Democracy Without Borders

Program Areas

Program Areas

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Global Democracy

GlobalDemocracy

 Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. — Article 21, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

We advocate a right to democracy at all levels

It is no longer possible to limit democracy to the nation-state. Conversely, democracy can only function on a global scale if it also prospers nationally. We support an improvement and strengthening of democracy and closer collaboration of democratic countries.

All people must enjoy access to fundamental political and civil rights, in particular the right to competitive free and fair elections and political participation.

Democracy Without Borders believes that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the  International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights constitute a right to democracy at all levels of public authority, from the local to the global.

As a measure to help strengthen democracy, Democracy Without Borders supports the creation of a new mandate of the UN Human Rights Council of Special Rapporteur on Democracy. 

What is democracy?

Learn here what democracy is, how it has developed over time, and the challenges it faces.

Two meanings of global democracy

Global democracy can address two things: the state of democracy across the world’s nation-states or democratization of global governance. Learn more about it here. The latter is part of our program area on global governance.

A UN Rapporteur on Democracy

Democracy Without Borders helps coordinate the campaign for the appointment of a UN Special Rapporteur on Democracy by the UN Human Rights Council.

An Alliance of Democracies

Democracy Without Borders supports the creation of an Alliance of Democracies following these principles and proposals.

Endorsements

We are part of the Global Democracy Coalition and we endorse the Coalition for Democratic Renewal.

Publications

Our publications provide unique perspectives and background analysis 

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News and developments in this program area

United Nations renews commitment to democracy and human rights
Declaration on the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations According to a declaration adopted today by the United Nations in New York, the world’s heads of state
DWB | 21.09.2020
State of Civil Society Report 2020 high­lights need of UN reform
The annual State of Civil Society Report from the international alliance of civil society organizations CIVICUS has produced results which are reminiscent of their preceding reports, as well as findings from other
Ryan Whyte | 31.07.2020
An alliance of democracies: with the US or for the US?
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for “a new grouping of like-minded nations, a new alliance of democracies” against China. The US has raised this idea before: in
Sven Biscop | 28.07.2020
Democracy is under threat and must be defended, global statement warns
More than 500 political, civil leaders, nobel laureates and leading pro-democracy institutions from across the world, among them over sixty former heads of state and government, have signed a joint
DWB | 25.06.2020