Established in 1976, the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians helps legislators to represent their constituents freely, safely and effectively. It has since examined a number of cases in over 100 countries. Canadian Senator Sharon Carstairs assumed the presidency of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians in June 2007. A teacher by profession, Senator Carstairs was the first woman to be appointed Deputy Leader of Government in the Canadian Senate in 1997.

Javed Hashmi was freed in Pakistan after serving four years in prison on politically-motivated charges. Hussam Khader, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was released after six years in prison following an unfair trial, and six members of the Colombian National Congress were freed from the hands of the FARC, one of them, Oscar Lizcano, having spent more than eight years in captivity.... These are some of the cases of parliamentarians unable to exercise the parliamentary duties for which they were duly elected that were brought to a successful conclusion in the past year.

While the Committee rejoices at the resolution of these cases, it is ever mindful of the other 300 plus parliamentarians in 32 countries whose cases are before it and remained unresolved. At present, the Committee is dealing with parliamentarians who have been murdered in Sri Lanka and Lebanon; it is examining cases of parliamentarians who have disappeared in Belarus, Eritrea and Rwanda. It is unknown whether they are alive or dead. It has before it cases of parliamentarians whose mandates have been summarily revoked in Ecuador and the Democratic Republic of the Congo by courts without any due process or by members of the parliament themselves as in Afghanistan. Other parliamentarians still have been arrested in Palestine and taken to Israel where there is no information about what charges have been laid, their trials and whether fair trial guarantees are assured. There are parliamentarians who have been beaten and tortured in Zimbabwe with no investigations having taken place to arrest the perpetrators and where the burden of proof rests not with the State but with the victim.

These are but a few of the cases that the permanent five-member Committee, together with its five substitute members, works on throughout the year. The members represent the five geopolitical groups which make up the IPU. The Twelve Plus Group has two representatives, with Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America making up the balance. At present, the members are from Algeria, Belgium, Canada, Mexico and the Philippines. Four of them have been cabinet ministers in their countries and all have been active members of their political parties. They were chosen first by their geopolitical group and then ratified by all delegates at a Governing Council session. They are all dedicated to doing what they can to facilitate the life of parliamentarians in their own country and others throughout the world.

Currently, one of its members, Senator Pimentel from the Philippines, provides us with the experience of a parliamentarian who himself spent time in jail on four different occasions because he was opposed to the activities of the government of the day. This first-hand experience is frequently insightful when dealing with others held under similar circumstances in countries where the rule of law is not practised in an appropriate way.

The Committee meets four times a year and each meeting results on average in about 30 hours of deliberation on the different cases. It hears from the parliamentarians themselves or their representatives and also from representatives of the parliaments of which they were or are a member. It attempts to find solutions and draft reports. Some cases remain in its confidential files. These are cases in which, the Committee believes, genuine progress towards finding a resolution is being made. Others fall under its public procedure and are presented twice a year to members of the Governing Council for their approval. It would be an exaggeration to say that the Committee enjoys its work. It would be impossible to enjoy learning the stories of fellow parliamentarians under great distress in far too many nations of this world. But it remains dedicated to its work because it knows that, in a different time or place, its own members could be experiencing similar difficulties.

I have been an active politician for 24 years. For me this is the most challenging and most important work I have ever done. I must admit that before I became a member of this Committee, the work of other parliamentarians working under far less favourable conditions than my own was not of very great concern to me. This Committee has taught me the importance of remembering that we are all part of the global community and that I have a responsibility towards my fellow human beings and more particularly, my fellow parliamentarians who are trying to do for their people what I try to do for mine - make this world a better place to live in.

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