- Our impact
The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.We help strengthen parliaments to make them more effective and representative.We work to increase women’s representation in parliament and empower women MPs.We defend the human rights of parliamentarians and help them uphold the rights of all.We help parliaments fight terrorism, cyber warfare and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.We create the global space for parliamentary diplomacy, dialogue and networking.We encourage youth participation in parliaments and empower young MPs.We support parliaments in implementing the SDGs with a particular focus on health and climate change.We bring a parliamentary dimension to United Nations processes to ensure international commitments become national realities. - Parliaments
Every country in the world has some form of parliament. Parliamentary systems fall into two categories: bicameral and unicameral. Out of 193 countries in the world, 79 are bicameral and 114 are unicameral, making a total of 272 chambers of parliament with over 46,000 members of parliament. IPU membership is made up of 179 national parliaments. Discover the world's nationalFind a national parliament
The Swiss National Council © The Swiss Parliament
We help strengthen parliaments to make them more representative and effective.. - Knowledge
Discover the IPU's resources
Our library of essential resources for parliamentsYour one-stop-shop for data for and about national parliamentsLatest data and reports about women's participation in politicsRecent innovations in the way parliaments do their work
Register now for the 142nd IPU Assembly and related meetings. Standing Committee meetings start 26 April.
Data points:
179
countries are members of the IPU
610
Human rights cases currently treated by the Committee on the Human Rights of MPs
Latest news from the IPU
Press releases
22/04/2021
The global proportion of MPs aged under 30 has edged up to 2.6 per cent, according to the latest IPU report on Youth Participation in National Parliaments. This represents an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared with two years ago
News in brief
19/04/2021
One in three people globally suffers from at least one form of malnutrition, and the economic loss attributable to bad nutrition is estimated at US$ 3.5 trillion per year. Recent research on the worldwide burden of disease found that a
Voices
13/04/2021
As part of the IPU series called 'A conversation with...', we interview parliamentarians from all over the world to find out who they represent and what motivates them. In this edition, we discover Cynthia López Castro, Member of the IPU
Press releases
30/03/2021
The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians is monitoring a record 601 cases of alleged violations against parliamentarians around the world. This represents a significant uptick compared to 552 cases in December 2020. The caseload includes many new
Highlights
Virtual event
To build intergenerational solidarity and support, and to mobilize parliamentarians of all ages for youth empowerment, this seventh edition of the Conference is open to both young and senior parliamentarians.
Apr
28
2021
The IPU-UN Women in Politics 2021 map shows all-time highs for women heads of state, women heads of government, women Speakers of parliament, and women MPs and ministers.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shut down vast swathes of global activity, how are parliaments facilitating the implementation of the emergency health measures? How can parliaments debate, pass legislation and scrutinize the actions of government?
The IPU has been defending MPs in danger for the past 40 years through its Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.
This report is the fourth biennial IPU review of youth participation in national parliaments. It builds on the previous 2018 report by adding new data from the last two years, using age data from 148 parliamentary chambers, as well as other quantitative and qualitative data from 258 chambers.
Our impact
We help strengthen parliaments to make them more effective and representative.
We work to increase women’s representation in parliament and empower women MPs.
We defend the human rights of parliamentarians and help them uphold the rights of all.
We help parliaments fight terrorism, cyber warfare and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
We create the global space for parliamentary diplomacy, dialogue and networking.
We encourage youth participation in parliaments and empower young MPs.
We support parliaments in implementing the SDGs with a particular focus on health and climate change.
We bring a parliamentary dimension to United Nations processes to ensure international commitments become national realities.