Global peace: Kalu seeks amendment of IPU rules

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called for the amendment of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly rules to accommodate more emergency items from Africa and others.

He lamented the conflicts affecting some parts of the world and urged the IPU to urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and create a task force for Sudan and other countries facing similar challenges in Africa.

Kalu was quoted in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, on Thursday, while speaking at the just concluded 148th meeting of the Union in Geneva, Switzerland.

He said the current IPU General Assembly Rule 11(2) shortchanges Africa.

Other proposals also tendered for consideration were; a call for urgent action regarding the conflict in the Middle East; free, fair and transparent elections without prohibitions aimed towards an orderly and peaceful democratic transition in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; and the call for urgent action to end the aggression and massive violations of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

He further lamented the poor percentage of women in politics, and called for gender equality and inclusion in governance, stressing that women’s under-representation in parliament impeded progress.