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PGA’s vision is to contribute to the creation of a Rules-Based International Order for a more equitable, safe, sustainable and democratic world.

PGA Annual Report 2015

Publication

PGA Annual Report 2015
PGA Annual Report 2015

PGA Annual Report 2015

Throughout 2015, PGA has continued to develop and strengthen its preexisting campaigns, as well as introduce new initiatives that further the vision of PGA.

Description

Throughout 2015, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) has continued to develop and strengthen its preexisting campaigns, as well as introduce new initiatives that further the vision of PGA “To contribute to the creation of a rules-based international order for a more equitable, safe and democratic world.” The following report will outline PGA’s activities and achievements in 2015.

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Additional Details

  • Publication Type: Annual Report
  • Author(s): Parliamentarians for Global Action

Throughout 2015, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) has continued to develop and strengthen its preexisting campaigns, as well as introduce new initiatives that further the vision of PGA “To contribute to the creation of a rules-based international order for a more equitable, safe and democratic world.” The following report will outline PGA’s activities and achievements in 2015.

Table of Contents:

  1. President’s Message
  2. About PGA
  3. PGA membership (countries)
  4. Executive Committee & International Council Names
  5. PGA staff
  6. UN Committee names
  7. International Peace and Security Program – 2015 achievements
  8. International Law and Human Rights Program – 2015 achievements
  9. Gender, Equality and Population Program – 2015 achievements
  10. New Initiative for UN Transparency and Efficiency
  11. Annual Forum 2015
  12. Strategic Planning for 2016-2018
  13. Program Activities 2015 Calendar
  14. Donor list
  15. Financial Report

President’s Message

Dear PGA Friends,

The year 2015 was defined by numerous achievements by PGA in our efforts towards a more equitable and peaceful world, with growth and progress in each of our three programmes; International Peace and Security, International Law and Human Rights, and Gender, Equality and Population, as well as the launch of a new initiative to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the United Nations. In addition, PGA crafted a 2016-2018 strategic plan with input from key PGA funders and partners, which will serve to guide and strengthen PGA’s work going forward.

As this year was marked by rampant violence from ISIS and increased fear of more sophisticated and complicated ‘terrorist’ threats and actions, including mass-atrocity crimes in Syria and Iraq, PGA redoubled its efforts to ensure greater global participation and implementation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). To this end, PGA hosted a Global Parliamentary Forum to Promote Universality and National Implementation of the BWC and ATT in San Salvador, El Salvador 30 November - 1 December, 2015 at its 37th Annual Parliamentary Forum on the topic of the Role of Parliamentarians in Support of Peace and Security. This Forum convened on the 40th anniversary of the entry into force of the BWC and generated substantial political will among lawmakers in advance of the BWC Review Conference, to take place in late 2016, while re-affirming PGA’s global leadership in promoting universal adherence to the ATT.

Three days before the Forum was opened by the President of the Republic of El Salvador, our Members created the conditions for a majority vote on the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in the Legislative Assembly’s plenary of 27 November. With El Salvador’s decision, PGA contributed to 77 of the 124 ratifications of the ICC Statute by States countering impunity in all regions of the world.

In March 2015, PGA launched a Global Parliamentary Declaration to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage to raise awareness about this harmful practice and ensure the protection and promotion of girls’ human rights. Ending child marriage is vital to creating a world in which girls can achieve their full potential and contribute to the development of their communities and nations. I am proud to announce that PGA’s Declaration to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage has been signed by 772 Members of Parliament from 79 countries around the world and was presented to Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, President of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly on 12 October 2015 in commemoration of International Day of the Girl Child.

Thank you to all of our PGA friends for your continued encouragement and support of our work towards the creation of a rules-based international order for a more equitable, safe and democratic world. With your help, we achieved tremendous success across all of our campaigns this year in our efforts to end injustice and oppression around the world. I invite you now to continue learning about our remarkable achievements in the following 2015 Annual Report.

Sincerely,

Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal, Dominican Republic
President of Parliamentarians for Global Action

About PGA

PGA’s Mission: PGA informs and mobilizes parliamentarians to advocate for human rights and the rule of law, human security and gender equality.

PGA’s Vision: To contribute to the creation of a rules-based international order for a more equitable, safe and democratic world.

PGA’s History: PGA was established in 1978-1979 in Washington, DC, U.S.A. by concerned parliamentarians, from around the world, to take joint action on global problems, which could not be solved by any one government or parliament. PGA is a leading international Non- Governmental Organization, in general consultative status with the United Nations with a track-record in generating consensus among lawmakers on international treaties and standards and their domestic implementation. PGA promoted the negotiation, adoption and ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

Executive Committee & International Council

Read about the members of our Executive Committee and International Council.

PGA Staff

Learn who’s who on the PGA Staff.

United Nations Committee

Learn who’s who on the United Nations Committee.

International Peace and Security

A) Campaign for Universality and Implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty

Background: Since the Launch of the PGA Global Parliamentary Campaign for Signature and Ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty in April 2013, PGA Members and other Members of Parliament from 76 countries worldwide are now actively promoting signature and/or ratification of the ATT within their Parliaments and in close contact with their respective Governments.

As of 15 December 2015, PGA Members have made important, measurable contributions to moving the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) signature process forward in 44 of the 130 UN Member States that signed the ATT within the prescribed period prior to its entry into force on 24 December 2014 and also made important and measurable contributions vis-a-vis 33 of the 79 UN Member States that have ratified the ATT to date.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
  • PGA contributed to 9 of the 16 ratifications of the Arms Trade Treaty which have taken place since 1 January 2015 – Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Tuvalu, Togo, Central African Republic and Mauritania, Seychelles and Switzerland. Another ratification in 2015 was by Paraguay, where PGA also made an important contribution, when PGA Member Dip. Victor Bisonó (Dominican Republic) visited the Congress of Paraguay in Asunción in April 2014 – immediately after the PGA Regional Latin America Parliamentary Workshop to promote Ratification of the ATT in Buenos Aires organized by PGA Executive Committee Member Dip. Margarita Stolbizer – and met with senior MPs to push for ATT ratification.
  • In addition to the above, PGA has, to date, contributed to important efforts to move forward the Arms Trade Treaty ratification process in over 30 countries where ratification is still pending - Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fiji, Gabon, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Kiribati, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
  • PGA held the Regional Pacific Islands Parliamentary Workshop on Ratification and Implementation of the ATT from 18-19 May 2015 in Tonga. A Plan of Action was adopted at this Workshop which will see extensive and new engagement by PGA in the region in support of universality and implementation of the ATT.
  • PGA Executive Committee Member, Hon. Petra Bayr MP (Austria) successfully participated in, and made an effective presentation at, the Intergovernmental Informal Consultations on the Arms Trade Treaty, hosted by the Foreign Ministry of Austria, that took place in Vienna from 20-21 April 2015.
  • PGA Members raised the issue of ratification of the ATT in the parliaments of Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Kenya.
  • PGA Co-Covenor of Peace & Democracy Program, Naveed Qamar MP (Pakistan) organized 2nd Roundtable Meeting on ATT in National Assembly of Pakistan.
  • PGA held Regional Asia Parliamentary Workshop to Address the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons and Mitigate Armed Violence in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 24-25 August, 2015: Following the Workshop, Participants from Bangladesh shared the relevant Action Plan and Roadmap with colleagues and subsequently 3 PGA MPs in Bangladesh demonstrated a strong interest in promoting ratification of the ATT.
  • PGA significantly enhanced awareness surrounding the importance of improving domestic firearms legislation and improving implementation of the UN Program of Action on the Illicit Trade in SALW, the International Tracing Instrument as well as relevant regional legal instruments that specifically regulate SALW.
  • After meeting with Hon. Su'a William Sio, Chair of the New Zealand PGA National Group, Hon. Peter Shanel Agovaka MP of Solomon Islands wrote to his cabinet a paper seeking ratification of the ATT.
  • For more information, please go to https://www.pgaction.org/ips/illicit-salw/
B) Campaign for Universality and National Implementation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC)

Background: In recent times, and in the wake of the evolution of more sophisticated and complex terrorism threats and actions in particular, a renewed interest in ensuring greater global participation and implementation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) has rapidly emerged. PGA’s Global Parliamentary Campaign to Promote Universality and Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention aims at marshaling global parliamentary support for a strong, effective and universal BWC.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
  • PGA convened a Global Parliamentary Forum to Promote Universality and National Implementation of the BWC in San Salvador, El Salvador 30 November - 1 December, 2015 at its 37th Annual Parliamentary Forum on the topic of Role of Parliamentarians in Support of Peace and Security. This Forum took place on the 40th anniversary of the entry into force of the BWC and served to generate substantial political will among lawmakers in advance of the BWC Review Conference, to take place in late 2016.
  • PGA Member Dip. Palmira Bernado of Angola undertook actions leading to parliamentary ratification of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, as well as the Chemical Weapons Convention, in the National Assembly in Luanda on 21 April 2015.

International Law and Human Rights

A) Campaign for the Effectiveness and Universality of the Rome Statute of the ICC

Background: Since 1989, under the umbrella of the International Law and Human Rights Program, PGA has worked for the establishment and effective operation of an International Criminal Court (ICC), and as a result of the mobilization of our members, the PGA Parliamentary Campaign for the Universality and Effectiveness of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Campaign for the Rome Statute of the ICC) has contributed to the ratification of 76 out of 123 States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC, which are deemed to become 77 out of 124 as a result of the imminent completion of the ratification process by El Salvador, a country in which PGA Members played a leadership role in commencing and ensuring success of the national ratification process in 2014-15. On account of this Campaign, PGA is widely recognized as the parliamentary network working on international justice and the ICC.

PGA's network of parliamentarians furthermore assisted in the domestic implementation of the Rome Statute in 33 countries, including the DR Congo in 2015, thereby strengthening national legislative systems.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
  • Direct, demonstrable contributions towards the implementation of the Rome Statute of the ICC in Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo (informed consideration and adoption of relevant Bill initiated by PGA Members), Ecuador (adoption of new Penal Code), Guatemala, Honduras (draft legislation discussed in an informed manner in Parliament), Indonesia (inclusion of Rome Statute crimes in reformed criminal code), the Maldives, Morocco (inclusion of Rome Statute crimes in reformed criminal code), Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru (draft legislation discussed in an informed manner in Parliament) and Ukraine (informed discussion on the ICC jurisdictional clause to be included in Art. 124 of the Constitution).
  • Increased awareness among MPs from Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Jamaica, Suriname, Peru, Ukraine and Uganda, about the processes of Rome Statute ratification and its comprehensive implementation in the national legislation through peer-exchanges, technical round-tables, seminars and consultations.
  • Improved capacity of parliamentarians, government officials and their staff in Argentina, CAR, Chad, Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, DRC, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Madagascar, Mali, Panama, Paraguay and Peru, through the delivery of technical legal assistance on the domestic implementation of the Rome Statute. This included legislative measures to ensure the effective operation of the principle of complementarity (e.g. in CAR with the creation of the Special Criminal Court) as well as the internal mechanisms to allow states to fully cooperate, regarding which the PGA legal staff developed ‘model legislation’. PGA members in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Paraguay and Peru pushed for amendments to the Criminal Codes or independent Bills on the crimes and principles of law included in the Rome Statute. PGA members in Costa Rica, Honduras, Chile and Dominican Republic tabled Bills to set national mechanisms to cooperate with the ICC.
  • PGA Members from Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, The Netherlands, Paraguay, Suriname, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago increased awareness and took action towards the ratification and implementation of the Kampala Amendments to the Rome Statute relating to the Crime of Aggression and War Crimes (i.e. weapons prohibited in non-international armed conflicts). This awareness raising was possible through peer exchange and technical round-tables, seminars and consultations.
  • For more information, please go to https://www.pgaction.org/ilhr/rome-statute/
B) Platform for the Abolition of the Death Penalty

Background: The Campaign for the Abolition of the Death Penalty aims to support, enhance and maximize the impact of the individual initiatives of parliamentarians worldwide on the abolition of the death penalty, as well as to launch and coordinate targeted campaigns in selected countries to ensure concrete advancement of the abolition processes.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
  • PGA members contributed significantly to the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Suriname and Côte d’Ivoire as both abolished the death penalty in their Criminal Codes – In Suriname, this step was proposed by PGA Members, who facilitated a bipartisan, unanimous vote on the reformed Penal Code on 4 March 2015.
  • PGA raised awareness of MPs in Togo and Côte d’Ivoire on the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which was ratified in July 2015 by Togo.
  • Through peer-to-peer exchange, MPs in Tunisia were sensitized on the issue of the abolition of the death penalty, in particular in the context of the fight against terrorism.
  • Following the organization of the first activity of the targeted campaigns for the abolition of the death penalty in Dar es Salaam, 9 Tanzanian MPs committed to introduce a private members’ bill abolishing the death penalty and requested PGA’s Secretariat’s technical assistance, while 3 Ugandan MPs committed to promote abolition through a bill introduced by member MPs to abolish it. In December 2015, passed the first reading in Plenary and has now been sent to Committee. The Clerk of the Committee has requested that PGA give an expert presentation on Death Penalty Abolition to the Committee in 2016.
  • From 10 to 13 June, PGA conducted a field mission to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the abolition of the death penalty and the fight against impunity, in particular a meeting with its members, which included the Min. of Law Nancy Shukri, resulting in strategies and actions to move forward the abolition of the mandatory death penalty for drug related crimes. Along with these stakeholders, PGA is organizing a Parliamentary Seminar on the abolition of the death penalty (with the Bar Council) in the Parliament of Malaysia in November.
  • On 17 November 2015, PGA hosted a Parliamentary Roundtable and Consultations on the Abolition of the Mandatory Death Penalty in Malaysia. The main outcome was the commitment of Min Shukri to abolish the mandatory death penalty and to have the legislation amended accordingly next year.
  • For more information, please go to https://www.pgaction.org/ilhr/adp/

Gender, Equality and Population

Campaign to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage

Background: Child, early and forced marriage is a violation of human rights and a development challenge that prevents approximately 15 million girls every year, and their countries, from achieving their potential. The practice perpetuates cycles of poverty, undermines efforts to reduce the numbers of women and children dying in childbirth and infancy, and holds back girls from attending school and contributing to their countries’ economic development and prosperity.

PGA’s Global Parliamentary Declaration to End Child, Early and Forced Marriage was launched on March 2015 to raise awareness about child, early and forced marriage and mobilize our strong network of Parliamentarians to call for a robust target on this issue to be included and remain in the post-2015 development agenda ensuring the protection and promotion of girls’ human rights.

Ambassador Michael Grant, Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, welcomed the adoption of target 5.3 to eliminate all traditional harmful practices, including child, early and forced marriage, in the 2030 Development Agenda and commended PGA for its efforts in mobilizing Parliamentarians around the world to effectively implement this target. 

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
Campaign Against Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Background: Launched in 2013, this Campaign aims to sensitize parliamentarians on human rights protections for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) communities on the basis of the principles of equality and non-discrimination and to undertake education and technical assistance designed to increase political will in support of the effective application of human rights norms and standards in accordance with international obligations.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

PGA Member, Honorable Antonio Niquice, MP (Mozambique) stated: "As a longstanding member of PGA, I am pleased to have contributed to the drafting and revision of the new Penal Code in Mozambique that has been in place since 1886 during colonial era. Moreover, I believe that the criminalization of people based on their sexual orientation goes against all international and regional human rights treaties. The New Penal Code introduces changes adjusted to the actual political, economic and social reality in Mozambique. Through such changes in the new Penal Code, Mozambique makes a strong statement and reinforces the fight against the discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It serves to send the message that it is the duty of all nations to secure and provide human and equal rights to all of its people."

New Initiative for UN Transparency and Efficiency

Parliamentary Action on 1 for 7 Billion Campaign
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
  • On 30 May 2015, PGA launched a micro-project: Parliamentary Action on 1 for 7 Billion Campaign. The Campaign aims at contributing to a more effective, transparent and accountable process to select the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, who should ideally represent the 7 billion people of our planet. As a partner of the 1 for 7 Billion Campaign the PGA Secretariat has been providing technical assistance to its members around the world in tailoring “Model Parliamentary Motions/Questions” developed by the PGA Executive Committee through the PGA Secretariat.
  • In this framework, MPs from Austria, Belgium, the European Parliament, Morocco and Sudan already used these Model Parliamentary Motions (tailored by the PGA Secretariat) to question their governments on how they are supporting the process towards a transparent, fair, and impartial selection of the next UN Secretary-General. Other PGA Members also addressed their government representatives informally on this issue.
  • The combined efforts of the partners of the 1 for 7 billion Campaign, including PGA, lead to a joint-letter where the UN has taken the first step towards implementing more transparent and inclusive procedures to select the Secretary-General. This joint letter from the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council to all member states marks the first time in the UN’s 70-year history that the selection process has had a clear start date and a call for qualified candidates to be nominated according to selection criteria.
  • More information on the Campaign can be found at www.pgaction.org/campaigns/1for7billion/

Annual Parliamentary Forum

The PGA Annual Forum is hosted every year by a different Parliament where PGA Members are present (currently 1300+ MPs in 143 countries of all regions of the world). The 37th session of PGA's Annual Parliamentary Forum was generously hosted by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador November 30 - December 1, 2015. More than 100 MPs from 40 Parliaments attended the Forum. The subject matter of this year's Annual Forum was The Role of Parliamentarians in Support of Peace and Security with an overriding objective of promoting universality and implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and, separately, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC). An additional goal of this year's Annual PGA Forum was to identify linkages between the inadequate control/oversight/regulation of arms/weapons exports/imports on the one hand and the recent, serious up-tick in gang and gang-related violence in Latin America, including in El Salvador, on the other. The Annual Forum served as an important opportunity for parliamentarians to gain new insight into these topics and fostered political will and motivation for change.

Strategic Planning for 2016-2018

PGA developed a new three-year strategic plan for 2016-2018. As part of this process, PGA Board Members offered input in June 2015 and a revised draft was shared with PGA’s donors and partners in a Strategy Meeting hosted by the PGA Group in the European Parliament and Sida in Brussels on 30 September 2015. The PGA Board adopted the final plan in December 2015.

Activities Calendar

View the 2015 Activity Calendar.

Partners and Donors

View our donors.

Financial Report

(Section to be added in 2016, upon release and approval by the PGA Board of the Audited Accounts)