IPU assembly ends with Dhaka declaration to reduce inequality

The 136th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, one of the largest international conferences in Bangladesh's history, has ended in the capital with the adaptation of five-point Dhaka declaration.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 5 April 2017, 06:49 PM
Updated : 5 April 2017, 06:49 PM

The declaration stipulates making parliaments more representative, ensuring economic facilities for all, and increasing social dialogues, human resource and international cooperation.

The Dhaka Declaration was adopted unanimously on the closing day of the five-day assembly in the Bangladesh capital on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the assembly, one of the largest international conference held in Dhaka in Bangladesh's history, on Saturday. A total of 132 of 171 members of the parliamentary forum of the world took part in the assembly.

The theme of this year's assembly was - “Redressing Inequalities: Delivering on Dignity and Well-Being for All". Nobel laureate children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi presented the keynote paper on Sunday.

Besides discussions on the main theme, various IPU committees passed some resolutions, including one to stop foreign intervention in internal affairs of any country and another urging the world to support the famine-hit populations.

This was the first 'Green Assembly' of the IPU and also broadcast live on the internet for the first time.

After the assembly, IPU President Saber Hossain Chowdhury said the representatives would include their corresponding parliament to the Dhaka declaration when they return.

The member countries will have to strengthen the legal structure and ensure allocation in the budget to reduce inequality in national and international levels to protect human rights. Representation of politically marginal and vulnerable people will have to be ensured.

Parliaments will have to be strengthened as a place of taking decisions for all to ensure job, education and health facilities for every group; the legal structure to collect revenue will have to be strengthened, and intensives for small and medium entrepreneurs will have to be ensured.

The issue of ensuring labour rights has also been included in the declaration.

Expressing concern over rising wealth inequality across the globe, the IPU said the expanding young generation of the world is hit by unemployment, lack of wealth and drop in wages. The IPU hoped the member countries would take steps to resolve the issues.

The IPU also expressed concern over gender inequality in wages.

Speaking at a press conference after the assembly, Speaker Shirin said the "recognition" of Bangladesh's democracy from the global democratic community was the "biggest achievement" of this assembly. "Their trust in the 10th Parliament has been proved," she said.

IPU President Saber's comments centred on the issue of militancy and terrorism, as the IPU assembly was held amid a crackdown on militants across Bangladesh.

He said, "We've shown by holding the assembly successfully that we have overcome fear. The world's parliamentary forum will stand united against any such threat in the future. We will not sit idle fearing the evil acts of terrorism."

The next IPU assembly will be held in Russia's St Petersburg, where a bomb attack on a train left at least 10 killed on Monday.

"The terrorists have also carried out an attack there. Shall we sit idle for that? No. This Dhaka assembly says we will go there," Saber said.