Marking the International Day of Democracy on 15 September, the United Nations is urging greater public participation to rebuild trust in democracy in “an era marked by disinformation, authoritarianism, and shrinking civic space.”
Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that democracy depends on human rights, the rule of law and meaningful participation beyond elections. “Conflicts are multiplying, trust is eroding, and the social contract between citizens and their governments is being undermined,” he warned.
The UN’s focus on deliberative democracy on this year’s democracy day highlights the value of bringing people from across society together to improve decisions and strengthen trust. The UN itself, however, provides few opportunities for direct citizen participation. “This is one of the cases where the UN should practice what it preaches”, Democracy Without Borders noted.
The UN should practice what it preaches
Addressing this gap, the organization and other civil society groups have been calling on the UN to make use of Global Citizens’ Assemblies, among other proposals. A joint study published last year by Democracy Without Borders and Democracy International makes this case and outlines how the UN could convene randomly selected citizens from around the world to examine global challenges and recommend responses.
The idea has wider support. Ahead of the September 2024 Summit of the Future, 160 civil society organizations backed an open letter to the UN and its member states advocating a permanent Global Citizens’ Assembly alongside other proposals. Despite previous commitments to inclusive and accountable global governance, “few tangible steps have been taken”, the organizations stated at the time. They called for public participation at the UN to become “predictable, systematic, representative and meaningful.”
The study recommends that the UN General Assembly establish a permanent framework for convening citizens’ assemblies under Article 22 of the UN Charter. As needed, UN bodies could then convene individual assemblies on specific issues, supported by a common secretariat and shared procedures. Participants would usually reflect the world’s demographic diversity and could deliberate on subjects ranging from climate change to artificial intelligence.
The UN’s democracy day programme includes “Raising Hands and Voices”, a session at its New York headquarters exploring international experience with citizens’ assemblies. Organized by the UN Democracy Fund and the UN Office for Partnerships, it examines how participation, dialogue and inclusion can make governance more responsive. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed is among the listed speakers. The newDemocracy Foundation is also launching a second edition of their handbook on citizens’ assemblies.
Earlier this year, Iswe Foundation and numerous partners convened an online global citizens’ assembly on food systems and the climate.
