GOPAC calls the 146th IPU Assembly to promote openness and transparency to have an inclusive, participatory, and representative parliament
GOPAC, during the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly and Related Meetings, called global parliaments and parliamentarians to promote openness and transparency in order to ensure that parliament is inclusive, participatory, and representative.
The call was made to ensure that parliament is available for all society at all levels and answered the IPU General Debate theme on “Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Inclusive Societies: Fighting Intolerance.”
GOPAC Vice-Chair, Dr. Fadli Zon, highlighted that corruption fuels conflicts and feeds divisions, political polarity, and even xenophobia. It can be found in any corrupt actions, such as favoritism in giving a rule break to some groups, the adoption of the discriminatory law, and when some groups benefit from a corrupt status quo at the expense of others. Such acts can be prevented when parliament, as the home of all citizens, can be accessible, available, and inclusive for all of society. “And the critical elements in working towards that direction are by promoting good governance,”
GOPAC’s calls for parliament to promote openness and transparency was part of the organization’s commitment highlighted previously in the 2023 Parliamentary Dialogue on UNCAC. During the Dialogue, which was held on 8 March in Doha, Qatar, parliamentarians from more than 30 countries gathered in person and virtually to reassess and review UNCAC implementation. One of the specific UNCAC articles that have been a focus was implementing article 13 on Participation of Society. “By having equal access and participation for all citizens in every public decision and all public services, with no exception, we have already one step closer to tackling the divisive community we have today,” Fadli Zon explained before 135 national parliaments attending the IPU Assembly.
GOPAC then concluded its statement by inviting national parliaments and parliamentarians to take part and strengthen their involvement at the Conference of the State Parties to UNCAC. GOPAC will continue to deeply engage at the CoSP UNCAC to ensure that article 13 of UNCAC will be critical to promoting an inclusive society.
Aside from addressing the 146th IPU Assembly’s General Debate, GOPAC also met with parliamentary stakeholders, including several parliamentarians, the national parliament secretariats, and other inter-parliamentary organizations, to share views, discuss future programs, and ways to outreach new members.
