Description

For Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) – the largest non-governmental, multi-party international network of individual legislators with approximately 1,200 members in 136 parliaments around the world committed to human rights and the Rule of Law, democracy, human security, inclusion and gender equality – the year 2020 was defined by tremendous obstacles, and many achievements!

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose enormous challenges with profound impacts in all of our countries. Inequalities, vulnerabilities and abuses that were afflicting many in the world even before the pandemic have only been exacerbated. In a climate of fear, marginalized sectors of society already living in precarious circumstances are confronting further alienation and victimization. Moreover, the pandemic and the resulting economic crises have had a profound impact on the world, including potential threats to democracy.

The current global health crisis requires a multilateral response.

The spirit of collective action that characterizes PGA is more important today than ever. PGA’s international network stands in solidarity with champions of democracy and defenders of human rights and peace worldwide. Our Campaigns are, in fact, continuing stronger than ever with calls for actions from our National Groups and individual member-parliamentarians in all regions of the world from Ecuador to the Philippines, from Zimbabwe to Canada, from Ukraine to Trinidad and Tobago.

In the past year, PGA expanded our role as the parliamentary partner of the global human rights community with the new Parliamentary Campaign for Democratic Renewal and Human Rights. We launched the Parliamentary Rapid Response Team or “PARRT,” a group of parliamentary democracy champions ready to respond when the rights of parliamentarians and human rights defenders are at-risk.

Democratic principles worldwide are in decay and while threats to democracy are not new, contemporary challenges – including the global health emergency – have put parliamentarians themselves on the frontlines. Opposition members and advocates for democratic norms, including human rights and gender justice, are increasingly targeted for repression, political reprisal, abusive prosecutions and personal victimization. At-risk classes, including women and girls, indigenous populations, religious minorities and LGBTI persons are often disproportionately affected.

The Democratic Renewal and Human Rights Campaign therefore supports and empowers parliamentarians to resist these attacks on democracy, shape national agendas, counter executive incursions and work with civil society to preserve civic and political space. The simultaneous health and economic crises spurred by the global COVID-19 pandemic have underscored PGA’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, in particular, SDG 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans. PGA’s Oceans Campaign addresses a significant gap in international law by linking environmental protection of the oceans – and its resources – to human rights, such as food security and full and productive employment.

In this challenging time, I am awed and inspired by the commitment of our members and their ownership of the organization’s strategic priorities. This essential feature is maintained and safeguarded by the democratic governance and working methods of PGA. Our global network of parliamentarians acting in their individual capacity is supported by PGA National Groups in parliaments. National Group chairs form the International Council, which then elects members of the Executive Committee. Lastly, all strategic decisions of the organization are made by the Executive Committee, which focuses on the results-oriented monitoring of, and action on, PGA’s Programs and Campaigns and is advised by the International Council.

While nothing can replace the important peer-to-peer learning and sharing of best practices that take place when we meet in person, PGA adapted to the new world of Zoom meetings and convened a very successful virtual 11th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court (CAP-ICC). Our special thanks go to the PGA National Group in The Netherlands for co-hosting the event. The CAP-ICC should have coincided with the 42nd Annual Forum of PGA, but the Executive Committee decided to postpone the 2020 Forum due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. We very much hope and look forward to meeting again at the Annual Forum in 2021.

Finally, a big “thank you” to our invaluable network of parliamentarians and our steadfast partners and friends for your continued support of PGA’s vision, namely, to contribute to the creation of a rules-based international order for a more equitable, safe and democratic world. With your help, we have achieved significant results championing human rights, peace and democracy around the world. I invite you to continue learning about our achievements in the following 2020 Annual Report.

We look forward to working with you in 2021.

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Ms. Margareta Cederfelt,
MP (Sweden)