The Mexican Congress Inter-Parliamentary Union convened the Parliamentary Forum prior to the International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, Mexico, with the objective of defining a common position of Parliamentarians from around the world on issues related to financing for development. The Forum met in the Mexican Senate in Mexico City on 16 March 2002 and formed two working groups that discussed 1) Domestic Needs for Equitable and Just Development, and 2) International Financial Architecture for Equitable and Just Development. Statements were made on behalf of the Forum during the plenary sessions of the Conference on 18th and 22nd March 2002.

Representatives of the following Parliamentary groups were invited to the Forum: Inter-Parliamentarian Union, Latin American Parliament, Central American Parliament, Andean Parliament, Amazonian Parliament, Inter-Parliamentarian Forum of the Americas, Parliamentarian Confederation of the Americas, Indigenous Parliament, Parliamentarian Forum of Asia-Pacific, Parliamentarian Conference Asia-Pacific on Environment and Development, World Group of Parliamentarians for Habitat, African Parliamentarian Union, European Parliament, Parliamentarian Assembly of the European Council, Parliaments of countries that participated in the First Plenary Meeting of the Inter-Parliamentarian Forum of the Americas, and Parliamentarians attending the International Conference on Financing for Development.