Office of the Speaker of the NZ House of Representatives
Rt Hon Trevor Mallard
3 April 2019

New Zealand MPs participate in global forum to advance democracy, human rights, and peace

Three Members of Parliament will represent New Zealand at the 140th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, where democracy, human rights, and peace will be on the agenda.

Deputy Speaker Hon Anne Tolley MP is leading the delegation, which includes Rt Hon David Carter MP and Marja Lubeck MP, to the Assembly in Doha, Qatar from 5 to 10 April 2019.

Speaker Rt Hon Trevor Mallard said, “I am pleased that our delegation is participating in the IPU Assembly. It is an important global forum for political dialogue and positive democratic change.

“New Zealand’s regular involvement means that our values and perspectives on the issues being debated in parliaments around the globe are represented, and that our MPs are able to connect with their international colleagues to learn and share innovations and solutions.”

New Zealand will take part in the central debate on the theme of ‘Parliaments as platforms to enhance education for peace, security, and the rule of law’. The New Zealand delegation will also contribute to Standing Committees, which examine the role of parliaments in fair and free trade, investment in sustainable development goals, ensuring the right to health, and the non-admissibility of using mercenaries to undermine peace and human rights.

Hon Anne Tolley MP is the Second Vice-President of the IPU’s Bureau of Women Parliamentarians and will debate good practice on policy and measures to move toward gender equality in employment and unpaid work, as well as harassment, violence, and social protections. She will also represent the Bureau on the IPU’s Executive Committee, which governs the functioning of the organisation, and on the Gender Partnership Group.

Rt Hon David Carter MP is a member of the IPU’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. The committee will meet over the course of the week to consider violations of the human rights of Members of Parliament, and propose avenues of redress.

About the IPU

The IPU has been a forum for global conversations since it was founded in 1889, and now has more than 170 member countries. It provides our parliamentarians with valuable insight into how global issues are being considered by different legislatures. Sharing these perspectives and parliamentary processes contributes to the development of democracies globally and how we collectively consider issues of human rights, peace, and equality.

ENDS

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