IPU Tashkent Assembly: Parliamentarians champion social development and justice

Secretary General, Martin Chungong, President of the Senate of Uzbekistan, Tanzila Narbayeva and IPU President Tulia Ackson at the 150th IPU Assembly in Tahskent © IPU

Tashkent : The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has successfully concluded its 150th Assembly in Tashkent, hosted by the Parliament of Uzbekistan. This landmark Assembly gathered nearly 1400 delegates, including some 740 members of parliament from approximately 130 countries.

The presence of over 100 Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliament underscored the increasing recognition of parliamentary diplomacy as a vital complement to traditional international relations, especially at a time of significant geopolitical tensions.

Highlighting the importance of the event, the President of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, addressed the Assembly in a special plenary session.

Women MPs comprised over 37% of the parliamentarians at the Assembly, their highest representation at an IPU Assembly since 2022.

The Tashkent Declaration: A call for social development and justice

The global parliamentary community adopted the Tashkent Declaration on Parliamentary action for social development and justice, emphasizing the need for renewed efforts on social development to address ongoing and emerging challenges.

The declaration highlights that the global social development agenda, initiated 30 years ago, has only been partially realized. It calls for a policy reset to balance market demands with the needs of the people, focusing on three key areas:

investing in people to lift them from poverty to prosperity;
democratizing the economy to benefit those who historically have been deprived of their fair share, particularly women and youth; and
strengthening institutions, including through broad participation in the regulation of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Parliaments are urged to develop national plans for social development and engage in debates ahead of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Qatar in November 2025.

Gender equality takes centre stage

The IPU celebrated 40 years of its Forum for Women Parliamentarians, a unique platform driving significant advancements in gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Against the backdrop of challenges to women’s rights and the stagnation of female parliamentary representation at 27.2%, the IPU launched its new gender campaign for 2025, Achieving gender equality: Action by action.

The campaign aims to mobilize the global parliamentary community to accelerate progress in achieving gender equality in politics and society.

Other outcomes and meetings

The Assembly adopted two critical resolutions:

The role of parliaments in advancing a two-State solution in Palestine: This resolution emphasizes the role of parliaments in promoting a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on international law. It calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the lifting of blockades, and the release of hostages, as well as urging support for humanitarian efforts and compliance with international law. It also urges parliaments to use their legislative powers to reinforce support for a two-State solution, ensuring the recognition of both Israel and Palestine as independent sovereign States.
Parliamentary strategies to mitigate the long-lasting impact of conflicts, including armed conflicts, on sustainable development: This resolution addresses how conflicts hinder progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights the role of parliaments in mitigating the negative effects of conflicts, promoting peace, and ensuring the protection of infrastructure and humanitarian principles. The resolution stresses the importance of human rights, environmental considerations, and inclusive governance in post-conflict reconstruction.
The Assembly also featured sessions on various topics, including the role of the BRICS in international relations, tackling weapons of mass destruction, preventing illegal adoptions, addressing the effects of armed conflict on children, advocating for climate action and reducing methane emissions.

Elections

Several new nominations and elections were also announced, including Ms. Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka (Poland) as IPU Vice-President, Ms. Noor Abugoush (Jordan) as President of the Bureau of Young Parliamentarians, and a second term for Ms. Cynthia López Castro (Mexico) as President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians.

Quotes

President of the 150th IPU Assembly and Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan, Ms. Tanzila Narbaeva, said: “This Assembly underscores Uzbekistan’s parliamentary leadership on the international stage and reflects confidence in the country’s reform agenda. The Tashkent Declaration will serve as a roadmap for global social progress and justice.”

IPU President, Dr. Tulia Ackson, said: “From the get-go, this Assembly has carried a sense of significance with the commemoration of the 150 occasions where the world’s parliamentarians have come together. This Organization has stood the test of time. But I would also like to say that our mission remains of profound importance, perhaps more so today than ever before. The world needs parliamentary diplomacy. We look forward to the next 150 IPU Assemblies, and to the generations they will serve.”

IPU Secretary General, Mr. Martin Chungong, said: “Many delegates have pointed out that they come to IPU Assemblies not just to hear views that chime with their own, but to hear all sides of the argument. To be challenged, to break free of their echo chambers, to look at the world through different eyes. And although parliamentarians may not always agree, they are still enriched by what they have learned along the way thanks to the IPU.”

Tashkent Declaration:

Parliamentary action for social development and justice

We, the members of parliament participating in the 150th IPU Assembly in Tashkent, have taken stock of social development in our countries by looking at its three main components, as defined by the United Nations: poverty reduction, employment generation and social cohesion. The global social development agenda that governments adopted 30 years ago at the first World Summit for Social Development, held in Copenhagen, has only partly come to fruition, and new challenges have emerged that threaten to erode the social fabric of our societies, setting us back on many fronts.

With a Second World Summit for Social Development set to take place in Qatar in November 2025, the time has come to place social development at the centre of our efforts as legislators and as representatives of the people. This will also help advance the lagging Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 1–5 (no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, and gender equality), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).

Almost everywhere in the world – to varying degrees – social bonds are weakening. An us vs. them mentality has taken hold in politics, the media and in communities at large, trust in government and public institutions is at a low point, and social safety nets, such as unemployment insurance and pension schemes, where they exist at all, are under increasing strain. Billions of people are making do every day on very little. Work, when available, is often precarious or underpaid. Informal work remains prevalent. Women, youth, migrants, disabled people, older workers, Indigenous people and minority groups are the most vulnerable to various forms of discrimination that hold them back in society.

Billions of people lack decent housing or are homeless altogether. Families are struggling because of competing priorities, poor public services such as childcare, and a lack of income support for the most vulnerable. Hunger and malnutrition, which have never truly been defeated, are trending upward again.

Income and wealth inequalities have become entrenched. The economic benefits of new technologies have accrued primarily to producers and much less to workers and consumers. In many countries, an ageing population is being left to fend for itself, without adequate support to enjoy a fulfilling life. A brave new world of social media and digital products has come into being which, while facilitating many tasks, has given rise to novel forms of social isolation and alienation.

Staying faithful to the Copenhagen vision of social development will require a policy reset to achieve a more appropriate balance between the needs of the market and the needs of the people. Social development does not spring up spontaneously but requires a deliberate effort, from the community level up to the government level, nationally as well as globally, through the multilateral system led by the United Nations. A new social contract is needed between governments and their people that aims at the realization of all human rights and that brings people together in solidarity with one another. At the heart of this new contract should be the empowerment of women, which is a key prerequisite for all aspects of social development.

While realizing that social development requires a multi-pronged approach, and a mix of policy reforms that each country needs to determine for itself, we agree on the following three broad “precepts” to guide our action going forward: invest in people, democratize the economy and strengthen institutions.

Invest in people

Social development is about people, and people are the most important resource we have to make this world a better place. Investing in people – i.e. in their education, healthcare and environment, as well as their skills, enabling them to get along as a community, to start a business, or to find a decent job – is a prerequisite for social progress. Healthcare and education in particular are essential to allow people at all stages of life, from early childhood to old age, to flourish and to live the most fulfilling life possible.

We therefore pledge to work to:

• Make health coverage universal, in particular by investing more in primary care for prevention, by making care more affordable to all income groups, particularly through public systems and not-for-profit private providers, and by ensuring that the long-term care needs of disabled people and the elderly are duly considered.
• Expand education opportunities for all, through both formal and informal approaches, emphasizing lifelong education, citizenship education and critical thinking, and focusing on those most left behind, including women and girls, as well as new migrants, the unemployed and minorities.
• Invest in environmental protection, including to prevent pollution, biodiversity loss and climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions, all of which undermine human well-being.
• Make it a key priority to support forward-looking initiatives in national climate policies and facilitate the transition to renewable energy and green technologies.
• Invest more in universal social protection, such as unemployment schemes and public pensions, to lift people from poverty to prosperity and make sure no one is left behind.
• Enact social and economic policies to make housing affordable for all and a fundamental human right, including through public housing, cooperative housing and rent support for those most in need.
• Support public assets such as libraries, museums, performance centres and other such venues of intellectual life that help nurture human intelligence.
• Bridge the digital divide between rural areas and urban centres, as well as between the poor and the more affluent, expanding access to income generation opportunities and to social networks.
• Combat racism, xenophobia and intolerance, as well as violence in all its forms, which prevent people from thriving and undermine social harmony.
• Adopt a family-friendly approach in all social and economic policies, including support for parental leave, affordable childcare, and an improved work-life balance for all.

Democratize the economy

The achievement of sustained social development requires economic policies that benefit all people, building their capacities and providing for their needs so that everyone has an opportunity to succeed. Today, within nations as well as between them, economic benefits are unevenly and often unfairly distributed. Rampant inequality is not just a social ill; it is an intrinsic stumbling block to economic development, as fewer and fewer people are able to participate as producers and consumers. Fiscal and monetary policies need to be more focused on creating quality employment, including through enterprise development, and on fostering social cohesion by including all people, particularly women and youth, in the decision-making process.

We therefore pledge to work to:

• Establish new indicators of economic progress that are more directly linked to human wellbeing, happiness and social cohesion, as a way of complementing the key indicator of gross domestic product (GDP), which disregards the social and environmental costs of economic growth.
• Fight tax evasion and improve tax collection according to the principle of progressivity, shifting the tax burden onto those who can most afford to contribute based on their income and wealth, and with particular emphasis on multinational corporations.
• Reallocate budgets towards social programmes for health and education, as well as towards public infrastructure, including by cutting fossil fuel subsidies and reducing military expenditure.
• Enact competition laws to curb monopolies and oligopolies as a way of expanding market access for smaller producers and of preventing price gouging.
• Regulate the financial sector to curb harmful speculation, protect consumers and redirect assets towards more value-added production.
• Promote small and medium-sized enterprises, which are less prone to delocalization, particularly by facilitating access to credit and to professional skills development.
• Support the social and solidarity economy of cooperatives, social enterprises and mutual aid societies, which help strengthen social bonds and promote shared interests among entrepreneurs, workers and consumers.
• Uphold workers’ rights in accordance with international conventions, particularly by protecting the right of collective bargaining, by outlawing all forms of child labour and forced labour, as well as the exploitation of migrant workers.
• Close the gender pay gap and strengthen social protections for care work, which is mostly carried out by women, and eliminate discrimination in employment against women and minority groups.
• Remove restrictions on women’s rights to own land, inherit property or borrow money, and ensure women’s equal right to work.
• Support social dialogue among workers, producers and consumers, and expand their role in economic decision-making, from corporate boards to national regulatory bodies.
• Institute income support schemes to help workers displaced by large-scale technological innovation, including artificial intelligence.
• Support the transition from informal to formal work arrangements that are subject to taxation and provide for social benefits such as unemployment insurance, healthcare and old-age pensions.

Strengthen institutions

Institutions are the glue that keeps societies and indeed the whole global community together. They include not just government institutions, including parliaments, at national, subnational and municipal levels, but also regulatory bodies, public administrations and media institutions that cater to the needs of the people in multiple ways. At the global level, multilateral organizations such as the international financial institutions, the International Labour Organization, and the United Nations system as a whole are needed to support an enabling environment for social development in all countries. The less people trust the institutions that are supposed to guide and protect them, the more likely they are to revert to their own devices in isolation from each other, which undermines social cohesion and makes broad-based economic reforms harder to achieve.

We therefore pledge to work to:

• Strengthen the legislative and accountability role of our own parliaments as a necessary condition for governance reforms across the board.
• Increase the representation of women and youth in parliaments and all other major decisionmaking bodies, commensurate with their numbers in society.
• Actively include women and young people in the work and leadership of national parliaments and the IPU.
• Institute rules and processes to make all public institutions more open to outside input from citizens, consumers, workers and producers, as well as from civil society at large.
• Strengthen the capacities of government institutions, particularly public administrations, to provide quality services for all.
• Allow easy access to declassified government information for people, advocacy groups and communities, to protect their rights as well as to hold governments accountable.
• Fight corruption at all levels within politics, public administrations and the private sector.
• Limit the influence of interest groups in election finance and take steps to prevent electoral fraud.
• Ensure a more open and transparent budget process in which citizens and groups can participate, and promote citizens’ budgets as a tool of public engagement.
• Institute gender-responsive budgeting at all levels of government, from national to local.
• Encourage the participation of citizens, consumers, producers and workers in regulatory bodies for digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as a way of minimizing the social risks of such technologies.
• Ensure the ethical use of artificial intelligence and develop innovative legal frameworks to effectively regulate this rapidly evolving domain.
• Create an enabling environment for media organizations and cultural institutions to help strengthen people’s capacities to think critically about the information they receive in the public domain, which will help reduce the social impacts of misinformation and disinformation.
• Strengthen the judiciary so that it can be counted on to deliver justice impartially and in a timely manner, upholding the rule of law.
• Strengthen the international financial architecture to free up resources for developing countries’ social expenditure, including through debt relief and more effective aid.
• Support reforms of the multilateral system to enable it to carry forward the new agenda for social development alongside other global commitments for peace and development.

In politics, as in most things in life, change requires time – and a long-term vision, which we believe this Declaration provides. We urge all parliaments and parliamentarians to take ownership of this vision and to begin the process of change by developing national plans that are open to the contribution of all. In preparation for the Second World Summit for Social Development, we commit to holding debates in our parliaments and to engaging with our respective government negotiators at the United Nations.

We are thankful to the Parliament of Uzbekistan for bringing us together for this important debate and are inspired by the country’s progress on social development and democratic reform in recent years. Let us work together towards a strong new global agreement on social development that is fit for the times and that will secure justice and peace for people everywhere.

RESOLUTION 1

The role of parliaments in advancing a two-State solution in Palestine

The 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

(1) Recalling the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council on the Middle East conflict, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003) and 2334 (2016), which established the principles for the resolution of this conflict, in particular the inadmissibility of acquisition of territory by force, as well as those of the United Nations General Assembly, including resolutions 181 (II) (1947), 194 (III) (1948), 58/292 (2004), 67/19 (2012), 73/18 (2018), and the most recent resolution 79/81 (2024) on Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, which expressed unwavering support, in accordance with international law, for a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the 1967 borders, with both States living side by side in peace and security,

(2) Recalling also the IPU’s numerous resolutions and statements since 1988 on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which have consistently emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution based on international law and mutual recognition, reaffirmed the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, opposed illegal settlements, condemned all acts of terrorism and violent attacks, and called for urgent humanitarian action, while supporting international efforts to achieve a two-State solution,

(3) Acknowledging the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, its devastating human toll, including population displacement, loss of life and regional instability, and its significant intensification since 7 October 2023, which has resulted in a substantial number of deaths, the taking of hostages and escalating violence, leading to a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by dire living conditions and restricted access to essential resources,

(4) Firmly believing that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict extends beyond being a regional issue, and that its repercussions are being felt globally, including the export of tensions to other parts of the world, fuelling divisions within communities, influencing international relations, weakening international law, including international humanitarian law, and impacting global peace and security, while complicating efforts towards multilateral cooperation,

(5) Expressing deep concern over the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories and the expansion of Israeli settlements in violation of international law and the prohibition of territorial acquisition by force, in contradiction to the principles of self-determination and territorial integrity enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,

(6) Reaffirming the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and statehood based on the 1967 borders within the framework of a two-State solution, as well as the critical role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in upholding international legal norms and providing advisory opinions on the legal implications of occupation and settlement activities,

(7) Deeply concerned by the grave violations of the fundamental rights, dignity and safety of civilians – with children, women and girls, as well as people with disabilities, bearing a particular burden as the most vulnerable members of affected communities – as the ongoing conflict continues to cause population displacement, destroy livelihoods, restrict humanitarian access and exacerbate inequalities, leaving lasting physical, psychological and socioeconomic impacts on individuals, families and entire communities,

(8) Recognizing that acts of violence, terrorism against civilians and the use of starvation as a method of warfare constitute serious breaches of international humanitarian law and that State actions must fully comply with human rights obligations and the rule of law,

(9) Deeply convinced that a two-State solution is the only viable path to break the cycle of violence and ensure security, prosperity and equal rights for the peoples of Israel and Palestine, in line with international law and the principles of self-determination and territorial integrity, and that key steps towards this goal include an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, leading in particular to the release of hostages and political prisoners, the universal recognition of Palestinian and Israeli statehood and the cessation of illegal settlement activities, as peace cannot be achieved through force or occupation,

(10) Highlighting the unique role of parliaments, including regional parliamentary bodies, in advancing dialogue, diplomacy and peacebuilding to support a two-State solution, while making use of their core functions to uphold international law, ensure government accountability, facilitate inclusive debate and consensus-building, promote human rights, protect vulnerable groups, allocate funds for humanitarian aid and reconstruction, and foster international cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy to encourage the peaceful resolution of the conflict,

1. Calls on parliaments to urge their governments to advocate for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, leading in particular to the lifting of the blockade to enable the free movement of people and goods, facilitated access to humanitarian aid and the release of hostages and political prisoners, in view of ending the war, which has left only death and destruction in its wake;
2. Calls on the Parliaments of Israel and Palestine to promote human dignity and safeguard fundamental rights by taking all actions necessary to protect civilians, particularly children, women, people with disabilities and the elderly, ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access and supporting the safe delivery of essential supplies; and in this regard:

a. Reaffirms its support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as a vital provider of humanitarian aid, education and healthcare services to Palestinians;

b. Urges the Parliament of Israel to: review its decision to ban UNRWA’s operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT); and to support the implementation of education for peace initiatives;

c. Requests that parliaments provide financial support to UNRWA and other humanitarian organizations working in Gaza and the OPT to alleviate suffering and support recovery efforts;

3. Strongly encourages parliaments to enhance oversight of their governments’ foreign policy actions to ensure compliance with international law, including the implementation of transparent arms export control measures, the monitoring of transfers of arms and military equipment to countries in conflict, and the protection of human rights;
4. Advises parliaments to monitor and promote respect for the ICJ’s advisory opinions on the legal implications of occupation and settlement activities;
5. Urges parliaments to use their legislative powers to enact or amend laws that reinforce support for a two-State solution, ensuring the recognition of both Israel and Palestine as independent sovereign States;
6. Appeals to parliaments to advocate for their governments to support the recognition of Palestinian statehood, including the accession of Palestine as a full Member of the United Nations, as a key step towards a two-State solution, and to back the implementation of a comprehensive peace process, led by the United Nations, aimed at achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace;
7. Expresses its hope for strengthened parliamentary diplomacy aimed at facilitating dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian representatives, supporting a two-State solution and fostering peaceful coexistence between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, through direct engagement with inter-parliamentary institutions and networks, multilateral parliamentary forums and relevant United Nations agencies;
8. Strongly encourages the Parliaments of Israel and Palestine to engage in indirect parliamentary diplomacy, facilitated by neutral third parties such as the IPU, promoting dialogue and cooperation on shared issues of concern, including security, health, education, humanitarian access, economic development and environmental protection;
9. Invites parliaments to provide financial and technical support for electoral processes and their follow-up in due time in Palestine to allow for the holding of regular, free, fair and transparent elections, and to promote democracy, good governance, peace and security;
10. Urges parliaments to participate in, and the IPU to facilitate and coordinate, monitoring of the political situation and electoral processes in both Israel and Palestine, including through the deployment of election observation missions;
11. Calls on parliaments, including regional parliamentary bodies, to provide, and on the IPU to facilitate and coordinate, technical assistance, including legislative capacity-building support to the Parliaments of Israel and Palestine, with the aim of strengthening their core parliamentary functions in support of peace, democracy and a two-State solution, including the promotion of State-building and the rule of law, legislative reform, oversight of government actions, citizens’ engagement, and effective participation in international peacebuilding processes;
12. Invites regional parliamentary bodies to leverage their unique position to share good practices encouraging cross-border cooperation and joint actions on economic development and shared challenges such as water management and environmental protection to support parliamentary diplomacy and foster peace in the Middle East region;
13. Encourages the Parliaments of Israel and Palestine to adopt and implement genderresponsive legislation and policies that protect the rights and dignity of women and girls, prevent gender-based violence, and promote the role of women as peacebuilders;
14. Urges parliaments to promote, in the Middle East region, the creation of initiatives that support peace education, youth empowerment, non-violence programmes aimed at fostering a culture of peace and coexistence, mutual understanding including through interfaith and intercultural dialogue, and prevention of violent extremism, while prioritizing the principles of the Women, Peace and Security, and Youth, Peace and Security agendas;
15. Also urges parliaments to promote a common security approach in the pursuit of a twoState solution, recognizing that the security of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples is interdependent, and to take measures that build mutual trust, ensure the protection of civilians, and prevent actions that exacerbate tensions;
16. Calls on the Parliaments of Israel and Palestine to adopt a human security approach in their day-to-day work, prioritizing the protection and well-being of individuals and communities on both sides and addressing the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, population displacement and inequality, in support of peace, stability, dignity and the realization of a sustainable two-State solution;
17. Recommends that the IPU transform its Committee on Middle East Questions into a Strategic Task Force on the Middle East, composed of equal numbers of representatives from all IPU geopolitical groups, with a mandate to support dialogue and facilitate indirect parliamentary diplomacy between the Parliaments of Israel and Palestine, and to monitor and report on commitments related to humanitarian access, the protection of vulnerable groups and peace education, as well as steps taken towards the achievement of a twoState solution, taking into account the global impact of the conflict. RESOLUTION 2

Parliamentary strategies to mitigate the long-lasting impact of conflicts, including armed conflicts, on sustainable development

The 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

(1) Recalling the IPU’s long-held position, expressed through many previous resolutions, that there cannot be peace without sustainable development and that there cannot be sustainable development without peace, and underlining the IPU’s prominent role in condemning acts of aggression and human rights violations in recent years,

(2) Concerned that conflicts, particularly armed conflicts, hinder progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), profoundly disrupt the environment, economic growth and the lives of millions globally, and have devastating effects on communities, and especially on women, children, and marginalized or vulnerable groups,

(3) Concerned also about the complex interactions between, and the potential mutual reinforcement of, conflict, poverty, environmental degradation and injustice, and about the long-term effects of conflicts on civilian populations, communities, livelihoods, the environment and economies, which can extend across decades and even generations,

(4) Noting that such long-term effects include poverty, hunger, forced displacement, environmental damage, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure – such as hospitals, schools, energy facilities, ports and dams – that enables the delivery of healthcare, education, energy, security and other essential services,

(5) Recognizing that the destruction of ecosystems during armed conflicts has severe and long-term consequences for human security, biodiversity, climate stability and sustainable development, and that there is currently no international legal framework to hold aggressors accountable for such destruction, including for indirect environmental degradation resulting from the use of military force,

(6) Recalling the urgent need for comprehensive and robust strategies to address conflicts and to protect sustainable development during such conflicts,

(7) Emphasizing the important role played by parliaments in addressing conflicts; in mitigating their negative effects on sustainable development; in promoting peace and stability through inclusive governance; in strengthening the rule of law and good governance; in fostering economic development; in ensuring gender equality and human rights protections, particularly for women, children, and marginalized and vulnerable groups; and in promoting inclusive decision-making processes,

(8) Emphasizing also that IPU Assemblies – as places for parliamentarians, policymakers and strategists from around the world to come together to discuss the most pressing topics in the political sphere, and to engage in strategic capacity-building and regional cooperation on matters including peace and international security, risk management, and sustainable development – serve as vital platforms for international rapprochement and inclusivity, and as effective forums for mitigating and reducing conflicts through multilateralism and respect for the international rulesbased order,

(9) Highlighting the importance of multilateral partnerships, and of strong and impactful alliances, between parliaments globally in light of the conflicts and challenges the world is witnessing, all of which require more effective actions in order to provide a safe and prosperous environment for the benefit of countries, peoples and the future of the world as a whole,

(10) Stressing that the achievement of the collective interests of all nations, and of progress on our shared commitment to sustainable development and peace and security, is dependent upon comprehensive support for the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and upon the mitigation of tensions through: stronger compliance with international humanitarian law, including the right of prisoners of war to humane treatment; adherence to the principles of State sovereignty while upholding human rights and other international legal obligations; efforts to promote a culture of peace, tolerance and coexistence; renewed multilateral cooperation frameworks; and the development of new sustainable and resilient energy security policies,

(11) Recognizing that the disappearance of persons has a profound impact on their families and societies, and that it hinders development, community cohesion and peacebuilding, and recalling the IPU resolution Missing persons, adopted at the 115th IPU Assembly,

(12) Reaffirming the critical role of parliamentary diplomacy in supporting all efforts aimed at addressing conflicts, including by urging parties to such conflicts to engage in dialogue and to seek peaceful solutions,

(13) Underlining the importance of parliamentary collaboration with international and regional organizations, especially the United Nations, in order to strengthen global efforts aimed at achieving peace and mutual understanding, and emphasizing that reform of the global governance system, including of the United Nations, is essential to ensure that international organizations are effective and representative, and that the right to veto is not abused by States acting in violation of international law,

(14) Stressing the need to protect civilian infrastructure in conflicts, allowing humanitarian efforts to be delivered in line with humanitarian and environmental principles, and in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law; to ensure respect for, and the protection of, all civilians and humanitarian personnel in armed conflicts, again in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law and as notably reiterated by UN Security Council resolution 2730 (2024); and to ensure that services such as healthcare, education, food, water and energy remain accessible and uninterrupted during conflict,

(15) Affirming the need for cooperation with development partners in order to ensure the continuity of humanitarian services in areas affected by conflicts, and for rapid response to the needs of populations in conflict situations, including consideration of strategies for reconstruction and emergency preparedness, and emphasizing the importance of removing any obstacles, including those of a political, bureaucratic or logistical nature, that hinder the timely provision of aid,

(16) Affirming also that the achievement of security is not limited to conflict prevention but also requires the building of sustainable, equitable, inclusive and safe societies, which in turn contributes to the long-term stability and sustainable development of countries, in line with the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,

(17) Recognizing the essential role of parliaments, where they exist, in promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and in providing access to justice for all,

(18) Recognizing also that parliaments play a crucial role in developing and strengthening accountable, transparent and inclusive institutions at all levels, including in the security and justice sector, and in fostering the equitable representation of underrepresented groups in decision-making processes,

(19) Recalling UN Security Council resolution 2553 (2020), which stressed the importance of reforming the security sector in post-conflict environments in order to prevent countries from relapsing into conflict, and which further stressed that a professional, effective and accountable security sector, and accessible and impartial law-enforcement and justice sectors, are equally necessary in laying the foundations for peace and sustainable development, and emphasizing the need for parliaments to support the implementation of international arms control treaties such as the Arms Trade Treaty, which aims to prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms and to prevent their diversion to the illicit market, or for unauthorized end use and end users, including in the commission of terrorist acts,

(20) Recalling also the Pact for the Future (UN General Assembly resolution 79/1, 2024), which called on States to redouble efforts to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere,

(21) Reaffirming the importance of promoting the full integration of a gender perspective in peace and security initiatives, including through the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, as well as subsequent resolutions on the matter, by strengthening the full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership of women and girls in conflict prevention and resolution,

(22) Conscious that, through their security sector oversight role, parliaments can play a crucial role in preventing the onset or recurrence of conflicts, thus mitigating their impact on sustainable development,

(23) Stressing the need to reform the United Nations Security Council to ensure wider representation and fairness in international decision-making, and believing that a balance in the membership of, and powers within, the United Nations Security Council is necessary to strengthen its role in achieving peace and international security,

1. Affirms that the implementation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as a basis for peace and sustainable development, contributes to reducing conflicts, to mitigating the humanitarian impact of such conflicts, and to improving the political environment;
2. Encourages parliaments to promote democracy, the rule of law, human rights and environmental rights as fundamental principles and as a basis for strengthening peace and stability, and emphasizes the importance of climate and environmental justice and sustainability, ensuring the participation of all segments of society, including women, youth and marginalized or vulnerable groups, in political, social and environmental decision-making processes;
3. Calls upon parliaments to intensify their efforts to promote dialogue, reconciliation, understanding and peaceful dispute resolution between conflicting parties, and to work towards comprehensive and sustainable solutions to ongoing conflicts, with the meaningful participation of all affected stakeholders;
4. Also calls upon parliaments to support humanitarian and development efforts to meet the needs of populations affected by conflicts and humanitarian crises, and to promote economic, environmental and social stability in affected areas, including the provision of basic services such as education, healthcare, food, water, electricity and sanitation;
5. Insists on the importance of parliamentarians’ oversight, budgetary and legislative role in pursuing sustainable development, in monitoring government policies and programmes related to security, peace and development, and in ensuring the fair representation of citizens, with particular attention on marginalized groups, while promoting transparency and accountability in decision-making;
6. Urges parliaments to exercise their oversight role in order to ensure the effectiveness of humanitarian and development assistance aimed at stemming reversals in the achievement of the SDGs in areas affected by conflicts and humanitarian crises;.
7. Calls for enhanced cooperation between national parliaments, regional and international organizations, and civil society organizations in promoting joint efforts to strengthen support strategies for communities affected by conflicts;
8. Also calls for the strengthening of partnerships between the public and private sectors, civil society organizations and civil society in order to ensure the achievement of the SDGs in areas affected by conflicts;
9. Calls upon parliaments to consider the intersection of political, economic, social and environmental dimensions, including climate resilience measures and sustainable resource management, when developing strategies to mitigate the impact of conflicts on sustainable development;
10. Insists on the importance of encouraging and promoting dialogue and coexistence between parties to conflicts based on the principles of international law, including respect for internationally recognized borders, as a means of working towards peaceful and constructive dispute resolution;
11. Also insists on the importance of restoring sustainable development in post-conflict environments based on scientific data and evidence;
12. Further insists on the importance of strengthening education systems in order to spread awareness of the values of peace, tolerance and peaceful conflict resolution, and to promote a culture of peace and non-violence in society;
13. Stresses the need to foster a culture and awareness of human rights, sustainable development and environmental considerations in societies affected by conflicts, and on the need to ensure that such rights and considerations are part of any peacebuilding or sustainable development process;
14. Calls upon parliaments to support the development of legal frameworks addressing environmental harm in armed conflicts, including the establishment of ecocide as an international crime to ensure individual accountability, and encourages continued efforts to refine legal definitions and accountability mechanisms, both nationally and internationally, and covering both individual liability and State responsibility;
15. Also calls upon parliaments to promote legal measures that ensure accountability for environmental harm directly resulting from the crime of aggression, recognizing that such damage would not have occurred but for the initiation of hostilities, and addressing both immediate and long-term environmental destruction, including forms of slow violence, within post-conflict justice frameworks;
16. Welcomes advanced parliamentary practices that play an important role in promoting dialogue and understanding, and in achieving peace, in communities affected by conflicts;
17. Calls upon parliaments to strengthen coordination with humanitarian and development organizations, to ensure that States grant international humanitarian organizations unhindered access to occupied territories, and to agree on clear safeguards to protect water, energy and agricultural crops, which are essential for human development and for the welfare and food security of nations of the world, as well as other humanitarian and civilian infrastructure in areas affected by conflicts, in line with international humanitarian law;
18. Insists that climate change and security are inseparable elements in achieving sustainable development and ensuring lasting peace, and calls for the development of integrated strategies to reduce the effects of climate change on areas affected by conflicts;
19. Calls for the implementation of comprehensive strategies to promote peace and stability on the basis of national reconciliation, and for the promotion of inclusive governance approaches that prevent marginalization, and foster social and political harmony, in the aftermath of conflicts;
20. Encourages parliaments to play a key role in preventing disappearances, in clarifying the fate of missing persons and in assisting their families, in particular by adopting domestic legislation on missing persons, by establishing adequate mechanisms to prevent, resolve and address disappearances, and by strengthening cooperation, both nationally and internationally;
21. Insists on the importance of incorporating humanitarian exemptions into sanctions regimes, in line with the precedent set by UN Security Council resolution 2664 (2022), as an important means of ensuring that humanitarian action is not impeded by the unintended impact of sanctions, as well as on the importance of ensuring that mechanisms are in place to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of such exemptions, thus helping to ensure continuity of access to essential services for the civilian population and to stem reversals in the achievement of the SDGs, and emphasizes the need for full compliance with sanctions regimes imposed on States for violations of international law in order to bring conflicts to an end and to minimize their impact on sustainable development;
22. Calls for the strengthening of an existing global commission, such as the United Nations Mediation Support Unit, which comprises relevant experts, with a mandate to work towards a ceasefire, based on international law and leading to lasting and just peace, in countries affected by conflicts, and to ensure the implementation of the SDGs in conflict-affected areas, with a focus on addressing the root causes of such conflicts and developing innovative mediation approaches;
23. Recommends the establishment of an international compensation mechanism, ensuring that aggressors bear financial responsibility for ecological restoration in conflict-affected areas, stresses that this does not absolve the international community of its responsibility to engage in reconstruction efforts, and calls for the integration of environmental peacebuilding and transitional justice principles into all post-conflict recovery frameworks to ensure sustainable and just rehabilitation processes;
24. Encourages parliaments to periodically review national legislation to ensure its compatibility with the urgent and other needs of communities affected by conflicts, and to focus in particular on updating legislation that protects human rights and the environment in such situations;
25. Calls for the strengthening of partnerships between national parliaments and international and regional organizations with a view to exploring innovative solutions to restore sustainable development in countries affected by conflicts, while ensuring that civilian infrastructure is rebuilt in such a manner that it is resilient and better suited to both pre-existing and post-conflict challenges;
26. Also calls for the funding of post-war reconstruction through, inter alia, compensation provided by States whose unlawful actions have caused destruction, and calls upon the international community to consider alternative ways to ensure appropriate compensation should such States refuse to fulfil their obligation to provide compensation, including by redirecting the assets of such States for recovery purposes;
27. Further calls for parliaments to play a stronger role in the inclusive and equitable distribution of resources in areas affected by conflicts, in supporting reconstruction programmes in line with the principle of environmental and social sustainability, and in ensuring that marginalized or vulnerable groups benefit from such programmes and are not left behind;
28. Calls for the rapid restoration, in an inclusive and equitable manner, of essential services during early recovery and reconstruction following conflicts, while building back better and providing more resilient essential services to the civilian population, in line with UN Security Council resolution 2573 (2021);
29. Encourages parliaments to develop a sound legal framework for democratic oversight of the security sector, and to ensure that such a framework is compatible with international laws, norms and standards, including the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
30. Calls upon parliaments to exercise their budgetary function, with transparency and accountability, to challenge, question, cancel or adjust the resources allocated to security, and to demand that the security sector meets high standards of accountability and effectiveness in accordance with domestic laws and regulations;
31. Also calls upon parliaments to exercise their oversight function to verify whether security-related laws and policies are being implemented effectively and are having the intended effect, and whether resources allocated to the security sector are being used efficiently;
32. Recommends that parliaments exercise their representative function to facilitate political consensus on security issues through dialogue and transparency, and to ensure that all citizens, including marginalized and vulnerable groups, are always represented in the best possible way in the decision-making process.