As the world marks the first International Day of Parliamentarianism, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for more women representations in Parliaments worldwide.
Guterres, in a message on the Day, said the International Day of Parliamentarianism, a new UN observance, recognised the pivotal role played by parliaments.
He said: “As a former parliamentarian, I have felt firsthand, the responsibility of representing people and trying to advance their aspirations.
“Parliaments can be pillars of democracy, important defenders of human rights and can link local and global issues.
“Through laws and spending decisions, they can contribute significantly to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – our blueprint for peaceful, resilient societies on a healthy planet.
“Yet parliaments are still largely dominated by men. The world needs more women parliamentarians.”
The UN chief expressed his support for members of parliaments worldwide, as they strive to deliver for the people they serve.
For the first time, June 30 is celebrated as the International Day of Parliamentarian.
It was also the date in 1889 that the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the global organisation of parliaments, was established.
The Day celebrates parliaments and the ways in which parliamentary systems of government improve the day-to-day lives of people the world over.
It is also an opportunity for parliaments to take stock, identify challenges, and ways to address them effectively.
Strong parliaments are a cornerstone of democracy and they represent the voice of the people, pass laws, allocate funds to implement laws and policies, and hold governments to account.
They work to make sure that policies benefit all people, especially the most vulnerable by passing laws, for example on violence against women and ensuring equal access to healthcare.
Parliaments also link international and national agendas, ensuring that governments implement international treaties and agreements that they sign up to.
They play a vital role in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the IPU has been working closely with them to help build their capacity to do so.
In countries emerging from conflict, robust parliaments can help make possible a peaceful transition to a functioning democracy by healing divisions in society through dialogue and cooperation.
Every country in the world has some form of representative government, and parliamentary systems fall into two categories: bicameral – with two chambers of parliament – and unicameral – with one chamber.
Out of 193 countries, 79 are bicameral and 114 are unicameral, making a total of 272 chambers of parliament with over 46,000 members of parliament, according to figures from the IPU.
The oldest parliament is the Althingi, the Icelandic Parliament founded in 930.
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