The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a global organisation of parliaments of independent states. It was founded in 1889 with the purpose of working for peace and international cooperation. The organisation has 178 national parliaments as members.
Tasks of the organisation include promoting personal contacts between members of parliament throughout the world, and working for the development of parliamentary institutions. The IPU also helps to build democratic functions, working methods and smoothly functioning parliaments.
The IPU also works with development assistance. The work includes issues such as representative democracy, human rights, and in particular gender equality and the participation of women in politics. The organisation also safeguards the human rights of parliamentarians and promotes international security and sustainable development.
Over the years, the organisation has become closer to the UN and has had observer status in the General Assembly since 2002.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union Website
Non-binding resolutions
The IPU cannot take any decisions that are binding for the member states or parliaments. Instead, the IPU puts forward concrete proposals and adopts joint non-binding resolutions on the main topics debated at each meeting.
The organisation has four standing committees working on the following issues:
- Peace and International Security (First Committee)
- Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade (Second Committee)
- Democracy and Human Rights (Third Committee)
- United Nations Affairs (Fourth Committee)
The Swedish delegation
The Riksdag delegation to the IPU is appointed by the Speaker after consultation with the party group leaders in the Riksdag for one term of office, that is for a four-year period. The delegation consists of five people: the Chair, Deputy Chair and a further three members. At the assemblies, it is possible for the delegation to supplement its members with members who have special competence in the fields which are the main themes of the meeting in question. This makes it easier to link and integrate discussions from meetings into the work of the Riksdag committees.
Every year, the delegation submits a report of its activities to the the Riksdag Board. The report is considered by the Committee on Foreign Affairs and a debate is held in the Chamber.