Program Areas

Program Areas

Advancing the common interest of humanity

Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly

The UN serves member states

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 UNPA serves global citizens

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.  

An incremental approach

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.

Join the global campaign

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.

Civil society statement

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. 

Main partners
Award

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.”

News and developments in this campaign

Swiss Senate calls on government to examine UN’s democratic deficit
Approving a proposal by Swiss Senator Daniel Jositsch, the upper chamber of the Swiss Parliament on 13 March 2019 formally called on the Swiss government to make a statement on
DWB | 13.03.2019
The case for a UN Parliamentary Assembly and the Inter-Parliamentary Union
This paper looks into the relationship between the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the proposed United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA). It outlines the characteristics of these two bodies and provides an
DWB and Andreas Bummel | 06.02.2019
Call for a world parliament during week of action
Around United Nations Day on 24th October 2018, a global week of a action was celebrated for the fifth time with activities across the world in support of the establishment
Petter Ölmunger | 13.12.2018
Climate change and the need for a UN Parliamentary Assembly
A call for urgent global actionLast month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a special report titled Global Warming of 1.5°C which emphasises the urgent need to act upon
Charles Marsh | 20.11.2018