Speaker Bronwyn Bishop is in the running for the presidency of a global union but won't be stepping aside if she gets the gig.

Ms Bishop is one of four candidates for the presidency of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, a Geneva-based organisation dedicated to the promotion of democracy.

The IPU Assembly will meet in Geneva from October 12-16 to decide on its new political head.

Ms Bishop, who submitted her candidature for the three-year role in July, is taking on candidates from Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Maldives.

In her letter to the IPU she said she was "humbled to have the strong support" of Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the Australian government for her nomination.

"To elect a female Speaker as president this year would show the international community the growth of the IPU into an egalitarian and united institution, committed to the growth of democracy the world over," Ms Bishop wrote.

The IPU has a strong focus on gender issues, setting aside a debate session at its assembly on the topic of "achieving gender equality (and) ending violence against women".

It has only had one other female leader in over a century of its existence.

Ms Bishop's office told AAP the Speaker was not required to step aside from her role, nor did she intend to, if she was elected to the new job.

The Speaker has made five overseas trips since taking the chair after last year's federal election.