Lawmakers examine UN–parliament cooperation in Türkiye at high-level IPU panel

Strengthening cooperation between the national parliaments and the United Nations took center stage on April 17 at a high-level panel held during the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul. The session highlighted Türkiye as a practical example of how UN field presence can engage more systematically with legislative institutions to advance sustainable development and accountability.

Convened under the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs, the session titled “The UN field presence in Türkiye: A test case of greater UN engagement with parliaments” brought together senior UN representatives to reflect on evolving partnerships between the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and the UN Country Team (UNCT).

Opening the discussion, moderator Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Türkiye, underlined the importance of strong legislative engagement in delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Parliaments sit at the heart of sustainable development; translating global commitments into national laws, ensuring resources are allocated, and holding institutions accountable. Strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and parliaments is therefore essential to accelerate progress on the SDGs” said Ahonsi opening the panel. 

Participants heard how collaboration between the Parliament and the UN has evolved from ad hoc interactions to more structured and strategic engagement, particularly across key areas such as gender equality, women’s rights, migration, refugee protection and solutions, child rights and human rights. [EO1] This shift aligns with broader UN reform efforts aimed at building a more coherent and country-focused system.

The panel showcased concrete examples of cooperation with parliamentary commissions, including the Committee on Equal Opportunity for Women and Men (KEFEK), as well as those focused on equality of opportunity, human rights, justice, and budget oversight. Speakers emphasized that such engagement helps strengthen legislative frameworks, improve oversight of SDG implementation, and enhance accountability in public policy.

Maryse Guimond, UN Women Türkiye Country Director, highlighted efforts to support gender-responsive legislation and women’s political participation. “Türkiye's experience shows that engagement between the parliaments and United Nations can go far beyond dialogue. It can lead to real institutional change, in how laws are made, how budgets are shaped, and how representation is strengthened. Together with Parliament and IPU, we supported tools that are now part of how the institution works, from gender analysis of legislation to gender-responsive budgeting integrated into the budget cycle. We also invested in spaces that did not exist before, cross-party dialogue platforms where women Members of Parliament could come together across political lines. The agenda is no longer external. It is driven from within Parliament,” said Maryse Guimond. UN Women Türkiye's partnership with the Grand National Assembly dates back to 2011 and has contributed to the inclusion of temporary special measures in the National Development Plan and to women's representation in Parliament reaching nearly 20 per cent, the highest level to date.

Daniela C. Cicchella, Deputy Representative of UNHCR Türkiye, emphasized that engagement with parliaments is central to ensuring refugee protection, it is a legal and institutional reality beyond just a policy commitment. Through their legislative, oversight, and budgetary roles, parliamentarians shape how refugees and stateless persons are received, protected, and included, while enabling sustainable responses and solutions.

Strengthening parliamentary engagement helps anchor responses to forced displacement in the rule of law, align them with international standards, and adapt them to national contexts. Türkiye’s experience as a major refugee-hosting country offers valuable insights into balancing protection principles, national systems, and social cohesion through informed parliamentary action. It also demonstrates the importance of structured cooperation between the United Nations and legislative institutions.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union plays a key role in connecting parliaments and scaling up good practices globally. A Memorandum of Understanding between UNHCR and the IPU aims to enhance parliamentary engagement on refugee protection, solutions, and the prevention and reduction of statelessness, translating international commitments into national legislation and transforming national experiences into global learning.

In a context of rising forced displacement, parliamentarians have an increasingly vital role in upholding fundamental principles, ensuring access to rights and services, promoting responsibility-sharing, and advancing inclusive policies.

“Parliamentarians play a critical role in translating international principles and commitments on refugee protection and solutions as well as reduction of statelessness into national legislation, oversight and practical policies that benefit both refugees and host communities. UNHCR works closely with the Inter-Parliamentary Union that is essential in transferring national practices into global collective learning.” said Cicchella. 

Malti Gandhi, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Türkiye, outlined ongoing work with parliamentary bodies to advance child rights, child protection, and youth participation:

“By engaging with the parliament as a system, institutionalizing child participation, and using evidence to influence parliamentary debate; UNICEF is committed to continued collaboration with Parliamentarians in placing children's best interests and rights front, right and centre of the country's agenda.”

The discussion further explored how stronger institutional ties between the parliaments and the UN can enhance national ownership of development programmes, support evidence-based policymaking, and ensure sustainability of results.

Looking ahead, participants identified opportunities to further institutionalize cooperation, including strengthening parliamentary research capacities, expanding training on human rights-based lawmaking, gender-responsive governance, and developing joint UN–IPU follow-up mechanisms beyond the Assembly.