Democracy and Human Rights: A UN Special Rapporteur on Democracy

The last two decades have seen a well-documented decline in democracy worldwide. This shift has corresponded with many governments increasing legal and policy restrictions on civil society. In response to worldwide democratic erosion yet persistent confidence in democratic governance among societies globally, a coalition of civil society groups and proponents of democracy is advocating for the creation of a UN Special Rapporteur on Democracy (UNRoD) as a new HRC Special Procedures mandate.

This initiative highlights the unique capacity of democracy to comprehensively uphold human rights and freedoms, advocating for its support and enhancement internationally. The campaign leverages existing UN frameworks and declarations that have historically supported democracy (such as the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the 1996 Agenda for Democratization), aiming to further these efforts through the establishment of a UNRoD. The new HRC mandate is envisioned to bolster democratic values and practices worldwide, offering expert advice, analysis, and recommendations to improve democratic governance globally.

The event will provide a platform to examine potential gaps in the current HRC system related to democracy promotion and explore strategies for safeguarding principles of democratic governance via the UN. It seek to raise awareness and foster dialogue on the need or and potential role of a UNRoD in areas such as election integrity, citizen and civil society participation, and government accountability.

Agenda

Moderation and introductory remarks:

• Dr. Sigrid Lipott, UN Advisor, CIVICUS

Panel discussion:

• Andreas Bummel, Executive Director, Democracy Without Borders
• Dr. Dalia Leinartė, Member, United Nations Human Rights Committee
• Yuyun Wahyuningrum, Executive Director, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights
• Dr. Annika Silva-Leander, Head of North America and Permanent Observer to the United Nations, International IDEA

Co-organizers: CIVICUS (lead partner) and Democracy Without Borders
Co-sponsors: International IDEA, Society for Threatened Peoples, Parliamentarians for Global Action, Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (REDLAD), ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, and Alliance for Vietnam’s Democracy.