Articles

Commonwealth Day Message from Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma

 As Commonwealth Secretary-General it has been my privilege in the past  eight years to visit every one of our 53 member states. I have seen
 the attraction of the Commonwealth connection: the exceptional regard  that it enjoys, and the sense of kinship and affinity that informs it.
 There is a bond within the Commonwealth that sets us apart.
 
 Partnership based on shared Commonwealth values and principles,  especially mutual respect, is treasured. The Commonwealth sets a high

Global parliamentary conference seeks ways to rejuvenate democracy

Geneva,
 
 Members of Parliament (MPs) from across the world will seek to address  the critical question of how to rejuvenate democracy at a time of
 falling public confidence in the institutions of democracy when they  meet at a global conference in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, later this week.
 
 Low levels of trust and disenchantment, particularly among young  people, are in contrast to a growing aspiration among people globally
 to be governed democratically.

2015 Report on women in parliament

An increase in the number of women Speakers of Parliament during 2015 and some regional successes were among the few highlights in what proved to be yet another disappointing year for women's participation in parliament, says the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

IPU's Women in Parliament 2015: the Year in Review released ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March, showed that for the second year in a row, the number of women Members of Parliament (MPs) across the world rose by a worryingly low 0.5 percentage point. Women now account for 22.6 percent of the world's MPs.

CPA Roadshows launched to increase young people's awareness of parliament and democracy in the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has launched an exciting initiative today that will visit schools and universities across the
Commonwealth to help to increase young people's awareness of parliament and democracy. The new CPA Roadshows aim to strengthen Commonwealth
Parliamentarians engagement with young people.

IPU to seek ways to rejuvenate democracy

IPU Members attending the 134th Assembly in Zambia (19-23 March) will address the critical question of how to rejuvenate democracy and give voice to youth. The Assembly will seek ways to reverse waning youth interest in formal politics - a critical step towards safeguarding and strengthening democracy in all cultures.  It will also be an opportunity to explore innovative ideas that enhance and modernize democratic culture, institutions and practice.

IPU Cambodia mission urges dialogue to resolve MPs' cases

A delegation from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has visited Cambodia to investigate allegations of human rights violations against 12 opposition

politicians.

The mission, from IPU's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, met most of the 12, who have made a number of serious allegations including
physical assault, threats, intimidation, violation of their freedom of expression and assembly, and the lack of fair trial guarantees and
independence of the judiciary in repeated legal procedures against them.

IPU to support Egyptian Parliament's push for greater equality, rights and rule of law

The Speaker of the new Egyptian Parliament, Ali Abd Elall Sayed Ahmed, and the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Martin

Chungong, have renewed an agreement between the two institutions that pavesthe way for continued collaboration on strengthening parliament and
democracy in Egypt.The two men signed the agreement following talks at IPU Headquarters in Geneva yesterday afternoon.

IPU will extend its ongoing support to the Egyptian Parliament to become aneffective institution better able to deliver on its democratic mandate.

Commonwealth Observers in Uganda Call for Peaceful and Transparent Poll

16 February 2016 - As Commonwealth observers began deploying across Uganda, the group¹s Chair, Olusegun Obasanjo, expressed his hope that
 the country¹s people will enjoy a peaceful and credible election on 18 February.

ICGLR 6th Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in Luanda, Angola

At the invitation of His Excellency José Eduardo dos Santos, President of the Republic of Angola and ICGLR Chairman, the 6th Ordinary Summit of ICGLR 
Heads of State and Government will take place in Luanda, Angola on 12th February , 2016. For more information, read the attachment below:

National Assembly partner with Corporate World in hosting the 134th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly

The Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, (NAZ), the Rt Hon. Dr Patrick Matibini, SC, MP, thanked corporating partners for collaborating with the National Assembly of Zambia to co-sponsor some of the events and activities that will be held during the 134th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, and other related meetings which Zambia will be hosting from the 19th – 23rd March, 2016, at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka. This particular event is being held under the theme, “Rejuvenating Democracy: Giving Voice to the Youth”.

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