Mónica Adame
Secretary-General
Parliamentarians for Global Action
Hon. Syed Naveed Qamar, MP (Pakistan)
President
Parliamentarians for Global Action
Dear Friends,
As we reflect back on 2024 at Parliamentarians for Global Action, we are both humbled and inspired by the critical work that our member parliamentarians are engaged in every day in their efforts to advance human rights, democracy, environmental justice, and sustainable peace.
2024 was a year marked by a pendulum swinging backwards with increasing authoritarian rule and a backlash against fundamental freedoms, especially of vulnerable communities that seemed conquered long ago. In such a global context, PGA's role in uniting and empowering parliamentarians to be champions for human rights and allies to civil society has become more vital than ever.
It also marked PGA's 45th anniversary — a milestone that invited us to both celebrate our legacy and chart an ambitious course forward. Throughout this pivotal year, we focused on deepening our impact through peer-to-peer learning, technical assistance and support, education and capacity-building, and creating safe spaces for dialogue between parliamentarians and civil society.
Our work empowering parliamentarians contributes to strengthening their parliaments and the rule of law, advancing environmental governance to protect our health and that of the planet, and fostering solidarity with parliamentarians at risk — especially women political leaders and other human rights defenders, and those from marginalized communities.
With the new year upon us, we want to take a moment to thank you for your support and collaboration, celebrate the successes we achieved alongside our partners, and share with you a few highlights for the year to come.
Key Achievements in 2024
Advancing International Justice
Our 45th Annual Forum was held in conjunction with the Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians on the International Criminal Court and Rule of Law (CAP-ICC), in Islamabad, Pakistan. The gathering brought together 80 participants from 29 countries to strengthen parliamentary support for the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court as vital to advancing international justice and combating impunity for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.
- The Forum produced the Islamabad Plan of Action for International Justice — a comprehensive roadmap for enhancing cooperation and promoting universal ratification of the Rome Statute.
- The gathering was also an opportunity to present the prestigious 2024 Defender of Democracy Award, which this year went to Ms. Hina Jilani from Pakistan and the Honorable Fawzia Koofi from Afghanistan in recognition of their outstanding contributions to defending democracy, peace, equality, and human rights.
Facilitating Peer-to-Peer Learning and Advocacy
Throughout the year, we created valuable opportunities for parliamentarians to learn from and support each other to take legislative actions that will contribute to the rule of law and sustainable peace in their home countries and around the world.
- Hon. Fortune Daniel Molokele-Tsiye, MP (Zimbabwe), delivered an impassioned plea at our Annual Forum for countries to join the ICC, demonstrating the power of peer advocacy.
- Hon. Valerie Woods, Speaker National Assembly (Belize), shared how PGA's resources and networking opportunities have strengthened her environmental advocacy work, particularly in ocean protection and climate action.
- Dip. Esther Cuesta Santana of Ecuador urged fellow parliamentarians to deepen their efforts to strengthen the international rule of law and protect human rights in her message commemorating Human Rights Day.
Providing Technical Assistance for Legislative Progress
Our technical support led to significant legislative achievements, exemplifying how PGA's targeted assistance can help parliamentarians achieve concrete results in advancing international justice and human rights.
- In February, we celebrated Armenia becoming the 124th State Party to the International Criminal Court after the National Assembly of Armenia adopted the law on ratifying the Rome Statute, and subsequently deposited its instrument of ratification to the United Nations.
- In a historic move, Ukraine’s parliament ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to secure justice for international crimes under the Court’s jurisdiction. This is a milestone that PGA and our global partners have been pursuing for a very long time. The submission of the draft law by President Volodymyr Zelensky in August affirmed Ukraine’s determination to join the international community in its efforts to ensure respect and enforcement of international justice.
Creating Safe Spaces for Dialogue
We successfully hosted multiple gatherings that brought together diverse voices to discuss critical issues and foster multi-partisan collaboration.
- In April, we brought together parliamentarians from the Pacific to participate in the region’s 3rd Human Rights Conference on Inclusion of Persons of Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression and Sex Characteristics, creating opportunities for meaningful exchange and progress towards equality and human rights for LGBTQI+ individuals in their communities.
Developing Parliamentary Tools and Resources
In response to demands from our members, PGA’s publications, reports, and specialized toolkits continue to be valued and important strategy documents to inform their actions strengthening human rights, democracy, and peace in their countries.
- We updated the Parliamentary Toolbox for Democracy Defense with enhanced online accessibility to provide parliamentarians with practical resources to counter democratic backsliding and protect civic space.
Education and Capacity-Building
Our commitment to building parliamentary capacity was exemplified by numerous workshops and convenings that we facilitated to strengthen collaboration and coordination toward important human rights goals.
- In October, PGA organized a National Parliamentary Session on Nuclear and Radiological Security in Freetown, Sierra Leone, equipping participants with crucial knowledge to advance security and human rights in their legislative work. The session focused on encouraging greater worldwide adherence to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.
Supporting Parliamentarians At Risk
We maintained our strong commitment to building solidarity among parliamentarians and amplifying the cases of those facing persecution and harassment. We are devoted to promoting and protecting spaces for women political leaders and underrepresented communities to thrive.
- We lent our voice and advocacy to calls for the government of Nicaragua to unconditionally release legislators and Miskitu indigenous leaders Mr. Brooklyn Rivera Bryan and Ms. Nancy Elizabeth Henríquez James, who have been arbitrarily detained by the Ortega regime in power in Nicaragua.
- In May, PGA, together with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations, hosted a roundtable on promoting safe environments for women parliamentarians. The discussion offered opportunities to share first-hand experiences and good practices to help shape PGA’s strategy and future programming.
Looking Ahead
As we enter 2025, PGA remains committed to our human rights-based approach, action-oriented advocacy, and empowerment of individual parliamentarians. We are doubling down in our efforts to support the courageous work that PGA member parliamentarians are advancing in their home communities and legislatures every day.
In the coming days, we will be sharing our newly developed strategic plan with you, a plan that aims to chart a robust course in our organizational strategy for the next three years. It will be accompanied by a new visual brand identity for our organization, one that evokes the fresh spirit with which we are approaching our work and our partnerships.
We recognize that the challenges ahead are significant. As threats to global peace and security grow, vast communities are being displaced by armed conflicts and climate disasters, and multilateral cooperation seems paralyzed to stop the atrocities. Across the globe, people are looking to their government leaders and institutions to enact laws and policies that ensure access to equal rights and a dignified livelihood for all constituents.
Democracy, though imperfect, is a crucial space for contrasting views to be respectfully shared, movements for change to manifest, and diverse voices to be allowed to dissent. It must be allowed to flourish. Yes, democracy is messy. And yet, we endure. The promise of democracy is too great to choose otherwise.
PGA is committed to utilizing our international network to show democracy’s merit. We recognize that parliamentary leadership can be a powerful force for advancing human rights and democratic values. We will do everything in our power to ensure that our parliamentarian network remains a beacon for dialogue on critical human rights issues among decision-makers across political divides and national boundaries to enact meaningful change.
