PGA operates under the political direction of the Executive Committee and the International Council. The Executive Committee meets twice a year to decide on PGA's future programme activities. The International Council meets once a year during the Annual Forum to review programme work and to elect members to the Committee and Council. Members of the Comittee are elected on a 40:60 gender ratio.
The Council represents all regions of the world and each country where PGA has members can be represented with no more than two members. All elected members of the Committee and the Council serve for two years with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
Executive Committee
President
Mr. H.V. Ross Robertson, MP, New Zealand
Mr. Robertson is a New Zealand politician for the Labour Party. His current parliamentary roles include Assistant Speaker and Associate Spokesperson for Disarmament. He has been a member of parliament since 1987.
Board
Sen. Carlos Cantero, Chile
Senator Cantero is a geographer and politician for the Renovación Nacional Party. He currently serves as the President of the Mining and Energy Committee of the Chilean Senate. He was first elected to parliament in 1990.
Mrs. Irene Naa Torshie Addo, MP, Ghana
Mrs. Torshie is a lawyer, diplomat and Ghanaian politician for the New Patriotic Party. She was first elected to parliament in 2008.
Sen. Jim Walsh, Ireland
Jim Walsh is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and member of Seanad Éireann since 1997. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Transport and is a former president of the Irish Road Hauliers' Association. He is currently party spokesperson for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and a Member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Rights.
Dr. Mahreen Bhutto, MP, Pakistan
Dr. Bhutto has been elected on PPPP ticket on women reserve seat from Siindh. She is currently working as parliamentary secretary for health.
Dep. Mamadou Lamine Thiam, Senegal
Dep. Lamine Thiam is a politician for the Senegalese Democratic Party. He currently serves as the questeur of the National Assembly of Senegal.
Mr. Thilanga Sumathipala, MP, Sri Lanka
Mr. Sumathipala was a former member of the Western Provincial Council and Sri Lanka Freedom Party former chief organiser for the Borella Electorate in Colombo District. He received his education at Nalanda College Colombo and London College of Communication, UK.
Dr. Ruth Wijdenbosch, MP, Suriname
Dr. Wijdenbosch is a lawyer and politician for the New Front for Democracy and Development. She was first elected to the National Assembly of Suriname in 1987 and was recently elected for a third term as Deputy Speaker.
Ms. Marie Norden, MP, Sweden
Ms. Nordén is a Swedish social democratic politician. She has been a member of the Riksdag since 2006. Current Assignments: Member of the OSCE mission, Member of Finance Committee, Deputy of Industry and Trade
Dr. Yusuf Ziya İrbeç, MP, Turkey
Dr. İrbeç is an economist, foreign policy expert, university professor and Turkish politician. He served as vice chairman and clerk member on the European Union Harmonisation Commission, as a member of the European Council and of the Joint Parliamentary Commission of the European Union. He has been a member of the Turkish Parliament since 2007.
Mr. Mark Pritchard, MP, United Kingdom
Mr. Pritchard is a Nnational Board Member, Conservative Councillors Association 2002; Conservative Party Human Rights Commission 2006-; Deputy chairman, International Office, Conservative Party 2010-12. Member: Environmental Audit 2005-07, Work and Pensions 2006-09, Welsh Affairs 2007-10, Transport 2009-10, Joint Committee on National Security Strategy 2010-, International Development 2012-, Panel of Chairs 2012-.
Dip. Felipe Michelini, Uruguay
Dip. Michelini is a lawyer and Uruguayan politician for the Nuevo Espacio Party. He is a Professor of Human Rights and founder of the Mercosur Human Rights Public Policies Observatory. He was first elected to parliament in 1994.
Treasurer
Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, MP, Sweden
Ms. Cederfelt is a Registered Nurse and Swedish politician for the Moderate Party. In 2006 she became a Deputy Member of the Committee on European Affairs, and in 2010 she became a Deputy Member of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. She has been a member of the Swedish parliament since 1999.
Chair, International Council
Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal, Dominican Republic
Dip. Tavárez is a linguist and politician for the Dominican Liberation Party. She currently serves as the President of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. She was first elected to parliament in 2002.
International Council
Chair
Hon. Ruth Wijdenbosch MP Suriname
Councillors
Dip. Raul Barrandeguy Argentina
Ms. Melissa Parke, MP Australia
Dep. Alain Destexhe Belgium
Dep. Marcel Djimasse Central African Republic
Dep. Dieudonné Upira Sunguma Democratic Republic of Congo
Mr. Jeppe Kofod, MP Denmark
Dip. Christian Paredes Dominican Republic
Mr. Helmut Scholz, MEP European Parliament
Hon. Alban Bagbin, MP Ghana
Shri Tariq Anwar, MP India
Mr. Lapo Pistelli Italy
Mr. Gabriel Smith, MP Liberia
Hon. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri, MP Malaysia
Ms. Katrina Shanks, MP New Zealand
Mr. Shaika M. Sama, MP Sierra Leone
Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, MP Sri Lanka
Mr. Hugo Jabini, MP Suriname
Ms. Pindi Chana, MP Tanzania
Mr. Stephen Tashobya, MP Uganda
Secretariat
Shazia Z. Rafi Secretary-General
United Nations Committee for PGA
Chair
H.E. Mr. Herman Schaper Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of The Netherlands
United Nations Ambassadors
H.E. Mr. Jan Grauls Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Belgium
H.E. Mr. Carsten Staur Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Denmark
H.E. Ms. Tiina Intelmann Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ministry of Foreign Affairs President, Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC
H.E. Mr. Jarmo Viinanen Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Finland
H.E. Mr. Gérard Araud Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of France
H.E. Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of India
H.E. Mr. Macharia Kamau Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kenya
H.E. Mr .Christian Wenaweser Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein
H.E. Mr. Luis Alfonso De Alba Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Mexico
H.E. Mr. Jim McLay Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of New Zealand
H.E. Mr. Marten Grunditz Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Sweden
H.E. Mr. Ertugrul Apakan Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Turkey
H.E. Sir Mark Lyall Grant Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom
Mr. Michael Posner US Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour United States State Department
UN Secretariat and Agencies
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin Executive Director UNFPA
Amb. Mr. Juan Somavía Director-General International Labour Organization
Non-Governmental Organizations
Prof. Elisabeth Lindenmayer Columbia University
Mr. David Phillips Columbia University
Business Council
The goal of the PGA Business Council is to create a partnership between leaders in the business community and their counterparts in the world's parliaments, all of whom are working towards a peaceful, stable and just world, conducive to economic growth and social equity. Members of PGA's Business Council represent a broad cross-section of the global business community, dedicated to promoting peace, the rule of law, economic growth and social equity in emerging economies.
Chair
Lord Paul of Marylebone Chairman Caparo Group Ltd
Members
Mrs. Ana S. de Kessler Head of Cabinet Ministry of Production for Buenos Aires
Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge Chairman British Airways
Mr. Francois Loeb Managing Director Loeb Department Stores
Dr. Klaus Schwab President World Economic Forum
PGA Staff
PGA Headquarters in New York
Ms. Shazia Z. Rafi Secretary-General
Ms. Jennifer McCarthy Assistant Secretary-General
Mr. Peter Barcroft Director of Projects and Senior Programme Officer International Law and Human Rights Programme
Mr. Michael Agbeko Director of Administration
Ms. Mónica Adame Programme Officer Sustainable Development, Health and Population Programme
Ms. Helen Tsakiris Senior Development Officer
Ms. Leyla Nikjou Programme Officer Intl Law and Human Rights
Mr. Brian Kett Communications and Membership Officer
PGA office in The Hague
Dr. David Donat Cattin Senior Director International Law and Human Rights Programme
Dr. Deborah Ruiz Verduzco Deputy-Director International Law and Human Rights Programme
Ms. Maia Trujillo Programme Associate International Law and Human Rights Programme
Mr. Thiago Carvalho Operations and Administrative Associate
Ms. Floriane Echegut Consultant International Law and Human Rights Programme
Mr. Eloi Urwodhi Consultant (Kinshasa) International Law and Human Rights Programme
Ms. Joyce Freda Apio Consultant (Kampala-Nairobi) International Law and Human Rights Programme
