Equatorial Guinea

To take the technical assistance and capacity-building activities the IPU has implemented under its project of assistance to the House of People's Representatives of Equatorial Guinea a step further, a series of seminars is planned for members of parliament and staff. These seminars will focus on the functions of a modern parliament and will include human rights and genderrelated presentations. A technical assistance mission is also billed to take place during the first quarter of 2005. The mission will assist the parliamentary authorities in reviewing the various rules of the House, including those governing staff, the objective being to ensure that a realistic organisational chart is drafted and implemented.

Nigeria: bringing parliament closer to the people

Since signing a multimillion euro democracy programme that provides support for the federal parliament and six state legislatures in July 2004, the IPU has devoted its efforts to the establishment of a Project Management Unit (PMU) and to laying the groundwork for the effective initiation of the project. Needs assessment missions have been fielded to the six state assemblies which will benefit from the project. Project documents have now been finalised, and project implementation will start in earnest in March 2005.

The project will build the capacity of the legislatures concerned and ensure that legislative decisions are informed by inputs from society. A host of activities are foreseen, including training, advisory services and the provision of equipment in order to bring these institutions closer to the people through adequate information policies.

This programme is funded by the European Commission and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Support for the parliament of Uruguay

A new project has been launched for the parliament of Uruguay. Designed in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), it has been endorsed by the two Chambers of the Uruguayan General Assembly. This project constitutes a second phase in efforts to help the parliament improve its working methods, including through more active involvement of civil society. This second phase will strengthen the constitutional functions of the parliament, especially its oversight function, as well as strengthen its administrative and human resources capacities. Human rights will be a major area of focus.

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) increases support for IPU operational activities

In December 2004 the IPU and SIDA signed an agreement in support of IPU operational activities in the area of democracy. The agreement, involving some US$ 1.5 million of SIDA funding, includes a framework for the activities that the IPU intends to carry out over a period of three years, from 2005 to 2007 with SIDA financial support. These activities are intended to complement the other democracy-related work the IPU is already undertaking. Under the agreement, the IPU will carry out activities to strengthen the capacities of parliaments and to support their efforts to promote gender equity in political life and human rights. Activities will be organised at the national and regional levels.