- ImpactWe help parliaments to become greener and to implement the Paris agreement.We support democracy by strengthening parliamentsWe 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 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.
- Parliaments
Nearly every country in the world has some form of parliament. Parliamentary systems fall into two categories: bicameral and unicameral. Out of 190 national parliaments in the world, 78 are bicameral (156 chambers) and 112 are unicameral, making a total of 268 chambers of parliament with some 44,000 members of parliament. IPU membership is made up of 180 national parliamentsFind 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 parliamentsGlobal data for and about national parliamentsLatest data and reports about women in parliamentResolutions, declarations and outcomes adopted by IPU MembersRecent innovations in the way parliaments workThe latest climate change legislation from the London School of Economics' databaseIPU on air- Conversations about parliamentary action
News in brief
07/04/2022
April 7 marks World Health Day, a day which has taken on a new sense of urgency with the climate crisis. Almost all consequences of climate change directly affect human lives. Climate change is the single biggest threat to health
News in brief
07/04/2022
In a good example of parliamentary outreach to young people, the second edition of the Guyana National Youth Debating Competition takes place on Friday, 8 April. Some 16 youth groups will participate in the event with the objective of connecting
Voices and videos
06/04/2022
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 Vincent Tsvangirai, MP from Zimbabwe.
News in brief
29/03/2022
On 27 March, IPU President, Duarte Pacheco addressed the Ninth Plenary Session of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace, hosted by the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates. With the backdrop of war in Ukraine, the President
Press releases
24/03/2022
To help draw lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and be better prepared for the next health crisis, the IPU and the World Health Organization (WHO) have jointly published Strengthening health security preparedness: The International Health Regulations (2005). This is the 34th handbook for parliamentarians published by the IPU. The handbook is designed to be an essential tool for parliamentarians and parliaments on bolstering emergency preparedness and health security.