The Inter-Parliamentary Union The Inter-Parliamentary Union The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a unique organization made up of national parliaments from around the world. We protect and build democracy through political dialogue and concrete action. As at November 2018, the IPU has 178 Member Parliaments and 11 Associate Members. We work closely with the United Nations and other partner organizations whose goals we share. We are committed to an ever-growing field of work with peace, justice, democracy and development at its heart. We tackle issues as diverse as HIV/AIDS, human rights, gender equality, climate change and the political participation of young people. We help countries as they emerge from conflict or develop as democracies. We also work to bring the views of the world’s citizens into global decision-making, through our increasingly important work on international governance. Today, we are the organization that most closely reflects world public opinion. More than 6.5 billion of the world’s seven billion people live in states whose parliaments are members of IPU - and it is their elected representatives who engage in and steer our policies. By bringing parliaments together, we bring people together. The world’s oldest multi-lateral political organization, the IPU was founded in 1889 with the aim of using inter-parliamentary dialogue to settle disputes between nations peacefully. That vision remains as true and relevant today as it was in 1889. We are financed primarily by our Members out of public funds. Our headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. 39