Resultaterne af 143. session

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20 December 2021
Dear Madam President,
Dear Mr. President,
We are pleased to share with you the Results of the 143rd Assembly of the Inter-
Parliamentary Union and Related Meetings, held in Madrid, Spain, from 26 to
30 November 2021.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Madrid Assembly was the first IPU Assembly held
in-person in more than two years. In spite of the ongoing constraints, we were able to
convene this event. We can all be proud of what we were able to achieve in terms of the
level of participation, the quality of the deliberations and the substance of the outcomes.
Over the course of the Assembly, some 950 delegates – including 39 Speakers of
Parliament – from close to 120 countries and a variety of partner organizations,
addressed several issues that are high on the international agenda.
The General Debate centred on the theme Contemporary challenges to democracy:
Overcoming division and building community. Member Parliaments adopted the Madrid
Declaration, which calls for parliamentarians to take a new approach to politics by
showing true leadership in times of crisis, working to counter polarization, disinformation
and hate speech, and behaving in a respectful and inclusive manner, with the overall aim
of reconnecting people with their democratic institutions.
In an impressive show of solidarity, parliamentarians from around the world rallied around
an emergency resolution entitled Harnessing global parliamentary support for vaccine
equity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution recognizes that
“vaccination is part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce transmission and save lives
and is among the most important tools in the fight against the pandemic”. It also
emphasized the principle of equity, whereby “each person must be vaccinated in
accordance with their level of risk and needs”.
The Assembly adopted a resolution prepared by the Standing Committee on Democracy
and Human Rights on Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual exploitation
and abuse. In the context of the ongoing pandemic, the scourge of online abuse is
becoming particularly dramatic, and all parliaments are called upon to take resolute
action in combatting this phenomenon.
The Governing Council adopted a number of decisions regarding violations of the human
rights or parliamentarians. As highlighted in the IPU statement issued recently in the
context of Human Rights Day, we are witnessing a record number of persecuted MPs
worldwide, against the backdrop of political instability and a retreat in the observance of
democratic principles and practices. Parliamentary solidarity is sorely needed to defend
the right of all MPs to do their job safely and freely.
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The Governing Council also unanimously adopted the new IPU Strategy for 2022-2026,
the result of an extensive year-long Member-driven consultation process. The Strategy
sets out five strategic objectives reflecting how the IPU makes positive change in the
world, and four priority policy areas. It also places special emphasis on inclusion,
resilience and accountability.
The attached publication contains a summary of the work carried out by the various IPU
bodies, as well as the resolutions, decisions and other outcome documents adopted
during a very vibrant and substantive Assembly in Madrid.
We very much hope that the main decisions and recommendations that emerged from
the Assembly will be useful for your work in Parliament. We kindly request that these be
circulated within your Parliament so that it may, as statutorily required, consider the
measures for their implementation, through a variety of parliamentary initiatives or as
inspiration for comprehensive legislation.
We look forward to hearing from you on the follow-up measures taken.
Yours sincerely,
Duarte Pacheco
President
Martin Chungong
Secretary General


Inter-Parliamentary Union – 2021
143rd IPU Assembly
and related meetings
26 – 30 November 2021
Madrid, Spain
Results of the proceedings
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page(s)
Meetings and other activities
143rd Assembly
1. Inaugural ceremony ............................................................................................................. 4
2. Participation ......................................................................................................................... 6
3. Hybrid component ............................................................................................................... 6
4. Choice of an emergency item .............................................................................................. 7
5. Debates and decisions of the Assembly and its Standing Committees .............................. 7
6. Concluding sitting of the Assembly ..................................................................................... 11
208th session of the Governing Council
1. Election of the President of the 143rd Assembly ................................................................. 13
2. Report of the IPU President ................................................................................................. 13
3. Interim report by the Secretary General on the activities of the IPU
since the 207th session of the Governing Council .............................................................. 13
4. Adoption of the new IPU Strategy for 2022-2026 ................................................................ 13
5. Financial situation ................................................................................................................ 14
6. Consolidated budget for 2022 ............................................................................................. 14
7. Membership of the IPU and observer status ....................................................................... 15
8. Recent IPU specialized meetings ........................................................................................ 16
9. Future inter-parliamentary meetings ................................................................................... 16
10. Reporting by Members on IPU-related activities ................................................................. 16
11. Reports of committees and other bodies ............................................................................. 16
12. Elections to the Executive Committee ................................................................................. 17
13. Reappointment of the Secretary General ............................................................................ 17
14. The IPU Cremer-Passy Prize .............................................................................................. 17
286th session of the Executive Committee
1. Debates and decisions ........................................................................................................ 17
2. IPU Strategy for 2022-2026 ................................................................................................. 19
3. Questions relating to the IPU membership and the situation of certain parliaments .......... 19
4. Sub-Committee on Finance ................................................................................................. 21
Forum and Bureau of Women Parliamentarians .................................................................... 21
Forum and Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU ................................. 22
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
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Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
1. Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians ........................................................ 23
2. Committee on Middle East Questions ................................................................................. 23
3. Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law .................................. 23
4. Gender Partnership Group .................................................................................................. 24
5. Advisory Group on Health ................................................................................................... 25
6. Group of Facilitators for Cyprus .......................................................................................... 25
7. High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism
and Violent Extremism (HLAG) ........................................................................................... 26
8. Working Group on Science and Technology ....................................................................... 26
Other activities and events
1. Meeting of the Chairs of the Geopolitical Groups ............................................................... 27
2. Open Session of the Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian
Law – Supporting a mine-free world: Universalization and implementation of the
Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention ................................................................................. 28
3. Parity debate: Are men and women MPs equally engaged in gender equality? ................. 28
4. Knowledge exchange on climate crisis: Parliaments as agents of change
in the climate emergency ..................................................................................................... 29
5. Workshop: Good parliamentary practices to promote interfaith dialogue ........................... 30
6. Workshop: Public engagement in the work of parliaments:
Challenges, opportunities and good practices .................................................................... 30
7. Launch of the Handbook on gender-responsive law-making .............................................. 31
8. Launch of the regional report on Sexism, harassment and violence
against women in parliaments in Africa ............................................................................... 31
9. Launch of the Guidelines for parliamentarians on budgeting for the SDGs ........................ 31
10. I Say Yes to Youth in Parliament! Campaign ...................................................................... 32
Elections, appointments and membership of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Elections and appointments
1. Executive Committee ........................................................................................................... 32
2. Gender Partnership Group .................................................................................................. 32
3. Bureau of Women Parliamentarians ................................................................................... 32
4. Committee on Middle East Questions ................................................................................. 32
5. Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law .................................. 32
6. Group of Facilitators for Cyprus .......................................................................................... 33
7. High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG) ....... 33
8. Working Group on Science and Technology ........................................................................ 33
9. Internal Auditors for the 2022 accounts ............................................................................... 33
10. Standing Committees .......................................................................................................... 33
11. Rapporteurs to the 145th Assembly .................................................................................... 35
12. Rotation of the presidencies of the IPU Standing Committees until 2033 .......................... 35
Media and communications .................................................................................................... 36
Membership of the Inter-Parliamentary Union ........................................................................ 38
Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly of
the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Agenda .................................................................................................................................... 39
Madrid Declaration on Contemporary challenges to democracy: Overcoming division
and building community .......................................................................................................... 40
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Resolution
• Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse .............. 43
Emergency item
• Resolution: Harnessing global parliamentary support for vaccine equity
in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic ............................................................... 47
Reports of the Standing Committees
• Report of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security .................... 49
• Report of the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development ............................... 52
• Report of the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs ..................................... 54
Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Reports, decisions and other texts
• IPU Strategy for 2022-2026 ......................................................................................... 56
• IPU budget for 2022 ..................................................................................................... 63
• Scale of contributions for 2022 .................................................................................... 64
• Parliamentary Message to the 5th United Nations Conference
on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) .................................................................. 68
• Report of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians ....................................................... 69
• Report of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU ........................................ 72
• Report of the Committee on Middle East Questions ................................................... 73
• Report of the Committee to Promote Respect for
International Humanitarian Law ................................................................................... 74
• Report of the High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and
Violent Extremism (HLAG) ........................................................................................... 75
• Report of the Group on Science and Technology ....................................................... 77
• Statistics of the Gender Partnership Group ................................................................. 78
Future meetings
• Calendar of future meetings and other activities ............................................................ 81
• Agenda of the 144th Assembly ...................................................................................... 84
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
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143rd Assembly
1. Inaugural ceremony
The inaugural ceremony of the 143rd IPU Assembly took place at the IFEMA Palacio Municipal, Madrid
at 18:30 on Friday, 26 November 2021, with His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain in attendance.
Ms. Isabel Diaz Ayuso, President of the Community of Madrid, welcomed delegates to Madrid and
noted that the IFEMA conference centre, the venue of the Assembly, had been the site of the city’s first
temporary hospital to deal with COVID-19 cases in March 2020. Spain had a long tradition of
parliamentary democracy, going back to the Cortes de Léon in 1188. Spain’s modern democratic era
had begun in 1978 and the monarchy, represented today by King Felipe VI, was key to the country’s
stability.
She thanked the IPU for choosing Madrid for its Assembly and wished delegates well in their essential
work to spread peace and understanding. Parliaments existed for the common good, to protect the
people against abuses of power, to engage in dialogue to overcome difficulties and to ensure peaceful
coexistence. The citizens of the world were counting on the delegates at the Assembly to cooperate and
find consensus in the interests of democracy and freedom. She hoped that delegates would also have
the opportunity to explore Madrid during their stay.
In a video message, Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the United Nations General Assembly, spoke
of his time as a parliamentarian and the important role played by parliaments in bringing United Nations
agreements to fruition. The Assembly was an opportunity to build on the declaration adopted at the Fifth
World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Vienna in September 2021 to overcome the COVID-19
pandemic, build resilience and reinforce a shared commitment to the rule of law, sustainability,
democracy and human rights.
In a video message, Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, emphasized
the vital of role of parliaments in addressing the many serious challenges the world was facing: the
climate emergency, inequality and continued conflict around the globe. His recent report, Our Common
Agenda, stressed the importance of building a more inclusive form of multilateralism, bringing together
parliaments, civil society, the private sector and others for global decision-making. Discussions at the
Assembly on gender equality, public engagement and the promotion of interfaith dialogue were all
essential considerations in promoting peaceful and resilient communities and societies.
Members of the Spanish National Ballet performed a traditional flamenco dance.
Mr. Ander Gil García, President of the Senate of Spain, welcomed delegates on behalf of the Cortes
Generales and noted that parliamentarians were united by the current challenges facing the world.
Parliamentarians needed to lead by example, promote goodwill and respect, and overcome their
differences through dialogue, in order to strengthen the confidence of their citizens in democratic
systems. Inequalities between rural and urban areas, and the separation between central
decision-makers and the periphery, were issues that needed to be addressed in many countries.
Violence and abuse against women in parliaments remained disturbingly commonplace, with male
parliamentarians often the main perpetrators. Parliaments needed to work to ensure that their chambers
were safe and respectful places, with true gender equality and free of all violence. Parliaments needed
to represent their citizens and preserve democratic values. The IPU Strategy for 2022-2026, due to be
adopted later that week, set out a range of strategic objectives and policy areas, which would guide the
Organization’s activities and encourage parliaments to work together over the coming five years to
strengthen their impact.
Ms. Meritxell Batet Lamaña, President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, welcomed delegates
to Madrid in the name of the Congress of Deputies. The 143rd Assembly was the fourth held in Madrid
and marked a return to face-to-face meetings after nearly two years of living with the COVID-19
pandemic. The Spanish parliament acknowledged its special responsibility to ensure that the Assembly
would take place in the safest conditions possible. The COVID-19 virus was now held in check in many
countries but a huge task still lay ahead, particularly in ensuring full access to vaccines everywhere and
for everyone.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
5
The pandemic had been a great challenge for parliaments, as it had imposed new working methods,
often relying on new technologies, and required parliaments to formulate and approve emergency
responses in a continuously evolving situation. The crisis had created a great deal of mistrust, putting
democracy at risk. Parliaments had therefore needed to be consistent, united and open to radical
solutions. People’s dissatisfaction with politics had led to polarization, exclusion and populism in many
countries, undermining democratic institutions. The theme of the Assembly, Contemporary challenges
to democracy: Overcoming division and building community, was therefore most timely. The world
would be looking to the debates and outcome of the Assembly to provide hope for the future of
democracy.
Mr. Duarte Pacheco, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, thanked the Spanish Parliament
for having agreed to host the Assembly and for its organization in a much shorter timeframe than usual.
Since the last in-person Assembly in Belgrade in October 2019, the IPU had been able to continue its
work thanks to remote meetings, but in-person interactions were vital for true parliamentary diplomacy.
The COVID-19 pandemic had shown how interdependent the world had become and how it was
necessary to work together to find global solutions to global problems. More than 5 million people had
lost their lives to the virus, including many parliamentarians, and the pandemic had led to backsliding in
hard-won progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The past two years had also been marked by dangerous regressions in democracy and human rights,
with an epidemic of military coups and direct attacks on parliaments, notably in Afghanistan, Guinea,
Mali, Myanmar and Sudan. Parliaments had a responsibility to build back better and bolder. The Fifth
World Conference of Speakers of Parliament had conveyed a strong message that business as usual
was not an option. More needed to be done to combat the climate crisis, effectively and with
accountability. The pandemic had disproportionately affected women and youth, and it was crucial to
ensure that they were represented in all aspects of society and decision-making, including in
parliaments. Technology allowed people to be better connected than ever before but had also enabled a
huge rise in extremism, polarization and disinformation. Parliamentarians had a duty to listen to one
another, to promote cooperation and trust through a message of hope not hate, and to safeguard
democracy.
His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain welcomed delegates and expressed his condolences for the huge
loss of life worldwide over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spain was proud to have
been chosen to host the Assembly and was taking every step to ensure that it took place in the safest
possible conditions. UNESCO had recognized Spain as the cradle of parliamentarianism, with the
Cortes de Léon of 1188 considered the first documented parliamentary system in Europe. Dialogue
between countries and institutions was the basis for agreements and cooperation. The IPU had been
founded on the conviction of Sir William Randal Cremer and Frédéric Passy that parliaments needed to
face global challenges together.
The focus of the Assembly’s General Debate on threats to parliaments and democracy was very much
in line with the intentions of the IPU’s founders. In the days ahead, parliamentarians would need to work
hard to reconcile their different perspectives and build a consensus on the way forward. Parliaments
had many shared challenges, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency.
Parliaments had a responsibility to draw on the talents and skills of all sectors of society, and improving
the representation of women and young people was vital.
He extended a particular welcome to parliaments from Latin America, with whom Spain shared a
historical cultural bond, as well as to fellow parliaments around the Mediterranean and in other
European Union states. It was a particular honour for Spain to host the first IPU Assembly held in the
European Union in over 20 years. He welcomed members of parliament from around the world and
expressed his conviction that their interest and vigour in the deliberations to come would yield a fruitful
outcome. He thanked the Spanish National Ballet for the flamenco performance and encouraged
delegates to partake in the many other cultural and leisure activities that Madrid had to offer.
His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain declared the 143rd IPU Assembly open.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
6
2. Participation
Delegations from 117 Member Parliaments took part in the work of the Assembly:*
Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia
(Plurinational State of), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar,
Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation,
Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab
Republic, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of
Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The following six Associate Members also took part in the Assembly: the Arab Parliament, the East
African Legislative Assembly (EALA), the Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the West African Economic
and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (PABSEC), and the Parliamentary
Assembly of La Francophonie (APF).
Observers included representatives of:
(i) the United Nations and related organizations: Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
(PMNCH);
(ii) parliamentary assemblies and associations: African Parliamentary Union (APU), Arab
Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU), Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association (CPA), Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region
(FP-ICGLR), G5 Sahel Inter-Parliamentary Committee, Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against
Corruption (GOPAC), Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament (PNND),
Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic Speaking
Countries (TurkPA), Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, Parliamentary Forum
on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PF-SALW), Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation Member States (PUIC), Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum
(SADC PF);
(iii) worldwide non-governmental organizations: the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria;
(iv) international political party federations: Socialist International;
(v) other IPU partner organizations: International IDEA, the Sovereign Order of Malta.
Of the 936 delegates who attended the Assembly, 515 were members of parliament (509 from Member
Parliaments and 6 from Associate Member delegations). Those parliamentarians included 39 Presiding
Officers, 31 Deputy Presiding Officers, 200 women MPs (38.8%) and 128 young MPs (24.9%).
3. Hybrid component
Although the 143rd Assembly was an in-person event, some of the meeting rooms were equipped for
hybrid sessions in order to allow access to participants unable to travel to Madrid due to
COVID-19 restrictions. This set-up was particularly useful for the closed meetings of the Executive
Committee and Bureaus, and it enabled panellists and guest speakers to take the floor remotely in
some Standing Committee sessions as well as various workshops. The Committee on the Human
Rights of Parliamentarians was also able to hold a series of hearings remotely.
*
For the complete list of IPU Members, see page 38
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The Forum of Women Parliamentarians, the Inaugural Ceremony, and the Assembly General Debate
were all live streamed in English. In total, 45 remote participants connected to various meetings and
almost 200 observers followed open sessions.
4. Choice of an emergency item
On 27 November 2021, the President informed the Assembly that the following five requests for the
inclusion of an emergency item had been proposed:
• Global parliamentary support for the humanitarian situation of the Palestinians (Indonesia);
• Stopping human trafficking, halting human rights abuses and working towards free and fair
elections in Belarus (Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine and
the United Kingdom);
• Impetus to regional development of countries with high levels of international migration (Mexico);
• The vital necessity of ensuring uninterrupted parliamentary activities during pandemics (Russian
Federation);
• Harnessing global parliamentary support for vaccine equity in the fight against the COVID-19
pandemic (African Group).
After presenting its emergency item, Germany, supported by the seven other European co-sponsors,
withdrew its proposal and transferred its support to the proposal on vaccine equity from the African
Group. The Russian Federation did the same and requested that the African Group add the Russian
Federation as a co-sponsor of its proposal. After the presentation from the African Group, Indonesia and
Mexico also withdrew their proposals and transferred their support to the proposal from the African
Group, leaving the Assembly with only one proposal for an emergency item.
In accordance with Article 16.1 of the IPU Statutes which stipulates “Voting at the Assembly shall be
conducted by roll call, except when the decision before the Assembly meets with no opposition”, the
Assembly decided by acclamation to include the proposal from the African Group on the agenda as
Item 7.
Meanwhile, Belarus requested the floor to express its opposition to the item proposed and then
withdrawn by Germany with the support of seven European countries. The IPU President explained that
it was not possible to hear a contrary opinion on an item which had been withdrawn. After the
presentations of all items, the IPU President gave the floor to Belarus, which exercised its right of reply
in accordance with Rule 22.2 of the Rules of the Assembly.
5. Debates and decisions of the Assembly and its Standing Committees
(a) General Debate: Contemporary challenges to democracy: Overcoming division and building
community (Item 3)
During the three days of deliberations, some 110 legislators from 92 Member Parliaments, including
31 Presiding Officers and 13 young parliamentarians, as well as representatives of 3 Associate
Members and 6 observers, contributed to the General Debate. A keynote address was delivered by
Mr. Danilo Türk, former President of Slovenia, at the opening of the General Debate.
Ms. Meritxell Batet Lamaña, President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, said that, although
democracy had faced many challenges in its history, parliaments, the central institution of democracy,
could now be found in most countries around the world. Parliamentary democracies needed to be based
on a consensus of shared values and common goals, be representative of the political pluralism of the
societies they represented, and accommodate the presentation of alternative or minority views. The
failure to recognize alternative views was among the greatest threats to democracy, as embodied by the
rise of polarization and populism.
The world was facing many crises: the climate emergency, inequality, economic turmoil and migration.
Success in finding solutions was dependent on people’s trust in parliaments as institutions, fostered
through inclusivity, social cohesion, respect, and guarantees of safety, freedom and prosperity.
Parliaments needed to find agreement and consensus but also recognize the legitimacy of alternative
positions. Scientific consensus and the rule of law must be respected with a view to blocking populist
attempts to spread fake news and alternative facts. Whenever public institutions were weakened,
democratic power was weakened and non-democratic powers were strengthened.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
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Mr. Duarte Pacheco, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, said that the General Debate
would provide an opportunity to hear from the diverse voices of all IPU Members, including young MPs,
to not only examine problems but also to propose concrete solutions, and to listen to each other and
learn from each other’s experiences. Delegates were invited to be respectful and constructive in their
interventions, and to focus on what parliamentarians could and should do to strengthen democracy.
The debate would focus on four main topics: new approaches to politics to address the various
challenges facing democracies around the world, measures to counter the spread of disinformation and
hate speech while maintaining appropriate conditions for free speech, ways to reduce polarization and
hostility, and ways to connect people with their democratic institutions through increased public
engagement, participation and inclusivity.
Special guest Mr. Danilo Türk recalled his extensive interactions with the IPU over the course of his
career, as Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs at the United Nations from 2000 to 2005,
President of Slovenia from 2007 to 2012, and in his current role as President of the Club de Madrid, an
organization bringing together former presidents and prime ministers from around the world to promote
democracy and international cooperation.
Democracy had shown considerable resilience in the face of numerous threats but there was a danger
of complacency. The world was facing many overlapping challenges: the rise of authoritarian
tendencies, an epidemic of coups d’état, the emergence of a new information ecosystem with no
normative framework, increases in income disparity and inequalities leading to discontent and
polarization, and the unchecked rise of ideologies such as nationalism. Democracy remained the best
hope for finding solutions to such challenges.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Club de Madrid had formed a Global Commission on
Democracy and Emergencies, of which the IPU Secretary General was a member. The Commission
would soon release its report but it was already clear that it would focus on three cornerstones of
democratic resilience: the mechanisms of democracy and fundamental rights, social inclusion and
cohesion, and effective leadership and democratic culture. The growth of polarization was a particular
concern, and human rights needed to be protected as basic prerequisites of democracy.
Parliaments had played a central role during the pandemic and had adapted through increased
efficiency, transparency, inclusion and innovation. Several areas had emerged as needing particular
attention in future: the need to review constitutional frameworks for emergencies, to establish a clear
and accessible process for emergency legislation, to be prepared for future emergencies and flexible
enough to allow parliaments to continue working, to approach digital technologies as an opportunity, to
adapt to the new information ecosystem and limit the monopolistic practices of technology companies,
to adopt new mechanisms of participation and capitalize on the growing appetite for civic engagement,
to increase the representation of women and other underrepresented groups, and to pay greater
attention to the aspirations and needs of young people.
Ms. Lesia Vasylenko (Ukraine), President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, said that
increased polarization had led to a culture of hate and intolerance, much of which was directed at
women. The problem had been exacerbated by the accessibility and anonymity of online platforms and
social media. Parliaments needed to recognize and value the role of women in building trust and
working across party lines. Women’s parliamentary caucuses had been proven to unite women of all
political persuasions around priorities that they could all support.
The equal representation of men and women was a vital step towards making parliaments more
representative of the people. Positive measures were required to increase the numbers of women in
leadership roles and to tear down the barriers that limited women’s political participation, including
discrimination, sexism, harassment and violence. Gender-balanced parliaments led to gender-
responsive policies that were often drivers for growth, sustainability and empowerment for all.
In a video message, Ms. Sahar Albazar (Egypt), President of the Board of the Forum of Young
Parliamentarians, said that young people had been particularly affected by the socio-economic
consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and deprived of their right to lead the way towards a resilient,
prosperous and just future. Young MPs had made their voices heard at the virtual 142nd IPU Assembly
and the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and would continue to impress upon their
fellow parliamentarians the need to increase youth participation and take account of youth perspectives
in politics.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
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The IPU’s I Say Yes to Youth in Parliament campaign, launched earlier in 2021, had galvanized the
support of an impressive number of changemakers from around the world, and efforts would be stepped
up to ensure that the campaign continued to inspire transformative action. The widespread distrust of
politics among young people led to disengagement, marginalization and polarization. Increased youth
engagement in democracy would make it stronger and more resilient, improving the lives of young
people and bridging the generational divide.
(b) Standing Committee on Peace and International Security
The Standing Committee on Peace and International Security held two sittings on 28 and
29 November 2021 with Mr. J.I. Echániz (Spain), acting President of the Committee, in the Chair.
On 28 November, the Committee held an expert hearing on the theme Rethinking and reframing the
approach to peace processes with a view to fostering lasting peace. The Committee had chosen this
theme for its next resolution to be negotiated at the 144th IPU Assembly. The aim of the hearing was to
offer the Committee members a comprehensive insight into the topic and its relevance. Sixteen
speakers, including the two co-Rapporteurs, one observer organization, and five experts took part in the
debate.
On 29 November, the Committee examined its second substantial item through a panel discussion on
the theme Parliament’s role in addressing the risks of diversion in arms transfers. The panel opened
with the statements by three experts, each speaking from a different point of view. The aim of the
presentations was to offer the Committee members a thorough insight into the topic. Following the
experts’ interventions, a total of 11 speakers took the floor.
The Bureau of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security met on 28 November 2021.
Nine out of 18 members and the representative of the President of the Bureau of Women
Parliamentarians were present. During the meeting, the new IPU Strategy for 2022-2026 was presented
and the Bureau’s workplan was discussed. It was decided to devote all the time allocated for the
144th Assembly to negotiating the resolution. The proposal was subsequently approved by the Standing
Committee at the end of its last plenary sitting on 29 November.
On 29 November, the Committee held elections to the Bureau. Elections for the Committee President
and Vice-President for the 2022-2023 cycle were also held.
The Committee report on the panel and hearing was presented to the Assembly at its last sitting on
30 November by the acting President of the Standing Committee, Mr. Echániz (Spain).
(c) Standing Committee on Sustainable Development
The Standing Committee held its sittings on 27 and 29 November. The sittings were chaired by the
Bureau member Mr. W. William (Seychelles).
The Committee discussed the subject item of the next resolution entitled Leveraging Information and
Communication Technology as an enabler for the education sector, including in times of pandemic.
Ms. I. Kharkova of UNESCO’s Future of Learning and Innovation Team introduced the theme and key
issues for consideration and discussion. The co-Rapporteurs, Ms. H. Järvinen (Finland) and
Mr. S. Patra (India) shared their initial ideas about the content of the draft resolution. Also, the new IPU
publication, Guidelines for parliamentarians on budgeting for the SDGs: Making the most of public
resources was launched during the Committee’s first sitting.
In its second siting, the Committee held a discussion on the theme Impact of climate change on natural
resources: How can parliaments ensure inclusive water access and availability? Expert contributions
came from Mr. D. Muruven, Global Policy Lead on Freshwater, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF),
and Mr. Lifeng Li, Director of the Land and Water Division, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The Committee held elections to the Bureau and elected its new President and Vice-President.
The Committee approved the Bureau’s proposal to dedicate the Committee's sessions at the 144th IPU
Assembly to drafting the resolution.
The Committee report was presented to the Assembly at its last sitting on 30 November by
Mr. W. William.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
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(d) Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights
The Standing Committee held sittings on 27 and 29 November 2021, with member of the Bureau
Mr. D. Marie (France) in the Chair.
The Committee considered the draft resolution Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual
exploitation and abuse. The resolution was introduced by the co-Rapporteur, Ms. A. Gerkens
(Netherlands) on behalf of the three co-Rapporteurs, as Ms. J. Oduol (Kenya) and Mr. P. Limjaroenrat
(Thailand), were not able to be present in person.
When examining the draft resolution, the Committee considered 80 amendments submitted by
16 parliaments (Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia,
Iran (Islamic Republic of), Russian Federation, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Arab
Emirates). One amendment was proposed by the Forum of Women Parliamentarians.
The co-Rapporteurs Ms. Oduol (Kenya) and Ms. Gerkens (Netherlands) presented the revised draft
resolution to the Committee at its final sitting. The draft resolution was adopted by acclamation.
The Committee Bureau met on 29 November. It considered proposals for the future work programme of
the Committee. Five proposals for the subject item of the Committee’s next resolution had been
submitted before the deadline by Germany, India, the Maldives, the Russian Federation and Uruguay.
Each proposal was presented by the corresponding delegation, with the exception of the Indian
proposal.
Following a unanimous recommendation by the Bureau, the Committee approved the proposal put
forward by Germany entitled Parliamentary impetus to local and regional development of countries with
high levels of international migration and to stopping all forms, including state-sponsored, of human
trafficking and human rights abuses as the subject of its next resolution. A preparatory debate would
take place at the 144th Assembly and the resolution would be finalized at the 145th Assembly in
October 2022.
The Committee approved the Bureau’s unanimous recommendation to hold a panel discussion at the
144th Assembly on the theme The role of parliaments in reconciling health measures during a pandemic
with the preservation of civil liberties.
The Committee also recommended that two workshops be organized at the 144th Assembly, if the
schedule allows, on the themes of artificial intelligence and the combat against female genital mutilation.
The draft resolution on combating online child sexual exploitation and abuse was presented by
Ms. Gerkens (Netherlands) to the Assembly at its plenary sitting in the afternoon of 30 November and
was adopted by acclamation.
The Committee also held elections to the Bureau and elected its new President and Vice-President.
(e) Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs
The Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs met in plenary session on 29 November with
Mr. P. Katjavivi (Namibia) as interim Chair. The session consisted of two panel discussions with
high-level UN officials.
The first panel on the global vaccination campaign to end the COVID-19 pandemic featured
representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Dr. S. Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, and Dr. K. O’Brien, Director of the
Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals spoke for the WHO, and Mr. E. Gomez, Chief of
Staff, representing UNAIDS, discussed vaccine equity and accessibility, as well as the general
pandemic response of their respective agencies. Thirty-four parliamentary delegations comprising some
80 parliamentarians attended and 14 speakers posed questions to the panel.
The global goal of immunizing 70 per cent of the population by June 2022 is off track given the limited
vaccine manufacturing capacity and, to a lesser extent, vaccine hesitancy. There is inherent difficulty in
expanding production of a highly sophisticated medical product and the transfer of technical know-how
due to the constraints on intellectual property rights under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement). Parliamentarians emphasized the need for greater
global solidarity and for a much stronger pandemic response. More than one speaker noted, “no one is
safe until all are safe”. The recent emergence of the potentially more aggressive Omicron variant of the
virus was a stark reminder of the need to scale up the global response to the pandemic.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
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The second panel was on the UN Secretary-General’s Report Our Common Agenda. Ms. M. Griffin,
Policy Advisor, Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, discussed the Secretary-General’s
September 2021 report on the Common Agenda adopted at the conclusion of the High-level Meeting to
commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations (UN75 Summit). The Common Agenda’s
12 commitments address growing threats to the sustainability of the world, from climate change to future
pandemics, as well as to peace and security. Countries reaffirmed the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) and the need to strengthen multilateralism as best illustrated more recently by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Ten delegations spoke in response to Ms. Griffin’s presentation and emphasized the representative,
oversight and legislative role of parliaments as key to the implementation of international agreements
such as the Common Agenda and to the ratification of international treaties. Speakers generally
recognized the importance of multilateral solutions in an increasingly interdependent world.
The Committee also held elections to the Bureau and elected its new President and Vice-President.
(f) Debate on the emergency item
Harnessing global parliamentary support for vaccine equity in the fight against the COVID-19
pandemic
The debate on the emergency item was held in the morning of Sunday, 28 November 2021, with
Ms. F. Zainal, Speaker of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain, in the Chair.
Thirteen speakers took the floor during the debate, namely Russian Federation, India, South Africa,
Bahrain, Turkey, Yemen, Morocco, Suriname, Uruguay, Portugal, Chile, Democratic Republic of the
Congo and United Republic of Tanzania.
All speakers expressed their support for the emergency item proposal and underscored the importance
of international cooperation and solidarity to accelerate the vaccination programme in low-income
countries. Such solidarity had been demonstrated by the sponsors of the four other proposals, who had
withdrawn their proposals and transferred their support to the proposal on vaccine equity.
Many delegates referred to the importance of international cooperation and contribution to the
COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) and African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT)
programmes, and emphasized the need for effective policies to accompany vaccination programmes.
Delegates also deplored the tragic passing of their fellow parliamentarians due to COVID-19 and
extended their condolences to those affected.
At the end of the debate, Mr. J.K. Mhagama (United Republic of Tanzania), the originator of the
proposal on behalf of the African Group, thanked all speakers as well as the authors of other proposals
who had decided to withdraw their proposals and transfer their support to the African Group’s proposal.
He invited his fellow parliamentarians to reflect on key questions such as why the poorest countries had
been left behind on vaccination and how developed countries could help others.
The Assembly referred the emergency item to a drafting committee made up of representatives of
Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, United Republic of
Tanzania, Uruguay and Zambia.
(g) Adoption of the resolution on the emergency item
In the afternoon of 29 November 2021, the plenary sitting of the Assembly heard several amendment
proposals from the Speaker of Zimbabwe. After clarification that some of the proposed amendments
would change the nature and scope of the resolution, the plenary sitting unanimously adopted the
resolution without the proposed substantive amendments. It was agreed that those of a linguistic nature
would be incorporated into the resolution by the Secretariat prior to publication (see page 47).
6. Concluding sitting of the Assembly
At the concluding sitting on 30 November, the IPU President introduced the Madrid Declaration on
Contemporary challenges to democracy: Overcoming division and building community (see page 40).
The Declaration encouraged parliamentarians to take a new approach to politics and to work to counter
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 143rd Assembly
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disinformation and hate speech. Parliamentarians needed to lead by example, to reduce the polarization
in their debates and to show respect for one another, with the overall aim of connecting people with their
democratic institutions. They needed to show leadership, particularly in times of crisis, and to take an
inclusive approach to their work. The Assembly unanimously endorsed the Madrid Declaration.
Ms. A. Gerkens, Vice-President of the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights,
presented the Committee’s resolution, Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual exploitation
and abuse (see page 43). The Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution.
The Assembly took note of the Reports of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security,
the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development and the Standing Committee on United Nations
Affairs (see page 49).
The Assembly approved the subject item for the resolution to be drafted by the Standing Committee on
Democracy and Human Rights for adoption at the 145th IPU Assembly, together with the rapporteurs
that would be working on the draft resolution (see page 35).
Ms. P. Maharani, Speaker of the People's Representative Council of Indonesia, warmly invited all
IPU Members to attend the 144th IPU Assembly, which would be taking place from 20 to 24 March 2022
in Nusa Dua. A short video was shown.
At the conclusion of the Assembly, the representatives of the geopolitical groups took the floor:
Mr. K. Barkiya Abdullahi (Nigeria) on behalf of the Africa Group, Mr. A.R. Al Nuaimi (United Arab
Emirates) on behalf of the Arab Group, Mr. B. Mahtab (India) on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group,
Mr. M. Yerman (Kazakhstan) on behalf of the Eurasia Group, Mr. B. Llano (Paraguay) on behalf of
the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Ms. A. Gerkens (Netherlands) on behalf of the
Twelve Plus Group. They conveyed their thanks to the Spanish parliament and the many local teams
that had made the Assembly possible and safe, particularly those involved in the extensive COVID-19
testing provision. They thanked the IPU President for his perseverance in ensuring that the Assembly
went ahead, and the Secretary General and Secretariat for their work preparing a fruitful programme of
meetings. The consensus among Member Parliaments on the emergency item on COVID-19 vaccines
had been a particular highlight and, in adopting the corresponding resolution, parliamentarians had
demonstrated exemplary solidarity in the face of an unprecedented global crisis. The geopolitical groups
pledged their commitment to follow up on the important decisions of the Assembly and looked forward
to meeting again in Nusa Dua in March 2022.
In his concluding remarks, the IPU President congratulated the Spanish parliament for the successful
organization of the first in-person Assembly in two years, which had brought together almost
1000 participants from almost 120 countries. He thanked all delegates for their participation and
expressed his belief that the deliberations had led to concrete solutions and actions that would provide
hope for citizens around the world.
In her concluding remarks, Ms. M. Batet Lamaña, President of the 143rd Assembly and President
of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, congratulated the Secretary General, Mr. M. Chungong, on his
reappointment by the Governing Council for a further four-year term. She thanked all those who had
spoken during the closing session to convey their affection, recognition and gratitude to the Spanish
Parliament and she would pass on those kind wishes to the many people involved in the organization of
the Assembly. The strong consensus around the emergency item on COVID-19 vaccines had made the
considerable efforts that had gone into holding the Assembly all the more worthwhile. She believed that
the 143rd Assembly would be remembered as the Assembly of democracy and hope.
Two moments during the Assembly had stood out for her as symbolic of the importance of the IPU’s
work. First, the 32nd session of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians, which she had chaired and
which had been attended by the IPU President and the Prime Minister of Spain, Mr. P. Sánchez, who
had both recognized the importance of the participation of women in parliament in the interests of
equality for all. Second, the General Debate on challenges to democracy, overcoming division and
building community, which were issues that all parliaments would face at some point. To defend
democracy, parliamentarians needed to recognize pluralism and diverse ideologies but also reject
polarization, confrontation and exclusion. She thanked delegates again for their participation, wished
them a safe return home and declared the 143rd IPU Assembly closed.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 208th session of the Governing Council
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208th session of the Governing Council
1. Election of the President of the 143rd Assembly
At its first sitting on 27 November, the Governing Council proposed that Ms. M. Batet Lamaña,
President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, be elected President of the 143rd IPU Assembly.
2. Report of the IPU President
The Governing Council took note of the report of the President on his activities since its 207th session.
It welcomed the President’s initiative to expand the membership of the IPU. The Governing Council
concurred with the President that the strategy to achieve increased membership should include
personal contact with parliaments which are not yet IPU Members. The Governing Council agreed to
provide any support needed to that end.
3. Interim report by the Secretary General on the activities of the IPU since the
207th session of the Governing Council
The Governing Council took note of the interim report of the Secretary General on the activities of the
IPU since the 207th session of the Governing Council. Members of the Governing Council noted that
the report marked the conclusion of the IPU Strategy for 2017-2021, which had been implemented
successfully with the strong and unwavering support of the Secretary General and his team, including
during the difficult context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the Governing Council believed that
the interim report of the Secretary General was an illustration of the accountability they were promoting
both within the Organization and in their national parliaments. They warmly congratulated the Secretary
General and his team for their commitment to implementing the 2017-2021 Strategy, on which the
upcoming 2022-2026 Strategy had been built.
4. Adoption of the new IPU Strategy for 2022-2026
The IPU Strategy for 2022-2026 was unanimously adopted by the IPU Governing Council at its session
on 30 November. The draft Strategy had previously been presented on 27 November; separate
presentations had also been organized within the geopolitical groups and various other bodies of the
IPU for wider dissemination, consultation and buy-in. As a result, the final document adopted had taken
into account comments received earlier in the week from the Forum of Young Parliamentarians as well
as from the Twelve Plus Group, which had endorsed a proposal from France to include a sentence on
the importance of science. The comments made were aimed at reinforcing and clarifying content
already present in the text presented to Members at the first sitting of the Council.
The 2022-2026 Strategy was the result of a nearly year-long consultative and Member-driven process
led by the IPU Executive Committee, under the leadership of the IPU President. The process had begun
with an assessment of the 2017-2021 strategic period and the impact of the Organization in that regard.
The result of the preliminary assessment had then been used as the basis for consultations with
Members and partners to gather views on the Organization’s value-add and priorities for the years to
come. The strategic consultation process had been the most extensive in the history of the IPU, with
more than 900 individuals from more than 100 countries participating via surveys, focus group
discussions and interviews.
The feedback received had served to elaborate a strategic framework which had been validated by the
Executive Committee and further developed by the IPU Secretariat under its guidance and that of the
Sub-Committee on Finance. The draft Strategy had then been shared with all IPU Members ahead of
the 143rd IPU Assembly for comments before a final version had been submitted to the Governing
Council for approval.
The Strategy identifies five strategic objectives reflecting how the IPU makes positive change in the
world, namely:
• Building effective and empowered parliaments
• Promoting inclusive and representative parliaments
• Supporting resilient and innovative parliaments
• Catalysing collective parliamentary action
• Strengthening the IPU’s accountability.
The five objectives will contribute to building parliamentary ecosystems for democracy, for everyone.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 208th session of the Governing Council
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The parliamentary ecosystems approach represents a shift from the previous Strategy and an attempt
to move away from looking at parliaments in isolation towards looking at parliaments in a broader way
that includes the wider set of actors and dynamics that influence them.
Members identified four policy areas that they will contribute to as a priority. These are, in alphabetical
order to show their equal importance:
• Climate change
• Democracy, human rights, gender equality and youth participation
• Peace and security
• Sustainable development for all.
In addition, the 2022-2026 Strategy stresses inclusion, broadening the approach to lay special
emphasis on vulnerable and marginalized populations (both in terms of access and representation and
equity for all); resilience (so parliaments can better absorb, adapt and transform in the face of
crisis/external shock) and IPU accountability (Members and secretariat).
Drivers of change and efficiency include youth participation, communications and an enhanced
monitoring and evaluation system.
5. Financial situation
The Governing Council received a report on the financial situation of the IPU as at 30 September 2021
and an updated list of unpaid assessed contributions. As at 26 November 2021, eight Member
Parliaments (Comoros1, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Saint Lucia, Sudan and Venezuela
(Bolivarian Republic of)) and two Associate Members (the Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the West
African Economic and Monetary Union, and the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African
States) were in arrears for three full years and therefore liable for suspension of their membership rights
under Article 5.3 of the Statutes. Five Members (Central African Republic, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu) and two Associate Members (Andean Parliament and
the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC)) were two full years in arrears and
were subject to participation and/or voting sanctions. The Governing Council took note that the
Secretary General was making intensive efforts to follow up with all of the Members whose countries
were subject to sanctions which limited their ability to conduct international financial transactions, and
that progress was being made despite the challenging financial situation caused by the COVID-19
pandemic. Heads of geopolitical groups were encouraged to follow up on the arrears of any Members
within their respective groups.
The Secretary General reported that the current financial situation of the IPU was both stable and
sound. The Governing Council took note that the income and expenditure of the IPU were on track for
the period to 30 September 2021 and were projected to remain so until the end of the year.
6. Consolidated budget for 2022
The Council was presented with the consolidated draft budget for 2022. Reporting on behalf of the
Executive Committee, Ms. C. Widegren, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Finance, explained that the
draft budget had been prepared under the supervision of the Sub-Committee on Finance and was in
accordance with its guidance. The Sub-Committee had met remotely several times to prepare the
budget, during which time it had studied detailed analyses and received explanations from the
Secretariat. Ms. Widegren thanked the Secretary General and the Secretariat finance team for their
work and for the high quality of the documents prepared.
Ms. Widegren described how the budget was designed to enable the transition into the first year of the
new IPU Strategy for 2022–2026 and implement its five interconnected objectives, in accordance with
the guidelines and decisions of the governing bodies. The focus on integration between programmes
would be supported by the continuing digital transformation of the IPU and its working practices and by
the enhancement of its monitoring and evaluation framework in order to measure results and impact.
The budget included an allocation for in-person Assemblies in Indonesia and Rwanda in 2022, including
support to the Parliament of Rwanda towards its hosting costs.
1
At its second sitting, the Governing Council took note with gratitude of the intention expressed by the Federal
National Council of the United Arab Emirates to pay the arrears owed by Comoros in the interests of
parliamentary solidarity.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 208th session of the Governing Council
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There was no increase in the IPU’s scale of contributions in the budget proposal. Ms. Widegren
underlined that the Members’ assessed contributions to the IPU were still at the same level in 2022 as
they had been in 2007 and she invited Members to consider how much their national budgets had
increased in that same period. While the Secretariat worked very hard to make savings and to keep
costs to a minimum every year, it was clear that the IPU would need to consider increasing the total
amount of its assessed contributions in the coming years. At the same time, successful efforts were
being made to attract external funding, which represented approximately one quarter of the total budget
income in 2022.
The Governing Council approved the 2022 consolidated budget.
7. Membership of the IPU and observer status
The Governing Council approved the recommendation of the Executive Committee to upgrade the
status of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) from permanent observer to Associate Member. The
Governing Council also welcomed and approved the requests for observer status received from the G5
Sahel Inter-Parliamentary Committee; the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons; the
International Parliamentary Network for Education, and the Sovereign Order of Malta. For the last of
those, the Governing Council took note of a reservation expressed by Belgium.
The Council was apprised of the situation of certain parliaments and endorsed the related
recommendations made by the Executive Committee with regard to each of those parliaments, notably
Afghanistan, Myanmar and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
In the case of Afghanistan, the members of the Governing Council expressed their deep concern about
the continued assault on the human rights of the Afghan people, especially women, girls and children.
They therefore appealed for greater efforts to protect women, especially women MPs and their families.
Measures suggested included opening up humanitarian corridors to welcome Afghan people and an
IPU mission to Afghanistan to gather first-hand information should the conditions allow. The Secretary
General noted that he and his colleagues were actively monitoring events in Afghanistan. The IPU had
issued a statement expressing concern over the plight of Afghan MPs, especially women. It was
coordinating parliamentary efforts to find refuge for MPs whose lives were in danger. It was difficult to
engage in any meaningful dialogue with the new authorities in the country given the prevailing
confusion.
On Myanmar, the Governing Council endorsed the Executive Committee’s recommendation to continue
to recognize the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) as the legitimate interlocutor of
the IPU, to monitor developments in Myanmar and to look for opportunities to foster political dialogue.
On Venezuela, the Governing Council approved the Executive Committee’s recommendation to defer
the decision on the status of Venezuela’s membership until further consultations had taken place in
follow-up to the IPU’s mission to the country in August 2021 and to continue to promote inclusive
dialogue between the two parties in conflict that laid claim to Venezuela’s seat at the IPU, elected
in2015 and 2020 respectively.
The Governing Council also approved the recommendation of the Executive Committee to suspend the
Parliament of Sudan, as there was neither a parliament in place nor any indication that one would be
established soon.
In light of the IPU’s role to promote peace through political dialogue, the Governing Council concurred
with the Executive Committee on the importance of maintaining channels of dialogue with the
parliaments of the countries in crisis. Such an approach would help the IPU to be part of the solutions
that would facilitate a return to constitutional order and restore lasting peace in those countries. In that
view, the Governing Council, welcoming and supporting the Secretary General’s ongoing initiatives in
those countries, entrusted him to engage in further actions to achieve the aforementioned objective.
The Governing Council supported the Executive Committee’s appeal to Member Parliaments and
Associate Members to make the necessary arrangements to pay their arrears, including those liable for
suspension of their rights under Article 5.3 (namely Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Libya, Saint
Lucia, Sudan, Venezuela, the Inter Parliamentary Committee of the West African Economic and
Monetary Union, and the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States), and those
liable to be deprived of voting rights under Article 5.2 (namely Equatorial Guinea, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Tuvalu, the Andean Parliament, and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central
Africa).
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 208th session of the Governing Council
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The Governing Council also made the following recommendations to address the issue of arrears:
discuss with the countries concerned in order to better understand their situation and consider providing
financial support to help with payment. As an illustration to this, the United Arab Emirates informed the
Council that it had paid the arrears of Comoros. The Governing Council expressed its gratitude to the
United Arab Emirates for this good example, which was worthy of replication by others.
8. Recent IPU specialized meetings
The Governing Council took note of the outcomes of the following specialized meetings:
• Virtual World e-Parliament Conference 2021;
• Parliamentary meeting on the occasion of the UN Food Systems Summit;
• Sustainable approaches to COVID-19 recovery in Central Asia: The role of parliaments;
• COVID-19 pandemic recovery through a human rights lens: What contribution from parliaments?;
• Empowering youth in a time of pandemic – UN Chamber Music Society;
• Parliamentary Forum at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum;
• 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament;
• Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament;
• First Global Parliamentary Summit on Counter-Terrorism;
• First Global Parliamentary Meeting on Achieving the SDGs;
• Pre-COP26 Parliamentary Meeting;
• Workshop for members of Parliamentary Human Rights Committees from French-speaking
countries;
• Parliamentary Meeting at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26);
• Parliamentary Conference on the WTO: Webinars in the context of the 12th Ministerial
Conference;
• Disarmament, public health, and pandemics webinar.
9. Future inter-parliamentary meetings
The Governing 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 81).
The Governing Council, reiterating its appreciation for the arrangements made to allow the IPU to hold
remote meetings, encouraged the Secretariat to maintain the momentum in that regard in light of the
ongoing uncertainty of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Governing Council endorsed a parliamentary message to the 5th United Nations Conference on the
Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar, on 23-27 January 2022.
10. Reporting by Members on IPU-related activities
The Governing Council heard a report on follow-up action by Member Parliaments to IPU resolutions
and other initiatives. Members were encouraged to actively engage in this annual exercise, which was
not only a statutory duty but also a key component of the new Strategy, with its focus on accountability
at all levels. Joint action in this regard would help render the IPU a more effective and prominent
organization.
11. Reports of committees and other bodies
The Governing Council approved the recommendations contained in the reports on the activities of the
Forum of Women Parliamentarians, the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU, 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 Group of Facilitators for Cyprus, the High-Level Advisory Group on Countering
Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG) and the Working Group on Science and Technology. The
Governing Council endorsed the new appointments to those bodies.
The Governing Council approved 12 decisions concerning 289 parliamentarians (including 25 per cent
women) in 13 countries submitted by the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. The
Governing Council took note of the willingness of the delegation of Cambodia to facilitate a mission to
the country, of comments from Chile regarding the Chilean case, and of comments from Paraguay
commending the Committee on its work on Venezuela.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 286th session of the Executive Committee
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12. Elections to the Executive Committee
The Governing Council elected the following members to the Executive Committee for a four-year term
ending in October 2025:
- Mr. Ahmed Kharchi (Algeria) from the African Group, and
- Ms. Olga Kefalogianni (Greece) and Mr. José Ignacio Echániz (Spain) from the Twelve Plus Group.
The Governing Council appointed two Internal Auditors for the 2022 fiscal year:
- Mr. Andries Gryffroy (Belgium), and
- Ms. Heli Järvinen (Finland).
13. Reappointment of the Secretary General
At its sitting on 30 November, the Governing Council unanimously approved the recommendation of the
Executive Committee to reappoint the incumbent Secretary General for a third term of office starting on
1 July 2022 and ending on 30 June 2026. On the basis of the incumbent’s excellent performance, the
Governing Council invoked Rule 3 of the Secretariat stipulating that the Executive Committee may
propose to the Governing Council that it waive the procedure for a formal election and reappoint the
incumbent Secretary General.
14. The IPU Cremer-Passy Prize
The Governing Council approved the recommendations of the Executive Committee to set the deadline
for receipt of nominations for the Cremer-Passy Prize as 30 April to allow the selection board and the
Secretariat sufficient time to process the nominations in order for the winner to be announced on
30 June, International Day of Parliamentarism and the anniversary of the foundation of the IPU.
286th session of the Executive Committee
1. Debates and decisions
The Executive Committee held its 286th session over six sittings that took place virtually on 21 July, and
2, 9 and 17 November, and in-person in Madrid on 24 and 25 November.
The President of the IPU chaired the meetings and the following members took part in at least one
sitting:
Ms. A.D. Mergane Kanouté, Vice-President (Senegal), Mr. D. McGuinty (Canada), Mr. J.P. Letelier
(Chile), Mr. Chen Guomin (China), Mr. M.R. Rabbani (Pakistan), Mr. M. Grujic (Serbia),
Ms. C. Widegren (Sweden), Ms. L. Fehlmann Rielle (Switzerland), Ms. P. Krairiksh (Thailand),
Ms. E. Anyakun (Uganda), Mr. A.R. Al Nuaimi (United Arab Emirates), Ms. B. Argimón (Uruguay),
Mr. A. Saidov (Uzbekistan), Mr. J.F.N. Mudenda (Zimbabwe), Ms. L. Vasylenko (Ukraine) in her
capacity as President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, and Ms. S. Albazar (Egypt) in her
capacity as President of the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU.
The Secretary General attended all the sittings, assisted by staff members of the Secretariat where
relevant. Ms. F. Martonffy (Consultant for the IPU Strategy) attended the sessions on 21 July, and 2 and
9 November.
The Executive Committee took note of the report of the President on his activities since the
142nd Assembly. He had participated in 81 meetings and undertaken 14 official visits in the framework
of the following objectives:
(a) To consolidate the principles of good governance and the IPU’s relevance and universality;
(b) To reinforce the IPU’s visibility and status as an actor on the international political stage;
(c) To reinforce democratic principles and human rights in all geographical regions.
The Executive Committee commended the President’s efforts to achieve those objectives, especially
through his extensive travels in the difficult context of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The
President emphasized that the visits had allowed him to promote the IPU’s desire to achieve universal
membership.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 286th session of the Executive Committee
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The Executive Committee took note of the interim report of the Secretary General and agreed that it
was comprehensive and anchored on the strategic objectives of the 2017-2021 Strategy. The members
of the Executive Committee encouraged the Secretary General to show the same commitment to the
implementation of the 2022-2026 Strategy. Particular attention was given to the successful launch of the
I Say Yes to Youth in Parliament campaign, which would encourage efforts not only to increase the
number of young parliamentarians but also to bring youth issues to the top of the parliamentary agenda.
In light of the interest that this campaign had generated, the Executive Committee encouraged IPU
Members to relay the campaign within their own parliaments, with the support of the Secretary General.
In conformity with the procedure whereby, one year before the end of his term, the Secretary General
must inform the Executive Committee of whether he was available for another term, Mr. M. Chungong
had confirmed his availability for another term in a letter to the Executive Committee through the
President. Therefore, in accordance with the IPU Statutes and Rules and taking into account his
personal and professional skills, as well as the benefit of having the incumbent oversee the transitional
period of the IPU into its new Strategy, the members of the Executive Committee unanimously decided
to recommend to the Governing Council the reappointment of Mr. Chungong for a new term of four
years as of 1 July 2022.
In line with Rule 5.2 of the Executive Committee and with due regard to its tradition of ensuring gender
balance between the offices of President and Vice-President, the Executive Committee received two
candidatures for the position of Vice-President, from Ms. B. Argimón, Speaker of the Parliament of
Uruguay, and from Ms. A.D. Mergane Kanouté, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Senegal.
Ms. Argimón subsequently decided to withdraw her candidature and the Executive Committee thus
unanimously elected Ms. Mergane Kanouté as Vice-President of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee was briefed on the arrangements for the 143rd IPU Assembly in Madrid. It
was informed of the commendable commitment and coordination of both the parliamentary and
executive authorities in Spain, notably the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to ensure a successful IPU
Assembly. Attendance was expected to be very strong, with over 100 national parliaments and over a
dozen partner organizations confirmed to attend. As part of its efforts to develop a parliamentary
dimension to international cooperation, the IPU was supporting the establishment of a parliamentary
network of the Non-Aligned Movement, which would be launched in the context of the Madrid Assembly.
Among the organizational arrangements, the Executive Committee was informed of the IPU’s initiative
to insist upon regular COVID-19 testing of all delegates every 48 hours to avoid the spread of the virus
within the context of the Assembly. This service entailed an additional cost of 120,000 EUR.
Considering that the health and safety of participants was critical to the success of the Assembly, the
Executive Committee, on the advice of the Sub-Committee on Finance, approved the additional cost of
testing being covered by the IPU. The Executive Committee requested that, based on the experience of
the Madrid Assembly, careful planning be undertaken to identify any extra costs related to health
measures for the upcoming 144th IPU Assembly in Indonesia.
The Executive Committee was also informed that, despite the best efforts of the Secretariat, many IPU
office holders had not been included in their national delegations to the Assembly in Madrid. The
Executive Committee decided to request the support of the geopolitical groups to remind IPU Members
that when an MP put forward his or her candidature, it was with the expectation that, if elected, the
office holder would be supported by their parliament in the exercise of his or her functions, including in
terms of ensuring that they were included in the delegation of their parliament to IPU Assemblies.
Further to the decision of the Governing Council, the Executive Committee endorsed the terms of
reference for a working group, composed of six members, to implement the IPU Transparency Report.
Regarding the composition of that group, some members of the Executive Committee were of the view
that the mandate of the Sub-Committee on Finance could be broadened to include oversight of the
implementation of the recommendations of the Transparency Report. Others believed the working group
would be required to conduct in-depth analysis of all IPU activities, including the work of the Sub-
Committee on Finance, and should thus be a separate entity. Following the discussion, the Executive
Committee decided that the working group should be a separate entity to the Sub-Committee on
Finance and be composed of one member from each geopolitical group selected from within the
Executive Committee.
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The Executive Committee expressed its solidarity with Uganda following the suicide bomb attacks that
had occurred on 16 November. The Executive Committee strongly condemned the attacks, which were
a reminder that terrorism, although overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, remained a permanent
threat to peace. The Executive Committee appealed therefore to Member Parliaments to further engage
in efforts – including supporting the IPU programme on countering terrorism and violent extremism –
against the scourge of terrorism, which undermined global sociopolitical stability.
The Executive Committee was apprised of the deliberations of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers
of Parliament, the 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, and the First Global Parliamentary
Summit on Counter-Terrorism that had taken place in Vienna in September 2021. The Executive
Committee extended its gratitude to the parliamentary authorities of Austria for the arrangements that
had facilitated the organization of these events, the first major in-person meetings since the outbreak of
the COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Committee urged Member Parliaments to take ownership of
the recommendations of the Vienna events.
The Executive Committee discussed and endorsed the list of future inter-parliamentary meetings. The
members of the Executive Committee welcomed the invitation of the Parliament of Uruguay to host a
session of the Executive Committee in Montevideo in 2022 (possibly June) on the occasion of an IPU
regional event on climate change.
The Executive Committee also encouraged the Secretary General to continue making the necessary
arrangements to facilitate remote participation in IPU events in light of the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic.
The Executive Committee was informed of staff movements at the IPU, including the retirement of the
Organization’s long-standing receptionist, Ms. Susanna Ortiz, as of December 2021. The Executive
Committee thanked her for her contribution to the IPU and wished her all the best for her retirement.
2. IPU Strategy for 2022-2026
The Executive Committee continued to oversee preparation of the 2022-2026 Strategy, based on an
agreed road map. At its sittings held between July and November 2021, it reviewed the results of
consultations of IPU Members, agreed on a proposed model for the Strategy and reviewed and
approved the final draft text of the Strategy itself for submission to the IPU Governing Council for
adoption.
Throughout the process, the Executive Committee was keen to ensure that the Strategy was
action-oriented, value-driven, Member-driven, and allowed parliaments themselves to be vehicles for
change. Members stressed: the importance that the Strategy be human-centred, putting people first and
be adaptable to different regional and national contexts; the need for more integrated and fewer
thematic priorities; the need to build on key strengths (in particular youth participation and gender
equality) and apply the lessons learned throughout all areas of work; and finally the need to focus on
specific policy priorities.
The Executive Committee stressed the importance of developing a monitoring and evaluation matrix to
follow progress and achievements. In the same vein, the Executive Committee recommended the
definition of a refreshed communication strategy, as a key driver of change, including providing
barometers on how the visibility of the IPU could be increased through the 46,000 parliamentarians
worldwide.
The Executive Committee also stressed the importance of keeping the wording of the Strategy very
simple and focused on the core values of the IPU in order to get the buy-in of all 179 Member
Parliaments.
The consolidated draft of the Strategy was sent out to all IPU Members for comments on 11 November.
A revised draft was approved by the Executive Committee on 24 November and presented to the IPU
membership on 27 November. The IPU Strategy for 2022-2026 was adopted by the Governing Council
at its sitting on 30 November.
3. Questions relating to the IPU membership and the situation of certain parliaments
The Executive Committee supported the President’s strong wish that all the 193 countries in the world
with parliaments be represented within the IPU. It believed that the IPU should make every effort to
maintain the current level of membership of the Organization and encourage new Members to join. It
Inter-Parliamentary Union – 286th session of the Executive Committee
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commended the related initiatives implemented, including raising awareness of the Organization’s work,
the offer of assistance – through the parliamentary solidarity fund – to strengthen the ability of the
parliaments concerned to engage with the global parliamentary community, and the President and the
Secretary General’s joint efforts to encourage non-Members to join the IPU. The Executive Committee
believed that a well-articulated strategy of personal contact with the parliaments concerned, including
the US Congress, was required. In that view, the Executive Committee congratulated the President and
the Secretary General on their joint initiative to meet with Ms. N. Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives of the US Congress, on the occasion of the P20 in Italy to reinforce the IPU’s strong
desire to see the US Congress return to the Organization.
In light of similar efforts currently under way to mobilize and encourage non-Member Parliaments in the
Caribbean to join, the Executive Committee made an appeal to all Member Parliaments to join this
mobilization to broaden the IPU’s parliamentary community. It encouraged Members who wished to join
this effort to inform the Secretary General, who would gladly provide relevant documentation on
membership.
In line with increasing interest in IPU activities, the Executive Committee endorsed a request for
associate membership from the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and entrusted the Secretary General to
co-operate with the PAP to promote common objectives building on foundations of joint work on refugee
management and health-related issues.
In the same vein, the Executive Committee endorsed requests for permanent observer status from:
- The G5 Sahel Inter-Parliamentary Committee
- The Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons
- The International Parliamentary Network for Education, and
- The Sovereign Order of Malta.
The Executive Committee was apprised of the situation of certain parliaments, comprising three
categories: parliaments which were not functioning at all, those which had experienced a major political
crisis and those which the IPU was monitoring in the light of other political crises.
In the first category, the Executive Committee heard a report from the Secretary General on the
situation of the Parliament of Afghanistan since the Taliban had come to power. The IPU had not been
officially informed of the dissolution of the parliament, but it was apparent that it was no longer
functioning, since many of its members had fled the country. In solidarity with the Afghan people and
taking due account of the IPU’s conviction that democratic processes needed to be followed and that
dialogue with the Afghan people should be maintained, the Executive Committee agreed that an Afghan
delegation could observe the proceedings of the 143rd Assembly if such a delegation was able to travel
to Madrid.
The Executive Committee was briefed on the report of the mission to Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic
of), which had been led by the President. The delegation had comprised members of both the CHRP
and the Executive Committee, in view of the complexity of the political situation and the recurrent finding
that the individual human rights cases of parliamentarians were part of a broader context of institutional
and political crisis. Following receipt of an official invitation from Venezuela, the IPU delegation had
travelled to the country from 23 to 27 August 2021. Among its other objectives, defined by the Executive
Committee, the mission had aimed to gather information which would allow the Executive Committee to
make a recommendation to the Governing Council regarding Venezuela’s representation in the IPU, in
light of Article 3 of the IPU Statutes.
After discussing the findings and conclusions of the mission, the Executive Committee expressed the
view that neither of the two National Assemblies (elected in December 2015 and December 2020) could
be considered a national legislative body “constituted in conformity with the laws of a sovereign State”
as required for affiliation to the IPU under Article 3.1 of the Statutes.
In this regard, the Executive Committee recommended to defer the decision on the status of
Venezuela’s membership until further consultations had taken place. In the meantime, the Executive
Committee recommended accepting a delegation from Venezuela as observers to the 143rd Assembly
only if it was composed of members from both National Assemblies. The Executive Committee also
decided to continue to promote inclusive dialogue between the two parties in conflict.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Forum and Bureau of Women Parliamentarians
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In conformity with the Governing Council’s recommendation on Myanmar during its 207th sitting, the
Executive Committee decided to continue to recognize the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu
Hluttaw (CRPH) as the legitimate interlocutor of the IPU. The IPU would continue to monitor
developments in Myanmar and look for opportunities to foster political dialogue.
As there was currently no parliament in place in Sudan and no indication that one would be set up in the
near future, the Executive Committee decided to recommend the suspension of the Parliament of
Sudan to the Governing Council.
In light of the similarity of the situation in Guinea to that of Mali, the Executive Committee decided to
proceed in a similar manner, and not automatically recommend the suspension of the Guinean
parliament. The information received so far indicated that a transitional council (legislative body) would
be established in the country as soon as possible.
Regarding the countries in the second and third categories, namely Chad, Eswatini, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Libya, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen, the Executive Committee
recommended that the Secretary General continue monitoring the situation in those countries and
provide an update during the next session of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee was apprised of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina for information only,
as a crisis was developing in that country.
4. Sub-Committee on Finance
The Sub-Committee on Finance had met on 18 November 2021 to prepare and facilitate the Executive
Committee’s consideration of the financial situation of the IPU, the draft programme and budget
for 2022 and the voluntary funding situation. The Sub-Committee advised the Executive Committee to
recommend the 2022 budget to the Governing Council, having been closely involved in overseeing its
preparation throughout the year.
The Chair of the Sub-Committee on Finance, Ms. C. Widegren (Sweden), noted that the Secretary
General had made every effort to follow up with all those Members and Associate Members subject to
sanctions due to arrears of payment. The list was longer than usual, but progress was being made
despite the challenging financial situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chairs of the
geopolitical groups were encouraged to follow up on any arrears among the Members within their
respective groups.
Forum and Bureau of Women Parliamentarians
The 32nd session of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians was held on 26 November 2021. It brought
together 197 participants, including 114 parliamentarians (86 women and 28 men) from 62 countries
and representatives from various international organizations.
The President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, Ms. L. Vasylenko (Ukraine), opened the
session and the Forum proceeded to elect Ms. M. Batet Lamaña, President of the Congress of Deputies
(Spain), to the Presidency of its 32nd session. The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Mr. D. Pacheco, and the Prime Minister of Spain, Mr. P. Sánchez, welcomed participants to the Forum
and to the 143rd IPU Assembly. The IPU Secretary General, Mr. M. Chungong, was also in attendance.
As a contribution to the Assembly, the participants considered, from a gender perspective, the draft
resolution on the agenda of the 143rd IPU Assembly, Legislation worldwide to combat online child
sexual exploitation and abuse. After a brief overview of the draft resolution by Ms. A. Gerkens
(Netherlands), co-Rapporteur, the Forum divided into two groups to consider specific aspects of the
draft resolution. One group discussed Gender-responsive and survivor-centred legislation to combat
online child sexual exploitation and abuse and the second group discussed Age and gender-sensitive
strategies to empower and educate children to protect themselves and report online sexual exploitation.
The Forum subsequently proposed one amendment, which the Standing Committee on Democracy and
Human Rights incorporated into the draft resolution, and supported several amendments proposed by
national delegations which helped enhance the draft resolution from a gender perspective.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Forum and Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU
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The Forum had a panel discussion on strategies for gender-responsive law making. Participants shared
experiences and called for the adoption of rights-affirming laws to protect and benefit all women and
girls and the assessment of those laws’ impact on a regular basis. Discussions focused on laws and
policies in the areas of family and marriage, land ownership, employment and equal pay rights, and
nationality and citizenship, as well as eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.
Participants agreed that successful strategies included building alliances, investing in parliamentary
mechanisms and enhancing capacities in gender mainstreaming. They stressed the effectiveness of
mechanisms such as standing committees on gender equality and women’s parliamentary caucuses.
They called specific attention to the implementation of laws, as well as budget scrutiny through a gender
lens and gender-responsive budgeting.
The Forum organized a Parity debate entitled Are men and women MPs equally engaged in gender
equality? (see page 28).
The Bureau of Women Parliamentarians met on 26 and 30 November. It took stock of the results of the
Assembly from a gender perspective and identified future activities, including setting the agenda of its
next session and that of the next session of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians at the
144th Assembly. On the proposal of its President, the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians expressed its
support for the reappointment of the IPU Secretary General.
Forum and Board of the Forum of
Young Parliamentarians of the IPU
The Forum of Young Parliamentarians held its sitting on 27 November 2021. It was co-presided by a
woman and man member of the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians – Ms. O. Rudenko
(Ukraine) and Mr. M.A. Rakotomalala (Madagascar), replacing the President of the Board,
Ms. S. Albazar (Egypt), and the youngest member of the Board, Ms. M. Vasilevich (Belarus), who were
both absent. Mr. U. Lechte (Germany) acted as the Rapporteur of the Forum.
The meeting brought together 72 participants, including 59 parliamentarians from 45 countries. There
were 26 women and 33 men among the parliamentarians who attended the Forum (44% women). The
average age of the participating parliamentarians was 38.
Reviewing the theme of the Assembly’s General Debate, the young parliamentarians agreed that for
democracy to be strong it needed to be more inclusive and more youth responsive. The IPU youth
movement was contributing its share through the I Say Yes to Youth in Parliament! campaign.
On the IPU resolution Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse from a
youth perspective, they highlighted the need for: cooperation, criminalization of online sexual
exploitation, and efforts to place children at the centre of the policy response.
They exchanged country-level information on progress in youth participation through new measures
such as reserving seats for youth in parliament, as well as experiences and lessons learned on the
creation of forums and networks of young MPs.
On the proposal of the Board of the Forum, the young parliamentarians agreed that the IPU Global
Conference of Young MPs in 2022 should focus on youth for climate action. They also agreed to a new
youth empowerment series consisting of online briefings and training courses to be organized by the
IPU in 2022. They made a strong call to have youth participation included in its own right as a policy
area of the IPU’s new five-year Strategy. They appointed Mr. M.A. Rakotomalala (Madagascar) and
Mr. P. Kemper (Paraguay) to prepare youth overview reports on the resolutions to be considered at the
144th Assembly. The Forum also expressed its support for the reappointment of the incumbent
Secretary General, Mr. M. Chungong, for another term.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
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Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
1. Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians
The Committee held its 166th session from 25-29 November 2021. Mr. N. Bako-Arifari (Benin),
President, Mr. S. Cogolati (Belgium), Mr. S. Spengemann (Canada), Ms. L. Dumont (France),
Ms. L. Quartapelle (Italy), Ms. C. Urbano de Sousa (Portugal) and Ms. C. Asiaín (Uruguay) participated
in the session. Ms. A. Reynoso (Mexico), Vice-President, Mr. B. Mbuku-Laka (Democratic Republic of
the Congo) and Mr. A. Caroni (Switzerland) were unable to attend.
During the session, the Committee examined the situation of 297 parliamentarians (25% of whom are
women) in 13 countries. Of these cases, 41 parliamentarians were under examination for the first time
by the Committee in the following countries: Colombia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tunisia. The
Committee also held seven hearings with several delegations and complainants.
The Committee submitted decisions to the Governing Council for adoption on the situation of
289 parliamentarians in the following countries: Brazil, Cambodia, Chile/Argentina, Colombia, Gabon,
Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
2. Committee on Middle East Questions
One sitting of the Committee was held on 29 November 2021, with seven members attending. The
Committee members elected Mr. G. Migliore (Italy) as the President of the Committee. The Committee
discussed the importance of respectful dialogue, putting differences aside and working together in order
to achieve peace as part of their mandate.
The Committee heard from the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Yemen, Mr. M.A. Al-Shadadi, about
the situation on the ground in his country. The situation was dire, with widespread hunger and suffering
after seven years of war. Mr. Al-Shadadi appealed to the Committee and the international community for
their support, asking for concrete actions, for the war to end, national dialogue and the enacting of
democratic political solutions. The IPU Members were also asked to exert pressure on parliaments of
countries that were supporting militias causing the crisis. The Committee was saddened by the situation
and the tragedy occurring in Yemen. Members expressed their solidarity with the people of Yemen and
pledged their support for efforts to prevent the continuation of this humanitarian disaster.
The IPU President briefed the Committee on his visit to the Middle East in November 2021, notably to
Israel and Palestine. In Israel, he had held meetings with the Speaker of the Knesset and the Minister of
Foreign Affairs; and in Palestine he had held meetings with the President of the Palestinian Authority,
members of the Palestinian National Council, and other Palestinian officials. It was the IPU President’s
clear impression that both parties were committed to a two-state solution. The commitment of both
Israel and Palestine to the achievement of peace was encouraging. However, the Israeli officials had
expressed their concern that the Palestinian Authority did not have control in the Gaza Strip, nor over
Hamas, and had denounced the lack of cooperation from the Palestinian Authority. On the other hand,
the Palestinian officials argued that Israel could not claim it was committed to peace while continuing its
settlement activities. The latter had also raised the issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and
administrative detention.
The IPU President recommended that the Committee hold a meeting in the Middle East. The President
of the Committee welcomed the recommendation while allowing for the changing circumstances of the
COVID-19 pandemic. The Palestinian member of the Committee, Mr. A. Al-Ahmad reiterated that the
Palestinian side was ready to start immediate peace negotiations with Israel in an international
conference and to implement international resolutions that would guarantee the enactment of
sustainable and just peace.
Regarding the Committee’s Rules on the gender balance of its membership, the Committee reviewed
and adopted a proposed amendment on its composition submitted by the IPU Secretariat. The
amendment would be submitted to the Governing Council in Nusa Dua, Indonesia, for approval in
March 2022.
3. Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law
The Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law met on 27 November 2021. The
meeting was chaired by the Committee’s President, Ms. A. Vadai (Hungary). It agreed to hold
consultations regarding the humanitarian situation in Myanmar and Afghanistan in virtual format (online)
in December and also expressed its intention to possibly renew its practice of carrying out on-site visits,
if overall health and security conditions allowed.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
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The Committee went on to discuss a specific workplan on actions to be taken to end statelessness
by 2024. It decided to focus its efforts in the coming years on the following:
- Addressing gender discrimination in nationality law by engaging with parliamentarians in the
25 countries that retain gender discrimination in their nationality laws (see:
www.refworld.org/docid/604257d34.html).
- On regional levels, building parliamentarians’ knowledge and capacity on statelessness and
fostering networking and exchange with other actors, such as relevant regional bodies seized
with statelessness, NGO networks and stateless activists themselves.
- Supporting follow up in the 32 priority countries identified by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the #IBELONG Campaign (pledges delivered at the
High-Level Segment are available at: www.refworld.org/docid/5ec3e91b4.html).
The Committee welcomed the offer of its member from Kenya to host the first virtual regional gathering
on the topic of statelessness and looked forward to further engagement on the subject from other
members.
The Committee discussed actions aimed at the universalization and implementation of the Additional
Protocols (AP) to the Geneva Conventions in view of the celebration of their 45th anniversary in 2022.
The Committee agreed to:
- Organize a global virtual raising awareness event for parliaments on the AP in 2022 – possibly on
8 June (anniversary date) – with the ICRC
- Compile tools/factsheets for MPs to support them in their raising awareness efforts
- Carry out sensitization efforts through letters addressed by the IPU to parliaments of
non-signatory countries to encourage them to discuss the Additional Protocols
- Where possible, provide a parliamentary contribution to ICRC events marking the
45th anniversary of the AP at regional levels
- Monitor and report regularly to the IPU Members on progress on accession to the AP
With regard to the Ottawa Convention (or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention), the Committee
hosted an open session on 29 November on the theme Supporting a mine-free world: Universalization
and implementation of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. The debate concluded with the need to
strengthen parliamentary engagement in the matter, with a particular focus on assistance to victims;
securing budgetary allocations; and facilitating the exchange of good practices. The Committee agreed
to pursue work on anti-personnel mines in the years to come.
Finally, the Committee highlighted the importance of building synergies with the IPU’s work in the area of
peace and security and suggested organizing a joint meeting with the Bureau of the Standing Committee
on Peace and International Security to enhance cooperation and coordination.
4. Gender Partnership Group
The Group held its 44th session on 29 November 2021. In attendance were Ms. A.D. Mergane Kanouté
(Senegal), Ms. L. Vasylenko (Ukraine) and Mr. A.R. Al Nuaimi (United Arab Emirates). The Group
elected Mr. Al Nuaimi as Chair.
The Group reiterated its commitment to ensuring that IPU Member Parliaments enhance the
representation and effective contribution of women, both in national parliaments and at the IPU, the aim
being to achieve gender parity. The Group stressed that representation required both equality in
numbers and in access to leadership positions. Building a favourable environment was equally
important as could be seen from the IPU Plan of Action for Gender-sensitive Parliaments.
As per its mandate, the Group reviewed the composition of national parliament delegations at the
143rd IPU Assembly. As at 30 November 2021, 38.9 per cent of the delegates at the Assembly were
women (see page 78) which was a record high. Previously, the percentage at in-person Assemblies
hovered around 30 per cent. Women’s participation reached 38 per cent for the first time at the virtual
142nd Assembly. The Group noted that the new record was partly due to the reduced size of
delegations at the current Assembly. The Group commended the gender-balanced delegations
attending the 143rd Assembly. In Madrid, 44 delegations out of 117 (37.6%) were composed of 40 to
60 per cent women, which was an improvement from previous in-person Assemblies (23.8% in
April 2019 and 19.6% in October 2019). The 44 delegations are listed on page 79.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
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Of the 117 delegations present, 107 were composed of at least two delegates, of which 10 were
all-male (9.3%). In addition, three delegations of two or more delegates were composed entirely of
women. These 13 single-sex delegations were from the parliaments of the following States: Cambodia,
Guinea-Bissau, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kuwait, Latvia, Madagascar, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia,
Panama, Paraguay, Tunisia and Yemen. Furthermore, there were 10 single-member delegations
attending the Assembly. All in all, four delegations were subject to sanctions.
The Group made the point that being a Member of the IPU came with expectations to make efforts to
achieve progress towards achieving gender parity. It pointed out that it would be monitoring that closely,
in particular in the framework of the new IPU Strategy. As per its mandate, the Group would engage in
dialogue with delegations from all geopolitical groups where there were parliaments with less than
10 per cent women members, as well as those that failed to ensure there were men and women on their
delegations to IPU Assemblies. Likewise, those parliaments that made progress and strove for gender
parity would be praised for such efforts.
5. Advisory Group on Health
The IPU Advisory Group on Health met on 27 November with eight out of ten members in attendance.
Also present were the Group’s technical partners from the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child
Health (PMNCH), UNAIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The Advisory Group discussed the implementation of the new IPU Strategy for 2022-2026. The Group
agreed on the importance of focusing on resilience and supporting parliamentarians in continuing
responding to the needs of the people in uncertain circumstances. It highlighted accountability as a key
factor to ensure impact of the IPU and parliamentary action in the area of health. The Strategy should
be based on the Sustainable Development Goals and help bring them closer to parliamentarians and
people.
As the focal point for parliamentary accountability on the 2019 IPU resolution Achieving universal health
coverage by 2030: The role of parliaments in ensuring the right to health, the Group exchanged
experiences on how to improve access to health care services for vulnerable and marginalized
populations with the Parliaments of Italy and Zimbabwe. It learned of different practices on health
response to COVID-19; budgetary measures for more sustainable funding of the health sector; and
legislative initiatives to improve access to health for key populations.
The Group noted with concern the existing disparities in accessing COVID-19 vaccines within and
between countries; the impact of the pandemic on sexual and reproductive health, and violence against
women; as well as the misinformation and polarization around COVID-19 measures and vaccines. It
therefore recommended that parliamentarians strengthen their role in sensitizing communities and
better account for the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations. The Group laid emphasis on the
need to be better prepared to anticipate future emergencies and crises, including through accountable
budgetary measures and increased domestic financing for health. For greater vaccine equity, health
considerations should drive discussions on patent rights and vaccine distribution. Reliable data and
sharing of practices among parliaments could support these efforts. The Group was encouraged to
learn that the IPU Secretariat would continue facilitating parliamentary exchanges and was documenting
practices on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Group further reflected on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across all sectors, noting that
synergies should be built between health and climate change. The IPU should play a role in ensuring
better preparedness and building resilience in health and related sectors.
6. Group of Facilitators for Cyprus
The Group of Facilitators for Cyprus met on 27 November 2021. The meeting was attended by two
Facilitators, Ms. L. Quartapelle (Italy) and Mr. M. Mijatović (Serbia), two members of the House of
Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus and five representatives of the Turkish-Cypriot political
parties.
The parties expressed their determination to overcome the present stalemate and resume negotiations
as soon as possible, aiming at a solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, in accordance with the
relevant United Nations resolutions and decisions, and the values and principles of the European Union.
They underlined the fact that a functional and viable solution would not only benefit the future of all
Cypriots, but also safeguard the stability, security and prosperity of the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Subsidiary bodies of the Governing Council
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7. High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism
(HLAG)
The High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG) held the
following three meetings: seventh meeting on 17 May (virtual), eighth meeting on 9 September in
Vienna, and ninth meeting on 26 November 2021 in Madrid.
During the meetings, HLAG reviewed the following areas of the IPU Secretariat’s work: progress in
development of products to be launched; activities regarding victims of terrorism, and cooperation and
projects with regional parliaments. Members stressed the importance of addressing the situation in the
Sahel region, as well as the importance of supporting the victims of terrorism, and addressing hate
speech.
HLAG was updated on the activities regarding the Sahel region such as the IPU Secretary General’s
and G5 Sahel Inter-Parliamentary Committee’s joint work on the webinar for the G5 Sahel members,
and the Group’s ongoing work with the Executive Secretary of the G5 Sahel aimed at identifying
activities to strengthen parliamentarians’ capacity in the global effort to counter terrorism.
During the First Global Parliamentary Summit on Counter-Terrorism (GPSCT-1) held on 9 September in
Vienna, a session was dedicated to the situation in the Sahel region. The Summit adopted the
declaration entitled Call of the Sahel agreed between IPU, the Arab Parliament, Parliamentary
Assembly of the Mediterranean, the Interparliamentary Committee of the G5 Sahel. This initiative
creates a parliamentary bloc that shares a strong commitment and genuine solidarity with the people of
the Sahel region. The aim is to listen, not duplicate actions, and avoid holding meetings without any
impact. The Call of the Sahel provides for a holistic and inclusive plan of action. GPSCT-1 was also an
opportunity to listen to victims of terrorism from different regions and discuss the role of parliaments in
the prevention of terrorism, radicalization and hate speech.
On 15 November, the IPU Secretary General convened the first virtual coordination meeting to discuss
the follow-up in the Call of the Sahel implementation. The different actors in this process were heard.
The main sponsors of the Call of the Sahel agreed that they would work together with other key partners
to develop an action plan that would engage all regional stakeholders, including leaders, NGOs and
women. It was agreed to hold a Call of the Sahel summit in 2022 to present the plan of action and
discuss how the Call would be implemented.
HLAG was briefed on the three IPU products aimed at helping parliamentarians in their efforts to
counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism: The Global Parliamentary Network, the Interactive
Map, and the Mobile Application for parliamentarians. The last two tools would be launched at the
144th IPU Assembly to be held from 20 to 24 March 2022 in Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
These tools utilize communication technology to help parliamentarians obtain first-hand information
about counter terrorism from around the globe. The products had been developed thanks to funding by
the National People’s Congress of China. The IPU would start developing the second phase of the
mobile application that would enable parliamentarians to have online conversations and video
conferences. It would be available in Arabic and Spanish and is to be funded by the Arab Parliament.
The members heard a presentation on the work carried out jointly by the IPU, the UN Office of Counter-
Terrorism (UNOCT), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on model legislative
provisions to support and protect the rights and needs of victims of terrorism. The drafting of these
provisions is expected to be finalized at the end of 2021.
8. Working Group on Science and Technology
Three sittings of the Working Group were held, on 13 July, and 18 and 28 November 2021.
During its meeting on 13 July, the Group elected Mr. M. Larive (France) as its Chair and Ms. S. Attia
(Egypt) as Vice-Chair. The Working Group agreed that its mandate entailed two main items, firstly, to
inform parliamentarians about developments and challenges in science and technology and to explore
solutions to these challenges, and secondly, to offer advice in this field.
The IPU Secretariat provided an overview of its science and technology work streams, including its
partnerships with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). The Working Group was
also briefed on the existing Science for Peace School initiative, organized in collaboration with CERN to
encourage participants from parliaments to work together and experience models of scientific
cooperation.
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The Working Group urged the inclusion of science and technology in the IPU Strategy for 2022-2026, in
order to achieve real change. The Working Group agreed to request the inclusion of a mention of
science and technology in the IPU Strategy, specifically the phrase “building bridges between politics
and science should help support good governance and trust, as the scientific values of rationalism and
transparency can be a common language in diplomatic exchanges”.
During its sitting on 28 November, the Working Group agreed upon a work plan for the year 2022. The
key threads of the work plan were: Ethics; Sustainable Development: Poverty Alleviation, Gender
Equality, Climate Change and the Right to Science; Science in Parliaments and Decision-Making;
Peace; and COVID-19: Vaccine Inequity. To facilitate and support the work of the Working Group, it was
agreed to build partnerships with relevant scientific and technological organizations and to collaborate
with other relevant IPU bodies.
During its sittings, the Working Group began deliberating on a proposed International Charter on
Technoscience Ethics, which would be an ethical framework on the application and use of science and
technology. The Charter would be submitted as a resolution at the 144th IPU Assembly in Nusa Dua,
Indonesia, in March 2022, for validation by the Governing Council.
Other activities and events
1. Meeting of the Chairs of the Geopolitical Groups
On 18 November, the IPU President and Secretary General held a virtual meeting with the Chairs and
Secretaries of the Geopolitical Groups. The meeting was attended by Mr. A.H. Fulata (Nigeria), Chair of
the African Group; Mr. S. Ghobash (United Arab Emirates), Chair of the Arab Group; Ms. H. Kim
(Republic of Korea), on behalf of the Chair of the Asia-Pacific Group; Mr. K. Kosachev (Russian
Federation), Chair of the Eurasia Group; Mr. B. Llano (Paraguay), President of GRULAC; and
Mr. A. Gryffroy (Belgium), Vice-Chair of the Twelve Plus Group.
An independent consultant, Ms. F. Martonffy, introduced the draft IPU Strategy for 2022-2026, which
had been circulated to all Members and was expected to be adopted on the occasion of the Madrid
Assembly. The IPU President encouraged all the Chairs to discuss the new Strategy in their respective
Groups, with a view to building awareness and ensuring broad support for its effective implementation.
The President drew attention to the situation of the IPU Members in arrears in the payment of their
assessed contributions and encouraged the Chairs of the Groups to reach out to the respective
parliaments so as to avoid sanctions or the suspension of membership rights. The President shared the
list of future IPU meetings for 2022 and asked the Group Chairs to help identify possible hosts for the
regional and other events for which the venue was not yet confirmed.
The President referred to modalities for the IPU Cremer-Passy Prize for the MP(s) of the year, which
would be awarded as of 2022. As per the rules that had been approved by the Governing Council, the
Prize Selection Board would be composed of seven members including the current President, IPU
Honorary Presidents Ms. G. Cuevas Barron (Mexico), Mr. S. Chowdhury (Bangladesh), Mr. A. Radi
(Morocco), and Mr. P.F. Casini (Italy). The African and Eurasia Groups were invited to nominate a
retired Speaker to serve on the Board, as these two groups did not have any living honorary presidents.
The Chairs were also encouraged to present the initiative to their respective Groups and invite
nominations of strong candidates.
The Chairs of the Groups examined the modalities for the rotation of the Standing Committee
Presidencies and Vice-Presidencies among the Geopolitical Groups over the next two-year cycle. In
order to ensure predictability and allow Groups the time to identify the best possible candidates for
these important decisions, the Chairs of the Geopolitical Groups agreed on a formula for the rotation of
these positions over the next six cycles, until 2033 (see page 35).
When considering the distribution of positions, the following key principles were taken into account:
• The positions of President and Vice-President should be shared equally between women and
men.
• Over a given period, every Geopolitical Group should have the opportunity to chair each of the
Standing Committees once.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other activities and events
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• The profile of the candidates for the IPU leadership positions: it was agreed that candidates for
the leadership positions should be parliamentarians with attested experience, a deep commitment
to the issues falling within the purview of the respective Committee, and the willingness to devote
time and energy to the exercise of this function. A working knowledge of one of the official
languages of the IPU (English and French) and a certain prominence at the national and
international level would also be an important asset. The support of his/her Parliament in the
exercise of the function would also be crucial.
2. Open session of the Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian
Law – Supporting a mine-free world: Universalization and implementation of the
Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention
The Open session of the Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law was held on
29 November and focused on the topic Supporting a mine-free world: Universalization and
implementation of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. The debate was launched by interventions
from: the Implementation Support Unit, Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention; the Mines Advisory Group,
and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Anti-personnel mines are devastating weapons that destroy lives indiscriminately, during and long after
conflict has ended. They touch many civilians, innocent men, women and children, who as a result find
their lives completely overhauled, affected by disability, insecurity and incapacity to simply live
“normally”. The debate recalled that the 1997 Ottawa Convention had raised great hopes for change.
Since its entry into force in 1999, the Convention, which is the first treaty to include provisions for
survivors and victims of anti-personnel mines, had helped reduce the number of civilian casualties over
the years and contributed to decreasing the trade and use of anti-personnel mines. States Parties have
also developed a wide array of initiatives to provide support to these survivors and victims including by
reintegrating them successfully into the socioeconomic life of their societies.
However, despite significant progress achieved, anti-personnel mines continue to make victims – the
latest figures reference 7,000 a year, the great majority being civilians. Recent figures also tend to show
an increase in the number of victims and the use of such weapons. Stagnation in terms of new
ratifications and implementation efforts was also noted.
The debates focused on the need to reengage parliamentarians, political will and leadership for the
universalization and effective implementation of the Convention. A comprehensive approach, building
on partnerships across society and countries was required for sustainable impact as the Convention not
only touched upon disarmament related issues, but also on human rights, victims’ rehabilitation, arms
trafficking and the root causes of conflict, etc. Participants insisted on the need to place victims and
humans at the centre and ensure that parliaments developed a conducive and forward-looking
framework to facilitate and provide victims with the best assistance possible, including through the use
of new technologies. Initiatives such as the parliamentary campaign against explosive weapons with
wide area effects in populated areas (EWIPA) were referenced. In concluding, participants agreed that
the IPU should continue work in this area; pursue mobilization to that effect; focus on assistance to
victims; and facilitate sharing of experience between parliaments.
3. Parity debate: Are men and women MPs equally engaged in gender equality?
On 29 November, the Forum of Women Parliamentarians organized a parity debate with 45 participants,
including 30 MPs (22 women and 8 men) from 21 countries and representatives of two IPU Associate
Members.
The debate focused on how men could become more effective gender equality champions. Four men
MPs and six women MPs contributed their views and experiences.
The discussion pointed out the different ways to better engage men and how to work in partnership with
them towards gender equality.
Participants agreed that gender equality was a universal societal issue. Men and women
parliamentarians must promote and defend gender equality together. To do so an entire mentality had
to be reconsidered and both men and women should question themselves. While men who do not
recognize their historical privileges are part of the problem, stereotyped mentality and behaviour of both
men and women can maintain the status quo of gender inequality.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other activities and events
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The discussion also highlighted that men parliamentarians who walk the talk on gender equality must do
so out of conscious determination. When speaking out in support of gender equality, men can face
bullying from male colleagues as is also often the case with women parliamentarians standing up for
gender equality.
The participants underscored some good, convincing practices to increase the active participation of
men in advancing gender equality, such as: hold annual general debates on the state of progress of
gender equality in parliament; address the gender dimension and emphasize the benefits of equality on
topics such as the economy, defence and security; ensure balanced participation of both men and
women on committees, panels and hearings in parliaments; engage in dialogue with religious leaders
with a focus on highlighting how religious texts and practices can reflect gender equality.
In order to be sustainable and leave no one behind, it was recommended that the advancement of
gender equality should be part of more global efforts to combat all forms of discrimination and
inequality.
4. Knowledge exchange on climate crisis: Parliaments as agents of change in the
climate emergency
The objective of the workshop held on 28 November was to inform delegates about the latest status of
climate negotiations and to allow them to exchange views and experiences on climate action. Around
60 delegates from approximately 30 countries joined the event.
The session was opened by Ms. A. Mulder (Netherlands) who chaired and moderated the event. She
stressed the instrumental role of parliamentarians in addressing the climate emergency and briefed
participants on the outcomes of the parliamentary meetings co-organized by the IPU, the Italian
Chamber of Deputies, and the British Group of the IPU on the occasion of COP26. She also
encouraged IPU fellow members to embrace the new IPU Strategy and work together towards its
implementation while focusing on climate related objectives.
Ms. C. Kinuthia-Njenga, Director of the Intergovernmental Support and Collective Progress Division,
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), who connected remotely, gave
a presentation on UNFCCC processes, on climate negotiations and on the annual meetings of parties to
monitor the implementation of the Paris Agreement including on the latest such meeting at COP26. She
gave a summary of the key elements of the Glasgow Climate Pact and shared her reflections on the
pivotal role of parliamentarians in its implementation.
Even though reaching a consensus in Glasgow had been an intense negotiation journey it was a
success. The different elements of climate action, such as mitigation, adaptation and finance had been
strengthened in a balanced way. One of the major achievements of COP26 was the pledge to phase out
fossil fuels and to establish a dialogue on funding for loss and damage associated with the adverse
effects of climate change. Keeping the target of 1.5°C alive and achieving resilience required that
pledges be translated into accelerated and ambitious action right away. Much of that action would
depend on the laws and policies approved and implemented at the national and local levels, which gave
parliamentarians around the world a key role to play in the fight against climate change.
A total of 18 participants from (in order of appearance) the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, Seychelles,
Finland, Greece, Bahrain, Egypt, Zambia, Gabon, France, Norway, Uruguay, India, Algeria, Pakistan,
Andorra, Iran (Islamic Republic of) and Mexico, took part in the discussion. They emphasized the
importance of applying the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities when it came to
supporting developing countries to reach their climate objectives. It was necessary to strengthen the
means of implementation of climate change objectives, through capacity building, finance, technology
transfer and technical assistance which the global community needed to reinforce and back up with
more tangible measures.
The recently published toolkit co-produced by the IPU and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction (UNDRR) entitled Disaster Risk Reduction to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: a
toolkit for parliamentarians was introduced in a short video. The toolkit aims to show why it is important
that parliamentarians consider disaster risk reduction when they address sustainable development
issues.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other activities and events
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In conclusion, Mr. Y. Tsolov, IPU consultant, shared the preliminary findings of a desk review of existing
parliamentary practices in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of the review
was to help parliaments build their capacity in SDGs implementation with a focus on SDG 13 on climate
action.
5. Workshop: Good parliamentary practices to promote interfaith dialogue
On 28 November, a workshop was held on good parliamentary practices to promote interfaith dialogue.
Building on the outcome of the 137th Assembly held in 2017 in St. Petersburg, the workshop aimed to
bring together parliamentarians and experts working in different religious, geographical and cultural
contexts to share insights into the important role of parliaments in promoting the peaceful coexistence of
people of different faiths and those of no faith.
The workshop was moderated by Ms. A. Sabaté Gauxachs, Deputy Director of the Blanquerna
Observatory on Media, Religion and Culture, Ramon Llull University in Barcelona, and included
panellists from different cultural and religious backgrounds as follows: Mr. K. Kosachev, Deputy
Speaker of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federation; Mr. P.S. Rudana, MP from
Indonesia; Mr. D. Verga, Ambassador, Diplomatic Counsellor, Sovereign Order of Malta;
Ms. M. Al Suwaidi, MP from the United Arab Emirates; and Mr. M. Omar, Senior Advisor to the IPU
Secretary General.
The panellists and participants underscored the critical role of parliaments in this area, especially in
passing legislation that guaranteed freedom of religion or belief, the promotion of equal rights for all
religious communities, and provided measures to prevent and counter hate speech and promote a
culture of tolerance and understanding. They shared the good practices that were being implemented at
the national and regional level, as well as the different challenges they faced.
From this perspective, participants acknowledged, on the one hand, the positive examples of peaceful
coexistence between different faith communities in many societies (Indonesia, for instance, has “unity in
diversity” enshrined in its national policy); on the other hand, the important role parliaments could play in
passing legislation to protect religious minorities and to fight discrimination and hatred was observed, as
was the need for dialogue and cooperation between religious and political actors. The need to focus on
intra-faith, specifically intra-Muslim, relations was highlighted (with the Middle East and the Sahel as a
primary example), as well as on the importance of protecting citizens against the misuse of religious
concepts which can be a threat to society. Lack of education was also seen as a key threat to peaceful
and harmonious societies. Panellists also pointed to the responsibility of parliaments to consider the
rights of non-citizens, and the relationship between freedom of religion and freedom of speech, both of
which were fundamental human rights which should be upheld.
Further to the discussions, there was broad agreement on the:
• Importance of the theme of the workshop as a key issue for parliaments
• Importance of legislation to fight discrimination and hatred, protect minorities, protect freedom of
religion/belief and freedom of expression
• Need to increase cooperation between religious and political actors, in particular parliamentarians
• Need for parliaments to involve religious leaders to promote values of coexistence, tolerance and
fraternity
• Need for parliamentarians to uphold citizenship and promote education about citizenship.
6. Workshop: Public engagement in the work of parliaments: Challenges, opportunities
and good practices
The workshop, which was held on 29 November, was jointly organized by the IPU and the Association
of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP) in partnership with United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP). It brought together parliamentarians and Secretary Generals to discuss and share
experiences on the practice of public engagement in the work of parliaments.
The meeting opened with a presentation by the IPU about the upcoming Global Parliamentary Report
on public engagement followed by an intervention by Mr. C. Chauvel, Global Lead and Asia-Pacific
Focal Point, UNDP. The discussion was moderated by Ms. P. Tyawa (South Africa).
Participants acknowledged that there was a decrease in trust in legislative institutions, that there was a
need to listen more closely to the public and to better engage them in decision-making processes. They
shared information about engagement mechanisms in their parliaments and the challenges they faced.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Other activities and events
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Representatives from Peru and Bahrain underscored the leading role of parliamentarians in
communicating with the public. The discussion also emphasized the challenge of engaging meaningfully
with the many thousands of people that one parliamentarian may represent even though parliamentary
administration supported parliamentarians by, among other things, providing financial resources to
maintain offices in their constituencies.
Participants gave examples of their public engagement practices. For example, the Indian Parliament
informs the public about draft laws by publishing information briefs. It also receives e-petitions,
organizes field visits and invites relevant stakeholders to meetings in Parliament.
The representative of the Parliament of the United Kingdom gave an example of how parliamentary
petitions significantly influence the policy development process. Referring to a specific case he
explained that once the many petitions reached Parliament a debate on the subject was launched. After
the debate, the Government made important new policy announcements to address the issue even
before legislation was tabled in Parliament. That particular case had not been part of the legislative
agenda and would probably not have reached Parliament in the near future without public impetus.
An MP from South Africa addressed the need to better mainstream public engagement across
Parliament’s entire work and to collect disaggregated data on participants engaged in activities.
Participants expressed interest in cooperating with the IPU and other parliaments to enhance their work
on public engagement.
7. Launch of the Handbook on gender-responsive law-making
According to World Bank data, many countries still have discriminatory laws or provisions on their
statute books. For example:
• Almost 40 countries do not have legal protections against domestic violence
• More than 100 countries do not have legislation criminalizing marital rape
• In 45 countries, women cannot get a divorce in the same way as men.
The new Handbook on gender-responsive law making, published by the IPU and UN Women, contains
case studies of good parliamentary practice from around the world, either in undertaking legal reforms
or the ways in which parliaments approach gender equality.
The handbook was launched at the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and during a dedicated segment
of the Assembly.
8. Launch of the regional report on Sexism, harassment and violence against women
in parliaments in Africa
The IPU and the African Parliamentary Union (APU) launched the new handbook Sexism, harassment
and violence against women in parliaments in Africa.
This is the second in a series of IPU regional studies, following a 2018 report on European parliaments.
The African study reveals:
• 80 per cent of the women parliamentarians interviewed have experienced psychological violence
in parliament
• 67 per cent have been subject to sexist behaviour or remarks
• 40 per cent have been sexually harassed and 23 per cent have endured physical violence.
The report was launched at the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and during a dedicated segment of
the Assembly.
9. Launch of the Guidelines for parliamentarians on budgeting for the SDGs
The financial strains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic risk derailing progress towards achieving
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
To help mitigate this risk, the IPU has published a new tool for parliamentarians: Guidelines for
parliamentarians on budgeting for the SDGs. From cracking down on tax loopholes to using national
statistics to track progress, parliamentarians have a range of options at their disposal to finance the
SDGs.
The guidelines were launched at the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development and promoted
during the Assembly.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Elections and appointments
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10. I Say Yes to Youth in Parliament! Campaign
Using the opportunity of an in-person Assembly, it was possible to mobilize parliamentarians from
around the world to sign up to the campaign to rejuvenate parliaments everywhere.
A dedicated booth provided the focal point for intensive lobbying and distribution of flyers to encourage
parliamentarians to pledge to the campaign.
Close to 150 new parliamentarians pledged to encourage more youth participation in parliament.
Elections and appointments
1. Executive Committee
The Governing Council elected the following three members to the Executive Committee for a four-year
term ending in October 2025:
African Group
• Mr. Ahmed Kharchi (Algeria)
Twelve Plus Group
• Ms. Olga Kefalogianni (Greece)
• Mr. José Ignacio Echániz (Spain)
2. Gender Partnership Group
The Executive Committee appointed the following members:
• Ms. Adji Diarra Mergane Kanouté (Senegal)
• Mr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi (United Arab Emirates)
• Mr. Akmal Saidov (Uzbekistan)
• Ms. Lesia Vasylenko (President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians)
3. Bureau of Women Parliamentarians
The Forum of Women Parliamentarians elected the following regional representative to the Bureau of
Women Parliamentarians:
Asia-Pacific Group
• Ms. Undram Chinbat (Mongolia)
The Forum also elected a Second Vice-President:
• Ms. Wilma Piedad Andrade Muñoz (Ecuador)
The Bureau welcomed new Ex-Officio members:
• Ms. Olga Kefalogianni (Greece)
• Ms. Meritxell Batet Lamaña (Spain)
4. Committee on Middle East Questions
The Governing Council elected the following four members for a four-year term ending in October 2025:
• Mr. Karim Abdel Karim Darwish (Egypt)
• Ms. Nadia Essayan (France)
• Mr. Mardani Ali Serah (Indonesia)
• Ms. Sheikha Al Taneiji (United Arab Emirates)
• Vacancy
The Committee elected Mr. Genaro Migliore (Italy) as its next President.
5. Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law
The Governing Council elected the following three members for a four-year term ending in
October 2025:
African Group
• Ms. Francine Muyumba Furaha (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Elections and appointments
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Eurasia Group
• Mr. Eugeniu Sinchevici (Republic of Moldova)
• Ms. Elena Afanasieva (Russian Federation)
6. Group of Facilitators for Cyprus
A vacancy remains for a Facilitator in this Group.
7. High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism
(HLAG)
The Governing Council elected seven members for a four-year term ending in October 2025:
African Group
• Mr. Monder Bouden (Algeria)
• Mr. Mahamadou Karidio (Niger)
Asia-Pacific Group
• Ms. Eva Abdulla (Maldives)
Eurasia Group
• Mr. Sergei Rachkov (Belarus)
• Vacancy
Group of Latin America and the Caribbean
• Ms. Alina González (Panama)
Twelve Plus Group
• Mr. Avi Dichter (Israel)
Arab Group
• Mr. Karim Darwesh (Egypt) (April 2023)
The group decided to nominate Mr. Karim Darwesh to replace Dr. Ali Abdel Aal Sayed Ahmed to
complete the mandate until April 2023 (Egypt)
8. Working Group on Science and Technology
The Governing Council appointed the following member for a four-year term ending in October 2025:
Eurasia Group
• Mr. Victor Spînu (Republic of Moldova)
9. Internal Auditors for the 2022 accounts
The Governing Council appointed the following Internal Auditors for the 2022 accounts:
• Mr. Andries Gryffroy (Belgium)
• Ms. Heli Järvinen (Finland)
10. Standing Committees
Further to consultations within the Geopolitical Groups on the agreed formula for the distribution of the
positions of Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the Standing Committees, the following office holders
were elected for the next two-year cycle, November 2021 – October 2023:
Standing Committee on Peace and International Security
President: Mr. Mohammed Bin Mahdi Al-Ahbabi (Qatar)
Vice-President: Ms. Hasmik Hakobyan (Armenia)
Standing Committee on Sustainable Development
President: Ms. Agnes Mulder (Netherlands)
Vice-President: Mr. Waven William (Seychelles)
Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights
President: Mr. Asiskumar Gajadien (Suriname)
Vice-President: Ms. Batsukh Saranchimeg (Mongolia)
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Elections and appointments
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Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs
President: Ms. Sophia Abdi Noor (Kenya)
Vice-President: Mr. Laurent Wehrli (Switzerland)
The Standing Committees also elected the following members to their respective Bureaus for a two-year
term (renewable) ending in October 2023:
Standing Committee on Peace and International Security
African Group
• Mr. Zakariyau Mohammed Galadima (Nigeria) to complete the second term of Nigeria (April 2023)
Eurasia Group
• Ms. Hasmik Hakobyan (Armenia) to complete the second term of Armenia (April 2023)
Group of Latin America and the Caribbean
• Ms. Corina Cano Córdoba (Panama) – first term
Mr. Ahmed Touizi (Morocco) was elected to complete the first term of Morocco (April 2023).
Mr. Etienne Blanc (France) was elected to complete the second term of France (October 2023).
Mr. Mohammed Bin Mahdi Al-Ahbabi (Qatar) was elected for a second term (October 2023).
Standing Committee on Sustainable Development
Arab Group
• Mr. Hamad Al Matar (Kuwait) – first term
• Mr. Nedal Al Alou (Syrian Arab Republic)– first term
Eurasia Group
• Ms. Tsovinar Vardanyan (Armenia) – first term
Asia-Pacific Group
• Mr. Kraisid Tontisirin (Thailand) to replace Mr. I. Sereewatthanawut and complete the second term
for Thailand
Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights
African Group
• Ms. Esther Nicholas Matiko (United Republic of Tanzania) – first term
Arab Group
• Mr. Ali Fetais Almarri (Qatar) to complete the term of Mr. Dahlam Al-Hamad (Qatar)
Eurasia Group
• Mr. Hayk Konjoryan (Armenia) – first term
Group of Latin America and the Caribbean
• Mr. Asiskumar Gajadien (Suriname) – first term. Mr. Gajadien replaces Mr. Gabriel Boric (Chile),
whose mandate has been terminated, as member of the Bureau.
Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs
Eurasia Group
• Ms. Heriknaz Tigranyan (Armenia) – first term
• Ms. Ersilia Qatrawi (Republic of Moldova) – first term
Group of Latin America and the Caribbean
• Ms. Cinthia López Castro (Mexico) – first term
Twelve Plus Group
• Ms. Eva Lindh (Sweden) – first term
Arab Group
• Mr. Abaid Almutairi (Kuwait) to complete the term of Mr. Ahmad Al-Hamad (Kuwait)
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Elections and appointments
35
11. Rapporteurs to the 145th Assembly
As co-Rapporteurs for the subject item Parliamentary impetus to local and regional development of
countries with high levels of international migration and to stopping all forms, including state-sponsored,
of human-trafficking and human rights abuses, the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human
Rights appointed:
• Mr. Johann Wadephul (Germany)
• Mr. Fadli Zon (Indonesia)
• Ms. Silvia Nane (Uruguay)
12. Rotation of the presidencies of the IPU Standing Committees until 2033
The geopolitical groups adopted a proposed rotation system, and the Governing Council subsequently
took note. The system will ensure that:
• Every geopolitical group holds the presidency and vice-presidency of each Standing Committee
once
• Every Standing Committee alternates gender for its leadership positions (female President and
male Vice-President, followed by a male President and female Vice-President, or vice versa)
• Every two-year cycle has an equal number of male and female Presidents and Vice-Presidents
Date Standing Committee Presidency Sex Vice-presidency Sex
2021-2023 Peace and International Security Arab Group Male Eurasia Group Female
Sustainable Development Twelve Plus
Group
Female African Group Male
Democracy and Human Rights GRULAC Male Asia-Pacific Group Female
United Nations Affairs African Group Female Twelve Plus Group Male
2023-2025 Peace and International Security Eurasia Group Female Asia-Pacific Group Male
Sustainable Development African Group Male Arab Group Female
Democracy and Human Rights Asia-Pacific
Group
Female Eurasia Male
United Nations Affairs Twelve Plus
Group
Male GRULAC Female
2025-2027 Peace and International Security Asia-Pacific
Group
Male Twelve Plus Group Female
Sustainable Development Arab Group Female GRULAC Male
Democracy and Human Rights Eurasia Group Male African Group Female
United Nations Affairs GRULAC Female Arab Group Male
2027-2029 Peace and International Security Twelve Plus
Group
Female African Group Male
Sustainable Development GRULAC Male Asia-Pacific Group Female
Democracy and Human Rights African Group Female Twelve Plus Group Male
United Nations Affairs Arab Group Male Eurasia Group Female
2029-2031 Peace and International Security African Group Male GRULAC Female
Sustainable Development Asia-Pacific
Group
Female Eurasia Group Male
Democracy and Human Rights Twelve Plus
Group
Male Arab Group Female
United Nations Affairs Eurasia Group Female Asia-Pacific Group Male
2031-2033 Peace and International Security GRULAC Female Arab Group Male
Sustainable Development Eurasia Group Male Twelve Plus Group Female
Democracy and Human Rights Arab Group Female GRULAC Male
United Nations Affairs Asia-Pacific
Group
Male African Group Female
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Media and communications
36
Media and communications
Press and traditional media
The novelty of an in-person meeting – the first in over two years – combined with the presence of
HM The King of Spain, the Spanish Prime Minister, and the two Speakers of Parliament, as well as the
substantial issues under discussion, generated extensive coverage.
Spanish mass-media TV and radio, as well as quality broadsheets such as El País, La Vanguardia and
El Mundo, covered the Assembly. The Assembly was also reported on by the international media,
particularly in Latin America and the Arab world.
By timing the launch of two important gender publications, the Handbook on gender-responsive
law-making and the study on Sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliaments in Africa,
to coincide with the Assembly and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,
it was also possible to generate some great coverage, particularly in the African press.
A media advisory and a closing press release was issued to thousands of journalists in four languages.
The closing press release was also sent to some 8,000 IPU contacts from the IPU database as a news
flash.
Digital
Livestreaming of the main plenary events and the Forum of Women Parliamentarians, as well as IPU
editorial coverage of the Assembly, generated many hits on the IPU website. There were more than
4,000 views of the live feed.
For the two-week period covering the Assembly, ipu.org was viewed more than 62,600 times.
15,500 users accessed the website for the first time. Notably, the event page, used to watch the live
stream or access information about the Assembly, outranked the home page.
Social media
The communications team produced a toolkit in English and French with several social media assets to
encourage engagement from Assembly participants. A Trello board with further assets and images was
also refined for MPs.
A record number of posts were published on our social media platforms in the second half of November
on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as well as many photos on Flickr and videos on
YouTube. MPs from all over the world posted about IPU143 and reshared from the corporate accounts.
Of note, the Speakers from Bahrain, Indonesia, Kuwait, South Africa, Spain and Turkey were
particularly active. Content was also shared from the Prime Minister, royal family official channels and
Spanish media.
On Twitter, engagement over the fortnight was also significantly higher than usual. @IPUParliament
received more than 500 clicks, 600 shares and 1000 likes. 660 followers were added in November,
more than double the average monthly increase. Account mentions increased 470 per cent in
November, and 65,000 profiles visited the profile page – a 350 per cent increase on average monthly
visits. Impressions for the month were also up more than 100 per cent.
The novelty of a social media wall, using the event hashtag #IPU143, encouraged MPs and participants
to post frequently as well as stimulating healthy “competition” between MPs to appear on the wall.
Communications stand
A beautifully designed and visible communications stand helped give visibility to IPU publications.
There was strong demand for recent publications such as Sexism, harassment and violence against
women in parliaments in Africa, and the Handbook on gender-responsive law-making.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Media and communications
37
Exhibition
To accompany the report on sexism in African parliaments, we exhibited illustrations by Annick
Kamgang to shine a light on the issues. The exhibition was strategically placed in front of the room
where the Forum of Women Parliamentarians met and was also featured on the website and social
media.
Polling Members on IPU communications
Using the opportunity of an in-person Assembly, we encouraged Members to give us feedback on IPU
communications to help us prepare the next Communications Strategy, which will be aligned with the
overall IPU Strategy for 2022-2026.
Some 60 parliamentarians responded either in-person through one-to-one interviews with
communications staff or online by using a dedicated QR code.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Membership
38
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, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, the 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, North Macedonia, 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, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
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, Suriname,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, 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 (14)
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 and Caribbean Parliament
(PARLATINO), Pan-African Parliament, Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS), Parliament of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC),
Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) and Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF).
* As at the close of the 143rd Assembly.
**
Non-participating Members (all rights suspended)
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
39
Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
1. Election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the 143rd Assembly
2. Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda
3. General Debate on the theme Contemporary challenges to democracy: Overcoming division and
building community
4. Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse
(Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights)
5. Reports of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security; Standing Committee on
Sustainable Development; and Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs
6. Approval of the subject item for the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights at the
145th IPU Assembly and appointment of the Rapporteurs
7. Emergency item: Harnessing global parliamentary support for vaccine equity in the fight against
the COVID-19 pandemic
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
40
Madrid Declaration
Contemporary challenges to democracy: Overcoming division
and building community
Endorsed by the 143rd IPU Assembly
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
As members of parliaments and representatives of the people, we have an overriding responsibility to
serve our communities through a system of democratic governance where every voice counts. The
world is striving to overcome a wide array of challenges created by social, political, economic and
health-related upheavals. Societal divides and the deterioration of social peace are having an impact on
the state of democracy, and in particular on the institutions that put democratic values into practice.
In the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world’s governments committed
to promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all and building effective,
accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. As parliaments, we share the commitment to
achieving those objectives.
In doing so, we will strengthen democracy at the national and global levels. We are convinced that
overcoming social divisions, uniting instead of dividing, fostering hope not hate, joining forces and
seeking common ground are vital to addressing the contemporary challenges to democracy.
These challenges are numerous. A growing perception that the political establishment is losing touch
with the population has fuelled the rise of populism and deepened societal divides. Decreasing trust in
political systems, rising economic gaps, structural inequalities, growing disengagement and increasing
polarization are being experienced around the world. Young people under 30 make up about half of the
world’s population but are disproportionately absent from the decision-making process. As today’s
young people become tomorrow’s adults, failure to engage with them meaningfully will further
undermine the cohesion of our societies.
Technological advancements such as social media have made incredible contributions to public access
to information and new forms of exchange. However, the same tools have also facilitated the flow of
disinformation, spreading anger and frustration and impacting the very fabric of society. In the context of
the global pandemic, they have in some instances been used to undermine scientific evidence and
national vaccination campaigns, with a negative impact on public health. They are all too easily
harnessed as tools to intentionally sow mistrust and spread hate. Sexist hate speech and online
harassment affect women in particular, as a means of questioning their legitimacy and their right to take
part in the democratic process.
Polarization and populism are not new concepts, but the current context provides the conditions for
them to flourish. The level of polarization has reached new heights. Partisan competition is normal and
healthy, but intense polarization carries significant risks. It penetrates society as a whole, affecting
everyday interactions. It has the potential to damage the culture of tolerance, increase conflict and
widen distrust. It can also severely undermine the effectiveness of our democratic institutions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated existing challenges, affecting democratic processes,
leading to questioning of evidence-based decision-making, and ultimately challenging the ability of the
democratic model to cope with and recover from emergencies.
Towards new approaches to politics
Politics that is founded on confrontation and division undermines the legitimacy of the system as a
whole. We are concerned that increased polarization reduces the opportunities to build broad coalitions
in society and implement bold public policies to address urgent issues such as climate change.
Addressing the contemporary challenges to democracy requires a concerted effort by us all. Political
leadership and solidarity are vital as we seek new approaches to politics. Our response must be based
on a renewed commitment to our core democratic values, inclusiveness and problem-solving through
dialogue and an evidence-based approach.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
41
Countering disinformation and hate speech
Legislative and policy measures are needed in order to strengthen democratic resilience and create a
vibrant information ecosystem, which contributes to democracy, the rule of law and respect for
fundamental rights. In our parliaments, we must be vigilant to threats to civic space and resolute in our
defence of freedom of expression and the diversity of views, while at the same time countering
disinformation and combatting online harm.
Democracies need informed citizens with a solid understanding of how democracy works and the skills
to participate in it. Just as we vaccinate our citizens against the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to build
immunity against disinformation and attempts to manipulate public opinion. We need to invest in media
literacy and civic education at all ages and for all sectors of society, in order to ensure that our
populations are well-informed and equipped with critical thinking skills.
We recognize the important role of the media and journalists as sources of information and an essential
part of free and open societies. Underlying economic shifts threaten the sustainability of independent
journalism at local and national levels. We must explore new models that protect the diversity of views
and critical perspectives in the media.
Both traditional media and social media outlets bear responsibility for ensuring differing views can be
expressed without fear of reprisals or harassment. Respect for diversity must be fostered by those who
inform and facilitate public debate. As parliamentarians, we must create the conditions for free speech
while protecting those who take part in public debate from any form of violence, sexism and
harassment, including online.
We are cognizant of the key role of the private sector in driving innovation and technological change. At
the same time, we cannot stand by while power accumulates in the hands of a small number of online
platforms. We must engage in a constructive multi-stakeholder dialogue and find appropriate regulatory
responses. The underlying business model of social media platforms is based on engagement and
popularity, and tends to reward polemic and emotion. An open and inclusive dialogue could accelerate
the reassessment of the current approach in favour of a more human-centred model, which furthermore
would protect private data.
Reducing polarization
The underlying factors of polarization, such as growing economic gaps and inequalities, the exclusion of
some societal groups from political discourse and the disruption of the media industry through
technological advancement, can only be overcome if there is a strong political will.
A core function of the parliamentary ecosystem is to promote trust in democracy and reinforce the
relevance of representative institutions. Effective political systems and parliamentarians promote a
culture of cooperation and dialogue to surmount divisions, build inclusive societies and promote trust.
Political leaders and elected officials bear responsibility for demonstrating respect for democratic values
in their words and actions. Wider societal coherence can be built by avoiding poisonous rhetoric,
demonstrating a willingness to cooperate across party lines and promoting evidence-based decision-
making. Parliamentarians, both men and women, must play their part in countering polarization by
creating spaces in parliament for cross-party dialogue. Women’s caucuses often set a positive example
of how party divides can be bridged and how legislative work can be less hostile and more evidence-
based. There is a need for similar approaches throughout parliaments.
Political parties must also play their part in winning back public trust in democratic systems and building
strong institutions, by being more socially representative and responsive, and delivering on their
electoral promises.
We reaffirm that political compromise is a core of the democratic process and believe that the ability to
reach agreements, cooperate across political divides and prioritize public interests over party politics
contributes to de-polarization and sustainable social peace.
Parliaments must create the conditions for all voices to be heard within the institution, including all
political views, whether majority or opposition. Internal policies must ensure balanced participation,
bearing in mind diversity – whether based on political affiliation, gender, age or otherwise – as well as
zero tolerance towards disrespectful, discriminatory and sexist speech or behaviour within parliament.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
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Parliaments must support or lead efforts to promote the use of evidence in policy making, for example
by reinforcing national statistical capacities, encouraging independent sources of research and analysis,
and developing methodologies for public consultation so that the views of the people most directly
concerned by legislation and policy can be taken into account. In their own work, parliaments must
develop close links with academic institutions in order to improve access to the best available scientific
information, for example on climate change. Parliaments must also invest in the capacity of their own
parliamentary research services to provide non-partisan research and support to all parliamentarians.
Connecting people with their democratic institutions
For democratic systems to work, people must have the opportunities and the will to participate in them.
Maintaining trust in parliamentary democracy requires regular interaction between governing bodies and
the public. We must foster meaningful public engagement in the work of parliament that builds
confidence and helps people see their interests reflected in policy. We are convinced of the need to
embed a culture of engagement across our parliaments for a united and concerted effort towards
broader and deeper public participation.
Public engagement also contributes to inclusive decision-making. We must work towards a more
inclusive form of politics, making strong connections between parliaments and a diverse range of
communities, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable and marginalized populations. Parliaments
have a responsibility to be more representative, including of women, youth, indigenous peoples,
minorities and other underrepresented groups in society. Greater intergenerational collaboration not
only builds solidarity among political actors of all ages, but also encourages the inclusion of youth
perspectives in policy solutions.
Leading in times of crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic is a vivid reminder that crises often arise when least expected. The pandemic
has challenged our governance systems and our ability to handle emergencies. We need to learn from
that experience and be better prepared for the next crisis.
Parliaments have a critical role to play in enhancing the quality of emergency preparedness and their
own ability to manage crises whenever they occur. Parliaments must also ensure that democratic
processes are not undermined in such situations.
Crisis management plans must be an integral part of our governance system. Rules and procedures
and the roles and responsibilities of political actors need to be clearly set out in legal frameworks or
policies. The balance of power must be preserved even during times of crisis. Parliaments need to be
able to continue to fulfil their oversight mandate and supervise the actions of the executive at all times.
Above all, responsiveness and inclusiveness must be an integral part of every crisis management
strategy. Parliaments need to communicate with people to demonstrate that they are listening to what
people have to say and are addressing issues of public concern.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many parliaments managed to adjust to the new realities and use
innovative approaches in their operations. Still, we need to prepare ourselves even more thoroughly.
We must further embed the use of digital technologies in parliamentary operations to ensure continuity
of work in times of emergency and explore new mechanisms of public participation and ways to connect
society and the authorities.
We recognize that the contemporary challenges to democracy have deep roots. We nevertheless
accept our role and responsibility as actors in addressing these challenges, conscious of the need to
protect democracy for the common good. We acknowledge the need to show effective leadership, to
pursue bold and innovative initiatives, and to learn from each other’s successes and failures.
As such, we pledge to do our utmost, individually and collectively, to overcome these challenges, build
community, and protect and promote our democratic values and institutions.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
43
Legislation worldwide to combat online child
sexual exploitation and abuse
Resolution adopted unanimously by the 143rd IPU Assembly
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
The 143rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Condemning all forms of online child sexual exploitation and abuse,
Recalling the universally accepted UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its
Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, the Protocol to
Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing
the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, as well as the UN Committee on the Rights
of the Child’s Guidelines regarding the implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography,
Also recalling the Council of Europe’s widely recognized Convention on the Protection of
Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (the “Lanzarote Convention”),
Further recalling in particular Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
protection of children from all forms of violence, injury, neglect, exploitation and abuse, including sexual
abuse,
Reaffirming that the general principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
including the best interests of the child, non-discrimination, participation, survival and development,
provide the framework for all actions concerning children,
Noting that the sale, trafficking and online child sexual exploitation and abuse is a growing
and international concern that needs cross-border collaboration and coordination, and acknowledging
that the fight against it has to be a high-priority global initiative,
Acknowledging the necessity of a multifaceted approach to effectively prevent and combat
online child sexual exploitation and abuse on all levels in order to protect children from such exploitation
in the first place,
Bearing in mind the lack of a sufficient legal framework, specifically legal provisions
criminalizing all forms of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, budget, technical expertise and
workforce in many States to effectively combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse,
Recognizing the importance of creating awareness about the preventive measures and
harmful effects of online child sexual exploitation and abuse in the eyes of the public, particularly
parents, teachers, children and community leaders, legislatures, law enforcement agencies and all other
relevant policymakers,
Considering that children’s voices are in general little or badly considered, and that law
enforcement agents and judges are still poorly or not at all informed about cases of online sexual
exploitation and abuse children can be victims of,
Acknowledging the importance of relevant (sexual) education programmes, communication
campaigns and media literacy as a basis for prevention in any cultural milieu, as well as education on
the role that increased digital capabilities play in increasing the vulnerability of victims and facilitating
perpetrators of online child sexual exploitation and abuse,
Recognizing the importance of information and communications technologies in children's
lives as a new tool for learning, socialization, expression, inclusion and fulfilment of the rights of the child
and fundamental freedoms, such as the right to education and the right to freedom of expression,
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
44
Deeply concerned by risks of new and evolving forms of violence against children, child
sexual abuse and exploitation, which are related to the use of information and communications
technologies, and by cyber-bullying,
Noting the precarious situation of the child in cases of online child sexual exploitation and
abuse and the importance of a victim-centred approach when combatting online child sexual
exploitation and abuse, as well as child-centred rehabilitation processes,
Considering that it often takes minors who are victims of sexual abuse, either by direct or
online exploitation, many years before they talk, if at all, about what they had gone through, and even
longer before taking any legal steps,
Mindful that, although girls seem to be the main victims of online child sexual exploitation
and abuse, many boys are affected as well, and both must be approached differently in terms of
prevention programmes and financing,
Conscious that child exploitation is also a commercial act and may thus be driven by
economic motivations,
Noting that the fight against online child sexual exploitation and abuse is complicated by
the increased access to the internet, fast-moving new technologies such as cryptocurrencies and
Blockchain, with their untraceable nature in the commercial sale of child exploitation materials, the
number of online platforms and apps, as well as anonymous features of platforms, which have made it
harder to target perpetrators,
Stressing the importance of cross-sector, multi-disciplinary and international collaboration
in the strategy to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse, and recognizing the existing work
of organizations such as INTERPOL and the International Telecommunication Union,
Underlining the corporate social responsibility that private sector information and
communications technology companies must take for combatting, preventing and monitoring online
child sexual exploitation and abuse,
1. Urges those parliaments that have not yet done so to consider ratifying the Optional
Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, and the
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and
Children;
2. Urges parliaments to adopt specific, comprehensive and harmonized legal frameworks to
introduce national online child sexual exploitation and abuse laws, considering
the WeProtect Global Alliance’s Model National Response as the guiding model for
legislation while maintaining protection of freedom of expression, to increase resources
allocated to this work and to exchange among themselves good practices in this regard;
3. Underlines that such a legal framework should protect all children under the age of
18 regardless of a lower age of consent for sexual activity, and stipulate that a child cannot
be considered as able to consent to engage in online child sexual exploitation and abuse,
and should include provisions to avoid re-traumatization and re-victimization of victims
throughout the investigative and judicial proceedings;
4. Urges parliaments to ensure that the national legal framework includes complete definitions
and criminalization of all forms of online sexual exploitation and abuse of children for
financial gain, and of the production, possession, and distribution of child sexual abuse
materials along with repeated access to websites containing such images; also, legislation
must consider online sexual offences against children as an extraditable offence and must
establish a legal basis for mutual legal assistance between States in respect of the
investigation of online offences;
5. Also urges parliaments to ensure that cross-border cooperation and coordination between
law enforcement authorities is established to prevent known perpetrators from committing
abuse in other countries, taking into account existing efforts involving INTERPOL, the
International Telecommunication Union and other international organizations;
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
45
6. Calls upon members of parliament to emphasize the need for rapid and effective
international cooperation and law enforcement responses, such as removing hurdles
preventing law enforcement agencies from sharing vital information, and to address the
growing illegal usage of cryptocurrencies to trade in child sexual exploitation material;
7. Emphasizes the importance of a strategic private sector commitment to cooperation with
law enforcement agencies including in the reporting, prevention, detection, investigation,
and prosecution of online child sexual exploitation and abuse offenders, and of
strengthening and equipping law enforcement agencies and the justice system to ensure a
child-friendly system, including specialized training in the detection and investigation of
crimes against children, as well as specialized treatment, care and interview of child
victims;
8. Urges parliaments to ensure that technology companies commit to increase the
transparency and accountability measures in the prevention, moderation, reporting and
removal of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, including a safety by design
approach;
9. Also urges parliaments to develop thorough infrastructure, including trained medical
professionals, to support victims of online child sexual exploitation, abuse and blackmail in
their physical and psychological recovery and social integration, whilst ensuring a healthy
and supportive reporting environment in their State, avoiding the re-victimization of girls,
boys and adolescents who have been victims of online sexual exploitation and abuse,
and ensuring sufficient financial and human resources for, inter alia, educational
programmes that are also accessible to children with disabilities, hotlines for low-threshold
reporting of suspected child sexual abuse material and victim helplines;
10. Further urges parliaments to promote media literacy for children, parents and
guardians to build knowledge and skills in using media and thus provide protection to
children and young people;
11. Urges parliaments to ensure that measures to prevent and combat online child sexual
exploitation and abuse take into account the differentiated needs and experiences of
children according to their age and sex, including by ensuring their participation in the
development of such measures;
12. Calls on the IPU to draft a model law for States and formalize, in the best interests of
the child, clear legislation on combatting online child sexual exploitation and
abuse, where children’s rights, education, voices, needs and security should take
centre stage in any proceedings that affect their wellbeing;
13. Also calls on the IPU to prepare a parliamentary guide that sets out clear working
mechanisms for parliaments and to discuss legislation on combatting online
exploitation and sexual abuse of children; moreover, the guide shall include oversight
tools to monitor public policies on the protection of children and include specific
mechanisms of action that are compatible with parliaments in different regions of the
world;
14. Recognizes the active role of men and boys as strategic partners and allies in
changing norms and practices that motivate all forms of gender-based violence,
including online child sexual exploitation and abuse;
15. Requests parliaments to undertake to promote, by all means necessary, the need for
professionals surrounding children to identify the violence committed against them,
and to mobilize these professionals to this effect, namely by providing training to
detect such violence and by making available resources for and advice on the
transmission and reporting of such alarming information;
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
46
16. Emphasizes that children should never be blamed for abuse and that victim
blaming should be prevented by all possible means;
17. Underlines the importance of the role of poverty, inequitable socio-economic
structures, lack of education, gender discrimination, harmful traditional practices in
online child sexual exploitation and abuse, and emphasizes the importance of the
economic empowerment of women, and therefore calls for intensifying the
international community’s efforts to combat poverty as an important entry point to
combatting such crimes;
18. Calls on parliaments to legislate that companies in the digital industry develop
programmes and mechanisms to automatically identify and report any harmful content
related to online child sexual exploitation and abuse and are obliged to detect and
delete this content immediately;
19. Also calls on parliaments to facilitate automated detection methods while ensuring
respect for personal integrity, bearing in mind Article 16 of the Convention on the
Rights of the Child on the right to privacy, and also Article 17 of the International
Covenant on the Civil and Political Rights, which provides for the right to privacy and
family;
20. Calls on parliaments, law enforcement agencies, internet service providers and
internet infrastructure officials, including the Internet Governance Forum, to unite and
work together to establish a specific and effective mechanism that combats all
malicious activities online;
21. Emphasizes the need for sustained education focusing on digital culture change
amongst youth for relevant policy makers, law enforcement agencies, education sector
and staff working with children and youth, and the public, including both children and
their parents;
22. Invites the IPU to schedule periodic meetings and workshops with the UN Special
Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children and with other stakeholders
and global activists in the fight against this phenomenon, emphasizing global initiatives
for preventing and tackling the problem; and also invites parliaments to exchange,
through IPU activities, information regarding good practices and successful
experiences in combatting online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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Harnessing global parliamentary support
for vaccine equity in the fight against
the COVID-19 pandemic
Resolution adopted unanimously by the 143rd IPU Assembly
(Madrid, 29 November 2021)
The 143rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Welcoming the UN Security Council Resolution 2565 (2021) adopted on 26 February 2021,
Recalling that the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical,
mental and social health and well-being is a fundamental human right enshrined in Article 25 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights, Sustainable Development Goal 3, the Constitution of the World Health Organization, the majority
of national constitutions and other international treaties and agreements to which the IPU Members are
signatories,
Also recalling that this right is accorded to all human beings regardless of race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, disability, birth or other
status,
Cognizant that, on 23 September 2019, world leaders endorsed a comprehensive political
declaration on health at the UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage under the theme
Universal Health Coverage: Moving Together to Build a Healthier World in which they undertook to co-
operate in strengthening health systems to ensure that they are equitable, resilient and capable of
meeting everyone’s needs as an essential priority for international development,
Mindful that, at the 141st IPU Assembly held in Belgrade, Serbia in October 2019, the IPU
adopted a landmark resolution entitled Achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030: The role of
parliaments in ensuring the right to health calling for parliaments to take all legal and policy measures to
achieve Universal Health Coverage and address barriers to access to health for all,
Noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has been an ongoing moment of reckoning for health
systems and health security around the world, as well as to our commitment in both word and deed to
achieving Universal Health Coverage and addressing barriers to access to health for all in such times of
crisis,
Recognizing that vaccination is part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce transmission
and save lives and is among the most important tools in the fight against the pandemic, and reaffirming
that extensive COVID-19 immunization is a global public good,
Welcoming the fact that the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative has
already delivered more than 550 million vaccine doses to low and lower-middle income countries,
including substantial amounts of vaccine donations from high income countries, and has secured
enough vaccines to cover 43 per cent of the populations concerned,
Concerned that prolonged delays in the recognition and registration of vaccines complicate
the health and developmental crisis, economic downturn and suffering occasioned by the COVID-19
pandemic in Africa and other regions among those most affected, and that vaccine inequality translates
into social and economic inequality resulting in more fatalities and increased poverty,
Therefore the 143rd Assembly:
1. Calls upon the international community and the WHO to further advance joint efforts to
ensure timely, equitable and universal access to safe, affordable, quality and effective
vaccines, with particular regard to the needs of low and middle income countries and the
most affected regions;
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2. Calls upon countries to recognize the importance of the principle of equity, meaning that
each person must be vaccinated in accordance with their level of risk and needs, and to
ensure that that principle be reflected at the national and global levels with respect to
access to essential vaccines;
3. Encourages vaccine manufacturers to provide regular, clear supply forecasts as to how
they will fulfil and prioritize their contracts with COVAX and other relevant regional
initiatives;
4. Also encourages vaccine manufacturers to enhance the production of vaccines by using
flexible cooperation models such as building up fill and finish production capacities,
technology partnerships and licensing activities;
5. Calls upon governments to harmonize all regulatory requirements to accelerate the supply
of vaccines, and provide the logistics and training for implementing large-scale vaccination
programmes;
6. Implores parliamentarians to work with their national governments to exert a global and
collective influence on the WTO to eliminate all export restrictions and any other trade
barriers on COVID-19 vaccines and the inputs involved in their production;
7. Insists on the fact that both national and international efforts to raise awareness regarding
the effectiveness of vaccines, to engage communities and to reduce vaccine hesitancy are
indispensable to attain a sufficient degree of immunization around the world and that
considerably more efforts in this field are required.
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Report of the Standing Committee on
Peace and International Security
Noted by the 143rd IPU Assembly
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
The Standing Committee on Peace and International Security held two sittings on 28 and
29 November 2021 with its President (ad interim), Mr. J.I. Echániz (Spain), in the Chair.
On 28 November, after going through procedural items and official communications, the Committee held
an expert hearing on the theme Rethinking and reframing the approach to peace processes with a view
to fostering lasting peace. The Committee had chosen this theme for its resolution to be negotiated at
the 144th IPU Assembly.
The Committee members were shown a video which outlined the preliminary findings of a team of four
students from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) of Geneva who
had been carrying out research with the IPU since March 2021 on the human security approach to
foreign policy. The video introduced "human security” as a comprehensive, context-specific, prevention-
oriented, multi-sectoral, and people-centred approach.
The advantages of such an approach in the everyday work of parliaments were highlighted, specifically
regarding the potential for greater participation of the public in decision-making processes, because it is
the recipients of these policies that are best suited to identify priorities.
The President recalled that the objectives of the expert hearing were: (1) to raise the IPU Members’
awareness of the topic at stake, and (2) to provide insights and inputs for the draft resolution to the
co-Rapporteurs Ms. C. Widegren (Sweden) [joining remotely] and Mr. A. Bagbin (Ghana), who was
represented at the 143rd Assembly by Ms. D. Gomashie (Ghana).
The President introduced the moderator of the experts round table segment, Ms. H. Qasas, Head of the
Secretariat of the Principles for Peace Initiative. Ms. Qasas recalled that there were currently 56 active
conflicts around the world, a record since the Second World War. Most of those conflicts had gone
through a failed peace process. The human consequences, such as mass displacement or polarization,
were disastrous and amplified by the effect of climate change. It was in this context, that Ms. Qasas
reiterated that the topic of reframing of peace processes was most relevant. She then introduced the
panellists:
• Mr. B. Koenders, Former Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the
Netherlands, [joining remotely]
• Ms. N. Bagayoko, Chair of the African Security Sector Network
• Ms. J. Lilja, Director of Studies, Peace and Development of the Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute (SIPRI) [joining remotely]
• Ms. B. Nepram, Co-founder of the Control Arms Foundation of India and of the Manipur Women
Gun Survivor Network.
In their introductory presentations the panellists exposed the unsustainable aspects of the contemporary
peace processes. They addressed the gaps in peacebuilding that had to be bridged to ensure long
lasting peace for the people. The importance of dialogue was highlighted, in particular the duty of
parliamentarians to involve women and youth and to go beyond inclusion by having those people who
were implicated themselves contribute to shaping the solutions to the problems affecting their reality.
Rather than top-down imposed solutions, drawn academically by external actors, it was the role of
parliamentarians to engage with the local populations and communities and to ensure that local experts,
who understood the complexity of the situation, the language, the culture, were involved in peace
processes.
Mr. Koenders insisted on the need for and relevance of parliamentarians in peace processes. As a
former parliamentarian himself, he argued that not only did parliamentarians represent the people but
they also must act as guarantors of peace. Tools such as mediation were important as was the need to
ensure the inclusion of non-armed groups, civil society, women and youth at the negotiation table. He
stressed the value of large processes such as consultations, expert committees, and work with tribal
and religious leaders. To make peace more sustainable the international community must consider a
charter or covenant that would define the role of international and national players.
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Ms. Bagayoko insisted on the inappropriateness of “one size fits all” solutions and echoed the need for
deeper inclusion of local contexts – including local history and languages – in peacekeeping processes.
The local failures of contemporary peacekeeping rippled into neighbouring nations and destabilized the
region. Such disastrous consequences showed how crucial the success of peace processes was at an
international level.
Ms. Lilja called for a broader notion of peace processes and warned that no society was protected
against conflict. People turned to violence when discontent within society was continuously disregarded.
The risk of conflict was also exacerbated by climate change – which meant that every single country
was at risk of conflict. She concluded by stating that parliament was the institution that fostered dialogue
and, as such, could de-escalate conflict. Engagement with opposition and marginalized groups in
society was key to promoting peace.
Ms. Nepram’s intervention was a heartly felt reminder of the harsh reality of conflict zones. She recalled
that there were 378 forgotten conflicts in the world, many of them on indigenous territories and outlined
the tragedy that befell people indiscriminately regardless of whether international news covered these
conflicts. In conclusion, she underlined that women were strong constituents for peace which was why
the agenda must be broadened to include them and indigenous communities in peace processes.
The next segment featured the two co-Rapporteurs, Ms. D. Gomashie (Ghana) and Ms. C. Widegren
(Sweden), who presented their initial ideas with regard to the draft resolution. They recalled the crucial
role that parliament could play when it came to contributing to peace processes. Parliaments and
parliamentarians had a mandate to create conditions for dialogue and had the capacity to listen to all
ideas, even those they were not in favour of. Inclusiveness was in parliament’s DNA and resorting to
representative institutions as major stakeholders could only increase the sustainability of peace building
efforts. To back peace processes, parliaments could also pass laws on empowerment, education, and
other social measures with a view to reduce tensions. The co-Rapporteurs explained that they would be
working on a very concrete resolution that could take the form of a set of guidelines accessible to and
usable by all members of parliament who were dealing with matters of international peace and security.
In the ensuing discussion the participants voiced their general agreement that peace processes must be
reframed and their understanding that the failure of contemporary peace efforts had left too many
people behind. Participants recalled the disastrous consequences of the rise of terrorism and the
significant challenges it posed to the whole of humanity. Emphasizing their experience of the different
conflicts that impacted their respective regions, the parliamentarians all welcomed the efforts of the co-
Rapporteurs to draft the resolution as a parliamentary set of guidelines to assist parliaments in securing
and sustaining peace for their constituents. Participants were of the view that while peace, in addition to
stabilization, was a prerequisite for development, parliaments must also address the long-term
economic and social causes of conflict. The issue of decreasing military spending was also addressed
as those funds could be diverted to peace and sustainable development-related expenditures.
Participants agreed that political mediation was a valuable tool for parliaments to be used at the local,
national, regional and even international level. They also strongly reinforced the importance of public
engagement especially with local stakeholders who, with their knowledge of the history, language,
impact of climate change in a given area, could help contextualize peace actions. Echoing the experts,
participants also recognized that young people and women were among the main players in resolving
conflicts and building peace and should therefore be included in peace negotiations. Participants stated
that in terms of peacebuilding parliaments must both look back to resolve longstanding conflicts and
look ahead to anticipate and prevent tensions that would inevitably arise from climate change, in
cyberspace, and from the weakening of international institutions and democratic processes. In so doing,
they must cooperate and share practices in order for these new challenges to be tackled by all.
On 29 November the Committee examined its second substantial item in a panel discussion on the
theme Parliament’s role in addressing the risks of diversion in arms transfers.
The Committee members were shown a video message from Mr. L. Gberie, Ambassador, Permanent
Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations Office at Geneva and President of the Seventh
Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). In his presentation, Mr. Gberie stressed
the importance of parliamentary action to curb the flows of diverted weapons. The Diversion
International Exchange Forum (DIEF) was a useful tool for addressing diversion. He highlighted and
welcomed the work of the IPU on involving parliaments in the universalization of the Arms Trade Treaty.
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The President introduced the moderator for the panel of experts, Mr. A. Ware, Global Coordinator with
Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND). Mr. Ware presented the
publication Assuring our common future: A guide to parliamentary action in support of disarmament for
security and sustainable development which was prepared jointly by the GCSP, IPU, PGA, PNND,
PFSALW, WFC, and was supported by UNODA. Mr. Ware, then introduced the panellists:
• Ms. B. Nepram, Co-founder of the Control Arms Foundation of India and of the Manipur Women
Gun Survivor Network
• Ms. K. Olofsson, Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Forum for Small Arms and Light Weapons
• Mr. R. del Picchia, former French Senator and former Member of the IPU Executive Committee.
In their introductory presentations the panellists highlighted the long-lasting impacts that the illicit
proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) had on societies, a phenomenon deepened by the
diversion of weapons.
Mr. del Picchia focussed on the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms,
supplemental to the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the only legally binding
agreement against the circulation of SALW. France had ratified the agreement in 2019 thus being the
first of the world’s most significant producers of weapons to do so. Mr. del Picchia called for the
universalization of the ATT as a way to deepen the fight against SALW trafficking and to make the world
a better place for civilian populations. Ms. Olofsson recalled that diversion was a key international
security concern and that illicit proliferation of SALW constituted a serious violation of human rights and
international law. While there were international agreements and agendas on the issue, there was no
universal acknowledged definition of “diversion”. She highlighted the key role of parliaments in
addressing that issue through their various constitutional mandates and encouraged the sharing of
experience and good practices. Ms. Nepram referred to the role of parliamentarians in ensuring that
taxpayers’ money was well spent for safety and security. Global disarmament should also be rethought
and tackled on the ground. She gave the example of local women’s movements that focussed on arms
control to ensure peaceful communities where children could go to school and people could build their
lives.
In the discussion that followed, parliamentarians welcomed the recommendations, parliamentary tools,
and anecdotes brought forth by the panellists, especially regarding the need for higher traceability which
many argued to be the most appropriate way to address the threat illicit flows of weapons pose to
national security.
They agreed that SALW proliferation was a major component of instability and insecurity in developing
countries. The relation between the diversion of weapons and terrorism were stressed by multiple
parliamentarians, heightening the need to eradicate illicit flows of weapons that killed massively.
Participants agreed on the need for enhanced transparency from governments but also from weapons
manufacturers who had the means to help enforce trackability of the weapons they produced. Also
addressed was the issue of international agreements and the need to bring in parliament from the very
beginning of negotiations. If signing was a governmental matter, ratification could only be done with the
support of parliament and, most importantly, implementation occurred locally and must be legislatively
framed accordingly. The key role women had with regard to disarmament on the ground was highlighted
and insisted upon. Finally, discussions touched upon the amount of resources allocated to militarization,
armament and overall military spending in contrast to the dire need for further investments in health,
education, and sustainable development efforts.
The report on the work of the Committee was presented to the Assembly at its last sitting on
30 November by the acting President of the Standing Committee, Mr. Echániz (Spain).
The Bureau of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security met on 28 November 2021.
Nine out of 18 members and the representative of the President of the Bureau of Women
Parliamentarians were present.
During the meeting, the Bureau discussed its workplan. It was decided to devote all the time allocated
for the 144th Assembly to negotiating the next resolution. The proposals were subsequently approved
by the Standing Committee at the end of its last plenary sitting on 29 November.
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Report of the Standing Committee on
Sustainable Development
Noted by the 143rd IPU Assembly
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
The Standing Committee on Sustainable Development held its sittings on 27 and 29 November. Both
sittings were chaired by Mr. W. William (Seychelles). Ms. H. Järvinen (Finland) and Mr. S. Patra (India)
served as co-Rapporteurs of the resolution.
Debate on the theme Leveraging Information and Communication Technology as an enabler for
the education sector, including in times of pandemic.
The debate was organized around the theme of the Committee’s resolution that will be tabled at the
144th Assembly in spring 2022. The debate provided the co-Rapporteurs with initial information about
how the IPU Member Parliaments approached this issue. The theme and key issues for consideration
and discussion were introduced by Ms. I. Kharkova, Associate Project Officer at the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), expert on the nexus between education
and digitalization.
Education is the backbone of human development. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
can foster inclusive and quality teaching and learning. Digital technological innovation has reshaped the
way we learn; however, technology is not neutral, and teaching and learning should not be driven by
technology, but rather keep a human-centered approach. ICT in education serves a twofold function, as
a provision medium and pedagogical tool. ICT has the potential to expand access to education and
strengthen it; enhance the quality of learning; and provide lifelong learning pathways through formal and
informal methods.
While there are several international instruments that aim to ensure education is inclusive, equitable and
ethical, and that outline the potential of ICT, digital inequalities in education persist and the COVID-19
pandemic has revealed how significant the digital divide within and among countries is. To enhance ICT
for education, coherent funding and enabling policies are needed. Technological innovations should
promote digital inclusion in education; address the digital divide and gender inequalities; prioritize the
most marginalized; foster a humanistic approach; address the needs of teachers and learners, including
the protection of their privacy; and create ecosystems where technology, digital content and skills are
integrated to build resilient educational systems.
The co-Rapporteurs also gave their view on the topic, noting that even before the pandemic the
educational gap across the globe was already very wide, and that leveraging and enabling were the
main areas to focus on to bridge that divide. Furthermore, digital learning needed teachers trained for
the task.
A total of 30 delegates from (in order of appearance) Slovenia; the United Arab Emirates; India;
Romania; Kuwait; the United Kingdom; North Macedonia; Egypt; the Islamic Republic of Iran; the Syrian
Arab Republic; the Netherlands; South Africa; Saudi Arabia; Indonesia; Burundi; Pakistan; Mexico;
Portugal; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Algeria; Bahrain; Cameroon; Palestine; Lebanon; San
Marino; South Sudan; Zimbabwe; Zambia; Ukraine; South Africa, took the floor to give their comments
and share their views and the good practices their countries had put in place to promote ICT as an
enabler of education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ICT can indeed build resilience in the schooling and education system. A common point in the
interventions was that access and availability of devices and connectivity, were equally important as
effective teacher training. Provision of remote learning does not automatically ensure take-up and better
evidence generation. The effectiveness of remote learning is critical. Content must be adapted to the
new modalities of teaching and learning. One other prominent theme was the need to harness the
potential of multi-stakeholder partnerships, as well as of the wide range of learning delivery systems,
such as television, radio, and social media.
To conclude the debate, the co-Rapporteur Ms. Järvinen recalled the importance of economic support
for enhancing ICT systems for educational purposes, as well as the necessity to recognize that
digitalization could deepen social and economic inequalities, unless it was accessible to all. The
co-Rapporteurs would work on a draft resolution incorporating the inputs provided during the debate.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Agenda, resolutions and other texts of the 143rd Assembly
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Panel discussion on the theme Impact of climate change on natural resources: How can
parliaments ensure inclusive water access and availability?
The conservation of natural resources should help meet the world’s growing needs. Global demand for
food and water is expected to double in the next 30 years. Climate change has both direct and indirect
effects on agricultural productivity including changing rainfall patterns, drought, floods and the
geographical redistribution of pests and diseases. The panel aimed to identify key actions that
parliaments could take to respond to those trends.
The following experts contributed to the panel discussion: Mr. D. Muruven, Global Policy Lead for
Freshwater, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and Mr. Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division,
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Mr. Muruven elaborated on the nexus between water and climate change and the detrimental effects
climate change had on water availability. Water systems were facing numerous constraints which
needed to be looked at holistically, meaning that the management of natural resources and the
infrastructure to access them must be given equal consideration. Climate resilience was not a given.
Social innovation could offer a novel and integrated approach to build resilient societies and address
societal, economic and water-related challenges by combining the technological and non-technological
dimensions of innovation. Multiple actors were needed to leverage innovation. The government and the
public sector had a strong history of innovation, but their efforts needed to embrace indigenous and
local knowledge.
Mr. Lifeng Li reinforced the message that climate change was expected to increase the complexity of
land and water systems which threatened food security. Agricultural productivity was affected directly
and indirectly by climate change. Water scarcity was a global threat and water stress was on the rise.
To increase resilience and enhance climate adaptation, including through agriculture, an integrated
approach was needed to specific land and water policy instruments and inclusive resources
management decision-making. Coordinated and coherent policy arrangements across all sectors and
investment in innovation and climate-smart technologies were necessary to provide long term
sustainability.
In the ensuing debate, 25 delegates from (in order of appearance) Saudi Arabia, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, India, the Syrian Arab Republic, Egypt, Viet Nam, South Africa, Burkina Faso,
Romania, Kuwait, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United Kingdom, the Arab Parliament, the United
Arab Emirates, Madagascar, Mexico, Palestine, France, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Finland, Gabon, Niger,
Portugal, Israel, took the floor to explain the challenges and priorities in the management of natural
resources in their national contexts. Water is essential to all aspects of life and it plays a key role in
human security. Access to clean water is a human right. Interventions revealed the importance of
transboundary cooperation in the management of natural resources and the need to work collectively to
ensure that financing for development reaches the people.
Elections to the Bureau, work plan for the 144th IPU Assembly, and any other business
The Committee elected the President and Vice-President of the Committee and filled the remaining
vacancies on the Bureau.
The Bureau met on 28 November. Members from India, Monaco, the Netherlands, and Pakistan
provided an update on national activities that had been carried out since the last meeting. The IPU
Strategy for the next five years was presented. The initial idea of adopting an internal climate change
policy for the Organization and its Members was welcomed by the Bureau. The starting point would be
to understand the carbon footprint of internal activities and of leveraging technology to reduce
emissions. To this end, remote participation to IPU meetings could be enhanced and encouraged. It
was also proposed that the Bureau focus each year on a specific Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
by mapping what national parliaments were doing towards their implementation and by sharing their
best practices. This knowledge could be shared in online meetings.
During the first sitting of the Committee, Ms. K. Jabre, IPU Director of the Division of Programmes,
presented and launched a new IPU publication entitled Guidelines for parliamentarians on budgeting for
the SDGs: Making the most of public resources. The publication provides information on key elements
of budgeting for the SDGs and identifies concrete actions parliamentarians can take to advance efforts
to achieve them. Mr. C. Chauvel, Global Lead, Inclusive Processes and Institutions, United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), intervened remotely stressing the importance to find new sources of
investment and new financing tools. Parliaments also needed to leverage on partnerships with different
stakeholders (such as the academia, civil society, supreme audit institutions) to strengthen their scrutiny
capacities and oversight role.
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Report of the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs
Noted by the 143rd IPU Assembly
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
Mr. P. Katjavivi (Namibia) opened the session informing that he was acting as Committee Chair and that
a formal election for the positions of president and vice-president would be held at the end of the
session.
After the adoption of the agenda and of the summary records of the April 2021 Committee session, the
Chair introduced the two panel discussions for the session. Thirty-four parliamentary delegations
comprising some 80 parliamentarians were present.
Panel discussion 1: The global vaccination campaign to end the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons
from the WHO and WTO
This panel featured representatives from the WHO and UNAIDS instead of an WTO expert as none
were available. Dr. S. Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, and Dr. K. O’Brien, Director of the Department of
Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals spoke for the WHO; Mr. E. Gomez, Chief of Staff, represented
UNAIDS. Their interventions focused on questions of vaccine equity and accessibility, as well as on the
general pandemic response of their respective agencies.
The global goal of immunizing 70 per cent of the population by June 2022 was off track because of
limited manufacturing capacity of the vaccine as well as, to a lesser extent, to vaccine hesitancy by
large segments of the population. Manufacturing capacity was constrained by the inherent difficulty in
expanding production of a highly sophisticated medical product and in transferring technical knowhow,
but also by constraints linked to intellectual property rights under the TRIPS agreement.
The WHO’s ACT Accelerator and COVAX facility were created to make the vaccine widely available to
developing countries who lacked the financial resources or the productive capacities to make their own
vaccine doses. While these facilities were very helpful, they were not operating at capacity. Africa was
the continent with the lowest number of people vaccinated. Only one per cent of vaccine production was
in Africa. The WHO vaccine approval process did not favour any particular vaccine producer or country.
Currently, eight vaccines out of seventeen had been authorized by the WHO. Any country wanting to
seek WHO authorization can do so by submitting the required paperwork and allowing WHO inspection
of the production facilities.
For UNAIDS, the COVID-19 pandemic response needed to consider lessons learned from the HIV
pandemic such as the need for stronger public health systems to provide a whole range of medical
services and not just vaccines or drugs. UNAIDS was a leading founder of the People’s Vaccine
Alliance to end vaccine apartheid. Key demands of the Alliance included a waiver of vaccine patents
under the TRIPS agreement, and direct government investments to scale up vaccine production. The
WHO and UNAIDS were unanimous in encouraging governments to make greater use of TRIPS
flexibilities and in calling for more transparency in governments’ purchasing contracts of vaccine doses
from private producers.
The following fourteen delegations spoke from the floor in response to the panel presentations: Bahrain,
Belgium, Egypt, India, Namibia, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Turkey, United Arab
Emirates, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These interventions and exchanges with panellists emphasized the
need for greater global solidarity and for a much stronger pandemic response. As more than one
speaker noted, “no one is safe until all are safe” and the recent emergence of the potentially more
aggressive Omicron variant of the coronavirus was a stark reminder of the need to scale up the global
response to the pandemic. With only one exception, speakers supported a patent wavier under the
TRIPS agreement. The use of social media to spread vaccine misinformation needs to be countered
with a facts-based public information campaign that respects people’s right to free speech. Some
speakers highlighted their own countries’ example of global solidarity through donations of vaccine
doses to COVAX or directly to countries in need.
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Panel discussion 2: The UN Secretary-General’s Report on Our Common Agenda
This panel consisted of a sole presenter in the person of Ms. M. Griffin, Policy Advisor, Office of the UN
Secretary-General. Ms. Griffin discussed the main highlights of the September 2021 report of the
Secretary-General (SG) whose title refers to the Common Agenda adopted at the conclusion of the
High-Level Meeting to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations (UN75 Summit). The
Common Agenda contained 12 commitments to address growing threats to the sustainability of the
world, from climate change to future pandemics, as well as to peace and security. It reaffirmed
countries’ political commitment toward the lagging Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The
underlying theme of the Common Agenda was the need to strengthen multilateralism as the only option
to addressing those threats effectively, as best illustrated more recently by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SG’s report provides some 90 recommendations on how the UN, countries and all partners,
including parliaments, can work together to break the pattern of “business as usual” and embark on a
new course that provides real answers to the people and restores their faith in government and in the
international community. The SG’s recommendations were drawn from various rounds of consultations
with parliamentarians, civil society, youth and other groups. A key message of the report is that
solidarity among nations is not merely an expression of charity but a matter of self-interest: when
nations go it alone, they actually end up losing more than when they work with the international
community.
Although the SG’s report calls for greater parliamentary input in UN decision-making processes,
members of parliament should look at the report as a whole and take action of their own to help bring its
various recommendations to fruition. While a great number of recommendations can be carried out by
the UNSG directly within his own authority, others, such as the proposal to hold a Summit of the Future
in 2023, will need member States’ endorsement. Ms. Griffin noted that while multilateral institutions
needed fixing, overall they had managed in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in ways that would
have been unimaginable only ten years ago.
The following ten delegations spoke from the floor in response to Ms. Griffin’s presentation: Algeria,
Cyprus, India, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and
Zimbabwe. The various interventions and responses emphasized the representative, oversight and
legislative role of parliaments as key to the implementation of international agreements such as the
Common Agenda as well as to the ratification of international treaties. Speakers generally recognized
the importance of multilateral solutions in an increasingly interdependent world. Parliaments can
contribute to UN processes and multilateralism in many ways including by creating their own all-party
parliamentary groups on UN affairs.
Besides their institutional role, members of parliament need to help support a climate of international
solidarity that avoids fearmongering and knee-jerk reactions against other countries. Several
interventions applauded the SG report for its focus on youth and on the future, and also urged the SG to
pay closer attention to the issues of migration, terrorism, and digital currencies, as well as to the need
for key principles of international law, such as national sovereignty and non-interference, to be
consistently applied and respected.
Following the two substantive discussions, the Chair informed the Committee of the nominations
received from the geopolitical groups to fill existing vacancies on the Bureau: Ms. H. Tigranyan
(Armenia), Ms. E. Qatrawi (Moldova), Ms. C. López Castro (Mexico), Ms. E. Lindh (Sweden). With no
objection to the nominations, the Chair invited the Committee to elect the President and the Vice-
President of the Bureau as proposed by the geopolitical groups, namely, Ms. S. Noor of Kenya for
President, and Mr. L. Wehrli of Switzerland as Vice President. These two members were elected by
acclamation. In addition, Mr. A. Almutairi of Kuwait was announced as a replacement to Mr. Al-Hamad
until the end of the term.
The Chair announced that a new IPU Observer Office to the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV)
was opened during the year. Ms. B. Brenner, Ambassador, representative of the IPU to UNOV, was
invited to introduce herself as the IPU Observer responsible for relations with the UN community in that
city. Ms. Brenner explained her role and the issues she would be working on, such as corruption,
disarmament, and nuclear energy.
Having exhausted all items on the agenda, the Chair brought the session to a close.
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IPU Strategy for 2022-2026
Approved by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
This document is the result of an inclusive consultative process with the IPU’s Members and
stakeholders based on an impact assessment of the 2017-2021 strategic period. Led by the IPU
Executive Committee, 902 individuals in 107 countries participated, including parliamentarians,
parliamentary staff, institutional donors, partners, as well as the IPU political leadership (past and
current Presidents, members of the Executive Committee), the IPU Secretary General and staff, through
surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. This Strategy is also informed by the deliberations of
the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament.
The IPU 2022-2026 Strategy will be implemented through annual operational work plans and budgeting
including monitoring and evaluation matrices to measure success.
A synopsis of key consultation findings is included at the end of this document.
Introduction
The IPU has served as the hub of worldwide parliamentary dialogue since 1889, working for “peace and
cooperation among peoples and the solid establishment of representative institutions,” in accordance
with Article 1.2 of its Statutes.1 Over 130 years later, the IPU continues to be driven to improve the lives
and ensure the human rights of all people. Its vision is a world where parliaments and parliamentarians
work “for democracy, for everyone” in a manner that is inclusive, collective, forward-looking, resilient,
and responsive to the ever-evolving set of actors and dynamics that contribute to parliamentary
ecosystems.2
In all of its work, the IPU seeks to strengthen national parliaments’ capacity to carry out their many
important roles – from serving and representing diverse constituents, to acting to hold their governments
accountable at home and abroad, to creating and resourcing legislation on a wide array of issues to
ensure the well-being of their people now and in the future. The IPU’s work is predicated on the idea
that strong and effective parliaments can safeguard fundamental human rights, ensure sustainable
development that leaves no one behind, achieve gender equality, empower youth, create pathways for
peace and security, and protect the planet. The IPU recognizes that parliaments are called upon to
constantly evolve to better serve their constituents. They therefore need to be equipped with the best
insights, ways of working, and resources that allow them to anticipate and solve problems and make
decisions for the long-term interests of all their people.
Yet, as much as individually strong parliaments are instrumental to progress, they are not enough. The
IPU is unique in bringing together 179 of the world’s parliaments to work jointly on an equal footing. This
global position allows it to: 1) accelerate progress, by connecting parliaments to each other for peer
learning with mutual respect and support; 2) complement parliaments’ experience with data and
research; and 3) catalyse joint political action on critical global issues that affect the lives of all people
everywhere.
Values
The IPU accompanies parliaments, in a facilitating manner, in their own development, as referenced in
the Common Principles for Support to Parliaments, encouraging them to use the collective intelligence
of its membership. It is guided in its work by five core values:
Equality: Ensuring individuals and groups of individuals are treated fairly, in the same way and no less
favourably than others irrespective of race, gender, disability, religion, belief, wealth, political
persuasion, sexual orientation or age with the ultimate aim of eliminating discrimination and injustice.
1
IPU Statutes and Rules.
2
“Parliamentary ecosystems” refers to the broader set of actors and dynamics that influence parliaments.
Parliaments do not exist in isolation but in a complex system in constant interaction with other institutions of
government, beginning with the executive, as well as political parties, civil society organizations, constituents,
the media, academia, and others.
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Inclusiveness: Harnessing the full spectrum of views, needs and concerns within society in order to
foster a sense of belonging and represent the interests of all sectors of society.
Respect: Recognizing, showing regard for and valuing cultural, religious, ethnic, political, linguistic and
other differences as a prerequisite for constructive dialogue and resolving disputes.
Integrity: Acting with transparency, fairness, probity, and as an impartial broker in conflict or post-
conflict situations.
Solidarity: Fostering a sense of community, togetherness and unity of interests for the world
parliamentary community by supporting each other and working collectively.
Current context
The IPU’s Strategy for 2022-2026 coincides with five significant trends that will continue to shape the
global agenda over the coming five years:
(1) The need for immediate action on the global existential threat of climate change.
(2) Growing social and economic inequalities including an increasing digital divide, further exacerbated
by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
(3) Weakening public trust in national and global institutions of governance and increasing threats to
parliaments and their ability to serve their constituents effectively.
(4) Regression on key democratic, human rights and development achievements.
(5) Growing threats to peace and security and peoples’ yearning for a more peaceful and secure
world.
In setting the agenda for the next strategic period, IPU Members have recommended more focus on the
areas of IPU’s greatest impact and where parliamentary action is indispensable. They have also
recommended working in a more integrated way to leverage the interconnectedness of key issues and
“build forward better”. This means focusing on fewer, cross-cutting objectives in order to help prepare
Member Parliaments for an uncertain future. In addition, Member Parliaments have stressed the need
for the Strategy to be flexible and responsive to a rapidly evolving context.
This echoes the lessons learned by parliaments in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic – the need to
better understand and engage a wider variety of stakeholders and develop a clearer understanding of
the broader (and rapidly changing) operating environments in which they find themselves, as well as the
need to recognize, manage and take advantage of the accelerated digital transformation brought about
by the pandemic. Many parliaments were confronted with the way that the pandemic upended traditional
parliamentary ecosystems – changing the composition of stakeholders and partners with whom they
engage, the actors and elements that contribute to their continued functioning, and the way interactions
take place.
In response, the 2022-2026 Strategy builds on parliaments’ COVID-19 experience and sets as the
ultimate objective the development of parliamentary ecosystems for democracy, for everyone. The
guiding logic is that by strengthening parliaments, helping to ensure their resilience over time so they
can better respond to crises, and expanding the focus from parliaments in isolation to a wider,
ecosystems view, the IPU and its Member Parliaments can better deliver on the Organization’s vision.
Response and strategic orientation
The IPU’s five new interconnected strategic objectives are designed to consolidate the IPU’s action and
deepen its impact in two ways. First, the IPU will concentrate its efforts on the areas where the
Organization has achieved the best results to date. Second, it will adapt to changing circumstances with
a new focus on Member Parliaments’ resilience, a greater emphasis on the broader inclusion of
marginalized groups and strengthened accountability for both Member Parliaments and the Secretariat.
The ultimate goal of the new strategic objectives is to develop parliamentary ecosystems for
democracy, for everyone as underscored in the IPU’s emblem.
The parliamentary ecosystem approach involves a shift from looking at parliaments in isolation to
incorporating a wider, evolving, systems-based view of the actors, interactions and dynamics that
influence parliaments and parliamentarians, including the executive, political parties, constituents, civil
society, experts, United Nations and other partners, and the media.
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These five strategic objectives represent the pathways through which the IPU will reach that ultimate
goal:
1. Building effective and empowered parliaments
2. Promoting inclusive and representative parliaments
3. Supporting resilient and innovative parliaments
4. Catalysing collective parliamentary action
5. Strengthening the IPU’s accountability
Strategic Objectives 1-3 emphasize strong democratic parliamentary institutions; Strategic Objective 4
focuses on political mobilization and global and regional interaction; and Strategic Objective 5
strengthens the IPU as a whole for greater Member and organizational accountability across all
strategic objectives.
Policy focus
Together, these objectives will be leveraged to make an impact in the policy areas that Members have
indicated require prioritization and urgent action over the next five years. The aim is to ensure that
parliaments’ actions are consistent with people’s expectations today. These four policy areas are of
equal importance: climate change; democracy, human rights, gender equality and youth participation;
peace and security; and sustainable development for all.
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Climate change
Climate change represents a global existential threat. Given the urgency, Members have stressed the
need for the IPU to take urgent action to contribute to global efforts to restore the planet’s ecological
health. To uphold the multilateral consensus and accelerate the green transition globally, the IPU will
help parliaments make progress on and increase accountability for the Paris Agreement and advance
other climate-relevant treaties, accelerate decarbonization and reduce the carbon footprint within
parliaments themselves.
The IPU will also endeavour to reduce its own carbon footprint in its annual activities as an organization,
including its Assemblies. The ultimate goal of the IPU’s action on climate change during the strategic
period is to allow all people to live on a healthier planet with warming limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius
above pre-industrial levels.
Democracy, human rights, gender equality and youth participation
The IPU will work toward ensuring all people have a voice in how they are governed and can enjoy all
human rights without distinction of any kind such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation,
religion, disability, wealth, political beliefs, or any other status. It will work to strengthen parliament’s role
in addressing contemporary challenges to democracy. Specifically, the IPU will support access to and
representation of under-represented groups in parliament, and enhance outreach, engagement with,
and accountability to all members of society with a particular focus on women, youth and the most
marginalized populations. It will furthermore support parliamentary action that ensures respect for
human rights and addresses discrimination. Particular attention will be given to work to preserve
freedom of expression while addressing the nefarious uses of social media (for example,
misinformation, hate speech, harassment of elected representatives), which constitute a critical
challenge to democracy. Finally, the IPU stands by its commitment to actively defend the human rights
of parliamentarians.
Peace and security
To work toward ensuring that all people live in peace, free from violence and conflict, the IPU will work
multilaterally, and prioritize helping parliaments take action on: upholding the UN Charter, the
implementation of UN instruments related to disarmament, arms control, non-proliferation, humanitarian
and refugee law; passing laws and implementing measures to prevent violent extremism and to counter
terrorism; and engaging in multilateral dialogue around peaceful coexistence and building and
sustaining peace. It will also take a forward-looking stance to anticipate and mitigate foreseeable
impacts that global challenges like climate change have on peace and security. It will accord particular
attention to the role of women and youth as key players in conflict resolution, peace-building and
prevention of violence.
Sustainable development for all
To help ensure that all people benefit from sustainable development and that it is equitable, effective,
and inclusive, with no one left behind, the IPU will prioritize action towards the overall achievement of
the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on the socio-economic factors contributing
to marginalization and vulnerability. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will also work to help
parliaments ensure that government recovery packages are greener and benefit the most marginalized.
Finally, it will work toward ensuring all segments of society have access to basic services, on an equal
footing, prioritizing access to health for all.
As a cross-cutting driver of change, together with gender equality, youth participation will be
mainstreamed across all four policy areas as a core element in achieving progress. While focusing on
the four policy areas, the IPU will continue to contribute to other key issues of importance to Member
Parliaments over the strategic period.
Communications is another key driver of change. A refreshed Communications Strategy will be put in
place during 2022 following an assessment of the previous strategy. The refreshed strategy will
consolidate and build on the work started in the 2019-2021 Communications Strategy, in which the IPU
began its digital transformation and raised its visibility significantly in both traditional and social media.
IPU Communications will scale up its investments in digital platforms and reach, supporting the
development of new online platforms, and improving the IPU websites and databases. These tools will
help improve more targeted engagement with Member Parliaments, facilitate communication between
the world’s 46,000 parliamentarians, and help reduce the IPU’s carbon footprint.
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Strategic Objectives
Strategic Objective 1: Building effective and empowered parliaments
Rationale: Parliaments and parliamentarians that are able to effectively exercise their mandates,
represent and defend the rights and interests of the people, make decisions based on independent,
evidence-informed and credible information, and exercise oversight of their governments are essential
to democracy.
Aim: The IPU will expand its work to ensure that MPs are able to exercise their mandates freely and
safely in response to the growing threats and challenges that many MPs are facing. It will also respond
to the current challenges facing representative democracy by pursuing its efforts towards growing
parliamentary effectiveness, representation, transparency, accountability and accessibility – all
elements of democratic parliaments. It will do so through institutional and individual capacity building,
technical support and research, as well as by supporting national parliaments to deliver on key national
priorities (human rights, development, etc.).
In response to the need to focus efforts where action is most urgent, while remaining accessible to all,
priority will be placed on parliaments in countries emerging from conflict or in transitional situations,
which require reinforced support. In addition, IPU research and data will leverage its rich history in
standard setting on democratic parliaments and the Common Principles for Support to Parliaments to
work towards defining the elements and actors that sustain an effective parliamentary ecosystem over
time.
Strategic Objective 2: Promoting inclusive and representative parliaments
Rationale: A key success factor for parliaments is the degree to which their members represent and
articulate the concerns of society at large and the extent to which inclusive parliamentary practices
enable the institution to create access and influence pathways for all members of the community.
Aim: The IPU will enhance its longstanding work on increasing the participation of women and youth in
parliament. It will build on that strong track record to expand its focus to include the participation of
marginalized and vulnerable populations. Working with Member Parliaments, the IPU will use research,
data and tools to define and measure the participation of underrepresented groups of society in
parliament, understand the challenges faced in participation, and identify structures and ways of
working that result in better inclusion and better influence for these populations.
In addition to their composition, the way parliaments function and are organized will also be a focus of
action, leveraging the IPU’s existing work on gender-sensitive parliaments and the findings of the Global
Parliamentary Report on public engagement.
In response to growing social and economic inequalities and historically uneven access, the long-term
aim of the work over the strategic period is to determine which elements in the larger ecosystem best
support and sustain access to parliaments for the community.
Strategic Objective 3: Supporting resilient and innovative parliaments
Rationale: The COVID-19 pandemic is one of a number of recent events that have highlighted the need
for parliaments and parliamentarians to be forward-looking, resilient, and able to evolve, adapt and
manage risk as circumstances change. It has also brought to the fore the importance for parliaments to
innovate, harness the potential of technological and scientific innovation, and transform parliamentary
strategy and business processes.
Aim: The IPU will develop a new area of work and way of engaging with its Members to increase the
resilience of parliaments and respond to the increasingly multifaceted challenges they face by
connecting them with a larger number of actors who influence the environment in which parliaments
operate.
Leveraging research, data, discussion and sharing of good practice, the work will strengthen
parliaments’ ability to absorb, adapt and transform in the face of external shocks, and help them
manage emerging risks within the framework of a multi-stakeholder community of practice.
To do so, the IPU will pursue and expand its work on innovation in parliament, and support parliaments
in building capacity to better anticipate the future, including on cutting edge issues such as the
acceleration of scientific and technogical innovation and its attendant ethical challenges. The IPU will
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also facilitate online learning exchanges with parliamentarians and parliamentary staff and create
opportunities for them to connect and exchange with experts, media and civil society to build their
institutions’ capacity for greater resilience over time, and jointly identify and respond to challenges as
they emerge. Overall, building bridges between policy and science contributes to foster good
governance and trust, as scientific values of rationality and transparency serve as a common language
in support of parliamentary diplomacy.
This work implies new ways of communicating with its Members through enhanced digital platforms,
strengthening the IPU’s current relationships with non-parliamentary actors, and facilitating
communication between these actors.
While resilience will be the initial aim of the learning community, it will be expanded during the strategic
period to ensure that the IPU and Member Parliaments remain future-focused.
Strategic Objective 4: Catalysing collective parliamentary action
Rationale: Since its inception, a key strength of the IPU has been its ability to connect Member
Parliaments to each other, create a safe space for diverse, sometimes opposing, views, serve as the
focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue, exchange, solidarity and diplomacy, and leverage the
collective political strength of its Members at the global level and with regard to the United Nations and
the World Trade Organization. Furthermore, the global convening power of the IPU is unique. The
potential to harness this collective influence and transform it into greater political action is particularly
critical now.
Aim: The IPU will accelerate national, regional and multilateral policy solutions to key global issues by
catalysing inter-parliamentary cooperation and action through regional and global events, including its
flagship Assemblies. It will also work to further strengthen the parliamentary dimension of multilateralism
and global governance including the voice of parliaments at the United Nations and other multilateral
organizations; undertake collective advocacy at the global level, including for enhancing governance;
and support national parliaments in contributing to the formulation and implementation of global
commitments at the national level. It will continue to pursue its long-term goal of universal membership.
In response to the need to focus on issues of greatest urgency, the IPU will prioritize collective
parliamentary action on: combatting climate change, promoting the democratic, human rights and
gender equality agendas, strengthening peace and security, and working toward sustainable
development for all.
Strategic Objective 5: Strengthening the IPU’s accountability
Rationale: Reinforcing and sustaining a culture of trust and mutual accountability on all levels – for and
between Member Parliaments, between Member Parliaments and the IPU Secretariat, and within the
Secretariat – is both a key organizational value and a critical factor in ensuring that progress towards all
strategic objectives is sustained and occurs in a transparent and democratic manner.
Aim: The IPU will enhance existing accountability efforts both at the level of Member Parliaments and
within the Secretariat itself. It will: clarify, standardize and strengthen processes that require follow-up
action by Member Parliaments on key issues; expand Member engagement (in particular between
events); streamline and enhance parliamentary tracking and reporting mechanisms by Members; and
more consistently track, consider and apply Member feedback.
Within the Secretariat, the IPU will aim to expand existing efforts towards its digital transformation,
achieve a “green IPU” (i.e. carbon neutrality) during the strategic period, continue work towards a
“gender transformative” IPU, and develop and apply an organization-wide monitoring, evaluation and
learning system which will allow tracking and reporting of progress on the strategic objectives to
Member Parliaments, staff and the public on an annual basis.
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Synopsis of consultation findings
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IPU budget for 2022
Approved by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
2022 Budget
Regular Budget Other Sources All Funds
Assessed contributions 10,920,800 10,920,800
Working Capital Fund (IPSAS) 230,000 230,000
Working Capital Fund (liquid) 392,000 392,000
Staff assessment 1,089,400 1,089,400
Interest 100,000 100,000
Programme support costs 389,500 (389,500) 0
Other revenue 16,000 16,000
Voluntary contributions 5,257,700 5,257,700
TOTAL REVENUES 13,137,700 4,868,200 18,005,900
1. Building effective and empowered parliaments 1,964,200 2,925,600 4,889,800
2. Promoting inclusive and representative parliaments 578,900 414,200 993,100
3. Supporting resilient and innovative parliaments
306,700 580,000 886,700
4. Catalysing collective parliamentary action 6,565,100 1,159,700 7,724,800
5. Strengthening the IPU’s accountability 3,615,200 178,200 3,793,400
Other charges 107,600 107,600
Eliminations (389,500) (389,500)
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 13,137,700 4,868,200 18,005,900
Approved 2022 capital budget
Item 2021
1. Replacement of computers and servers 35,000
2. Furniture 15,000
3. Website development 100,000
Total capital expenditures 150,000
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Approved programme and budget for 2022
Scale of contributions for 2022 based on the UN scale of assessment
Approved by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
Country Name
UN 2019–
2021
Approved 2022 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Afghanistan 0.007% 0.110% 12,100
Albania 0.008% 0.110% 12,100
Algeria 0.138% 0.270% 29,600
Andorra 0.005% 0.110% 12,100
Angola 0.010% 0.110% 12,100
Argentina 0.915% 1.110% 121,600
Armenia 0.007% 0.110% 12,100
Australia 2.210% 2.440% 267,400
Austria 0.677% 0.860% 94,200
Azerbaijan 0.049% 0.160% 17,500
Bahrain 0.050% 0.160% 17,500
Bangladesh 0.010% 0.110% 12,100
Belarus 0.049% 0.160% 17,500
Belgium 0.821% 1.010% 110,700
Benin 0.003% 0.100% 11,000
Bhutan 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 0.016% 0.120% 13,100
Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.012% 0.120% 13,100
Botswana 0.014% 0.120% 13,100
Brazil 2.948% 3.170% 347,400
Bulgaria 0.046% 0.160% 17,500
Burkina Faso 0.003% 0.100% 11,000
Burundi 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Cabo Verde 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Cambodia 0.006% 0.110% 12,100
Cameroon 0.013% 0.120% 13,100
Canada 2.734% 2.960% 324,300
Central African Republic 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Chad 0.004% 0.100% 11,000
Chile 0.407% 0.570% 62,500
China 12.005% 11.750% 1,280,200
Colombia 0.288% 0.440% 48,200
Comoros 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Congo 0.006% 0.110% 12,100
Costa Rica 0.062% 0.180% 19,700
Côte d'Ivoire 0.013% 0.120% 13,100
Croatia 0.077% 0.200% 21,900
Cuba 0.080% 0.200% 21,900
Cyprus 0.036% 0.150% 16,400
Czech Republic 0.311% 0.460% 50,400
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 0.006% 0.110% 12,100
Democratic Republic of the Congo 0.010% 0.110% 12,100
Denmark 0.554% 0.730% 80,000
Djibouti 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Dominican Republic 0.053% 0.170% 18,600
Ecuador 0.080% 0.200% 21,900
Egypt 0.186% 0.320% 35,100
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Country Name
UN 2019–
2021
Approved 2022 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
El Salvador 0.012% 0.120% 13,100
Equatorial Guinea 0.016% 0.120% 13,100
Estonia 0.039% 0.150% 16,400
Eswatini 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Ethiopia 0.010% 0.110% 12,100
Fiji 0.003% 0.100% 11,000
Finland 0.421% 0.580% 63,600
France 4.427% 4.620% 506,200
Gabon 0.015% 0.120% 13,100
Gambia (the) 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Georgia 0.008% 0.110% 12,100
Germany 6.090% 6.220% 681,600
Ghana 0.015% 0.120% 13,100
Greece 0.366% 0.520% 57,000
Guatemala 0.036% 0.150% 16,400
Guinea 0.003% 0.100% 11,000
Guinea-Bissau 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Guyana 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Haiti 0.003% 0.100% 11,000
Hungary 0.206% 0.350% 38,400
Iceland 0.028% 0.140% 15,300
India 0.834% 1.030% 112,900
Indonesia 0.543% 0.720% 78,900
Iran (Islamic Republic of) 0.398% 0.560% 61,400
Iraq 0.129% 0.260% 28,500
Ireland 0.371% 0.530% 58,100
Israel 0.490% 0.660% 72,300
Italy 3.307% 3.530% 386,800
Japan 8.564% 8.560% 938,000
Jordan 0.021% 0.130% 14,200
Kazakhstan 0.178% 0.310% 34,000
Kenya 0.024% 0.130% 14,200
Kuwait 0.252% 0.400% 43,800
Kyrgyzstan 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Lao People’s Democratic Republic 0.005% 0.110% 12,100
Latvia 0.047% 0.160% 17,500
Lebanon 0.047% 0.160% 17,500
Lesotho 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Libya 0.030% 0.140% 15,300
Liechtenstein 0.009% 0.110% 12,100
Lithuania 0.071% 0.190% 20,800
Luxembourg 0.067% 0.180% 19,700
Madagascar 0.004% 0.100% 11,000
Malawi 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Malaysia 0.341% 0.500% 54,800
Maldives 0.004% 0.100% 11,000
Mali 0.004% 0.100% 11,000
Malta 0.017% 0.120% 13,100
Marshall Islands 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Mauritius 0.011% 0.110% 12,100
Mexico 1.292% 1.500% 164,400
Micronesia (Federated States of) 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Monaco 0.011% 0.110% 12,100
Mongolia 0.005% 0.110% 12,100
Montenegro 0.004% 0.100% 11,000
Morocco 0.055% 0.170% 18,600
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Country Name
UN 2019–
2021
Approved 2022 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Mozambique 0.004% 0.100% 11,000
Myanmar 0.010% 0.110% 12,100
Namibia 0.009% 0.110% 12,100
Nepal 0.007% 0.110% 12,100
Netherlands 1.356% 1.570% 172,000
New Zealand 0.291% 0.440% 48,200
Nicaragua 0.005% 0.110% 12,100
Niger 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Nigeria 0.250% 0.390% 42,700
North Macedonia 0.007% 0.110% 12,100
Norway 0.754% 0.940% 103,000
Oman 0.115% 0.240% 26,300
Pakistan 0.115% 0.240% 26,300
Palau 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Palestine 0.100% 11,000
Panama 0.045% 0.160% 17,500
Paraguay 0.016% 0.120% 13,100
Peru 0.152% 0.280% 30,700
Philippines 0.205% 0.340% 37,300
Poland 0.802% 0.990% 108,500
Portugal 0.350% 0.510% 55,900
Qatar 0.282% 0.430% 47,100
Republic of Korea 2.267% 2.500% 273,900
Republic of Moldova 0.003% 0.100% 11,000
Romania 0.198% 0.340% 37,300
Russian Federation 2.405% 2.630% 288,200
Rwanda 0.003% 0.100% 11,000
Saint Lucia 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Samoa 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
San Marino 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Sao Tome and Principe 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Saudi Arabia 1.172% 1.380% 151,200
Senegal 0.007% 0.110% 12,100
Serbia 0.028% 0.140% 15,300
Seychelles 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Sierra Leone 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Singapore 0.485% 0.650% 71,200
Slovakia 0.153% 0.280% 30,700
Slovenia 0.076% 0.190% 20,800
Somalia 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
South Africa 0.272% 0.420% 46,000
South Sudan 0.006% 0.110% 12,100
Spain 2.146% 2.370% 259,700
Sri Lanka 0.044% 0.160% 17,500
Sudan 0.010% 0.110% 12,100
Suriname 0.005% 0.110% 12,100
Sweden 0.906% 1.100% 120,500
Switzerland 1.151% 1.360% 149,000
Syrian Arab Republic 0.011% 0.110% 12,100
Tajikistan 0.004% 0.100% 11,000
Thailand 0.307% 0.460% 50,400
Timor-Leste 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Togo 0.002% 0.100% 11,000
Tonga 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Trinidad and Tobago 0.040% 0.150% 16,400
Tunisia 0.025% 0.130% 14,200
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Country Name
UN 2019–
2021
Approved 2022 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Turkey 1.371% 1.590% 174,200
Turkmenistan 0.033% 0.140% 15,300
Tuvalu 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Uganda 0.008% 0.110% 12,100
Ukraine 0.057% 0.170% 18,600
United Arab Emirates 0.616% 0.800% 87,700
United Kingdom 4.567% 4.760% 521,600
United Republic of Tanzania 0.010% 0.110% 12,100
Uruguay 0.087% 0.210% 23,000
Uzbekistan 0.032% 0.140% 15,300
Vanuatu 0.001% 0.100% 11,000
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 0.728% 0.910% 99,700
Viet Nam 0.077% 0.200% 21,900
Yemen 0.010% 0.110% 12,100
Zambia 0.009% 0.110% 12,100
Zimbabwe 0.005% 0.110% 12,100
Member or associate member
UN 2019-
2021
Approved 2022 scale
Per cent Per cent CHF
Andean Parliament 0.020% 2,200
Arab Parliament 0.010% 1,100
Central American Parliament 0.010% 1,100
East African Legislative
Assembly 0.010% 1,100
European Parliament 0.060% 6,600
Interparliamentary Assembly of Member
Nations of the Commonwealth of
Independent States 0.020% 2,200
Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the
West African Economic and Monetary
Union 0.010% 1,100
Latin American and Caribbean Parliament 0.030% 3,300
Parliament of the CEMAC 0.010% 1,100
Parliament of the ECOWAS 0.010% 1,100
Parliamentary Assembly of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation
0.030% 3,300
Parliamentary Assembly of La
Francophonie
0.020% 2,200
Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe 0.040% 4,400
Total 100% 10,920,800
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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Parliamentary Message to the 5th United Nations
Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5)
Endorsed by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
We, the parliamentarians participating in the 143rd IPU Assembly, welcome the convening of the
5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar, on 23-27 January
2022. We regard this high-level gathering as an opportunity to highlight the special situation of the LDCs
and their population of over 900 million people.
In the ten years since the Istanbul Declaration and Programme of Action for the Least Developed
Countries (LDCs) the expectation that half of these countries would “graduate” outside the category has
not been realized. Despite some progress in the group as a whole, only three countries have graduated,
and four more are scheduled to graduate in the next two years. Progress has been uneven because of
deep-rooted problems such as low human development, weak governance institutions, limited financial
resources, unsustainable debt, limited access to technology, a large informal sector, over-reliance on
the commodities sector, as well as conflict and political instability.
Today, half of all LDCs are classified as fragile and conflict-affected; and 50 per cent of the world’s
poorest people are located in this group. The LDCs are among the most behind in the global effort to
implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While there is a lot that LDCs can do on their
own to move up the development ladder, they remain greatly limited by a global economic system that
remains fundamentally stacked against them. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and attendant global
economic crisis has led to further regression among LDCs with severe impacts on income and
employment, food security, access to health, education and social safety nets. Inequitable access to
vaccines worldwide is exacerbating the situation by slowing down global economic recovery, while
exacting a heavy toll on health and socioeconomic development in LDCs.
Going forward, stronger coordinated action and political will are needed at both national and global
levels to ensure that the LDCs regain the lost ground on their development trajectory. The LDCs need
urgent support to recover from the pandemic and in the process prepare to respond effectively to future
crises. The new 10-year Programme of Action that is to emerge from the Doha Conference in January
2022 must build upon the lessons learnt from the last decade to present an ambitious and coherent set
of commitments to finally unlock the tremendous development potential of this group of countries and
their people.
The LDCs need to become more self-sufficient and resilient to shocks. Key to this are efforts to diversify
the economy so that it is no longer dependent on any one sector. To start with, this will require stronger
international cooperation to provide the LDCs with enhanced policy space to put in place and implement
pro-active industrial policies. Among other things, these policies should aim to nurture nascent
enterprises in manufacturing, agriculture and service sectors in a variety of ways, including through
more effective regulation of trade, foreign investments and capital movements. While developed
countries need to lift many barriers that still reduce market access to LDCs products, the LDCs should
seek to develop greater economic synergies by pursuing more trade and investment opportunities
among themselves.
As aid remains a key source of development finance in most LDCs, both the quality and quantity of aid
to the LDCs needs to improve dramatically in accordance with international commitments. In the long
term, the LDCs need to end their over-reliance on aid by raising more of their own resources through
taxation and by leveraging other forms of development finance. Unsustainable levels of debt, made
worse by the current pandemic, need to be reduced through a combination of debt restructuring and
debt cancellations involving both public and private creditors.
Other keyways of accelerating development in the LDCs are to improve access to digitalization and
other modern technologies through technology transfers, as well as by strengthening domestic
capacities for science, research and innovation. The LDCs need to invest more in their human capital by
expanding access to education and health care, as well as in universal social protection programmes.
The active promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls and youth in LDCs
through greater access to decision making in all sectors will improve the quality of services, ensure
equitable access and enhance the ability of these groups to contribute to social and economic
development.
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Climate change constitutes a major threat to the LDCs despite their minimal contribution to global
emissions. Protecting the LDCs against the negative impacts of climate change will depend critically on
the development and implementation of effective adaptation measures duly supported by the
international community. It also requires a stronger move toward green economy practices that
prioritize, among other things, renewable energy, ecosystem services, resource efficiency, the reduction
of pollution and the preservation of biodiversity. All of this will require additional technical and financial
assistance, as well as international support for capacity building. Developed countries’ pledges to
provide developing countries, including the LDCs, with adequate levels of climate finance need to be
fulfilled as a matter of urgency.
In support of these efforts for sustainable development, the international community and the LDCs
themselves need to strengthen the institutions of governance at all levels to ensure that they are
responsive, effective, inclusive, transparent, and accountable. This will facilitate effective
decision-making, resource mobilization and service delivery, as well as the implementation of more
equitable policies. In the LDCs, as in most other countries, there is a need to rebuild people’s trust in
government as the guarantor of a social contract that works for all. This in turn will provide the
conditions for greater political stability to sustain future progress. While governance is being
strengthened at the national level, it also needs to be reformed at the global level by allowing greater
representation and more voice for the LDCs in the international financial institutions and other relevant
bodies.
Parliaments, through their representative, legislative, oversight and budgetary functions, can play a
crucial role in strengthening governance all around and in improving coherence across economic,
environmental and social policies. Key to making LDC parliaments more effective is the greater
representation of women, who occupy only a quarter of all seats, as well as greater parliamentary
engagement with civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders. Lacking sufficient capacities
and political autonomy to fulfil their role, LDC parliaments need considerably more technical and
financial assistance. The IPU must continue to contribute to this through the provision of institutional
advice and guidance, as well as support in mobilizing resources for capacity building.
Going forward, all parliaments – in LDCs as in other countries – must play a stronger role in holding
their governments accountable for the commitments they make in the emerging Doha Programme of
Action. Addressing the special needs and vulnerabilities of the LDCs is not just a matter of basic justice
and international solidarity; it is a necessary condition to global sustainable development and a better
life for all people.
Report of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians
Noted by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
1. The 32nd session of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians was held on 26 November 2021. It
brought together 197 participants, including 114 parliamentarians from 62 countries and representatives
from various international organizations. There were 86 women and 28 men among the
parliamentarians who attended the Forum.
Election of the President and delivery of welcome addresses
2. The President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, Ms. L. Vasylenko (Ukraine), opened
the session and the Forum proceeded to elect Ms. M. Batet Lamaña, President of the Congress of
Deputies (Spain), to the Presidency of its 32nd session. The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Mr. D. Pacheco, and the Prime Minister of Spain, Mr. P. Sánchez, welcomed participants to the Forum
and to the 143rd IPU Assembly.
The IPU’s actions aimed at promoting gender partnership
3. The IPU Vice-President and Member of the Gender Partnership Group, Ms. A.D. Mergane
Kanouté (Senegal), informed participants about the gender balance in delegations to the
143rd Assembly. Despite some improvements, parity in delegations was still not being achieved. The
Gender Partnership Group would continue to pursue its work towards parity. It was also pursuing the
development of a framework against sexism and sexual harassment at Assemblies and other
IPU-organized meetings and would engage in consultations in that endeavour.
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4. The participants were informed about the IPU’s recent and future activities on gender issues.
Ms. P. Maharani, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Indonesia, reported to the participants on
the 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, held on 6 September 2021. The Secretary of the
Forum, Ms. Z. Hilal, briefed participants on the new IPU-APU study on sexism, harassment and
violence against women in parliament in Africa.
Bureau of Women Parliamentarians
5. Ms. M. Baba Moussa Soumanou (Benin) summarized the work of the 45th session of the Bureau,
which had taken place in March and May 2021 via videoconference, and the 46th session, which had
been held immediately prior to the Forum meeting.
6. The Bureau met again on 30 November to take stock of the results of the 143rd Assembly from a
gender perspective and to discuss the future of its work. Based on the results of the parity debate on
better engaging male MPs to advance the gender equality agenda, the Bureau initiated a process to
determine its work plan in this specific area.
Contributions to the work of the 143rd Assembly from a gender perspective
7. In order to contribute to the work of the Assembly, participants considered, from a gender
perspective, the draft resolution before the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights
entitled Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The discussion
opened with a brief overview of the draft resolution by Ms. A. Gerkens (Netherlands), co-Rapporteur of
the resolution. The debate was conducted in two groups. Group 1 discussed Gender-responsive and
survivor-centred legislation to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Group 2 discussed
Age and gender-sensitive strategies to empower and educate children to protect themselves and report
online sexual exploitation.
8. Ms. H. Ramzy Fayez (Bahrain) and Ms. M. Baba Moussa Soumanou (Benin) were designated
Chair and Rapporteur respectively of Group 1, and Ms. V. Riotton (France) and Ms. S. Al Suwaidi
(United Arab Emirates), Chair and Rapporteur respectively of Group 2.
9. Participants in Group 1 agreed that children were vulnerable targets of the growing phenomenon
of online sexual exploitation and abuse, which had been further exacerbated by the isolation of children
during the COVID-19 pandemic and their increased use of the internet. They emphasized the urgent
need to adopt inclusive, comprehensive and gender-sensitive legislation that criminalized all forms of
online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The legislation should protect the rights and safety of child
survivors of violence and focus on the empowerment of survivors. Care and support centres for child
survivors should be established to help them repair and rebuild psychologically and physically.
Participants also recommended the prioritization of alert and reporting mechanisms, including hotlines
and helplines on online platforms; the inclusion of children in the search for solutions that take into
account the different needs of children according to their age and gender; and a focus on specific
measures adapted to young girls.
10. Participants in Group 2 discussed the accompanying and implementing measures required to
complement the legislation. They highlighted the need to raise awareness, educate and engage all
those concerned by online child sexual exploitation and abuse: children, families, communities,
teachers, doctors, and legal and law-enforcement professionals. All those who interacted with children
must be trained to detect the signs of abuse and address them in an age- and gender-sensitive way, as
well as equipped to act and ensure children can protect themselves and seek support. Participants also
recommended that any strategy to prevent online child sexual exploitation and abuse must include sex
education and digital literacy education.
11. The reports of the discussions conducted in the two groups resulted in one amendment to the
draft resolution of the Standing Committee and several expressions of support for amendments
proposed by national delegations. The proposed amendment was included in the draft resolution.
Several of the amendments supported by the Forum helped enhance the draft resolution from a gender
perspective.
Panel discussion on strategies for gender-responsive law making
12. The panel discussion focused on the role of parliaments in ensuring that national laws guarantee
gender equality in practice, by adopting rights-affirming laws that protect and benefit all women and
girls, but also analysing the differentiated impact of legislation on women and girls. Participants
emphasized the building of alliances, parliamentary mechanisms and capacities for reforming legislation
from a gender perspective as important strategies for gender-responsive legal reform.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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13. The exchange opened with a video message from UN Women and introductory remarks by the
Secretary General of the IPU and Chair of the International Gender Champions Global Board,
Mr. M. Chungong, who presented the new IPU and UN Women handbook for parliamentarians on
gender-responsive law making. The handbook built on contributions and best practices from MPs from
around the globe.
14. The discussions were introduced by presentations from Ms. H. Fayez Hala (Bahrain) on
“Gender-responsive legal reform, its benefits and related challenges”; Ms. P. A. Komarudin (Indonesia)
and Ms. E. Nyirasafari (Rwanda) on “Partnerships needed to conduct gender-responsive legal reform”;
and Ms. C. Mix (Chile) on “Mechanisms and capacities for action in parliament”.
15. Participants shared experiences on the costs of discrimination and the benefits of corrective legal
reforms. Discussions focused on laws and policies in the areas of family and marriage, land ownership,
employment and equal pay rights, nationality and citizenship, as well as eliminating all forms of violence
against women and girls. Examples of improvements were highlighted in areas such as women’s
economic inclusion, access to school for girls, ending online violence against women and girls, and
combatting violence against women in politics. Strong cooperation between government, parliament and
civil society, and engagement with women’s civil society associations as well as multi-party alliances
and partnerships between men and women parliamentarians were often key to achieving such reforms.
Participants stressed the effectiveness of mechanisms such as standing committees on gender equality
as well as women’s parliamentary caucuses. They called specific attention to the implementation of
laws, as well as budget scrutiny through a gender lens and gender-responsive budgeting.
Parity debate
16. The Forum of Women Parliamentarians organized a parity debate on Are men and women MPs
equally engaged in gender equality? The debate focused on how men could become more effective
gender equality champions. The debate brought together both men and women MPs, with four men
MPs and six women MPs contributing their views and experiences.
Elections to the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians
17. The participants elected Ms. U. Undram (Mongolia) to fill the vacant seat for the Asia-Pacific
Group. The Forum also approved the election of Ms. W.P. Andrade Muñoz (Ecuador) to the position of
Second Vice-President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians.
* * * * * *
COMPOSITION AND OFFICERS OF THE BUREAU OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS
(as at 29 November 2021)
PRESIDING OFFICERS (April 2021–2023)
President: Ms. L. Vasylenko (Ukraine)
First Vice-President: Ms. H. Ramzy Fayez (Bahrain)
Second Vice-President: Ms. W.P. Andrade Muñoz (Ecuador)
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Expiry of term
African Group:
Ms. O. Sanogo (Mali) Ms. S. Wakarura Kihika (Kenya) April 2023
Ms. N. Bujela (Eswatini)
Ms. M. Baba Moussa Soumanou
(Benin)
April 2025
Arab Group:
Ms. M.S. Al Suwaidi (United Arab Emirates) Ms. M. Mohammed Saleh
(Syrian Arab Rep.)
April 2023
Ms. H. Ramzy Fayez (Bahrain) Ms. A.N. Ayyoub Awadallah (Egypt) April 2025
Asia-Pacific Group:
Ms. P. Maadam (India) Ms. U. Chinbat (Mongolia) April 2023
Ms. P.A. Komarudin (Indonesia) Ms. E. Azad (Islamic Rep. of Iran) April 2025
Eurasia Group:
Ms. E. Vtorygina (Russian Federation) Ms. Z. Greceanîi (Rep. of Moldova) April 2023
Vacancy Ms. M. Vasilevich (Belarus) April 2025
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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Group of Latin American and the Caribbean:
Ms. C. Mix (Chile) Ms. V. Persaud (Guyana) April 2023
Ms. W.P. Andrade Muñoz (Ecuador) Ms. A.F. Sagasti (Argentina) April 2025
Twelve Plus Group:
Ms. L. Wall (New Zealand) Ms. L. Vasylenko (Ukraine) April 2023
Ms. V. Riotton (France) Ms. M. Grande (Italy) April 2025
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(ex officio, for the duration of their term on the Executive Committee)
Expiry of term
Ms. O. Kefalogianni (Greece) November 2025
Ms. B. Argimón (Uruguay)
Ms. E. Anyakun (Uganda)
Ms. C. Widegren (Sweden)
Ms. P. Krairiksh (Thailand)
Ms. A.D. Mergane Kanouté (Senegal)
October 2024
October 2023
October 2023
October 2023
April 2023
PRESIDENT OF THE FORUM OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS
(ex officio for two years)
Expiry of term
Ms. M. Batet Lamaña (Spain) November 2023
Report of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU
Noted by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
The Forum of Young Parliamentarians was held on 27 November 2021. It was co-presided by a woman
and man member of the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians – Ms. O. Rudenko (Ukraine)
and Mr. M.A. Rakotomalala (Madagascar), who replaced the President of the Board, Ms. S. Albazar
(Egypt), and the youngest member of the Board, Ms. M. Vasilevich (Belarus), who were both absent.
The meeting brought together 72 participants, including 59 parliamentarians from 45 countries. There
were 26 women and 33 men among the parliamentarians who attended the Forum. The average age of
the participating parliamentarians was of 38.
The Forum participants were welcomed by the IPU President and the IPU Secretary General who
expressed their support for the cause of youth participation. The Forum members expressed their
appreciation for the IPU’s leadership support and looked forward to continuing working with the IPU
President and the IPU Secretary General in the coming years.
The Forum members exchanged views on the main theme of the Assembly’s General Debate
Contemporary challenges to democracy: Overcoming division and building community. They agreed
that for democracy to be strong it needed to be youth driven by more inclusive and more youth
responsive parliaments. The IPU youth movement was contributing its share through the I Say Yes to
Youth in Parliament! campaign which had already galvanized the support of more than 500 political
leaders from across the world. It was underlined that the role of young MPs was indispensable when it
came to contributing to intergenerational entente, accord and cooperation. The importance of their
influence in building more youth responsive parliaments was also emphasized. To this end, new
empowerment tools to be run by the IPU in 2022, including a youth empowerment series made of online
briefings and trainings, were welcomed.
In their contribution to the IPU resolution Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual
exploitation and abuse from a youth perspective, the young MPs highlighted the need for: cooperation
at international, regional and national levels; legislation that criminalized online sexual exploitation; and
having children who experienced such exploitation placed at the centre of the policy response.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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The Forum discussed the contribution – from a youth perspective – of young MPs to the IPU’s work on
the new IPU Strategy for 2022-2026. Although the young parliamentarians welcomed the inclusion of
youth participation as a cross-cutting issue, they made a strong call to have youth participation included
in its own right as a policy area of the Organization’s new five-year Strategy.
The young parliamentarians took stock of recent developments in youth participation in their respective
countries and highlighted that: in a number of parliaments the numbers of elected young MPs had
increased; new good practices of reserving seats for youth in parliament had been implemented; there
was stronger support by political parties to young candidates and aspirants; and an interesting trend of
youth participation at local government level was unfolding. With regard to countries in conflict or under
occupation, the young MPs expressed their support to oppressed youth who were unable to participate
in the governance structure of their nations.
In order to learn from each other and enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation, the young MPs shared
experiences and lessons learned on creating forums and networks of young MPs. The question and
answer session helped link young MPs with experience in setting up forums with those that wanted to
do so in their countries. As a result, cooperation opportunities among the young MPs were crystalized
and would be followed up on. The young MPs recognized IPU’s pioneering role when it established the
Forum of Young Parliamentarians and acknowledged that the IPU had inspired many parliaments and
their young members to do the same by using the IPU Forum as a model.
At the proposal of the Board of the Forum, the young parliamentarians agreed to have the IPU Global
Conference of Young MPs in 2022 focus on youth for climate action.
In conclusion, in preparation for the 144th IPU Assembly to be held in March 2022, the Forum appointed
Mr. M.A. Rakotomalala (Madagascar) to prepare a youth overview report as a contribution to the IPU
resolution entitled Rethinking and reframing approach to peace processes with a view to fostering
lasting peace and Mr. P. Kemper (Paraguay) to prepare a youth overview report as a contribution to the
IPU resolution Leveraging information and communication technology as an enabler for the education
sector, including in times of pandemic.
Report of the Committee on Middle East Questions
Noted by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
One sitting of the Committee was held on 29 November 2021, with seven members attending. The
Committee members elected Mr. G. Migliore (Italy) as the President of the Committee. The Committee
discussed the importance of respectful dialogue, putting differences aside and working together in order
to achieve peace as part of their mandate.
The Committee heard from the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Yemen, Mr. M.A. Al-Shadadi, about
the situation on the ground in his country. The situation was dire, with widespread hunger and suffering
after seven years of war. Young people were greatly impacted, particularly in terms of disruption to their
education and a lack of opportunities, which often pushed them to become radicalized. Women were
impacted very negatively by the war, facing violence and rape daily, and parliamentarians were also
under threat. The people of Yemen wanted food, medicine, safety, their children to go to school, and a
life of dignity. Mr. Al-Shadadi appealed to the Committee and the international community for their
support, asking for concrete actions, for the war to end, national dialogue and the enacting of
democratic political solutions. He asked IPU Members to exert pressure on parliaments that were
supporting militias and causing the crisis. The Committee was saddened by the situation and the
tragedy occurring in Yemen. Members expressed their solidarity with the people of Yemen and pledged
their support for efforts to prevent the continuation of this humanitarian disaster.
A presentation was also made by the Institute of Economics and Peace on the current status of peace
in the Middle East. The Committee heard that, in 2020, there had been an increase in the numbers of
casualties in ever more intense conflicts in the region, as well as a trend of national or local conflicts
becoming globalized or regionalized, contributing to the systemic nature of conflict in the region. Yemen
was the least peaceful country in the region, and since 2008, levels of peace have been decreasing.
The Committee agreed on the importance of putting forward holistic approaches to address conflict in
the Middle East region. Concrete proposals for the Committee’s future work were essential to achieving
impact.
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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The Committee heard a briefing by the IPU President on his visit to the Middle East in November 2021,
notably to Israel and Palestine. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict was a main concern of the Committee. In
Israel, the IPU President had held meetings with the Speaker of the Knesset and the Minister of Foreign
Affairs. In Palestine, he had held meetings with the Palestinian President, members of the Palestinian
National Council, and other Palestinian officials. The IPU President had had the clear impression that
both parties were committed to a two-state solution, and he had been pleased during his visit to see the
commitment of both Israel and Palestine to the achievement of peace. He had emphasized the
importance of both parties continuing to make efforts to meet each other in the middle. Israeli officials
had expressed their concern that the Palestinian Authority did not have control in the Gaza Strip, nor
over Hamas, and had denounced the lack of cooperation from the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian
officials had told the IPU President that Israel could not claim it was committed to peace while
continuing its settlement activities. They had also raised the issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails
and administrative detention. The Committee agreed that, allowing for the changing circumstances of
the COVID-19 pandemic, they should undertake a visit to the region, in order for Committee members to
meet people and see the situation on the ground for themselves.
Regarding the Committee’s Rules on the gender balance of its membership, the Committee reviewed
and adopted a proposed amendment on its composition submitted by the IPU Secretariat. The
amendment would be submitted to the Governing Council in Nusa Dua, Indonesia, for approval in
March 2022.
Report of the Committee to Promote Respect for
International Humanitarian Law
Noted by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
1. The Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law (the Committee) met on
27 November 2021. The meeting was chaired by the Committee’s President, Ms. A. Vadai (Hungary). In
addition to the Chair, participants included members from Bahrain, Belgium, India, Kenya, Mexico, and
Suriname representing more than 50 per cent of sitting members. Representatives of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) attended as observers.
2. The Committee pursued the discussions held at its previous informal sitting held in early
November 2021. The Committee was unable, as was its usual practice, to review developments in
specific crisis situations which it monitored since it could not meet with some experts. It agreed to hold
such consultations in virtual format (online) in December. The consultations would deal with the
situation of refugees from Myanmar and the situation of Afghan refugees. The Committee expressed its
intention to renew with the practice of following specific situations of concern and possibly carrying out
on-site visits, if overall health and security conditions allowed it.
3. The Committee went on to discuss a specific workplan on actions to be taken to end
statelessness by 2024. Members were reminded of the IPU Statement to mark the 60th anniversary of
the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (142nd IPU Assembly) which calls on the IPU
Members to step up action to adhere and implement the statelessness conventions. On its part, the
Committee decided to focus its efforts in the coming years on the following:
- Addressing gender discrimination in nationality law by engaging with parliamentarians in the
25 countries that retain gender discrimination in their nationality laws (see:
https://www.refworld.org/docid/604257d34.html).
- Building on regional levels parliamentarians’ knowledge and capacity on the issues in question
and fostering networking and exchange with other actors, such as relevant regional bodies seized
with statelessness, NGO networks and stateless activists themselves.
- Supporting follow up in the 32 priority countries identified by UNHCR for the #IBELONG
Campaign(pledges delivered at the High-Level Segment are available at:
https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ec3e91b4.html).
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The Committee welcomed warmly the offer of its member from Kenya to host the first virtual
regional gathering on this topic and looked forward to further engagement on the subject from other
members.
4. The Committee was briefed on the follow-up to the Global Refugee Forum and implementation of
the pledges made. It invited IPU Members to follow up on pledges made by their countries (see:
https://globalcompactrefugees.org/index.php/). It also decided to pursue raising awareness of members
of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and its implementation and invited all members to monitor
implementation in their own parliaments.
5. The Committee pursued discussion on parliamentary efforts to strengthen implementation of
international humanitarian law in cooperation with the ICRC. The discussion focused on universalization
and implementation of the Additional Protocols (AP) to the Geneva Conventions in view of the
celebration of their 45th anniversary in 2022. The Committee agreed to:
- Organize a global virtual raising awareness event for parliaments on the AP in 2022 –
possibly on 8 June (anniversary date) – with the ICRC
- Compile tools/factsheets for MPs to support them in their raising awareness efforts
- Carry out sensitization efforts through letters addressed by the IPU to parliaments of non-
signatory countries to encourage them to discuss the Additional Protocols
- Where possible, provide a parliamentary contribution to ICRC events marking the
45th anniversary of the AP at regional levels
- Monitor and report regularly to IPU Members on progress on accession to AP
6. With regard to its work on the Ottawa Convention (or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention),
the Committee hosted an open session on 29 November on the theme Supporting a mine-free world:
Universalization and implementation of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention which brought together
members of parliament and representatives from the Implementation Support Unit of the Anti-Personnel
Mine Ban Convention, the Mines Advisory Group and the ICRC, for a very rich exchange of views. The
debate concluded with the need to strengthen parliamentary engagement in the matter, with a particular
focus on assistance to victims; securing budgetary allocations; and facilitating the exchange of good
practices. The Committee agreed to pursue work on anti-personnel mines in the years to come.
7. Finally, in view of common areas of concern, the Committee highlighted the importance of building
synergies with IPU’s work in the area of peace and security and suggested organizing a joint meeting
with the Bureau of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security to enhance cooperation
and coordination.
Report of the High-Level Advisory Group on Countering
Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG)
Noted by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
The High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism (HLAG) held three
meetings since the last Assembly: a virtual meeting on 17 May, an in-person meeting on 9 September in
Vienna, Austria, and an in-person meeting on 26 November in Madrid, Spain. The present report
summarizes the discussions and decisions reached by the HLAG during those three meetings.
During the meetings, the HLAG reviewed the following areas of the IPU Secretariat’s counter-terrorism
work: progress with development of ICT tools, activities regarding victims of terrorism, and cooperation
and projects with regional parliaments. Members also stressed the importance of addressing the
situation in the Sahel region, as well as of supporting the victims of terrorism and addressing hate
speech.
The Chair delivered opening remarks underlining the important work of the HLAG, given that terrorism
was one of the major challenges facing the world today. Parliaments had a crucial role to play in the
prevention of terrorism and violent extremism.
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The Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) provided a presentation on the impact of terrorism, including
the latest data from the Global Terrorism Index and an overview of the systemic interconnections with
other strategic factors influencing global peace and security. These included violence and negative
peace, the need for investments in better institutions, attitudes and structures aiming at creating more
positive peace and the intimate connection between ecological degradation, levels of violence and
societal resilience. One of the conclusions and recommendations pointed out the necessity to use an
approach that analysed systemic and interconnected problems to produce systemic and all-
encompassing solutions. Such research and solutions would be key to a successful Call for the Sahel
initiative.
First Global Parliamentary Summit on Counter-Terrorism
The IPU Secretary General presented a summary of the outcomes of the First Global Parliamentary
Summit on Counter-Terrorism, held in Vienna in September 2021. The Summit had consisted of a
High-Level session with the participation of the Speaker of the Austrian National Council, the IPU
President, the Director-General of the United Nations Office in Vienna and Executive Director of the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Under-Secretary-General of the United
Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), followed by three thematic interactive sessions.
In the first of the three sessions, victims of terrorism from the Sahel, Afghanistan and Kenya had
provided their testimonies and perspectives, intended to guide participants in the search for real
solutions. The session had focused on how the international community could work together in
coordination with communities and civil society so that the difficult situation of victims of terrorism would
cease to be a forgotten issue.
The second session had focused on the role of parliaments in the prevention of terrorism, radicalization
and hate speech. Parliamentarians needed to step up their work with key actors in regions and
communities. Women, youth, local stakeholders and civil society, including religious and community
leaders, had important roles to play. In the third session, on the Sahel, participants had stressed the
necessity of working together to prevent violence, strengthen resilience against radicalization and hate
speech, enhance governance, and improve government institutions through more community
engagement.
The Summit had been an excellent opportunity for parliaments, civil society, international organizations
and non-governmental organizations to discuss all the issues related to the situation of the Sahel. At the
end of the Summit, a joint declaration, the Call of the Sahel, had been agreed between the IPU, the
Arab Parliament (AP), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), and the G5 Sahel Inter-
Parliamentary Committee (CIP G5 Sahel), creating a parliamentary bloc with a strong commitment to
the Sahel and genuine solidarity with its people. The parliamentary bloc would aim to achieve concrete
results by assisting and supporting the countries of the Sahel region through holistic approaches.
Activities for the Sahel region
It was agreed by the HLAG members that one of the group's work priorities would be the Sahel region.
In this regard, members emphasized the need to address the conditions conducive to terrorism, and the
challenges, among others, relating to security, development and education in the region. At the same
time, it was important to raise awareness of the deteriorating situation in the G5 Sahel, both nationally
and internationally, in order to help the people of the region by developing a holistic plan of action.
As a follow-up to the Call of the Sahel declaration, the Group agreed that the aim would be to listen, not
to duplicate actions, and to avoid holding meetings without any impact. The Call of the Sahel was
expected to achieve real impact, result in concrete projects, and involve communities, religious leaders,
women and youth, as well as international organizations, regional parliamentary assemblies, NGOs,
and relevant institutions, using a holistic approach by assessing the real needs of the people of the
Sahel. On 15 November, the IPU Secretary General had convened the first virtual coordination meeting
in order to discuss the follow-up for the implementation of the Call of the Sahel, listen to the different
actors in those countries, and agree on the road ahead. It was agreed that, in coordination with the AP,
PAM, CIP G5 Sahel and other key partners, the IPU would develop an action plan engaging all regional
stakeholders, including leaders, women and NGOs. It was agreed to hold a Summit on the Call of the
Sahel in 2022, in order to present the plan of action and discuss how the Call of the Sahel would be
implemented.
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The IPU’s work on various ICT tools
The IPU Secretariat presented an update on the three ICT tools that the IPU had developed: the Global
Parliamentary Network, the Interactive Map, and the Mobile Application for parliamentarians. Members
were informed that the tools were being finalized and would be launched at the 144th IPU Assembly
from 20 to 24 March 2022 in Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
These tools were designed to utilize communication and technology to help parliamentarians in their
efforts to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism. The tools would allow parliamentarians to
obtain first-hand information about counter-terrorism from around the globe and were unique products.
They were aimed at raising awareness, increasing connectivity and unifying global efforts in
counter-terrorism. The tools had been developed with funding from the National People’s Congress of
China.
The IPU Secretariat would develop the second phase of the tools, which would add the possibility of
online conversations between parliamentarians, both individually and in groups, as well as video
conferences and Arabic and Spanish versions. The second phase would be made possible thanks to
the financial support of the Arab Parliament.
A presentation was given to members on the work that was being carried out by the IPU, the UN Office
of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Model
Legislative Provisions to support and protect the rights and needs of victims of terrorism, with a view to
strengthening the capacity of national parliaments in that field. The Model Legislative Provisions would
be launched at the end of 2021 and at the 144th IPU Assembly in March 2022.
During the HLAG meeting on 26 November, the following special guests were invited to share their point
of view on these issues: Mr. A.R. Al Nuaimi, Member of the Federal National Council of the UAE and
member of the IPU Executive Committee, Mr. M. Roxane on behalf of Mr. J.M. Traoré, Executive
Secretary of the G5 Sahel Inter-Parliamentary Committee, Mr. B. Gado Idi, Secretary General of the
African Parliamentary Union, and Mr. M. Fouda, Programme Officer of the Terrorism Prevention Branch,
UNODC. They agreed on the necessity to improve and strengthen support to the Sahel countries, as
well as the necessity to act before it was too late. The responsibility lay not only with the Sahel
countries, but all countries around the world, since the situation was a threat to global peace and
stability. All special guests expressed their full support for the development of a holistic and inclusive
action plan and for that plan to become a reality, taking into account the needs of the G5 Sahel
countries and involving civil society, governments, communities, religious leaders, victims and women.
Lastly, members were informed that, due to the lack of a quorum, it would not be possible to continue
with the agenda, since the other points required decisions to be taken, in particular the election of a
Chair and Vice-Chair, which would thus be postponed to the next HLAG meeting on the occasion of the
144th IPU Assembly in Indonesia in March 2022. However, two candidatures had been received, from
Ms. J. Oduol of Kenya, currently Vice-Chair of the group, for the post of Chair, and from Mr. J. Gandini
of Uruguay for the post of the Vice-Chair.
Report of the Working Group on Science and Technology
Noted by the IPU Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
Three sittings of the Working Group were held on 13 July, 18 November and 28 November 2021 and
17 members attended one or more of these sittings.
During its inaugural meeting on 13 July, the Group elected Mr. M. Larive (France) as its Chair and
Ms. S. Attia (Egypt) as Vice-Chair. The Working Group then discussed its mandate: to bring
policymakers and members of parliament closer to science and technology (S&T); to make sure
parliaments reaped the maximum benefit from technological and scientific innovations; and to ensure
S&T and their outcomes were beneficial and not used to the detriment of society. The Working Group
highlighted that this mandate entailed two main goals: firstly to inform parliamentarians about S&T
developments and challenges and to explore solutions to those challenges, and secondly to offer advice
in the field.
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The IPU Secretariat provided an overview of its work streams in S&T, including its partnerships with the
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Geneva Science and Diplomacy
Anticipator (GESDA). The Working Group was also briefed on the existing Science for Peace School
initiative, organized in collaboration with CERN to encourage participants from parliaments to work
together and experience models of scientific cooperation, highlighting an evidence-based approach to
addressing global and regional challenges. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first in-person Schools
had been postponed, but to maintain momentum a series of preliminary virtual events called Science for
Peace Dialogues were planned for the first half of 2022.
The Working Group urged the inclusion of S&T in the IPU Strategy for 2022-2026, in order to achieve
real change by building bridges between politics and science and adopting the values of rationalism and
transparency in diplomatic exchanges.
The Working Group discussed its Work Plan, and the objectives it wished to advance. Webinars would
be held twice a year on pertinent subjects, such as micro-nano technology or emerging issues related to
the COVID-19 pandemic. During its sitting of 28 November, the Working Group agreed upon a Work
Plan for the year 2022. The key threads of the Work Plan were: Ethics; Sustainable Development:
Poverty Alleviation, Gender Equality, Climate Change and the Right to Science; Science in Parliaments
and Decision-Making; Peace; and finally, COVID-19: Vaccine Inequity. To facilitate and support the
work of the Working Group, it was agreed to build partnerships with relevant scientific and technological
organizations, and to collaborate with other IPU bodies, such as the Standing Committee on
Sustainable Development, the Committee on Middle East Questions and the Advisory Group on Health.
During its sittings, the Working Group began deliberating on a proposed International Charter on
Technoscience Ethics, which would be an ethical framework on the application and use of science and
technology that could be used as a foundation for countries wishing to establish legislation in the field.
The Working Group agreed that the Charter would not impose any obligations but make suggestions
each country would be able to adapt to their own culture and domestic law. The Charter would be
submitted as a resolution at the 144th Assembly in Nusa Dua, Indonesia in March 2022, for validation
by the IPU Governing Council, and would be officially presented during the international conference
entitled Science, Ethics, and Human Development in Viet Nam in September 2022, organized by the
Rencontres du Vietnam in collaboration with CERN, the Parliament of Viet Nam, and the organizers of
the International Year of Basic Science for Sustainable Development 2022.
Statistics of the Gender Partnership Group
Status of participation of women delegates at the 143rd Assembly of the IPU (as at 30 November 2021)
Composition of delegations of IPU Members at the last eight IPU statutory meetings (April 2017 - 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)
Madrid (11/21)
Virtual Gva (05/21)
Belgrade (10/19)
Doha (04/19)
Geneva (10/18)
Geneva (03/18)
St. Petersburg (10/17)
Dhaka (04/17)
509
755
719
721
751
745
829
612
198
287
221
219
247
227
249
193
38.9
38
30.7
30.3
32.9
30.5
30.0
31.5
117
133
149
147
149
148
155
126
10
8
15
16
17
18
17
11
9.3
6.2
11.4
11.8
12.1
12.7
11.8
9.6
3
2
0
0
4
3
1
1
13
10
15
16
21
21
18
12
10
4
17
12
9
6
11
12
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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Single-sex, multi-member delegations of IPU Members present in Madrid (as at 30 November 2021)
Madrid 11/21 Virtual 05/21 Belgrade 10/19 Doha 04/19 Geneva 10/18 Geneva 03/18
St. Petersburg
17 Dhaka 17
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 Cambodia 0 2 2 2 5 7 2 4 6 1 4 5 3 3 6 absent 1 5 6 2 3 5
2 Guinea-Bissau 2 0 2 absent absent 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 5 7 absent
3 Iran 0 4 4 1 8 9 1 7 8 2 7 9 2 6 8 1 7 8 1 7 8 2 6 8
4 Kuwait 0 6 6 0 4 4 1 7 8 1 7 8 1 7 8 1 6 7 1 7 8 0 7 7
5 Latvia 0 3 3 2 2 4 0 2 2 1 3 4 1 1 2 1 2 3 2 3 5 1 1 2
6 Madagascar 0 4 4 3 6 9 2 3 5 absent absent 3 5 8 1 5 6 0 1 1
7 Malta 0 3 3 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 3 3 1 1 2 0 2 2 0 3 3 0 1 1
8 Mexico 3 0 3 5 5 10 5 2 7 6 4 10 6 2 8 5 5 10 4 6 10 6 4 10
9 Mongolia 0 4 4 2 7 9 2 3 5 3 3 6 1 2 3 1 3 4 1 4 5 1 7 8
10 Panama 2 0 2 2 1 3 1 0 1 1 2 3 absent 0 2 2 1 5 6 1 1 2
11 Paraguay 0 2 2 1 2 3 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 absent
12 Tunisia 0 4 4 2 6 8 0 1 1 0 4 4 2 2 4 2 1 3 1 1 2 absent
13 Yemen 0 5 5 0 8 8 0 8 8 absent 0 5 5 0 7 7 absent absent
Single-member delegations of IPU Members present in Madrid (as at 30 November 2021)
Madrid 11/21 Virtual May 21 Belgrade 10/19 Doha 04/19 Geneva 10/18 Geneva 03/18
St. Petersburg
17 Dhaka 17
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 Belarus 1 0 1 2 2 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 5 6 0 1 1
2 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 1 1 absent 0 2 2 absent absent 0 4 4 0 2 2 absent
3 Eswatini 1 0 1 absent 1 2 3 0 4 4 absent absent 0 2 2 1 4 5
4 Iceland 0 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 0 1 3 0 3
5 Kazakhstan 1 0 1 5 4 9 2 7 9 1 8 9 1 3 4 1 3 4 2 6 8 absent
6 Lebanon 0 1 1 1 2 3 absent 1 4 5 1 4 5 0 2 2 1 2 3 0 2 2
7 Luxembourg 1 0 1 0 1 1 absent 0 2 2 absent absent 0 3 3 0 1 1
8 Philippines 1 0 1 5 5 10 3 8 11 0 1 1 2 7 9 2 3 5 3 5 8 0 2 2
9 Seychelles 0 1 1 1 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 3 4 2 2 4
10 Slovenia 0 1 1 2 0 2 1 3 4 2 1 3 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 absent
* * * * *
44th session of the Gender Partnership Group
Delegations with 40 to 60 per cent of women parliamentarians
Are considered as gender-balanced those delegations that have at least 40 per cent women or men as
delegates. The countries are ordered according to the percentage of women parliamentarians in their
delegations at the 143rd IPU Assembly. There were a total of 44 gender-balanced delegations out of
117 delegations (37.6 per cent) of IPU Members present at the 143rd IPU Assembly (as at
30 November 2021).
Inter-Parliamentary Union – Reports, decisions and other texts of the Governing Council
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Delegations with 40 to 49.9 per cent women parliamentarians (11)
Azerbaijan (40%)
Belgium (40%)
Denmark (40%)
Ghana (40%)
Italy (40%)
Nepal (40%)
Senegal (40%)
South Sudan (40%)
Viet Nam (40%)
Bahrain (43%)
Russian Federation (44%)
Delegations with 50 per cent women parliamentarians (23)
Benin
Central African Republic
Croatia
Czech Republic
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Equatorial Guinea
Estonia
Finland
Israel
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Monaco
North Macedonia
Peru
Poland
Serbia
Sweden
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
Zimbabwe
Delegations with 50.1 to 60 per cent women parliamentarians (10)
Cameroon (57%)
Andorra (60%)
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (60%)
Egypt (60%)
Hungary (60%)
Kenya (60%)
Netherlands (60%)
Portugal (60%)
Romania (60%)
Uzbekistan (60%)
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Calendar of future meetings and other activities
Approved by the Governing Council at its 208th session
(Madrid, 30 November 2021)
Parliamentary event at the 16th Internet Governance Forum KATOWICE (Poland)
7 – 8 December 2021
Arab regional parliamentary forum on the 2030 Agenda organized
in cooperation with UN ESCWA and the Islamic Development Bank
Virtual
13 – 14 December 2021
Joint IPU and UNICEF event on child rights for the Europe and
Central Asia Region
Virtual
14 December 2021
Series of virtual webinars on nuclear disarmament organized with
PNND
Virtual
December 2021 – December 2022
Parliamentary Forum on the occasion of the 5th UN Conference on
the LDCs
DOHA (Qatar)
22 January 2022
Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN NEW YORK (USA)
17 – 18 February 2022
Regional seminar on achieving the SDGs for Asia Pacific
Parliaments
ISLAMABAD (Pakistan)
22 – 24 February 2022
Side event at the 5th Session of the United Nations Environment
Assembly (UNEA 5.2)
NAIROBI (Kenya)
28 February – 2 March 2022
(virtual)
Annual parliamentary meeting at the Commission on the Status of
Women
NEW YORK (USA)
Week of 14 March 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
144th Assembly and related meetings NUSA DUA
(Indonesia)
20 – 24 March 2022
Call of the Sahel Conference First quarter of 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Information seminar on the structure and functioning of the
Inter-Parliamentary Union for French-speaking participants
GENEVA (IPU Headquarters)
May/June 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Global Conference on the Elimination of Violence against Women KIEV (Ukraine)
May/June 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
International or regional workshop for members of Parliamentary
Human Rights Committees
GENEVA (Switzerland)
May/June 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Meeting of the IPU Executive Committee MONTEVIDEO (Uruguay)
June 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
15th Workshop of Parliamentary Scholars and Parliamentarians,
co-sponsored by the IPU and the Centre for Legislative Studies,
University of Hull, United Kingdom
WROXTON (United Kingdom)
30 – 31 July 2022
Parliamentary Forum at the UN High-level Political Forum on
Sustainable Development
NEW YORK (USA)
July 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Parliamentary meeting in the context of the WTO Public Forum GENEVA (Switzerland)
September – October 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
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Workshop for members of Parliamentary Human Rights
Committees from French-speaking countries that have recently or
will soon be reviewed by the Human Rights Council
GENEVA (Switzerland)
September 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
145th Assembly and related meetings KIGALI (Rwanda)
19 – 23 October 2022
Speakers’ Summit (P20) on the occasion of the G20 Indonesia
November 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Annual Parliamentary Conference on the WTO GENEVA (Switzerland)
November – December 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
14th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament Uzbekistan
September 2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Capacity-building regional workshop on countering terrorism and
violent extremism for the G5 Sahel
NIAMEY (Niger)
2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Parliamentary conference on migration in the Mediterranean Turkey
2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Interregional seminar on the SDGs BEIJING (China)
2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Second regional seminar for African parliaments on achieving the
SDGs
DJIBOUTI (Djibouti)
2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Third regional seminar for the parliaments of Latin America and the
Caribbean on achieving the SDGs
PANAMA CITY (Panama)
2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
Third regional seminar for the Twelve Plus Group on achieving the
SDGs
PARIS (France)
2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
World Conference on Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue: Working
together for peace and humanity
ST. PETERSBURG
(Russian Federation)
2022
(Dates to be confirmed)
48th Session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary
Conference on the WTO
2022
Venue and dates to be confirmed
Capacity-building regional workshop on countering terrorism and
violent extremism for the Eurasia group
2022
Venue and dates to be confirmed
Capacity-building regional workshop on countering terrorism and
violent extremism for the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean
(GRULAC)
2022
Venue and dates to be confirmed
8th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians 2022
Venue and dates to be confirmed
Capacity-building regional workshop on countering terrorism and
violent extremism for the African Group
2022
Venue and dates to be confirmed
Regional seminar on Children’s Rights 2022
Venue and dates to be confirmed
Regional workshop on promoting the rights of the child for the
parliaments of the East and South Asia region
2022
Venue and dates to be confirmed
Fifth South Asia Speakers’ Summit on achieving the SDGs 2022
Venue and dates to be confirmed
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Workshop on comprehensive disarmament 2022
Venue, format and dates to be
confirmed
The global empowerment series: Briefings and trainings for young
parliamentarians
2022
Virtual meeting
(Every other month)
Series of Regional and Global Virtual Workshops on gender
equality and women’s empowerment
2022
Virtual meeting
(Dates to be confirmed)
Global Workshop to follow up on the IPU resolution on universal
health coverage
2022
Virtual meeting
(Dates to be confirmed)
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Agenda of the 144th Assembly
(Nusa Dua, Indonesia, 20–24 March 2022)
1. Election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the 144th Assembly
2. Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda
3. General Debate
4. Rethinking and reframing the approach to peace processes with a view to fostering lasting peace
(Standing Committee on Peace and International Security)
5. Leveraging Information and Communication Technology as an enabler for the education sector,
including in times of pandemic
(Standing Committee on Sustainable Development)
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 for the 146th Assembly and
appointment of the Rapporteurs