Consider climate change. We have known for over 30 years that carbon emissions need to be reduced, yet we have failed to take effective action, risking environmental catastrophe. Why? Because the United Nations seeks consensus amongst almost 200 competing member states, a recipe for doing too little, too late.
A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) would give a voice to citizen-elected representatives and would make decisions in people’s best interest. For example, living sustainably is unquestionably in the collective interest of humanity, even if it may not be in the interest of any one nation to lead the way.
Initially, UNPA members could come from national parliaments. In the long run they should all be directly elected. Starting as a largely consultative body, the rights and powers of the UNPA could be expanded over time as its democratic character increases. Eventually it would become a real world parliament.
Democracy Without Borders coordinates the campaign for a UNPA supported by numerous civil society organizations, as well as individuals from 150 countries, among them over 1,600 current and former members of parliament and numerous distinguished personalities from all walks of life. Join them here.
A UN Parliamentary Assembly is one of three demands of the “We The Peoples” campaign for inclusive global governance launched in April 2021 and endorsed by over 200 organizations and networks.
The Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly received the 2nd prize in the NGO category of The Good Lobby Awards 2019, “symbolizing the sort of democratic innovations the world urgently needs.”
A report of the Human Rights Foundation says that the UN’s post-2030 development agenda should place human rights and democracy at its core. It warns that the SDG process is misused by authoritarian governments
Andreas Bummel |
Civil society groups outline recommendations on civic space, economic justice, rule of law, peacebuilding, human rights and UN reform, including the possible creation of a parliamentary UN body.
DWB |
A survey across 101 countries representing 90% of the world’s population finds that 40% of respondents tend to support a world parliament, 27% are opposed and 33% neutral.
DWB |
This report presents the results of the largest global survey to date, carried out in 101 countries, on public attitudes toward the creation of a citizen-elected world parliament to handle global issues.
DWB |