiding Officers, as well as delegates from nine partner organizations (both Associate Members
and Permanent Observers), contributed to the General Debate. For the first time, the General Debate
featured a segment reserved for young parliamentarians. Many of the good practices and
recommendations that emerged were reflected in the Outcome Document.
In addition to the opening high-level segment with the Director General of CERN, in the afternoon of
15 October the Assembly heard a presentation from special guest Mr. Henk Rogers, Founder and CEO
of the Blue Planet Foundation (Hawaii). Science had clearly demonstrated the fact that climate change
was a clear and present danger. As noted in the report published just a few days previously by the UN
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), limiting global warming to 1.5°C required urgent
and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society. Hawaii was showing the world that such change
was possible: children were actively involved in changing lifestyle habits in the household, legislation
was being passed to end the use of carbon-based fuel and to ensure a carbon-neutral economy by
2050, and partnerships were being put in place with electrical companies and other stakeholders to turn
the tide of climate change and undo the damage that had already been inflicted on the environment.
Mr. Rogers called on all parliamentarians to join the struggle to ensure a sustainable and healthy planet
for future generations.
The General Debate was accompanied by a Knowledge Fair for Innovation and Technology, which
featured exhibitions from CERN, the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA), Geneva Water Hub and Waterlex. The Fair provided a valuable opportunity for
delegates to interact with members of the scientific community. Daily guided tours were also organized
for interested MPs to visit the CERN laboratories on the Swiss border with France.
Special segment to celebrate the 70
th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The special segment took place on 16 October. It looked at how far our societies had come since the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights had been adopted and how MPs could best address old and
new challenges to achieve a world free from fear and poverty. Mr. M. Limon, Director of the Universal
Rights Group, moderated a panel discussion with the IPU President, Ms. F. Koofi (MP, Afghanistan;
member of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians), Ms. P. Hicks (Director, Office
of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) and Mr. T. Mendel (Executive Director, Centre for Law
and Democracy). Mr. Mendel was also the author of the IPU Handbook on Freedom of Expression,
which was officially launched during the segment.
The panel discussion started with a short video featuring Ms. B. Mbete, Speaker of the National
Assembly of South Africa, which celebrated the legacy of Nelson Mandela on the occasion of the
centenary of his birth. The video served as a reminder for MPs to stay true to Mandela’s ideals,
including his unwavering commitment to justice, equality and non-discrimination. The panellists shared
personal experiences and views by responding to questions about how to bridge the implementation
gap and ensure that international human rights standards led to concrete and tangible change on the
ground; how the international human rights framework could help prevent or resolve violent conflict and
the importance of free speech in the face of the shrinking space for civil society and political opposition,
and increased polarization and distrust.
The panel agreed that the 70
th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration was an opportunity for MPs
from all over the world to celebrate human rights, and the considerable progress made in the past seven
decades to make them a reality for many more people, but also to acknowledge that there was still a
long way to go and much work left to do. MPs, in their roles as legislators, representatives and role
models, needed to be at the forefront of that continuing endeavour.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 139
th
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Ms. A. Clwyd, Member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and former President of the
IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, introduced by video recording the IPU
Declaration: 70
th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and invited her fellow
parliamentarians to recommit to the values and fundamental principles set forth in the Universal
Declaration.
At the end of the special segment, the Assembly endorsed the IPU Declaration.
(b) Standing Committee on Peace and International Security
The Standing Committee on Peace and International Security held two sittings, on 15 and 17 October
2018, with its President, Mr. J.I. Echániz (Spain) in the chair on 15 October and its Vice-President,
Mr. S. Rakhmanov (Belarus), in the chair on 17 October.
At its sitting on 15 October, the Committee examined two items in back-to-back panels. The panel on
Comprehensive disarmament and non-proliferation opened with a video message from the Chair of the
United Nations Security Council Committee on resolution 1540. The ensuing discussion with three
experts was moderated by Mr. D. Plesch, Director of the Centre for International Studies and
Diplomacy, University of London (SOAS). Seventeen participants expressed their views during the
event. The panel on Combating sexual violence in UN peacekeeping operations and beyond was
moderated by Ms. U. Karlsson, a former MP from Sweden. Two experts and two MPs made
presentations. Eleven speakers took the floor.
On 17 October, the Committee held an expert hearing on the theme Non-admissibility of using
mercenaries as a means of undermining peace and violating human rights - the topic of a resolution to
be adopted by the 140
th
IPU Assembly. The hearing opened with the statements by two
experts - Ms. J. Aparac, a member of the United Nations Working Group on the use of mercenaries, and
Mr. W. Bruyère-Ostells, a university lecturer in contemporary history at the Institute for Political Science
in Aix-en-Provence, France. Following the experts’ interventions, a total of 21 speakers took the floor.
The Bureau of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security met on 16 October 2018
with Ms. L. Rojas (Mexico), a senior member of the Bureau, in the chair. Eleven out of 18 members
were present. The members discussed internal arrangements, the main current topics of the peace and
security agenda, the Committee’s work programme for the 140
th
IPU Assembly and for the period
between IPU Assemblies.
The Standing Committee held elections to its Bureau on 15 October 2018 (see page 25).
The Committee report (see page 45) was presented by the President of the Standing Committee,
Mr. J.I. Echániz (Spain), to the Assembly at its last sitting on 18 October.
(c) Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade
The Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade held its sittings on 15 and
17 October. The first sitting was chaired by Ms. S. Dinica (Romania), a member of the Bureau. The
second sitting was chaired by the Committee Vice-President, Ms. W. Bani Mustafa (Jordan).
The Committee discussed the subject item of the next resolution entitled The role of fair and free trade
and investment in achieving the SDGs, especially regarding economic equality, sustainable
infrastructure, industrialization and innovation. The theme was introduced by the co-Rapporteurs,
Mr. J. Wilson (Australia), Mr. H. Iddrisu (Ghana) and Ms. S. Raskovic Ivic (Serbia). At the end of the
debate, the co-Rapporteurs provided an initial overview of how they would incorporate the Committee's
input into the draft resolution.
The Committee reviewed the draft outcome document of the forthcoming Parliamentary Meeting at the
24
th
Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change in Poland (COP24), due to take place on 9 December 2018. The Parliamentary Meeting was
being organized by the IPU in cooperation with the Polish Parliament. The co-Rapporteur of the
Parliamentary Meeting, Ms. A. Paluch (Poland), introduced the document to the Committee. The
Committee was subsequently given the opportunity to make comments and suggestions on it. The
Committee's feedback would be incorporated into the document by the co-Rapporteur and presented to
the Parliamentary Meeting at COP24.
The Committee also held a panel discussion entitled Taking forward the IPU resolution entitled
Engaging the private sector in implementing the SDGs, especially on renewable energy. A panel of
renowned experts introduced the theme and launched a discussion on the appropriate measures and
actions to be taken by countries and parliaments in order to promote the transition to renewable energy.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 139
th
Assembly
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The Committee held elections to its Bureau on 17 October (see page 25).
The Committee approved the proposal of the Bureau to dedicate the Committee's sessions at the
140
th
IPU Assembly to finalizing the resolution.
The Committee report was presented to the Assembly at its last sitting on 18 October by the Committee
Vice-President, Ms. W. Bani Mustafa (Jordan).
(d) Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights
The Committee held sittings on 15, 16 and 17 October 2018, with the Committee President,
Mr. A.Y. Desai (India), in the Chair.
The Committee considered the draft resolution Strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation on
migration and migration governance in view of the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and
Regular Migration. One of the co-Rapporteurs, Mr. J.I. Echániz (Spain), presented the draft resolution,
as the other co-Rapporteurs, Ms. K. Sosa (El Salvador) and Mr. A Touizi (Morocco), were unable to
attend.
When examining the draft resolution, the Committee considered 97 amendments submitted by
17 parliaments [Bahrain, Canada, China, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of),
Netherlands, Philippines, Russian Federation, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey and
the United Arab Emirates]. Three amendments were proposed by the Forum of Women
Parliamentarians.
The revised draft resolution was adopted by consensus at the final sitting by the Committee.
Reservations were expressed by the delegations of Kuwait on operative paragraphs 9 and 16, Lebanon
on operative paragraph 9, and Poland on the entire resolution.
The Committee Bureau met on 17 October. It considered proposals for the future work programme of
the Committee. One proposal for the subject item of the Committee’s next resolution had been
submitted before the deadline by Bangladesh, and was presented to the Bureau by Dr. H. Millat
(Bangladesh).
Following a recommendation by the Bureau, the Committee decided unanimously to endorse the
proposal entitled Achieving universal health coverage by 2030: The role of parliaments in ensuring the
right to health, as the subject of its next resolution. A preparatory debate would take place at the
140
th
Assembly and the resolution would be finalized at the 141
st
Assembly in October 2019.
The Bureau noted that the decision taken by the Committee at the 138
th
Assembly to hold a panel
discussion, which would not lead to a resolution, entitled The role of parliaments in ending
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and ensuring respect for the human
rights of LGBTI persons, was now in the hands of the Assembly.
*
The Committee approved the Bureau’s recommendation to hold a panel discussion at the
140
th
Assembly to examine how IPU Members followed up on three resolutions adopted by the IPU in
recent years, namely: the 2009 resolution on freedom of expression, the 2013 resolution on social
media, and the 2015 resolution on privacy in the digital era.
Following the recommendation of the Bureau, the Committee elected Ms. A. Gerkens (Netherlands) as
Vice-President of the Standing Committee.
The draft resolution on migration was presented by Mr. J.I. Echániz (Spain) to the Assembly at its
plenary sitting in the afternoon of 18 October and was adopted by consensus. The Assembly took note
of the following reservations: Kuwait on operative paragraphs 9 and 16, Lebanon on operative
paragraph 9, Ethiopia and Ukraine on operative paragraph 16, Jordan on all references to international
agreements to which Jordan was not a signatory, and Poland on the entire resolution.
The Assembly also took note of the Committee’s decision to hold a follow-up debate at the
140
th
Assembly on the aforementioned resolutions from 2009, 2013 and 2015. That debate would not
lead to a resolution.
*
On 15 October, the Assembly voted on a procedural motion and determined that the Assembly has the authority
to change the agenda and work plan of the Standing Committees (see results of the vote on page 38). On
17 October, the Assembly voted not to hold a panel discussion on the issue of discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity (see results of the vote on page 39).
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 139
th
Assembly
9
(e) Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs
The Committee held one sitting on 17 October, chaired by its President, Mr. J.C. Romero (Argentina),
who welcomed the participants.
The meeting consisted of two panels: one on the question of whether an intergovernmental body on
international taxation was needed at the United Nations, and another on the work of the WHO and the
IPU to advance SDG 3 on health (see report on page 52).
At the end of its sitting, the Committee elected five new members to its Bureau (see page 25).
In his final remarks, the Committee President, Mr. J.C. Romero, welcomed gender parity on the
Committee bureau. He also presented the report of the Committee to the Assembly at its final sitting on
18 October.
(f) Debate on the emergency item
Climate change – Let us not cross the line
The debate on the emergency item was held in the morning of Tuesday, 16 October 2018, with
Ms. M.R. Mokitim (Lesotho), Speaker of the Senate, in the chair.
Following a brief presentation and an appeal from Mr. W. William (Seychelles, co-author of the
proposal), 12 speakers took the floor during the debate from: Cabo Verde, Chad, China, Cuba, Fiji,
India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Micronesia (Federated States of), South Africa and Uganda.
During the debate the participants agreed unanimously that greater global action on climate change
should be taken and that more ambitious goals were needed. One delegate reminded peers that the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report showed that the situation was far worse
and more urgent than first thought. He reiterated that urgent and unprecedented changes must be made
to counter climate change for the sake of our existence, adding that "We need a healthy planet more
than it needs us".
Delegates presented various examples of climate change that threatened the day-to-day life of many
citizens well beyond the small islands in the Pacific which had sponsored the emergency item. While the
sea-level rise was affecting the Pacific region, scarcity of water and desertification, which caused a lack
of land on which to live and cultivate crops, were also threatening the well-being and survival of many
people in Africa and the Middle East.
A delegate from Fiji warned that the real effects of climate change had already begun and that villages
had been relocated in Fiji because of rising sea levels. Participants underscored that climate change
had no borders and therefore the international community must act together at the very least to delay
the change so as to mitigate its negative effects. Another delegate concurred, adding that political
divisions must be overcome so as to fight climate change together.
Some delegates deplored the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement on
Climate Change and called on all IPU Members to comply with their commitments under the
international agreement. Another delegate lamented that there were still some people who prioritized
economic interest over environmental protection.
Many delegates requested that additional financial and technical support for renewable energy and
desalination of sea water should be made available, so as to mitigate the negative effects of climate
change.
Several delegations recalled the important role that parliaments and parliamentarians could play in
tackling climate change at the national and international levels. Some delegates warned that the lack of
political decisions and actions was compromising the future of humankind, adding that it was time for
the international community to unite and take action.
The Assembly referred the emergency item to a drafting committee made up of representatives of
Chad, Ethiopia, Iran (Islamic Republic of ), Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Seychelles, South Africa,
Tonga and Uruguay.
(g) Adoption of the resolution on the emergency item
In the afternoon of 17 October 2018, the plenary sitting of the Assembly unanimously adopted the
resolution (see page 43).
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 203
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5. Concluding sitting of the Assembly
At the concluding sitting on 18 October, Mr. M. Bouva, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Suriname,
presented the Outcome Document of the General Debate on the theme of Parliamentary leadership in
promoting peace and development in the age of innovation and technological change. Noting that the
collective stock of scientific knowledge of the world we lived in was greater today than at any time in the
history of humanity, the outcome document underscored the role and responsibility of parliaments and
parliamentarians in fostering an environment where science, technology and innovation made a positive
contribution to peace, development and human well-being. The outcome document further identified
specific avenues for parliamentary action to: strengthen legal frameworks to promote technological and
scientific innovation for peace and development; establish strong connections between the
parliamentary and scientific communities; and support international scientific cooperation to promote
peace and development. Mr. Bouva and the IPU President both called on all IPU Members to take
resolute action in that direction. (See full text of the Outcome Document on pages 31-33).
The Assembly heard and took note of the Reports of the Standing Committee on Peace and
International Security, the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade, and
the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs. It also formally approved the proposed amendments
to the IPU Statutes and Rules, as put forward by the Executive Committee and the Governing Council.
At the conclusion of the Assembly, the representatives of the geopolitical groups took the floor:
Mr. S. Chiheb (Algeria) on behalf of the African Group, Mr. K. Darweesh (Egypt) on behalf of the Arab
Group, Mr. W. Simina (Federated States of Micronesia) on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group,
Ms. Z. Greceanii (Republic of Moldova) on behalf of the Eurasia Group, Mr. R. Martínez Huelmo
(Uruguay) on behalf of the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Mr. D. Pacheco (Portugal)
on behalf of the Twelve Plus Group. They welcomed the impressive outcomes of the 139
th
Assembly,
congratulated the IPU President and Secretariat for their hard work, and pledged their commitment to
follow up on the important decisions that they had collectively taken.
In her concluding remarks, the IPU President provided an overview of the principal results of the
Assembly and reiterated the importance of parliamentary solidarity and robust parliamentary action on
tackling the challenges facing the world today. She underscored the need to join forces in defending the
core values and principles of the IPU, and in promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law at
both the national and international levels (see the President’s concluding remarks on page 55).
Thanking all the participants for their support and active engagement, she declared the 139
th
Assembly
closed.
203rd
session of the Governing Council
1. Membership and Permanent Observers of the IPU
At its sitting on 15 October, the Governing Council noted that there had been no formal requests for
affiliation, reaffiliation or observer status. Membership thus remained at 178 national parliaments.
Discussions were advancing with Kiribati, which was attending the Assembly as an observer, and with
Jamaica, with a view to future affiliation and reaffiliation respectively.
The Council was apprised of the situation of certain parliaments and took note of relevant
recommendations made by the Executive Committee with regard to each of those parliaments.
It was informed of the IPU’s efforts to facilitate the participation of the Parliament of Kiribati in the
139
th
Assembly with a view to future affiliation and of other small island developing States (SIDS) in the
Caribbean at a forthcoming regional Seminar in the Caribbean on climate change and disaster risk
reduction.
2. Financial situation of the IPU
The Governing Council received a report on the financial situation of the IPU as at 30 June 2018 and an
updated list of unpaid contributions. As at 14 October 2018, four Members (Dominican Republic, the
Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania) and one Associate Member (Inter-Parliamentary Committee of
the West African Economic and Monetary Union) had arrears of two full years and were subject to
voting sanctions. Two Members (Honduras and Papua New Guinea) were subject to suspension due to
Inter-Parliamentary Union –203
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11
arrears of three or more years. The Executive Committee did not recommend the suspension of those
two Members as amendments would be adopted by the Governing Council at its current session
concerning the suspension of membership rights rather than suspension of their membership status.
The Secretary General noted that long-term arrears were problematic and were regularly followed up by
the Secretariat. The Presidents of the geopolitical groups were also encouraged to follow up on any
arrears of the Members within their respective groups.
The Council took note that the income and expenditure of the IPU were close to target for the first half of
the year and were projected to remain within the overall budget until the end of the year.
3. Draft programme and budget for 2019
The Council received the consolidated budget proposal for 2019. Reporting on behalf of the Executive
Committee, the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Finance, Mr. R. del Picchia (France), explained
that the budget proposal had been prepared under the supervision of the Sub-Committee on Finance
and was in accordance with its guidelines.
The initial draft of the regular budget for 2019 had reflected an imbalance of expenditure over income of
CHF 290,000 due to the projected costs of the 2019 Assembly in Argentina, the preparatory costs for
the next World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and the financing of certain activities within the
President’s vision. Cost savings had subsequently been found which had reduced the imbalance and, in
order to avoid increasing Members' contributions in 2019, a provision of CHF 190,000 was proposed to
be authorized from the Working Capital Fund (to be used only if required). The 2019 budget included an
envelope of CHF 140,000 specifically for priority activities geared towards realizing the President’s
vision. Mr. R. del Picchia noted that a change of Assembly venue from Argentina would involve a
revision of the costs which, in any case, should not exceed the adopted budget.
The Secretary General informed the Council of the efforts to mobilize voluntary funds from external
sources. Several long-term funding agreements were coming to an end and their renewal was under
discussion. Voluntary funds were important in contributing to the costs of supporting IPU programmes
and resources were always mobilized in line with the IPU’s guidelines relating to voluntary contributions.
IPU programmes were open to all Members and not focused on any particular region.
The Governing Council approved the 2019 budget of CHF 16,187,300. The approved budget and scale
of contributions for 2019 are presented on pages 57-58.
4. Implementation of the IPU Strategy for 2017-2021
The Council took note of a comprehensive interim report by the Secretary General on progress made on
implementation of the eight strategic objectives, as well as concrete actions that Members could take to
accelerate their realization, including the hosting of future IPU events.
5. Cooperation with the United Nations system
The Council reviewed the activities undertaken in cooperation with the United Nations system from
15 March to 15 September 2018, which would henceforth be subsumed into the Secretary General’s
report in the form of an Annex (see page 62). The IPU had also worked together with the United Nations
towards common objectives in a range of political processes. A number of meetings had been held and
publications produced.
It noted that, among other developments, the UN General Assembly resolution adopted in May 2018 on
Interaction between the United Nations, national parliaments and the Inter-Parliamentary Union
proclaimed 30 June as the International Day of Parliamentarism, starting in 2018. That was a landmark
achievement for MPs all over the world.
6. Recent specialized meetings
The Governing Council took note of the results of the 12
th
Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament
(https://www.ipu.org/event/12th-summit-women-speakers-parliament); the Regional Seminar on
Parliamentary Cooperation for Sustainable Development: Combating Poverty and Promoting Health
Care (https://www.ipu.org/event/regional-seminar-parliamentary-cooperation-sustainable-development-
combating-poverty-and-promoting-health-care); the Technical Briefing on The role of parliamentarians in
achieving universal health coverage and global health security as two sides of the same coin
(https://www.ipu.org/event/technical-briefing-role-parliamentarians-in-achieving-universal-health-
coverage-and-global-health-security-two-sides-same-coin); the Third South Asian Speaker’s Summit on
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 203
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12
achieving the SDGs (https://www.ipu.org/event/third-south-asian-speakers-summit-achieving-sdgs); the
Parliamentary Side Event at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)
(https://www.ipu.org/event/parliamentary-side-event-un-high-level-political-forum-sustainable-
development-hlpf); the Third Interregional Seminar on Parliamentary Capacity-Building and Further
Implementation of the SDGs: Implementing the SDGs through South-South Parliamentary Cooperation
(https://www.ipu.org/event/interregional-seminar-parliamentary-capacity-building-and-further-
implementation-sustainable-development-goals-implementing-sdgs-through-south); and the Regional
Seminar on the Sustainable Development Goals and Gender Equality for Parliaments of the Middle East
and North Africa (https://www.ipu.org/event/regional-seminar-sustainable-development-goals-and-
gender-equality-parliaments-middle-east-and-north-africa).
The Council took note of initial preparations for the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament
scheduled for 2020. The event would not take place at UN Headquarters in New York as the previous
edition had, due to visa restrictions on some countries. An alternative venue was being actively sought
and an inclusive and transparent process for nominating members to the Preparatory Committee of the
Conference had been completed. The Governing Council subsequently approved the composition of the
Preparatory Committee based on the nominations received from the geopolitical groups (see page 69).
7. Reports of plenary bodies and specialized committees
At its sitting on 18 October, the Governing Council took note of the reports on the activities of the Forum
of Women Parliamentarians, the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, the Committee
on Middle East Questions, the Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law, the
Gender Partnership Group, the Advisory Group on Health, the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of
the IPU and the High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG).
The Council endorsed the amended Terms of Reference of the HLAG (see page 66), aimed at making
the Group more inclusive and balanced, and decided to allow the Group in its current composition to
pursue its work until the next Assembly, by which time nominations from the geopolitical groups would
have been received. The expanded composition of 21 members would be based on the formula used
for the composition of the Preparatory Committee of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of
Parliament, i.e. Executive Committee geopolitical group allocation plus one per group.
The Council also approved 19 decisions submitted by the Committee on the Human Rights of
Parliamentarians (https://www.ipu.org/download/5702), noting the reservations of Cambodia, the
Philippines, Turkey and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of, ruling party) concerning the cases in their
respective countries and by Bolivia (Plurinational Republic of), Cuba, Nicaragua and Serbia concerning
the case of Venezuela.
8. Future inter-parliamentary meetings
The Governing Council gave its provisional approval to hold the 140
th
Assembly in Doha (Qatar) in 2019
and the 141
st
Assembly in Belgrade (Serbia) in October 2019 provided that the following three
requirements were fulfilled: (1) a favourable technical mission report conducted by the Secretariat on
the availability of conference and related facilities; (2) the confirmation by the Parliament of Qatar to
absorb all additional costs related to the holding of a second Assembly abroad in 2019; and (3) the
provision of guarantees by the authorities of the host countries to provide entry visas to all delegates
invited to participate in the Assembly.
The Council approved the list of future meetings and other activities to be funded by the IPU’s regular
budget and by external sources (see page 71).
9. Amendments to the Statutes and Rules
The Governing Council approved a package of amendments to the Statutes and Rules proposed by the
Executive Committee (see Annex on page 68).
10. Elections to the Executive Committee
The Governing Council elected the following three members to the Executive Committee for a four-year
term ending in October 2022:
 Mr. G. Gali Ngothé (Chad) for the African Group;
 Mr. G. Chen (China) for the Asia-Pacific Group;
 Mr. M. Grujic (Serbia) for the Twelve Plus Group.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 280
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session of the Executive Committee
13
280th
session of the Executive Committee
1. Proceedings and decisions
The Executive Committee held its 280
th
session in Geneva on 12, 13 and 17 October 2018. The
President of the IPU chaired the meetings. The following members took part in the session:
Ms. F. Benbadis (Algeria), Ms. M.I. Oliveira Valente (Angola), Mr. A. Lins (Brazil) on 12 and 13 October,
replaced by Mr. C. Cajado on 17 October, Mr. D. McGuinty (Canada), Ms. Y. Ferrer Gómez (Cuba),
Mr. A. Abdel Aal (Egypt), Mr. R. del Picchia (France), Mr. K. Jalali (Islamic Republic of Iran),
Mr. S. Suzuki (Japan) on 12 and 13 October, Mr. K. Lusaka (Kenya), Ms. A. Habibou (Niger),
Ms. H. Haukeland Liadal (Norway), Mr. K. Kosachev (Russian Federation), Ms. M. Kiener Nellen
(Switzerland), Mr. Nguyen Van Giau (Viet Nam) on 12 and 13 October, replaced by Mr. Vu Hai Ha on
17 October, Ms. A. Albasti (United Arab Emirates) in her capacity as Second Vice-President of the
Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, and Ms. M. Osoru (Uganda), in her capacity as President of the
Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians.
At its sitting on 12 October, the IPU President provided an overview of her many outreach efforts to
Members and non-Members alike as contained in her vision. The IPU had achieved a milestone by
having 30 June – the date on which the IPU was founded – proclaimed by the United Nations as the
International Day of Parliamentarism.
The Secretary General informed the Executive Committee that no requests for membership or observer
status had been received. The Parliament of Kiribati would be sending an observer delegation to the
139
th
Assembly with a view to future affiliation. Meanwhile, the IPU President and the Secretary General
were redoubling their efforts to reach out to non-Members, especially SIDS in the Pacific and the
Caribbean. In that regard, non-Member Parliaments such as Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda and
Barbados would be invited to the Regional seminar on the SDGs and climate change for Caribbean
Parliaments in Suriname in early November 2018 and would be sensitized to the benefits of IPU
membership. By the same token, inactive IPU Members in the region - Guyana and Trinidad and
Tobago - would be encouraged to re-engage with the Organization.
The Executive Committee examined the unfinished business of the 138
th
Assembly, namely the
prerogatives of the Assembly and its Standing Committees. It reviewed a legal opinion by a jurist
commissioned by the Secretariat at Members’ request and proposed that a vote be held in the
Assembly to clarify the matter without reopening the topic of the debate.
As mandated by the Governing Council at its 202
nd
session, the Executive Committee reviewed the
Terms of Reference of the High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism
(HLAG). At its sitting on 17 October, it recommended that the Group’s composition be expanded and
made more inclusive based on the same formula used for the Preparatory Committee of the Fifth World
Conference of Speakers of Parliament (Executive Committee geopolitical group allocation plus one per
group). In the meantime, the IPU’s work on preventing and countering terrorism should be pursued as it
was part of the organization’s core business as indicated in the IPU Strategy for 2017-2021.
In connection with the implementation of the IPU Strategy for 2017-2021, the Executive Committee
received a comprehensive report from the Secretary General, along with the usual checklist of activities
conducted with the United Nations, which had been subsumed into his report due to many common
areas of interest and action. The Secretary General also informed the members of the Executive
Committee of two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) he wished to sign shortly with the Roll Back
Malaria Partnership and the WHO. The Committee endorsed both MOUs.
The Executive Committee examined the situation of certain parliaments on the IPU’s radar screen,
namely: Burundi, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Libya,
Maldives, Nicaragua, South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela (Bolivarian
Republic of) and Yemen. It made recommendations on each case to the Governing Council, including
the swift organization of missions to Turkey and Venezuela.
The Secretary General informed the members of recent missions he had undertaken to Georgia,
Republic of Moldova and Turkmenistan in late May/early June, to Hawaii in mid-July and to Burundi in
late July/early August. The first mission was intended to foster closer ties between those relatively new
and discreet IPU Members. Those parliaments had shown a keen interest in engaging on the SDGs and
in undertaking self-assessments. The mission to Burundi had been undertaken at the invitation of the
Burundian authorities and had sought to gain first-hand insights into the dynamics at play in the conflict-
ravaged country. The Executive Committee recommended that the Burundian authorities pursue
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 280
th
session of the Executive Committee
14
inclusive dialogue involving all political actors (both at home and abroad) on devising a consensual
roadmap for the 2020 elections, and that the IPU remain engaged with the authorities and continue to
provide technical assistance to the parliament.
The Executive Committee was informed at its sitting on 12 October that Argentina was no longer in a
position to host the 140
th
IPU Assembly due to reasons beyond its control - a severe economic and
financial crisis. At its sitting on 13 October it received an envoy of the Speaker of the Serbian Parliament
announcing that Serbia would be willing to host the 141
st
IPU Assembly in October 2019 in Belgrade. At
its sitting on 17 October, the Committee was informed that Qatar had made an official offer to host the
140
th
IPU Assembly in Doha in April 2019. The Committee recommended that the Governing Council
approve in principle both requests provided that three requirements were fulfilled: (1) the assessment
mission conducted by the Secretariat issued a positive report on the facilities for hosting an IPU
Assembly; (2) the Parliament of Qatar was willing to absorb all additional costs involved in hosting a
second Assembly abroad in 2019; and (3) the host countries would provide visa guarantees to allow all
delegates to participate in the Assembly.
At its sitting on 17 October, the Executive Committee received a report from the President of the
Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP) on cooperation between the IPU and the
ASGP.
Also at its final sitting, the Executive Committee endorsed a Presidential Statement on recent
developments on the Korean Peninsula and the draft Outcome Document of the General Debate.
The Executive Committee elected Mr. K. Kosachev (Russian Federation) as its Vice-President for a
second one-year term and the following IPU Vice-Presidents for a one-year term: Arab Group:
Mr. A. Abdel Aal (Egypt); Asia-Pacific Group: Mr. Nguyen Van Giau (Viet Nam); Eurasia Group:
Mr. K. Kosachev (Russian Federation); Group of Latin America and the Caribbean: Mr. A. Lins (Brazil);
and the Twelve Plus Group: Mr. D. McGuinty (Canada). The African Group would consult and nominate
its candidate shortly.
2. Sub-Committee on Finance
The Sub-Committee on Finance met on 11 October 2018 to prepare and facilitate the Committee’s
consideration of the financial situation of the IPU, the 2019 draft programme and budget, the situation of
voluntary funding, and to review the status of the Parliamentary Solidarity Fund. The Sub-Committee
advised the Executive Committee to recommend the 2019 budget to the Governing Council, having
been closely involved in overseeing its preparation throughout the year.
The Executive Committee urged the geopolitical groups to encourage their Members to pay up their
contributions. The Sub-Committee on Finance informed the Executive Committee that no new
applications had been received for the use of the Parliamentary Solidarity Fund.
The term of the Chair of the Sub-Committee on Finance, Mr. R. del Picchia (France) was coming to an
end at the present session. All members thanked him for his dedication and hard work in leading the
work of the Sub-Committee. Ms. M. Kiener Nellen (Switzerland) was elected to the Sub-Committee on
Finance in his place and was subsequently elected as Chair by the Sub-Committee members.
3. Questions relating to the Secretariat of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
The Executive Committee was informed of staff developments. Ms. C. Bon, a French/Swiss national,
had been promoted to the post of Team Leader, Documents Control Service, at the G7 level.
Mr. A. Richardson, a British national, had been promoted to the post of Programme Manager,
Parliamentary Standards Setting and Knowledge Generation, at the P4 level, and Ms. Z. Hilal, a
Lebanese national, had been promoted to the post of Manager of the Gender Partnership Programme
and the Programme for Youth Participation, also at the P4 level. Ms. S. Ahmidouch, a Trinidadian
national, Secretary of the Executive Committee and the Governing Council, who also wore the hats of
Chief of Staff and Head of Language Services, had been promoted to the P5 level. In addition,
Ms. D. Gilliéron, a French national, would be retiring at the end of the year.
The Executive Committee discussed and reviewed the contract of the Secretary General for the
remaining duration of his second four-year term. This item was discussed in the absence of the
Secretariat, apart from the Director of Support Services, who provided information to the Committee.
Following a vote by secret ballot, the members decided that the Secretary General should be
remunerated at the level of UN Under-Secretary-General according to the salary scale of the
International Civil Service Commission.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Forum of Women Parliamentarians
15
Forum of Women Parliamentarians
The 28
th
session of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians was held on 14 October 2018. It brought
together 195 participants, including 151 parliamentarians from 70 countries and representatives from
various international organizations. There were 123 women and 28 men among the parliamentarians.
In keeping with the Rules of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, the First Vice-President,
Ms. S. Kihika (Kenya), took over the presidency until the end of the term in April 2020. In that capacity,
she chaired the proceedings.
The Forum expressed its gratitude to Ms. U. Karlsson (Sweden), former President of the Bureau of
Women Parliamentarians, who had lost her seat in Parliament in the most recent parliamentary
elections held in Sweden. She was warmly thanked for her strong and inspiring commitment to gender
equality and for her invaluable contributions to the work of the IPU over the past years.
The IPU President, Ms. G. Cuevas Barron, welcomed the participants and made an opening statement.
As a contribution to the Assembly, participants considered, from a gender perspective, the draft
resolution before the 139
th
Assembly on Strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation on migration and
migration governance in view of the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular
Migration. Two groups were formed to conduct the discussions. Participants underscored that migrant
women faced multiple discrimination and that women constituted the majority of victims of human
trafficking, including sexual exploitation and forced labour in domestic work. The Forum subsequently
proposed amendments to the draft resolution, which were incorporated by the Standing Committee on
Democracy and Human Rights.
Participants then discussed the measures needed to eliminate the barriers and discrimination that
impeded women from realizing their potential in science and new technologies. The Forum stressed the
importance of inclusive and gender-sensitive teaching. Support to women researchers and professors
was also identified as a driver of change by providing new role models to girls and challenging sexist
stereotypes. To address those challenges, the Forum proposed measures such as supporting the
creation of tech companies and the financing of research projects led by women, including projects
aimed at addressing discrimination against women.
The Forum elected a regional representative of the Asia-Pacific Group, Ms. F. Hosseini (Islamic
Republic of Iran), and two regional representatives of the Twelve Plus Group, Ms. S. Koutra-Koukouma
(Cyprus) and Ms. O. Sotnyk (Ukraine), to fill vacant positions in the Bureau.
At its second sitting on 18 October, the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians nominated Ms. A. Albasti
(United Arab Emirates) as its First Vice-President and Ms. A. Tolley (New Zealand) as its Second
Vice-President. The two candidatures would be submitted for approval to the Forum of Women
Parliamentarians at its 29
th
session.
The Bureau of Women Parliamentarians expressed its sincere condolences to the Parliament of Nigeria
following the death of Ms. F. Adodoyin (Nigeria), who was a Bureau member.
Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
1. Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians
Ms. D. Solórzano (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela), Vice-President, Mr. F. Pinedo (Argentina),
Ms. F. Koofi (Afghanistan), Ms. L. Dumont (France), Mr. D. Carter (New Zealand), Ms. A. Jerkov
(Serbia) and Mr. A. Caroni (Switzerland) took part in the Committee’s 157
th
session, which was held
from 13 to 17 October 2018. Mr. A. Alaradi (Bahrain), President, Mr. N. Bako-Arifari (Benin) and
Ms. J. Mukoda-Zabwe (Uganda) were unable to attend.
The Committee submitted 19 decisions to the Governing Council (see link:
https://www.ipu.org/download/5702) for adoption concerning the following countries: Afghanistan,
Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Palestine, Palestine/Israel,
Philippines, Senegal, Turkey, Uganda and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
16
During the session, the Committee held 10 hearings and informal meetings with delegations and
complainants to reinforce its understanding of the cases before it and convey its concerns. At that
session, the Committee had on its agenda 23 cases concerning the situation of 328 members of
parliament in 15 countries. Of the cases examined, 39 per cent were from Asia, 24 per cent from
Europe; 18 per cent from the Americas; 16 per cent from the Middle East and North Africa and 3 per
cent from Africa. Eighty-two per cent of the cases concerned opposition members of parliament and
20 per cent concerned women. Freedom of expression being a matter of direct or indirect concern in
most cases, the violations most frequently considered by the Committee during the session were undue
suspension and loss of parliamentary mandate, lack of fair trial, torture and violation of freedom of
movement.
2. Committee on Middle East Questions
The Committee held two sittings, on 14 and 16 October 2018. The Committee’s President
Ms. S. Ataullahjan (Canada), Mr. H. Julien-Laferrière (France), Ms. A. Makonda Ridley (Malawi),
Mr. A. Al-Ahmad (Palestine), Mr. F. Müri (Switzerland), and Mr. M. Al-Mehrzi (United Arab Emirates)
attended both sessions. Mr. N. Shai (Israel) attended the sitting on 14 October. Ms. B. Grouwels
(Belgium) and Mr. R. Munawar (Indonesia) attended the sitting on 16 October.
The Committee examined the current situation in the region, particularly the announcement by the
US Administration to end all funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the passing of a law by the Israeli Knesset defining the State
of Israel as the nation of the Jewish people. In addition, the Committee heard brief presentations by the
Yemeni delegation and Mr. N. Gouda, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, on the situations in
their respective countries. The members recognized the complexity of the different situations while
reaffirming their commitment to open dialogue and concrete projects.
Following a discussion on science as an enabler of dialogue, the Committee concurred on the
importance of the Science for Peace Schools and was looking forward to bringing that project to fruition
in November 2018. The Committee members further agreed to undertake a visit to the Middle East in
early 2019 and highlighted their wish to visit refugee camps in Jordan.
3. Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law
The Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law met on Monday 16 October. As
there was no quorum, no formal decisions were taken. The Committee members present did, however,
hold a hearing with the delegation of Myanmar, as part of the follow-up to the 137
th
IPU Assembly
emergency item resolution on the Rohingya crisis, which called on the Committee "to explore
appropriate and practical measures to be undertaken by the global parliamentary community to address
the situation of the Rohingya people and provide a peaceful and sustainable solution to the crisis".
Members of the Committee expressed their appreciation to the Myanmar delegation for having engaged
in a constructive dialogue. The hearing allowed for an exchange of information on initiatives taken in
Myanmar to address the situation and allow for a safe return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.
Committee members encouraged the Parliament of Myanmar to strengthen its involvement in the
resolution of that tragedy by fulfilling its role of monitoring government action and by reaching out to the
Myanmar people to appease the situation and lay the foundations for justice and reconciliation.
Committee members also encouraged the Parliament of Myanmar to initiate a discussion in due course
on the question of citizenship.
Committee members were very keen to pursue the dialogue and expressed their wish to carry out a
mission to Myaymar to see how the IPU could support the Parliament in its efforts to secure a positive
outcome to the humanitarian crisis.
The Committee furthermore held an open briefing session on Ending Statelessness by 2024 - Pledges,
Action and Results. (See results of that session on page 20).
4. Gender Partnership Group
The Gender Partnership Group, composed of Mr. K. Lusaka (Kenya), Ms. H. Haukeland Liadal
(Norway), Mr. K. Kosachev (Russian Federation) and Ms. A. Albasti (United Arab Emirates), met on
17 October 2018. Ms. Haukeland Liadal chaired the meeting. The Group reviewed figures regarding the
composition of delegations present at the 139
th
IPU Assembly.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
17
As at 17 October, 32.9 per cent of delegates registered at the Assembly were women. That figure was
the highest percentage ever achieved at an IPU Assembly. The Group stressed the importance of
continuing its work to promote further progress in that respect.
Of the 149 delegations registered, 140 were composed of at least two delegates, of which 17 were
composed exclusively of men (12.1%) and four were composed only of women. The 21 single-sex
delegations were from the parliaments of the following States: Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bolivia (Plurinational
State of), Burkina Faso, Czech Republic, Denmark, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Fiji, Haiti,
Ireland, Liechtenstein, Micronesia (Federated States of), Morocco, Myanmar, Paraguay, Peru, Republic
of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Yemen. In addition, there were nine single-
member delegations attending the Assembly, of which five were made up of a male delegate and four of
a female delegate. Group members agreed to bring those figures back to their geopolitical groups for
discussion and action.
To remedy the situation, the Group also agreed to look into ways of strengthening existing sanctions.
With regard to the Governing Council, the Group proposed that single-sex delegations be limited to one
vote instead of two. As for the Assembly, the Group suggested that parliaments represented by single-
sex delegations after two (not three) consecutive sessions be sanctioned with a reduction in their voting
entitlements and number of delegates. The Group would therefore work on proposals for amendments
along these lines.
In addition, the Group agreed to monitor more closely the composition of delegations attending IPU
Assemblies, and more particularly their respective men/women ratio so as to give more visibility to
gender-balanced delegations and encourage others to follow suit.
The Group also acknowledged the work led by the IPU as part of the International Gender Champions
initiative, and the launch of the toolkit on gender-responsive parliaments. It recommended that the IPU
work on developing a code of conduct that would apply for Assemblies and other IPU meetings.
To support the progress of women MPs worldwide, the Group also decided to engage not only with
parliaments that had no women members, but also with parliaments where women accounted for less
than 5 per cent of the membership. The Group planned to invite representatives of some of those
parliaments for an exchange of views at the next session.
The Group welcomed the new IPU study on Sexism, harassment and violence against women in
parliaments in Europe conducted in partnership with PACE. It encouraged the participants to
disseminate it widely and to follow up its recommendations. It also recommended that the IPU conduct
similar studies in other regions.
5. Advisory Group on Health
The Advisory Group on Health met on Tuesday 16 October, with six out of eight members in
attendance. The Group’s technical partners from the WHO and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria were also in attendance.
The Group unanimously approved the second one-year mandate for its Chairperson, Dr. H. Millat
(Bangladesh), and Vice-Chairperson, Ms. P. Bayr (Austria). It heard a report from the IPU Secretariat
about the health-related activities carried out since the Group’s last meeting. The Group was particularly
pleased to note the conclusion of important cooperation agreements between the IPU and the WHO,
and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), which provided a solid
framework for future global parliamentary action on health. The Group also took note of and approved
the activities planned by the IPU and its partners in order to implement existing cooperation
agreements.
The Group agreed to serve as the review board for the future IPU handbook for parliamentarians on
women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health. The Group also provided important guidance for
preparation of a future handbook for parliamentarians on nutrition, which would be jointly prepared by
FAO and the IPU with support from the WHO, the SUN Movement and the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD).
It welcomed the finalization of the review of child, early and forced marriage in Africa, jointly conducted
by the IPU and the WHO in cooperation with 24 African parliaments. The publication was expected at
the end of 2018.
The Advisory Group gave its support to the Chair’s efforts to introduce universal health coverage as a
subject item for the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
18
6. Group of Facilitators for Cyprus
The Group of Facilitators for Cyprus met on 14 October 2018. The meeting was attended by Mr. J. de
Matos Rosa (Portugal), a Facilitator, four members of the House of Representatives of the Republic of
Cyprus and three representatives of the Turkish-Cypriot political parties.
The parties expressed their readiness to engage in dialogue and exchange of views and stressed the
need to recommence negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations. They underlined that a
functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, in accordance with the relevant United Nations
resolutions and the values and principles of the European Union, would benefit all Cypriots.
7. Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU
The Forum met on Monday, 15 October 2018 with Ms. M. Osoru (Uganda), President of the Board of
the Forum in the chair. A total of 64 young parliamentarians were in attendance, 32 of whom were
women (50%).
The Forum discussed recent national efforts to enhance youth participation. It also reviewed youth
participation at the IPU with a view to monitoring the implementation of the newly introduced measure to
enhance youth participation at IPU Assemblies. It noted that young parliamentarians made up 20 per
cent of participants at the 139
th
Assembly and that percentage should be increased at future
Assemblies.
Plans to increase the number of young people in parliament must be put into action. To support that
work, the members of the Forum identified global targets for youth participation in parliament which set
the minimum standards to be achieved by 2035. Three targets were identified based on the proportion
of young people in the population according to the following three age groups:
 Target of a minimum of 15 per cent of young parliamentarians under 30, corresponding to the
proportion of people aged between 20 and 29 in the global population (18%);
 Target of a minimum of 35 per cent of young parliamentarians under 40, corresponding to the
proportion of people aged between 20 and 39 in the global population (38%); and
 Target of a minimum of 45 per cent of young parliamentarians under 45, corresponding to the
proportion of people aged between 20 and 44 in the global population (48%).
Each target provided for gender parity of 50 per cent young women and 50 per cent young men. Each
country should identify what pertinent strategies and measures it would put in place to meet the targets,
taking into account its own national specificities. The Forum would launch a global campaign to
strengthen commitment and promote efforts towards the attainment of the targets.
The Board of the Forum also met on Monday, 15 October. The Board members chose the theme of the
Fifth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, due to take place in Baku (Azerbaijan) in December
2018. In preparation for the 140
th
Assembly, the Board appointed Mr. O. Al-Tabtabaee (Kuwait) to
prepare a youth overview report to be submitted to the co-Rapporteurs of the Standing Committee on
Peace and International Security, and Mr. P. Kalobo (Zambia) to prepare a youth overview report to be
submitted to the co-Rapporteurs of the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and
Trade.
8. High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism
The Group held one sitting on 14 October 2018 with Ms. A. Al Qubaisi (United Arab Emirates),
Chairperson; Ms. M. Kiener Nellen (Switzerland), Vice Chairperson; Mr. S. Chowdhury (Bangladesh,
honorary IPU President); Ms. L. Cai representing China; Mr. A. Abdel Aal (Egypt); Mr. K. Kosachev
(Russian Federation); Mr. A. Avsan (Sweden); Ms. M. Osoru (Uganda) in her capacity as President of
the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians and Ms. A. Albasti (United Arab Emirates) in her
capacity as Second Vice-President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians in attendance.
Mr. S. Chiheb (Algeria), Ms. C. Crexell (Argentina), Mr. K. Jalali (Islamic Republic of Iran) and
Ms. M. Mensah-Williams (Namibia) also participated.
The Group heard an update on the implementation of the activities it had adopted at its second meeting
on 2 and 3 May 2018 in Abu Dhabi, namely: the global parliamentary summit, the parliamentary
network, the web-based platform, capacity-building workshops and reports. The members were pleased
to see concrete developments and they looked forward inter alia to the first capacity-building workshops
due to take place in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Sahel regions in early 2019. The
Group approved the retention as advisers of Ms. M. Mensah-Williams, former President of the Bureau of
Women Parliamentarians, for her wise counsel and experience, and Mr. A. Avsan, although he was no
longer an MP, for his technical expertise in law enforcement and as a former judge.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other events
19
The Executive Committee would review the Group’s Terms of Reference, including its composition, and
make a recommendation to the Governing Council for endorsement. The Group encouraged the
members of the Group who were also members of the Executive Committee to underline the significant
work that had already been accomplished. They insisted that what the Executive Committee was
requested to do was to clarify the composition and not call into question the existence of the Group as
its creation had been decided during the St. Petersburg Assembly in October 2017.
Other events
1. Meeting of the Presidents of the Geopolitical Groups
In the morning of 14 October, the IPU President met with the Presidents of the geopolitical groups to
discuss the organization of work during and beyond IPU Assemblies, including in terms of enhancing
the impact and visibility of the organization and better meeting its key objective of fostering greater
parliamentary understanding and solidarity.
The Presidents of the geopolitical groups gave a summary of their activities since the 138
th
Assembly,
which included a number of events, such as the recently concluded Regional Seminars on the SDGs in
St. Petersburg (for Eurasia), Panama City (for GRULAC) and Alexandria (for the Middle East and North
Africa). The President presented an overview of future IPU activities – in line with the IPU Strategy and
her vision – and encouraged the Presidents of the groups to reach out to their members with a view to
identifying future hosts for IPU events. The Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in 2020
would be a major event for the IPU and the global parliamentary community. The President had
therefore decided to be as inclusive as possible in the selection of the Preparatory Committee and
invited all Groups to submit the names of their representatives for the Preparatory Committee before the
end of the Assembly.
The 2018 reporting exercise by Members on follow-up to IPU resolutions and decisions had seen an
increase in the overall response rate (currently at 67%), also due to the active engagement of the Group
Presidents. The report that had been submitted to the IPU Governing Council included tangible
evidence of the impact of parliamentary follow-up action at the national level. It was important to share
those good practices and positive results as widely as possible, so as to inspire further action. Each
Member Parliament and parliamentarian had a particular responsibility in that regard, and could help
replicate the key IPU messages as they related to democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Enhanced dialogue and cooperation with the regional and other parliamentary organizations was
another key objective of the IPU, as that could help reduce duplication, build synergies and better take
advantage of the comparative advantages of each partner organization. A working luncheon with the
Group Presidents and the heads of some 30 regional and other parliamentary organizations was
scheduled later in the week in the context of the Assembly, with a view to further brainstorming on the
way ahead.
2. Meeting of the Presidents of the Standing Committees
In the afternoon of 14 October, the IPU President met with the Presidents of the Standing Committees.
They had been elected at the previous Assembly, based on the agreement reached by the geopolitical
groups on the distribution of leadership positions within the IPU. The Committee Presidents each
provided an overview of their work at the current Assembly, and of the possible outstanding issues that
needed to be dealt with. One of those had to do with the prerogatives of the Standing Committees in
terms of setting their agendas and programmes of work, and whether the Assembly could change the
agendas adopted by the Committees. The IPU membership was called upon to decide on that matter
the following day – the IPU Statutes and Rules would then need to be amended accordingly, so as to
clarify the current grey zone in that area.
The Presidents of the Standing Committees underscored that, while participation and the quality of
discussions in the Committee Bureaux had improved significantly in recent years, more needed to be
done to ensure communication and cooperation beyond the Assemblies. The Bureaux were also called
to play an important role in representing the IPU at various international conferences. Among those in
the coming months were Geneva Peace Week, the UN Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the
Rule of Law, and the Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations. For its part, the IPU was continuing its
practice of convening parliamentary meetings in the context of major UN processes – as was the case
in 2018 with the UN Conference on Migration, the International Conference on Climate Change and the
UN High-Level Policy Forum on Sustainable Development.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other events
20
The members of the Standing Committees were also keen to look for ways to build bridges and foster
parliamentary solidarity beyond the official meetings of the IPU. The IPU’s strength was the unity in its
diversity, and the personal relationships established in the context of the organization helped promote
better understanding and peaceful relations between nations. It was agreed that together they would
reflect on possible ways of fostering exchanges – including through sports and culture – in the context
of various IPU activities.
3. Open briefing session of the Committee to Promote Respect for International
Humanitarian Law on Ending Statelessness by 2024 – Pledges, Action and Results
On 17 October, the Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law organized with
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) an open session on Ending
Statelessness by 2024 – Pledges, Action and Results. The session brought together as panellists
members of parliament from Spain and Kenya, as well as a representative from the UN Committee on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and a representative from the European Network on
Statelessness. The panel was introduced and moderated by UNHCR.
Statelessness, or the absence of a nationality, affected up to 10 million people globally. There was no
region that did not have significant numbers of stateless persons. The open session highlighted that
nationality was the right to have rights. Without a nationality, a person was invisible and had no access
to basic human rights, such as the right to education, access to health or work. There was an urgent
need to "humanize" those invisible individuals.
The session reviewed the various causes of statelessness, which included conflict of laws, transfer of
territory, gaps in civil registration laws, discrimination in nationality laws or administrative practices, and
lack of birth registration. Many of the world’s stateless persons were also victims of forced
displacement. Indeed, people who had been uprooted from their homes were particularly vulnerable to
statelessness, especially when territorial borders were redrawn. Statelessness itself could be a root
cause of forced movement. A closer look at the causes of statelessness showed that one common
feature stood out—solutions existed and were in the hands of States, their governments and
parliaments.
In 2019, UNHCR would hold a ministerial event on statelessness to mark the mid-way point in the
10-year campaign to end statelessness by 2024. That event would provide an opportunity to take stock
of achievements and give States a chance to make concrete pledges for additional steps they would
take to address statelessness. The session recommended that members of parliament engage in that
global effort by raising the issue nationally, mapping out their national context to identify potential
causes or gaps that could lead to statelessness situations and taking measures to address those gaps.
Small steps could go a long way towards changing the lives of many.
4. Panel discussion on Where do parliaments stand in the fight against sexism and
harassment?
The regional study on Sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliaments in Europe
(https://www.ipu.org/resources/publications/reports/2018-10/sexism-harassment-and-violence-against-
women-in-parliaments-in-europe) was launched at the 139
th
IPU Assembly. Conducted jointly by the IPU
and PACE, the study was based on face-to-face interviews with 123 women from 45 European
countries, 81 of whom were women parliamentarians and 42 female parliamentary staff. In order to
present the findings of the study, an interactive discussion, entitled Where do parliaments stand in the
fight against sexism and harassment? was organized during the Assembly. The discussion was chaired
by the IPU President and Ms. L. Maury Pasquier, President of PACE. The following speakers took part:
Ms. M. Rempel, member of parliament (Canada), Mr. L. Córdova, President of the National Electoral
Institute (INE) of Mexico, and Ms. M. Tomei, Director of the Conditions of Work and Equality
Department, International Labour Organization (ILO).
The session began with a theatrical performance in which 12 women parliamentarians read out the
anonymous testimonies of women gathered as part of the regional study. These testimonies gave voice
to the human experience behind the figures in the new study. Participants were then presented with the
main data and findings of the study. The interventions of the guest speakers and the discussion helped
establish links between the study’s findings and innovative approaches taken at the international and
national levels to address both the issue of violence against women in politics, including in parliaments,
and that of harassment and gender-based violence at work.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other events
21
The session provided an opportunity for participants to both share personal experiences of harassment
and violence against women in parliaments and to give concrete examples of solutions already being
implemented in parliaments and other institutions. Participants agreed that the extent and nature of
sexism and gender-based violence against women in parliaments were of great concern and required
urgent attention and action by all. They called on national parliaments to adopt a zero-tolerance policy
against sexist attitudes and gender-based violence, to put in place complaint and investigation
mechanisms that were confidential and sensitive to victims’ needs, and to provide training for all those
working in parliament on issues of respect at work and combating sexism and harassment.
Participants also highlighted the need to change the cultural norms that contributed to sexism and
gender-based violence in order to bring about a lasting change in mind-sets and behaviours. They
called on the IPU to keep exploring the issue further by carrying out studies in other regions and
continuing the discussions, actively involving men and taking their input into account, for example by
making the issue an emergency item, the subject item of a Committee resolution or the theme of an
Assembly general debate. They also recommended that the IPU and PACE develop a framework for
preventing sexism and harassment in international forums.
5. Panel discussion on The role of parliaments in combating terrorism and violent
extremism
The panel discussion was organized as part of the activities of the IPU-UN Joint Programme on
countering terrorism and violent extremism following a recommendation from the High-Level Advisory
Group to give more visibility to the work of the Group and to the roles of parliamentarians in that field.
The event sought to bring the global parliamentary community closer to the realities on the ground
through the testimonies of victims. It was opened by the IPU Secretary General.
The audience heard the testimony of Ms. F. Bunu, a 19 year-old girl who had been abducted by Boko
Haram but had managed to escape. She was committed to sharing her story so that she could help
others and called upon parliamentarians to ensure education for all in order to prevent radicalization.
The audience then heard the testimony of Mr. I. Buba, the founder of the Youth Coalition Against
Terrorism. Through his story, he highlighted the drivers of terrorism and violent extremism as they were
felt by the people on the ground. Both Ms. Bunu and Mr. Buba affirmed that young people were willing
to work and succeed but needed support from their elected representatives. They launched an appeal
for parliamentarians to take action and ensure that the socio-economic rights of all were guaranteed.
Mr. A. Avanessov from UNDP, Ms. S. Alirzayeva from the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism
(UNOCT) and Mr. B. Tukhtabayev from UNESCO presented the work of their agencies in combating
terrorism and preventing violent extremism. UNDP highlighted the economic damage caused by
terrorism, as well as the correlation between radicalization and the absence of socio-economic rights.
UNOCT emphasized the need for parliaments to join forces with governments as terrorism needed to be
fought at every level of society. UNESCO agreed with the victims in underlining the need for educational
programmes for youth.
Mr. A. Avsan, a former policeman, judge and parliamentarian from Sweden, made a presentation on the
importance of maintaining stable and democratic societies with the rule of law at their core. He
highlighted the key role of parliamentarians as part of the global fight against terrorism. Mr. U. Al Ahzari,
a renowned scholar and member of the Egyptian House of Representatives, briefed the audience on the
cultural misuse of terrorism. He emphasized that violent extremism could be prevented through
education, including by teaching people about the misuse of terminology. He talked about the SDGs as
an important global platform for prevention and called for the adoption of a global parliamentary
declaration against violent extremism. Such a declaration should contain basic principles, such as the
prohibition of killing regardless of creed or ideology, and the rejection of tyranny, compulsion and
hatred, terrorization of humankind, destruction of homelands and religious profanation.
Participants from Bahrain, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Jordan, Kenya, Qatar, Turkey, United Arab
Emirates and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) took the floor. They agreed that it was essential to
cooperate in order to fight the scourge collectively. They reiterated that terrorism had no borders and
that no country was immune to it. It was important to take that fight on for the good of future
generations. Lastly, the participants welcomed the testimonies of the victims and highlighted the
importance of giving them a platform to share their stories. They also welcomed the progressive speech
delivered by Mr. Al Ahzari, which highlighted tolerance and co-existence.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other events
22
6. Side event on Legislating on food and nutrition: Lessons learned, challenges and
opportunities for parliamentary action
The session was moderated by Ms. G. Verburg, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and
Coordinator of the SUN Movement. Dr. H. Millat, MP, Chairperson of the IPU Advisory Group on Health,
welcomed the participants. Dr. F. Branca, Director of the Department of Nutrition for Health and
Development, WHO, set the scene for the importance of legislative action to improve nutrition,
highlighting that nutrition could help drive the achievement of many, if not all, of the SDGs.
The panel discussion with members of parliament and a youth representative presented good practices
in advancing nutrition in different national contexts. Mr. G. Girardi (Chile), MP, presented the Chilean
experience in developing legislation targeting labelling and inappropriate marketing of unhealthy foods
to children. That model could be replicated in other countries with the support of partners such as the
WHO and FAO. He also noted the importance of engaging with academia and the scientific community.
Dr. N. Hamid Mairaj (Pakistan), MP, stressed the role of parliamentarians in ensuring that existing
frameworks and policies were implemented. In Pakistan, support from women MPs across party lines
was instrumental in the enactment of legislation on protecting breastfeeding. However, she reiterated
that health and nutrition should not only be the responsibility of women.
Mr. E. Wangwe (Kenya), MP, highlighted the key role of parliaments in holding government to account.
Although the right to food was enshrined in the Kenyan Constitution, Parliament was instrumental in the
realization of that fundamental right by ensuring that adequate funds were allocated to nutrition
programmes and interventions, and by monitoring implementation.
Ms. T. Chimkowola (Malawi) presented her experience as a young leader engaged in nutrition in
Malawi. She challenged parliamentarians and other stakeholders to consider young people as part of
the solution rather than the problem.
The parliamentarians who responded stressed in particular the need for multisectoral approaches to
nutrition, including health, education, agriculture, and water and sanitation. Another common theme that
emerged was the importance of building partnerships with all relevant stakeholders. In order to ensure
that people were not left behind, particular attention should be paid to local government and the
community level to create an enabling environment for nutrition with the participation of citizens,
mothers and young people.
The concluding remarks were made by Ms. C. Rodrigues Birkett, Director, FAO Liaison Office to the
United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), who highlighted the role of parliamentarians in connecting
with people, and the challenge of changing minds and attitudes with regard to nutrition.
7. Panel discussion on Building bridges between the parliamentary and scientific
communities
The panel discussion was organized in the afternoon of 16 October in cooperation with CERN and was
moderated by Mr. P.F. Casini, honorary IPU President. The panel was composed of Ms. S. Ataullahjan,
Canadian senator and President of the IPU Committee on Middle East Questions, Mr. P. Lomas, creator
and trustee of Raspberry Pi, and Mr. F. Quevedo, Director of the International Centre for Theoretical
Physics (ICTP).
The panellists agreed that continuing scientific and technological progress and new challenges facing
society called for increased cooperation between the worlds of science and politics. Parliamentarians
should improve the lives of ordinary people they represented by monitoring the way in which science
was put to practical use, which was not always positive. Thanks to their budgetary and law-making
functions, parliamentarians played a crucial role in regulating innovations while still allowing the
continuation and funding of research. It was highlighted that, even with limited budgets, innovation could
be successful. In addition, the panellists underlined that it was important for parliaments to understand
the specificities of basic scientific research and to ensure public funds for such research, which often
lacked support from private investors. One of the panellists explained that education was the
democratization of science and technology and that it could be used to inform debate inside the country
and beyond.
It was recognized that there were barriers on both the parliamentary and scientific sides to facilitating
evidence-based policies. Parliamentarians stated that it was their responsibility to remain aware of the
latest scientific and technological changes while underlining that the world moved extremely fast, and
for that reason, it was difficult for them to always be aware of the latest information. On the other hand,
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other events
23
scientists also recognized that they had a responsibility to reach out and communicate with the general
public about their findings. It was noted that very few scientists were members of parliaments, which
was often due to a lack of interest.
Representatives of different scientific organizations took the floor, as well as parliamentarians from
Bahrain, Chile, Malawi, Syrian Arab Republic and Timor-Leste. Chile highlighted a concrete model of
cooperation that its parliament had put in place, in the form of an association for parliamentarians and
scientists to work together and draft laws that were then submitted to legislators for adoption. The
participants agreed that parliamentarians had all the tools at hand to make a positive impact on
societies, but that they were lacking specific knowledge.
The IPU was seen as a platform for bringing science and parliaments closer together. The debate led to
a unanimous recommendation for the IPU to establish a body on science and education as a more
regular part of its work, particularly during the Assemblies. In that way, through the IPU, parliaments
would have a permanent interface with the rapidly evolving world of science, technology and innovation,
gaining insight into all its implications for policy-making.
8. Panel discussion on What can MPs do to sort fact from fiction in the age of
fake news?
The IPU Communications Division organized a workshop on fake news in the afternoon of Tuesday
16 October. The panel was made up of Ms. A. Leander, Faculty member of the Albert Hirschman
Centre on Democracy and Professor of International Relations at the Graduate Institute of International
and Development Studies of Geneva; Mr. C. Matheson, Member of Parliament from the United
Kingdom; and Mr. T. Fakude, Head of Research Relations at the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies. It was
moderated by Ms. H. Aly, Director of IRIN News.
Questions discussed included whether fake news was new or simply more visible now thanks to new
technology; whether the phenomenon really undermined democracy by sowing confusion, doubt and
division; the role of parliament in regulating misinformation without compromising free speech; how the
media quality-control the information they disseminated; and alleged malpractice or malign intentions by
State actors and data companies such as Cambridge Analytica in the Brexit referendum in the United
Kingdom, as well as elections in the Caribbean and Catalonia.
The panellists disagreed on whether fake news and misinformation should be regulated but agreed that
citizens, particularly young people, should be encouraged to develop a more critical eye when it came to
information and its sources.
9. Parity debate on Ensuring that children enjoy their rights and grow up protected
from violence
The Forum of Women Parliamentarians organized a parity debate to promote parity representation and
participation of men and women by inviting them to voice their concerns on gender equality during the
discussion. The parity debate focused on violence against children and the concrete solutions and
measures needed to eliminate it. Forty women and 23 men participated in the debate. The number of
men was lower than in the previous debate, where there had been an equal number of women and
men. The debate was launched by the following speakers: Ms. J.A. Gakuba, Vice-President of the
Senate of Rwanda and member of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians; Mr. O. James, Global
Campaign Director, the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation; Ms. A. Gass, Girls Advocacy Alliance
Officer at Plan International, UNOG; and Dr. H. Millat, Member of Parliament from Bangladesh. The
President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, Ms. S. Kihika (Kenya) moderated the debate.
The debate focused on social norms related to age and sex that exposed boys and girls to different
forms of violence. Girls were more exposed to violence relating to their sexuality — sexual violence,
forced and early marriage, genital mutilation — whereas boys were more targets of homicide and forced
labour. The enormous vulnerability to violence of children who were not registered in birth registers and
who lived in situations of war required the urgent attention and action of parliamentarians. It was also
recommended that age, as well as the situation and specific needs of girls and boys, be taken into
consideration in laws and public policies that provided measures aimed at preventing violence against
children and services to children victims of violence. It was also recommended that children take part in
the decisions that concerned them and be informed of their rights and issues on gender equality through
awareness and education campaigns. The participants requested that children’s rights be incorporated
more often in IPU debates, including in the exchange of good practices between parliamentarians
dealing with the issue.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Elections and appointments
24
10. Joint IPU-ASGP workshop on: How good is parliament at holding government to
account? How well am I performing my oversight role?
The joint IPU-ASGP workshop took place on 18 October. It brought together MPs, Secretaries General
of parliaments and senior parliamentary staff.
The workshop was moderated by Ms. A. Tolley, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of
New Zealand. The session opened with an introduction of the panellists through questions and answers:
Mr. J.C. Romero (Argentina); Mr. J.M. Araújo, Secretary General of the Assembly of the Republic of
Portugal; and Mr. B. Bwalya, Adviser, National Assembly of Zambia.
Mr. A. Richardson (IPU Secretariat) presented the recommendations of the 2017 Global Parliamentary
Report on parliamentary oversight, and the draft self-assessment toolkit currently being developed by
the IPU. The toolkit, which drew directly on the recommendations of the Report, was intended to assist
parliaments in assessing their capacity for effective oversight in order to help them to identify strengths,
weaknesses and priorities for reform.
The discussion that followed focused on how to make good use of parliament’s oversight powers, based
on some of the self-assessment questions. Participants took the floor to exchange views, experiences
and good practices on mechanisms their parliaments used to ensure government was responsive to
parliamentary questions and recommendations.
Some of the examples shared included: parliamentary committees in Sierra Leone that withheld
approval of departmental budgets until the relevant Minister had provided an appropriate response to
recommendations made by parliament; and a "protest" mechanism in the parliament of Ukraine,
whereby extra time in plenary was allocated for addressing questions that had not yet received a
satisfactory answer. Participants noted the creation of a new department for evaluation of the impact of
laws in Ecuador, the introduction of gender-impact assessments in Portugal, and the publication of
pre- and post-legislative regulatory impact assessments in Georgia. Meanwhile, the Parliament of
Zambia was engaged in an exercise to evaluate its overall performance, with support from the IPU.
The discussion underlined that parliaments often faced common challenges in holding government to
account, though the details varied according to the context of each country. It also drew out the creative
solutions that parliaments were developing to address the challenges, and highlighted the importance of
the parliament’s administrative capacity to provide quality support for oversight to MPs, as well as inter-
parliamentary cooperation.
Elections and appointments
1. Vice-President of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee elected one of its members, Mr. K. Kosachev (Russian Federation) as its
Vice-President for a second one-year term ending in October 2019.
2. Vice-Presidents of the IPU
The Executive Committee elected the following Vice-Presidents for a one-year term ending in
October 2019:
 African Group: to be nominated
 Arab Group: Mr. A. Abdel Aal (Egypt)
 Asia-Pacific Group: Mr. Nguyen Van Giau (Viet Nam)
 Eurasia Group: Mr. K. Kosachev (Russian Federation)
 Group of Latin America and the Caribbean: Mr. A. Lins (Brazil)
 Twelve Plus Group: Mr. D. McGuinty (Canada).
3. Executive Committee
The Governing Council elected the following three members to the Executive Committee:
 African Group
Mr. G. Gali Ngothé (Chad) to replace Ms. F. Benbadis (Algeria), whose term had ended.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Elections and appointments
25
 Asia-Pacific Group
Mr. G. Chen (China) to replace Mr. S. Suzuki (Japan), whose term had ended.
 Twelve Plus Group
Mr. M. Grujic (Serbia) to replace Mr. R. del Picchia (France), whose term had ended.
4. Sub-Committee on Finance
The Executive Committee appointed:
 Ms. M. Kiener Nellen (Switzerland) for a term ending in October 2020.
The Sub-Committee elected Ms. M. Kiener Nellen (Switzerland) as its Chair.
5. Bureau of Women Parliamentarians
The Forum of Women Parliamentarians elected Ms. S. Kihika (Kenya) as its President for a two-year
term ending in October 2020.
It also elected the following three regional representatives to the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians:
Asia-Pacific Group
 Ms. F. Hosseini (Islamic Republic of Iran) for a term ending in March 2022.
Twelve Plus Group
 Ms. S. Koutra-Koukouma (Cyprus) for a term ending in March 2020.
 Ms. O. Sotnyk (Ukraine) for a term ending in March 2022.
6. Committee on Middle East Questions
The Governing Council elected the following four members to the Committee for a four-year term ending
in October 2022:
 Mr. R. De Roon (Netherlands)
 Mr. L. Wehrli (Switzerland)
 Mr. J.G. Correa (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela)
 Mr. A.A. Jama (Somalia).
7. Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law
The Governing Council elected the following four members for a four-year term ending in October 2022:
 African Group: Mr. R. Mwewa (Zambia)
 Asia-Pacific Group: Mr. J. Wilson (Australia)
 Group of Latin America and the Caribbean: Ms. G.C. Bañuelos (Mexico)
 Twelve Plus Group: Ms. Á. Vadai (Hungary).
8. Gender Partnership Group
Ms. A. Albasti (United Arab Emirates) was appointed to the Group.
Ms. H. Haukeland Liadal (Norway) was elected Chair of the Group.
9. Bureaux of the Standing Committees
The Standing Committees elected the following members for a two-year term (renewable) in their
respective Bureaux ending in October 2020:
Standing Committee on Peace and International Security
Eurasia Group:
 Vacancy
Twelve Plus Group:
 Ms. A. Shkrum (Ukraine) – first term
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Elections and appointments
26
Asia-Pacific Group
 Vacancy
 Mr. A. Suwanmongkol (Thailand) – second term
Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade
 President: Ms. V. Muzenda Tsitsi (Zimbabwe) (until March 2020)
African Group
 Ms. V. Muzenda Tsitsi – to complete the second term of Zimbabwe, ending in March 2020.
Asia-Pacific Group
 No candidature received.
Eurasia Group
 Mr. A. Simonyan (Armenia) – to complete the first term of Armenia, ending in March 2020.
Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights
 Vice-President: Ms. A. Gerkens (Netherlands) (until March 2020)
Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs
 President: Mr. J.C. Romero (Argentina) - March 2019 (first term)
 Vice-President: Ms. S. Al-Hashem (Kuwait) - March 2020 (first term)
African Group
 Mr. P.H. Katjavivi (Namibia) - October 2020 (first term)
Asia-Pacific Group
 Mr. F.H. Naek (Pakistan) - October 2020 (first term)
 Ms. B. Sampatisiri (Thailand) - October 2020 (second term)
Eurasia Group
 Mr. M. Melkumyan (Armenia) - October 2020 (first term)
Twelve Plus Group
 Ms. A. Theologou (Cyprus) - October 2020 (first term)
 Mr. L. Iemets (UIkraine) - October 2020 (first term).
10. Rapporteurs to the 141st
Assembly
The Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights appointed Dr. H. Millat (Bangladesh) and
Mr. C. Lohr (Switzerland) as co-Rapporteurs for the subject item Achieving universal health coverage by
2030: The role of parliaments in ensuring the right to health. The IPU President will continue
consultations with a view to nominating a woman parliamentarian from Africa as a third co-Rapporteur.
11. Internal Auditors for the 2019 accounts
The Governing Council appointed the following Internal Auditor for the 2019 accounts:
 Mr. R. del Picchia (France)
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Media and Communications
27
Media and Communications
Media coverage
The IPU communications team issued four press releases during the 139
th
Assembly.
The press release that generated the most interest
was “#MeToo: Alarming levels of sexual abuse and
violence found in Europe’s Parliaments”, to
accompany the launch of the new study on sexism
against women in parliament, published in partnership
with PACE.
The new IPU communications strategy, which
prioritizes news agencies and good relations with key
journalists, was paying off as many of them produced
news wires (AFP, ATS, AP, EFE…) that were picked
up. Consequently, the #MeToo release generated
close to 1,000 news clippings, including many major
international news outlets (CNN, BBC, RT, Al Jazeera,
Deutsche Welle, Washington Post, ABC…).
The press release on MPs’ human rights also
generated much interest, followed by the closing press
release on the emergency item on climate change,
with around 800 news clippings in total between them.
In addition, the communications team sent the press releases to all IPU Members in English, French,
Spanish and Arabic to encourage them to disseminate further.
A closing press conference at the Palais des Nations with the UN correspondents was well attended,
with about a dozen journalists despite competition from a media stake-out on Syria happening at the
same time.
Social media
The strategy of posting less but more strategic tweets with IPU
institutional messaging led to big hikes in followers, notably on
twitter where there was a 58 per cent increase in followers
compared to the last Assembly (568 new followers at #IPU139
versus 360 at #IPU138). The number of overall followers stood
at around 18,500 at the end of the Assembly.
The IPU’s facebook page and new Instagram account also
enjoyed increases in followers and engagement.
The most popular @IPUparliament tweet, with 53 retweets and
48 likes, was about MP human rights violations in Venezuela.
Website
The number of visitors to ipu.org during #IPU139 increased by
19 per cent compared to the last Assembly, and the number of
pages seen increased by 9 per cent. Those increases were
probably largely due to increased visibility in the media and social media, as well as the usual practice
of posting documents and official assembly pictures on flickr, which drove traffic to the website.
Indicator #IPU138 #IPU139 Progression
Website visitors 9,728 11,576 19%
Website pages seen 32,984 35,957 9%
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Media and communications
28
Photographs, selfie box and video
The IPU official photographers at the Assembly produced
hundreds of photographs that were posted at regular intervals
on ipu.org for participants to download and share.
To celebrate the 70
th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, the communications team also organized a
‘selfie box’, in collaboration with the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights. The box proved popular with
over 2,000 ‘selfies’ taken by delegates, many of which were
shared on social media.
A short video of the highlights of the Assembly is being
prepared.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Members
29
Membership of the Inter-Parliamentary Union*
Members (178)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran
(Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,
Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan,
Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United
Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic
of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Associate Members (12)
Andean Parliament, Arab Parliament, Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), East African
Legislative Assembly (EALA), European Parliament, Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of
the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS), Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the West
African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO),
Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Parliament of the Central
African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
* As at the close of the 139
th
Assembly.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
30
Agenda*
, resolutions and other texts
of the 139th
Assembly
1. Election of the President of the 139
th
Assembly
2. Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda
3. General Debate on the theme Parliamentary leadership in promoting peace and development in
the age of innovation and technological change
4. Strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation on migration and migration governance in view of
the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
(Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights)
5. Reports of the Standing Committees on Peace and International Security; Sustainable
Development, Finance and Trade; and United Nations Affairs
6. Approval of the subject item for the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights at the
141
st
IPU Assembly and appointment of the Rapporteurs
7. Amendments to the IPU Statutes and Rules
8. Climate change – Let us not cross the line
*
The unfinished business of the 138
th
Assembly was dealt with during the 139
th
Assembly.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
31
Outcome document of the General Debate on
Parliamentary leadership in promoting peace and development in the
age of innovation and technological change
Endorsed by the 139
th
IPU Assembly
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
The collective body of scientific knowledge of the world we live in is greater today than at any time in
history. Scientific research continues to push back the boundaries of our known universe. This
knowledge fuels rapid innovation and technological change, which in turn can enhance human well-
being and stimulate economic growth, among a wealth of other potential benefits. Over the years,
advancements in the natural and social sciences, including the development of incredibly effective
drugs and medical procedures, have resulted in a better quality of life for everyone.
The associated technological developments have generated, among many other things, extraordinary
improvements in connectivity and communication. Digitalization and big data offer new ways of creating
innovative solutions, such as early warning systems to prevent violence, and empower young people
and women to solve social issues through technology. They also present a great opportunity to make
substantial progress in the areas of biology, renewable energy, financial technology, as well as towards
Industry 4.0, commonly referred to as the fourth industrial revolution.
*
The 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight the key role that science
and technological innovation play in sustainable development, emphasizing their importance not only for
economic growth and prosperity but also for environmental protection, development and social
inclusion. However, we recognize that scientific discovery and technological change do not
automatically lead to positive developments for society. The manipulation of the human genome,
autonomous killer robots, cybercrime and the implications of the use of artificial intelligence are just
some of the ethical and societal challenges of our time. Shying away from these difficult questions is not
an option.
In an ever-changing world, we must be at the forefront of deliberations on new issues that can have a
major impact on our societies. We must approach our task with humility, recognizing our own limitations,
encouraging dialogue and avoiding ideological responses. As parliamentarians, we are responsible for
fostering an environment where science, technology and innovation make a positive contribution to
peace, development and human well-being, while simultaneously limiting or mitigating the associated
risks and protecting the planet. We do not take these responsibilities lightly. Our debate has identified
several avenues for parliamentary action to promote peace and development through science and
technological innovation:
Strengthen legal frameworks that are conducive to technological and scientific innovation for
peace and development
As lawmakers, we have the means to create a legal framework that is conducive to innovation, as well
as a regulatory environment that enables businesses to flourish while guaranteeing respect for the
environment and international law, particularly international human rights law. Our role is to safeguard
the interests of society and people. Therefore, we decide to:
- Promote education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and, in particular,
encourage the participation of women and girls, with the aim of achieving gender equality and
reducing the gender imbalance in STEM education and in scientific careers;
- Promote universal digital literacy, especially among young people, in view of the transformation of
work skills required for a future labour market built on a digital and knowledge-based economy,
making sure to leave no one behind;
- Adopt timely and effective national and international legislation in favour of technological innovation
that promotes peace, security, sustainable development and social inclusion and that defines
common ethical boundaries;
- Ensure, by using our legislative and oversight prerogatives, that no development driven by science
and technology impedes or violates human rights or results in the irrational use of natural
resources; and
*
Industry 4.0 refers to the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It
includes cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing and cognitive computing.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
32
- Guarantee respect for the international human rights framework as the beacon that guides our
decisions on how to address difficult ethical issues.
Make parliaments drivers of technological innovation in the interest of transparency and
inclusion
Science and technological innovation are radically transforming every aspect of human existence,
including the way parliaments work. The use of modern technology can make parliaments more efficient
and effective. We want to assume parliamentary leadership in technological innovation not only through
our legislative function, but also by transforming our parliamentary processes and promoting a culture of
engagement with our people. Therefore, we decide to:
- Increase the level of transparency, accountability and responsiveness to our constituencies through
the use of modern information and communications technologies, such as live video streaming of
parliamentary sessions and improved online information access;
- Make use of the available technological tools and instruments to improve the design and
monitoring of our policies and legislations;
- Take steps to ensure that our parliaments are open and transparent institutions; that they are
willing to consider innovative working methods, such as the establishment of parliamentary
committees on the future; and that parliamentary research services are appropriately funded and
resourced so that they can provide parliamentarians with timely, non-partisan analyses;
- Reduce the carbon footprint of parliaments and work towards the realization of e-parliaments; and
- Strengthen inter-parliamentary collaboration in the fields of science and technology and share best
practices and lessons learned.
Establish strong connections with the scientific community
It is our duty to facilitate and promote regular and systematic interaction between parliaments and the
scientific community. Access to the best available expertise is essential for us to make informed
choices. The rational, scientific approach to making sense of the world needs to be encouraged and
supported by everyone, including politicians and the media. Therefore, we decide to:
- Recognize that scientific research plays a fundamental role in developing knowledge and
technologies that can allow parliaments to formulate evidence-based policies aimed at tackling
societal challenges;
- Support mechanisms and budgetary measures that guarantee science-based policymaking to
ensure the sustainable well-being of future generations;
- Reaffirm that non-partisan funding for scientific research is an investment in our future;
- Underline the importance of scientific methods for elucidating facts that can be checked, verified
and accepted by society, especially at this current time when factual information is increasingly
being called into question in political discourse, and when scientific consensus is no longer valued
by all sectors of society; and
- Promote and value the presence in parliaments of scientists, engineers, innovators and STEM
educators.
Support international scientific cooperation in favour of peace and development
Science and technology provide a neutral umbrella under which parliamentarians with different political
opinions can come together and address global challenges related to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development. Science can be used to build bridges and to bring countries in conflict together through
scientific cooperation that benefits their respective populations. Therefore, we decide to:
- Support models of peaceful scientific cooperation, such as the ones developed by the European
Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the International Centre for Synchrotron Light for
Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME);
- Support the initiative by the IPU Committee on Middle East Questions to establish, in cooperation
with CERN, an IPU Science for Peace Schools programme aimed at bridging the worlds of science
and politics and creating inter-parliamentary networks to address common challenges;
- Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on
science, technology and innovation, and enhance knowledge-sharing as envisaged in the 2030
Agenda;
- Call for open access to scientific publications as a way of reducing the unequal distribution of
scientific knowledge and technological innovation and of increasing the ability of people to
contribute more effectively to society;
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
33
- Support the technology transfer process in developing countries by conducting effective
capacity-building activities in the receiving country, with a view to ensuring that technological
innovation does not further increase global inequalities; and
- Include scientific knowledge in the parliamentary oversight of the 2030 Agenda implementation
process.
The future is, by definition, uncertain. Scientific discovery, innovation and technological change bring
great opportunities, but also risks that we must control. Parliaments have a critical role to play in that
regard. We can greatly contribute to this process by raising parliamentary awareness of the importance
of science, technology, innovation and STEM education for society; by making sure that science is
systematically brought into public debates and decision-making; by considering the implementation of
appropriate regulations to foster technological innovation; and by promoting cross-border initiatives
based on scientific cooperation. In our role as representatives of the people, we pledge to engage the
scientific community in an ongoing dialogue on the ways in which we can enhance peace and
development, improve human well-being and safeguard the interests of all members of our society.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
34
Strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation on migration and
migration governance in view of the adoption of the Global Compact
for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
Resolution adopted by consensus
1
by the 139
th
IPU Assembly
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
The 139
th
Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Recalling that migration has been a feature of human civilization from time immemorial and
that, when governed humanely and fairly, migration contributes to inclusive and sustainable economic
growth and development in both origin and destination countries and strengthens the bonds of human
solidarity,
Also recalling all the relevant international instruments, particularly the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979), the Convention against Torture and
Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984), the Convention on the Rights of
the Child (1989), the International Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of
Their Families (1990), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006),
Affirming that people on the move, irrespective of their legal status, as all human beings,
are entitled to the full enjoyment of the human rights set out in the relevant international treaties and
covenants,
Conscious of the burden shouldered by the countries of destination that can come from
large, unpredictable movements of persons, and the potential impact on countries of origin of the
large-scale migration of skilled workers,
Noting that the international approach to migration governance is still largely ad hoc, and
that no equivalent exists for migrants to the clearly-defined status and rights of refugees in international
law,
Welcoming the September 2016 New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and the
subsequent efforts to improve international cooperation and solidarity, and to share equitably the burden
and responsibility for migration governance through the preparation of a Global Compact for Safe,
Orderly and Regular Migration,
Recalling the commitment of the international parliamentary community to strengthen
cooperation on migration governance, with a strong focus on the human rights of migrants, as outlined
in the declarations and resolutions on migration adopted by the 130
th
, 133
rd
and 138
th
IPU Assemblies
and other IPU documents,
Underscoring that migration should be a choice not a necessity, and that, through
international legal obligations and commitments such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, States have a shared responsibility and have undertaken to address all the root causes
of migration such as violence and conflict, poverty, inequality, unemployment and economic exclusion,
lack of economic opportunity, especially for women and youth, social inequalities, disregard of rule of
law and transparency, violations of human rights, natural disasters and climate change,
Affirming the need to uphold common standards for the protection of the human rights of
migrants and migration governance, and to ensure a gender- and disability-responsive and child-
sensitive approach at all stages of migration,
1
- The delegation of Lebanon expressed reservations on operative paragraph 9.
- The delegations of Ethiopia and Ukraine expressed reservations on operative paragraph 16.
- The delegation of Kuwait expressed reservations on operative paragraphs 9 and 16.
- The delegation of Jordan expressed reservations on all references to international agreements to which Jordan
is not a signatory.
- The delegation of Poland expressed its reservation on the resolution as a whole.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
35
Recognizing the multiple discriminations and forms of violence that migrant women face in
countries of origin, transit and destination, particularly those engaged as domestic workers, and
reaffirming the need to urge host countries to accept their responsibility in this area,
Also recognizing that women constitute the majority of victims of human trafficking,
including sexual exploitation and forced labour in domestic work,
Reaffirming the sovereign right of States to determine, in accordance with international law,
their national migration policy and their prerogative to govern migration within their jurisdiction, and also
recognizing the right of States to distinguish between a regular and irregular migration status in their
legislative and policy measures on the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration, while taking
into account different national realities, policies, priorities and requirements for entry, residence and
work,
1. Welcomes the process leading to the draft Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular
Migration that should be adopted on 10 December 2018, and urges States and their
respective parliaments to make full use of this new instrument for improving international
cooperation and migration governance;
2. Calls upon parliaments in cooperation with their governments to ratify and implement
relevant international human rights laws and key ILO conventions
2
as well as other relevant
international and regional instruments protecting the rights of migrants, women, children
and persons in vulnerable situations;
3. Also calls upon parliaments to ensure that decisions of sovereign States on migration
policies and related legislation, including bilateral and regional agreements, are consistent
with their States’ international human rights obligations and the rule of law;
4. Urges parliamentarians to lead efforts to develop evidence-informed narratives on
migration that avoid stereotyping but, instead, enhance integration and social cohesion,
and to take vigorous action to combat xenophobia, racism, intolerance and other forms of
discrimination;
5. Calls on parliaments to promote people’s access to comprehensive and up-to-date
information on the opportunities, limitations, risks and rights in the event of migration, thus
enabling would-be migrants to make informed choices;
6. Encourages "whole-of-government" and "whole-of-society" approaches to migration based
on partnerships with local authorities, civil society and the private sector, and calls for
regular consultation with migrants and diaspora groups in the policy-making process where
appropriate, and also calls for gender-sensitive training on migration for all professionals
and officials that are in contact with migrants;
7. Urges parliaments in cooperation with their governments to expand the legal pathways for
migration to facilitate labour mobility and skills training, family reunification, and migration
for reasons such as armed conflict, gender-based violence, natural disasters and climate
change;
8. Calls on governments to take measures to promote mutual understanding and respect
between migrants and the host society, and, recalling that integration is a two-way task that
implies the migrants’ respect for the national laws of their destination country, to facilitate
migrants’ integration in society, inter alia, by way of language courses, vocational training,
recognition of educational and professional credentials, information about economic
opportunities, protection against discrimination and, in accordance with national legislation,
pathways to citizenship for permanent residents;
9. Recalls that social protection and labour rights apply to all persons, including migrants, and
that regular migrants should have equitable access to social security coverage and
portability of contributions and entitlements in accordance with national legislation;
10. Urges States to adopt gender-responsive labour policies and legislation, grounded in
international labour and human rights standards, with a view to ensuring that all women
migrant workers, including domestic and care workers, are protected against all forms of
abuse and exploitation, including the confiscation of travel documents;
2
In particular ILO conventions 97, 143, 181 and 189.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
36
11. Strongly condemns all acts of violence and discrimination against migrant women,
particularly domestic workers as a vulnerable group in the host countries, and urges States
to take legislative, executive and judiciary measures to combat this form of violence and
discrimination;
12. Calls on state authorities at their respective levels of competency to ensure all persons,
including migrants, have proof of legal identity and nationality and adequate
documentation, and effective access to education, health care, and other basic services,
regardless of their migration status;
13. Insists on due process and access to justice for all migrants and calls for enhanced
cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination in order to ensure the safe
and dignified return for migrants who do not have the legal right to stay on a state’s
territory, to use forced return only as a last resort to seek alternatives to the detention of
migrants, and to work seriously towards the elimination of detention of children on
migratory grounds;
14. Calls for the establishment of an international standard of practice for dealing with, and
protecting, migrants in vulnerable situations, including stateless persons and
unaccompanied children, and insists on the concept of the "best interest of the child" in
migration policy;
15. Calls upon States, particularly countries of origin, to address situations where a child would
otherwise be stateless by strengthening measures to reduce statelessness, including
ensuring that women and men can equally confer their nationality to their children;
16. Invites governments to support the contribution of diasporas to their country of origin by
facilitating mobility and investment and by studying the adoption in national legislation of
measures to enhance political participation such as the right to vote, dual citizenship and
the representation of diasporas in parliament;
17. Encourages the development of comprehensive approaches for the sustainable
reintegration of returning migrants in the countries of origin, by combining reintegration
support targeting individuals and the communities to which migrants return with measures
to enhance the governance of migration, livelihood opportunities and the protection of
human rights, in general;
18. Calls on States to take meaningful and coordinated action, including enacting legislation, to
dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks and end impunity for trafficking in persons
and migrant smuggling, to protect migrants, particularly women and children, from violence,
discrimination, exploitation and abuse, and to assist migrants who have become victims of
trafficking; and also encourages States to strengthen international cooperation to prevent,
investigate, prosecute and combat such acts and to identify and disrupt financial flows
related to these activities;
19. Urges governments to make full use of the existing data sources on migration, such as the
Global Migration Data Portal developed by the International Organization for Migration, and
to strengthen country level collection and the sharing of data on migration, disaggregated
by age, gender, migration status and other relevant criteria, with a view to informing
debates, policy-making and legislation, while protecting personal data;
20. Affirms the necessity to exchange information and data on the number of migrants, their
countries of origin, the circumstances and causes of their migration, their needs and the
efforts needed to assist them;
21. Calls on parliaments to require government to report periodically on progress in the
implementation of national migration policies, and to use parliamentary tools such as
questions to ministers, public hearings and committee enquiries to hold government to
account for the results achieved;
22. Urges parliaments to actively participate in and support regional integration processes and
transnational efforts to coordinate migration policy, and to domesticate relevant regional
instruments in national legislation;
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
37
23. Calls on parliaments to actively engage in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development as a means to optimize migration governance and address the
major drivers of forced and irregular migration—particularly extreme poverty, climate
change and natural disasters, and urges parliaments to promote measures aimed at raising
awareness of and maximizing the development benefits of safe, orderly and regular
migration;
24 Invites all parliaments to participate in the parliamentary meeting on the occasion of the
Intergovernmental Conference to adopt a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular
Migration in December 2018 in Marrakesh (Morocco);
25. Also invites parliaments to play an active role in follow-up and implementation of the Global
Compact and parliamentarians to join national delegations to the International Migration
Review Forum, which will meet every four years, beginning in 2022, as the main global
mechanism to review the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration;
26. Calls on the Inter-Parliamentary Union and its Member Parliaments, with the support of the
International Organization for Migration, to develop a "Parliamentary plan of action on
migration" by the end of 2019, that operationalizes the commitments in this resolution, the
Global Compact for Migration and State obligations under international human rights law,
and to report to the IPU on progress in 2021;
27. Recommends that parliaments avail of parliamentary exchanges and inter-parliamentary
conferences, such as the IPU Assemblies, as platforms for constructive dialogue on
migration policy and the protection of migrants.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
N.B. This list does not include delegations present at the session which were not entitled to vote pursuant to the
provisions of Article 5.2 of the Statutes.
38
Results of the roll-call vote on the unfinished business of the
138th
Assembly
Do you agree that the Assembly can change the work plan and agenda
of the Standing Committees?
R e s u l t s
Affirmative votes ..........................................
874 Abstentions ......................................
120
Negative votes.............................................
671
Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst.
Afghanistan 14
Albania Absent
Algeria 16
Andorra 10
Angola 14
Argentina 10
Armenia 11
Australia 14
Austria 12
Azerbaijan 10
Bahrain 11
Bangladesh 20
Belarus 10
Belgium 10
Bhutan 10
Bolivia
(Plurinational
State of)
12
Botswana 11
Brazil 22
Bulgaria Absent
Burkina Faso 13
Burundi 12
Cabo Verde 10
Cambodia 13
Cameroon 13
Canada 15
Central African
Republic
8
Chad 13
Chile 13
China 23
Comoros Absent
Congo Absent
Côte d'Ivoire Absent
Croatia 10
Cuba 13
Cyprus 10
Czech Republic 13
DPR of Korea 12
DR of the Congo 17
Denmark 12
Djibouti 10
Ecuador 13
Egypt 19
El Salvador Absent
Equatorial Guinea Absent
Estonia 11
Ethiopia 19
Fiji 10
Finland 12
France 18
Georgia 10
Germany 19
Ghana 14
Greece 13
Guatemala Absent
Guinea Absent
Haiti Absent
Hungary 13
Iceland 10
India 23
Indonesia 22
Iran (Islamic
Republic of)
18
Iraq 14
Ireland 10
Israel 12
Italy 17
Japan 20
Jordan 12
Kazakhstan 13
Kenya 15
Kuwait 11
Lao People's Dem.
Republic
12
Latvia 11
Lebanon 11
Lesotho 11
Liechtenstein 8
Lithuania 11
Malawi 10
Malaysia 14
Mali 10
Malta 10
Mexico 20
Micronesia (Fed.
States of)
8
Monaco 10
Mongolia Absent
Morocco 13
Myanmar 15
Namibia 11
Netherlands 13
New Zealand 11
Nicaragua 8
Niger 13
Nigeria 20
Norway 12
Oman 11
Pakistan 21
Palestine 11
Paraguay Absent
Philippines 20
Poland 15
Portugal 13
Qatar 11
Republic of Korea Absent
Republic of
Moldova
Absent
Romania 14
Russian
Federation
20
Rwanda 12
Samoa 8
San Marino 10
Saudi Arabia 14
Senegal 12
Serbia 12
Seychelles 10
Sierra Leone 11
Singapore 12
Slovenia 10
Somalia 13
South Africa 17
South Sudan Absent
Spain 15
Sri Lanka Absent
Sudan 15
Suriname 10
Sweden 10
Switzerland 12
Syrian Arab Rep. 13
Thailand 18
Timor-Leste 11
Togo 10
Tonga 8
Tunisia 13
Turkey 18
Turkmenistan Absent
Uganda 15
Ukraine 17
United Arab
Emirates
11
United Kingdom 18
Uruguay 11
Uzbekistan 15
Venezuela
(Bolivarian Rep.
of)
15
Viet Nam 19
Yemen 11
Zambia 13
Zimbabwe 13
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
N.B. This list does not include delegations present at the session which were not entitled to vote pursuant to the
provisions of Article 5.2 of the Statutes.
39
Results of the roll-call vote on the unfinished business of the
138th
Assembly
Do you agree that at the 140
th
Assembly the Standing Committee on Democracy and
Human Rights holds a panel debate that will not lead to a resolution, entitled
The role of parliaments in ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender
identity, and ensuring respect for the human rights of LGBTI persons?
R e s u l t s
Affirmative votes...........................................
499 Abstentions ............................................... 130
Negative votes .............................................
636
Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst.
Afghanistan Absent
Albania Absent
Algeria 16
Andorra Absent
Angola 14
Argentina 10
Armenia Absent
Australia 14
Austria 10
Azerbaijan Absent
Bahrain 11
Bangladesh Absent
Belarus 13
Belgium 10
Bhutan 10
Bolivia
(Plurinational
State of)
12
Botswana 11
Brazil 20
Bulgaria Absent
Burkina Faso 13
Burundi 12
Cabo Verde 3 7
Cambodia 13
Cameroon Absent
Canada 15
Central African
Republic
8
Chad 13
Chile 10 3
China 23
Comoros Absent
Congo 10
Côte d'Ivoire Absent
Croatia Absent
Cuba 13
Cyprus 10
Czech Republic 13
DPR of Korea 12
DR of the Congo 17
Denmark 12
Djibouti 10
Ecuador 13
Egypt 19
El Salvador 10
Equatorial Guinea 11
Estonia Absent
Ethiopia 19
Fiji 10
Finland Absent
France 18
Georgia 11
Germany Absent
Ghana Absent
Greece 13
Guatemala Absent
Guinea Absent
Haiti Absent
Hungary Absent
Iceland 10
India 23
Indonesia 22
Iran (Islamic
Republic of)
18
Iraq 14
Ireland Absent
Israel Absent
Italy 17
Japan 10
Jordan 12
Kazakhstan 13
Kenya 15
Kuwait 11
Lao People's Dem.
Republic
Absent
Latvia 11
Lebanon 11
Lesotho 11
Liechtenstein Absent
Lithuania Absent
Malawi Absent
Malaysia 14
Mali Absent
Malta 10
Mexico 20
Micronesia (Fed.
States of)
3 5
Monaco 10
Mongolia Absent
Morocco 13
Myanmar Absent
Namibia 10
Netherlands 13
New Zealand 11
Nicaragua 8
Niger Absent
Nigeria Absent
Norway 12
Oman 11
Pakistan Absent
Palestine 10
Paraguay Absent
Philippines Absent
Poland 10
Portugal 13
Qatar 11
Republic of Korea Absent
Republic of
Moldova
Absent
Romania Absent
Russian
Federation
20
Rwanda Absent
Samoa 8
San Marino 10
Saudi Arabia 14
Senegal 12
Serbia 7 5
Seychelles Absent
Sierra Leone 11
Singapore 10
Slovenia Absent
Somalia 11
South Africa 17
South Sudan 13
Spain Absent
Sri Lanka Absent
Sudan 15
Suriname 10
Sweden 10
Switzerland 12
Syrian Arab Rep. 13
Thailand 18
Timor-Leste 10
Togo 10
Tonga Absent
Tunisia 13
Turkey 18
Turkmenistan Absent
Uganda 15
Ukraine 17
United Arab
Emirates
11
United Kingdom 18
Uruguay 11
Uzbekistan Absent
Venezuela
(Bolivarian Rep.
of)
4 11
Viet Nam Absent
Yemen 11
Zambia 13
Zimbabwe 13
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
N.B. This list does not include delegations present at the session which were not entitled to vote pursuant to the
provisions of Article 5.2 of the Statutes.
40
Restoring peace and security in the Sahel: The role of parliaments
Results of the roll-call vote on the request by the delegation of Burkina Faso
for the inclusion of an emergency item
R e s u l t s
Affirmative votes ..........................................
715 Total of affirmative and negative votes .....1046
Negative votes.............................................
331 Two-thirds majority ................................... 697
Abstentions..................................................
619
Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst.
Afghanistan 14
Albania Absent
Algeria 16
Andorra 10
Angola 14
Argentina 10
Armenia 11
Australia 8 6
Austria 12
Azerbaijan 10
Bahrain 11
Bangladesh 20
Belarus 10
Belgium 10
Bhutan 6 4
Bolivia
(Plurinational
State of)
12
Botswana 11
Brazil 22
Bulgaria Absent
Burkina Faso 13
Burundi 12
Cabo Verde 10
Cambodia 13
Cameroon 13
Canada 5 10
Central African
Republic
8
Chad 13
Chile 13
China 23
Comoros Absent
Congo Absent
Côte d'Ivoire Absent
Croatia 10
Cuba 13
Cyprus 10
Czech Republic 13
DPR of Korea 12
DR of the Congo 17
Denmark 12
Djibouti 10
Ecuador 13
Egypt 19
El Salvador Absent
Equatorial Guinea Absent
Estonia 11
Ethiopia 19
Fiji 10
Finland 12
France 18
Georgia 10
Germany 19
Ghana 14
Greece 13
Guatemala Absent
Guinea Absent
Haiti Absent
Hungary 13
Iceland 10
India 12 11
Indonesia 22
Iran (Islamic
Republic of)
18
Iraq 14
Ireland 10
Israel 12
Italy 17
Japan 20
Jordan 12
Kazakhstan 13
Kenya 15
Kuwait 11
Lao People's Dem.
Republic
12
Latvia 11
Lebanon 11
Lesotho 11
Liechtenstein 8
Lithuania 11
Malawi 10
Malaysia 14
Mali 10
Malta 10
Mexico 10 10
Micronesia (Fed.
States of)
8
Monaco 10
Mongolia Absent
Morocco 13
Myanmar 15
Namibia 11
Netherlands 13
New Zealand 11
Nicaragua 8
Niger 13
Nigeria 20
Norway 12
Oman 11
Pakistan 6 15
Palestine 11
Paraguay Absent
Philippines 20
Poland 15
Portugal 13
Qatar 11
Republic of Korea Absent
Republic of
Moldova
Absent
Romania 14
Russian
Federation
20
Rwanda 12
Samoa 8
San Marino 10
Saudi Arabia 14
Senegal 12
Serbia 4 8
Seychelles 10
Sierra Leone 11
Singapore 12
Slovenia 10
Somalia 13
South Africa 17
South Sudan Absent
Spain 10 5
Sri Lanka Absent
Sudan 15
Suriname 10
Sweden 10
Switzerland 9 3
Syrian Arab Rep. 13
Thailand 18
Timor-Leste 11
Togo 10
Tonga 8
Tunisia 13
Turkey 18
Turkmenistan Absent
Uganda 15
Ukraine 17
United Arab
Emirates
11
United Kingdom 18
Uruguay 11
Uzbekistan 15
Venezuela
(Bolivarian Rep.
of)
10 5
Viet Nam 19
Yemen 11
Zambia 13
Zimbabwe 13
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
N.B. This list does not include delegations present at the session which were not entitled to vote pursuant to the
provisions of Article 5.2 of the Statutes.
41
Cutting off aid to UNRWA — A humanitarian blockade and violation of international law:
Addressing the issue of stopping aid to UNRWA and assessing the impact of this
decision on Palestinian refugees and the Palestinian issue as a whole
Results of the roll-call vote on the request by the delegations of Jordan and
Kuwait for the inclusion of an emergency item
R e s u l t s
Affirmative votes...........................................
1,036 Total of affirmative and negative votes .....
1,294
Negative votes .............................................
258 Two-thirds majority.................................... 863
Abstentions ..................................................
371
Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst.
Afghanistan 14
Albania Absent
Algeria 16
Andorra 10
Angola 14
Argentina 10
Armenia 5 6
Australia 11 3
Austria 12
Azerbaijan 10
Bahrain 11
Bangladesh 20
Belarus 10
Belgium 10
Bhutan 7 3
Bolivia
(Plurinational
State of)
12
Botswana 11
Brazil 22
Bulgaria Absent
Burkina Faso 13
Burundi 12
Cabo Verde 10
Cambodia 13
Cameroon 13
Canada 15
Central African
Republic
8
Chad 13
Chile 13
China 23
Comoros Absent
Congo Absent
Côte d'Ivoire Absent
Croatia 10
Cuba 13
Cyprus 5 5
Czech Republic 13
DPR of Korea 12
DR of the Congo 17
Denmark 12
Djibouti 10
Ecuador 13
Egypt 19
El Salvador Absent
Equatorial Guinea Absent
Estonia 11
Ethiopia 19
Fiji 10
Finland 12
France 18
Georgia 10
Germany 19
Ghana 14
Greece 13
Guatemala Absent
Guinea Absent
Haiti Absent
Hungary 13
Iceland 10
India 23
Indonesia 22
Iran (Islamic
Republic of)
18
Iraq 14
Ireland 10
Israel 12
Italy 17
Japan 20
Jordan 12
Kazakhstan 13
Kenya 15
Kuwait 11
Lao People's Dem.
Republic
12
Latvia 11
Lebanon 11
Lesotho 11
Liechtenstein 8
Lithuania 11
Malawi 10
Malaysia 14
Mali 10
Malta 10
Mexico 15 5
Micronesia (Fed.
States of)
8
Monaco 10
Mongolia Absent
Morocco 13
Myanmar 15
Namibia 11
Netherlands 13
New Zealand 11
Nicaragua 8
Niger 13
Nigeria 10 10
Norway 12
Oman 11
Pakistan 21
Palestine 11
Paraguay Absent
Philippines 20
Poland 15
Portugal 13
Qatar 11
Republic of Korea Absent
Republic of
Moldova
Absent
Romania 14
Russian
Federation
20
Rwanda 12
Samoa 8
San Marino 5 5
Saudi Arabia 14
Senegal 12
Serbia 10 2
Seychelles 10
Sierra Leone 11
Singapore 12
Slovenia 10
Somalia 13
South Africa 17
South Sudan Absent
Spain 15
Sri Lanka Absent
Sudan 15
Suriname 10
Sweden 10
Switzerland 12
Syrian Arab Rep. 13
Thailand 8 10
Timor-Leste 5 6
Togo 10
Tonga 8
Tunisia 13
Turkey 18
Turkmenistan Absent
Uganda 15
Ukraine 10 7
United Arab
Emirates
11
United Kingdom 18
Uruguay 11
Uzbekistan 15
Venezuela
(Bolivarian Rep.
of)
6 9
Viet Nam 19
Yemen 11
Zambia 13
Zimbabwe 13
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
N.B. This list does not include delegations present at the session which were not entitled to vote pursuant to the
provisions of Article 5.2 of the Statutes.
42
Climate change – Let us not cross the line
Results of the roll-call vote on the request by the delegations of
Seychelles, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Micronesia (Federated States of)
for the inclusion of an emergency item
R e s u l t s
Affirmative votes ..........................................
1,106 Total of affirmative and negative votes .....1,417
Negative votes.............................................
311 Two-thirds majority ................................... 945
Abstentions..................................................
248
Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst. Country Yes No Abst.
Afghanistan 14
Albania Absent
Algeria 16
Andorra 10
Angola 14
Argentina 10
Armenia 11
Australia 14
Austria 12
Azerbaijan 10
Bahrain 11
Bangladesh 20
Belarus 10
Belgium 10
Bhutan 7 3
Bolivia
(Plurinational
State of)
12
Botswana 11
Brazil 22
Bulgaria Absent
Burkina Faso 13
Burundi 12
Cabo Verde 10
Cambodia 13
Cameroon 13
Canada 10 5
Central African
Republic
8
Chad 13
Chile 13
China 23
Comoros Absent
Congo Absent
Côte d'Ivoire Absent
Croatia 10
Cuba 13
Cyprus 10
Czech Republic 13
DPR of Korea 12
DR of the Congo 17
Denmark 12
Djibouti 10
Ecuador 13
Egypt 19
El Salvador Absent
Equatorial Guinea Absent
Estonia 11
Ethiopia 19
Fiji 10
Finland 12
France 18
Georgia 10
Germany 19
Ghana 14
Greece 13
Guatemala Absent
Guinea Absent
Haiti Absent
Hungary 13
Iceland 10
India 12 11
Indonesia 22
Iran (Islamic
Republic of)
18
Iraq 14
Ireland 10
Israel 12
Italy 17
Japan 20
Jordan 12
Kazakhstan 13
Kenya 15
Kuwait 11
Lao People's Dem.
Republic
12
Latvia 11
Lebanon 11
Lesotho 11
Liechtenstein 8
Lithuania 11
Malawi 10
Malaysia 14
Mali 10
Malta 10
Mexico 20
Micronesia (Fed.
States of)
8
Monaco 10
Mongolia Absent
Morocco 13
Myanmar 15
Namibia 11
Netherlands 13
New Zealand 11
Nicaragua 8
Niger 13
Nigeria 20
Norway 12
Oman 11
Pakistan 11 10
Palestine 11
Paraguay Absent
Philippines 20
Poland 15
Portugal 13
Qatar 11
Republic of Korea Absent
Republic of
Moldova
Absent
Romania 14
Russian
Federation
20
Rwanda 12
Samoa 8
San Marino 10
Saudi Arabia 14
Senegal 12
Serbia 12
Seychelles 10
Sierra Leone 11
Singapore 12
Slovenia 10
Somalia 13
South Africa 17
South Sudan Absent
Spain 15
Sri Lanka Absent
Sudan 15
Suriname 10
Sweden 10
Switzerland 12
Syrian Arab Rep. 13
Thailand 18
Timor-Leste 11
Togo 10
Tonga 8
Tunisia 13
Turkey 18
Turkmenistan Absent
Uganda 15
Ukraine 17
United Arab
Emirates
11
United Kingdom 18
Uruguay 11
Uzbekistan 15
Venezuela
(Bolivarian Rep.
of)
10 5
Viet Nam 19
Yemen 11
Zambia 13
Zimbabwe 13
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
43
Climate change – Let us not cross the line
Resolution adopted unanimously by the 139
th IPU
Assembly
(Geneva, 17 October 2018)
The 139
th
Assembly of the Inter–Parliamentary Union,
Recalling that the Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016,
Acknowledging that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development draws a clear link
between climate change and other critical areas of today’s society, such as food security, the ocean,
and other water resources,
Recalling that, as part of the Paris Agreement, the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) invited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) to prepare a special report in 2018 on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above
pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways,
Noting that the IPCC recently released its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, in
the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable
development, and efforts to eradicate poverty,
Also noting the following projections of major concern in the IPCC report:
(a) Climate models project robust differences in regional climate characteristics between the
present day and global warming of 1.5°C, and between 1.5°C and 2°C. These differences
include increases in: mean temperature in most land and ocean regions (high confidence),
hot extremes in most inhabited regions (high confidence), heavy precipitation in several
regions (medium confidence), and the probability of drought and precipitation deficits in
some regions (medium confidence).
(b) By 2100, global mean sea level rise is projected to be around 0.1 metre lower with global
warming of 1.5°C compared to 2°C (medium confidence). A slower rate of sea level rise
enables greater opportunities for adaptation in the human and ecological systems of small
islands, low-lying coastal areas and deltas (medium confidence).
(c) On land, impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, including species loss and extinction, are
projected to be lower at 1.5°C of global warming compared to 2°C.
(d) Limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2°C is projected to reduce increases in
ocean temperature as well as associated increases in ocean acidity and decreases in
ocean oxygen levels (high confidence). Consequently, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is
projected to reduce risks to marine biodiversity, fisheries, and ecosystems, and their
functions and services to humans, as illustrated by recent changes to the Arctic sea ice
and warm water coral reef ecosystems (high confidence).
(e) Climate-related risks to health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security,
and economic growth are projected to increase with global warming of 1.5°C and increase
further with 2°C,
Acknowledging that the Report establishes that urgent and unprecedented changes are
needed to reach the target, which is affordable and feasible despite being at the most ambitious end of
the Paris Agreement pledge to keep temperatures between 1.5°C and 2°C,
Recognizing that the small island developing States (SIDS) acknowledged that "climate
change presents the single greatest threat to the livelihood, security and well-being of Pacific people";
and further recognized the importance placed on an "expanded concept of security inclusive of human
security, humanitarian assistance, prioritizing environmental security, and regional cooperation in
building resilience to disasters and climate change, including through regional cooperation and support",
Acknowledging that many countries near sea level are particularly vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change, notably droughts, floods and storms, due to high rates of poverty, financial
and technological constraints as well as a heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture, despite many of these
countries not being significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions,
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
44
Recognizing the importance of immediate urgent action to combat climate change, and
committed to sustained, high-level representation and collaboration in the lead up to, and at, the
24
th
Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP24),
Cognizant of the profound impact of climate change on the ocean and the fact that the
global community cannot attempt to solve the crisis of one without considering the other, and while
recognizing that ocean acidification has a specific target under Sustainable Development Goal 14.3,
and that it must not lose sight of the fundamental climate change-related issues such as ocean
warming, deoxygenation, coral bleaching and sea level rise which present a new set of challenges for
the ocean,
Recalling the relevant IPU resolutions on climate change and the Parliamentary action plan
on climate change, endorsed by the IPU Governing Council at its 198
th
session in Zambia in 2016,
which identifies key areas of action for legislators and makes recommendations about their delivery,
Also recalling the SIDS parliamentary outcome document of their meeting held on
14 October 2017 in St. Petersburg on the occasion of the 137
th
IPU Assembly, which was subsequently
made available to the participants of the Parliamentary Meeting in Bonn (COP23),
Therefore calls on the IPU Members to:
(a) Recognize and decisively act on the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C;
(b) Support and lead the development of the Rule Book and Guidelines for implementing the
Paris Agreement, including resource mobilization and simplifying procedures for accessing
climate change funding, in order to build on the Talanoa Dialogue at the upcoming COP24;
(c) Take a leadership role in combating climate change and strengthening their partnership
with all countries so as to meet their ambitions as set out in their nationally determined
contributions;
(d) Encourage their governments to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy targets; and
(e) Strengthen oversight of national and international commitments, including government
implementation of national legislation and enhance transparency, accountability and
reporting of climate change.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
45
Report of the Standing Committee on
Peace and International Security
Noted by the 139
th
IPU Assembly
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
The Standing Committee on Peace and International Security held two sittings on 15 and 17 October
2018 with its President, Mr. J.I. Echániz (Spain), in the Chair.
On 15 October, the Committee examined two items through back to back panels on Comprehensive
disarmament and non-proliferation, and on Combatting sexual violence in UN Peacekeeping
operations and beyond.
Panel discussion on Comprehensive disarmament and non-proliferation
Before the first panel discussion on 15 October began, Committee members were invited to watch a
video message from the Chair of the United Nations Security Council Committee on resolution 1540,
His Excellency Sacha Sergio Llorentty Solíz, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the
Plurinational State of Bolivia to the United Nations.
By way of introducing the panel’s topic, the moderator, Mr. D. Plesch, Director of the Centre for
International Studies and Diplomacy, SOAS, London, quoted former United Nations Secretary-General,
Mr. Ban Ki-moon, on the key role parliamentarians and parliaments played in the disarmament and non-
proliferation efforts. He also praised current United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. A. Guterres, for
releasing the new disarmament agenda "Securing our Common Future: An Agenda for Disarmament".
This comprehensive document comprised an implementation plan that outlined a set of practical
measures across the entire range of disarmament issues and sought to generate fresh perspectives
and to explore areas where serious dialogue was required to bring disarmament back to the heart of the
system for maintaining peace and security. The moderator then presented the Committee’s project on
parliamentary oversight of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation policies. The project aimed
at providing a better understanding of the methods and instruments at the disposal of parliamentarians
for gathering, assessing, questioning, and acting upon information on their government’s policy. He
introduced the three speakers.
Ambassador Janis Karklins, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations in Geneva,
President of the fifth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (CSP5),
gave a presentation within the agenda item Disarmament that Saves Lives which referred to
conventional weapons. With 500,000 people annually dying in armed violence, conventional weapons
could be compared, in terms of their ultimate devastating effect, to Weapons of Mass Destruction
(WMDs). The international community was addressing the different conventional weapons through
various conventions including the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The ATT was not a disarmament treaty in
the classical sense of the word but sought to promote responsible action by States in the context of the
arms trade and to prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms. Ambassador Karklins
highlighted the role of parliaments, in particular their oversight function. As the ATT did not have a
review mechanism, its interpretation and implementation was left to the discretion of the State Parties. It
was therefore up to parliamentarians to hold governments to account when it came to their efforts to
implement the Treaty.
Ms. S. Mercogliano, Political Affairs Officer, Office for Disarmament Affairs, Geneva branch, gave a
presentation on the agenda item Disarmament to save humanity, regarding weapons of mass
destruction and other strategic weapons. She noted that part V of the Agenda for Disarmament is
entirely devoted to strengthening partnerships for disarmament and emphasizes not only the importance
of engaging with governments, but also with international organizations, research institutes, civil society
and the private sector. Noting the deteriorating security climate, she emphasized the importance of
disarmament in upholding stability and security, promoting confidence and trust, and preventing conflict,
inter alia. In the agenda, the Secretary-General notes that the existential threat posed by nuclear
weapons should motivate the international community to take action leading to their total elimination. An
implementation plan was released in early October 2018. It details how all actors and stakeholders
should carry out the actions contained in the disarmament agenda.
Ms. K. Vignard, Chief of Operations and Deputy Director, United Nations Institute for Disarmament
Research (UNIDIR), gave a presentation on disarmament for future generations which focused on
emerging means and methods of warfare. She promoted an understanding of the implications of new
forms of science and technology in conflict; encouraged responsible innovation and application of new
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
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technologies; and called for human control over weapons and artificial intelligence as well as the
promotion of peace and stability in cyber space. The international security dimension of new weapons
technologies raised new concerns with regard to legal issues, such as the definition of "armed attack" or
some fundamental principles of United Nations Charter concepts, such as "self-defence", and new
proliferation challenges. New technologies were accessible, had dual-use and gave the private sector a
leading role. They had combinational and enabling features and produced knowledge gaps. These new
weapons and means of warfare could be destabilizing since, although innovations seemed to make the
projection of force or coercion less risky, they raised a set of challenging ethical issues.
Further to the presentations, 17 speakers took the floor. They presented their countries disarmament,
arms control and non-proliferation status. They also reiterated that people should be at the centre of
disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation agendas and policies. Some speakers called for action
to reduce weapons especially in countries that were increasing the manufacturing of weapons. They
proposed that budgets should be diverted, for example, from weapons and the army to education or
climate change. Politics would thus be more human and would highlight the moral and ethical aspect of
the issue. Speakers also urged that efforts be undertaken to ensure weapons did not reach non-States
actors and underscored that one solution would be to reduce arms stocks and halt the arms race.
Panel discussion on Combating sexual violence in UN peacekeeping operations and beyond
The panel was moderated by Ms. U. Karlsson (Sweden), former parliamentarian. As President of the
IPU Forum of Women Parliamentarians she pushed for the topic to be taken on board by the
Committee.
Ms. C. Bardet, international lawyer specialized in war crimes, and President of the NGO, We are not
Weapons of War (WWoW), welcomed the choice of Dr. Denis Mukwege as winner of the 2018 Peace
Nobel prize. She explained that sexual violence used as a weapon of war had always been present in
conflicts. It was silent, and its victims were invisible, rarely heard, receiving very little support - their
perpetrators were only very exceptionally brought to trial. Rape as a tool of war had become endemic
and almost systematic in contemporary conflicts. It was used to humiliate, destroy and exercise power
over women as well as over men and children. For centuries, sexual violence in times of conflict had
been tacitly accepted and considered inevitable. It was only in 1992 that the issue came before the
United Nations Security Council which declared that mass, organized, and systematic detention and
rape of women constituted "an international crime that was not to be ignored". Subsequently, the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda (ICTR) and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) recognized rape as a
crime against humanity. UN Security Council resolutions 1325 and 1820 declared that the use of rape
and other sexual violence in times of conflict could constitute a war crime, a crime against humanity or
be a constituent element of genocide.
Ms. W. Cue, Senior Coordinator for PSEA/SHA at the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)
Secretariat, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), spoke about the
United Nations system-wide approach to preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse
committed by humanitarian actors against beneficiary populations. Such exploitation and abuse by
humanitarian staff could not be tolerated and violated everything the United Nations stood for. The issue
became a priority for the United Nations Secretary-General who released a strategy where victims'
rights and dignity were prioritized. Reporting and investigation mechanisms were strengthened, and
transparency increased. Member States, civil society and other relevant actors, including victims
themselves were engaged in building a multi-stakeholder network against sexual exploitation and
abuse. There was a change of mindset among Member States, the United Nations and the aid sector, at
all levels, with everyone committed to fighting that scourge.
Mr. J.-P. Letelier (Senator, Chile), former President of the IPU Committee on Human Rights of
Parliamentarians, presented a parliamentary viewpoint. He highlighted the need to understand that
wartime rape was a crime against humanity that should not be subject to amnesty nor have statutes of
limitations. Parliamentarians should first ensure that the definition of wartime rape was put into national
laws. That would help to prosecute perpetrators of such acts, recognize State responsibilities and end
impunity. He mentioned a proposal made to that effect by the President of Uruguay where States must
assume responsibility for crimes committed by those they sent abroad and, more globally, responsibility
for the acts committed by all their nationals participating in operations.
Ms. P. Fraser-Damoff (MP, Canada) called for all States to adopt a zero-tolerance approach. She
presented the Canadian Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, an innovative and multilateral
pilot project that would develop, apply and test a combination of approaches to help overcome barriers
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
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47
to increasing women’s meaningful participation in peace operations. The Elsie Initiative will impact both
uniformed military and police staff. It included significant research, monitoring and evaluation
components to ensure it could be adjusted throughout implementation.
Further to the presentations, 11 speakers took the floor. Among them were several of the largest
contributors to United Nations operations such as Bangladesh, India and South Africa. Several of the
speakers referred to UN Security Council resolution 2272 aimed at preventing sexual exploitation and
abuse by those under the United Nations mandate and called for its operationalization. The resolution
reaffirmed zero tolerance but also mandated a new mechanism as a response to sexual exploitation
and abuse: the repatriation of entire military contingents and police units that contained individuals who
had allegations made against them. Several speakers referred to the fact that the vast majority of the
victims did not complain and kept their pain secret. They called on NGOs to carry out awareness
campaigns in the field and to give advice to rape victims.
Speakers called for a road map for parliamentary action and proposed several ideas such as:
encouraging parliaments to hold regular briefings on peace operations, including cases of misconduct;
and regularly assessing existing national legislation to determine its applicability to sex crimes
committed by its citizens while in the service of UN peace operations. Parliaments could also amend, if
necessary, the administrative frameworks governing police and military personnel to explicitly include
sexual exploitation and abuse as serious forms of misconduct and ensure that such cases entailed the
harshest available sanctions. Speakers highlighted the value of conducting training of peacekeeping
troops prior to deployment in conflict regions, with an emphasis on response to conflict-related sexual
violence. South Africa gave the example of the deployment of a mobile Military Court consisting of a
judge, a lawyer, a prosecutor and a clerk to judge South African peacekeepers accused of misconduct
in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and South Sudan.
Expert hearing on the Non-admissibility of using mercenaries as a means of undermining
peace and violating human rights
On 17 October, the Committee held an expert hearing on Non-admissibility of using mercenaries as a
means of undermining peace and violating human rights, the topic of a resolution that was expected to
be adopted by the 140
th
IPU Assembly.
The hearing opened with the statements of two experts: Ms. J. Aparac, member of the UN working
group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the
right of peoples to self-determination and Mr. W. Bruyère-Ostells, university lecturer in contemporary
history at the Institute for Political Sciences in Aix-en-Provence, France.
The experts gave a short overview of the evolution of mercenarism and its different forms and
manifestations. Mercenarism was a phenomenon as old as war itself, present throughout history. Three
different types of mercenaries could be identified: the integrated, entrepreneurial and ideological. Over
time, mercenarism evolved and declined only to re-emerge with the wars of decolonization and the
ensuing civil wars. With the end of the Cold War, the phenomenon experienced a revival and new types
of mercenary-related activities emerged in the form of private military companies which moved away
from scattered groups of individual mercenaries to professionalized, structured companies, sometimes
listed on the stock market. The latest manifestations of the phenomenon had taken the form of
expanded services that the companies offered to humanitarian actors, maritime security, detention
facilities, and so forth.
The experts also analysed the linkages between foreign fighters and mercenaries and identified key
similarities such as the trait of being an external actor intervening in a conflict, and the types of activities
foreign fighters and mercenaries were involved in, such as armed conflicts, terrorism and organized
crime. While noting that a key difference between many foreign fighters and mercenaries was their
ideological motivation, the experts noted that incentives of financial or material gain also existed among
foreign fighters.
Both experts highlighted the fact that defining mercenaries and foreign fighters was key to the issue.
There was not a single definition, neither historical nor legal, of mercenarism. International law provided
for a narrow definition of a mercenary; other definitions could be found in the UN Convention against the
Use of Mercenaries adopted in December 1989 (by 35 States Parties but no permanent member of the
Security Council) and in national legislation. Sociological, anthropological and historical realities also
needed to be taken into account. One solution could be to draft legislation that regulated the status of all
foreign participants in a theatre of war in general, moving away from the distinction between
mercenaries and foreign fighters, to the idea of providing assistance to a foreign State without being
formally mandated by a State.
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After hearing the experts’ presentations, a total of 21 speakers took the floor. All speakers agreed on
the need for better legislation in order to prohibit the use of mercenaries and foreign fighters and to
regulate the work of private military companies. They highlighted the current gaps and the lack of
oversight mechanisms at all levels to address issues arising from the presence of mercenaries and
foreign fighters. Legislation should address impunity and promote respect and ethics. Some speakers
were of the view that individuals from one country fighting under any other flag should be prosecuted
under the jurisdiction of his/her own country wherever the action took place and called for the adoption
of very strict national laws criminalizing mercenary-related activities. Speakers also called for better
governance and an enhanced oversight of the security sector. Regarding the identified differences
between mercenaries and foreign fighters many speakers stated that they should be treated in the same
way. Finally, one speaker underscored that when drafting the resolution, the co-rapporteurs should take
into account the fact that several IPU Members had not ratified all the conventions covering the issue of
mercenaries.
In conclusion, the two co-rapporteurs took the floor to explain their preliminary views on the topic and
thanked the experts and the various speakers for providing them with food for thought.
The report on the work of the Committee was presented to the Assembly at its last sitting on 18 October
by the President of the Standing Committee, Mr. J.I. Echániz (Spain).
The Bureau of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security met on 16 October 2018
with Ms. L. Rojas, senior member of the Bureau, in the Chair. Eleven out of eighteen members were
present. During this meeting, the Bureau met with the co-rapporteurs who explained how they would like
to work on the resolution. The Bureau also discussed its workplan. It confirmed the decision taken at the
138
th
Assembly to devote all the time allocated for the 140
th
Assembly to negotiating the resolution. For
future activities in-between assemblies, all present members were of the view that more field visits
should be organized. The Bureau took note of an invitation to visit Jordan and a formal offer was
expected. Bureau members were also informed of the Geneva Peace Week taking place from 5 to
9 November 2018. The proposals were subsequently approved by the Standing Committee at the end
of its last plenary sitting on 17 October.
Elections took place on 15 October 2018. The Twelve Plus Group proposed Ms. A. Shkrum (Ukraine) to
fill a vacant post. The Asia-Pacific Group proposed Mr. A. Suwanmongkol (Thailand) for a second
mandate. Two posts remain vacant: one for the Eurasia Group, to be filled by either a woman or a man,
and one for the Asia-Pacific Group, to be filled by a woman.
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th
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Report of the Standing Committee on Sustainable
Development, Finance and Trade
Noted by the 139
th
IPU Assembly
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
The Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade held its sittings on 15 and
17 October. The first sitting was chaired by Ms. S. Dinica (Romania), member of the Bureau. The
second sitting was chaired by the Committee Vice-President, Ms. W. Bani Mustafa (Jordan).
Debate on The role of fair and free trade and investment in achieving the SDGs, especially
regarding economic equality, sustainable infrastructure, industrialization and innovation.
The debate was organized on the theme of the Standing Committee's forthcoming resolution which
should be adopted at the 140
th
Assembly. The purpose of the debate was to provide the Committee with
an opportunity to exchange views about the role of fair and free trade investment in achieving the
SDGs, especially in terms of economic equality, sustainable infrastructure, industrialization and
innovation.
The theme and key issues for consideration and discussion were introduced by the co-Rapporteurs,
Mr. J. Wilson (Australia), Mr. H. Iddrisu (Ghana) and Ms. S. Raskovic Ivic (Serbia). They stressed the
importance of recognizing that there was a clear nexus between trade and investment, and that both
were crucial to the achievement of the SDGs. Trade was often neither fair nor equitable, and export-
import relations were sometimes imbalanced. Parliaments should therefore work to prevent the
spreading of systems that exacerbate inequalities and, instead, promote a process that could help
develop fair and free trade. The co-Rapporteurs stated that it was not a question of countries being
equally developed but rather of having equal opportunities and that that should, in fact, be the target to
aim for. Particular attention should also be paid to fostering industrialization as, in its absence, free
trade could have negative consequences for developing countries.
A total of 30 delegates took the floor to share their views, comments and good practices their countries
had put in place to increase citizens’ standards and advance the realization of the SDGs. Some
delegates gave specific examples of measures their parliaments had developed to enhance free
exchange, reduce taxes, foster economic development and support countries affected by climate
change. Participants particularly stressed the importance for parliaments to make good use of their
oversight function and to work to ensure justice. Stability was considered a key driver for the attainment
of economic development. There was agreement that stability was a natural consequence of fair trade.
Innovation, green investment and circular economy were also highlighted as important aspects that
should be reflected in the future draft resolution.
Given the disparities that existed between countries, several participants underscored the importance of
cooperation, solidarity and support that should be provided to developing countries. They stressed that
IPU Members should reaffirm their determination to pursue equitable development, create equal
business opportunities and improve citizens’ standards of living. Concrete actions should be taken to
ensure the maximum benefit for all. Participants agreed that, contrary to protectionism and isolationism,
trade and investment were crucial engines that could accelerate SDGs realization, boost development
and generate productivity gains. Participants also agreed that the SDGs represented a great opportunity
to promote equitable and inclusive economic growth.
To conclude the debate, the co-Rapporteurs recalled that trade could help reduce poverty and that it
was important for everybody to pursue trade with a clear focus on a shared well-being. They invited
participants to send written inputs for inclusion in the draft resolution.
Parliamentary contribution to the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The Standing Committee discussed the draft outcome document of the Parliamentary Meeting at the
United Nations Climate Change Conference to take place on 9 December in Krakow (Poland).
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th
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The session started with a briefing by the Rapporteur to the Parliamentary Meeting in Krakow,
Ms. A. Paluch (Poland), who introduced the meeting’s draft outcome document. As Poland was to host
the next UN Climate Change Conference (COP24), she outlined the history of the climate change
agreements, starting with the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the
subsequent Kyoto Protocol, and the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement (PA). Regarding the latter,
she stressed that the PA required that all countries reduce emissions which was why the Nationally
Determined Contributions (NDCs) were introduced. Ms. A. Paluch further highlighted the PA’s
harmonized system of monitoring, reporting, and stock-taking, and underscored that the PA was based
on the principle of cooperation. She reminded delegates to submit comments to the draft outcome
document of the Parliamentary Meeting in writing by 16 November 2018.
Altogether four delegations took the floor in the debate: India, Japan, Kuwait, and Seychelles. They
referred to the recent natural disasters and the record heat experienced in many countries last summer.
The delegates urged their peers for action against global warming, highlighting the need to limit global
temperature rise to 2° Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and expressed hope that COP24 would put in
place more effective regulations on climate change. Better linkages with the SDG agenda, capacity
building and knowledge transfers were highlighted as some of the most pressing issues that needed to
be dealt with.
After responding to delegates’ questions, Ms. A. Paluch thanked all delegates for their contributions to
the draft outcome document and invited others to send their amendments in writing. The revised draft
outcome document would be shared with all delegates through the IPU website at the end of November
2018.
Panel discussion on "Taking forward the IPU resolution entitled Engaging the private sector in
implementing the SDGs, especially on renewable energy"
The panel discussion was chaired by the Committee Vice-President, Ms. W. Bani Mustafa, member of
parliament (Jordan). It benefitted from the expert contributions of Ms. S. Lozo and Ms. M. de Blonay,
both with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Mr. T. Pringle, member of parliament
(Ireland), and Ms. B. Hoehn, member of parliament (Germany).
Ms. S. Lozo introduced the discussion and highlighted the benefits renewables could produce at the
environmental, social and economic levels. Amongst others, she stressed the growing variety of
renewable power sources as well as the growing uptake of renewables in developing countries.
Renewables could be important providers in terms of employment as on average renewable energy
industries could create more jobs than fossil fuel industries. Considering that energy transition could
increase the gross domestic product and boost economic growth, Ms. S. Lozo highlighted the
importance of ensuring that this process was just and fair. Regulations, enabling frameworks and
comprehensive policies were in fact crucial in order to effectively achieve a sustainable energy
transition. Ms. M. de Blonay informed participants about the work conducted by IRENA to raise further
awareness and disseminate the IPU resolution.
Mr. T. Pringle presented his Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill, which had received unanimous cross-party
support that summer in the Irish lower house and was currently going through the final stages in the
Irish upper house. The bill was considered ground-breaking in forecasting Ireland to become the first
country in the world to divest its public money out of fossil fuel companies. He stressed that it was time
that parliamentarians listened and responded to their communities and represented civil society in
advocating for climate action. Mr. T. Pringle urged parliamentarians across the world to replicate that
process and create healthy links between civil society, institutions and other sympathetic politicians,
helping the collective take on corporate power.
Ms. B. Hoehn talked about the expansion of renewables in Germany and informed on how they
represented one of the most important sources of electricity in the country. In 2017 almost 50 per cent
of the energy was derived from renewable sources. Germany was in fact aiming to make its energy
supply greener and more climate-friendly, and to make the country less dependent on fossil fuels.
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In the ensuing debate, 17 delegates took the floor. They highlighted the need for Governments and
Parliaments to establish policies on renewable energies and presented the strategies implemented in
their countries in order to contribute to the development of this sector, including their Official
development assistance (ODA) spending. Among others, discussants stressed the need to prioritize
schemes aimed at supporting households, and that energy had to be affordable. Japan highlighted that
hydrogen energy would be used at the 2020 Olympic Games it would host. Other representatives
underscored the importance for parliamentarians to raise public awareness on renewable energy and
establish a constructive dialogue among the different stakeholders including the private sector as the
transition to renewable energy required considerable resources and finances. It was also mentioned
that renewable energy transition was closely related to migration. The development of the renewable
energy sector could in fact create jobs and help solve migration-related challenges. Parliamentarians
acknowledged the potential of the sector and also considered the role of fossil fuels and nuclear energy.
Elections to the Bureau and work plan for the 140
th
IPU Assembly
The Committee elected to the Bureau Ms. V.T. Muzenda (Zimbabwe) for the African Group and
Mr. A. Simonyan (Armenia) for the Eurasia Group. Both candidates would complete the term of their
countries on the Bureau.
The Committee also elected Ms. V.T. Muzenda (Zimbabwe) to complete the term of President.
The Committee approved the proposal of the Bureau to dedicate the Committee's sittings at the
140
th
IPU Assembly to drafting the resolution.
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th
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Report of the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs
Noted by the 139
th
IPU Assembly
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
Panel discussion on Would a UN intergovernmental tax body help resolve outstanding issues of
corporate tax evasion?
Presenters: Ms. S. Blankenburg, Head, Debt and Development Finance Branch, UNCTAD;
Ms. T.M. Ryding, Policy and Advocacy Manager for tax justice, EURODAD; Mr. D. Pacheco, Member of
Parliament (Portugal).
Thirteen interventions were made from the floor in response to panel presentations. On the whole,
participants expressed support for the creation of an intergovernmental body at the UN that would work
to establish a global tax standard on corporate taxation.
The argument for such a body was introduced by the Group of 77 (G77) and China in the lead-up to the
third International Conference on Financing for Development in 2015 in Addis Ababa. No agreement
was reached on the proposal due to the opposition of developed countries, where most of the word’s
transnational corporations are headquartered.
One key problem with the current international tax regime was that it allowed corporate conglomerates
to shift profits to subsidiaries strategically located in low-tax jurisdictions. The OECD Base Erosion and
Profit Shifting (BEPS) initiative, that sought to establish a common tax standard, was designed without
the participation of developing countries and had proved to be inadequate because of its many
loopholes. Developing countries were invited to join the initiative provided they agree to it as it currently
stands.
Compounding the problem was the proliferation of tax havens, as well as governments’ growing practice
of luring corporate investors to their countries by lowering the effective tax rate. As a result, globally
corporate taxes had been reduced from 50 per cent to 24 per cent in just a few decades. Currently,
hundreds of billions of dollars in potential revenue were lost to these practices yearly.
An intergovernmental body on taxes would not undermine governments’ sovereign tax authority, but
rather help strengthen their capacity to collect taxes on behalf of their people. That was also reflected in
the current movement within the European Union towards the creation of a common tax regime for
transnational corporations.
The proposed UN body would have universal membership. In addition to establishing a global standard
of corporate taxation, possibly through an international treaty, it might also be mandated to create a new
class of global taxes to support efforts to address global problems such as climate change.
Panel discussion on What scope for cooperation between parliaments and the WHO as the
leading United Nations agency for global health?
Presenters: Ms. M. Boccoz, Assistant Director-General for External Relations, WHO; Dr. H. Millat,
member of parliament (Bangladesh), President of the IPU Advisory Group on Health.
Established in 1948, the WHO has 194 Member States, 7,000 staff members and offices in
150 countries. The organization’s mandate is to encourage worldwide policy dialogue on health issues
and to provide strategic support to countries’ health systems, technical assistance to national health
authorities and emergency services to countries coping with a health crisis.
The debate, which included seven interventions, highlighted the essential role of the WHO in helping
countries implement SDG 3 on health, and its ambitious target to achieve universal health care by 2030.
Lately, the WHO had played a leading role in the fight against non-communicable diseases (diabetes,
heart disease and cancer), which are responsible for 40 million deaths each year. It was also working
with countries to promote and support vaccination programmes to prevent contagious diseases.
The 2018 resolution of the UN General Assembly on Interaction between the United Nations, national
parliaments and the Inter-Parliamentary Union for the first time called for closer cooperation between
the WHO and the IPU. That mention provided a welcome boost to a partnership that had been in the
making over the last few years and that was formalized recently in a memorandum of understanding.
The IPU Advisory Group on Health supervised and advised much of IPU’s health-related work with
parliaments and was the main interface between the two organizations.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
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The session highlighted the important role of parliaments in legislation and budget oversight to expand
the provision of health services to all people, particularly the most vulnerable and hardest to reach.
Parliamentarians participated in the annual World Health Assembly, which was the main governing body
of the WHO and where the IPU organized a regular side event.
Participants welcomed those developments and encouraged the WHO to work closely with the IPU, as
well as directly with parliaments. Two proposals were made in that regard: that the WHO website
feature more prominently its relationship with parliaments, and that parliaments constitute groups of
friends of the WHO.
Towards the close of the session, the Committee formally elected five new members: Ms. A. Theologou
(Cyprus), Mr. L. Iemets (Ukraine), Mr. M. Melkumyan (Armenia), Mr. F.H. Naek (Pakistan) and Mr. P.
Katjavivi (Namibia). In addition, Ms. S. AlHashim (Kuwait) was elected Vice-President of the Committee.
In his final remarks, the Committee President welcomed gender parity in the committee leadership and
thanked participants for their contribution to the session.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
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Declaration on the
70th
anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Endorsed by the the 139
th
IPU Assembly
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
This year marks the 70
th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - a historic
instrument drafted in the aftermath of the horrors of the Second World War by representatives from
around the world with different legal and cultural backgrounds.
The fundamental rights in the Declaration have served, first and foremost, to uphold the inherent dignity
of all human beings and to contribute to the peace, security and prosperity of all nations.
As we celebrate the 70
th
anniversary of the Declaration, we also remember and honour Nelson
Mandela, who would have turned 100 years old this year. He personified the ideals of the Declaration
and, in his own words, strove to uphold "the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons
live together in harmony and with equal opportunities".
Over the course of his lifetime, the rights enshrined in the Declaration were universally recognized, with
States now bound in law to ensure their citizens benefit from these rights and can access appropriate
remedies and redress when the rights are violated.
Yet these rights are still far from being a reality for many. Against the backdrop of growing
authoritarianism, internal conflict, war, poverty and large-scale migration, we, as parliamentarians, feel
compelled to reaffirm our commitment to the Declaration and its underlying principles in the following
way:
 As legislators, we commit to guaranteeing that the domestic legal framework complies with
international and national human rights obligations and creates an enabling environment for
inclusive participatory politics, a vibrant civil society and the rule of law.
 As people’s representatives, we will do everything in our power to ensure that parliamentary
discourse, proceedings, and outreach are rooted in, and promote, equality, liberty and justice.
 We will do more to raise greater awareness of the Declaration among our constituents and help
them to access their rights thereunder.
 As role models, we commit ourselves to inspire and energize our societies, particularly by
championing the rights of those who are marginalized and persecuted, such as women, children,
minorities, and others who are disenfranchised.
 We commit to the Declaration by acting in solidarity with parliamentary colleagues worldwide
whose fundamental rights are being violated and by raising their cases at the appropriate forums
and with the relevant interlocutors, as well as by supporting the work of the Inter-Parliamentary
Union’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.
 We will do everything in our power to support human rights defenders, the often "invisible
Mandelas" who risk their freedom and lives to uphold the rights of others and who merit the
recognition and support of parliaments, especially in light of the 20
th
anniversary of the United
Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 139
th
Assembly
55
Concluding remarks by the IPU President on the
values and principles of the IPU
Endorsed by the 139
th
IPU Assembly
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
Colleagues, the IPU motto is For Democracy. For Everyone.
Our vision statement says We work for a world where every voice counts.
At this Assembly, we took a vote that caused many members of our Organization, and me, distress.
The IPU Assemblies are a place where parliamentarians learn about and discuss all subjects, without
vetoes and taboos on issues, particularly those related to human rights. We have a responsibility as
parliamentarians to tackle all subjects that those we represent need us to cover.
This week we launched the new IPU handbook for parliamentarians on freedom of expression. I
encourage each of you to use this document to inform and guide our future work, at home and here in
our assemblies.
As we are reminded on this 70
th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all human
beings have the same rights, including the right to freedom of expression, and to equality before the
law.
These are fundamental principles that the IPU and its Members must find a way to incorporate more
fully in all our work, in committees and in plenary.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
56
Presidential statement on recent developments
on the Korean Peninsula
Endorsed by the IPU Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
The IPU welcomes the recent positive developments on the Korean Peninsula, notably the Inter-Korean
Summit in April leading to the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the
Korean Peninsula; the U.S.-DPRK Summit in Singapore in June, and President Moon Jae-in’s visit to
Pyongyang in September.
These historic events are building blocks of peace and the IPU applauds the efforts by both sides to
work towards rapprochement and mutual understanding.
The IPU has been building and will continue to build bridges between the delegations of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) and is pleased to facilitate
contacts during IPU Assemblies. These Assemblies serve as platforms for dialogue and bilateral
exchanges and are a clear demonstration of parliamentary diplomacy in action.
At the 139
th
IPU Assembly, the delegations of the DPRK and ROK stated their commitment to working
together, including within the IPU, in order to contribute actively to the substantial progress made on the
normalization of relations between both sides.
The IPU was founded on the principle of political dialogue to resolve differences and conflicts and is at
the service of its Members to facilitate contacts, mediate conflicts and offer its good offices in the
interest of a more peaceful world. As a neutral and impartial broker, the IPU remains an oasis of hope.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
57
IPU Budget for 2019
Approved by the IPU Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 15 October 2018)
2018
Approved
Budget
2019 Approved Budget
Regular Budget Other Sources All Funds
REVENUES
Assessed contributions 10,467,100 10,515,200 10,515,200
Working Capital Fund 237,000 422,000 422,000
Staff assessment 1,048,500 1,099,700 1,099,700
Interest 100,000 100,000 100,000
Programme support costs 0 298,700 (298,700) 0
Other revenue 16,000 16,000 16,000
Voluntary contributions 4,002,600 4,034,400 4,034,400
TOTAL REVENUES 15,871,200 12,451,600 3,735,700 16,187,300
EXPENDITURES
Strategic Objectives
1. Build strong, democratic parliaments 2,321,900 1,322,200 824,200 2,146,400
2. Advance gender equality and respect for
women’s rights
1,699,000 517,900 656,400 1,174,300
3. Protect and promote human rights 1,469,500 1,035,600 508,500 1,544,100
4. Contribute to peacebuilding, conflict
prevention and security
505,200 195,500 907,200 1,102,700
5. Promote inter-parliamentary dialogue and
cooperation
3,159,400 3,437,600 3,437,600
6. Promote youth empowerment 417,200 79,600 265,100 344,700
7. Mobilize parliaments around the global
development agenda
972,700 151,300 851,400 1,002,700
8. Bridge the democracy gap in international
relations
923,000 927,100 927,100
Subtotal 11,467,900 7,666,800 4,012,800 11,679,600
Enablers
Effective internal governance and oversight 867,900 912,700 21,600 934,300
Visibility, advocacy and communications 1,026,200 1,097,200 1,097,200
Gender mainstreaming and a rights-based
approach
10,000 10,000 10,000
A properly resourced and efficient Secretariat 2,681,700 2,658,900 2,658,900
Subtotal 4,585,800 4,677,200 21,600 4,700,400
Other charges 114,000 106,000 106,000
Eliminations (296,500) (298,700) (298,700)
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 15,871,200 12,451,600 3,735,700 16,187,300
Approved 2019 capital budget
Item 2019
1. Replacement of computers 35,000
2. Furniture 15,000
4. Website development 100,000
Total capital expenditures 150,000
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
58
Approved programme and budget for 2019
Scale of contributions for 2019 based on the UN scale of assessment
Approved by the IPU Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 15 October 2018)
Country Name
UN 2016-
2018
Approved 2019 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Afghanistan 0.006% 0.110% 11'500
Albania 0.008% 0.110% 11'500
Algeria 0.161% 0.310% 32'300
Andorra 0.006% 0.110% 11'500
Angola 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Argentina 0.892% 1.120% 116'800
Armenia 0.006% 0.110% 11'500
Australia 2.337% 2.550% 265'900
Austria 0.720% 0.940% 98'000
Azerbaijan 0.060% 0.180% 18'800
Bahrain 0.044% 0.160% 16'700
Bangladesh 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Belarus 0.056% 0.180% 18'800
Belgium 0.885% 1.110% 115'700
Benin 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Bhutan 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 0.012% 0.120% 12'500
Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.013% 0.120% 12'500
Botswana 0.014% 0.120% 12'500
Brazil 3.823% 3.960% 412'900
Bulgaria 0.045% 0.160% 16'700
Burkina Faso 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Burundi 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Cabo Verde 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Cambodia 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Cameroon 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Canada 2.921% 3.110% 324'300
Central African Republic 0.001% 0.110% 11'500
Chad 0.005% 0.110% 11'500
Chile 0.399% 0.590% 61'500
China 7.921% 7.890% 822'600
Colombia 0.322% 0.500% 52'100
Comoros 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Congo 0.006% 0.110% 11'500
Costa Rica 0.047% 0.170% 17'700
Côte d'Ivoire 0.009% 0.110% 11'500
Croatia 0.099% 0.230% 24'000
Cuba 0.065% 0.190% 19'800
Cyprus 0.043% 0.160% 16'700
Czech Republic 0.344% 0.520% 54'200
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 0.005% 0.110% 11'500
Democratic Republic of the Congo 0.008% 0.110% 11'500
Denmark 0.584% 0.790% 82'400
Djibouti 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Dominican Republic 0.046% 0.170% 17'700
Ecuador 0.067% 0.190% 19'800
Egypt 0.152% 0.300% 31'300
El Salvador 0.014% 0.120% 12'500
Equatorial Guinea 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Estonia 0.038% 0.150% 15'600
Eswatini 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
59
Country Name
UN 2016-
2018
Approved 2019 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Ethiopia 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Fiji 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Finland 0.456% 0.650% 67'800
France 4.859% 4.930% 514'000
Gabon 0.017% 0.120% 12'500
Gambia 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Georgia 0.008% 0.110% 11'500
Germany 6.389% 6.390% 666'300
Ghana 0.016% 0.120% 12'500
Greece 0.471% 0.670% 69'900
Guatemala 0.028% 0.140% 14'600
Guinea 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Guinea-Bissau 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Guyana 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Haiti 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Honduras 0.008% 0.110% 11'500
Hungary 0.161% 0.310% 32'300
Iceland 0.023% 0.130% 13'600
India 0.737% 0.950% 99'100
Indonesia 0.504% 0.700% 73'000
Iran (Islamic Republic of) 0.471% 0.670% 69'900
Iraq 0.129% 0.270% 28'200
Ireland 0.335% 0.510% 53'200
Israel 0.430% 0.620% 64'600
Italy 3.748% 3.890% 405'600
Japan 9.680% 9.680% 1'009'300
Jordan 0.020% 0.130% 13'600
Kazakhstan 0.191% 0.350% 36'500
Kenya 0.018% 0.130% 13'600
Kuwait 0.285% 0.460% 48'000
Kyrgyzstan 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Lao People’s Democratic Republic 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Latvia 0.050% 0.170% 17'700
Lebanon 0.046% 0.170% 17'700
Lesotho 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Libya 0.125% 0.270% 28'200
Liechtenstein 0.007% 0.110% 11'500
Lithuania 0.072% 0.200% 20'900
Luxembourg 0.064% 0.190% 19'800
Madagascar 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Malawi 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Malaysia 0.322% 0.500% 52'100
Maldives 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Mali 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Malta 0.016% 0.120% 12'500
Marshall Islands 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Mauritania 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Mauritius 0.012% 0.120% 12'500
Mexico 1.435% 1.670% 174'100
Micronesia (Federated States of) 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Monaco 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Mongolia 0.005% 0.110% 11'500
Montenegro 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Morocco 0.054% 0.180% 18'800
Mozambique 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Myanmar 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Namibia 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
60
Country Name
UN 2016-
2018
Approved 2019 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Nepal 0.006% 0.110% 11'500
Netherlands 1.482% 1.720% 179'300
New Zealand 0.268% 0.440% 45'900
Nicaragua 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Niger 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Nigeria 0.209% 0.370% 38'600
Norway 0.849% 1.070% 111'600
Oman 0.113% 0.250% 26'100
Pakistan 0.093% 0.230% 24'000
Palau 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Palestine 0.100% 10'400
Panama 0.034% 0.150% 15'600
Papua New Guinea 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Paraguay 0.014% 0.120% 12'500
Peru 0.136% 0.280% 29'200
Philippines 0.165% 0.320% 33'400
Poland 0.841% 1.060% 110'500
Portugal 0.392% 0.580% 60'500
Qatar 0.269% 0.440% 45'900
Republic of Korea 2.039% 2.260% 235'600
Republic of Moldova 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Romania 0.184% 0.340% 35'500
Russian Federation 3.088% 3.270% 340'900
Rwanda 0.002% 0.100% 10'400
Saint Lucia 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Samoa 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
San Marino 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Sao Tome and Principe 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Saudi Arabia 1.146% 1.380% 143'900
Senegal 0.005% 0.110% 11'500
Serbia 0.032% 0.150% 15'600
Seychelles 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Sierra Leone 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Singapore 0.447% 0.640% 66'700
Slovakia 0.160% 0.310% 32'300
Slovenia 0.084% 0.210% 21'900
Somalia 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
South Africa 0.364% 0.550% 57'300
South Sudan 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Spain 2.443% 2.650% 276'300
Sri Lanka 0.031% 0.140% 14'600
Sudan 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Suriname 0.006% 0.110% 11'500
Sweden 0.956% 1.180% 123'000
Switzerland 1.140% 1.370% 142'800
Syrian Arab Republic 0.024% 0.130% 13'600
Tajikistan 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Thailand 0.291% 0.460% 48'000
The former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia 0.007% 0.110% 11'500
Timor-Leste 0.003% 0.100% 10'400
Togo 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Tonga 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Trinidad and Tobago 0.034% 0.150% 15'600
Tunisia 0.028% 0.140% 14'600
Turkey 1.018% 1.250% 130'300
Turkmenistan 0.026% 0.140% 14'600
Tuvalu 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
61
Country Name
UN 2016-
2018
Approved 2019 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Uganda 0.009% 0.110% 11'500
Ukraine 0.103% 0.240% 25'000
United Arab Emirates 0.604% 0.810% 84'500
United Kingdom 4.463% 4.560% 475'400
United Republic of Tanzania 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Uruguay 0.079% 0.210% 21'900
Uzbekistan 0.023% 0.130% 13'600
Vanuatu 0.001% 0.100% 10'400
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 0.571% 0.780% 81'300
Viet Nam 0.058% 0.180% 18'800
Yemen 0.010% 0.110% 11'500
Zambia 0.007% 0.110% 11'500
Zimbabwe 0.004% 0.110% 11'500
Member or associate member
UN 2016-
2018
Approved 2019 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Andean Parliament 0.020% 2'100
Arab Parliament 0.010% 1'000
Central American Parliament 0.010% 1'000
East African Legislative
Assembly 0.010% 1'000
European Parliament 0.060% 6'300
Interparliamentary Assembly of Member
Nations of the Commonwealth of
Independent States 0.030% 3'100
Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the
West African Economic and Monetary
Union 0.010% 1'000
Latin American and Caribbean Parliament 0.030% 3'100
Parliament of the CEMAC 0.010% 1'000
Parliament of the ECOWAS 0.010% 1'000
Parliamentary Assembly of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation 0.030% 3'100
Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe 0.050% 5'200
Total 10'515'200
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
62
Cooperation with the United Nations system
List of activities undertaken by the IPU between 15 March and 15 September 2018
Noted by the IPU Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
Building on the biennial Report of the UN Secretary-General, on 22 May the UN General Assembly
(UNGA) adopted a new and comprehensive resolution on Interaction between the UN, national
parliaments and the IPU - www.ipu.org/sites/default/files/documents/72-278-e.pdf. UNGA President,
Mr. Lajcak, chaired the meeting, which was also addressed by a number of UN Member States and by
the IPU President. The resolution came to fruition after a number of inter-governmental consultations in
New York led by Ambassador Camacho of Mexico. The resolution is substantive and forward looking,
and identifies modalities of interaction and cooperation in a variety of areas. Among other things, it
establishes a new International Day of Parliamentarism, calls for closer and more systematic
engagement between the UN Country Teams and national parliaments, and reiterates the need for IPU
and the UN to work together with parliaments in the implementation of the SDGs.
Democracy and human rights
The IPU continued to contribute to the UN processes for a Global Compact for Migration and another on
Refugees that will be adopted this year. Following the Declaration on migrants and refugees adopted by
the 138
th
Assembly on 28 March, the IPU advocated incorporating language on parliaments in the texts
being negotiated in New York (migration) and in Geneva (refugees). This resulted in several
acknowledgements of the role of parliaments in both documents.
On 17 May, the Human Rights Council issued a comprehensive report entitled the Contribution of
parliaments to the work of the Human Rights Council and its universal periodic review. The report draws
from responses to a questionnaire for parliaments sent by the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights to Member States, United Nations agencies and other stakeholders. It
contains recommendations regarding the setting up of a parliamentary human rights committee and the
strengthening of engagement with the international human rights mechanisms, especially the universal
periodic review.
In addition to helping engage parliaments in the Universal Periodic Review during the HRC annual
session (18 June – 6 July), the IPU organized a workshop and a side event during the session to
highlight concrete experiences of parliamentarians to protect and promote human rights.
On 23 May, the UN General Assembly designated 30 June as the International Day of Parliamentarism.
This date commemorates the first ever meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in 1889. At the IPU’s
suggestion, a number of parliaments were already able to organize events to celebrate the first
International Day of Parliamentarism on 30 June 2018, and the IPU will continue to work with the UN to
reinforce efforts to promote this Day in the future.
The IPU also pursued its regular efforts to engage parliaments to celebrate the International Day of
Democracy on 15 September. In 2018, the IPU proposed, as an overall theme, that of "oversight" – a
core function of parliaments and a vital part of the checks and balances of any healthy democracy.
On 18 September, the IPU contributed to a side event convened by the Permanent Mission of Ecuador
in the context of the 39
th
session of the UN Human Rights Council, which focused on "the impact of
corruption in the full enjoyment of human rights at all levels". This provided an opportunity to share with
the broader UN community in Geneva the main findings of the recent IPU-UNDP Global Parliamentary
Report on Oversight.
UNDP and the IPU continued their project of assistance to the Parliament of Myanmar. The two
organizations also continued their collaboration in support of the parliaments of Djibouti, Georgia, and
Vanuatu.
The IPU and UNDP also continued cooperation to develop a methodology for Sustainable Development
Goal indicator 16.7.1, which measures the proportions of positions (by age group, sex, persons with
disabilities, and population groups) in public institutions, compared to national distributions. The IPU and
UNDP have drafted metadata for this indicator and initiated a pilot test in August with selected
parliaments. If the pilot is successful, the next step is to submit the methodology for approval to the
Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs).
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
63
IPU and UNDP continued their efforts to disseminate the 2017 Global Parliamentary Report on
parliamentary oversight. These include the presentation of a Serbian-language version of the Report,
prepared by UNDP’s office in Serbia, at a regional seminar on the SDGs held in Belgrade on
24-25 May.
Gender equality
The IPU pursued its collaboration with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW Committee) to promote the role of parliaments in advancing implementation of the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The IPU
Member Parliaments have been regularly informed and invited to contribute to their State review by the
CEDAW Committee. The IPU communicated the recommendations of these reviews to the parliaments
of the countries under review for them to take them into account in their work. The IPU’s work in this
area has also consisted of ensuring that the CEDAW Committee understands the key role of parliament
in implementation of CEDAW and has access to IPU’s data on women in politics, and increasingly
stresses both issues during their dialogue with States.
IPU, in collaboration with USAID and UNDP, supported the Parliament of Georgia in carrying out a
gender self-assessment in June 2018 based on the IPU’s Evaluating the gender sensitivity of
parliaments: A self-assessment toolkit. The exercise brought together men and women, members of
parliament and staff. Priorities were identified for future reform, including measures to increase the
number of women members of parliament and to tackle sexism and harassment. The conclusions of the
exercise will also inform the development of the parliament’s strategy and plan of action.
Representatives from UN Women and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
(CERD) took part in the 12
th
Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, which was held in
Cochabamba, Bolivia, in April 2018, and co-hosted by the IPU and the Bolivian Chamber of Deputies.
The Summit focused on the theme Working so every voice counts. A Cochabamba Declaration affirmed
the link between women’s equal participation in politics and more prosperous, peaceful and inclusive
societies and called for the achievement of gender parity in politics and the adoption and
implementation of specific legislation to combat violence against women in politics (see section under
Objective 2 of main report).
Youth empowerment
At the 138
th
IPU Assembly, a dialogue session was organized in collaboration with UNAIDS during the
meeting of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians. The panel session focused on the role of young
parliamentarians in addressing harmful laws and politics in order to end AIDS by 2030, with activists
and civil society also taking part.
On 28 June 2018, the UN General Assembly released the report of the Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights on Youth and Human Rights (A/HRC/39/33). Informed by IPU activities at the Human
Rights Council, such as at the 2016 UN Forum on Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law, the
report heavily references the 2016 IPU report on Youth Participation in National Parliaments, the Forum
of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU, and related IPU recommendations on youth participation in
parliaments.
For International Youth Day (12 August 2018), the IPU partnered with iKNOW Politics for an interactive
Twitter Chat that took place on 10 August 2018. The Twitter Chat engaged with parliamentarians,
experts, activists and the general public to get feedback and generate buzz on a series of questions
related to youth and young women’s participation in politics. IKNOW Politics is a joint project, with
UNDP and UN Women taking part (see section under Objective 6 of main report).
International peace and security
An IPU delegation participated in the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on Peacebuilding
and Sustaining Peace on 25 April. The IPU delivered a statement at the Sixth Review of the United
Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy that was held on 27 June in New York.
The IPU and UNODC continued to develop a joint programme on countering terrorism and preventing
violent extremism, which seeks to facilitate the incorporation of international commitments into domestic
legislation and promote regional parliamentary cooperation. The two partners organized the second
meeting of the specialized group on counterterrorism, where the budget and the activities of the joint
programme where approved. Following this event, the IPU and UNODC engaged in consultations with
the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in order to formalize a trilateral agreement,
through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU will be presented to the Governing Bodies
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
64
at the 139
th
IPU Assembly for approval. In addition, the joint secretariat started drafting the first
parliamentary report on countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism, which will be launched
at the First Global Parliamentary Summit tentatively scheduled for February 2019 (see section under
Objective 4 of main report).
Sustainable development
On 12 April 2018, the IPU Secretary General and UN Environment Executive Director signed an MoU
setting out their joint cooperation on the SDGs, especially those related to environment and climate
change. Work on a joint Policy Brief for members of parliament on the green economy continued during
the summer, with the aim of launching the paper at the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in early December (see section under Objective
7 of main report).
On May 21-22, the IPU participated in the biannual session of the UN Development Cooperation Forum,
with a delegation of eight members of parliament. The IPU also followed the annual Financing for
Development Forum and related side events. The IPU Secretary General was a presenter at a special
meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council on sustainable, resilient and inclusive societies on
23 May.
On 25 May in Geneva, the Director General of WHO took part alongside the IPU Secretary General in a
technical briefing on "the role of parliamentarians in achieving universal health coverage and global
health security as two sides of the same coin".
On 5 June, an IPU delegation took part in the multi-stakeholder hearing providing input to a high-level
meeting of the General Assembly on non-communicable diseases in September. The IPU was asked to
contribute to this meeting by a resolution of the General Assembly. Building on this, the IPU was invited
to contribute to the high-level meeting on universal health coverage in September 2019.
As a contribution to the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development, the IPU
encouraged the participation of some 90 members of parliament in the main proceedings and organized
an official side event on 16 July, the first day of the HLPF ministerial segment. The side event discussed
the main theme of the HLPF on environmental sustainability. On 17 July, IPU and UNDP held a
parliamentary workshop on their self-assessment toolkit for the SDGs. The IPU President delivered a
statement during the general debate of the HLPF later in the week. In the months leading up to the
HLPF, the IPU surveyed the parliaments of the 47 countries presenting Voluntary National Reviews
(VNRs) as a way of encouraging greater parliamentary engagement in this key monitoring process (see
section under Objective 7 of main report).
The IPU and UNDP continued to support SDG self-assessments in parliaments through the IPU-UNDP
SDG Self-Assessment Toolkit. During the reporting period the parliament of Argentina began plans for a
workshop using the IPU-UNDP toolkit.
The IPU participated actively in several working group meetings of the Global Partnership for Effective
Development Cooperation (GPEDC), which includes UNDP. The IPU provided input to two working
groups of the GPEDC, helped establish the new business leaders caucus, helped define new indicators
of progress on development cooperation, and participated in the launch event of the GPED’s 2018
Global Monitoring Exercise 11-12 September in Paris (see section under Objective 7 of main report).
Honorary President of the IPU, Saber Chowdhury, presented on a panel of the UN Department for
Economic and Social Affairs on the contribution of audit institutions to the SDGs in New York on 29 July.
On 18 July the IPU Permanent Observer spoke at a UNDP side event on parliamentary engagement
with civil society organizations on the SDGs.
Senior-level interaction
A high level panel on migration and refugees was held on 23 March at the opening of the
138
th
IPU Assembly in Geneva. The panel featured the High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo
Grandi, the Director of the International Organization for Migration, Mr. William Lacy Swing, and the
High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussain. Other UN officials participated in the
workshops, special events and committee sessions throughout the Assembly.
The UN Secretary-General contributed to the celebration of the first ever International Day of
Parliamentarism on 30 June with a special video message to all parliaments and parliamentarians. The
video message was featured on the IPU web site as part of a broader effort to celebrate the day, which
also coincides with the founding of the IPU.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
65
On 19 July, the first working level meeting of IPU and UN staff took place following a recommendation
of the Senior Leadership meeting held in November 2017. Sixteen entities or bodies of the United
Nations were represented at the meeting co-chaired by the IPU Permanent Observer at the United
Nations and a senior officer from the UN Department of Political Affairs. The meeting explored potential
new synergies between the IPU and the United Nations at the working level and identified a number of
questions regarding cooperation at the country level.
On 9 July a meeting was held at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva to discuss preparations for a new
MoU on political and technical cooperation between the IPU and WHO. Both organizations committed to
deepening their partnership, which in future would extend beyond the traditional area of cooperation of
women’s, children’s and adolescent health (WCAH) to universal health coverage (UHC) and global
health security (GHS).
On 31 July, the Head of the Office of the Permanent Observer of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to the
United Nations met with the President-elect of the 73
rd
Session of the General Assembly, Ms. Maria
Fernanda Espinosa, for a first informal exchange of views on the upcoming session. The meeting
helped place the IPU and parliament more firmly on the agenda of the President elect of the General
Assembly. It also included a first discussion on the possible theme and timing of the 2019 Parliamentary
Hearing at the United Nations.
Report of the Committee on Middle East Questions
Noted by the IPU Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
The Committee held two sittings, on 14 and 16 October 2018. The Committee’s President,
Ms. S. Ataullahjan (Canada), Mr. H. Julien-Laferrière (France), Ms. A. Makonda Ridley (Malawi),
Mr. A.N.M. Al-Ahmad (Palestine), Mr. F. Müri (Switzerland) and Mr. M. Al-Mehrzi (United Arab Emirates)
attended both of the sessions. Mr. N. Shai (Israel) attended the sitting on 14 October. Ms. B. Grouwels
(Belgium) and Mr. R. Munawar (Indonesia) attended the sitting on 16 October.
The Committee heard a report on the latest general developments in the Middle East. In this context,
the Committee was informed about the situation in Libya, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen. The
Committee was also informed about the recent developments on the Israeli/Palestinian situation and
about the numerous communications which had been sent to the IPU leadership in that regard.
The Committee heard the views of both Israel and Palestine regarding the recent developments, namely
the announcement by the US Administration to end all funding to the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the passing of a law by the Israeli
Knesset defining the State of Israel as the nation of the Jewish people. While noting their differences,
both parties underscored their commitment to the Committee’s work as all efforts to foster peace must
be pursued for the good of future generations.
The members had a discussion on science as an enabler of dialogue. They agreed on the importance of
projects like the IPU Science for Peace Schools, and expressed support for their implementation. The
first session of the IPU Science for Peace Schools project had been designed for staff of the
parliamentary secretariats and would take place from 18 to 24 November 2018. The invitations had
already been sent and many registrations had been received. The Committee noted the importance of
legislation in regulating science so as to avoid any negative impacts or outcomes (e.g. atomic bombs,
artificial intelligence, etc.).
The Committee also heard two presentations, the first from the Yemeni delegation and the second from
Mr. N. Gouda, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan. The Yemeni delegation gave the members a
short update of the current situation in the country. The delegation highlighted that, as had been the
case in March, it was attending the 139
th
Assembly as a single, united delegation. The delegation
further explained that, due to the dire situation in the country, many parliamentarians had been forced to
flee the capital Sana’a but that they remained committed to their role as MPs. Mr. Gouda presented a
short summary of the situation on the ground in Jordan and highlighted the important role his country
had played in welcoming refugees from the different conflict zones in the region. Mr. Gouda
underscored the importance of not marginalizing the Israeli/Palestinian situation as it had a ripple effect
on many other relations in the region and in the world.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
66
The members concluded that they would undertake a visit to the Middle East region, most likely early in
2019, in order to gain a better understanding of the realities on the ground. The members emphasized
the need to include visits to refugee camps in Jordan. The Secretariat took note of that request.
IPU High-Level Advisory Group on
Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism
Terms of Reference
Endorsed by the IPU Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
Mandate
The IPU High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG-CTVE)
shall serve, under the authority of the Executive Committee and the Governing Council, as the global
parliamentary focal point for counter-terrorism related parliamentary activities.
Building on the resolutions adopted by IPU Assemblies and Members’ wish to see enhanced
cooperation with the United Nations in this field, the IPU has devised a Member-driven plan of action for
parliaments to address terrorism.
Purpose
The role of the Group shall be to guide the Member-driven plan of action for parliaments to address
terrorism and prevent violent extremism, as well as to bridge the significant gaps in the implementation
of relevant IPU and UN resolutions.
The plan of action will also draw on relevant UN instruments such as the 2006 UN Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy and the 2016 Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy Review, which includes counterring
the spread of violent extremism conducive to terrorism.
The Group shall focus on supporting parliamentary measures and legislative work necessary to
implement existing IPU and UN resolutions and strategies relating to terrorism and the prevention of
violent extremism.
The main expected outputs are: organization of regional and global inter-parliamentary conferences; the
establishment of a Global Parliamentary Network to foster cooperation among national parliamentary
security committees related to counter-terrorism; the organization of capacity-building programmes for
parliaments on counter-terrorism; the production of an annual parliamentary report on implementation of
relevant IPU and UN resolutions; the elaboration of best practices and guidelines for parliamentarians;
and the mapping and consolidation of existing IPU activities in the field of prevention of violent
extremism.
The work of the Group is expected to facilitate the coordination and implementation of the IPU’s
counter-terrorism efforts by supporting the parliamentary processes to translate international
commitments into national laws, and ensuring implementation at the national level.
An IPU support team will coordinate the proposed activities, with technical support from the UNODC.
Membership
The Group shall be composed of 21 members of national parliaments, nominated by their respective
geopolitical groups on the basis of expertise and on the formula used for the composition of the
Preparatory Committee of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (Executive Committee
geopolitical group allocation plus one per group).
*
The composition of the Group shall be gender
balanced in accordance with the provisions of Art. 21(f) of the IPU Statutes. In addition, the President of
the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians and the President of Board of the Forum of Young
Parliamentarians shall be ex officio members.
International organizations, in addition to UNODC, with relevant expertise will be associated to the
Group.
*
African Group: 5 members; Arab Group: 2 members; Asia-Pacific Group: 4 members; Eurasia Group:
2 members; GRULAC: 3 members; and Twelve Plus Group: 5 members.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
67
High-Level Advisory Group members shall serve for a single four-year term.
The mandates of members or their representatives who fail to participate in three consecutive meetings
of the High-Level Advisory Group shall be automatically terminated.
One international organization active in the area of counter-terrorism, the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shall be part of the joint support team servicing the Group.
Chairperson
The Group shall elect its Chairperson for a period of one year. He/she shall be eligible for re-election for
one further one-year term.
The Advisory Group may also elect a Vice-Chairperson for one year following the same procedure as
for election of the Chairperson.
Sessions
The Group shall normally meet twice a year in regular session, on the occasion of IPU Assemblies. Its
sessions shall be held in camera. The Group shall set the dates for its sessions based on the proposals
made by the Secretary General. Additional meetings may be held if the Group so decides outside IPU
Assemblies.
Agenda
The provisional agenda of the Group shall be drawn up by the Group Chairperson in consultation with
the Secretary General.
Decisions
As a general rule, the Group's decisions shall be taken by consensus. In other cases, the main
recommendations, as well as diverging opinions, shall be conveyed to the Council.
Missions
The Group may decide to carry out field visits, principally to examine the role played by a given national
parliament in addressing the issues that fall within the Group’s mandate. Such missions shall be
conducted in accordance with agreed rules and principles.
Reporting
The Group shall report twice a year in regular session on its work to the Governing Council, of which it
shall be a subsidiary body.
Statistics of the Gender Partnership Group
Status of participation of women delegates at the 139
th
Assembly of the IPU (at 17 October 2018)
Composition of delegations at the last eight IPU statutory meetings (March 2015 - present)
Meeting
Total
delegates
Total/percentage of
women delegates
Total
delegations
Total/percentage
of all-male
delegations
(2 or more)
Total all-
female
delegations
(2 or more)
Total single-
sex delegations
(2 or more)
Total single-
member
delegations
(male and female)
Geneva (17/10/18)
Geneva (27/03/18)
St. Petersburg (10/17)
Dhaka (04/17)
Geneva (10/16)
Lusaka (03/16)
Geneva (10/15)
Hanoi (03/15)
751
745
829
612
693
636
647
675
247
227
249
193
228
190
210
189
32.9
30.5
30.0
31.5
32.9
29.9
32.5
28.0
149
148
155
126
141
126
133
128
17
18
17
11
15
19
12
16
12.1
12.7
11.8
9.6
11.5
15.8
9.9
13.7
4
3
1
1
3
0
2
1
21
21
18
12
18
19
14
17
9
6
11
12
11
6
12
11
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
68
Single-sex, multi-member delegations present in Geneva (status on 17 October 2018)
Geneva
10/18 Geneva 03/18 St. Petersburg 17 Dhaka 17 Geneva 16 Lusaka 16 Geneva 15 Hanoi 15
N° Country
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
Total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
1 Andorra 3 0 3 0 3 3 2 2 4 1 2 3 2 2 4 0 2 2 3 1 4 absent
2 Azerbaijan 0 2 2 absent 2 3 5 absent absent absent absent 1 1 2
3
Bolivia (Plurinational
State of) 3 0 3 3 2 5 5 1 6 3 1 4 4 0 4 3 1 4 absent absent
4 Burkina Faso 0 8 8 0 7 7 1 7 8 1 6 7 1 6 7 1 7 8 1 7 8 1 7 8
5 Czech Republic 0 3 3 2 3 5 0 4 4 1 6 7 1 5 6 3 4 7 2 4 6 1 5 6
6 Denmark 0 3 3 0 2 2 1 5 6 4 2 6 0 2 2 3 4 7 1 4 5 0 8 8
7 DPR Korea 0 4 4 0 4 4 0 6 6 0 3 3 0 4 4 0 4 4 absent 0 4 4
8 Fiji 2 0 2 2 3 5 2 2 4 2 1 3 2 1 3 1 2 3 2 1 3 suspended
9 Haiti 0 2 2 absent 0 4 4 absent 0 1 1 0 2 2 0 2 2 0 2 2
10 Ireland 0 5 5 1 4 5 1 4 5 2 2 4 1 4 5 absent 1 4 5 1 4 5
11 Liechtenstein 0 2 2 0 2 2 0 2 2 absent 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 absent
12 Micronesia 0 2 2 0 4 4 0 4 4 absent 0 3 3 0 3 3 0 4 4 0 3 3
13 Morocco 0 4 4 0 8 8 0 8 8 1 4 5 0 4 4 1 7 8 3 5 8 1 7 8
14 Myanmar 0 3 3 absent 0 2 2 absent 0 1 1 absent 0 1 1 1 5 6
15 Paraguay 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 absent absent absent absent absent
16 Peru 0 2 2 2 0 2 3 1 4 absent 2 1 3 absent 2 1 3 1 2 3
17 Republic of Korea 0 7 7 2 3 5 1 7 8 2 6 8 1 4 5 0 3 3 2 5 7 1 2 3
18 Republic of Moldova 2 0 2 2 0 2 1 1 2 absent absent absent 1 0 1 absent
19 Somalia 0 4 4 0 2 2 0 3 3 absent absent 0 2 2 absent absent
20 Sri Lanka 0 5 5 1 4 5 1 3 4 1 4 5 1 4 5 1 4 5 2 3 5 1 4 5
21 Yemen 0 5 5 0 7 7 absent absent 0 8 8 absent absent absent
Single-member delegations present in Geneva (status on 17 October 2018)
Geneva
10/18
Geneva
03/18
St. Petersburg
17 Dhaka 17 Geneva 16 Lusaka 16 Geneva 15 Hanoi 15
N° Country
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
Total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
Women
MPs
Men
MPs
total
1
Central
African
Republic 0 1 1 absent 0 1 1 0 1 1 suspended suspended suspended suspended
2 Congo 0 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 absent 0 1 1 absent absent absent
3 El Salvador 1 0 1 1 4 5 1 4 5 0 2 2 1 3 4 absent 1 3 4 1 4 5
4 Nicaragua 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 absent 1 0 1 absent absent absent
5 Panama 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 5 6 1 1 2 absent 0 1 1 1 3 4 1 3 4
6 Samoa 0 1 1 absent 0 1 1 0 1 1 absent absent absent absent
7 Slovenia 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 absent absent 2 1 3 1 2 3 absent
8 Sweden 1 0 1 5 3 8 2 2 4 3 4 7 3 2 5 3 3 6 3 2 5 3 4 7
9 Tonga 0 1 1 absent absent absent absent absent absent absent
Amendments to the IPU Statutes and Rules
Approved by the IPU Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
New Article 1.4
The IPU has legal personality and has the authority to enter into international agreements,
including cooperation agreements with national parliaments and inter-parliamentary
organizations, as well as with international intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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Amend Article 5.3 (loss of IPU membership)
When a Member or Associate Member of the IPU is three years in arrears in the payment of its
contributions to the IPU, the Executive Committee shall consider the situation, on a case-by-case
basis, and in close consultation with the Member or Associate Member concerned, and express
an opinion to the Governing Council. The Governing Council shall take a decision on the suspension of
the rights affiliation of that Member or Associate Member to the IPU.
Amend Article 18 (Governing Council)
1. The Governing Council shall be composed of three representatives from each Member of the IPU
(cf. Governing Council, Rule 1.2). The term of office of a member of the Governing Council shall last
from one Assembly to the next.
Amend Article 26 (Executive Committee)
2. The Executive Committee shall perform the following functions:
(e) Propose to the Governing Council the five-year IPU Strategy, as well as its annual work
programme and budget (cf. Financial Regs., Rule 3.4), and examine the progress made
in meeting IPU objectives, as stipulated in Article 1 of the Statutes.
(ebis) Examine and submit for approval of the Governing Council the Organization’s
policies on transparency and accountability, as well as its communications
strategy, in keeping with the overall five-year IPU Strategy;
Amend Article 28 (Secretariat)
2. The Secretariat shall perform the following functions:
(f) Prepare proposals for the five-year IPU Strategy, the annual work programme and
budget for the consideration of the Executive Committee (cf. Financial Regs., Rule 3.2,
3.3 and 3.7);
(fbis) Prepare for the consideration of the Executive Committee policies and reports on
transparency and accountability to be approved by the Governing Council;
Preparations for the Fifth World Conference of
Speakers of Parliament in 2020
Composition of the Preparatory Committee for the Fifth World Conference of
Speakers of Parliament
Noted by the Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
African Group
Mr. Aabdelkader Bensalah President Council of the Nation of Algeria
Ms. Margaret Mensah-Williams Speaker National Council of Namibia
Mr. Tinni Ousseini Speaker National Assembly of Niger
Ms. Rebecca Kadaga Speaker Parliament of Uganda
Mr. Haroun Kabadi President National Assembly of Chad
Arab Group
Ms. Amal Al Qubaisi Speaker Federal National Council of the United Arab
Emirates
Mr. Marzouq Al Ghanim Speaker National Assembly of Kuwait
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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Asia-Pacific Group
Ms. Jiko Luveni Speaker Parliament of Fiji
Mr. Li Zhanshu Chairman Standing Committee of the National People's
Congress of China
Lord Fakafanua Speaker Legislative Assembly of Tonga
Ms. Sumitra Mahajan Speaker Lok Sabha of India
Eurasia Group
Mr. Mikhail Vladimirovich Chairman Council of the Republic of Belarus
Myasnikovich
Vacancy
Group of Latin America and the Caribbean
Ms. Elizabeth Cabezas President National Assembly of Ecuador
Mr. Silvio Ovelar President Senate of Paraguay
Ms. Maya Fernández Allende President Chamber of Deputies of Chile (to be replaced
in March 2019 by the new President
Mr. Gabriel Silber)
Twelve Plus Group
Mr. Demetris Syllouris President House of Representatives of Cyprus
Mr. Trevor Mallard Speaker House of Representatives of New Zealand
Ms. Maja Gojkovic Speaker National Assembly of Serbia
Ms. Ana Pastor President Congress of Deputies of Spain
Vacancy
Representatives of the Executive Committee
Mr. Konstantin Kosachev Russian Federation
Mr. Kenneth M. Lusaka Kenya
Ms. Hege Haukeland Liadal Norway
* * * * * *
Mr. Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the IPU
High-level representative of the United Nations Secretary-General
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
71
Calendar of future meetings and other activities
Approved by the IPU Governing Council at its 203
rd
session
(Geneva, 18 October 2018)
Parliamentary Workshop and events in the context of the
World Investment Forum 2018
GENEVA
22-24 October 2018
Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit at the G20 BUENOS AIRES (Argentina)
1-2 November 2018
Regional seminar on climate change and disaster risk reduction for
Parliaments of the Caribbean
Suriname
5-6 November 2018
Seminar on the Achievement of the SDGs for the Parliaments of
the Twelve Plus Geopolitical Group and East Asia
JERUSALEM (Israel)
20-22 November 2018
Follow-up regional seminar on the contribution of parliament to
combat child trafficking and labour on the occasion of the
ECOWAS Parliamentary session
ECOWAS Parliament HQ
ABUJA (Nigeria)
20-22 November 2018
Regional workshop on the Parliament’s contribution to the
work of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for African
English-speaking parliaments, organized by the IPU and the
WTO
GABORONE (Botswana)
November 2018
(Dates to be confirmed)
World e-Parliament Conference 2018 GENEVA
3-5 December 2018
43
rd
session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary
Conference on the WTO on the occasion of the annual WTO
session
GENEVA
6 December 2018
Annual session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO GENEVA
6-7 December 2018
Parliamentary Meeting at the Global Compact on Migration RABAT (Morocco)
6-7 December 2018
Parliamentary Meeting at the United Nations Climate Change
Conference (COP24)
KRAKOW (Poland)
9 December 2018
Fifth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians BAKU (Azerbaijan)
13-15 December 2018
Capacity-building workshop on countering terrorism and violent
extremism for countries from the MENA region
CAIRO (Egypt)
(Dates to be confirmed)
Third Roundtable convened by the Committee on Middle East
Questions
Egypt
January 2019
(Dates to be confirmed)
158
th
session of the Committee on the Human Rights of
Parliamentarians
GENEVA
29 January – 8 February 2019
First meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Fifth World
Conference of Speakers of Parliament
GENEVA
8 and 9 February 2019
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
72
First Global Parliamentary Summit on Countering Terrorism
and Violent Extremism
February 2019
(Venue and dates to be
confirmed)
Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations NEW YORK
February 2019
(Dates to be confirmed)
44
th
session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary
Conference on the WTO
BRUSSELS (Belgium)
European Parliament
February/March 2019
(Dates to be confirmed)
Parliamentary Meeting on the occasion of the 63
rd
session of
the Commission on the Status of Women
NEW YORK
March 2019
(Dates to be confirmed)
140
th
Assembly and related meetings DOHA (Qatar)
6-10 April 2019
Capacity-building workshop on countering terrorism and
violent extremism for the Sahel countries
Niger
(first half of 2019 - dates to be
confirmed)
Workshop for parliamentary human rights committees GENEVA
(first half of 2019 - dates to be
confirmed)
Second regional seminar on the achievement of the SDGs for
the Parliaments in the Asia-Pacific Region
ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia)
May/June 2019
(Dates to be confirmed)
Information seminar on the structure and functioning of the
Inter-Parliamentary Union for English-speaking participants
GENEVA
May/June 2019
(Dates to be confirmed)
Fourteenth Workshop of Parliamentary Scholars and
Parliamentarians
WROXTON (United Kingdom)
27-28 July 2019
Parliamentary side event at the High-Level Political Forum for
sustainable development (HLPF)
NEW YORK
July 2019
(Dates to be confirmed)
141
st
Assembly and related meetings BELGRADE (Serbia)
Autumn 2019
(Dates to be confirmed)
Regional seminar on the achievement of the SDGs for African
Parliaments
Côte d’Ivoire
(Dates to be confirmed)
Sixth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians Venue and dates to be
confirmed
Leadership seminar on strengthening democracy through
electoral processes
MEXICO CITY (Mexico)
(Dates to be confirmed)
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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Agenda of the 140th
Assembly
(Doha, Qatar, 6-10 April 2019)
1. Election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the 140
th
Assembly
2. Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda
3. General Debate
4. Non-admissibility of using mercenaries as a means of undermining peace and violating human
rights
(Standing Committee on Peace and International Security)
5. The role of fair and free trade and investment in achieving the SDGs, especially regarding
economic equality, sustainable infrastructure, industrialization and innovation
(Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade)
6. Reports of the Standing Committees
7. Approval of the subject items for the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security
and for the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade at the
142
nd
IPU Assembly and appointment of the Rapporteurs
8. Amendments to the IPU Statutes and Rules