This resource invites parliaments to evaluate their democratic performance against a set of criteria based on the core values set out in IPU’s ground breaking. The purpose is not to rank parliaments and help them identify their strengths and weaknesses against international criteria, in order to determine priorities for strengthening the parliamentary institution.

As part of its efforts to strengthen the capacity of parliaments to promote gender equality and respect for women's rights, the IPU organised a first seminar of parliamentary bodies dealing with gender issues. This publication contains the experts' contributions, extracts of the debates and the summary and recommendations of the Rapporteur of the seminar.

http://www.ipu.org/PDF/publications/wmn_seminar06_en.pdf

This report provides the conclusions of an IPU seminar for members of parliamentary bodies that deal with gender matters. It documents how to enhance the functioning and policy and legislative outcomes of parliamentary committees dealing with gender equality. Special attention is paid to the question of combating violence against women, and the role of parliaments in this field.