Inter-Parliamentary Union

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The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. We work with parliaments and parliamentarians to promote democratic governance, institutions and values. Women’s economic empowerment is at the heart of our mission to promote gender equality, sustainable development, democracy and peace. Equal pay is crucial to the achievement of women’s economic empowerment and gender equality, and for progress to be achieved in this area, Parliaments must be fully involved.

Through our inter-parliamentary assemblies, the IPU advocates for the vital role of laws relating to employment and equal pay in stepping up women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion. The IPU convenes the Forum of Women Parliamentarians that brings together members of parliament to set the tone for global and national action on gender equality. In April 2019, the Forum of Women Parliamentarians held a debate in Doha focused on women at work. The debate raised awareness of the relevant ILO Conventions and the need for strong policies and legislation to reduce and eventually eliminate the gender pay gap.

The IPU also regularly convenes the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament. The 13th Summit of Women Speakers held in August 2020 placed focus on empowering women in the economy and at work, with women Speakers committing to address the unequal share of unpaid care work and gaps in social protection, and to eliminate the gender pay gap.

The IPU is committed to ensuring national follow-up on equal pay commitments with parliaments. Being a member of EPIC will help the IPU continue to mobilize parliaments individually to promote equal pay interventions in their respective parliaments. It will also help strengthen efforts towards focusing on equal pay in all SDG interventions. By joining EPIC, we commit to working together with other EPIC members at the global, regional and national levels to engage and support parliaments towards making equal pay between women and men a reality for generations to come.