Women’s leadership is reshaping global institutions
Source: IPU
From 1 July 2026, for the first time in its 137-year history, the Secretariat of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will be managed by a woman.
Anda Filip of Romania was elected the tenth Secretary General of the IPU at the 152nd IPU Assembly in Istanbul, becoming the first woman to hold the post since the Organization was founded in 1889. She will succeed Martin Chungong of Cameroon, whose third and final term ends on 30 June 2026.
It is a historic first, as well as a moment that carries a deeper meaning for an organization built around parliaments, democracy and representation.
For decades, the IPU has worked with parliaments to advance women’s equal participation in political life, as well as tracking progress and documenting setbacks. Today, it continues to produce the authoritative data on women in parliament, advocate for reforms and call for political institutions to better represent the people they serve.
Anda Filip’s election marks an important milestone in the IPU’s own institutional journey and reflects a wider shift in the leadership of international organizations.
From 1 July 2026, for the first time in its 137-year history, the Secretariat of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will be managed by a woman.
Anda Filip of Romania was elected the tenth Secretary General of the IPU at the 152nd IPU Assembly in Istanbul, becoming the first woman to hold the post since the Organization was founded in 1889. She will succeed Martin Chungong of Cameroon, whose third and final term ends on 30 June 2026.
It is a historic first, as well as a moment that carries a deeper meaning for an organization built around parliaments, democracy and representation.
For decades, the IPU has worked with parliaments to advance women’s equal participation in political life, as well as tracking progress and documenting setbacks. Today, it continues to produce the authoritative data on women in parliament, advocate for reforms and call for political institutions to better represent the people they serve.
Anda Filip’s election marks an important milestone in the IPU’s own institutional journey and reflects a wider shift in the leadership of international organizations.