The Parliament (Chamber of Deputies and Senate of the Republic) exercises legislative power, in addition to electing the President of the Republic, voting confidence in the Government, and carrying out tasks of political orientation, control, and inspection, etc. The function that interests us most is that of normative production. The Yearbook, in addition to being interested in definitively approved laws, considers the bills that parliament is occupied with discussing each year. This analysis allows us to evaluate how much the theme of human rights is present in Italy's legislative action.

To do this, the Yearbook's Research and Editorial Committee has developed a series of 12 themes (categories) that refer to the main legal instruments of the United Nations and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each of the 12 categories is also linked to one or more descriptors of the TESEO classification system for parliamentary documents (TEsauro SEnato per l'Organizzazione dei documenti parlamentari). In total, 52 descriptors are considered relevant.

By connecting the various bills to one (or more) themes, using the TESEO descriptors, it is therefore possible to get an idea of how much the subject of fundamental rights and SDGs is debated by the national legislator. The 12 themes are:

1.Racism;
2.Civil and political rights;
3.Economic, social, and cultural rights (including the right to the environment and bioethical issues);
4.Women's rights;
5.Torture, prison conditions, rights of detained persons;
6.Children's rights;
7.Migrants, refugees;
8.People with disabilities;
9.Forced disappearances;
10.National institutions for human rights;
11.Ratification of international human rights instruments;
12.Disarmament, humanitarian and criminal law.

Some parliamentary bodies have a particular mandate that involves the theme of human rights.

The Extraordinary Commission for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights of the Senate of the Republic was established for the first time during the XIV legislature (motion 20 of August 1, 2001), after the long experience gained by the Committee against the Death Penalty (1996-2001). Since the Commission is not permanent, it needs to be established, with a formal act, at the beginning of each legislature. The Commission has tasks of study, observation, and initiative in the field of protection and promotion of internationally recognized human rights; to this end, it can: make contact with institutions of other countries and with international organizations; carry out missions in Italy or abroad, particularly to foreign Parliaments, also, where necessary, to establish understandings for the promotion of human rights or to promote other forms of collaboration; carry out information procedures and formulate proposals and reports to the Assembly; formulate opinions on bills and affairs referred to other Committees. The Commission is constituted according to the consistency of the parliamentary groups to which they belong; among them, the Commission elects the members of the Bureau, composed of the President, two Vice-Presidents, and two Secretaries.

The protection of human rights at the international level represents one of the central themes of the activity of the Foreign and Community Affairs Committee (III Committee) of the Chamber of Deputies. Starting from the X legislature (1987-1992), the Committee has established within itself the Permanent Committee on Human Rights in the World which, especially through the instrument of fact-finding investigations, ensures Parliament a continuous update on the state of human rights at the international level. The Committee also has the task of following the progress of individual measures on human rights, carrying out preparatory work with respect to the activities of the Commission.

The Parliamentary Committee for Childhood and Adolescence was established by Law 23 December 1997, n. 451, but its name and competencies were modified by Law 3 August 2009, n. 112. The Commission essentially carries out tasks of direction and control on the concrete implementation of international agreements and legislation relating to the rights of minors. Furthermore, it can submit to the Chambers observations and proposals on the effects, limits, and possible need for an adjustment of the current legislation, to ensure its compliance with international regulations on children's rights. The Commission is composed of 20 Senators and 20 Deputies appointed, respectively, by the President of the Senate of the Republic and the President of the Chamber of Deputies in proportion to the number of members of the parliamentary groups.

Extraordinary or inquiry commissions can also be activated during the legislature.