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.

News and developments in this program area

V-Dem: Democracy’s decline is gaining momentum
While the global level of democracy has not changed dramatically from last year and remains close to its all-time high, the 2018 Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) report covering 178 countries
Charles Marsh | 08.07.2018
Autocratization and disillusionment challenge democracy worldwide, two new studies indicate
In recent years, democracies have struggled to respond to a host of internal and external challenges. Two new studies put a spotlight on this development: one on the decline in
Marie Becker | 27.06.2018
Bertelsmann Transformation Index depicts global instability and democratic decline
The 2018 edition of the Bertelsmann Transformation Index, in short BTI, published in March finds that the quality of democracy, market economy and governance has fallen to its lowest level
Charles Marsh | 24.05.2018
State of Civil Society Report 2018: limitations on civic space met defiant resistance
The international alliance of civil society organizations CIVICUS released a report on the State of Civil Society that highlighted ten different trends in 2017. According to the report, attacks on
Jessica Lee | 03.04.2018