The IPU is the focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue and works for peace and cooperation among people and for the firm establishment of representative democracy. The IPU also works to ensure respect for human rights, focusing particularly on parliamentarians all over the world. Furthermore, the organization continuously aims to promote closer cooperation with the UN.

Organization 

The IPU hosts two conferences: One in the spring, the location of which rotates between the IPU Member States, and one in the autumn, usually in Geneva. These conferences are known as the Assembly.

In addition, the IPU has a Governing Council which discusses and adopts the IPU’s budget and programme. The Governing Council is composed of three members from each Member State, but meetings in the Council may be attended by all delegates. 

The Executive Committee supports and oversees the administration of the IPU and gives advice to the Governing Council. The Executive Committee has 17 members. The President of the IPU is automatically the Chairperson of the Committee. 

Additionally, the IPU has four Standing Committees: 

• on Peace and International Security
• on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade
• on Democracy and Human Rights 
• on United Nations Affairs.

Furthermore, the Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians is set up as a special committee concerned with the conditions for parliamentarians in the Member States, focusing particularly on human rights issues. Among other things, the Committee travels to specific Member States to deal with concrete cases concerning the violation of human rights of parliamentarians. 

Finally, the Co-ordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians is a forum with specific focus on women’s rights and equal opportunities. It convenes in connection with the two annual conferences. During the conferences, the Standing Committees discuss and adopt resolutions regarding topics which have been decided on in the previous year. The Committees’ work is based on one or two reports with background information and analyses and a draft resolution text which must ultimately be adopted by the Assembly. 

The IPU Member States are organized in six geopolitical groups. Denmark is a member of the Twelve-Plus Group, which consists of 47 members, which are mainly OECD countries. The geopolitical groups meet in connection with the IPU conferences in order to coordinate their positions prior to the discussions and votes taking place at the official part of the conference. In addition, the Nordic countries benefit from collaborating under the auspices of the IPU by holding preliminary meetings prior to the spring and autumn conferences.

The Danish delegation 

The Board of the Danish Inter-Parliamentary Group is composed of eight members and eight substitutes. A permanent delegation chairperson and deputy chairperson are elected from among the Board members.