For the International Day of Democracy
Tuesday 15 September 2015
“Stop the erosion of democracy” – UN rights experts urge
Governments across the world
GENEVA (11 September 2015) – Speaking ahead of the
International Day of Democracy, the Independent Expert on the promotion of a
democratic and equitable international order, Alfred de Zayas, and the Special
Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association,
Maina Kiai, deplore the increasing erosion of democracy as a result of
repressive policies in some countries, but also by virtue of the increasing
influence of vested interests at the expense of the public will.
This year’s theme for the International Day of Democracy is
space for civil society. The United Nations and all Special Procedures mandate
holders endorse this necessary and achievable goal.
But democracy today has become an over-used word, invoked
even by tyrants. A country does not become democratic simply by holding
elections.
What matters most is what happens between those elections:
Can people speak out, engage and influence the leaders they have elected? Is
there a correlation between the needs and will of the people and the policies
that affect them? Can people peacefully assemble when other ways of expressing
their grievances fail? Is peaceful dissent tolerated and encouraged to
flourish, so that the marketplace of ideas is not monopolized by one group?
On International Day of Democracy 2015, we call on States to
recognize that civil society space is the vehicle that allows this to happen.
Indeed, it is essential for a true democracy.
Unfortunately, space for civil society is shrinking rapidly
today, both in countries with no democratic tradition and in ostensibly
democratic countries. There is a growing disconnect between elected officials
and the people. We see this disconnect manifested in the recent surge of large
protest movements throughout the world. People perceive a failure of governance
and democracy, and protest is often their last resort in making themselves
heard. Increasingly, governments are responding to this type of dissent with
more repression, distorting the concept of democracy beyond recognition.
Meanwhile, we are also witnessing a worrisome erosion of
democracy as a result of the increasing influence being exercised by powerful
actors that have no democratic legitimacy, including the military-industrial
complex, transnational corporations, financial institutions, investors, big
pharma and the oil-and mining lobbies. Democratic governance is being corrupted
by players that are not subject to democratic controls and who use their
largesse to ensure that their interests are prioritized over those of the
general public.
Civil society must reclaim its rightful place by demanding
genuine participation in governance, including decisions on peace initiatives,
environmental protection and trade and investment agreements. “Fast-tracking”
legislation or treaties, enacted without consulting stakeholders and without
responsible debate is unacceptable in a democracy.
Democracy is much more than a label. ‘Representative
democracy’ can only be called democratic when and if ‘representatives’ actually
represent their constituencies by pro-actively consulting with them and
facilitating their participation in decision-making, thus making the goal of
greater space for civil society meaningful.
Democracy should not be reduced to an empty word; it is self-determination
in action, and a necessary instrument for securing a more peaceful, just and
stable world. Civil society is a key partner to achieve this noble goal.
We therefore call upon Member States to ensure greater space
for civil society, so that they may take their rightful place as key players in
democracy.
ENDS
Alfred de Zayas (United States of America) was appointed as
the first Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable
international order by the Human Rights Council, effective May 2012. He is
currently professor of international law at the Geneva School of Diplomacy. Mr.
de Zayas practiced corporate law and family law in New York and Florida.
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http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IntOrder/Pages/IEInternationalorderIndex.aspx
Maina Kiai (Kenya) was designated by the UN Human Rights
Council as the first Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful
assembly and of association in May 2011. Mr. Kiai has been the Executive
Director of the International Council on Human Rights Policy, Director of
Amnesty International’s Africa Programme, and the Africa Director of the
International Human Rights Law Group (now Global Rights). - Learn more, log on
to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16368&LangID=E#sthash.NYMWU2LO.dpuf
The Independent Experts are part of what is known as the
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest
body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name
of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that
address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of
the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not
UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from
any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
For more information and media requests, please contact Mr.
Thibaut Guillet (+41 22 917 93 89 / tguillet@ohchr.org) or write to
ie-internationalorder@ohchr.org
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