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Parliamentary Development

Parliaments are pillars of democratic governance, with a critical role in spurring and sustaining national action towards the Millennium Development Goals. They can be powerful agents of change, particularly during and after times of crisis.

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Photo: UNDP/Julie Pulowski

Viable democracy and open society depend on effective lawmaking, oversight and representation — the three chief functions of parliaments. UNDP provides technical assistance to more than 60 parliaments around the world in their efforts to:

  • Build the capacity of legislators and technical staff
  • Promote institutional reform
  • Strengthen parliaments' relationships with the executive and judiciary branches of government and with civil society
  • Enhance the effectiveness of women members of parliament and improve their ability to caucus and learn from one another

This work is often carried out through inter-parliamentary networking, seeking solutions tailored to each country and culture. E-governance and ICT strategies support this networking, including Web-based resources such as iKNOW Politics and AGORA. For ten years, the UNDP Global Programme for Parliamentary Strengthening has been setting global standards and benchmarks, exchanging regional best practices and building capacity in selected countries.

Parliamentary development is a mechanism that benefits the poor and other disadvantaged groups by increasing their political representation and increasing government accountability to the public.

How we work

  • Creating an ethical code for elections in Benin

    Long before the 2006 presidential election in Benin, a dialogue structure created with UNDP assistance brought together all political parties and actors to find common ground around an ethical code on electoral participation. Despite the volatile environment, political leaders and 26 candidates agreed to adhere to principles of democracy and non-violence. UNDP also supported technical units in parliament for budget analysis and monitoring, budget training and public hearings.
  • Promoting political parties in the Arab region

    More than 40 Members of Parliament from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Yemen attended a series of workshops at which they agreed to general principles on political parties in the Arab region. The principles promote pluralism and describe by-laws, financing and other functional aspects.
  • Formulating a project for Pakistan

    The Pakistan National Assembly and Senate worked together with UNDP's Democratic Governance Group to develop a project to build institutional capacity to support newly elected Members of Parliament, Senators and key parliamentary committees. The 2009 project also advanced the ability of civil society organizations to advocate their positions before parliamentary committees.
  • Parliaments' role in crisis prevention and recovery

    Almost 30 case studies and five regional papers are available from UNDP and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, produced by the joint Initiative on Strengthening the Role of Parliaments in Crisis Prevention and Recovery. Parliaments are well-positioned to play a positive role in situations of crisis and conflict. They are representative bodies, with authority to oversee government action, and they can serve as forums for dialogue or partners in negotiations.

Key Publications and Resources

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