United Nations: International Day of Democracy

The United Nations on November 8 in 2007, by adopting Resolution 62/7, established democratic world order in international pursuits. From then on, September 15 began to be observed as the International Day of Democracy, which provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world.

Democracy and human rights are closely linked, the link between them is captured in article 21(3) of the Universal Declaration of HumanRights, which states:

“The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”

The theme for International Day of Democracy 2021 is “Participation’’, which is an opportunity to recall that democracy is about people. Democracy is built on inclusion, equal treatment, and participation. True democracy is a 2-way street, built on a constant dialogue between civil society and the political class. On this International Day of Democracy, as the world confronts COVID-19, Secretary-General António Guterres reminds us that democracy is crucial in ensuring the free flow of information, participation in decision-making, and accountability for the response to the pandemic.