National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong is participating in a host of activities at the ongoing 131st Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

Running from October 12-16, the event saw the attendance of about 800 law-makers from about 141 countries, including 104 parliament speakers and vice speakers, and 218 female parliamentarians.

Themed “Achieving gender equality, ending violence against women”, the event evaluated and analysed activities and influence of the organisation in the process of enhancing the engagement of women in politics.

IPU has led in updating the number of female law makers as well as coming up with effective recommendations on measures to improve legislative and policy systems to raise women’s voice on the political stage.

IPU is currently the largest inter-parliamentary union in the world with 165 member states, covering various areas such as security, economics, democracy and the environment.

Earlier, about 180 young parliamentarians aged 37 years old averagely from all over the world attended the IPU conference for young parliamentarians in Geneva on October 10-11, aiming to encourage the full involvement of the youth in political issues.

Currently, under-30 year old parliamentarians account for less than 2 percent of the total parliament members in the world.

The event called on them to take a greater part in political decisions in national and international levels, including the sustainable development goals that will replace the millennium development goals that will be expired in 2015.-VNA