IPU defines gender-sensitive parliaments as institutions that remove barriers to women’s full political participation and respond to the needs and interests of both men and women in their structures, operations, methods, and work. IPU's Plan of Action for Gender-sensitive Parliaments outlines these seven key areas for action:

1. Increase the number of women in parliament and achieve equality in participation
2. Strengthen gender equality legislation and policy 
3. Mainstream gender equality throughout all parliamentary work
4. Institute or improve gender-sensitive infrastructure and parliamentary culture 
5. Ensure that responsibility for gender equality is shared by all parliamentarians – men and women 
6. Encourage political parties to be champions of gender equality 
7. Enhance the gender sensitivity of, and gender equality among, parliamentary staff